Patent US3780453A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3780453A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Question and answer educational game with an answer control device
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-03-30
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Granted: 1973-12-25
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Expires: 1991-03-30
Abstract
Abstract An educational question-and-answer game has an answer verifying apparatus which has a code member having at least one code alignment, and a co-operating setting device. The latter device is supported by a supporting member. The code and supporting members are each provided with part of an indicating device, and can be brought into various relative positions which are differently designated by the indicating device, in such a way that the setting device is associated with a different longitudinal unit of code alignment in each of the said positions. The setting device can be moved into at least two positions in order to answer any one of the questions asked, and can be brought into registry with the appropriate longitudinal unit of code alignment. The answer verifying apparatus has means for multiplying its verifying capacity, which results from the number of different positions of the code member relative to the supporting member or the longitudinal units of code alignment, and for improving the enciphering of the possible verifications. Such means take the form of a plurality of differently designated setting devices (9) in FIG. 1 of the drawings for answering a corresponding plurality of questions per setting position of the code member (3, 4 in the drawings) relative to the supporting member (1). Alternatively the verifying capacity is enhanced by the construction of at least one of the code and supporting members (3, 4, 1) as parts (3, 4) which are each provided with part (3g, 4e) of a further indicating device. These parts can be brought into various relative positions, these positions being differently designated by the indicating device.
Inventors
- 👤 W Hesener
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 16:14
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F9/00; A63F9/18; G; G09; G09B; G09B3/00; G09B3/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
245 words
Apparatus for playing an educational game comprising: a housing; a support means carried by said housing; a code bearing means in said housing; a plurality of code means on said code bearing means; a plurality of separate setting means operatively associated with and disposed along spaced locations on said support means, each said setting means being operable from outside said housing and having at least a portion extending into said housing; means for connecting each of said plurality of setting means to said support means and for permitting movement of said setting means in a first direction into any one of at least two answer positions, each answer position of each said setting means corresponding to one of several possible answers to a given question associated with the setting means, one of such possible answers being the correct answer; means for permitting relative movement between said code bearing means and the support means in a direction transverse to the first direction; engagement means on a predetermined number of said setting means which engagement means selectively engage cooperating portions of said code means in said housing to prevent relative movement between said code bearing means and said support means when any one of the setting means is in a position corresponding to an incorrect answer, and to permit relative movement between said code bearing means and said support means only when a predetermined number of said setting means are in positions corresponding to respective correct answers.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
245 words
Apparatus for playing an educational game comprising: a housing; a support means carried by said housing; a code bearing means in said housing; a plurality of code means on said code bearing means; a plurality of separate setting means operatively associated with and disposed along spaced locations on said support means, each said setting means being operable from outside said housing and having at least a portion extending into said housing; means for connecting each of said plurality of setting means to said support means and for permitting movement of said setting means in a first direction into any one of at least two answer positions, each answer position of each said setting means corresponding to one of several possible answers to a given question associated with the setting means, one of such possible answers being the correct answer; means for permitting relative movement between said code bearing means and the support means in a direction transverse to the first direction; engagement means on a predetermined number of said setting means which engagement means selectively engage cooperating portions of said code means in said housing to prevent relative movement between said code bearing means and said support means when any one of the setting means is in a position corresponding to an incorrect answer, and to permit relative movement between said code bearing means and said support means only when a predetermined number of said setting means are in positions corresponding to respective correct answers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each code means comprises a series of projections carried by the code bearing means and extending in the direction of travel of said setting means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said code bearing means is adapted to travel in a predetermined direction in a step-by-step fashion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said code bearing means carries a plurality of sets of code means spaced apart from one another in a predetermined direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said codE bearing means is prevented from movement in said predetermined direction by the engagement of said setting means with one set of said code means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein movement of said setting means out of engagement with said one set of code means enables a biasing means to move said code bearing means in said predetermined direction until said setting means engages the next set of code means on said code bearing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein successive sets of code means are uniformly spaced from one another on said code bearing means so that said code bearing means moves in step-by-step fashion in said predetermined direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said setting means are spaced from one another in a predetermined direction.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said setting means are spaced from one another by non-uniform amounts.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein each of said setting means comprises a slide mounted in a groove in said support means, a portion of said slide extending into the interior of said housing and cooperating with said code means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said slide includes an integral, resilient locking member located within said housing and which engages the inner face of the support means, said support means being provided with at least two surface irregularities disposed to cooperate with said locking member so that said slide can be located in at least two positions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said code bearing means is a disc rotatably mounted in said housing; wherein each of said code means is a set of projections extending from said disc; and wherein said setting means is adapted to engage at least one of the projections of said code means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said code bearing means carries a plurality of code means, each code means disposed on said disc, the individual projections of each code means extending radially on said disc, the code means spaced from one another circumferentially around said disc.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said setting means includes a projection adapted to engage at least one of the projections in the code means with which it associates.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said setting means is adapted to engage a projection of said code means when said setting means is positioned corresponding to an incorrect answer, and further wherein said setting means is adapted to disengage those projections corresponding to incorrect answers when said setting means is positioned corresponding to a correct answer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 including a plurality of code means, said code means spaced apart from one another in a predetermined direction, said apparatus further including a first indicating means for indicating with which set of code means said setting means associates.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus according to claim 16 further characterized in that a plurality of setting means are connected to said support means and arranged on said support means in a predetermined direction, said first indicating means indicating the relative positioning of said indicating means with respect to said setting means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus according to claim 16 further including code orienting means mounted in said housing, said code orienting means adapted to move in step-by-step positional adjustment with respect to said code bearing means, said code orienting means adapted to move said code bearing means in step-by-step positional adjustment with respect to said housing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus according to claim 18 further including second indicating means for indicating the relative positional relationship of said code orienting means with respect to said code bearing means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said code bearing means and said code orienting means are concentric discs, and further wherein both said code bearing means and said code orienting means contain portions extending outside of said housing so that each can be moved with respect to the housing.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
131 words
Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein the diameter of said code orienting means is greater than the diameter of said code bearing means; wherein said code orienting means is positioned adjacent said code bearing means; wherein said code orienting means and said code bearing means can be moved in step-by-step fashion to a plurality of positions with respect to one another; wherein said code orienting means bears a plurality of numerals, each numeral corresponding to one of the plurality of relative positions between said code orienting means and said code bearing means; and further wherein said code bearing means defines an aperture for viewing said numerals wherein said numerals and said aperture form an indicating means for indicating the relative position between said code bearing means and said code indicating means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said code bearing means is adapted to move in a predetermined direction independently of said setting means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
88 words
Apparatus according to claim 22 wherein said code bearing means is adapted to move back and forth in a second direction different from said predetermined direction; wherein said code bearing means is biased by a biasing means in said second direction so that said setting means engages said code means; and wherein movement of said code bearing means in said second direction opposite the direction of said bias disengages said setting means from said code means so that said code bearing means can move in said predetermined direction.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus according to claim 23 wherein said code bearing means is disc-shaped and wherein said biasing means is a spring adapted to impart rotational bias to said disc and also adapted to impart longitudinal bias to said disc acting axially of said disc.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said spring is connected to said housing by means of a limited-slip clutch.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
104 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 further including engaging means on said code bearing means; code orienting means having a first portion in said housing and a second portion outside said housing, said code orienting means being adjacent to said code bearing means and carrying engaging means adapted to cooperate with the engaging means on said code bearing means whereby the code orienting means and the code bearing means can be locked together in any one of a plurality of relative positions; said apparatus further including indicating means indicating the step-by-step positional relationship of the code orienting means with respect to the code bearing means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus according to claim 26 in which a spring is mounted between an inside face of said housing and said code orienting means on the side of said code orienting means remote from the code bearing means whereby said spring urges said code orienting means into engagement with said code bearing means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
107 words
Apparatus according to claim 27 in which the code orienting means includes resilient tongues connected at one end to the code orienting means, and in which pegs are carried by the free ends of the resilient tongues and projected away from the code bearing means towards said inside face of the housing whereby upon movement of said code orienting means against the action of said spring towards said inside face of said housing, the projections push the resilient tongues above the level of the code orienting means so that the code bearing means is disengaged from and free to move with respect to the code orienting means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said setting means has an additional position preventing movement of said code bearing means in a predetermined direction.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said code bearing means is a disc and wherein said setting means is a slide mounted on said support means for radial movement with respect to said disc.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
22 words
AppaRatus according to claim 30 wherein a plurality of code means are positioned circumferentially about said disc for engagement with said slide.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus according to claim 31 wherein said support means is provided with a plurality of said slides, each slide positioned radially with respect to said disc.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 32 wherein said code bearing means is adapted to move in a predetermined direction only when all of said slides are moved out of engagement with said code means.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said code bearing means is a disc which is mounted for rotational movement with respect to said housing.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said code bearing means is a disc adapted to rotatably move with respect to said housing, the periphery of said disc being provided with a plurality of teeth; said apparatus further characterized in that a rachet check lever is carried by said housing and positioned to engage said teeth, said ratchet check lever adapted to prevent movement of said disc in predetermined direction.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus according to claim 35 further including third indicating means mounted in said housing and positioned to be actuated by one of said teeth upon each movement of said code bearing means with respect to said setting means.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus according to claim 36 wherein said third indicating means is a bell.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said code bearing means are uniformly spaced apart from one another in a predetermined direction; and further wherein said apparatus includes a plurality of setting means connected to said support means, said setting means spaced apart from one another in said pre-determined direction by distances greater than the distances separating subadjacent code means.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
83 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said code bearing means defines holes which constitute said code means; in which said setting means is provided with a peg dimensioned and disposed to cooperate with one of said holes when said setting means is in a position corresponding to a correct answer; and in which a spring acts upon the code bearing means to cause respective holes and pegs to engage whereby the code bearing means is free to move towards the setting means.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 39 further including indicating means for indicating the movement of said code bearing means towards said setting means.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus according to claim 40 wherein said indicating means is a light.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the code bearing means defines apertures which constitute said code means.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
179 words
Apparatus for playing an educational question and answer game comprising: a housing; a disc-shaped element mounted in said housing, a portion of said element extending outside said housing; means for rotatably mounting said disc relative to at least one part of said housing; a plurality of code means mounted on said disc-shaped element and spaced apart from one another adjacent the circumference of said disc; a plurality of setting means connected to said one part of said housing, each setting means adapted to move to a plurality of positions corresponding to the number of possible answers to a question, each setting means having means therein adapted to successively cooperate with said plurality of code means when said setting means is positioned corresponding to an incorrect answer thereby preventing rotational movement of said disc, each of said setting means adapted to disengage from its associated code means when positioned corresponding to a correct answer thereby permitting said disc-shaped element to rotate; and biasing means in said housing tending to cause said code bearing means to rotate relative to said housing.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
179 words
Apparatus for playing an educational question and answer game comprising: a housing; a disc-shaped element mounted in said housing, a portion of said element extending outside said housing; means for rotatably mounting said disc relative to at least one part of said housing; a plurality of code means mounted on said disc-shaped element and spaced apart from one another adjacent the circumference of said disc; a plurality of setting means connected to said one part of said housing, each setting means adapted to move to a plurality of positions corresponding to the number of possible answers to a question, each setting means having means therein adapted to successively cooperate with said plurality of code means when said setting means is positioned corresponding to an incorrect answer thereby preventing rotational movement of said disc, each of said setting means adapted to disengage from its associated code means when positioned corresponding to a correct answer thereby permitting said disc-shaped element to rotate; and biasing means in said housing tending to cause said code bearing means to rotate relative to said housing.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 43 wherein said setting means are spaced apart from one another by distances greater than the distance separating subadjacent sets of code means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-24 | 1977-06-25 | 1977-12-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-24 | 1981-06-25 | 1981-12-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-24 | 1985-06-25 | 1985-12-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |