US3809405A

US3809405A - Game apparatus for simulating football, baseball and analogous games

Info

Publication number: US3809405A
Application number: US00363712A
Authority: US
Inventors: S Friedman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-05-24
Filing date: 1973-05-24
Publication date: 1974-05-07
Anticipated expiration: 1991-05-07

Abstract

A game board has an upper side and a lower side and is provided with a translucent field and with two viewing windows located adjacent to respective lateral sides of the field which extend at right angles to one another. A grid is provided at the lower side in registry with the field and has a plurality of grid squares each provided with a marking indicative of a play result. A first element is mounted beneath the grid for displacement by one player across the field in a first direction and has a first slot which is elongated over the entire dimension of the field in a second direction normal to the first direction. A second element is also mounted beneath the grid for similar displacement by another player across the field, but in a second direction; the second element has a second slot elongated over the entire dimension of the field in the first direction and crossing the first slot in space so as to define at the point of intersection of the slots therewith a square opening which shifts into registry with different ones of the grid squares in response to relative displacement of the elements. A first and a second series of indicia representative of respective offensive and defensive plays, respectively, are each provided on one of the elements and the indicia of each series are individually viewable in one of the windows in response to incremental displacement of the respective element. A light source is arranged to be energized when each player has displaced his element until a desired one of the indicia of the respective series becomes visible in his window, and when the light source is so energized the grid square with which the square opening is in registry becomes illuminated and the associated play result is viewable at the upper side of the game board.

Description

ilnited States Friedman GAME APPARATUS FOR SIMULATING FOOTBALL, BASEBALL ANlD ANALOGOUS GAMES [76] Inventor: Sol Friedman, 10 Ronald Dr.,

Monsey, NY. 10952 [22] Filed: May 24, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 363,712

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 574,815. l/1897 McClelland 273/148 R 2,205,415 1 1940 Keely et al. 273 94 R' 2,372,851 4/1945 Prentice 273/94 R X 2,668,371 2/1954 Artmann t 273/155 3,012,779 12/1961 Friedmann 35/76 X 3,152,806 10/1964 Jackman 273/148 R X 3,413,002 11/1968 Welch 273/88 X 3,672,674 6/1972 Reed 273/94 R Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerHarry G. Strappello Attorney, Agent, or FirmMichael S. Striker [57] ABSTRACT A game board has an upper side and a lower side and is provided with a translucent field and with two view- [11.] 3,889,405 1 May 7,1974

ing windows located adjacent to respective lateral sides of the field which extend at right angles to one another. A grid is provided at the lower side in registry with the field and has a plurality of grid squares each provided with a marking indicative of a play result. A first element is mounted beneath the grid for displacement by one player across the field in a first direction and has a first slot which is elongated over the entire dimension of the field in a second direction normal to the first direction. A second element is also mounted beneath the grid for similar displacement by another player across the field, but in a second direction; the second element has a second slot elongated over the entire dimension of the field in the first direction and crossing the first slot in space so as to define at the point of intersection of the slots therewith a square opening which shifts into registry with different ones of the grid squares in response to relative displacement of the elements. A first and a second series of indicia representative of respective offensive and defensive plays, respectively, are each provided on one.

of the elements and the indicia of each series are individually viewable in one of the windows in response to incremental displacement of the respective element. A light source is arranged to be energized when each playerhas displaced his element until a desired one of the indicia of the respective series becomes visible in his window, and when the light source is so energized the grid square with which the square opening is in registry becomes illuminated and the associated play result is viewable at the upper side of the game board.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures GAME APPARATUS FOR SIMULATING FOOTBALL, BASEBALL AND ANALOGOUS GAMES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide such further improvements.

More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved game apparatus for simulating football, baseball and analogous games which affords these aforementioned improvements.

In keeping with the above objects, and with others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of the invention resides in a game apparatus for simulating football, baseball and analogous games which, briefly stated, comprises a game board having an upper side and a lower side which is provided with a translucent field and with two viewing windows located adjacent to respective lateral sides of said field which extend at right angles to one another. A grid is provided at the lower side in registry with the field and has a plurality of grid squares each provided with a marking indicative ofa play result. A first element is mounted beneath the grid for displacement by one player across the field in a first direction, and the first element has a first slot which is elongated over the entire dimension of the field in a second direction normal to the first direction. A second element is also mounted beneath the grid for v displacement by another player across the field in the second direction, and this second element has a second slot which is elongated over the entire dimension of the field in the first direction and which crosses the first slot in space so as to define at the point of intersection therewith a square opening which shifts into registry with different ones of the grid squares in response to relative displacement of the elements. A first series of indicia is provided, representative of respective ofi'ensive and defensive plays and being provided on one of the elements. A second series of indicia, representative of respective defensive plays, is provided on the other of the elements. The indicia of each series are individually viewable in one or the other of the windows in response to incremental displacement of the respective element. A light source is arranged to be energized when each player has displaced his element until a desired one of the indicia of the respective series becomes visible in his window, whereby the grid square with which the square window is in registry becomes illuminated and the associated play result is viewable at the upper side.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a top-view perspective view illustrating a game board which is a part of my novel game apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective illustrating one of the elements which is associated in my apparatus with the game board;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but illustrates the other element which cooperates with the element of FIG. 2 and with the game board; and

FIG. 4 is a partly diagrammatic, partly broken-away view illustrating the apparatus according to the present invention in assembled condition.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawing in detail, and firstly to FIG. 1, it will be seen that reference numeral 1 identifies a game board which may be made of synthetic plastic material or the like. The game board 1 has a translucent playing field 2, that is a field through which it is possible to see if illumination is provided underneath the game board 1. The underside of the game board 1 is provided with a grid, either in form of elements which intersect one another or in form of lines which may be painted, etched or otherwise formed on the underside. In any case, the grid subdivides the area of the field 2 into a plurality of grid squares 3. Of these grid squares 3, each is provided on the underside of the game board 1 with a marking representative of a play result, depending upon the particular game being simulated. If, for instance, the game apparatus is to simulate a football game, then the markings in the grid squares 3 might indicate amounts of footage lost or gained during a particular play.

In addition, the game board is provided with two Viewing windows 4 and 5, respectively, which may either be transparent portions or which may be actual cutouts. The purpose of these viewing windows will be discussed subsequently but it should be noted that they are located adjacent lateral sides of the field 2 which extend at right angles to one another. A diagrammatically illustrated switch contact or button 6 is provided to energize a light bulb 15 as will be discussed later.

Mounted beneath the game board 1, as a comparison of FIGS. 2 and 4 will indicate, is a first element 7 which is here configurated as an endless belt 7 but could have other shapes also. Belt 7 may be of synthetic plastic material or fabric or the like, and is trained about two rollers 10 whose axes of rotation extend in parallelism at opposite sides of the field 2, as shown in FIG. 4. Thus, if one or both of the rollers 10 are turned, the belt 7 will advance in direction transversely of the field 2. The belt 7 is provided with a slot 8 whose width corresponds to the width of the respective grid squares 3 and whose length extends over the entire dimension of the field 2. It should be noted that the elongation of the slot 8 is normal to the direction in which the belt 7 can be moved. The belt 7 is also provided on its upper surface with a series of indicia representative of respective plays which can be carried out by one of the players, for instance by the player representing the offensive team if it is assumed that the belt 7 carries indicia 9 representing offensive plays. It will be seen that the indicia 9 are provided in squares or box-shaped delineations which can each individually be moved into registry with one of the viewing windows, in the present instance with the viewing window 4. This means that the belt 7 will be moved incrementally, that is it will be moved stepwise until the player has brought that particular indicum of the series 9 into registry with the viewing window 4, which to him represents the play he desires to make.

FIG. 3 shows that there is a second element present which corresponds to the element 7 and is identified with reference numeral 11. A comparison between FIGS. 3 and 4 clearly shows the relationship of the elements 7 and 11 relative to one another and to the game board 1. Element 11 is trained about two rollers 14 whose axes again extend in paralellism with one another but which are located at two opposite sides of the field 2 which extend at right angles to the sides at which the rollers 10 are located see FIG. 4). The element 11 is also provided with a slot 12 corresponding to the slot 8 but extending at right angles to the latter, that is normal to the direction in which the belt 11 can be made to move. In addition, the belt 11 is also provided with a series 13 of indicia which can be incrementally brought into registry with the associated viewing window, here the window 5, and each of which represents a play desired to be made by the player who rotates the belt 11.

FIG. 4 shows the apparatus in assembled condition, ready to be placed into a housing 18 which is only frag mentarily shown. The particular configuration and construction of the housing are, of course, immaterial and can be readily selected by those skilled in the art.

In the illustrated embodiment, the belt 11 is located between the-upper and lower stringer of the belt 7. Locatedwithin the confines of the belt 11, that is between bulb 15 which is mounted in an appropriate socket (not illustrated) and is connected by a known circuit with a source of electrical energy e.g.,' a battery which may be mounted adjacent the bulb l) and with the switch 6. A handle 16 is provided on one of the rollers 14 and is accessible at the exterior of the housing 18, so that a player can turn the handle 16 and thereby make the belt 11 advance. A similar handle 17 is associated with one of the rollers for moving the belt 7 in the same manner. 4 I

It will be appreciated that when the elements or belts 7, 11 are positioned beneath the game board 1 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 4, the two slots 8 and 12 will cross each other in space. Most of the cross section of each slots will be blocked out by material of the respective other belt, but there will be a square opening at their intersection which will not be blocked so that it affords the possibility for light from thebulb to shine through it against the underside of the field 2, that is against the grid.

It will be appreciated that as the belts 7 and 11 are incrementally moved in order to place one of the respective series of indicia 9 or 13) into registry with the associated viewing window 4 or 5, the position of the .the upper and lower stringer of the belt 11, is a light square opening in space will change, and the square opening will move into registry with different ones of the grid squares 3. The particular grid square with which the square opening will finally register when each player has made his play, will depend upon the distance through which the player using the belt 11 has advanced or retracted the same, and upon the distance through which the other player using the belt 7 has advanced or retracted the same. One of the players represents the offensive team and the other the defensive team, and once they each have made their offensive or defensive play selection from the respective series 9 or 13, the switch 6 is operated to energize the bulb 15. The light from the bulb 15 will then shine through the square opening against the underside of the field 2, illuminating the grid square which is in registry with the square opening and permitting the players to view at the upper side of the game board 1 the marking which is provided in this particular grid square. In FIG. 4, it has for instance been shown that the result of the plays which have just been completed is to advance the game to the 22 yard mark.

Naturally, it is possible to make virtually all components of the game board according to the present invention of different types of material, for instance synthetic plastic material. The bulb 15 can, of course, be a conventional bulb, and the simple circuit connecting this bulb with the switch and with non-illustrated source of electrical energy is so well known that it is not believed necessary to provide any illustration or description thereof.

The apparatus according to the present invention is, of course, not limited to simulating football games, but can be used for other types of games, such as baseball and the like. It is merely necessary that the plays in the series 9 and 13 be appropriately chosen in accordance with the particular game being simulated, and that the play results which are provided in the grid squares 3 are appropriately chosen, again in accordance with the particular game being simulated.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the type described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a game apparatus for simulating football, baseball and analogous games, it is not to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. A game apparatus for simulating football, baseball and analogous games, comprising a game board having a lower side and an upper side which is provided with a translucent field and with two viewing windows located adjacent to respective lateral side edges of said field which extend at right angles to one another; a grid provided at said lower side in registry with said field and having a plurality of grid squares each provided with a marking indicative of a play result; a first element mounted beneath said grid for displacement by one player across said field in a first direction, said first element having a first slot which is elongated over the entire dimension of said field in a second direction normal to said first direction; a second element also mounted beneath said grid for displacement by another player across said field in said second direction, said second element having a second slot which is elongated over the entire dimension of said field in said first direction and which crosses said first slot in space so as to define at the point of intersection of the slots therewith a square opening which shifts into registry with different ones of said grid squares in response to relative displacement of said elements; a first and a second series of indicia representative of respective offensive and defensive plays, respectively, each of said series being provided on a respective one of said elements and the indicia of each series being individually viewable in one of said windows in response to incremental displacement of the respective element; and a light source arranged to be energized when each player has displaced his element until a desired one of the indicia of the respective series becomes visible in his window, whereby the grid square with which said square opening is in registry becomes illuminated and the associated play result is viewable at said upper side.

2. A game apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said elements are endless belts each trained about two members which are mounted adjacent opposite side edges of said game board for rotation about axes which parallel one another as well as the slot of the respective belt.

3. A game apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said belts each have an upper stringer provided with the respective slot, and a lower stringer; and wherein one of said belts extends through the other belt intermediate said upper and lower stringers of the same.

4. A game apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said light source includes a light bulb mounted within the confines of said one belt intermediate the upper and lower stringers of the same.

5. A game apparatus as defined in claim 1, and further comprising a housing surrounding said game board, elements and light source.

6. A game apparatus as defined in claim 2, and further comprising operating means accessible to the players for rotating said members about their respective axes.