US577292A

US577292A - Puzzle

Info

Publication number: US577292A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1897-02-16
Anticipated expiration: 1914-02-16

Description

(No Model.)

R. FORWOOD.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REGINALI) FORWOOD, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

PUZZLE. I

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,292, dated February 16, 189'?. Application led July 1, 1896. Serial No. 597,745. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known. that I, REGINALD FoRwooD, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in puzzles; and it has for its general object to provide a puzzle whicl1,while very cheap and simple, affords an amusing and interesting illustration of the condition of affairs in the island of Cuba, and the facility with which the insurgent troops may cross what is known as the trocha Without encountering or being molested by the Spanish army.

With the foregoing in view the invention will be fully understood from the following description and claims when taken in eonj unction with the annexed drawings, in which- Figure l is a plan view of my improved puzzle; and Figs. 2 and 3 are sections taken in the planes indicated by the lines w w and fr, respectively, of Fig. 1.

In the said drawings similar numerals designate corresponding parts in all of the several views, referring to which l indicates the body of my improved puzzle, which is of elongated rectangular form in outline and is provided upon its upper side with a map of the island of Cuba, which may be printed, painted, or otherwise placed thereon. The said body l is preferably provided with side walls 2, and it is also provided in or on its upper side with the straight longitudinal way 3, which extends its full length, and the straight cross-way 4, which intersects the way 3 at about the point shown and extendsthe full Width of the body. The ways 3 and 4 are preferably formed bygrooving the upper side of the body l, as shown, and the way 3 is separated from the intersecting way 4 by the walls 5, which have apertures 6', arranged out of alinement with each other, as shown,

for a purpose presently described.

7 indicates a plurality of balls which are of a slightly smaller size than the openings 6, and are designed at the commencement of working the puzzle to occupy the long portion of the way or groove 3, as shown, and 8 indicates a comparatively large ball which is designed to traverse the intersecting way or groove 4, as shown. The small balls 7 represent the insurgent troops and the large ball represents the Spanish troops or the commander thereof, and the puzzle consists in passing the insurgents (balls 7 across the trocha (represented by groove 4) without the same being forced to the ends of the trocha or groove 4 by the Spanish forces, (represented by the large ball 3.)

As before described, the apertures 6'of the walls 5, between the grooves 3 and 4, are arranged out of alinement with each other, and this renders it necessary, after a ball 7 is passed through one hole 6, to tilt the body l in the direction of its width, so as to carry the ball to the other hole 6. This tilting of the body l inthe direction of its width causes the ball S to roll down the groove 4, and unless the operator is exceedingly quick in passing the small ball 7 through one of the apertures 6 and into the groove 3 the large ball 8 will strike the small ball and force it to one end of the groove 4, thus illustrating the capture of insurgent forces by the Spanish forces.

The puzzle may be played as a game by two or more persons, the winner being the person who gets the most of the balls '7 across the groove 4 or trocha in a given time.

It will be seen that my improved puzzle, while exceedingly cheap 'and simple, is difficult to manipulate and is therefore calculated to afford considerable amusement to one, two, or more persons.

It will also be observed that the puzzle may be produced so cheaply as to aiford a valuable and profitable advertising medium.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

The herein-described puzzle comprising the body having the way 3, the way 4, intersecting the way 3, the walls separating the ways 3, and 4, and having apertures disposed in the direction of the length of the Way 3; the In testimony whereof 1 affix my signature said apertures being arranged out of alinein presence of two Witnesses. ment with each other, a series or plurality 0f T balls 7, adapted to move in the Ways 3, and REGDALD FORWOOD' 5 4, and a comparatively large ball arranged Witnesses:

and adapted to move in the Way 4, substan- XVM. H. WRIGHT, tially as and for the purpose specified. F. RIVERS RICHARDSON.