US472816A - Game-board - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

D. W. RANDALL.

GAME BOARD.

No. 472,816. Patented Apr. '12, 1892.

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' and each respectively looking toward one of UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DoN WIRANDALL, or WAPAKONETA, OHIO.

GAME-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,816, dated April. 12, 1892.

7 Application filed July 16, 1891.: Serial No. 399,779. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, DONNV. RANDALL, of \Vapakoneta, in the county of Auglaize and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Parlor-Game Apparatus, and I do hereby declare that the following is and showing one of the guards in position, Figs. 3 and 4 are details of the mallet and ball.

A represents a float rectangular surface about two feet square, having raised edges a, forming the outlines of the field in which the game is designed to be played. These edges are raised about one-half inch above the level of the playing-surface of the field A, and are, with the field, covered with felt or other heavy cloth, so as to deaden the sound of the balls while in play, and likewise form acushion to play against with the active ball when desired.

In the center of the field A is permanently located a circular structure B. The diameter of this structure, as compared with the rectangular inclosed surface, is proportionally shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This central structure is called the fort and is bisected at right angles, so as to form avenues or openings 6, leading out toward the field A,

the four corners of the raised edge a, which incloses the playing-surface of the game. By this construction the fort Bis divided into four equisized parts, as shown. Upon each of these divisions of the fort I locate an image called a guard, so as to give a more lifelike appearance to the structure, and likewise afford a means whereby points in the game may be readily counted by the capture of one or more guards, as will be hereinafter described. The avenues b have a diameter or width a little larger than that of the balls to be used in the game, so as to allowof the latters easy passage-through, and they are likewise made with a slight upward inclination toward their intersection at the center of the structure B, so as to make it more difficult to land the acting ball in the central depression b at this point. This depression is just deep enough to allow the ball to rest in it without being jarred out by the playing of other balls in different parts of the field.

Within the field A, about two-thirds the distance between the edged and the fort B and equidistant from the former, are located four arches-or wickets G. I These arches lie immediately in front of each of the foursolid portions of; the fort, which are formed by the avenues b, and are of sufficient size to allow the ball to play readily through them. The balls With this description of the construction of my invention I will now illustrate the manner in which the game is to be played and the points counted.

The purpose of the game is to capture the fort, which is done in two ways: first, by capturing a majority of the guards, or, second, when each side has captured an equal number of guards by driving a ball with the mallet through one of the avenues or ports into the center of the fort. To capture a guard consists in placing a ball about two inches from the cushion and immediately in front of the arch. The ball is then driven through IOO ter which the home arch is made from the center toward the outside. The capture of the second, third, and fourth guards is accomplished in the same Way as the first, except that the beginning must be from the stoppingpoint of the ball after making the home arch. At the beginning of a game the first player 1s determined by seeing who can knock a ball across the field and cause it to bound back nearest the cushion from which the stroke was made. v

In playing for the fort the players may play on any ball in the field for the purpose of driving it out of or in position, but can have but the one stroke.

Passing through the proper arch from the I proper direction entitles the player to an addit'ional play.

If in playing a ball is knocked off the board, It must be placed at the point from which it passed off the board.

The player may by driving his ball against another ball and placing his ball against or within an arch of the ball struck have two strokes in any direction desired; but he cannot in any case take adouble play from the same ball the second time until after he has made an arch or his turn is again in the field. This provision does not, however, prohibit the player from driving his ball against any ball in the field.

For skillful playing the one-stroke game-is very interesting. It is exactly like the other game, with the exception that the player gets only one stroke for playing on other balls.

Still greater interest may be added by requiring all arches to be made bycushion-shots.

The one stroke can be taken from beside the ball struck or from the place where the ball lies. A ball must be struck, not pushed, and

thestroke may be made with any part of the mallet. The player has all advantages of cushioning balls.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with a central structure having avenues or ports bisecting it at right angles, of a series of arches arranged outside of said structure and located at equal distances apart, as shown and set forth.

2. The combination, with the central structure-having bisecting avenues and a circular depression at the intersection of said avenues, of a series of arches arranged at equal distances'apart and directly opposite each solid shown and set forth.

3. The combination, with a rectangular playing-field audits raisedinclosingedge, of a series of arches arranged each equidistant from the said inclosing edge, and a circular structure centrally located in said playingfield, the said structure being bisected by avenues facing, respectively, an angular part of the said playing-field and having solidportions facing, respectively, the said'series of arches, all as shown and set forth.

4. The central structure, as herein described,-consisting of the solid portionsB, central depression Z), and the bisecting-avenues b, the bed of said avenues having a slight upward incline toward their intersection at the said central depression I), as shown and set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 23d day of March, 1891.

DON W. RANDALL. Witnesses:

R. B. ANDERSON, CHARLES H. EIsENHA-Rn'r.

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