US569102A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 1.

J. E. IRVINE.

GAME APPARATUS.

No. 569,102. Patented 001:. 6, 1896.

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WITNESSES INVENTOR flfizzo'w/ QZ 4m m: NORms PETERS cu, mam-u-mo msmucn'ouja c4 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. E. IRVINE. GAME APPARATUS.

' No. 569,102. Patented 061;. 6, 1896.

WITNESSES: I

Y INVENTOR a. memo. WASHINGTON u. c,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. IRVINE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GAM E APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,102, dated October 6, 1896.

Application filed un 25, 1895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. IRVINE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented and produced a new and original Game Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompan ying drawings.

My invention relates to an improvement in games, its object being to produce a simple and cheap game apparatus, one which will be easy to understand, and which shall afford a large amount of amusement and instruction both to players and spectators.

With this object in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the drawings.

My invention consists of three main parts two movable boxes, perfectly similar, and the board on which the game is played.

The operation of the boxes and their use on the game-board are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation view of the side of the above-mentioned boxes, the dotted lines showing the movement of the interior pieces. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the invention. Fig. 3 is a perspective view, on small scale,

showing the game and the two boxes as they would appear when in use.

Similar letters refer to similar parts thro ughout the several views.

My device in its simplest form consists of a box to be made of sheet-tin or other material. It is composed of two main parts A and B, the part B having an upper position, as shown by the solid lines, and a lower position, as indicated by the dotted lines on Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 2 when part B is at the upper position the parts 0 c and (Z 01 would be visible, butnot visible when E is at the lower position.

A, the outer piece, consists of two similar sides and a sloping top resting on four points m 00 a: :0. The front, back, and bottom are open. A bracing-strip h is placed as shown, a small opening it on one side of A only, a spring-strip g, controlled through the opening 7s, a rod or axle 0, extending through an opening in both sides of A, with a head on each Serial No- 554,035. (No modeh) end to ,prevent the rod from becoming detached from A, a spiral wire spring f, fastened at point m, encircling axle 0 several times, and so placed that it exerts an upward pressure on the part B.

B consists of a shallow metal pan with a bottom, two sides, and a back piece, the front being open. To the bottom are secured two loops cl d,encircling axle c and securing B to axle 0. Two wooden cleats e 6 lie fiat on the bottom of interior pan B, fastened each by a single screw from the exterior of the bottom of B. (Screws in cleats shown in Figs. 6 5 1 and 2; cleats shown in Fig. 3.) Each cleat is movable from side to side on the screw as a pivot, and may be placed in any desired position, as shown in Fig. 3.

The part B being secured on axle c by loops d d into part A, and having been pressed downward by operator at point 0, which re fers to the entire upper edge of the back piece of B, is held in the lower position, Fig.

1, by spring 9, which projects over the side of pan B. The end of part B is then at a lower point than axle c, to which B is secured, as in Fig. 1. The object in having the rear end of B so low is to provide a receptacle that will hold small spheroids or marbles, whose function is explained later in the description of the game, in the rear end of the pan when in the lower position.

The direction of the marbles may be controlled by the operator by the use of the wooden cleats e e, which he may turn at any desired angle, the sloping top of A covering his operations, so that they are unseen by his opponent. The spring or catch it is pulled outward by the operator. This releases B, when the upward action of the spiral spring f throws B quickly to the top of A, ejecting the marbles or spheroids at point 9 forward upon the board in various groups and in several directions, according to the angle at which the cleats e 6 were placed, as in Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 shows the boxes on the game-board. The board itself consists of a foot-ball field in miniature of varying dimensions. (Shown on the drawings.) The board or foot-ballfield is divided into twenty-four equal spaces and two larger ones, one at each end, by twentyfive lines. Each space is supposed to repre sent five yards distance. The center or thirthe eleven men or marbles of one color.

-field consist of twenty-two marbles or small spheroids, representing twentytwo men. Eleven marbles are one color and eleven another. The foot-ball is distinguished from the marbles by its material and shape, being made of wood or other substance in the same general shape of a foot-ball-an oblate spheroid. The game is to be played by two persons. Each player places himself at an end of the board. He has one of the boxes and The foot-ball is then placed on the center of the field on the center line. The privilege of first play is determined by the operators by any method acceptable to them. Having settled this point, the first player (the football being in the center of the field, and his box with its two front feet placed not nearer than ten yards to the foot-ball) allows a marble to roll down the outer incline of his box, so that it will strike the foot-ball, if possible. If the marble fails to strike the ball, it is repeated. As soon as this marble strikes the foot-ball both boxes are simultaneously tipped, so as to precipitate the other twenty-three men on the field, the men having been arranged by the use of the cleats under cover of the sloping tops of the boxes into various groups, according to the judgment of the two players. \Vhen the foot-ball stops rolling, it is called a down. The side who has a man (ascertained by the color of the marbles) nearest to the foot-ball on the down is supposed to have possession of the foot-ball for the next play. The men are then rearranged in boxes according to the judgment of the players and the boxes are lined up for the next play.

The

player whose side holds the ball must play with the front feet of his box on the line where the foot-ball was down or stopped. The opposing player may place his box in any position on his side of the field at discretion. After the opening play each side as it holds the ball plays according to the rules of the regular American college game of foot-ball, scoring touchdowns, goals, and all points that maybe secured in the regular game.

I claim that in my invention the game of foot-ball can be scientifically played.

Having described my invention and its method of operation, what I claim as new, and desire to secure Letters Patent, is-

1. In a game apparatus, two similar boxes of tin or other material with sloping top and two sides connected by a bracing-strip and resting on four feet; a rod or axle, on which swings a tilting compartment or pan, with three raised edges; said rod encircled by a spiral wire spring; two or more movable wooden cleats pivoted flat on the bottom of the interior of tilting pan; a fiat metal spring catch for holding tilting com partment; whereby small balls ormarbles may be discharged from tilting compartment substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination in a game apparatus of two similar boxes with sloping top, an inner tilting compartment or pan on the bottom of which are pivoted fiat two or more movable wooden cleats, adjustable to various angles, for guiding or controlling the direction of small balls or marbles to be discharged from both tilting pans simultaneously in opposite forward directions, on a board containing a diagram of a foot-ball field in miniature, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. JOHN E. IRVINE. [L. s.] itnesses: I

WILLIAM J DE GROAT, WILBUR F. TREDWELL.

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