US969804A - Game. - Google Patents

Description

A. M. POPE,

GAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1910.

Patented Sept. 13, 1910.

2 BEBETB-BHEET 1.

A. M. POPE.

GAME.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Patented Sept. 13, 1910.

EEC-5%.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALLAN M. POPE, OF FORT ETHAN ALLEN, VERMONT.

GAME.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALLAN M. Porn, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Ethan Allen, in the county of Chittenden and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Games, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved game board and more particularly to a, game of very novel construction which is primarily adapted to be attached to an automobile or other moving vehicle, the movement of the vehicle being adapted to enter into and largely controlling the procedure of the game.

Another object is to provide a game board adapted to be used in combination with a number of movable objects or playing pieces, the movement of said objects being controlled by means arranged on the board and directed into a plurality of pockets having different relative values.

A still further object is to provide a game board of simple and novel construction which is adapted for use in combination with suitable playing pieces and under prescribed rules, the game being played in circumstances designed to add to the interest of the players.-

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front of an automobile showing my improved game board attached to the dash board thereof; Fig. 2 is an enlarged front elevation partly in section; Fig. 3 is a top plan view; Fig. i is a section taken on the line 4=4 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a bottom plan View.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a game adapted to be played upon a board attached to the dash board or the back of a seat of an automobile or other vehicle whereby the occupants may be afforded means of amusement under unusual circumstances which to a large extent enter into and control the progress or success of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 9, 1910.

Patented Sept. 13, 1910. Serial No. 560,143.

several individual players participating in the game. To the above end I provide a game board 5 the detail construction of which will be more fully hereinafter set forth. This game board is adapted to be attached to the dash board D of an automobile or other vehicle, and while in the present instance I have shown the board so arranged, it will be obvious that it may also be positioned upon the rear of one of the vehicle seats. The game board is detachably secured to the dash board D by means of a sheet metal spring (3 which is of the requisite length and resiliency to engage over and securely clamp upon the outer face of the dash board. One end of this spring is securely fastened to the back or base of the game board by means of the screws 7 while the free end of said spring is provided with a padded head 8 adapted to obviate the possibility of the dash board being scratched or marred by the engagement of the spring therewith. In order to prevent the game board swinging outwardly from the inner face of the dash board which might be occasioned by the vibration of the vehicle body, I provide suitable fastening means upon the lower end or boundary wall of the game board. This fastening means comprises a clamping board 9 which is disposed beneath the game board in parallel relation thereto. A screw 10 is disposed centrally through this clamping board and has threaded engagement in the wall of the game board. At its lower end the screw is provided with a turning head 11. Upon opposite sides of the screw 10 spaced cleats or keeper bars 12 are secured to the game board. A bar 13 is longitudinally movable between each of these pairs of cleats and upon one end is provided with a soft padded head 14:. This padded head is adapted to engage with the frame body beneath the lower edge of the dash board. A strip of padding 1 1 also extends across the base of the board adjacent to its upper end and is also for the purpose of preventing the marring of the dash board by the engagement of the leaf spring 6 therewith. Thus it will be seen that after these padded ends 14 of the bars 13 have been moved beneath the lower edge of the dash board and the clamping bar 9 adjusted upon the bars 13 as above described, the

int-e. no A.

game board 5 will be rigidly held against vertical or outward movement upon the dash board. Thus as the machine or other vehicle ascends an incline the game board is positioned at the same angle as the vehicle body and it is also transversely tilted or inclined as the machine passes over different grade elevations. This tilting of the board enters into the game as will appear in the description of the manner in which the same is to be played.

The game board proper consists of a rectangular base to the edges of which the boundary walls 15 are secured. A transparent front is provided for the game board and is preferably in the form of a glass plate 16 which has its edges set into the longitudinal grooves 15 formed in the inner faces of the boundary walls 15. Between the back or base of the game board and the lass plate 16 a plurality of transverse deflectors or partitions l7 and 18 are arranged. As clearly shown in Fig. 2' the deflectors 17 are arranged at opposite sides of the center of the board and extend inwardly from the boundary walls 15. The inner ends of these deflectors all terminate in the same vertical plane. The deflectors 18 are centrally arranged between the base of the board and the transparent plate 16 and intermediate of the deflectors 17. The members 18 are of sufficient length to overlap the opposed ends of the side deflectors 17; These deflecting members 17 and 18 are preferably formed of stout pasteboard and extend the entire distance between the base of the board and the glass front plate 16. They are supported b the blocks 19 which are arranged beneat thesame. I

Upon each ofthe side boundary walls of the game board a pair of guide tubes 20 are arranged. These guide tubes extend from the lower end of the board to a point above the upper deflecting members 17. In the boundary walls 15 above each of the deflectors 17 a pair of spaced openings 21 are provided. These openings communicate with the vertical guide tubes 20. To the lower end of each of the guide tubes a bag or pocket 22 is secured. The tubes 20 would also preferably be formed of pasteboard but it will be obvious that if desired the tubes may be made of sheet metal or aluminum without greatly adding to the weight of the device. In the front edge of the lower boundary wall 15 and centrally thereof a semi-circular recess 23 is provided. A bag or pocket 24 is secured to the boundary wall 15 and depends below said recess.

The top of the game board is centrally providedwith a flared mouth or entrance opening 25 into which the playing pieces are adapted to be dropped as the game is played.

The game board as above described may be used in playing a number of different games, but the following I have found to be productive of the greatest interest to the players. As shown in Fig. 2, the pla-ylng pieces consist of a. number of marbles. In the present game the players may be of any number from one to four and are each pro vided with six marbles, each players marbles of course being differently colored or provided with other distinguishing characteristics. Before the start of the game a certain length of time is agreed upon over which the period of playing shall extend, or a certain point of the road over which the automobile is traveling (say a point four miles distant) may be selected, upon arrival at which the game will terminate. The players are permitted to place their marbles in the entrance mouth 25 at the most auspicious moment and are not compelled to play successively or in turn. Each of the guide tubes 20 is differently colored to correspond with the different colors of the marbles, and it is each players object to place his marbles in the tube which is of a color corresponding to the marbles assigned to him. being arranged upon the dash board or vehicle seat with the glass front to the rear or toward the players, we will assume that when going up an incline the player holding red marbles places one in the entrance opening 25. It will be obvious that as the marble strikes the first of the defiecting members 18 it will engage with the glass front and roll from the deflecting member 18 onto the deflector 17 at the right and into the red tube 20 corresponding to his marbles from whence it is deposited in the pocket 22 on the lower end of said tube. The player would also..place a marble in the opening when the machine is inclined to the right, or when making a turn to the left, as the centrifugal force would tend to throw the marble outwardly on to the right hand. deflector member 17 and hence into his particular tube. Each marble so depositedin the proper tube counts three points for each player. Should the marble enter any of the other tubes than his, the player possessing that tube is credited with two points. In the event that the marble does not enter any of the side tubes but descends through the series of deflecting members and into the bottom pocket 24, one point is deducted from the score of the player who deposited the marble. The game continues in this manner until the proper time has elapsed or the machine has reached the point previously agreed upon. It is understood that a player having played one marble cannot play another until the last has entered a pocket. A fine of one point is assessed for a violation of this rule. Also if any player at theagreed time orplace for the game to cease has one or more marbles not played, he is The boX fined 5 points for each marble still held by him. In case there are less than four players, marbles entering the pockets 22 not assigned to any of the players causes the loss of one point to the owner of the marble therein found.

The game played in the manner above set forth is highly interesting and exciting depending as it does to a great extent upon variations of grade surfaces over which the machine is traveling. Each player plays his marble when he supposes it most advantageous to do so, but he is required to be constantly on the watch for such opportunities so that he will have disposed of all his marbles at the time of termination of the game.

It is possible to vary the rules greatly and play a number of different games upon the board. For instance, one player may be selected to hold all of the marbles, after they have been divided into different colors for each of the players participating. Not less than two players can enter the game nor more than four and the holder of the marbles (which may be carried in a cloth bag or in his pocket) deposits one of them in the entrance opening 25 without selecting any particular color. This is repeated until the marbles are all exhausted when each player counts the marbles in his particular pocket beneath the tubeof the color which has been assigned to him. He counts two oints for each marble of his color found in the pocket and one for each marble of another players color. If less than four players are in the game, the marbles found in pockets not assigned to a player are not counted. The players whose marbles enter none of the side pockets but are deposited in the central bottom pocket 24L add one-half of their total score. In each of these games the player having the highest score is of course declared the winner.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a game board by means of which an extremely interesting game may be played and one which will require considerable expertness and good judgment on the part of the player if he would succeed in winning the game. It will of course be obvious that a greater number of deflectors 17 and 18 may be provided than is illustrated in the drawings and the form and proportion of the game board may also be greatly modified Without departing from the essential feature involved in its construction. Various other minor modifications may also be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. A game board comprising a rectangular box, a plurality of guide tubes arranged at each side of the box, said box having apertures through its sides communicating with said tubes, a pocket secured to the lower end of each of the tubes, and means arranged in said box for directing a movable member into any one of said tubes to deposit the same in the pocket.

2. A game board comprising a rectangular box having an entrance opening in its top, a plurality of tubes secured to each side of the box, a pocket secured to the lower end of each of said tubes, the sides of said box having apertures therein communicating with the tubes, and a plurality of defleeting members arranged in the pockets in staggered relation adapted to direct a movable member into any one of said tubes to deposit the same in said pockets.

3. A game board comprising a rectangular box, a plurality of tubes secured to each 'side of said box, the sides of said box having a plurality of openings formed therein communicating with each of said tubes, each having pockets secured to the lower end of each of the tubes, the lower end of said box having an opening centrally formed therein, a pocket secured thereto depending beneath the opening, and means arranged in the box adapted to direct a movable member into any one of said tubes or into said central pocket.

4. A game board comprising a shallow rectangular box having a transparent front, said box being provided with a flared entrance opening in its top, a plurality of guide tubes secured to each side of the box exteriorly thereof, said box having spaced openings formed in its sides communicating with each of said tubes, a deflecting member extending inwardly from each of said openings, a deflecting member centrally arranged in the box intermediate of the first named deflectors and overlapping the ends of the same, a pocket secured to the lower end of each of said guide tubes, the bottom of the box having a semi-circular opening centrally formed in its edge, and a pocket secured to said box depending from the opening, said deflecting members being adapted to direct a movable member through said box into any one of the guide tubes or into said central pocket.

5. In a game, the combination with a vehicle, of a game board comprising a box having a transparent front and a plurality of pockets associated with said box, the box being provided with an entrance opening in its top, means for directing a movable playing piece through said box into any one of the pockets, a spring blade secured to the upper end of the box having a padded extremity adapted to engage over the dash board of the vehicle, padding arranged at the upper end of said box for engagement with the dash board, sliding bars arranged at-the lower end of said loox guides for said bars, said bars being eah provided With a padded head for engagement With the lower edge of the dash boa-rd, and a clamping bar mo'vably carried by said box adapted to engage thesliding loar's to rigidly secure them against longitudinal movement.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature 1n the presence of tWo wltnesses.

ALLAN M. POPE.

Witnesses M. O. GRANDY, GILBERT A. Dow.

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