US723120A - Puzzle. - Google Patents

Description

No. 723,120; PATENTED AR. 17; 1903.

- J. L. ADAMS.

PUZZLE.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 31. 1901.

H0 MODEL.

I INVENTOR:

QWITNESSES:

i UNITED STATES ATENT JOHN L. ADAMS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PUZZLE.-

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 723,120, dated March 17 1903. Application filed August 31, 1901. Serial No. 73,947. (No model.)

of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention aims to provide a new puzzle which is attractive and entertaining and which may be at the same time cheaply constructed and adapted for packing in a compact shape.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, illustrating an embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete puzzle embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a diametral section of the same. Fig. 3 is adetail view of a modification.

The principal elements of my puzzle are one or more balls, which are carried in a receptacle, and a hook'arranged to swing above the floor of the receptacle to engage the ball in .fish, the ball having apertures into which the hook enters. I may also provide a plurality of hooks and a plurality of balls in one puzzle.

Referring to the drawings, the receptacle is preferably a shallow round box having a fioorA and a rim B projecting upward around the edge of the floor, these parts being preferably made of wood, cardboard, or the like. Their exact formmay be varied within the widest range without afiecting the operation of the device or the nature of the invention. Preferably the exposed face of the bottom A is printed, as shown, in imitation of a man fishing, with any suitable legend. underneath in order to explain the puzzle and to-add to its attractiveness. On the floor of the receptacle are one or moreballs 0, representing fishes, and which may, in fact, be painted in imitation of the head' of a fish, as shown in Fig. 1. I provide each of the balls with central apertures D for engagement by the hook. By providing three apertures D at right angles to each other and each passing entirely through the ball, as shown in Fig. 2, there are provided six points at which the hook may engage the ball, so that the puzzle is rendered sufficiently easy of solution to prevent its being unduly tiresome. These apertures also assist in the operation by producing small flat faces at which the ball will rest on the floor, so that the hook may be swung slightly by the lateral movement of the floor without causing the balls to move at the same time. The hook is preferably a wire E, having its lower end F bent tofa horizontal position and preferably, also, being double and having the two ends F extending in opposite directions, as shown. in Fig. 2, to-form practically two hooks. It may be suspended by a thread G, which permits rotation on a vertical axis, and also swing in any lateral direction, so as to engage the ball in whatever position it may lie. The sup port H from which the hook is suspended is preferably an inclined post tapered on the lower end J to enter a hole K in the bottom Act the receptacle. Any other separable means of connecting it to the receptacle may of course be substituted for that shown.

In transporting the puzzle the post may be withdrawn out of the socket K and laid on the bottom of the receptacle, so that'the entire puzzle occupies no more room than is taken up by the receptacle, the length of the post being made less than the diameter of the receptacle for this purpose.

Though I have described in detail the elements of the puzzle embodying my invention, yet it is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the particular details specified. Various modifications will readily suggest themselves to the constructor, which do not involve a departure from the invention. For example, it might be made adjustable in height, so as to set it at just the height necessary for facilitating the solving of the puzzle. This adjustment is possible with a thread G, which may be wound about the upper end of the support H until the desired length is secured and then passed down through the notch K; but a preferable mode of providing for this adjustment might be by the use of a ICC ball. The receptacle is then tilted in such a way that the point of support of the ball moves downward and the ball rests on the hook and is lifted from the floor.

The puzzle may also be simplified by providing a flat piece P on the bottom of the hall as shown in Fig. 2, whereby it rests more firmly on the bottom of the receptacle. This fiat piece P may be used, of course, either with or withoutthe vertical aperture D shown.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim is In a puzzle the combination of areceptacle, a ball in said receptacle apertured along three perpendicular diameters whereby fiat faces are formed upon which said ball rests with two of said apertures horizontaL and a hook suspended vertically below a point of support and arranged to swing above the floor of said receptacle, and to enter one of the horizontal apertures of said ball.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. JOHN L. ADAMS.

Witnesses:

DOMINGO A. UsINA, FRED WHITE.

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