US2219675A - Game - Google Patents

Description

Oct 29, 1940- J. c. GILLl-:SPIE 2,219,675l

GAME 'l v v Filed Dec. 50, 1938- -v J @of 2 Patented Oct. 29, 1940 UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

This invention relating as indicated to games is more particularly directed to an indoor marble game played upon a marked off horizontal surface. The marbles are adapted to be racked to` form an open V and the shooter assumes a shooting position opposite to such V. The horizontal surface is provided with pockets into which the balls or marbles are impelled and the surface is surrounded by a raised border somewhat in the nature of a retaining Wall so as to retain the marbles upon the surface. Various games can-be played as will be described more in detail hereinafter.

l -destruction of any of its parts. 20

V'The game apparatus may be formed of wood, metal, papier-mache cardboard or equivalent material. In its more expensive form the horizontal surface may be covered with felt which is appropriately marked and the retaining wall may be provided with cushioning material such as sponge rubber or the like but neither of these are necessary.

In another embodiment the playing surface and'retaining'wall may be formed of metal and in this instance the metal of the surface can be extruded to form pockets which also servey as y supporting legs.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims; the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth in detail certain mechanism constituting, however, but one of various applications of the principles of my invention.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a plan View taken from above.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partial vertical section taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the rack.

Fig. 5 is a compositeview of three of the balls Yor marbles used in playing the game.

Fig. 6 is a partial vertical section taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 7 is a central vertical section of a modificatio'n.

Y lReferring now to the drawing and more particularly to Fig. 1 it will be seen that my game 'apparatus comprises a,tablelike,member hav.-

fto receive pockets 9, I0, II and I2.

ing a horizontal base I to which is attached a raised border or retaining wall 2, such attachment being made through the medium of screws or other joining means. The base I is preferably but not necessarily covered with a felt surface 4 andthe base as well as the felt are apertured The entire apparatus is supported upon legs'5, 6, 'I and 8 and it is, of course, optional to provide more legs and more pockets. The felt surface 4 has imprinted or otherwise applied thereto a marking inthe form of an open V I3. This marking comprises two relatively wide bars meeting at an angle somewhat in the form of a chevron and is located closely adjacent the letter N which in turn is closely adjacent the pocket I0. A dot I4, preferably round, is located adjacent the letter S, which it will be noted, adjoins the pocket I2 which is opposite the pocket IIJ. It will also be observed that the angle of the open V marking I3 extends toward the shooters position I4. The table also contains a circular marking I5 Awhich is concentric with the rim or retaining wall 2 and the circle thus described is bisected by lines I6 and I'I to form four. quadrants. The

pockets are designated E, W, N, and S, the words being abbreviated as shown. This is done in or- Vder to name any particular pocket into which the shooter hopes to impel a marble.

A number of different games can be played with this apparatus and in all of these the marbles, which are numbered from l to 17, are racked up by means of the rack generally indicated by the numeral Il in Fig. 4. This rack comprises a hollow V vshaped member having end walls 2l and 22, outer walls I 8 and 2I. and inner walls I9 and 20. The rack is placed over the marking I3 and if it is desired to play the game in its simplestform the marbles l to 1'7 are placed in the rack indiscriminately. The shooter then places his knuckle on the marking I4 and attempts to shoot various marbles into the dinerent pockets. If it is desired to play rotation the marbles are racked up so that the ball numbered l isplaced at the apex of the V and the adjoining balls increase progressively to the ends of the broad bands forming the V. The shooter then attempts to rst knock the ball marked l into a pocket and if he misses, the next shooter takes his turn, stopping when he has missed, it being understood that the balls are used Ain numerical order.

Stated more Adefinitely the marbles are racked .into position,A the first player then shoots the white or plain marble withhisthumb from the dot near the south pocket. The player or succeeding players then continue to shoot from the place where the plain or shooter marble stops.

If the plain or shooter marble should fall into a pocket or jump from the table the player loses his turn and any numbered marble made on that play must be returned to the V. The next player then places the plain or shooter marble on the spot I4 and proceeds as before, with the exception that he may shoot at marbles only within the circle and north of horizontal line I6 running from E to W. In the event there are no marbles Within the circle north of the horizontal line, the marble nearest to starting spot I4 is then placed on the apex of the V and the player then proceeds to shoot at it.

If the player should knock a numbered marble off the table the marble is then placed on the V and the next player proceeds to shoot from the position upon which the shooter stops. If the player should knock the last numbered marble olf the table or into a pocket other than the one specied the marble is then returned to the apex of the V and the next player proceeds to shoot from the starting spot.

A further game may be played known as nineball and in this case the 9 ball itself is placed upon the apex of the open V and balls numbered from 10 to 17 are aligned along one leg of the marking i3. Balls numbered 1 to 8 are placed along the other leg and each shooter then attempts to impel the balls along one leg into a pocket, shooting at the 9 ball last. This game is, of course, for two players only.

In Fig. 7 I have shown a modification composed of metal. In this embodiment of the invention the surface 3l is not provided with felt and the retaining wall 30 may be integrally formed therewith. Likewise, the pockets 33 and 3d may be pressed out of the playing surface El to provide a relatively inexpensive game. If desired the pockets may be separately attached as is the case with pocket 35 and it will be understood that additional pockets may be provided as necessary. Pocket 35 is illustrated as being Welded at 32 but may be secured in any other desired manner. The pockets in the Fig. 7 modification are preferably deep and fiaring so as to entrap a ball propelled thereinto as otherwise the balls or marbles would have a tendency to bounce out of the pocket.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a game which will afford ample amusement and will render it possible to play marbles in an entertaining manner in the interior of living quarters. This makes it possible for a child to play an entertaining game indoors when inclement weather prevails.

It will also be seen that I have provided a game which employs no expensive accessories, such as cues and the like and all the moving parts may be readily replaced at very small cost. This last result is obtained because conventional marbles of diiferent colors may be easily numbered and used when any of the original marbles have become lost or destroyed. There have been many marble games used in the past but in most of these when one part becomes lost the game is rendered inoperative. In my game this is impossible because of the ease and small expense attached to replacing the marbles. My game differs from other games involving mechanical cues in that it is strictly a game of skill Whereas such other games are merely games of chance and rapidly lose their appeal.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the means and the steps herein disclosed, provided those stated by any of the following claims or their equivalent be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

l. In a device of the character described, a horizontal playing surface, a retaining Wall surrounding said surface and extending vertically above it, pockets in said surface adjacent said wall, indicia on said surface adjacent each pocket and a positioning mark upon said surface comprising two broad bands meeting at an angle in a color contrasting to that of said surface, said mark being located adjacent one of said pockets, and another mark indicating a shooters position, said last named mark being located adjacent a pocket opposite to said first named pocket, said positioning mark being adapted to receive marbles aline in an open V formation.

2. In a device of the character described, a horizontal playing surface, a retaining wall surrounding said surface and extending vertically above it, pockets in said surface adjacent said Wall, indicia on said surface adjacent each pocket and a positioning mark upon said surface comprising two broad bands meeting at an angle in a color contrasting to that of said surface, said mark being located adjacent one of said pockets, and another mark indicating a shooters position, said last named mark being located adjacent a pocket opposite to said rst named pocket, the angle of said rst named mark pointing to- Ward said last named mark, said positioning mark being adapted to receive marbles aline in an open V formation.

3. In a device of the character described, a horizontal playing surface, a retaining Wall surrounding said surface and extending vertically above it, pockets in said surface adjacent said wall, indicia on said surface adjacent each pocket and a positioning mark upon said surface comprising two broad bands meeting at an angle in a color contrasting to that of said surface, said mark being located adjacent one of said pockets, and another mark indicating a shooters position, said last named mark being located adjacent a pocket opposite to said first named pocket, the angle of said rst named mark pointing toward said last named mark, said surface being supported upon a number of legs, each of which has a length greater than that of said pockets, said positioning mark being adapted to receive marbles aline in an open V formation.

e. In a device of the character described, a horizontal playing surface, a retaining wall surrounding said surface and extending vertically above it, pockets in said surface adjacent said wall, indicia on said surface adjacent each pocket and a mark upon said surface comprising two bands meeting at an angle, to form an open V in a color contrasting to that of said surface, said surface and wall having a circular configuration and said surface having a circle marked thereon, a shooters mark on said circle diametrically opposite to said first named mark, said circle being concentric with said Wall the ends of said first named mark terminating upon said circle and the apex of said V being within said circle.

5. In a device of the character described, a horizontal playing surface, a retaining wall surrounding said surface and extending vertically above it, pockets in said surface adjacent said 75 wall, indicia on said surface adjacent each pocket and a mark upon said surface comprising tWo bands meeting at an angle, to form an open V in a color contrasting to that of said surface, said surface and Wall having a circular configuration and said surface having a circle marked thereon, a shooters mark on said circle diametrically opposite to said first named mark said circle being concentric with said Wall, and said circle being marked off in quadrant lines with one of said quadrant lines passing through the apex of said V. Y

JOSEPH C. GILLESPIE.

Images