US3797830A

US3797830A - Board game apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3797830A
Application number: US00215775A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Breslow
Original assignee: Glass Marvin and Associates
Current assignee: Glass Marvin and Associates
Priority date: 1972-01-06
Filing date: 1972-01-06
Publication date: 1974-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 1991-03-19

Abstract

A game apparatus which includes a playing board having a plurality of playing positions, a plurality of three-dimensional playing pieces having differently shaped sockets hidden on the underside thereof, whereby the shape of the socket on the underside of a selected playing piece must be guessed by a player of the game before the playing piece may be played on the playing board, and a test station where the correctness of a player''s guess as to the shape of the socket on the underside of the selected playing piece may be determined without looking at the underside of the playing piece. The test station has a plurality of bosses having different geometric shapes to match the sockets on the underside of the playing pieces so that a player tests the correctness of his guess as to the shape of a socket by positioning the respective playing piece over a selected one of the bosses at the test station which the player believes to be of the shape of the socket on the underside of the selected playing piece. In the form shown, a boss is disposed at each of the playing positions on the playing board, the bosses having different geometric shapes for receiving the playing pieces in one or more playing positions.

Description

United States Patent [191 Breslow Mar. 19,1974

[ BOARD GAME APPARATUS [75] Inventor: Jeffrey D. Breslow, Chicago, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates,

Chicago, Ill.

22 Filed: Jan. 6, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 215,775

[52] US. Cl. 273/131 A, 273/131 AD, 273/131 B, 273/134 A, 273/137 R Primary ExaminerDelbert B. Lowe Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Coffee & Sweeney 5 7 ABSTRACT A game apparatus which includes a playing board having a plurality of playing positions, a plurality of threedimensional playing pieces having differently shaped sockets hidden on the underside thereof, whereby the shape of the socket on the underside of a selected playing piece must be guessed by a player of the game before the playing piece may be played on the playing board, and a test station where the correctness of a players'guess as to the shape of the socket on the underside of the selected playing piece may be determined without looking at the underside of the playing piece. The test station has a plurality of bosses having different geometric shapes to match the sockets on the underside of the playing pieces so that a player tests the correctness of his guess as to the shape of a socket by positioning the respective playing piece over a selected one of the bosses at the test station which the player believes to be of the shape of the socket on the underside of the selected playing piece. In the form shown, a boss is disposed at each of the playing positions on the playing board, the bosses having different geometric shapes for receiving the playing pieces in one or more playing positions.

16 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures BOARD GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates, generally, to a game apparatus which includes a playing board on which a plurality of playing pieces are positioned by players of the game in accordance with a predetermined scheme.

There presently are available numerous game devices which have playing boards with playing positions thereon, either randomly positioned or arranged in a particular pattern, and which normally determine the scheme by which the game is played by positioning or moving playing pieces-Usually, cards, dice, spinners, or other similar devices are used to determine the play of an individual player on the board during his turn. The present invention relates, generally, to a game apparatus of the character described but which enhances the playability of the game by requiring a player to make a decision or guess as to a hidden characteristic of a selected playing piece before he is permitted to play or move the respective playing piece.

More particularly, the present invention relates to a game apparatus of the character described wherein a plurality of playing pieces are provided for positioning or playing on the playing board, each playing piece having a hidden characteristic or identification means which must be guessed by a player of the game before the playing piece may be moved or positioned on the playing board. The principal object, therefore, of the present invention is to provide a new and improved game apparatus of the character described.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game apparatus which includes a plurality of playing pieces having hidden identification means. The hidden identification means of some of the playing pieces are different from the hidden identification means of other of the playing pieces so that players of the game may be required to guess the hidden identification means on any selected one of the playing pieces before that playing piece may be played on the playing board. Means are provided defining a test station having means for receiving a selected playing piece and indicating the correctness of a players guess as to the hidden identification means of the selected playing piece.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the playing pieces are thru-dimensional and the hidden identification means comprises at least one socket or similar irregular surface means on the underside of each playing piece. The sockets of some of the playing pieces have different geometric shapes than the sockets of other playing pieces. Each of the playing positions on the playing board have a protruding boss which fits a socket on at least one but not all of the playing pieces so that play on the playing board is determined not only by guessing the hidden identification means of the playing pieces but by the correlation of the playing pieces and the playing positions on the playing board. The test station has a plurality of protruding bosses matching the sockets on the underside of the playing pieces to fit into the sockets only when the geometric shapes of the sockets and bosses are matched whereby the correctness of a players guess as to the shape of the socket on the underside of a selected playing piece may be determined without looking at the underside of the playing piece.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of electrical apparatus for rendering a signal when a socket on the underside of a selected playing piece matches the selected boss at the testing station as the selected playing piece is positioned over the boss. The signal may be either audible or visual. In the embodiment of the invention shown herein, an upright support member is mounted on the playing board in the form of a simulated human head and neck. The head is hollow and translucent and has illuminating means disposed therein in association with said electrical apparatus. The electrical apparatus has switch means which is actuated when a selected playing piece matches one of the bosses at the test station and is properly positioned over the boss, asdescribed above. A buzzer also is provided in circuit with the electrical apparatus to audibly signal the correctness of a players guess as to the configuration of the hidden socket on the underside of a selected playing piece.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a game apparatus embodying the concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical section, partially broken away and on an enlarged scale, taken generally along the line 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of a pair of playing pieces, showing the differently shaped sockets on the underside thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings in greater detail and first to FIG. 1, the invention is shown herein as including a three-dimensional playing board, generally designated 12, a plurality of three-dimensional playing pieces, gen erally designated 14, and a test station, generally designated 16 and mounted on an upright support extending upwardly from the playing board 12 generally at the center thereof.

As stated above, the game apparatus of the present invention requires a player to guessa hidden characteristic or identification means of a selected playing piece before that playing piece may be positioned or played on the playing board 12. In the embodiment'of the invention shown herein, the playing pieces 14 are provided with hidden irregular surface means on the underside thereof in the form of sockets which are hidden from the view of the players when the playing pieces are properly positioned on a supporting surface, such as a table or the like. To facilitate properly positioning the playing pieces, as shown herein the playing pieces are in the form of a hat, having a bottom rim portion 14a. The sockets of some of the playing pieces have different shapes or configurations from the sockets of other playing pieces so that players of the game may be required to guess the nature of the surface means (i.e., the shape of the socket) of a selected playing piece before that playing piece may be positioned or played on the playing board 12. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, certain ones of the playing pieces 14 have round sockets 18a and certain other of the playing pieces have square or rectangular sockets llflb.

The playing board 12 has a plurality of playing positions defined by a plurality of upstanding studs or bosses a and 20b. The bosses 20a have the same size and shape or configuration (.i.e., round) as the sockets 18a on the underside of certain of the playing pieces 14, and the upstanding studs or bosses 20b on the playing board have the same size and shape or configuration (i.e., square) as the sockets 18b on the underside of certain other of the playing pieces. Thus, for a player to position or play a selected playing piece 14 onto a selected playing position defined by the

bosses

20a, 20b on the playing board 12, the geometric configuration of the socket on the underside of the selected playing piece must match the selected boss on the playing board.

Means are provided defining a test station having means for receiving a selected playing piece and indicating the correctness of a players guess as to the hidden identification means (i.e., the shape of the

socket

18a or 18b) of that selected playing piece. In the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings, the test station is defined by an upright support member in the form of a simulated human head 22 on top of a neck portion 24, with the head portion 22 being hollow and generally translucent. The top of the head portion 22 is generally flat, as defined by wall 25, and has an upwardly protruding round stud or boss 26a and an upwardly protruding square or rectangular boss 26b. The

bosses

26a and 26b are of a size and configuration similar to the

bosses

20a and 20b, respectively, on the playing board 12 for positioning within the

sockets

18a and 18b, respectively, on the underside of the playing pieces 14. Thus, in order to test the accuracy of a players guess as to the shape of the socket on the underside of a selected playing piece 14, the player selects one of the

bosses

26a and 26b corresponding to his guess and attempts to seat the playing piece over the selected boss 26a or 2612 with the boss received in the socket on the underside of the playing piece. If the playing piece fits, the player is rewarded with permission to position the selected playingpiece on a correspondingly shaped boss 200 or 2012 on the playing board 12 in accordance with a predetermined scheme of playing the game, as described in greater detail hereinafter.

Electrical apparatus, including switch means, is provided at the test station 16 for rendering a signal when a selected playing piece fits onto or mates with a selected one of the

test station bosses

26a or 26b. More particularly, batteries 28 are mounted within a housing 30 on the underside of the playing board 12 with one lead wire 32a extending therefrom for connection to a lightbulb type illuminating means, generally designated 34, having a lightbulb 34a. A second lead wire 32b extends from the batteries to an inverted U-shaped flexible switch member, generally designated 36, mounted beneath the

test station bosses

26a and 26b.

A conductor arm 38 is conductively connected at its lower end to the socket of the illuminating means 34, and is connected at its upper end to a fixed switch member, generally designated 40. The flexible switch member 36 and the fixed switch member 40 are insulated from each other by an insulating plate 42 sandwiched between the switch members with the adjacent ends of the switch members separated. The upper end of the arm 38, the fixed switch member 40, the insulating plate 42, and the resilient switch member 36 are secured to the inside of the top wall 25 of the head portion 22 by a screw member 44.

In order to actuate the switch means, comprising the switch members 36 and 40, in response to positioning a playing piece 14 onto one of the

test station bosses

26a and 26b,

rod members

46a and 46b are slidably received within cylindrical bores 48a and 4812, respectively, of the

test station bosses

26a and 26b, respectively. The

rod members

46a and 46b engage opposite ends of the flexible switch member 36 so that movement of either of the

rod members

46a and 46b downwardly in the direction of arrows A (FIG. 2) biases one end of the flexible switch member 36 into engagement with the fixed switch member 40. This will complete a circuit through the conductor arm 38, the illuminating means 34, and the

lead wires

32a, 32b to the batteries 28 and thereby illuminate the lightbulb 34a which, in effect, illuminates the head portion 22 at the test station since the head portion is fabricated of translucent material, as described above. As seen best in FIGS. 2 and 3, pin members 50 are formed on the underside of the playing pieces 14, within the

sockets

18a and 18b, for insertion into the

cylindrical bores

48a, 48b of the

test station bosses

26a and 26b, respectively, to depress the

rod members

46a, 46b downwardly to actuate the switch means to illuminate the lightbulb 34a whenever a playing piece 14 matches the selected test station boss 26a, 2622.

In order to provide an audible signal as well as a visual signal at the test station, a standard buzzer, generally designated 52, is mounted within the head portion 22 in circuit with the batteries 28 and the switch means 36, 40. The buzzer is of conventional structure and includes a coil 52a having one winding end wire conductively connected to the conductor arm 38 and an outer winding end wire 52b connected to a flexible buzzer am 520 having a buzzer plate 52d at the top thereof. The resilient buzzer arm 52c normally is disposed in conductive contact with an arm 52e conductively connected to the lead wire 320. When a circuit is established, as described above, by depressing one of the

rods

46a and 46b, a current will be established through the lead wire 32a, the arm 52e, the buzzer arm 52c, and the winding end wire 52b through the coil 52a to the conductor arm 38. The coil 52a thereby will create a magnetic field drawing the buzzer plate 52d against one end of the coil. When this is done, the circuit will be broken between the arm 52:: and the flexible buzzer arm 52c, breaking the circuit through the coil 52a, destroying the magnetic field, and the flexible buzzer arm 52c and buzzer plate 52d will return to the position shown in FIG. 2. This continuous and instantaneous oscillation of the buzzer arm creates the buzzer effect as long as the circuit is maintained through the coil 52a while one of the playing pieces 14 is positioned in a matching relationship over one of the

test station bosses

26a and 26b.

Various schemes of playing the game as shown in the drawings are readily apparent. For instance, a plurality of sets of playing pieces 14 may be provided, one set for each player of the game. The playing pieces of each set may be distinguishable by having a common color. A plurality of playing pieces in each set thereof would have differently shaped sockets on the underside thereof. Thus, when a player takes his turn, he will select a playing piece from his set thereof, guess the shape of the

socket

18a or 18b on the underside thereof, and test that playing piece by positioning it over a selected one of the

test station bosses

26a or 26b corresponding to the shape of the socket he has guessed. If the socket matches the selected test station boss, the pin member 50 within the socket will depress the

respective rod member

46a or 46b within the

test station boss

26a or 26b, respectively, engaging the switch members 36 and 40, thereby energizing the electrical apparatus described above to render an audible and visible signal by actuating the buzzer 52 and the illuminating means 34. With the test station thereby indicating the correctness of a players guess as to the shape of the playing piece socket, the player may play that playing piece onto a corresponding boss a or 20b on the playing board. A player may win when a predetermined number of his colored playing pieces are positioned on the playing board in a straight or diagonal row. Players could be permitted to block another players attempt to accumulate a plurality of his playing pieces in a row. Obviously, other schemes of playing the game are readily apparent.

It should be understood herein that the use of the term hidden identification means in the description hereof, is meant to encompass more than mere sockets on the underside of the playing pieces. Other irregular and/or interengaging surfaces, not visible to a player of the game when the playing pieces are properly positioned, wouldbe equally applicable. In addition, other identification means, such as magnets, may be used on the playing pieces without even being visually hidden from the view of the players. However, the unknown characteristic of the magnet (e.g., whether its exposed end is positive or negative) would comprise a hidden identification for that playing piece. The exposed portion of the magnet then could be positioned on either a positive or negative end of magnet means at the test station. If the playing piece is attracted to that portion of the test station, the player may play his playing piece. If the piece is repelled, the players guess is incorrect and he may not play that particular playing piece.

In addition, the use of the term playing board in the description herein is meant to encompass not only fiat playing boards having playing positions thereon, but also playing boards having three-dimensional structures such as the

bosses

20a, 20b on the playing board 12 shown in the drawings. For instance, the playing pieces may comprise portions of a three-dimensional object, with each portion having hidden identification means which must be guessed by a player of the game before it may be assembled or played.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

l. A game apparatus comprising:

a plurality of three-dimensional playing pieces having hidden identification means disposed on the underside thereof, said hidden identification means including at least one socket, the sockets of some of the playing pieces having different geometric shapes than the sockets of other playing pieces so that players of the game may be required to guess the shape of the socket on any one of the playing pieces before that playing piece may be played; and

means defining a test station for receiving a selected playing piece including at least one boss which fits into a socket on at least one but not all of the playing pieces, and electrical apparatus having signal means for rendering a signal when a socket on a selected playing piece matches said boss when the playing piece is positioned onto said boss signifying the correctness of a players guess as to the shape of the socket of that selected playing piece.

2. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said signal means includes illuminating means.

3. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sockets each have one of a plurality of different geometric shapes and including a plurality of different shaped bosses at said test station equal in number to the plurality of different socket shapes.

4. The game apparatus of claim 1 including a playing board having a plurality of playing positions thereon, each playing position having protruding means formed thereon to matingly receive at least one but not all of said playing pieces.

5. The game apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of said playing positions on said playing board has a boss which fits a socket on at least one but not all of the playing pieces.

6. A game apparatus comprising:

a plurality of three-dimensional playing pieces having recessed irregular surface means on the underside thereof defining hidden identification means when said playing piecesare placed with one side facing downwardly on a supporting surface, the irregular surface means of some of the playing pieces having a different configuration from that of other playing pieces so that players of the game may be required to guess the nature of the surface means on a selected playing piece before that playing piece may be played;

a playing board having a plurality of playing positions each having irregular surface means protruding therefrom and mating with the recessed irregular surface means of at least one but not all of said playing pieces; and

means. defining a three-dimensional test station defined by an upright support member extending upwardly from the game board, said test station including protruding irregular surface means formed on the top of said support member for mating with the recessed irregular surface means of at least one but not all of the playing pieces and electrical apparatus having signal means for rendering a signal when the recessed irregular surface means of a playing piece mates with the protruding irregular surface means of the test station and is positioned thereon signifying the correctness of a players guess regarding the nature of the recessed irregular surface means of a selected playing piece.

7. The game apparatus of 'claim 3 wherein said electrical apparatus includes two normally spaced apart electrical contacts connected to said signal means, one contact being mounted on the test station for movement toward the other contact in order to actuate the signal means, and means including an element mounted on said playing piece for moving the movably mounted contact into contact with the other contact whenever a matching playing piece is fitted on a matching protruding irregular surface means 8. The game apparatus of claim 7 wherein said upright support member has a hollow generally translucent portion, said signal means comprising illuminating means housed within said translucent portion.

9. The game apparatus of claim 8 wherein said upright support member is in the form of a simulated human head and neck, with a portion of the head being hollow and translucent with said illuminating means disposed therein.

10. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electrical apparatus includes two normally spaced apart electrical contacts connected to said signal means, one contact being mounted on the test station for movement toward the other contact in order to actuate the signal means, and means including an element mounted on said playing piece for moving the movably mounted contact into contact with the other contact whenever a matching playing piece is fitted on a matching boss.

11. A game apparatus comprising:

a plurality of three-dimensional playing pieces each having at least one socket on the underside thereof, the sockets of some of the playing pieces having different geometric shapes than other of the playing pieces so that the players of the game will not know the geometric shape of the socket of a particular playing piece; and

a playing board having a plurality of playing positions each having a boss formed thereon for matingly positioning in some but not all of the sockets of the playing pieces.

12. The game apparatus of claim 11 including means defining a test station including at least one boss adapted to matingly receive some but not all of the sockets of the playing pieces.

13. The game apparatus of claim 12 wherein said test station includes electrical apparatus having signal means for rendering a'signal when a socket on a selected playing piece is matingly received by said test station boss.

14. The game apparatus of claim 13 wherein said electrical apparatus includes two normally spaced apart electrical contacts connected to said signal means, one contact being mounted on the test station for movement toward the other contact in order to actuate the signal means, and means including an element mounted on said playing piece for moving the movably mounted contact into contact with the other contact whenever a matching playing piece is fitted on a matching boss.

15. The game apparatus of claim 14 wherein said signal means includes illuminating means,

16. A game apparatus comprising a plurality of threedimensional playing pieces each having recessed irregular surface means on the underside thereof defining hidden identification means when the playing pieces are placed with one side facing downwardly on a supporting surface, such as a game board, the irregular surface means of at least some but not all of the playing pieces having different geometric shapes than other of the playing pieces so that the players of the game must guess the geometric shape of the irregular surface means of a particular playing piece; and

a playing board having a plurality of playing positions each having protruding irregular surface means formed on the top thereof for mating with some but not all of the irregular surface means on the playing pieces.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent: No. 3,797,830 Dated March 19, 1974 Inventor(s) JEFFREY D. BRESLOW It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as. shown below:

In the Abstract, line 5, after "thereof" delete the comma.

In the Specification, column 1, line 4 8, "thru-dimensional" should be threedimensional- Column 2, line l8, "socket" should be sockets Column 3, line l9, "socket." should be '-s ocketsline 0 after "lower end to" insert -wire 32a, through; and line 63 "members" should be -member-- Signed and sealed this 10th day of December 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-1050 (10-69) uscoMhhDc 60376-989 I u.s. eovznu'usm manna omc: nu o-au-au.

Claims

1. A game apparatus comprising: a plurality of three-dimensional playing pieces having hidden identification means disposed on the underside thereof, said hidden identification means including at least one socket, the sockets of some of the playing pieces having different geometric shapes than the sockets of other playing pieces so that players of the game may be required to guess the shape of the socket on any one of the playing pieces before that playing piece may be played; and means defining a test station for receiving a selected playing piece including at least one boss which fits into a socket on at least one but not all of the playing pieces, and electrical apparatus having signal means for rendering a signal when a socket on a selected playing piece matches said boss when the playing piece is positioned onto said boss signifying the correctness of a player''s guess as to the shape of the socket of that selected playing piece.

6. A game apparatus comprising: a plurality of three-dimensional playing pieces having recessed irregular surface means on the underside thereof defining hidden identification means when said playing pieces are placed with one side facing downwardly on a supporting surface, the irregular surface means of some of the playing pieces having a different configuration from that of other playing pieces so that players of the game may be required to guess the nature of the surface means on a selected playing piece before that playing piece may be played; a playing board having a plurality of playing positions each having irregular surface means protruding therefrom and mating with the recessed irregular surface means of at least one but not all of said playing pieces; and means defining a three-dimensional test station defined by an upright support member extending upwardly from the game board, said test station including protruding irregular surface means formed on the top of said support member for mating with the recessed irregular surface means of at least one but not all of the playing pieces and electrical apparatus having signal means for rendering a signal when the recessed irregular surface means of a playing piece mates with the protruding irregular surface means of the test station and is positioned thereon signifying the correctness of a player''s guess regarding the nature of the recessed irregular surface means of a selected playing piece.

7. The game apparatus of claim 3 wherein said electrical apparatus includes two normally spaced apart electrical contacts connected to said signal means, one contact being mounted on the test station for movement toward the other contact in order to actuate the signal means, and means including an element mounted on said playing piece for moving the movably mounted contact into contact with the other contact whenever a matching playing piece is fitted on a matching protruding irregular surface means.

8. The game apparatus of claim 7 wherein said upright support member has a hollow generally translucent portion, said signal means comprising illuminating means housed within said translucent portion.

11. A game apparatus comprising: a plurality of three-dimensional playing pieces each having at least one socket on the underside thereof, the sockets of some of the playing pieces having different geometric shapes than other of the playing pieces so that the players of the game will not know the geometric shape of the socket of a particular playing piece; and a playing board having a plurality of playing positions each having a boss formed thereon foR matingly positioning in some but not all of the sockets of the playing pieces.

13. The game apparatus of claim 12 wherein said test station includes electrical apparatus having signal means for rendering a signal when a socket on a selected playing piece is matingly received by said test station boss.

15. The game apparatus of claim 14 wherein said signal means includes illuminating means.

16. A game apparatus comprising a plurality of three-dimensional playing pieces each having recessed irregular surface means on the underside thereof defining hidden identification means when the playing pieces are placed with one side facing downwardly on a supporting surface, such as a game board, the irregular surface means of at least some but not all of the playing pieces having different geometric shapes than other of the playing pieces so that the players of the game must guess the geometric shape of the irregular surface means of a particular playing piece; and a playing board having a plurality of playing positions each having protruding irregular surface means formed on the top thereof for mating with some but not all of the irregular surface means on the playing pieces.