US2046595A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

INVENTOR Jaf/VA. .VEB/(fs Patented July 7, 1936 UNITED a STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME APPARATUS John A. 'Yerkes',' Beverly Hills, Calif. Application August 27, 1934; Serial No. 741,613

8 Claims.

This invention relates to game apparatus, and particularly pertains to a card table or the like.

In the playing of various games, and especially card games, it is desirable that all of the players be constantly apprised of the score of the game, and the individual tally of the various players. This adds to the pleasure of playing since there need not be uncertainty in the minds of the various players as to the scores of the individuals,

and for the further reason that playing is facilitated without making bothersome inquiries of the score keeper or the other players as to the score. This is particularly true in connection with the playing ofbridge, for example where the rules forbid unnecessary vconversation or remarks by which a partner might indicate the condition of his hand, and from which bidding might be determined, since significant questions regarding the score can be made which would tend to influence the bidding. It is also evident that in the event the score keeper is careless in making a proper credit of points to the individ- I ual players it is desirable that all of the players may observe the score at all'times so that corrections dcan be made or notations made more legible, and may be maintained in the constant view of the players for Observation and reference. It is the object of the present invention therefore to provide means whereby the score of a game may be kept and individual tallies marked upon it as made, said device being equipped with means whereby the score marked by the score ikeeper at one playing position of the table Vmay be directly visible` to each of the other players at their individual playing positions during and after the act of inscription without interference or obstruction of view, and with the same legibility as that prevailing at theplaying position of the score keeper; 1

Thepresent inventionV contemplates the provision of va scoring device,'one embodiment of which may include a game board,` such as a card table, which is equipped with a scoring field at y one playing position, other playing positions 40 being equipped with Observation fieldsjwithin which an image of thescoring field andb indicia appearing thereon may be observed by the individual players as accomplished by loptical reflection.

I The invention is illustrated by way of example inV the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective showing a card table fitted with one form of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a` view in transverse section taken diagonally of the top of the card table as seen on the line '2-2 of Fig. 1, and showing in detail the scoring field and certain of the refiecting members associated therewith.

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective showing the table top removed so that the inversion and reversion mirrors may be seen.

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective showing the form of score pad roll which may be used in the device. lu.

Fig. 5 is a view in plan indicating the field of the score pad and the possible utilization of a ground glass upon which the field is permanently placed.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 15 IO indicates a table top here shown as having a substantially square plane surface, and as being supported by legs ll. Beneath -the table top is a reflecting compartment 12 which Will be described more fully hereinafter. Adjacent 20 to one corner of the table top and formed therethrough is an opening l3 here shown asrectangular in shape and as being closed by a glass panel l4. In one form of this invention the glass is clear and transparent. In another form of the invention a ground glass member, such as indicated at 15` in Fig. 5, is used. The glass l4 provides a smooth surface over which a score pad`ribbon or strip IB may lie and upon which ribbon a game score may be written or otherwise 30 marked.

The score pad ribbon IG is preferably led around a spool Il, the opposite ends of Which carry trunnion 18 mounted within suitable sockets in the opposite end walls of a spool housing 19. A yieldable spring element 20 acts against one end of the spool or one end of its trunnions to establish a desired amount of frictional resistance; opposing rotation of the spool except when a 'predetermined longitudinal tension has been 40 applied to the score pad ribbon. The spool compartment is provided with a removable side wall or door 2l by which access may be had to the compartment so that the spools may be removed and f interchanged. The member 21 may be hinged as indicated at 22, and may be provided with a suitable fastener such as the fastening knob 23.

The portion of the score pad ribbon |6 upon which a. score is to be immediately marked is drawn upwardly through an opening 24 in the table, and then horizontally across theflat top of the table and the glass panel I4. This ribbon portion is held in position by a cover plate 25 which is hinged to the table at its outer end as Vto the Observation indicated at 26, and which lies fiat upon the upper face of the table and extends across the glass panel M; Adjacent to the outer end of the cover plate 25 is formed a window 21 whichregisters With the panel M and exposes a complete scoringframe occurring on the ribbon l6. Through this window any desired scoring marks may be afiixed upon the score pad, and since it is desirable that the score pad ribbon 16 be formed preferably of translucent paper, or other similar material, it is evident that light falling upon the paper Will be projected through the paper and the transparent panel Eli and into the reflecting compartment 28.

The reflecting compartment is formed With a floor 29 around the perimeter of which are side Walls 30. Within the compartment are mirrors the score Vpad and'the in-f' V dicia printed or otherwise, inscribed thereon, may

by Which the image of be projected to points of Observation. This is due tothe provision of Observation Windows,, such asvthose indicated *at 3! and 32whichoccurfin the face of the table top 10.: lThese windows are of the same configurationfand substantially the same; size as the transparent panell previously described. It is preferable thatthese windowsv shall be disposed midway the length of thesidesV of the table, and while only two such Windows are shown. in the present device, it is understood, Vthat for various purposes and as might be required by various games, a table may be provided With any number of Observation windows.

The reflected image of the scoring field, and the score indicia appearing thereon, is projected windows through aset of reflecting surfaces or mirrors. ReversingV mirrors 33 and 34 are required and inverting mirrors 35 bon 16, and i-n fact it may be bfa and. 36. The inverting mirrors are ,disposed in proper angular relation between the Observation windows 3l and 3.2. The reversingmirrors 33 and. 34 are disposed at intermediate points to establish angles of incidence .and reflectionpl of beams of light. emanating from'the major reflecting mirror 37,V which is disposed, at an appropriate angle beneath the transparent panel 14. V `It maybe desirable-to employ other scoring media or fields than the transluc'ent paper ribdesirable to permanently score and afiix. lines indicating a fieldupon a, glass panelr such for example Ias the. groundl or frosted glass panel |5 as shown in Fig. 5, in which event ascore may bemarked on the surface of the glass panel i5` and erasedlor washed off after the game has been finished.

In operation' of the present inventionthe table may be constructed as shown in. the drawing Wi'ththe scoring panel in one corner of thefltable and' the twoobservation windows in diagonall'y opposite sid'es of the table. Attention 'is'directed tothe fact that since thescoring panelis positioned in one cornerof ,the table, it might be used'by' persons keeping score Vwhether V they are right handed or left handed. A beam of light falling upon the translucent ,scoring ribbon IG, or the ground glass field l5, and emanating from a natural or artificial source, will causethe scoring field image to be projected on to' thelmajor reflecting panel 31 where it will Vappear inV an inverted position. Beams w and a: Will then'pass from the major reflecting panel 31 to the reversion panels 33 and 312 respectively, where they will be reflected as indicatedV at y and z'to the inversion panels 35 and 36 and may be observed throughthe Observation Windows 3l and 32.` It is evident that in someinstances it might be descore form other than to apply the tallies thereon as the gameV progresses.

While the invention has been vshown and described as being embodied within the construcf tiqn of a, rame it will be understood that the same inventive principle might well be embodied Vin other structures characterized as having a scoring field. uponv which indicia might be inscribed and'which field and indicia might be simultaneously displayed to the viewV of other players.

" It Will thus be seen that the table here disclosed is simple in :constructiondoes not require the use of any elaborate mechanism oradjustment, leaves the playing board freeA from obstructi'onor thejinconvenience of? obstacles .which might be 'placed thereon, and makes itpossible to play card games without requiring unnecessary conversation', while simultaneously providing each properly posted score card.

of -theplayers with a.

WhilerI have. shown the preferred form of my invention, asV novv-` knownV to me; it lwill be understoodfthat combination, construction; and arrangementV of parts, by those skilled in ,the art, without departing from the spirit of .ther-invention as claimed.

1 Having thus 1 described my invention, What I claimv and desire to secure byl Letters Patent is;

various changes might be madein the V 1. A cardV table having an upperplane face, a scoring `n'iember..disposedy `adjacent o nef'corner thereof, a score field observable at anotherplaying position atthe -table',, a nd refiecting means forsimultaneously indicating the score tally at the scoring'member and the scorefield. A i

- 2. -A- card table comprising a top, a scoring field adjacentlone playing position, scoringobservation fielda-adjacentV other playing positions, and reflecting lmeans wherebyV a-tally mark Vin the first. named scoring field-will appear for observation in the various scoring Observation fields. V

3.: A card table comprisinga top,, a scoring field adjacentone playing position, a scoring observationfieldfadjacentanother playing position, and

Vrefiecting'r means Whereby the refiection of a tally markinscribedin the'firstfnamed scoring field may beobserved in theV scoring Observation field duringand afterits inscription.. V

4.` A? card table `comprisin'g aftopya transparentipanel formedV in thel top at one playing positionyand over Which afitranslucent lscore sheet may be disposed, transparent.. panels at other playing positions, at the tableifand .means for vprojectingth'e Vimagev of the score sheet and indicia', previously-'appearing and being Vinscribed thereon to heobs'erved. through'theother transparent panels; f 3 f -5.1A card table comprising a top, a' transparent lpanel formed in 'the .top vatv oneV playing position ,and-over. which. a translucentscore sheet may be'disposed,, transparent panels at other playing positions at the table'andV means for projecting the image ofthescorey sheet. andfindicia previously appearing and 'being inscribed thereon to be observed through. the 'other ,transparent panels, saidmeans including light reflecting meman opening formed throughout at one playing position, a translucent panel covering said opening and upon which a score sheet may be disposed, openings through the table at other playing positions, and means for projecting an image of the score sheet by reflection from the score sheet opening to points of Observation at each of the second named openings.

'7. A device of the character described comprising a table top, an opening formed therethrough adjacent one playing position and covered by a transparent panel, means for disposing a translucent score sheet over said panel and through which light may pass downwardly through the panel, score Observation openings formed at other playing positions through the table top, transparent panels covering the same, reflecting means beneath the table top whereby the image projected by the light rays passing through the score sheet Will be erected in a substantially normal position to be observed at each of the panels at the various playing positions.

8. A device of the character described comprising a table top, an opening formed therethrough adjacent one playing position and covered by a transparent panel, means for disposing a translucent score sheet over said panel and through which light may pass downwardly through the panel, score Observation openings formed at other playing positions through the table top, transparent panels covering the same, reflecting means beneath the table top Whereby the image projected by the light rays passing through the score sheet will be erected in a substantially normal position to be observed at each of the panels at the various playing positions, and means providing a continuous strip of playing sheets whereby they may be successively drawn over the panel through Which they are projected.

JOHN A. YERKES.

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