US3210081A - Random play indicator for a game - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 5, 1965 G. M. RAPAPORT RANDOM PLAY INDICATOR FOR A GAME Filed Oct. 51. 1962 20% U 9 R% m 2 m4 MK W Mm 4 United States Patent tion of Illinois Filed Oct. 31, 1962, Ser. No. 234,410 1 Claim. (Cl. 273141) My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a random play indicator for a game and more particularly to a device for use with a game that will indicate the mode of play among the participating players.

An object of my invention is in the provision, in a device of this character, of a means whereby each player of the group of players engaged in a game of skill may determine his mode of play.

A further object of my invention is in the provision, in a device of this character, of a manually actuated, electrically operated illuminated play indicator.

Other Objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the play indicator.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational detailed sectional view.

FIG. 3 is a detailed sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

In the course of playing many types of games such as, for example, a game where each played is permitted to move a game piece over a game board in a predetermined manner, there is required some means or method of determining the succession and mode of play. To this end, I have invented a play indicator illustrated by the accompanying drawings and hereinafter described.

Referring to FIG. 1, I show a box-like housing having a top wall 11 in which there is formed a circle of apertures 12. The portion of the top wall 11 within the circle of apertures 12 is divided into colored sectors 13, 14, 15, and 16. Each of the apertures contained in each of the sectors may be assigned a numerical value, either in succession or in a random fashion.

Within the housing 10 I provide a base 17. The opposite end walls 18 and 19 of the housing 10 are connected to the base 17 by means of screws 20, as seen in FIG. 1.

Within the housing 10 and supported on the base 17 adjacent the end wall 18 is a fixture 21 which contains a pair of dry cell batteries 22. These dry cell batteries 22 have suitable electrical connections as at 23 to a plurality of electrical wires.

Mounted on the base 17 is a U-shaped mounting bracket 24, the free end of the opposite arms 25 and 26 of which are provided with oppositely extending flanges 27 which lie in facial abutment with the base 17 and which are connected thereto by means of screws 28 or the like.

Mounted on the arm 26 of the mounting bracket 24 is a push button switch 29 of any standard form and construction. The push button switch 29 is provided with an actuator button 30 which protrudes outwardly of the end wall 19 through an aperture 31 formed therein. This push button switch 29 is operatively connected to the dry cell batteries 22 and an electric motor 32. The electric motor 32 is carried by a support 33 which is fixedly connected by means of a screw 34 to the base 17 adjacent to the arm 26 of the bracket 24.

Positioned between the arms 25 and 26 of the U- shaped bracket 24 is a vertically extending rotatable shaft 35. This shaft 35 has one end journaled into a suitable bearing 36 seated on the base 17. The opposite end of the shaft 35 is journaled into a suitable bearing 37 carried by the bight portion 38 of a Uashaped brace 39. The brace 39 is welded to the underside of the bight portion 40 of the U-shaped bracket 24 as seen in FIG. 2.

Fixedly mounted on the shaft 35, and extending in a horizontal plane is a pulley wheel 41. A drive belt 42 encircles the pulley wheel 41 as well as a driven shaft 43 of the motor 32. Fixedly mounted upon the shaft 35 and rotatable therewith is a disc 44. Radially extending from the peripheral edge of the disc 44 are a plurality of spokes 45. The diameter of the disc 44, as well as the length of the spokes 45, permit the same to be rotated with the shaft 35 within the housing 10 and between the arms 25 and 26 of the bracket 24, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Mounted upon the upper plane surface of the disc 44 is a light socket 46. Removably mounted on the socket 46 is a conical shaped light shield 47 extending upwardly to a point immediately beneath the bight portion 40 of the mounting bracket 24. Within the light shield 47 and engaged in the socket 46 is a suitable light 48. The light shield 47 is so positioned on the disc 44 that the radius extending from the shaft 35 to the open free end of the shield 47 is equal to the radii extending from the center of the colored sectors to the circumferentially disposed apertures 12 formed in the top of the wall of the housing 10, so that the light rays of the light 48 are directed through the light shield 47 and out of one of such apertures 12. So as not to obstruct the directed rays of light, the bight portion 40 of the U-shaped mounting bracket 24 is provided with apertures 49 which are in alignment with corresponding apertures 12 formed in the top wall 11 of the housing 10, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3.

Carried beneath the bight portion 38 of the brace 39 radially of the shaft 35 are a pair of insulated blocks 50. These blocks 50 each carry a spring finger 51 which are biased into contact with a bushing 52 carried by the shaft 35. The opposite ends of the spring fingers 51, by means of suitable conduits 53, are connected to a switch 54 which, switch 54, is in turn electrically connected to the electric connectors 23 of the batteries 22.

The switch 54 is provided with a threaded stud 55 which is projected through an opening 56 formed in the top wall 11 at the center point of the colored sectors 13, 14, 15, and 16. Lock nuts 57 and 58 are threaded upon the stud 55 on opposite sides of the top wall 11 so as to fixedly position the switch 54 thereto. The switch 54 is provided with an actuator 59 which extends vertically from the top wall 11 of the housing 10 as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The light socket 46 carried on the disc 44 has an electrical commutator connection with the shaft 35 so that when the switch 54 is actuated the light 48 is energized.

To assure the positioning of the light shield 47 beneath an aperture 12, I provided a simple indexing means. This indexing means includes a spring lever 60 one end of which by means of a staple 61 is fixedly connected to the base 17. The opposite end of the lever 60 is formed to provide a curved portion 62 which is adapted to sit between successive spokes 45 carried by the disc 44.

When my improved play indicator is employed each player is assigned a colored sector and each aperture in such sector represents a numerical value to its player. The first player actuates the switch 54 causing energization of the light 48. Such player then depresses the plunger 30 of the switch 29 causing energization of the motor 32. Upon energization of the motor 32 and through the driving connection consisting of the pulley wheel 41, the belt rotate. The rotation of the shaft 35 will in turn rotate the disc 44. As the light 48 is carried by the disc 44, it will be rotated beneath the circumferentially disposed apertures 12 formed in the top wall 11 of the housing 10.

Upon deactivating the switch 29 the motor 32 is deenergized and the disc 44 will continue to rotate until the indexing lever 60 exerts suflicient restraint upon the spokes 45 of the disc 44 so as to stop the rotation thereof. At this time the rays of the light 48 will be directed by the light shield 47 through one of the apertures 12. If one of the apertures 12 in the first players colored sector is illuminated by the light rays of the light 48, such player is permitted to advance his game piece a distance equal to the numerical value of the illuminated aperture. Each of the four players may activate the play indicator successively or in a program designated by the game which they are playing.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying our invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. 1, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect my Letters Patent is:

A random play indicator for a game comprising (a) a hollow housing the top wall of which has formed therein a circle of apertures with each aperture representing a mode of play for the game,

(b) a horizontally disposed disc rotatably carried within said housing supporting an illuminating means for rotation beneath the circle of apertures formed in the top wall of the housing,

() a vertically extending shaft rotatably carried within said housing for supporting said disc in a horizontal plane,

((1) said illuminating means including a rotatable light movable beneath each of the apertures formed in the top wall thereof for successively illuminating the same,

(e) a truncated cone-shaped shield carried by said disc over said light and having one end portion positioned beneath said top wall of said housing so as to direct the illumination of the light into each of the aperturesvas said disc'is rotated within said housmg.

(f) a pulley wheel fixedly connected to said shaft and disposed in a horizontal spaced parallel plane with respect to said disc for rotating said shaft and said disc within said housing,

(g) means for rotating said pulley to effect rotation of said shaft and said disc,

(h) a manually controlled switch for continuously operating said rotating means, and

(i) means for randomly stopping the rotation of said disc when said switch is not manually actated to continuously operate said rotating means so as to position said illuminating means beneath an aperture to thereby indicate the mode of play.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 499,150 6/93 Simon 240l0.1 1,741,903 12/29 Amend 273-142 1,824,270 9/31 Holzman 24010.1 2,754,124 7/56 Finney 273l43 2,809,041 10/57 Nackers 273142 3,101,947 8/63 Dzuris 273-138 FOREIGN PATENTS 578,587 8/58 Italy.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Examiner.

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