US988526A - Game apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

H. T. WATKINS.

- GAMB APPARATUS.' APPLICATION FILED TBBJE. 1910.

988,526. Paa Apr. 4, 1911.

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GAME APPAnA'rUs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 19, 1910. Serial No. 544,774.

To all rwho/m 'it may concern:

`Be it known that I, HENRY T. WATKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and uset'ul Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.,

This invention relates to games, and it relates particularly to game apparatus consisting of a pack of cards.

The object which I have in view is to provide a pack of cards by the use of which a game corresponding in a general way to the game of whist may be played, which game however by reason of novel features of the cards constituting the apparatus shall possess new and attractive features not present in the game of whist or in any similar game.

The invention resides generally in a pack of cards consisting of a plurality of suits or series, all the cards of each suit being designated by a common mark, for instance a letter of the alphabet, all the members of such suits or series being progressively and consecutively numbered throughout, and a suit the number of the members of which corresponds to the number of the other suits or series employed, each member of the latter suit bearing a mark corresponding to that of the distinguishinor mark of one of the other suits orv series, ciil'erent from that of the other members of its suit, and in addition a distinct mark identifying it.

One form of embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which;

Figure l shows one suit or series, namely that distinguished generally by the letter A, Fig.y 2 is a view similar to Fig. l showing a suit or series the members of which are designated by theletter B and Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figs. l and 2 and shows the suit not marked by numerals but by a distinctive mark.

While I have in the present illustration shown only three suits or series, and two of these are distinguished by the use of a letter of the alphabet, it will be clear from an understanding of the game capable of being played by the apparatus that any distinctive mark may be used to distinguish the separate suits or series and that any desired number vof suits may be employed. Furthermore while I have shown two of the suits as consisting of seven cards designated generally by a letter of the alphabet and numbered consecutively from one to seven, it will be clear that such suits or series may consist of any desired number of cards, the only requirement being that all the members of each suit shall be clearly indicated by an appropriate mark by Which the cards of a suit or series may be identied, and the value of a card of a suit in reference to the others be determined.

Another essential of the apparatus is the suit or series bearing a mark entirely distinct from those of the other suits or series whereby its value in relation to the others may be clear. In the form of apparatus herein shown this suit or series is indicated by the letter X and in order to determine the relative values of the respective members of this suit I arrange adjacent to the mark X on each card a separate letter of the alphabet. The number of cards of this series corresponds to the number ot' the other series or suits. For instance it' the suits in the pack of cards other than the distinctive suit are eight in number distinguished respectively by the letters ot the alphabet from A to H the distinctive suit would have eight members each marked with the character X and each bearin one of the letters from A to H Tie values of the members of the suit designated, as in the present instance by the character X, is determined by the position in the alphabet of the letter which each bears, that is to say a card bearing the designation XA is the lowest in this suit or series, that bearing the designation XB is next lowest and so on in order. That bearing the character XH in the pack herein contemplated being the highest card of this series or suit.

I have found in practice that eight suits or series desi nated respectively by the letters A to H consecutively, consisting ot' seven cards each numbered consecutively, and one suit of cards marked with the distinctive designating mark as X and lettered from A to H consecutively, forms a pack of convenient size for general use. Any desired number of the suits, designated in the apparatus described by letters of the alphabet, may be Withdrawn from the pack to make it more convenient for the use of a small number of players. W'hen any suit is thus withdrawn the member ot' the check suit bearing a designation corresponding to it is also Withdrawn.

Any desired number of players may en- Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

gage in a game, and when played by an 'odd number each player must keep an individual score. When played by an even number a partnership game can be played with half of the players on each side, and in lthis event two partnership scores are kept.

In playing the game for which my novel pack is particularly designed, when for instance four people are playing, the cards are dealt to the players successively until each player receives eight. After each trick is taken each player draws a card from the remain der of the pack in order that, until the pack is exhausted each player shall have before each play eight cards in his hand. The player taking a trick draws irst and is followed in rotation by the players to his left. After the cards are dealt the player at the left of the dealer leads a card, and those to his left follow. Each player must play either a card of the same suit or series as that led, if he holds one in his hand or play a check card. lf he can not follow suit, and does not desire to play a check card, he is at liberty to throw off any other card held in hisI hand.

Any check card is of greater value than any numbered card of any suit and those of the check suit are relatively valued as before explained. The value of the cards of the same suit throughout are determined by the numerals borne by them, the higher the numeral the greater the value of the card.

When a player leads a card of a certain suit, as for instance one designated generally by the letter A, the highest card played of the A suit, after such lead will take any card of any suit except a card of the check suit. rllhis rule applies whatever the vletter of the suit led may be. The purpose and function of the check 7 cards being to serve to break a continuous run in the hands of an opposing player, a player is always at liberty to play a check card whenever a card of any of the other suits is led. When a check card is led it calls for the playing of one of these by each player if he holds it, as the check cards form a series or suit of their own.

rlhe score of the game may be counted in one of two ways. Either the number of points made by each player or group of players may be determined by adding together the numerals of all the cards taken exclusive of the cards in the tricks taken by check cards, or the result of the game may be determined by simply counting the number of tricks taken by each player or by the different sets of players. All tricks taken by the check cards are laid aside and are not counted in either way of determining the result of the game.

Having thus describe-d my invention, what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is K l. A pack of cards consisting of a. plurality of different suits or series, having each its own distinguishing character or suit mark and containing the same number of cards, the cards of each suit being successively numbered or otherwise marked tol denote their values, together with an additional suit or series having its own suit mark and consisting of as many cards as there are suits,

exclusive of itself, in the pack, each card of said suit bearing, in addition to the mark common to all the cards of its own suit, the suit umark of a different one of the other suits.

Q.. A pack of cards consisting of a plurality of different suits or series, each distinguished by a different letter of the alphabet and each containing the same number of cards, the cards of each suit being suc` cessively numbered or otherwise marked to denote their values, and an additional suit or series having its own suit mark and consisting of as many cards as there are suits, exclusive of itself, in the pack, each card of such additional suit bearing, in addition to the mark common to all the cards of its own suit, a different one of the letters of the alphabet by which the other suits are designated.

ln testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY T. W ATKINS.

"Witnesses MEDORA S. BOND, MARGARET F. BROPHY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. C.

Commissioner of Patents,V

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