US750906A - Educational game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

No. 750,906. PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904. E. L. STEELE.

EDUCATIONAL GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4. 1903.

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PATBNTED FEB. 2, 1904.

E. L. STEELE.

EDUCATIONAL GAME APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED NOV. 4. 1903. NO MODEL. KSHEBTS-SHEET 2.

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' below described.

Patented February 2, 1904.

UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELBERT L. STEELE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

EDUCATIONAL GAIVI E APPARATUS- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 750,906, dated February 2, 1904.

Application filed November 4, 1903. Serial No. 179,790. (No model.)

To all whom, it away concern:

Be it known that I, ELBERT L. STEELE, a citizen of the United States, residing in WVorcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Educational Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a game apparatus of such a character that in playing the game the players are required to know and remember quickly the names of the capitals of the clifferent States of the Union, and the game is intended to be instructive to the players, for the reason that the most successful player is he who is best conversant with the names of the capitals of the different States.

The nature of the invention is fully described below, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of my device inposition for use. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken centrally along the line of the runway Fig. 3 is a view of one of the playing-cards removed from the pack. Fig. 4 is a view of the pin or peg.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

(4 represents the bottom, and Z) the side and end walls of a shallow box or tray, and c is the cover thereof. The cover is provided near one of its sides with one'or more blocks (Z, which act as props, whereby when the cover is reversed the tray may be placed therein in an inclined position, as shown particularly in Fig. 2.

Adhesively applied to the upper surface of the bottom a is a sheet 0, upon which is represented a map of the United States with the State dividing-lines clearly shown, with the name of each State inscribed thereon, and with the location of the capital of each State designated by a hole which is formed in the bottom a and extends through the portion 6, said hole being indicated in each State in the drawings by a circle. Of course the map of the United States may be drawn on or otherwise applied directly to the bottom, if desired. In addition to the State lines and capitals the course of the Mississippi river is indicated by the dotted line f. On opposite sides of this line there are driven into the bottom a pairs of vertical posts 9, said pairs of posts being arranged at intervals from the northern border of the map of the United States to the southern coast at the outlet of the Mississippi river. The posts on each side of the river are connected by a continuous wire or cord it, so that the course of the Mississippi is fenced in and a zigzag runway is produced along said course. This runway is extended at 71 to a point south of the coast and is provided with an outlet at k exactly opposite a gong-bell Z, which is secured to the bottom of the box near the edge, as shown. The upper end of the runway is extended and flared at h, as indicated in Fig. 1.

The upper side wall 6 of the tray is cut away at I), and a rectangular frame or holder m has its ends secured to the inner sides of said wall on opposite sides of and next the opening 6, said holder being raised, as shown in Fig. 2, whereby a space m is left between the lower edge of the holder and the bottom of the box. This holder contains or supports a vertically-set box or hood consisting of the front wall a, the top a, the bottom a", and side walls n. This box or hood fits into the holder m, and its front wall a is provided at its lower end with a horizontal slot 0, which is coincident with and corresponds in size and shape with the opening m. Between the uppermost pins g and substantially in line with them are a pair of vertical stop-pins p, and between said stop-pins the bottom a is slightly dented or recessed at a to receive a ball 1" and to prevent it from rolling down the inclined plane produced by the position of the bottom a on the props OZ.

8 represents a pin or peg, preferably conical in shape'and adapted to fit into any one of the circular holes which indicate the locations of the capitals of the difierent States.

Cards 6 are provided of suitable shape to slip into the box or hood n n n" n and of suitable width to .pass through the slots m and 0, each card having inscribed on its surface near its forward edge the name of the capital of one State. The number of cards therefore corresponds with the number of States. 1 r

The preferable manner of playing the game is as follows: The ball 9" having been placed in the hollow or recess a, the cards are shuffled, care being taken that the printed ends are all in the same position. The cards are then placed on the table faced down. The player at the left of the dealer takes in his hands the pin 8. The dealer then takes a card and inserts its printed end faced down into the box m m m from the rear, so that his opponent cannot see the inscription. The dealer then reverses the card and slides the printed end of the card through the slots 0 and 721 until the forward edge strikes the ball '1' and knocks it off its seat, the further progress of the card being prevented by the stoppins 1). The ball starts to roll down the incline and is guided by the portions it into the runway and between the wires 7L, and said ball rolls down through said runway, being partially checked in its progress by the zigzag shape thereof until it emerges at the mouthkand strikes and rings the bell Z. The player having charge of the pin 8 must name the State of which the name on the card is the capital and must place the pin in the hole representing such capital between the time when the card is pushed through the slots and the capital thusexhibited and the time when theball thus pushed out of its seat sounds the bell. If the player is successful, he retains the card; if not, it is discarded. The player winning the largest number of cards wins the game. Any number of players, from two up, can play the game, which may be varied, as desired, the exact manner of using the game apparatus being capable of some modification.

It is evident that the zigzag or irregular course of the runway is an important feature of the invention, as if a straight runway from the card to the bell were provided the ball would reach its destination before the opposing player had sufficient time for consideration.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a game apparatus, an inclined surface provided with a map of a country having several States, the location of the capitals of said States being indicated by holes or recesses; a

runway consisting of substantially parallel wires or cords supported by pins or posts and extending in an indirect or devious course over said map; and a pin or peg adapted to be inserted in a hole. indicating the location of a capital, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a game apparatus, an inclined surface provided with a map of a country having several States, the location of the capital of each State being indicated by a hole or recess; a runway extending over said map; means for holding a ball normally at the mouth of said runway, and a structure supported by said surface and provided with a closed wall on the side next the mouth of the runway, said wall being formed with a slot at its lower end of suitable size to allow a card to be pushed through and into contact with said ball; cards inscribed at one end with the capitals of the various States; and a peg or pin adapted to be inserted into one of said holes, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The herein-described game apparatus, comprising the box-cover 0 provided with props (Z near one side; the box or tray Z) provided on its inner surface with the map of a country having several States and formed with the indentation a and with holes indicating the capitals of the various States; the runway g it extending across the map and provided with a flared upper end it; the stop-pins 11 located near the upper end of the runway; the holder at supported by the box or tray near the mouth of the runway and provided with the slot m; the box or structure a, n, n", n set edge up within said holder, and provided with the slot 0; aball normally supported by said indentation; a bell at the outlet of the runway; a pin or peg adapted to fit into a hole indicating the location of a capital; and a pack of cards each bearing a name of a capital inscribed near one edge, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

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

ELBERT L. STEELE.

Witnesses:

INA M. FRANK, JAMES GREEN.

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