US3658342A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Playing card distribution apparatus
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1970-06-29
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Granted: 1972-04-25
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Expires: 1990-06-29
Abstract
Abstract The disclosure is of an apparatus for enabling distribution of playing cards into predetermined groups, or ''''hands'''', for the game of Duplicate Bridge. The determination of distribution of the playing cards into four hands or sets of equal number is made by use of a punched code card having punches or holes for indicating the distribution of each card of a deck of playing cards, each playing card having printed on its back side a code corresponding to holes of the code card whereby matching superimposed holes of the code card and the printed code of each playing card indicates the hand in which that playing card should be placed.
Inventors
- 👤 William M Boren
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 20:39
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F1/00; A63F1/06; A63F1/14; A63F9/00; A63F9/24; A63F2009/2401; A63F2009/2411; A63F2009/2419; A63F2009/2422
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim
396 words
Apparatus for use in distributing playing cards one at a time from the top of a deck of playing cards, comprising case means for containing a deck of playing cards with the playing cards stacked in alignment, said case means being open at its top and at one end, playing card retainer means pivotally connected to said case means at the other end of said case means and being movable between a position at rest upon such playing cards of said deck as are in said case means and a position pivotally raised therefrom, said retainer means extending from its pivotal connection with said case means over said cards and being downturned to extend along the outer ends of said cards to hold said cards stacked within said case means, said retainer means having slot means along the upper edge of said downturned portion adapted to pass the uppermost card in said case therethrough and having opening means at said slot means for access in moving the uppermost card through said slot means, said apparatus including plural playing cards each bearing code marks on their backs receivable snugly in said case means, code card means adapted to cover an end portion of a playing card and having perforations therethrough for viewing a code mark of each playing card to direct its distribution to a playing hand, said case means having means for fixing said code card means in a position over the inner end portion of the uppermost playing card in said case means, said retainer means having additional opening means therethrough at the portion thereof over said code card means, said pivotal connection of said retainer means including slot means in opposite sidewalls of said case means and lug means at opposite sides of said retainer means each slidably disposed in one of said slot means whereby said lug meanS move downwardly as cards are removed through said first-named slot means and said retainer means remains flushly against the uppermost card remaining in said case means, said code card fixing means including additional slot means in said opposite sidewalls and lug means at opposite sides of said code card means each slidably disposed in one of said additional slot means whereby said code card means is at once fixedly in said case means but movable downwardly as cards are removed through said first-named slot means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
396 words
Apparatus for use in distributing playing cards one at a time from the top of a deck of playing cards, comprising case means for containing a deck of playing cards with the playing cards stacked in alignment, said case means being open at its top and at one end, playing card retainer means pivotally connected to said case means at the other end of said case means and being movable between a position at rest upon such playing cards of said deck as are in said case means and a position pivotally raised therefrom, said retainer means extending from its pivotal connection with said case means over said cards and being downturned to extend along the outer ends of said cards to hold said cards stacked within said case means, said retainer means having slot means along the upper edge of said downturned portion adapted to pass the uppermost card in said case therethrough and having opening means at said slot means for access in moving the uppermost card through said slot means, said apparatus including plural playing cards each bearing code marks on their backs receivable snugly in said case means, code card means adapted to cover an end portion of a playing card and having perforations therethrough for viewing a code mark of each playing card to direct its distribution to a playing hand, said case means having means for fixing said code card means in a position over the inner end portion of the uppermost playing card in said case means, said retainer means having additional opening means therethrough at the portion thereof over said code card means, said pivotal connection of said retainer means including slot means in opposite sidewalls of said case means and lug means at opposite sides of said retainer means each slidably disposed in one of said slot means whereby said lug meanS move downwardly as cards are removed through said first-named slot means and said retainer means remains flushly against the uppermost card remaining in said case means, said code card fixing means including additional slot means in said opposite sidewalls and lug means at opposite sides of said code card means each slidably disposed in one of said additional slot means whereby said code card means is at once fixedly in said case means but movable downwardly as cards are removed through said first-named slot means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination of claim 1, said case means having wall means depending downwardly from the outer end of its bottom over which said downturned portion of said retainer means is moved progressively as additional cards are removed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-04-25 | 1975-10-25 | 1976-04-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-04-25 | 1979-10-25 | 1980-04-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-04-25 | 1983-10-25 | 1984-04-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |