US868209A - Game apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

- PATENTED 001 .15,

G. M. MITLLER.

GEORGE M. MULLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y:

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 15, 1907.

Application filed September 6, 1906. Serial No. 333,435.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. MiiLLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is a game apparatus, and the object in view is to provide a novel contrivance which is adapted to be suspended on a wall, or other surface, for the purpose of enabling the persons of an assemblage or at an evening gathering to play a game such, for example, as the well-known game of checkers.

According to this invention, I employ a game board provided with two or more hollow reinforced edges, and suspension devices, such as cords, wires, or the like, housed or incased within said hollow edges, thereby concealing the suspension devices and arranging them out of the way of the movable pieces and of the players in playing the game.

In the preferred form of the board or apparatus, it consists of foldable sections which are hinged, or otherwise flexibly connected, to enable them to be folded compactly, or to be spread open in order to display a playing chart. Furthermore, it is preferred to double or fold each of the several edges of the sections or members of the board for the purpose of forming on each section a reinforcing margin or frame, although this specific construction may be changed or modified within limits. It is, also, preferred to employ the suspension cords as a means for holding the hinged sections in their folded positions.

The invention further consists of a game board with checker-suspension devices held fixedly in position on said board. The board comprises a backing and a lining with an intervening space, in which space is secured the shank of the checker-supporting device. Preferably, the suspension device is provided with an eye or loop on the aforesaid shank, and said device is also provided with a hook opposite to the exposed face of the lining, said hook being partially embedded in or forced through an opening of the lining, for the purpose of pressing a portion of the latter into the eye of the shank, whereby each hook is held securely in place on the game board and the said checker-suspension device is not liable to change its position accidentally on the game board.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating my game board in an open or spread position, and adapted to be suspended for the purpose of permitting a game of checkers to be played thereon; Fig. 2 is an elevation looking at one edge of the game board, showing the same in a collapsed or folded position; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section taken in the plane indicated by the dotted line 33 of Fig. 1.

As shown by Figs. 1 and 2, the game board consists of sections A, B, which are flexibly connected together,

for the purpose of enabling the board to be folded compactly, and for being spread open in order to expose a playing chart 0. Each section A, B, is provided with an integral, marginal, reinforced frame D. As shown, more particularly by Fig. 3, the backing d of the game board, or of each section A, B, thereof, has each edge doubled or folded a number of times, as indicated at d, d 11 and 01*, for the purpose of producing the reinforced margin or frame D.

The folded edge of the backing forms a reinforced margin which is hollow and is square in cross'section, but it is evident that the cross-sectional contour of the margin or frame D may be varied or modified, as, for example,by making the frame triangular or curved in crosssection. The fold d extends at right angles to the backing, the fold d is parallel to the backing, the fold d is parallel to the fold d, whereas the fold d is parallel to the backing and the fold d thus bringing the fold d into lapping relation or engagement with the backing, and presenting a comparatively wide surface of said fold (5* for union with the backing, whereby said fold (1* may be cemented or otherwise attached firmly to said backing. As shown, each section A, B, is constructed with the marginal frame around the edges of its backing d, and the lengths of the frame on each section may be united in any suitable way to produce a stiff and substantial reinforcing device around the section. Although I prefer to use a marginal frame which is hollow in cross-section on the several edges of each section, it is to be understood that my invention is not to be confined strictly to the employment of such a frame on each of the edges, because I may provide the hollow frame on certain edges, and reinforce the remaining edges of the frame by other means. It is important, however, to provide the hollow reinforcing frame at the side edges of the game board, for the reason that I prefer to incase or house the suspension devices for the game board within the marginal frame, substantially as shown by Fig. 1. As shown, the suspension devices for the game board consist of cords, wires, rods, or other equivalent devices E, the same extending through the hollow lengths of the frame D, at the respective vertical edges of the game board. Each cord E, or its equivalent, extends through suitable washers or knobs e, attached to the edge portion of the board, the end portions of each cord extending beyond the top and bottom edges of the board, as shown. The upper ends of the cords E are provided with eyesor loops 0, with which may be detachably engaged other cords or suspension devices E. It is evident that the cords E may be connected together, and that the combined cords may be fitted to a nail, or other device, on a wall, door, or other surface, whereby the board may be suspended in a vertical position, substantially as indicated by Fig. l. The cords E may be disconnected from the loops 6 of the cords E, and the game board may then be folded inwardly so that the sections A B may engage with each other, substantially as indicated by Fig. 2, whereupon the protruding or exposed ends of the cords E on the respective sections maybe tied to gether for the purpose of holding the sections on the game board in a folded position, as shown by said Fig. 2.

Any suitable means may be employed for connecting the sections A, B, flexibly together, as, for example, the sections may be hinged one to the other, but as represented by Fig. 1, a hinge-strip F, composed of fabric, or other pliable material, may be united to the adjacent lengths of the hollow reinforcing frames D, on the respective sections A, B, of the game board. It is evident that this strip F may be attached to the adjacent lengths of the frames D, or the strip may be attached to said sections A, B, in any other approved or desired manner.

The playing chart 0 may be of any suitable nature, according to the game to be played, and it may be provided on the outer surface of the backing d of the game board or its sections. As shown, however, the chart C is adapted for playing the game of checkers, and its surface is divided into squares extending in horizontal and vertical rows. This chart has printed, or otherwise vproduced thereon, a lining G, which is disposed within the members A, B, of the game board, said lining being parallel to the backing d, and within the marginal frame D of the respective sections A, B. The lining may consist of paper, fabric, metal, or any other suitable material, and it is parallel to the backing d. The lining and the backing are spaced relatively to each other by suitable means, such as an interposed strip g, the latter being between the lining and the backing,

- and this space receives the shanks of suspending devices H, the latter being attached to the game board in the required positions, for the purpose of holding the movable pieces or checkers on the playing surface or chart 0.

It is preferred to employ the checker suspension device H, shown by Fig. 3, which device consists of a hook h, and a shank h, the latter being provided with an eye or loop h The lining G is provided with openings 'i, at proper places, and through this opening passes the doubled or bent part of the suspending device H. The shank h, and the eye h of each suspending device is within the chamber g, between the backing and the lining, whereas the hook h is exposed outside of the lining and over the playing surface orchart O of the game board. It is preferred to provide the game board with an additional perforation, or openings 1" below the openings 11, each opening it being opposite to the eye or loop k of the suspending device, and through this opening 71 is adapted to project the offset k of said suspending device, whereby the offset part of the suspending device may engage with the eye or loop k for the purpose of holding the said device firmly in position on the game board. It will be observed that each suspending device engages at two points with the perforated lining G, one point of such engagement being at the opening i, and the other point of engagement being where the offset 72 passes through the opening 1', thus connecting the shank and the hook of said suspending device, and preventing the latter from turning accidentally out of position with reference to the playing surface of the game board. The shank h and the eye 72 of each suspending device may be secured fixedly in place between the backing and the lining of the game board, as, for example, by cementing the parts in place, but this is not essential, because the engagement of the hook with the eye, and the engagement of the suspending device with the game board or the lining, serves to effectually hold the said suspending device in position.

The game herein shown contemplates the employment of movable pieces or checkers I, each of which is provided with an opening j, by which the piece or checker may be fitted on any one of the suspending devices, substantially as shown by Figs. 1 and 3. It is preferred to make each movable piece or checker I of a single piece of material, and said pieces, or certain of them may be plain or unprinted on one surface, as

shown by Fig. 1, while the other surface of all the pieces or only some of them, may be printed with the word King, as shown by Fig. 1, ,or be provided with other suitable inscriptions or characters to denote the capability or function of the piece.

As shown by Fig. 1, the playing surface or chart G is provided in the squares or spaces 1:, at the respective side edges of the board with suitable characters, emblems, or other designations c, which will determine the function of said spaces 0. For example, the rows of squares at the vertical right and left hand edges of the board are provided with crowns, in order that the players may be advised of the fact that these rows of squares are the king rows of the checker game.

Assuming that the game board is folded, as shown by Fig. 2, to place the apparatus in position for use, the cords E are untied or loosened at the top and bottom of the board, and the sections A, B, are opened, turning freely on the hinged connection F. The cords E, or their equivalents, are now attached to the loops'e of the cords E, and the cords E are then connected to a nail, or other device, for the purpose of suspending the game board in a vertical position, substantially as shown by Fig. l. The movable pieces or checkers are adapted to be connected to the hooks h, so that they may be moved by the players in proper order. According to the judgment of the individual players, when one or more pieces shall have been moved across the board in the order of play, and according to the rules of the game, so as to reach the hooks of the king row, the piece or pieces are reversed, in order to present to view the word king on one face of said piece or pieces, thus definitely fixing the function or quality of the piece.

The character of the playing surface or chart 0 may be modified at pleasure in order that games adapted for use with movable pieces may be played on the game board of my invention, and I would, therefore, have it distinctly understood that the invention is not restricted to the particular game herein shown and described, nor, in fact, to any special form of playing surface or chart on the game board.

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

1. A foldable game board comprising sections hinged together, each section having hollow edge portions which are reinforced by folding the material upon itself, and

suspending means attached to the respective sections and partially housed within the hollow side edges thereof.

2. In a device of the class described, a. game board provided with a plurality of hollow reinforced edges, and suspension devices incased partially in said hollow edges and secured to said game board.

3. In a device of the class described, a foldable game board, and suspension devices attached thereto, said suspension devices being adapted to confine the game board in a collapsed or folded condition.

4. In a device of the class described, a game board having a backing, a lining, and checker-suspending devices housed partially between the backing and the lining.

5. In a device of the class described, a game board having an opening, and a suspending hook provided with a shank, a part of said hook passing through said opening, and the hook and shank engaging one with the other for holding the hook against displacement on the board.

(3. In a device of the class described, a perforated game board, and a suspending device passing through said perforations, each device having a shank and a hook which engage one with the other.

7. In a device of the class described, a perforated game board, and a suspending device passing through perforations in said board, said device having a hook and a shank, the latter having an eye or loop adapted to receive a part of the hook.

S. In a device of the class described, a backing, a lining, means for spacing the lining relative to the backing, and suspending devices each provided with a shank which is secured between the backing and the lining.

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

GEORGE M. MULLER.

Witnesses LoUIs ETTEINGER, H. I. BERNHARD.

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