GB2093354A - Chess board - Google Patents

Abstract

A chess hoard is covered or coated with a high gloss material 5 and has creases 7 embossed therein to enable the board to be folded. Playing pieces 10 are of a soft polished PVC material. Each square may have a non-gloss portion to enable the playing pieces to be lifted easily. The board may be of cardboard with a padded backing enclosed in a PVC envelope. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for playing games This invention relates to apparatus for playing games such as chess, draughts, Chinese chequers and certain word games which have the characteristic of being played on a base or support bearing an appropriate configuration of markings, for example alternating light and dark or different coloured squares.

An object of this invention is to provide a game of the above kind which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, is easily portable, with the playing pieces in position, and which may nevertheless be made of a size convenient for play by providing a folding playing surface.

According to this invention there is provided an apparatus for playing a game comprising in combination a support having a specially prepared smooth and highly polished surface and playing pieces being made of a material which will adhere or cohere to the support, the support being relatively thin and containing one or more creases enabling same, with the playing pieces in position, to be folded about the or each crease into a flat package.

The playing pieces may be produced, as counters, from thin, preferably flexible, material which in itself will be self-adhesive or cohesive to the polished playing surface. Soft, polished polyvinylchloride sheeting will cohere to any highly polished surface. Each piece may have on one surface an appropriate image or images for identification, and this may be done by painting or printing, preferably as a single operation, on a sheet of selected material, a series of images comprising a complete set of playing pieces, for example, and then to guillotine, stamp out or otherwise cut the sheet into separate counters in the form of circles, squares, rectangles or other convenient shapes, each counter bearing the image or images of a particular piece.In the case of chess, draughts and so forth, wherein the players normally face one another across the playing support, it is best that the images be portrayed in duplicate, each pair being set about face, for example as on a playing card, so as to present a similar view to both players. When the counters are made of a material either side of which would, normally, cohere to the polished playing surface, then the painting or printing of the images should be in a matt finish and extended to cover all or nearly all of one surface. This surface will thus be deprived of its properties of cohesion to a polished surface; therefore, when the playing pieces are affixed to the playing surface and the support is folded up, if they become sandwiched between two polished sections, they will not tend to be plucked away from one section of the support to another.

A convenient method of producing a playing support is to select a sheet of cardboard or other suitable material, preferably thin but rigid or semirigid, cut it up to convenient size and shape (for example a square or rectangle), then (i) paint or print, on one surface thereof, the usual configuration of markings, preferably also reserving additional areas, which may be painted or printed, in outline (therein to accommodate spare pieces or pieces which have been "captured" in course of play or are otherwise out of use); (ii) varnish over the playing surface; (iii) keeping that same surface uppermost, machine-stamp, into the support, the necessary creases.

As a simple improvement in this method of manufacture, it is possible to dispense with the varnishing process and, instead, apply to the playing surface a sheet of high gloss transparent or translucent laminating film, for example cellulose acetate, coated with a transparent adhesive. This will provide the playing surface with a more perfect and durable finish.

Another way of constructing a suitable playing support is as follows:- (i) choose two sheets of a suitable plastic material (for example flexible polyvinylchloride sheeting of the grade normally used in the manufacture of wallets and other such like articles), one sheet being transparent or translucent, the other opaque, cut them up into convenient equal sized squares or rectangles; then, keeping the transparent or translucent sheet uppermost (preferably employing high-frequency electronic welding equipment), bond them together along three edges, at the same time, impressing into both of them several creases, thereby creating a foldable envelope open along one edge, the top surface serving as a "window".

(ii) Select a thin sheet of material, preferably cardboard and cut it to similar shape but slightly smaller size than the envelope so that it will fit snugly therein; paint or print on one surface the usual configuration of markings; then, keeping this marked surface uppermost, machine-stamp into it creases corresponding in disposition to those impressed in the envelope.

(iii) Insert the card into the envelope in such a way that both sets of creases are in register and can therefore be folded up as one, the markings on the card being thus readable through the "window" of the envelope; then, seal the latter along its fourth and final edge.

In each of the foregoing examples of suitable playing supports the creases are impressed therein whilst the playing surface is uppermost.

Such is the preferred procedure because when the support is folded up, the playing surface and the pieces affixed thereto will then be enclosed inside, thereby protecting both from contamination by duct, dirt, damp or other foreign matter. This feature of cleanliness is important, especially when the pieces are composed of soft polished polyvinylchloride sheeting. Other methods of creasing can, however, be employed.

As an additional or alternative means of protection against exposure, the support, when folded up, can be inserted into a suitable wallet or envelope.

To enable playing pieces to be plucked more readily from the support, a portion of the playing square on the board or a portion of the side of each playing piece which coheres to the support may have a matt, non-cohering portion. The matt portion can be applied to the board by printing same onto a small zone of the playing square for example. This provision enables the playing piece to be easily lifted at the non-adhering point without otherwise affecting the adhesion.

It is also possible to provide embossing on the support by way of crease lines to enable the area to be touch identified by the blind. Embossing or other markings, for example "Braille" may be included on the playing pieces and/or the board.

By using a support containing several creases, it is possible to have a spacious playing surface and correspondingly large, easily identifiable, playing pieces; yet, when play is finished, the outfit can be folded up into a comparatively small neat package and conveniently carried around.

Play can be broken off or suspended at any convenient juncture and the pieces left in place, the support then being foidably closed and the whole thing placed aside.

An embodiment according to this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings by way of example. Referring to the drawings Figure 1 shows a playing board in plan view, Figure 2 shows an end elevation with board folded, Figure 3 shows in plan view a different support, and Figure 4 shows the folded board and wallet.

As shown in the drawings Figure 1 disclosed a plan view of a playing support 1, the playing surface 2 of same having overprinted thereon, in a central position, a chequered pattern of light and dark squares 3 and, at each end, a series of (outlined) boxes 4, this then being covered by a transparent sheet of high-gloss acetate laminating film 5, the support having impressed (machine stamped) therein a centre crease 6 and two parallel outer creases 7, making it foldable into four sections, viz. two end flaps 8 and two centre sections 9, the former 8 being somewhat narrower than the latter 9. Dispositioned on the playing surface 2 and cohering thereto, by virtue of its high gloss acetate lamination 5, are a set of playing pieces 10 composed of soft polished polyvinylchloride sheeting.As will be seen, from the nature of the images 11 portrayed thereon 10, the game concerned is chess. Play is currently in progress and certain pieces 10 have already been "captured" and these, therefore, now rest in individual boxes 4 at each end of the playing support 1.

Each playing square 3 may have an area 3a of a matt finish varnish applied by printing, as example, to which the playing pieces 10 do not cohere.

Such area is illustrated for two squares only in Figure 1.

Figure 2 reveals an end view of the outfit shown in Figure 1, the playing support 1 now being foldably closed, the two end flaps 8 thus resting between the two centre sections 9, leaving a small clearance gap 12 between the end flaps 8 and the centre crease 6. It will be observed that both the centre crease 6 and the outer creases 7 are wide enough to contain the bulk of the playing pieces 10, without any bulging; further, that the centre crease 6 has sufficient extra capacity to accommodate the bulk of the end flaps 8; the result, therefore, being that the whole outfit remains completely flat.

Figure 3 represents a plan view of a different type of playing support 13. (The playing pieces in this case have been omitted from the diagram.) The support is formed inter alia from two sheets of plastic material, viz. polyvinylchloride sheeting of suitable texture, one transparent 14, the other opaque 15, these having been bonded together (by high frequency electronic welding) along all four edges 16, to form a completely enclosed wallet or envelope. Inserted therein and visible through thetop transparent sheet 14 is a sheet of cardboard 17, overprinted on which in the centre is a chequered pattern of light and dark squares 1 8, skirted at each end by a series of (outlined) boxes 19, and behind the cardboard 1 7 is a waferthin layer of padding material 20, viz. cotton waste.Impressed in the plastic sheets 14 and 1 5 and (in corresponding register) in the cardboard 17 are a centre crease 21 and two outer creases 22, enabling the outfit, when not in use, to be foldably closed.

All the materials used in the manufacture of this playing support 13 are of minimal practical thickness; therefore, the finished article is only slightly bulkier than that shown in diagrams Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 discloses a side view of an outfit, comprising a playing support 1 having playing pieces 10 thereof affixed, the support 1 being at present half inserted into a wallet 23, the latter 23 having been made from two sheets of flexible polyvinylchloride, both matt-faced and opaque, these being bonded together by welding 24 along three edges. The playing support 1 is, in all but one respect, similar to that shown in diagrams Figures 1 and 2, the difference here being that the centre crease 6 and outer creases 7 have been machine-stamped into the support 1 ,from the back, with the result that, as it 1 is now folded, parts of the playing surface 2 and certain of the pieces 10 are exposed. However, when the support 1 is fully inserted into the plastic wallet 23, both 2 and 10 will then be fully protected. At the top open end of the wallet 23, in the centre, small semi-circular shapes 25 have been stamped out of the material, on both faces, the purpose of this being to facilitate, subsequent to its being fully inserted, simple withdrawal of the playing support 1.

Claims (14)

1. An apparatus for playing a game comprising in combination a support having a specially prepared smooth and highly polished playing surface and playing pieces being made of a material which will adhere or cohere to the support, the support being relatively thin and containing one or more creases enabling same, with the playing pieces in position, to be folded about the or each crease into a flat package.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the playing pieces are produced as counters, from thin, preferably flexible, material which in itself is self-adhesive or cohesive to the polished playing surface.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the playing pieces have an image on a surface thereof forming identification, the image being printed thereon.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the images are printed as a set onto a sheet of material which is thereafter cut to produce individual playing pieces each containing a respective image.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein one surface of a playing piece is provided with a matt finish which does not cohere to the support.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the support is divided into playing areas each area having a matt zone whereby a part only of a playing piece does not cohere thereto to facilitate removal.

7. A method of manufacturing a playing support for apparatus of any preceding claim, the method comprising selecting a sheet of cardboard or other suitable material, cutting it up to convenient size and shape then (i) painting or printing, on one surface therefor, the usual configuration of markings, preferably also reserving additional areas, which may be painted or printed, in outline; (ii) varnishing over the playing surface; (iii) keeping that same surface uppermost, machine-stamping, into the support, the necessary creases.

8. A method according to Claim 7, modified in that a sheet or lamination of high gloss transparent or translucent laminate film is provided instead of varnishing.

9. A method of manufacturing a playing support for apparatus of any preceding claims 1 to 6, comprising: (i) choosing two sheets of a suitable plastic material, one sheet being transparent or translucent, the other opaque, cutting them up into convenient equal sized squares or rectangles; then, keeping the transparent or translucent sheet uppermost bonding them together along three edges, at the same time, impressing into both of them several creases, thereby creating a foldable envelope open along one edge, the top surface serving as a "window", (ii) select a thin sheet of material, and cut it to similar shape but slightly smaller size than the envelope so that it will fit snugly therein; paint or print on one surface the usual configuration of markings; then, keeping this marked surface uppermost, machine-stamp into it creases corresponding in disposition to those impressed in the envelope, (iii) insert the card into the envelope in such a way that both sets of creases are in register and can therefore be folded up as one, the markings on the card being thus readable through the "window" of the envelope; then, seal the latter along its fourth and final edge.

10. A method in accordance with any of one Claims 7 to 9, wherein a portion of the playing square on the board or a portion of the side of each playing piece which coheres to the support has a matt, non-cohering portion.

11. An apparatus or method in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein the support is further embossed whereby areas thereon may be identified by touch.

12. An apparatus or method in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein the playing pieces are embossed or have other markings or "Braille" for touch identification.

13. An apparatus for playing a game as described herein and exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A method of manufacturing apparatus for playing a game substantially as described herein.