US566307A

US566307A - Game apparatus

Info

Publication number: US566307A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1896-08-25
Anticipated expiration: 1913-08-25

Description

(No Model.)

H. GOOS.

GAME APPARATUS.

No. 566,307. Patented Aug. 25, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFIcE.

HENRY eoos, OF LANCASTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF TO JOSEPH s. BRUBAKER, OF sAME PLACE.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,307, dated August 25, 1896.

Application filed November 12, 1895. Serial No. 568,707. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY Goos, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lancaster,

in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Games, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in that class of games played upon checkered boards; and the invention consists in a checkered board of novel design and in the mode of moving the pieces thereon, as hereinafter fully described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a top view of a checkered board embodying my improvement, showing the pieces as located thereon to begin playing the game; and Fig. 2, a similar view, but showing the pieces scattered about the board, as they might be during the progress of the game.

Similar letters and numerals indicate like parts throughout both views.

Referring to the details of the drawings, A indicates a checkered board having the surface divided into lines having two different colored squares, there being nine parallel rows of nine squares each, arranged similarly to the squares of a chess or checker-board. The two kinds of squares-those of different colors-are, however, arranged in a novel manner, and the pieces are placed and operated only on the squares of the same co1or-white, for example-as in checkers. These squares will, for the purposes of this specification, be termed play-spaces, and the squares interposed between the playspaces black spaces.

The center squares D on the

outer rows

1 and 9 of the opposite sides of the board occupied by the opposing forces at the beginning of a game, and the squares D and D adjacent thereto in the same rows, are playspaces, and from play-spaces D D outward to the ends of

rows

1 and 9 the squares are alternately black and play spaces. Excepting in the center, the play and black spaces alternate in each of the rows, but the spaces of the one kind in each row range on the sides with spaces of the other kind in the adjacent rows, as illustrated.

In the center of the board is a play-space R, surrounded by a border r, and the four spaces T adjacent to the sides thereof are also play-spaces.

For the beginning of a game the pieces are placed on all the play-spaces on

rows

1, 2, and 3 on one side of the board and

rows

7, 8, and 9 on the other side of the board. On the center play-space of

rows

1 and 9, surrounded by a border d, are placed the chiefs of the opposite sides, (indicated by a cross 6,) and on the other play-spaces of said

rows

1 and 9 are placed the lieutenants of the chiefs, (marked bya barf.) On the play-spaces of

rows

2 and 3 and 7 and 8 are placed the common. men m of the opposite sides, as shown. The common menfor the purposes of this specification termed men move diagonally forward, as shown by arrows 10, and should any one of them reach the back or outer row of the opposing force it is crowned by another piece of its own kind and becomes one of the lientenants, as in making a king in checkers, and should a chief be lost he may be returned to the board by substituting him for any other piece of his side that may reach the back or outer row of the enemy. The chiefs and their lieutenants can move in any direction from one play-space to another contiguous thereto, as shown by arrows 11. Each of the pieces can be moved but one space at atime, except in taking another piece, which is done by jumping, as in checkers, and the opposing players alternately move one piece at a time. Any piece can be taken by any other piece jumping it in a direction in which the jumping piece could have moved. Any one of the men can move forward directly onto and off of center play-space R and can jump any piece on said space should the opportunity offer, and said men can also move directly forward onto spaces D of the

outer rows

1 and 9.

The object of each side is to have its chief on center space R at the end of the game. Should either side take all the pieces of the other and yet not have its chief on the center play-space, the game is a draw, or should both sides lose their chiefs and one side take all the pieces of the other without recovering its chief and working him onto the center play-space the game is a draw. Any more valuable piece substituted for another that has reached the back or outer row of the enemy must work its way from the space on which the substitution is made, as in chess or checkers.

If desirable, the pieces may have the pictures of the persons on the two sides of any conflict fixed thereon, as, for instance, in a presidential campaign the chiefs may represent the opposing candidates, the lieutenants their principal supporters, and the men the partisans of lesser importance.

It will be observed that, when in the positions in which theyare first placed, the chiefs cannot jump an enemy in their first move,

and so also when they or any other pieces 00- cupy the center play-space they must first move therefrom before they can take an enemy, so that when on the center play-space the chiefs must be defended by other pieces of their sides, though they can move away from said center play-spaces whenever desirable.

I do not confine myself to the manner of marking the squares or pieces herein shown and described, as the play-spaces may be colcred differently and the value of the pieces may be otherwise marked; neither do I restrict myself to the number of lines of squares herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what 3 5 I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in a game, of a checkered board having play-spaces arranged diagonally across the same, three contiguous 4o similarly-designated spaces in each of the back, or outer, rows of spaces on opposite sides of the board and an intermediately-located play-space having a play-space on each of the four sides thereof, and pieces adapted to play over said spaces.

2. The combination, in a game, of a checkered board having play-spaces arranged diagonally across the same, three contiguous similarly-designated spaces in each of the back, or outer, rows of spaces on opposite sides of the board and an intermediately-locat-ed play-space having a play-space on each of the four sides thereof, and pieces having different indications thereon, as and for the purpose specified.

HENRY GOOS. Witnesses:

Gno. A. LANE, WM. R. GERHART.