US968824A - Game or puzzle device. - Google Patents

Description

0. WESTON GAME 0R PUZZLE DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 29, 1909.

Patented Au 30, 1910. r

N 0g b'ne Log 50m, flifiormey OLIVER WESTON, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

v GAME OR PUZZLE DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 29, 1909.

Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

Serial No. 530,298.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER W'ESTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game or Puzzle Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a game or puzzle device and has for its object to employ in such a device a. magnetized bar and magnetically attractable objects, which can be brought into the influence of the magnetized bar by a skilful manipulation of the device, in order that a predetermined object can be made to cling to the said bar alone, or in order that a specified number of objects may be made to cling to the said bar. This object is attained by a novel arrangement and construction of parts as hereinafter described and as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective of the device in use, part broken away. Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sections of modified forms. Fig. 4. is a vertical section of a device similar to the one shown in Fig. 1, with a modified magnetic bar.

Referring to the several figures in which similar numerals indicate similar parts, 1 is a cup or receptacle of suitable material having a transparent cover 6 seated on a shoulder 1 The inner side of the base 5 of the receptacle 1 is sloping from the center to'the sides of the receptacle, preferably in the form of a cone and extending downward from the highest point or apex is a recess 9.

,In this recess 9 a magnetized bar 2 is held in an upright position so that one pole of the magnetic bar is below the sloping surface of the base 5 and the other pole above the said surface.

In the receptacle 1 are loosely held a plurality of small magnetically attractable objects of suitable character, such as balls 7, or flag-like elements 3 and 4. These objects can be made solid or hollow, preferably hollow to make them lighter, and if desired they can also be magnetized to make the attraction greater between the bar and objects. These objects can also have distinguishing marks, such as figures, letters, or the like.

the magnetic bar does not extend to the sides of the receptacle and as the slope of the base 5 tends to keep the objects at the. side of the receptacle, they are consequently out of range of the magnetic bar until the receptacle is manipulated to bring the said objects within range of attraction or the magnetic field of the said bar either by skilful shaking or tilting of the receptacle.

In Fig. 2 a modified form of magnetic bar 2 is shown, the-bar being doubled with both ends projecting above the sloping surface of base 5 to provide a horseshoe magnet, while in Fig. 3 the base of the bar 2 is flanged or cone shaped as indicated at 2*. In both of these constructions the recesses 8 have a lower enlarged portion for the reason that the lower ends of the bars 2 and 2" are enlarged. The said recesses also extend through the base portions 5 to allow the bars to be inserted from the bottom. The horseshoe magnet 2 has both poles close together and consequently a strong attraction is provided between the magnet and the objects, while in the construction shown in Fig. 3 the enlarged base 2 of the ,bar 2 would strengthen the attractive power of the upper end of the said bar.

The construction shown in Fig. 4 is identical with the construction shown in Fig. 1, with the exception of the upper spherical knob 2 of the bar 2.

In playing the game or puzzle, the receptacle is manipulated by the player to attain the object desired. The object may be to make a specified number of objects cling or adhere to the bar. This will be found difficult for the reasonthat in trying to make more objects adhere to the bar, those that may be already adhering thereto are shaken off by the jar or movement. Another way to play the game or puzzle, may be to distinguish between the objects by suitable lettering, or the like, and to try to make a predetermined object cling to the bar alone. A very interesting adaptation of the latter is to provide two flag-like objects 3 and 4 and to letter one C, to stand for Cook, and to letter the other P, to stand for Peary. The magnetized bar represents the north pole, and it is the object of the game to get the flag representing the choice of the men to adhere to the pole before the other flag. It will be found that it is a diflicult matter to get the right object into the active field without first getting the other therein also or getting them both in at once.

The spherical knob shown in Fig. 4 adds to the difliculty in making the objects adhere to the magnetized bar. In the form shown in Fig. 3 there is a stronger attraction in the plane and adjacent space between the two poles, which would also add to the amusement.

The invention can be altered within the scope of the claim and is not limited to the construction shown in the drawings and as above described.

Having described my invention, I claim as new:

A puzzle or game device comprising a receptacle, a base sloping to the sides of the said receptacle, a magnetic bar projecting from the highest point of said base, and magnetically attractable object or objects loosely held in the receptacle, the exposed OLIVER WESTON.

lVitnesses:

MONROE E. MILLER, EDWARD M. WISE.

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