US2843385A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

July 15,1958 w. F. HAUSLER GAME APPARATUS Filed Sept. 10, 1956 FIG.

INVEN TOR. WILLIAM F HAUSLER M,M4M

A T TORNEYS United States Patent 2,843,385 GAME APPARATUS William F. Hanna-r, Pasade'lia, cane, assignor of fifty percent would I. enema, Covina, Calif. Application September 10, 1956, Serial No. 608,856 2 Claims. or. 273-131 T This invention relates to game boards and more particularly to a novel game board for the amusement of adults and for the amusement and education of children.

The game board which coiistitutes my new invention is constructed to provide a game which may be played by two or more players. Each of the players is provided with a starting zone and a finishing zone, one object of the game being to move a plurality of playing pieces from a starting zone to the finishing zone. T T

To win the game a payer must move all of his playing pieces fromhis own starting zone through a playing field, which includes the starting Zone of an opposing player, to a finishing zone. Each of the playing pieces of each player must be passed through a particular space or circle before the pieces are able to enter into the finishing zone. T

Each of the playing pieces of each player has an identitying mark placed thereon, no two pieces of each player being marked alike. For example, a different number or letter or a number-letter combination may be placed on each playing piece. The finishing zone contains spaces or circles, the total number being equal to the number of pieces of each player. Each space in the finishingzone is also marked, the mark in each spaeeeorresponding to a mark on one of the playing pieces. An object of the game is to move each playing piece into the space in the finishing zone which is similarly marked.

By placing a different letter on each players playing piece, they canbe ihad to spell out a word when all the pieces are in their proper place in the finishing zone, thereby providing in addition to a game of amusement, an educational spelling game for the enjoyment of children.

A particularly interesting game which can be played on my new game board isa game which I call Treasure Chest. In this game, each players playing piece is marked with a number and a letter, such as l -T, 2-R, 3E, etc., to spell out the word TREASURE. Since there are eight letters in the word TREASURE, each player has eight playing pieces, all of which must be passed through a particular space and into his finishing zone in the proper sequence to spell out the word. An additional playing piece which is not marked may be provided for each player. After all the marked playing pieces have been positioned in the finishing zone, the unmarked playing piece is placed in the particular space to seal the Treasure Chest.

The structure of my new game board, as well as its use, will become apparent as the description proceeds in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view showing a preferred form of my new game board;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a starting zone and finishing zone of Fig. 1 showing the number-letter marking on the spaces in the starting zone and the letter marking in the finishing zone for the game Treasure Chest.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a playing piece in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a playing piece used in 2 an alternate form of a game utilizing the apparatus of the invention. I

The game board illustrated includes a playing field which is in the shape of a four-pointed star. The apex of each of the points of the star are bevel-shaped by lines 11 and 13, as shown.

The starting zones of each of the players are positioned between the base of a particular point of the star and the apex of the point. The starting zones are indicated generally by the numeral 10. J

A plurality of separated spaces or circles are formed on the boundaries and within the boundaries of the pla ing field. These spaces are for receiving the playing pieces and are interconnected by lines. For example, a series of vertical lines 12 are positioned within the playing field with the outermost lines of the series each terminating at space 15 of one player and at space 25 in the starting zone of the player to the right. A group of horizontal lines 14 are arranged across the playing field perpendiciilar to the first group of lines 12. The outermost lines of this second group terminate at space 17 in the starting zone of one player and at space 19 in the starting Zone of the player to the right. p

A diagonal line 16 runs across the playing field from a space 18 located at the apex of one point of the star through the center 20 of the playing field to a space 22 located at the a exer the four-pointed star diagonally opposite. A line 24 perpendicular to line 16 intercon nects the apex spaces 26 and 28 of the other two points of the star through the center point 20. Some of the spaces which are located in that part of the playing field which is common to and adjacent the starting positions of the players are interconnected by diagonal lines such as lines 30 and 32.

The innermost lines of the starting positions is indicated by the numeral 34. This line runs parallel to the base of the point of the star and through the three spaces marked l-T, 2-R, and 3-E (see Fig. 2). In the board illustrated in the figure, eight spaces are provided in the startiiig zone. These spaces are l -T, 2*R, 3E, 4A, S-S, 6 U, 7-R and 8'-'-E. To start the game, each player places a playing piece such as the playing piece of Fig. 3 marked 1-T o'nthe space numbered 1 and so on, to fill each or the spaces in the starting zone with an appropriate play ing piece. Th eight spaces provided in each starting zone are interconnected by lines, as shown.

A plurality of lines 36 radiate from the spaces located at the apexes of the points of the star. Each one of the lines 36 leads from the apex space to a space in the finishingz'ones. Each player must therefore pass every one of his playing pieces through the apex space before he can place his playing pieces into their appropriate places in the finishing zone.

If desired, an additional piece 36A for each player may be provided. If the additional playing piece is utilized, it may be placed in a circle or space which is located directly ahead of space 37 on either line 16 or 24. This space for the additional piece is identified by numeral 38.

The spaces within the starting zones of each player may be a different color from the spaces in the starting zones of the other players so that a player may easily distinguish his own starting zone. For example, the starting zones may be colored brown, green, blue and red, as shown. The pieces may be colored to conform with the colors of the starting zones. An additional piece for each player which may be gold colored, and having a border consisting of the color of a particular player, is placed upon the space marked 38 directly in front of the players territory. The apex spaces 18, 22, 26 and 28 may be gold colored to conform with the color of the additional piece.

straight line.

All pieces including the gold piece may be moved one at a time directly forward, diagonally, or laterally in a Moves are to be made to One circle at a time or by jumping over one of the players own pieces or an opposers playing piece. A player may continue jumping in the same turn as many pieces as he can and he may even jump backwards provided he finishes his turn with his pieces ahead of or even with the original starting point of his move at the board.

After reaching the opposite side of the board and entering into the numbered circles constituting the starting zone of an opposing player, a player may jump or move in any direction, forward or reverse, with any piece within this territory, provided that the jump is always made in a straight line and finishes within the numbered circles.

I In crossing the board a player is not permitted to enter a players starting zone to his right or left with any of his pieces unless he is able to jump out again in the same turn.

I To finish the game a player must move in numerical order each of his pieces through the gold circle into the finishing zone. The playing piece marked 1-T is moved first to the T circle, then the 2-R piece is moved to the R circle, and in this manner moves are continued until the word TREASURE is spelled out by the pieces. The gold piece is moved last to the gold circle to seal the chest. The first player to accomplish thisis the winner. Other players may continue to take turns to decide second and third places.

It should be particularly noted that the playing field for each player includes his own starting zone and the starting zone of an opposing player. Each players finishing zone is located in an area positioned further away from the center of the board than the starting zone of his opposing player. The gold space at the apex of each point of the start separates each starting zone and finishing zone. Therefore, each player must move all of his pieces through the playing field, including the starting zone of his opponent, through an apex space and into the appropriate space in the finishing zone. In order to accomplish this he can move or jump either forward, sideways, or backwards as long as at the end of a par ticular move the piece is in a space closer to or the same distance from the finish zone than it was at the beginning of the move. Once a player gets some of his pieces in the starting zone of his opponent, he may then move these pieces in any direction, including backwards, and even end his move at a point further away from the finishing zone than he originally started, provided he ends his move within the opponents starting zone. This freedom of movement within the finishing zone of an opposing player permits each player to move his pieces within the starting zone of an opponent in a manner such that he can get his playing piece marked l-T in the apex space first and then move this piece to the letter T. He can then manipulate his pieces within the starting zone of the opposing player in order to move the playing piece marked 2-R to the apex space, and then the space in the finish zone containing the letter R and so on, until all eight pieces are located in the finishing zone and spell the word TREASURE. After all of the spaces in the finishing zones are occupied by playing pieces, the gold piece is placed upon the apex circle and the chest is sealed. The first player to seal the chest is declared the winner.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus for use by a plurality of players comprising a game board, a plurality of differently marked playing pieces movable on the board for each of the plurality of players, a multiplicity of playing spaces disposed on the board and each adapted to receive a playing piece, a playing field on said board including a central playing area defined in part by the multiplicity of playing spaces, a plurality of starting zones each adapted to receive the playing pieces of a player and lying within the playing field and communicating with said central playing area, said starting zones each having an outer apex space and forming with the inner area of the playing field a multipointed star, a network of lines connecting the playing spaces and defining paths of movement for the playing pieces, a plurality of finishing spaces disposed arcuately about each outer apex space of each starting zone remote from the center of the board, and a single path of movement defined by lines radiating from the apex space to each finishing space for moving playing pieces between the apex space and a finishing'space, each finishing space about an outer apex space bearing indicia substantially identical to that of a playing piece of the player having a starting zone opposite the starting zone of the respective apex space.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the finishing space for one of the playing pieces of a player is the apex space of the starting zone of the opposite player.

References Cited in the file of this patent

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