US959985A - Game apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

H. E. WRIGHT.

GAME APPARATUS. APPLICATION PIL ED MAR. 26, 1 910.

Patented ma 31, 1910.

Mm umavu neono \ouon e-aauo 4 ANDREW a. GRAHAM 0m morn-uwo euvnms. wnsumemmhv HENRY F. WRIGHT, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 26, 1910.

Patented May 31, 1910. Serial No. 551,620.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY F. WVRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in game apparatus, the object of the invention being to provide an improved game board, having an improved arrangement of lines and spaces thereon, under suitable captions, and upon said board a plurality of balls moved by paddles, so. as to count in accordancewith particular rules under which the game is being played.

With this and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1, is a top plan view of my improved game board. Fig. 2, is a view in longitudinal section through the center of the board. Fig. 3, is a broken view in diagonal section through the center of the board, and Figs. 4, and 5, are views of the balls and paddles which I preferably employ in playing the game.

My improved game board is preferably rectangular in form, and is provided around its edges with upwardly projecting walls 1. In the center of the board a circle 2 is drawn, and in the corners of the board curved lines 8, are drawn and the circle 2, and the curved lines 3 are connected by diagonal lines 4, dividing the board into four substantially triangular spaces 5. Each space 5, is under the caption Home field. The spaces 6 in the corners of the board, inclosed by the curved lines 8 are under the caption Penalty and in these spaces 6, curved recesses or depressions 7 are provided, and are marked with the numeral 1. In each home field 5, at about the center thereof, adjacent wall 1, a rectangular space 8 is inclosed in a printed square 9, and contains a depression or recess 7 in which the numeral 1 appears.

At the extreme center of the board and concentric with the circle 2, a smaller circle 10 is provided, and contains a depression 7 in which the numeral 3 is printed. Between this small circle 10, and the larger circle 2, and diagonally disposed, are four diamond shaped figures 11, in which depressions 7 are provided containing the numeral 2. Between each of the diamond shaped figures 11, a depression 12 is provided under the caption Spot and these depressions 12 are colored or printed in accordance with the other printing on the board. The depressions 7, and the depressions or spots 12 are just deep enough to compel a ball 13, such as shown in Fig. 4, to settle therein when it reaches the edge of the depression, and to manipulate these balls about the field, I provide paddles 14, as shown in Fig. 5. My game however, is not limited to the particular style of balls which are preferably of rubber, nor of the particular form of paddles employed. The upper edge of each of the four walls 1, is provided with a line of recesses or sockets 15, in which to receive suitable pins (not shown) for keeping the score of each player. The rectangular spaces 8, the diamond spaces 11, and the circular spaces 10 are what I term scoring fields. The space between the diamonds 11, and circle 2, I term spot fields, and the spaces in the corners of the board I term penalty fields. In each of the scoring and penalty fields, the depressions 7 are provided to retain the ball temporarily, and these fields are marked with numerals to indicate the score when a ball is knocked therein.

The game may be played in various ways, one preferable Way is as follows: The game may be played by two or more players, independently, or divided into sides of one or 7 more players on a side. Each player plays in turn, counting to the left, provided there are any balls remaining on his own Home field but if, when his turn to play arrives, there are no balls in his own Home field the turn to play passes on to the next player who may have one or more balls in his own Home field. The game is begun by each player placing his ball about one inch directly in front of the square which is on his own particular territory or Home field. After determining which player shall have first play, the ball which is in his own Home field shall be struck by him with the paddle only, and propelled by him in any direction he chooses. The object is to strike another ball or to place his ball or another on one or more of the scoring fields; each particular shot counting as explained in the following scoring rules. A player has the privilege of playing as long as there are any balls remaining in his own Home field but may not play from any other part of the board. After a ball is played, no other play must be attempted untll all the balls have ceased to roll, and the score 1s adjusted up to that point, as shown in the scoring rules, hereinafter set forth. A player may not play against another ball which may be in his own Home field unless all the balls are there at the time of play. If at any time all balls are in the same Home field, the player may then play one against another, or make trials for scoring fields just as he may desire. Any ball stopping on any of the boundary lines of the Home fields, Scoring fields, Spot fields or Penalty fields, is called a dead ball, and must be placed on one of the spots in the Spot field before making the next play. Any ball knocked off the board is called a dead ball, and the same course is pursued. Any ball stopping on any of the Penalty fields 1s a dead ball and must take the same course as the preceding. If at any stage of the game, all the balls are in the Spot field or Scoring fields they are dead balls and are out of play; and they must be returned to the positions as at the start of the game, the game proceeding under the standing score, the player to the left of the last player having first play. I

The game consists of 21 points scored in the following manner:

1. A successful play is a play named and made.

2. After each successful play, the player counts all points represented by the position of the balls, but a player may count score but once from any of the Scoring fields, if he allows the ball to remain on one while he attempts another play. T 0 count again for the same player it must be played off. A ball thus allowed to remain may not count for any succeeding player unless played off by him in turn.

3. A ball played and striking any other ball named, counts one for the player. Failure to make the above named play counts one for the opponents.

41-. A ball played and striking any other two balls named counts two for the player. Failure to make the above named play counts one for the opponents.

5. A ball played on or off any of the square Scoring fields counts one for the player.

6. A ball played on or off any of the dia mond Scoring fields counts two for the player.

7. A ball played on or off the circle Scoring field counts three for the player.

8. A ball played directly from the Home field to any of the Scoring fields named by the player, counts double the value of the field scored upon, but a failure to make the play does not entitle the opponents to any points.

9. A ball played on to any of the Penalty fields entails a loss or penalty of one point to the player responsible, he must therefore reduce his score by one point.

For example, A plays ball against ball in B territory, at the same time one ball stops on a diamond and one on a square. A counts one for the strike, two for the diamond, and one for the square,making four points in all. If he now has another play, and elects to play against the ball which is not on the diamond or square, he may not count those same points again unless they are played off in making the play decided upon. If in making the play decided upon, he should play either of them off, he may count the score of the one played off, the same as if he had played it ofi in direct play.

Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described without departing from my invention and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

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

1. A game apparatus, comprising a rectangular field, an upwardly projecting wall around the edge of said field, lines connecting the walls at the corners of the field, a circle in the center of the field, diagonal lines connecting said first mentioned lines with said circle, forming four fields under the caption Home field, and scoring spaces in said home fields, in said circle at the center, and in the corners of the board, between said first mentioned lines and the walls, substantially as described.

2. A game apparatus, comprising a rectangular field, an upwardly projecting wall around the edge of said field, lines connecting the walls at the corners of the field, a comparatively large circle in the center of said board, diagonal lines connecting said circle with said first mentioned lines, dividing the board into four fields under the caption Home field, and said spaces formed by the first mentioned lines in the corners of the board under the caption Penalty, a small circle in the center of the field concentric with the first mentioned circle, diamond shaped figures diagonally disposed, located within the larger circle and connecting the smaller circle with the diagonal lines, and ball receiving depressions in said small circle and diamond figures, substantially as described.

3. A game apparatus, comprising a rectangular field, an upwardly projecting wall around the edge of said field, lines connecting the walls at the corners of the field, a comparatively large circle in the center of said board, diagonal lines connecting said circle with said first mentioned lines, dividing the board in to four fields under the caption f Home field, and said spaces formed by the first mentioned lines in the corners of the board under the caption Penalty, a small circle in the center of the field concentric with the first mentioned circle, diamond shaped figures diagonally disposed, located within the larger circle and connecting the smaller circle with the diagonal lines, depressions in the larger circle between the diamond figures, under the caption Spot, rectangular figures in each home field and each rectangular figure, each penalty field, each diamond fi 'ure, and the central circle having ball recelving depressions, and numerals in said depressions, substantially as described.

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

HENRY F. WRIGHT.

l/Vitnesses:

R. H. KRENKEL, C. E. Por'rs.

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