US588688A

US588688A - Puzzle

Info

Publication number: US588688A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1897-08-24
Anticipated expiration: 1914-08-24

Description

(No Model.)

L. G. WARNER.

' PUZZLE.

No. 588,688. Patented Aug. 24,1897.

1 Mr a 17 i; ""llll a? 1 MW u Cmvueg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LINCOLN G. WARNER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

P u zz L E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 588,688, dated. August 24, 1897.

I Application filed september 18, 1896. Serial No. 606,251. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LINCOLN G. WARNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, (Fox Chase,) and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Puzzles, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to a new, amusing, and instructive toy, and has for its object to provide a cheap and simple device of this description which will afford endless amusement to both old and young and will cause the exercising of a certain amount of ingenuity and practice and steadiness of the hand in its solution and yet when once solved will be as difficult of re-solution as though it had not been before solved.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the details of construction and. combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, the construction and operation will now be describedin detail, referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a plan of a puzzle made in accordance with my improvement, and Fig. 2 a section at the line a w thereof.

In carrying out my invention as here shown, A represents a box or tray, preferably square, and having placed therein a false bottom 13, which has a circular concaved section C, so as to give a saucer shape thereto, and the corners of this bottom are thus elevated and have the depressions D formed thereon, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Four balls E'are used in connection with this construction and are primarily placed within the concaved section 0, after which, by the proper manipulation of the tray, such as tippingit from one side to another, these balls are supposed to be brought one to each of the depressions D,

which is the solution of the puzzle, and, as is obvious, this will require considerable patience and practice upon the part of the manipulator, since the depressions D are of such slight depth as to cause the balls to roll there-- from very easily, and after one or more balls have been brought into position in the .depressions the further manipulation of the tray to bring others of the balls to the depressions will have a tendency to displace those which have previously been placed.

From this it will be seen that considerable practice and patience must be exercised, and yet when the puzzle is once solved it will be almost as difficult of re-solution as though it had not been solved. This will give practice to the eye and tend to steady the movements of the hand, thereby instructing the young as well as amusing the old, since the attention of the person must be entirely absorbed,-

which will cause the time to pass quickly and pleasantly.

In the manufacture of this puzzle but little expense will be incurred, since it is only necessary to make the tray of paper, and the false bottom may also be made of paper or thin sheet metal stamped into shape.

Having thus fully described this invention, what is claimed as new and useful is- 1. In combination, four balls, abox having a bottom with a saucer depression in the center adapted to contain all of the balls at once, circular depressions in the corners adapted to contain only one of the balls at a time, as and for the purpose described.

2. In a puzzle, a square box, a false bottom arranged therein, said bottom having a circular concavity formed in the center thereof a flat portion surrounding the concavity and smaller circular concavities formed in each of the corners of the flat portion, in combination with a box of this character four spherioalbodies, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LINCOLN G. WARNER.