US2831690A - Game device - Google Patents

Description

A ril 22, 1958 R. L. 5:, 2,831,690

GAME DEVICE Filed Dec. 2, 1954 IN V EN TOR. ROBERT L. 5154 V MU & M

ATTORNEY United States Patent GAME DEVICE Robert L. Seay, Phoenix, Ariz.

Application December 2, 1954, Serial N 0. 472,658

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-134) This invention pertains to a game device and is particularly directed to a game board having certain connotations and a compass heading-indicating pointer spinnable to stop at arbitrary positions of compass heading to eifect the play on the game board.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a game board having a right angular grid structure at the center of which is located a spinnable compass element which arbitrarily stops at a compass heading so as to indicate the direction of the play objects are to be moved on the game board grid.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved game board comprising, a rectilinear grid having a compass indicating device in the center thereof and a series of home port starting places each having a compass rosette indicating the relative compass headings to be utilized by each of a series of players at their respective home port starting locations.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved game board device having a rectilinear grid, a spinnable compass element in the center thereof operable to indicate a compass heading to be moved by the players, a series of home port starting positions on the grid, and compass heading means in connection with each of said home port starting positions showing the relative directions of compass headings to be moved by each player as he spins the central compass element.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved game board comprising a rectilinear grid having a series of home port starting positions each orientated so that the player at each position has a particular compass heading direction to follow together with means for indicating the directional movement of each play as successive players operate the compass heading indicating device.

Further features and advantages of this invention will appear from a detailed description of the drawings in which:

The figure is a plan view of a game board incorporating the features of this device.

As an example of one embodiment of this invention there is shown a game board having a rectilinear grid comprising the lines and the perpendicular lines 11. At the central portion of the game board and in the grid is formed a box 12 in which is formed a compass rosette 13. A central pivot 14 pivotally mounts the pointer 15 which is spinnable to stop at any arbitrary compass heading indicated by the compass rosette 13.

The board is provided with a series of home ports 16, 17, 18 and 19, each of which are provided with their respective compass rosettes 20, 21, 22 and 23.

The grid 10-11 may be provided with various forms of indication for the play such as reefs 24, various city ports such as 25, open ocean 26, repairs 27, salvage 28 and the like, in which various additions or deductions to the play occur when suitable moving pieces simulating 2,831,690 Patented Apr. 22, 1958 boats such as the members shown at 29 and 30 for example.

The method of play is as follows: With the various players with their respective ships 29 at home starting ports 16, 17, 18 or 19, the main compass pointer 15 is spun and allowed to stop at its arbitrary position of compass heading indicated by the rosette 13. Let us say this has been done and it has stopped in the northwest direction compass heading. The first player, say at his home port 16, then moves his ship member 29 in a northwest direction as indicated by his particular compass rosette 20 into a block 26 of open ocean located at 31. The next player then at the position 17 spins the pointer 15 and finds his particular compass heading and moves his boat member 29 in the direction indicated by the pointer 15 in accordance with his particular rosette 21. And so on the play continues through 18 and 19 and then back to 16 again, with the spinning of the pointer 15 with each players move. Various values, deductions or additions may be made to each respective players score in any suitable manner in accordance with the arrangement of the specific elements 24 or the like on the grid. Should moves ultimately necessitate the players ship member leaving the board, he is automatically out of the game as would be the case where they might hit a reef, block 24 where the boat is sunk. The particular detailed nomenclatures for the respective blocks encountered during the play are not critical.

The important feature of the game is the provision of a rectilinear grid together with an indicating device for showing compass heading and to have a series of players at a plurality of positions each with their own compass rosette indicating their particular direction of compass heading play. In particular, it is preferable to have a spinnable compass member 15 located at the center of the board to initially determine the arbitrary compass heading that each player is to make after his respective spin. Thus, the game may proceed with a great deal of interlocking of movements of the respective elements and where two players get on the same block it could be utilized as a collision or as a transfer of goods or what not in connection with a preselected series of rules with a particular game. It is important to note, however, that by the four sets of compass orientations and the interlocking directions of compass heading movements that each respective player would make, a most interesting, entertaining and educational type of game results.

While the apparatus herein disclosed and described constitutes a preferred form of the invention, it is also to be understood that the apparatus is capable of mechanical alteration without departing from the spirit of the invention and that such mechanical arrangement and commercial adaptations as fall within the scope of the appendent claims are intended to be included herein.

Having thus fully set forth and described this invention what is claimed and desired to be obtained by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A game device comprising, a game board having a series of edges and a rectilinear grid formed thereon, a central indicating compass rosette formed in the center of said board, a spinnable compass pointer pivotally mounted in the center of said central rosette, a series of radially disposed player starting positions in said grid located intermediate said compass rosette and the edges of said board, a series of player compass direction indicating rosettes surrounding each of said starting positions to indicate individual directions of play of compass headings for each particular player as derived from the stopping position of said compass pointer on said central indicating compass rosette.

2. A game device comprising, a game board having a series of edges and a rectilinear grid formed thereon, 21 References Cited in the file of this patent single centrally located compass rosette having a spin- UNITED STATES PATENTS nable pointer, a series of radially disposed player starting 1 353 764 Lambert Sept 21 1920 positions in said grid located intermediate the center and, 6 Warner 1925 edges of said board, and player direction of play indi- 5 1:564458 Whiting 1925 eating compass rosettes around each of said starting po'si- 2:211:37 Bun Aug 1940 tions to Show the movement to be imparted to played 2 549 495 Li htf t APR 17 1951 objects on said board as defined by said single centrally located compass heading indicator operated successively FOREIGN PATENTS by each player in turn. 7 M 10 495,506 Canada Aug. 25, 1953

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