US381425A - And feank eosewatee - Google Patents

Description

a T Du S Patented Apr. 17, 1888.

GAME COUNTER.

- N ROSENWASSER & P. ROSEWATER.

(No Model.)

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NATHAN ROSENW'ASSER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, AND FRANK ROSEW'ATER, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

GAME-COUNTER.

SPECIFICATION forming .part of Letters Patent No. 381,425, dated April 17, 1888.

Application filed March 9, 1887. Serial No. 230.295. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, NATHAN ROSENWA'SSER and FRANK ROSEWATER, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Cleveland, in the county of Ouyahoga and State of Ohio, and at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Game-0ounters and Analogous Articles, which same has not, to our knowledge, been in public use or on sale in the United States for more than two years prior to this application, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to game-counters and analogous articles; and the objects of our improvements are to provide in game-counters and analogous articles a novel and useful means of indicating the characters employed in such articles. \Ve attain these objects by means of the devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a view of the upper side of a bar having four vertically-parallel columns of numerals in proper rotation upon its face, and also having upon it an indicating-slide containing two indicating-orifices, the whole designed as a game-counter. Fig. 2 represents a modification of the same, and Fig. 3

i represents another modification designed in the shape of a calendar having one column of numbers and two columns of other characters abbreviating the names of the days of the week.

A, Fig. 1, is the upper surface of a bar having parallel sides, said bar encircled and closely fitted by the slide B, which contains upon its upper side two orifices, b and b", and is capa-' ble of sliding vertically up and down said bar A. This bar is divided into two sections, 9 and h, each containing two columns of numbers, the two said columns in each section being the same distance apart and the two columns of section 9 being the same distance relatively from the line i z, passing vertically through the center of the bar A, as are the two columns of section h from the same line a i. The numbers in one column of each section are situated respectively to those of the other column in the same section at an oblique angle, so that no two numbers appear horizontally parallel, and the top number in one column is at an oblique angle to the top number in the adjoining column, the second number from the top at an oblique angle to the second number from the top in its adjoining column, and so on relatively with all the numbers in the two columns of each section, the said numbers in each column being a uniform distance apart and lettered or printed upon a solid surface. B is a slide having at the end to the right two parallel orifices, Z) and b relatively the same distance horizontally from the center of the upper surface of said slide as are the columns of numbers in either section g or section h from the line i 6 upon the bar A, said orifices b and b being so located that when the slide B, crossing the bar A at a right angle to the line i i, is moved vertically up or down the bar A, the said orifices will pass directly over the two columns of numbers in section h, and when turned so that the orificed end crosses the section 9 at a right angle to the line t i, and the slide is moved vertically along the bar A, the said orifices will pass directly over the numbers in the two columns of section 9.

Fig. 2 is a modification of Fig. 1, being like it in every way, except that in the two sections 9 and h, each containing two parallel vertical columns of numbers, the numbers of one column aresituated relatively to those in the other column so as to form rows of numbers both perpendicularly and horizontally parallel. The orifices in the slideB are horizontally the same distance apart as in Fig. 1; but the orificeb is just enough lower than the orifice b as not to leave it in position to indicatethrongh it any complete number at the same time that a complete number is indicated through the orifice b forming in relation to each other a relativelysimilar oblique angle, as is formed by the two upper numbers in either section on the bar A in Fig. 1, or any other two numbers not in the same column upon said bar A in Fig. 1.

A, Fig. 3, is the upper surface of a bar having a vertical column of numbers passing vertically through the center of said surface, said column having a vertical column of characters upon either side, the characters and numbers in said columns all situated relatively to each other so as to form rows both horizontally and too perpendicularly parallel. Said columns are also an equal distance apart. B is aslide having one orifice, If, in the center of its upper side, and another orifice, b horizontally parallel with the first, the two being the same distance apart as are any two of the adjoining columns of characters on the bar A, the relation between said orifices and said columns being such that when the slide B, crossing the bar A at a right angle to its column of characters, is moved vertically along the bar A, the said orifices will pass directly over the said center and left columns,or the center and right columns, depending upon the position of the orificed end when moving the slide. The characters upon the right and left columns of the bar A represent the days of the week in successive series and in proper rotation; but each column begins at the top with a different day of the week. The indicatingslide B we preferably make in the shape of a belt encircling and closely fitting the bar A, especially when both are constructed of an elastic and flexible material-such as cardboardthe slide then formingaselfladjusting clasp remaining securely wherever placed until voluntarily moved. Either or both of the parts may also be constructed of wood, leather, bone, or a metallic or other substance sufficicntly stiff and strong, brass or steel plate next to card-board being preferred as offering a high degree of self-adjustment to the slide, theybeing of a springy nature, capable when tightly fitted of bindinginward against the vertical sides of the bar A. WVhen constructed of such metallic substances, the slide B need not always form a belt; but its ends may lap over the two vertical sides of the bar A, binding against them, or the slide B may lap over one end only of the bar A, binding against its upper and lower surface. The bar A may also be made to lap over the vertical sides of the slide B at its vertical sides, binding against said slide and causing its movement to be Vertically up and down over its face, the same as would be the case in the other forms described.

Properly, the two parts A and B may alternate, either being held stationary while the other is made to act as a slide, or both may be moved at the same time, the result being alike in all cases, but temporary convenience at times resulting from its adaptability to either method of movement. The orifices are each of a size sufficient to admit through them a full and clear View of any one of the characters or numerals upon the bars A, and may sometimes be substituted with a mere recess or a design directing the eye toward the number or character indicated; but we prefer to use the orifices.

From the description already given it will be readily seen that when either of the indicating-slides in Figs. 1 and 2 is made to indicatc a complete number through one of its orifices the other orifice in the same slide cannot at the same time indicate a complete number.

Thus in Fig. l the number 4: is completely and distinctly visible through the orifice I)", while through the, orifice I) only the lower part of the number 12 and the upper part of the number 11 are visible. It is also evident that the same relation as above described between two orifices upon aslide and two columns of numbers upon a bar can be produced upon the front and back of a flat bar if the numerals in the columns one column upon the front and the other upon the back of the bar A-occupy the same relation perpendicularly and horizontally or obliquely to each other and to the orifices upon the upper and lower sides of the slide B, as in Figs. 1 and 2, and said orifices also maintain the same relations to each other and to the two vertical columns, as in Figs. 1 and 2.

It is also evident from the description of Figs. 1 and 2 that the slide B can be applied so as to indicate from either of the two sections 9 and h, according to the direction in which its orificed end is kept in moving the slide.

It will also be apparent that the slide B in Fig. 3 can be made to indicate a day of the month, (represented bya numeral,) in combination with a day of the week, on a line horizontally parallel .with it in either the column to the right or that to the left, according to the direction in which the end orifice is kept in moving the slide along the bar A, and that if the day of the month is indicated at the start, together with the correct day of the week, each successive move to indicate the successive days of the month will at the same time correctly indicate, together with it,the correct day of the week.

In the drawings, Fig. 3, the adjustment shown applies only to months beginning with two particular days; but it is evident that if the back of the encircling slide 13 contained two orifices not horizontally parallel, but situated to each other at such an oblique angle as to enable through them a full view of a. number and a character not horizontal to each other, said back of the slide B could be turned so as to cover .the face, and thus combine the day of the month with a different series of days of the week than those indicated through the face of the slide. It is also evident that the back of the bar A could be designed similarly to the front or upper side, but commencing the columns of characters upon other days of the week, thus affording four possible variations in the series of combinations resulting in sliding the slide B over the bar A, one of which four variations necessarily duplicates one of those formed on the face side of the bar A, there being eight variations and only seven days of the week, calling for only seven variations to make a calendar complete and perpetual.

It is further apparent that if there were but two columns of characters on the bar A and a slide with but one orifice, said columns and said orifice in said slide similarly arranged and located relative to each other as above 5 justed to indicate from either column of characters on said bar A by being simply turned over after having been taken off and in its reversed order set on the bar again.

It is also apparent that the bar A can be made to enter and slide without further mechanical adjustment through the slide B between its upper and lower sides, and each can thus be separately constructed and fitted together; also, that a.single indicating-orifice and a single column of characters can be used together.

' We are aware that devices have heretofore been used in which the days of the month and days of the week were at the same time indicated through orifices in a manner isolated from all other figures or characters; but they were not both indicated through a single movable indicator,nor by means of a bar and slide such as herein described. We therefore do not claim a gamecoun-ter or analogous article, broadly; but i What we do claim isv 1. In a gamecounter or analogous article, a

bar crossed vertically by two or more parallel columns of numbers or other characters, all arranged with relation to each other and to two or more orifices and their relative position in a slide moving vertically up and down over the face of or over both sides of the said bar, so that when one of said numbers or characters upon said bar is visibly indicated through one of said orifices no other number or character upon said bar will be similarly indicated, as described. s

2. In a game-counter or analogous article, a bar containing two or more parallel vertical columns of numbers or other characters, in combination with a slide passing vertically over said columns, said slide containing an orifice near one end situated relatively to the numbers or other characters in said columns so as to visibly indicate through said orifice any one of the characters in either column, according to the direction in which the orificed end is kept-to the right or to the leftwhen being moved over the bar, all as described.

NATHAN ROSENWASSER. FRANK ROSEWATER. Witnesses:

THOMAS PIWOUKA, T. H. J OHNSON.

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