US384195A - Chaeles e - Google Patents

Description

llNirn` STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. DURYEA, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

GAM E-BOARD.

SECIFCATION forming part; of Letters Patent No. 384,195, dated June 5, 1888.

(No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLEs E. DURYEA, of Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Game-Boards, of which the following is a full description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a diagram of a hexagonal board. Fig. 2 illustrates a sixth part of a larger heX- agonal board, having a slightly different method of coloring; and Fig. 3 is a diagram of one of the eight triangles necessary to form an octagonal board.

The board consists of six equilateral triangles s0 placed as to form a regular hexagon, in which each triangle is subdivided into twenty-five smaller triangles. These smaller triangles are colored in two colors, preferably white and black, those being black whose sides are respectively parallel to the corresponding sides 0i" the large triangles containing them. This rule for coloring gives more dark triangles than light ones, and causes the outer row of dark ones to lie with their bases against the boundary-lines of the large triangles, and therefore against a corresponding row of small dark triangles in the next large triangle. This arranging of some of the dark triangles together makes the game far more varied than it would otherwise be, in that it is possible to proceed by jumping over the same piece two or more times.

The manner of using the board is as follows: Each player takes a Stated numbcrof pieces of a distinctive color or shape, which are placed upon a determined field near the margin of the board, using the dark triangles only. The object is to move the pieces to a like Iield at the opposite side of the board, and the player soonest completing'the task is wi nner. Moves must always be parallel to the sides of the board, or, in other words, the triangle to which the piece is moved must lie between the same two dividing-lines asthe triangle upon which it last stood. There are two kinds of moves, viz., direct and jump. A direct move is from one dark triangle to the next, ending there. A jump move is a series of jumps from one dark triangle over a piece in the next to the next but one, and so on in the same or a different direction as far as possible or desirable. The total number of pieces used should be from one-third to one-half the whole number of dark triangles. A greater or less number offers fewer chances to j ump, and this renders the game less lively. The game may be somewhat varied by using a different field or by not allowing players to jump their own pieces. The game is quite lively, owing to the fact that the use of triangular checkers instead of square ones permits the pieces to be moved in any one of six directions. The pieces used by each player must be of such color or shape or both as to be easily distinguished from those of theother players.

The board may be made in a number of ways, provided the dark triangles which come together are somade as to be easily distinguished. This may be done by means of double dividing-lines, as shown in Fig. 1; by shading the dark triangles7 as shown in Fig. 2, or by using a third color for the dividing-lines.

Any number of players may use the board.

If desired for use on shipboard or elsewhere, the triangle usually darkened may or may not be colored, but may be provided with holes or pockets into which the pieces may rest. I do not, however, claim such a modiiicationas this as an invention, nordo I wish to limit myself to such a specific form. The board may be of the shape of any regular plane figure. In Fior. 3 is shown one-eighth of au octagonal board. The hexagonal form is preferred, however, because the triangles are equilateral and the dividingllines unbroken. A board having the number of small triangles shown in Fig. 1 is a very'satisfactory size, but boards having a greater or less number of small triangles may be used. It is usually preferred to use the colored triangles to play upon, but colors last longer if the unused triangles are colored. In Fig. 2 is shown an equilateral triangle, divided into thirty-six small triangles. Vhere a large number of players usually use the board this size is very good. If fewer persons wish to use the same board and prefer it smaller, they can attain the result by choosing upon fields located one or two rows in from the margin. A diamond-shaped board may be formed by placing two of the large triangles together;

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but it is not so satisfactory as a board having the shape of a regular polygon, preferably the hexagon.

claim- 1. A game-board composed of triangular` sections, eaeh divided into similar smaller sections, of which those are colored whose sides are parallel with the sides of the inelosing section.

2. A ganleAboard having the form of any regular plane figure and composed of triangular sections, each divided intosiinilar smaller sections, of which those are colored whose sides are parallelwith the sides of the inclosing section.

3. A gameboard composed of triangles, each divided into smaller triangles, of which l those are colored Whose sides are parallel with the corresponding sides of the inelosing triangle, and which are so placed that along the lines of junction between the large triangles the smaller colored triangles Will lie with their bases abutting the bases of similar-colored triangles in the adjoining large triangles.

4. A gameboard having the forni of a regular hexagon and composed of six eqnilateral triangles, each divided into smaller triangles, of which those are colored whose sides are parallel with the corresponding sides of the inclosing triangle.

CHARLES E. DURYEA.

Witnesses:

WM. HELMICK, C. B. CAYWooD.

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