US2311453A - Game - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 16,- 1943. v J. 1.. McKEOWN" 2,311,453

GAME- Filed June 22 1940 (john Patented Feb. 16, 1943 UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME John L. McKeown, Winnetka, Ill.

Application June 22, 1940, Serial No. 341,845

4 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in games and has for its primary object the provision of an improved game operating by chance and which is of simple construction and amusing in use.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists of the combinations and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a spinning top embodying the invention;

Figure 2, a side view thereof;

Figure 3, a bottom plan view thereof;

Figure 4, an enlarged vertical section of the p;

Figure 5, a section taken substantially on line -5 of Figure 4, and

Figure 6, a projectile employed in the game.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing comprises a spinning top body It! having a chamber l I formed therein and a cover I2 for said chamber and having a central spinning stem or handle I3 projecting upwardly therefrom, said cover being arranged to fit tightly into the top of the chamber II and being held in position by frictional contact or otherwise as desired.

A magnet M is arranged as indicated to extend centrally across the chamber H, fitting at its top into a groove l5 in the lower portion of the cover l2 and at-its sides into grooves IS in the side walls of the top. The upper body of the top is made hexagonal in shape, the six faces I! thereof being provided with the markings of the six faces of a dice as shown. The cover I2 is also provided with six inclined faces l8 as indicated which are correspondingly marked to facilitate the readings of the top sides from various positions.

At its bottom, the top [0 is provided with a central hexagonal bore [9 leading from the bottom of the chamber l I through the spinning point of the top, and a correspondingly shaped projectile is arranged as indicated within said bore with its rounded point 2| projecting from the bottom thereof to constitute the spinning point of the top as indicated. The top of the projectile 20 is formed of a head 22 of soft iron having a stem 23 frictionally held in a corresponding bore in the top of the projectile, said head 22 being thus shaped and arranged to contact and be held releasably in place by the attraction of the magnet M, as will be readily understood. As shown, six faces of the projectile 20 are also provided with six dice markings to correspond with those on the faces of the top body.

When used, the top is spun upon a flat surface by means of the spinning stem [3. When the spinning ceases and the top body falls on its side on the spinning surface, the same is caused to whirl upon said surface, thereby subjecting the projectile 26) to the action of centrifugal force. The magnet I l is such to be capable of holding the projectile in the bore l9 under normal conditions in a pocket or the like, but is insufficient to withstand the effect of this centrifugal force, so that when the top body thus whirls upon one of its flat sides, the centrifugal force will serve to project the projectile from the top so that one of the faces of the projectile will thus be caused to come to rest at the top thereof to be combined with the uppermost face of the top when it comes to rest, thus, in substance and effect, providing two dice for the playing of various games of chance employing two dice as will be readily understood. In this way a game is provided which is entirely dependent upon chance and which is convenient and amusing in use. The specific form and arrangement of parts constitute a simple and effective construction for the purpose.

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

I claim:

1. In combination a flat-sided top having its sides distinctively marked and provided with an internal chamber; a magnet arranged in said chamber; and a flat-sided projectile releasably held in said top, there being a fiat-sided bore leading from the bottom of said chamber through the spinning point of the top body, and said projectile fitting into said bore and releasably held therein by said magnet, the sides of said projectile having markings identical with those on the sides of said top body.

2. In combination, a top; and a projectile releasably held thereon by magnetic force and arranged to be projected therefrom by centrifugal force when the top ceases spinning and falls to the spinning surface.

3. The combination specified in claim 2, in which the projectile constitutes the spinning point of the top.

4. In combination, a top having various faces distinctively marked; and a projectile releasably held thereon by magnetic force while said top is in its upright position and spinning, but adapted and arranged to be projected therefrom by centrifugal force when the top ceases spinning and falls to the spinning surface, said projectile ,having faces distinctively marked to cooperate with the markings on the top faces.

JOHN L. MCKEOWN.

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