US3758114A

US3758114A - Puzzle

Info

Publication number: US3758114A
Application number: US00235528A
Authority: US
Priority date: 1972-03-17
Filing date: 1972-03-17
Publication date: 1973-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 1990-09-11

Abstract

A puzzle including a flexible loop and a device comprising a rigid rod with first and second resilient members attached to one rod end to form first and second loops and third and fourth resilient members attached to the other rod end to form third and fourth loops. The first and third members are interlaced and the second and fourth members are interlaced. The puzzle is worked by following a program alternately to place the flexible loop on the rod and to remove the flexible loop from the rod.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Ludwig Sept. 11, 1973 PUZZLE [76] Inventor: Robert L. Ludwig, P. O. Box 26, Mt.

Cory, Ohio 45868 [22] Filed: Mar. 17, 1972 [21] Appl. No.:235,528

[52] US. Cl. 273/159 [51] Int. Cl. A63t' 9/08 [58] Field of Search 273/159; D34/15 M [56] References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS Dl72,310 5/1954 Riddle D34/15 M 2,091,191 8/1937 Van Luven 273/159 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Great Britain 273/159 Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Attorney Carl F. Schaffer et a1.

[5 7] ABSTRACT A puzzle including a flexible loop and a device comprising a rigid rod with first and second resilient members attached to one rod end to form first and second loops and third and fourth resilient members attached to the other rod end to form third and fourth loops. The first and third members are interlaced and the second and fourth members are interlaced. The puzzle is worked by following a program alternately to place the flexible loop on the rod and to remove the flexible loop from the rod.

7 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PATENTED SEP1 1 I975 SHEEI 1 BF 4 PATENTED SEP] H973 SHEET 3 OF 4 PUZZLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to amusement devices and more particularly to a puzzle in which a closed flexible loop is alternately placed on and removed from a device.

For ages, mathematicians, philosophers and other thinkers have been intrigued by puzzles. The interest which such thinkers show in puzzles increases as the solution to the puzzle becomes more involved. Thus, a relatively simple puzzle requiring perhaps three steps to solve would hold much less interest than a more complicated puzzle having several more steps in its solution. As a consequence, there is a demand for new and unusual puzzles which have a fairly complicated solution. The demand for such puzzles has also-increased with the general increase in leisure time available to working people. Working people now have leisure time to spend on amusement devices such as puzzles which they did not have in the past.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a puzzle is provided which requires nine separate steps for solution. The solution to the puzzle is sufficiently difiicult as to maintain for some time the interest of a person attempting to solve the puzzle. The puzzle consists of a closed flexible loop and a device on which the loop is alternately placed and removed. The loop may comprise a piece of rope or string tied to form a closed loop or it may comprise a flexible synthetic resinous mate rial forrned into a continuousor closed loop.

The device comprises a rigid rod having spaced 'ends and four resilient members. A first and a second of the members are attached to one rod end such that these members form first and second closed resilient loops, respectively. A third and a fourth of the members are attached to the other rod end such that these members form third and fourth closed resilient loops, respectively. The lengths of the first and third members are slightly greater than the lengths of the second and fourth members, respectively. The first and second members are positioned to pass around one side of the rod while the third and fourthmembers are positioned to pass around the opposite side of the rod. The members are also interlaced such that the first and third members generally simulate a first loosely tiedsquare knot and the second and fourth members simulate a second loosely tied square knot spaced within the first knot. In working the puzzle, the flexible loop is passed around and between the members according to a predetermined program alternately to place the flexible loop on the rod and to remove the flexible loop from the rod.

Accordingly, it is a preferred object of the invention to provide a new puzzle.

Another object of theinvention is to provide a puzzle having a difficult solution.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, withreference being made to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS flexible loop positionedon the rod of the puzzle device;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a puzzle device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a puzzle device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a single one of the four resilient members of the puzzle device;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the first step in a solution to a puzzle according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the second step in a solution to a puzzle according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the third step in a solution to a puzzle according to the present invention; FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the fourth step in a solution to a puzzle according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the fifth step in a solution to a puzzle according to the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the sixth step in a solution to a puzzle according to the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the seventh step in a solution to a puzzle according to the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the eighth step in a solution to a puzzle according to the present invention; and

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing the ninth and final step in a solution to a puzzle according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION or THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1-3, a puzzle 10 is shown constructed in accordance with the present invention. The puzzle 10 consists of two pieces: a closed flexible loop 11 and a device 12 on which the loop 11 is alternately placed and removed in solving the puzzle 10. The flexible loop 11 may consist of a piece of rope or string closed by means of a knot 13, or it may be an endless loop formed, for example, from a suitable flexible synthetic resinous material.

The device 12 comprises a rigid rod 14 having left and

right ends

15 and 16, respectively, and first, second, third and fourth resilient members 17-20, respectively. The rod 14 may, for example, consist of a small diameter metallic rod or wire and the members 17-20 may consist of resilient wires, for example stainless steel wires. Or, the rod 14 and the members 17-20 may all be formed from suitable synthetic resinous materials. Although the rod 14 is preferably straight, it will be appreciated that bends may be formed in the rod and that the rod 14 may have an irregular cross section without departing from the invention.

Each of the members 17-20 is formed into a closed loop which may be described as beingsomewhat leafshaped. A typical one of the members 17-20 is shown in detail in FIG. 4. Each member has a bight 21 which defines an opening 22. A pair of

integral legs

23 and 24 are angled together from the bight 21 and terminate at two

adjacent ends

25 and 26, respectively. The member ends 25 and 26 are attached together, as by welding or other conventional techniques, to an end of the rod 14. The size of the first member 17 is slightly larger than the second member 18 and the size of the third member 19 is slightly larger than the size of the fourth member 20. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the maximum dimension of each member 17-20, as measuredbetween the bight 21 and the

ends

25 and 26 is within the range of 65 to 100 percent of the length of the rod 14.

The

ends

25 and 26 of the two

members

17 and 18 are welded together to the left end of the rod 14 such that the second member 18 is normally spaced within the first member 17. Similarly, the

ends

25 and 26 of the two members 19 and are welded or otherwise attached to the right end 16 of the rod 14 such that 1 the fourth member 20 is spaced within the third member 19. The first and

second members

17 and 18 are preferably aligned as shown and the third and

fourth members

19 and 20 are preferably aligned, as shown in FIG. 3. However, such alignment is not critical because of the resiliency of the members.

In attaching the four members 17-20 to the rod 14, the members 17-20 are arranged such that the bights 21 of the first and

second members

17 and 18 extend around one side of the rod 14 and the bights 21 of the third and

fourth members

19 and 20 extend around the opposite side of the rod 14, as is best shown in FIG. -3.

The four members 17-20 are also intertwined or interlaced before attachment to the rod 14, as is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.The first member 17 passes through the opening 22 in the third member 19 and around the

legs

23 and 24 of the third member 19. The second member 18 passes through the opening 22 in the fourth member 20 and around the

legs

23 and 24 of the fourth member 20. Similarly, the third member 19 passes through the opening 22 in the first member 17 and around the

legs

23 and 24 of the first member 17 and the fourth member 20 passes through the opening 22 in the second member 18 and around the

legs

23 and 24 of the second member 18. If the four members 17-20 are aligned as in FIG. 3, the first member 17 will also pass around the

legs

23 and 24 ofthe third member 19, the second member 18 will also pass through the opening 22 in the third member 19, the third member 19 will also pass around the

legs

23 and 24 of the second member 18 and the fourth member 20 will also pass through the opening 22 in the first member 17. As best seen in the perspective view of FIG. 1, the first and

third members

17 and 19 may be characterized as being interlaced in the form of a loosely tied square knot. Similarly, the second and

fourth members

18 and 20 also may be characterized as being in the form of a loosely tied square knot spaced within the first an

third members

17 and 19.

The puzzle 10 is worked by weaving the flexible loop 11 through the four members 17-20 according to a predetermined program alternately to place the loop 11 around the rod 14, as shown in FIG. 1, and to remove the loop 11 from the rod 14. In describing the program for solving the puzzle 10, the puzzle 10 must be oriented by grasping the puzzle at the right end 16 of the rod 14. The direction in which the loop 11 is threaded through the members 17-20 will be the same as those shown in FIG. 3, with motion of the loop 11 to the left being towards the left end 15, to the right being towards the right end 16, up being towards the top of FIG. 2 and down being towards the bottom of FIG. 2.

It is important that the bights 21 of the first and

second members

17 and 18 which are adjacent the right end 16, be oriented above the rod 14 while following the solution described below.

The program for removing the loop 11 from the rod 14 consists of, nine separate steps, as shown in FIGS. 5-13. Initially, the flexible loop 1 1 is positioned to hang down from the center of the rod 14, as shown in FIG. 2. From this position, the following nine steps are required to remove the flexible loop 11 from the rod 14:

l. The loop 11 is lifted'over the left end 15 of the device 12, pulled right and passed up and to the left between the first and

second members

17 and 18, as shown in FIG. 5;

2. The loop 11 is pulled left and down around the left end 15 and is passed up and to the left between the third and

fourth members

19 and 20, as shown in FIG. 6;

3. The loop 11 is lifted around the left end 15, pulled all the way to the right, passed down between the first and

second members

17 and 18 and pulled left under the second member 18, as shown in FIG. 7;

4. The loop 11 is then pulled left and around the left end 15 and then passed above the third member 19 and down between the third and

fourth members

19 and 20, as shown in FIG. 8;

5. The loop 11 is lifted over the left end 15, pulled right and passed down between the first and

second members

17 and 18, going around the first member 17 as shown in FIG. 9;

6. The loop 11 is then pulled'left and down around the left end 15 and passed up and to the left over both the third and

fourth members

19 and 20, as

shown in FIG. 10;

7. The loop 11 is next pulled to the left and, subsequently, passed down between the third and

fourth members

19 and 20 going around the third member 19, as shown in FIG. 11;

8. The loop 11 is lifted over the left end 15, pulled right and passed up and to the left between the first and

second members

17 and 18, going around the first member 17 (at the same time, care must be taken to be certain that the other end of the loop 11 passes above or outside of the second member 18), as shown in FIG. 12; and

9. Finally, the loop 11 is pulled to the left, down around the left end 15 and passed up and to the left between the third and

fourth members

19 and 20, as shown in FIG. 13.

After following the above nine steps, a pull to the left will free the loop 11 from the device 12. If the loop 11 has a knot 13, it is best to hold the loop 11 with the left hand at the knot 13 while working the puzzle 10. This prevents the knot 13 from catching on the members 17-20 and provides a referencepoint.

The loop 11 may be placed back on the rod 14 by following the above nine steps in reverse order or, preferably, by the following nine steps:

1. With the device 12 oriented as above, the loop 11 is passed around the device 12 such that it extends around the hand grasping the right end 16 of the device 12 and the loop 11 is passed up between the first and

second members

17 and 18;

2. The loop 11 is pulled to the left and down around the left end 15 and passed up and to the left between the third and

fourth members

19 and 20;

3. The loop 11 is pulled up around the left end 15 and to the right, making sure the other end of the loop 11 passes outside or below the fourth member 20, and the loop 11 is pulled down and to the left between the first and

second members

17 and 18,

going under the second member 18;

4. The loop 11 is pulled left and down around the left end 15 and passed down between the third and

fourth members

19 and 20, going around the third member 19;

5. The loop 1 1 is pulled up around the left end 15 and to the right and is subsequently passed down and to the right between the first and

second members

17 and 18, going around the first member 17;

6. The loop 11 is pulled to the left and down and is passed up and to the left over both the third and

fourth members

19 and 20;

7. The loop 11 is pulled to the left and subsequently passed down between the third and

fourth members

19 and 20;

8; The loop 11 is pulled up around the left end 15 and to the right and is passed up between the first and

second members

17 and 18, going around the first member 17; and v 9. The loop 11 is pulled left and down around the left end 15 and is passed up and to the left between the third and

fourth members

19 and 20. A pull to the left will complete the puzzle, placing the loop 11 around the rod 14.

It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications may be made in the above-described puzzle without departing from the spirit and the scope of the claimed invention. In addition, it must be appreciated that solutions other than the above-described solution to the puzzle 10 may exist.

What I claim is:

l. A puzzle comprising a device and a closed flexible loop which is alternately placed on and removed from said device according to a predetermined program, said device comprising, a rigid rod having two ends, four resilient members, each of said members being formed to define a bight and two integral legs angling together from said bight to two adjacent member ends, a first of said members having a size slightly larger than a second of said members, a third of said members having a size slightly larger than a fourth of said members, means attaching said ends of said first and second members to one end of said rod with said second member spaced inside said first member and the bights of said first and second members passing around one side portion of said rod, and means attaching said ends of said third and fourth members to the other end of said rod with said fourth member spaced inside said third member and the bights of said third and fourth members passing around said rod opposite said one side portion, each of said members forming a closed loop with an opening therethrough, said four members being arranged such that said first member passes through the opening in said third member and around the legs of said third member, said second member passes through the opening in said fourth member and around the legs of said fourth member, said third member passes through the opening in said first member and around thelegs of said first member and said fourth member passes through the opening in said second member and around the legs of said second member.

2. A puzzle, as defined in claim 1, wherein the closed a loop formed by each of said members has a maximum dimension as measured from the end of the rod to which such member is attached to the bight of such member within the range of 65 to 100 percent of the length of said rod.

3. A puzzle, as defined in claim 2, wherein said first and third members are the same size and shape, and wherein said second and fourth members are the same size and shape.

. 4. A puzzle, as defined in claim 3, wherein said members are formed from resilient wire.

5. A puzzle, as defined in claim 4, wherein the ends of said members are attached to the ends of said rods by welding.

6. A puzzle, as defined in claim 1, wherein said four members are arranged such that said first member passes through the opening in said third member and around the legs of said third and fourth members, said second member passes through the openings in said third and fourth members and around the legs of said fourth member, said third member passes through the opening in said first member and around the legs of said first and second members, and said fourth member passes through the openings in said first and second members and around the legs of said second member.

7. A puzzle, as defined in claim 1, wherein said closed flexible loop is formed from rope.

Claims

1. A puzzle comprising a device and a closed flexible loop which is alternately placed on and removed from said device according to a predetermined program, said device comprising, a rigid rod having two ends, four resilient members, each of said members being formed to define a bight and two integral legs angling together from said bight to two adjacent member ends, a first of said members having a size slightly larger than a second of said Members, a third of said members having a size slightly larger than a fourth of said members, means attaching said ends of said first and second members to one end of said rod with said second member spaced inside said first member and the bights of said first and second members passing around one side portion of said rod, and means attaching said ends of said third and fourth members to the other end of said rod with said fourth member spaced inside said third member and the bights of said third and fourth members passing around said rod opposite said one side portion, each of said members forming a closed loop with an opening therethrough, said four members being arranged such that said first member passes through the opening in said third member and around the legs of said third member, said second member passes through the opening in said fourth member and around the legs of said fourth member, said third member passes through the opening in said first member and around the legs of said first member and said fourth member passes through the opening in said second member and around the legs of said second member.

2. A puzzle, as defined in claim 1, wherein the closed loop formed by each of said members has a maximum dimension as measured from the end of the rod to which such member is attached to the bight of such member within the range of 65 to 100 percent of the length of said rod.

4. A puzzle, as defined in claim 3, wherein said members are formed from resilient wire.