US571843A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

(No Hoiiel.)

G. W. PRATT.

GAME APPARATUS. No. 571,843 Patented Nov. 24,1896.

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UNITED Srn'rss GEORGE \V. PRATT, OF PEABODY, M

HALF TO SUSAN A. VALTON,

PATENT @rrucn.

ASSAQIIUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- OF SALEM, lllASSACHUSETTS.

GAM E APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 571,843, dated November 24, 1896,

Application filed February 7, 1896. Serial No. 578,384. (No model.)

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Be it known that I, GEORGE W. PRATT, of Peabody, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an In'iprovement in Games, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My invention relates to a game whereby diversion and amusement are alforded, particularly to the young, my invention being of a nature to develop the skill and persistency of the player as well-as to afford diversion and amusement.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrative of my invention, Figure l is a plan View of the apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a central vertical section on the line 2 A designates a playingboard, which may be of any desired shape and provided around its periphery with a suitable retaining-flange A. This playingboard has an upper plane surface which is provided at suitable inter vals with openings or sockets a, which are herein shown as arranged in a series of tri angles, which maybe connected by bands ll, painted in diilferent colors, if desired, to readily distinguish the same, certain of the triangles B being concentric within the larger As herein arranged, the outer triangles B are arranged in the form of a Maltese cross joined at its center by a disk B which also has at its center a socket a, similar to the other sockets (1. Various des ignating values are given to these openings or sockets. For instance, the outer end ones may be given a value of live and the radial openings a value of ten, while the openings of the smaller triangles-may hai e a value of twenty and the central opening a n yn-lue of fifty.

C designates the pins or men, which are arranged to loosely enter the openings (t a, so as to be readily knocked down, will presently be more particularly set forth, the pins for this purpose being provided at their ontering end with reduced portions 3, which are smaller than the openings, so that the shoulders c of the pins rest on the edges of the openings.

The pins 0 are preferably formed with re duced portions 0 at either end, in order that they may be reversible and more readily placed in position on the board; also, by reason of the shape thus given to the pins the weight of the heavier upper portion of the pin is borne on the shoulders 0, so that it requires more of a blow to tip the pins over than would be necessary if they were supported by having their reduced ends 0 resting, for instance, on the bottom of the opening or sockets a.

At a convenient spot on the board I provide a spinning-post, herein shown as placed at the upper side of the board. This post oomprises an upper arm I) and a lower arm D, which are recessed at (Z cl to receive the upper and lower portions, respectively, of the top E, the lower portion 6 thereof being reduced to substantially the same size as the reduced portions c of the pins, in order that the top may readily enter any of the openings or sockets a, as hereinafter described. This lower end is also substantially square on the bottom, in order that when spun the top may have a tendency to travel over the board.

In order to more effectually confine the spin11ing-top within the range of openings or sockets (1,1 have arranged a line of guardposts f, preferably concentric with the center of the board, to cut off the corners. These guards are arranged in sulliciently close or-- dor to prevent the top from spinning between them, and are also preferably formed of slightly resilient wire or wire nails, in order that when the top abuts against the same the top may be caused to rebound slightly toward the openings or sockets of the board.

The game as played by the above-described apparatus is as follows, viz: The top E is properly placed in the spinning post, as shown, and the spinning-cord K is sharply pulled by means of the finger-ring 7c in the direction as indicated in Fig. l. The top thus spun is allowed to travel over the board A, and as it comes in contact with any of the various pins 0, which have been previously properly placed in their sockets (6 ct, the values of the pins thus overturned by the top are placed to the players account. For in stance, the top may overturn the first pin in its path from the spinningpost. This will give the player a count of five. The next pin may be in one of the smaller triangles, which gives the player twenty; and if he be fortunate enough to knock over the central pin he has fifty added to his account. If the top enters and remains in one of the openlngs not occupied by a pin, as, for instance, any of the radial openings, this ends that players play and he gets only ten, another player then taking his turn in the game. The player who first reaches the limit of the game is the winner.

The inner openings are more difficult of access to the top, for the reason that they are guarded by the openings and pins surrounding them, so that the probabilities are that the top will enter the outside unoccupied openings or will be retarded and stopped by contact with the outer pins before it has a chance to occupy the openings near the center, particularly the central opening, which is therefore given the highest count.

I do not limit myself to the order of playing herein described, nor to the values or arrangement of the openings herein shown, inasmuch as it is obvious that these details, as well as other features of construction, may be considerably modified within the spirit and scope of my invention.

That I claim is p 1. A game apparatus comprising a board, a plurality of openings or sockets therein,a plurality of pins adapted to be supported in loose engagement in said openings,and a top adapted to travel over said board when spun-and to overturn the pins in said openings by contact therewith, said board having a plurality of resilient posts arranged in its corners in curves substantially concentric with said board, whereby said top is continually thrown inwardly toward said pins and openings, as it spins against said posts, substantially as described.

2. A game apparatus comprising a board, a plurality of openings or sockets, therein,a plurality of pins adapted to be supported in loose engagement in said openings, the latter be ing variously marked with designating values, and a top adapted to travel over said board when spun, said top being provided with a lower portion adapted to enter said openings and adapted to overturn the pins, substantially as described.

3. A game apparatus comprising a board, a plurality of openings or sockets in said board arranged in figures, certain of said openings being inclosed within figures formed by other of said openings whereby they are rendered more difficult of access, a plurality of pins adapted to be supported in loose engagement in said openings, the latter being variously marked with designating values, certain of said openings being normally provided with said pins and others thereof being without said pins; and a top formed to travel over said board when spun, said top being provided with a lower portion adapted to enter said openings, substantially as described.

4. A game apparatus comprising a board, a plurality of openings or sockets in said board, a plurality of pins adapted to be supported in loose engagement in said openings, said pins being provided at either end with short reduced portions to enter the openings, and with shoulders to support the same on the edges of the said openings, and a top formed to travel over said board when spun, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE \V. PRATT.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK L. EMERY, IVIARGARET A. DUNN.

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