GAME BOARD WITH PIVOTED SHUTTER
United States Patent 3596912
A game board, for a Bingo-type game, is formed from a single plastic sheet by providing in the surface of the board a plurality of regularly spaced and arranged segmentally shaped recesses. Indicia are provided in each recess and on the game board for use in playing the game. Segmental or "fan-shaped" indicia covers are mounted in each recess and are adapted to be swung from side to side to selectively cover or expose the various indicia during the progress of the game.
US Patent References:
/1313377.html
Hassel - August 1919 - 1313377
/2025625.html
Tucker - December 1935 - 2025625
Calendar
Hassler - August 1939 - 2170023
Game
Campbell - January 1941 - 2230178
Bingo board with pivoted shutter
Buchmiller - April 1953 - 2634131
/1313377.html
Hassel - August 1919 - 1313377
/2025625.html
Tucker - December 1935 - 2025625
Calendar
Hassler - August 1939 - 2170023
Game
Campbell - January 1941 - 2230178
Bingo board with pivoted shutter
Buchmiller - April 1953 - 2634131
Application Number:
04/834656
Publication Date:
08/03/1971
Filing Date:
06/19/1969
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Assignee:
Warner, James A. (Scottsbluff, NB)
, Warner Margie Louise (Scottsbluff, NB)
, Warner Margie Louise (Scottsbluff, NB)
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
116/223, 40/110, 273/270
International Classes:
A63F3/06; A63F3/06
Field of Search:
273/135,135DB,135BC,136,136E,136F,130,131,148 116/134,135 40/110,113
US Patent References:
| 3014727 | Game board | December 1961 | Myers, Jr. |
Primary Examiner:
Pinkham, Richard C.
Assistant Examiner:
Apley, Richard J.
Claims:
What I claim is
1. A game board, comprising, a stiff plastic plate having front and back faces, a plurality of regularly spaced and arranged segmental recesses in the front face thereof, a plurality of regularly spaced and arranged arcuate recesses in the backface of said plate and positioned therein in overlapping correspondence solely with the arcuate edge of said segmental recesses, means defining arcuate slots interconnecting corresponding ones of said segmental recesses and said arcuate recesses, a substantially circular aperture opening through said plate at the apex of each said segmental recess, means defining a generally arcuate lip in said backface peripherally adjacent said substantially circular aperture, indicia means visible in the front face of each of said segmental recesses, a segmental cover slide positioned in each of said segmental recesses, each said slide having an arcuate dimension substantially less than the arcuate dimension of said segmental recesses, and with the undersurface of said slide matingly engaged with the top surface of said segmental recesses, a first lip on said slide extending in depending relation from the arcuate edge of said slide and adapted to extend through said arcuate slot in said plate and into engagement with said arcuate recess in the backface thereof, and a second arcuate lip on said slide at the apex thereof extending through said substantially circular aperture and into engagement with said arcuate lip in said backface, said first and second lips holding said slide for sidewise swinging movement in said recess whereby indicia visible in said recess may be selectively covered or exposed.
2. A game board as defined in claim 1 wherein said board is formed of single-piece monolithic stiff plastic material.
3. A game board as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said cover slides embodies an upwardly protruding fingertip engageable rib.
1. A game board, comprising, a stiff plastic plate having front and back faces, a plurality of regularly spaced and arranged segmental recesses in the front face thereof, a plurality of regularly spaced and arranged arcuate recesses in the backface of said plate and positioned therein in overlapping correspondence solely with the arcuate edge of said segmental recesses, means defining arcuate slots interconnecting corresponding ones of said segmental recesses and said arcuate recesses, a substantially circular aperture opening through said plate at the apex of each said segmental recess, means defining a generally arcuate lip in said backface peripherally adjacent said substantially circular aperture, indicia means visible in the front face of each of said segmental recesses, a segmental cover slide positioned in each of said segmental recesses, each said slide having an arcuate dimension substantially less than the arcuate dimension of said segmental recesses, and with the undersurface of said slide matingly engaged with the top surface of said segmental recesses, a first lip on said slide extending in depending relation from the arcuate edge of said slide and adapted to extend through said arcuate slot in said plate and into engagement with said arcuate recess in the backface thereof, and a second arcuate lip on said slide at the apex thereof extending through said substantially circular aperture and into engagement with said arcuate lip in said backface, said first and second lips holding said slide for sidewise swinging movement in said recess whereby indicia visible in said recess may be selectively covered or exposed.
2. A game board as defined in claim 1 wherein said board is formed of single-piece monolithic stiff plastic material.
3. A game board as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said cover slides embodies an upwardly protruding fingertip engageable rib.
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to the field of game boards, and more particularly to game boards of the type conventionally utilized for playing the game of "Bingo" and like games.
A Bingo game conventionally utilizes a board having a series of numbers regularly arranged in columns and rows. In playing the game, a "caller" selects at random a particular number and calls it to the players. If that number appears on the player's board, it is covered with a marker or button. When a particular preestablished arrangement or sequence of numbers is achieved on any particular board, that player is declared a winner.
Various forms of Bingo game boards have been devised. The simplest is a cardboard sheet on which the various numbers or indicia are printed. The player utilizes buttons or like covers. Improvements have been made so that the game board is self-contained, and a few such illustrative improvements are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,674,458, issued Apr. 6, 1954, to H. H. Hayden for "Bingo Board with Sliding Cover Members," U.S. Pat. No. 3,156,469, issued Nov. 10, 1964, to R. J. Mokler for "Bingo Game Boards," U.S. Pat. No. 2,230,178, issued Jan. 28, 1941, to G. A. Campbell for "Game," and in U.S. Pat. No. 2,634,131, issued Apr. 7, 1953, to E. P. Buchmiller for "Bingo Board with Pivoted Shutter."
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The game board described herein comprises a relatively stiff plate of plastic or like material. The plate may be either transparent, translucent or opaque, and is relatively square in shape, defining front and back surfaces. A plurality of segmental indicia-carrying recesses are regularly spaced and arranged in the front surface of the plate. The indicia carried in each recess are determined according to the game being played. A segmental or fan-shaped indicia cover is mounted in each recess. These covers may be swung from side to side so that a player may cover or expose a selected indicia. For mounting the covers, a plurality of arcuate recesses corresponding generally with the front surface recesses, are cut in the back surface of the plate in alignment with the arcuate edge of the front recesses. Arcuate slots cut through the plate interconnect the front and back recesses, and receive a tongue on the fan-shaped cover. The cover is pivotally mounted in the recess by a boss pivotally mounted in an aperture opening through the plate at the apex end of the segmental recess.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front plan view of the game board embodying the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the game board shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of the game board shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section view taken substantially in the plane of line 4-4 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a partial rear plan view of the game board shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one indicia recess and cover on the board shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but with the indicia cover swung to the opposite position.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged plan view of an indicia cover.
FIG. 9 is an elevation view of the indicia cover shown in FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is an end view of the indicia cover shown in FIG. 8.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The game board illustrated in the drawings is shown in the form of a Bingo game with 25 indicia arranged in a square formed of columns and rows containing five indicia each. The board 10 is formed of a unitary, single-thickness plate of stiff plastic or other suitable relatively rigid material. The plate or board 10 as shown is transparent; however, translucent or opaque materials may be utilized to advantage. Further, the plate may be of various colors according to the particular game being played. As shown in FIG. 1 the game board 10 is substantially square with rounded corners and has a front face or surface 11 and a back or rear face or surface 12.
The front face 11 of the game board 10 is formed with a plurality of regularly spaced and arranged recesses 14, each of which is shaped in the form of a circular segment or fan. Each of the segmental recesses 14 is defined by a pair of radii or radial edges 15 merging in a rounded apex 16 and joined at their outer ends by an arcuate edge 17 all surrounding and defining a recess surface 18. These edges may be smoothly rounded or sloping to present a pleasing ornamental appearance. As a part of the particular game being played, appropriate numerical or character indicia, indicated at 19, and other colored or appropriate indicia, indicated at 20, are provided, depending upon the type of game being played. Each of these respective indicia 19, 20 each occupy approximately one-half of the segmental recess 14.
For selectively covering one or the other of the indicia 19, 20 appearing on the surface 18 in each segmental recess, there is provided, in pivoted association with each such recess, a segmental or fan-shaped indicia cover 21. In order to assist a player in swinging the cover 21 back and forth to position it over a selected board indicia, the fan-shaped cover is provided with an upwardly protruding, generally radially extending rib or ridge 22, for engagement by the player's finger tip. The segmentally shaped cover 21 is provided with sloping or chamfered radial and arcuate edges and the inner or apex end of the cover is defined by a protruding cylindrical boss 24, defining a smoothly rounded apex end on the cover. The chamfered or sloping edges 25 extend generally around the three sides of the cover.
For slidably engaging the game board, the cover 21 is provided at its forward edge with a depending and forwardly extending tongue 26, defining an upper surface 28 which is generally coplanar with the lower or undersurface 29 of the cover. The boss 24 at the apex end of the cover 21 is provided with a depending rim or bead 30 defining an upper arcuate surface 31, which is generally coplanar with the cover undersurface 29 and the tongue surface 28. The cover is so constructed as to be readily molded of a castable plastic material. In order to enable the cover to be readily snapped into place, in the plate, the cylindrical boss 24 at the apex end is provided with a cylindrical recess 46, giving some resiliency to the walls of the boss 24.
The game board plate 10 is constructed to mount an indicia cover 21 for slidable swinging movement in each recess 14. To this end, the board is constructed to receive the tongue 26 and the depending boss 30, which serve as mounting means for holding the covers within their respective recesses 14. The rear surface 12 of the plate is provided with a plurality of arcuate recesses 35 (FIG. 5) defined by generally sloping arcuate edges 36 and radial edges 37. The arcuate recesses 35 correspond generally to the arcuate edges 17 of the front face recesses 14. For receiving the tongue 26 of a cover 21, an arcuate slot 39, corresponding generally to the arcuate edge 17 of each front face recess 14, opens through the plate 10 from each front recess 14 into each corresponding rear recess 35. When the cover 21 is placed in a recess with the tongue 26 extending through the slot 39 therein, the upper surface 28 of the tongue 26 is slidably engaged with the bottom surface 37 of the recess 35. The apex end of the cover 21 is mounted on the board 10 by means of a generally circular aperture 40 extending through the plate in the apex end of the recess 14 and opening in the bottom surface into a recess 41 defined by a circular rib 42 with an inwardly sloping sidewall 43. The circular recess 41 defines, at one peripheral edge, a downwardly facing arcuate shoulder or face 45 which pivotally engages the upwardly facing ledge 31 on the indicia cover 21. This face 45 is generally coplanar with the recess surface 18. The cover and plate are constructed so as to enable the cover to be snapped into position in which it is securely held as shown in FIG. 4. In this position, the undersurface 29 of each cover slides on the associated recess surface 18. When a cover has thus been snapped into position, it is difficult to remove, although it can be readily slid ro swung back and forth to cover such indicia appearing in the recess as are utilized during the playing of the particular game.
Referring to FIG. 1, it will be noted that the covers 21 there shown, with one exception, are positioned in the left-hand position so as to expose the indicia appearing on the right-hand portion of each recess. The cover in the recess at the upper left-hand corner, however, has been swung to the right to cover the right-hand indicia and leave exposed the indicia in the left-hand portion of the recess. During the playing of a game, various combinations of indicia will be exposed and/or covered depending upon the rules of the game.
The above game board invention is particularly suited for construction from a single, monolithic sheet of plastic material, thus obviating any necessity for multiple laminations with the attendant difficulty of permanently securing the laminations to each other. The game board itself, being of a single piece, integral construction, is economical to manufacture and highly permanent and long wearing.
It will be appreciated that various numbers of recesses can be provided. While the conventional "Bingo" game utilizes 25 indicia arranged in columns and rows of five recesses each, it is possible to use numerous other arrangements such as columns and rows of four recesses each, and various other patterns and designs according to the game to be played. The game board construction is particularly suited for commercial Bingo games and for chindren's games where it is desired to avoid the loss of relatively small parts.
The present invention pertains to the field of game boards, and more particularly to game boards of the type conventionally utilized for playing the game of "Bingo" and like games.
A Bingo game conventionally utilizes a board having a series of numbers regularly arranged in columns and rows. In playing the game, a "caller" selects at random a particular number and calls it to the players. If that number appears on the player's board, it is covered with a marker or button. When a particular preestablished arrangement or sequence of numbers is achieved on any particular board, that player is declared a winner.
Various forms of Bingo game boards have been devised. The simplest is a cardboard sheet on which the various numbers or indicia are printed. The player utilizes buttons or like covers. Improvements have been made so that the game board is self-contained, and a few such illustrative improvements are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,674,458, issued Apr. 6, 1954, to H. H. Hayden for "Bingo Board with Sliding Cover Members," U.S. Pat. No. 3,156,469, issued Nov. 10, 1964, to R. J. Mokler for "Bingo Game Boards," U.S. Pat. No. 2,230,178, issued Jan. 28, 1941, to G. A. Campbell for "Game," and in U.S. Pat. No. 2,634,131, issued Apr. 7, 1953, to E. P. Buchmiller for "Bingo Board with Pivoted Shutter."
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The game board described herein comprises a relatively stiff plate of plastic or like material. The plate may be either transparent, translucent or opaque, and is relatively square in shape, defining front and back surfaces. A plurality of segmental indicia-carrying recesses are regularly spaced and arranged in the front surface of the plate. The indicia carried in each recess are determined according to the game being played. A segmental or fan-shaped indicia cover is mounted in each recess. These covers may be swung from side to side so that a player may cover or expose a selected indicia. For mounting the covers, a plurality of arcuate recesses corresponding generally with the front surface recesses, are cut in the back surface of the plate in alignment with the arcuate edge of the front recesses. Arcuate slots cut through the plate interconnect the front and back recesses, and receive a tongue on the fan-shaped cover. The cover is pivotally mounted in the recess by a boss pivotally mounted in an aperture opening through the plate at the apex end of the segmental recess.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front plan view of the game board embodying the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the game board shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of the game board shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section view taken substantially in the plane of line 4-4 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a partial rear plan view of the game board shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one indicia recess and cover on the board shown in FIG. 1.
FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 but with the indicia cover swung to the opposite position.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged plan view of an indicia cover.
FIG. 9 is an elevation view of the indicia cover shown in FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is an end view of the indicia cover shown in FIG. 8.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The game board illustrated in the drawings is shown in the form of a Bingo game with 25 indicia arranged in a square formed of columns and rows containing five indicia each. The board 10 is formed of a unitary, single-thickness plate of stiff plastic or other suitable relatively rigid material. The plate or board 10 as shown is transparent; however, translucent or opaque materials may be utilized to advantage. Further, the plate may be of various colors according to the particular game being played. As shown in FIG. 1 the game board 10 is substantially square with rounded corners and has a front face or surface 11 and a back or rear face or surface 12.
The front face 11 of the game board 10 is formed with a plurality of regularly spaced and arranged recesses 14, each of which is shaped in the form of a circular segment or fan. Each of the segmental recesses 14 is defined by a pair of radii or radial edges 15 merging in a rounded apex 16 and joined at their outer ends by an arcuate edge 17 all surrounding and defining a recess surface 18. These edges may be smoothly rounded or sloping to present a pleasing ornamental appearance. As a part of the particular game being played, appropriate numerical or character indicia, indicated at 19, and other colored or appropriate indicia, indicated at 20, are provided, depending upon the type of game being played. Each of these respective indicia 19, 20 each occupy approximately one-half of the segmental recess 14.
For selectively covering one or the other of the indicia 19, 20 appearing on the surface 18 in each segmental recess, there is provided, in pivoted association with each such recess, a segmental or fan-shaped indicia cover 21. In order to assist a player in swinging the cover 21 back and forth to position it over a selected board indicia, the fan-shaped cover is provided with an upwardly protruding, generally radially extending rib or ridge 22, for engagement by the player's finger tip. The segmentally shaped cover 21 is provided with sloping or chamfered radial and arcuate edges and the inner or apex end of the cover is defined by a protruding cylindrical boss 24, defining a smoothly rounded apex end on the cover. The chamfered or sloping edges 25 extend generally around the three sides of the cover.
For slidably engaging the game board, the cover 21 is provided at its forward edge with a depending and forwardly extending tongue 26, defining an upper surface 28 which is generally coplanar with the lower or undersurface 29 of the cover. The boss 24 at the apex end of the cover 21 is provided with a depending rim or bead 30 defining an upper arcuate surface 31, which is generally coplanar with the cover undersurface 29 and the tongue surface 28. The cover is so constructed as to be readily molded of a castable plastic material. In order to enable the cover to be readily snapped into place, in the plate, the cylindrical boss 24 at the apex end is provided with a cylindrical recess 46, giving some resiliency to the walls of the boss 24.
The game board plate 10 is constructed to mount an indicia cover 21 for slidable swinging movement in each recess 14. To this end, the board is constructed to receive the tongue 26 and the depending boss 30, which serve as mounting means for holding the covers within their respective recesses 14. The rear surface 12 of the plate is provided with a plurality of arcuate recesses 35 (FIG. 5) defined by generally sloping arcuate edges 36 and radial edges 37. The arcuate recesses 35 correspond generally to the arcuate edges 17 of the front face recesses 14. For receiving the tongue 26 of a cover 21, an arcuate slot 39, corresponding generally to the arcuate edge 17 of each front face recess 14, opens through the plate 10 from each front recess 14 into each corresponding rear recess 35. When the cover 21 is placed in a recess with the tongue 26 extending through the slot 39 therein, the upper surface 28 of the tongue 26 is slidably engaged with the bottom surface 37 of the recess 35. The apex end of the cover 21 is mounted on the board 10 by means of a generally circular aperture 40 extending through the plate in the apex end of the recess 14 and opening in the bottom surface into a recess 41 defined by a circular rib 42 with an inwardly sloping sidewall 43. The circular recess 41 defines, at one peripheral edge, a downwardly facing arcuate shoulder or face 45 which pivotally engages the upwardly facing ledge 31 on the indicia cover 21. This face 45 is generally coplanar with the recess surface 18. The cover and plate are constructed so as to enable the cover to be snapped into position in which it is securely held as shown in FIG. 4. In this position, the undersurface 29 of each cover slides on the associated recess surface 18. When a cover has thus been snapped into position, it is difficult to remove, although it can be readily slid ro swung back and forth to cover such indicia appearing in the recess as are utilized during the playing of the particular game.
Referring to FIG. 1, it will be noted that the covers 21 there shown, with one exception, are positioned in the left-hand position so as to expose the indicia appearing on the right-hand portion of each recess. The cover in the recess at the upper left-hand corner, however, has been swung to the right to cover the right-hand indicia and leave exposed the indicia in the left-hand portion of the recess. During the playing of a game, various combinations of indicia will be exposed and/or covered depending upon the rules of the game.
The above game board invention is particularly suited for construction from a single, monolithic sheet of plastic material, thus obviating any necessity for multiple laminations with the attendant difficulty of permanently securing the laminations to each other. The game board itself, being of a single piece, integral construction, is economical to manufacture and highly permanent and long wearing.
It will be appreciated that various numbers of recesses can be provided. While the conventional "Bingo" game utilizes 25 indicia arranged in columns and rows of five recesses each, it is possible to use numerous other arrangements such as columns and rows of four recesses each, and various other patterns and designs according to the game to be played. The game board construction is particularly suited for commercial Bingo games and for chindren's games where it is desired to avoid the loss of relatively small parts.