Reaction game with scrambling of indicia

Claim 2

An indicia scrambling machine comprising: a housing formed with a first bearing support horizontally spaced from a second bearing support; a horizontal axle member mounted on said bearing supports to impart eccentric motion to elements rotated thereon; said axle member having a free end upon which is mounted a weighted element; at least one hoop-shaped tumbler loosely carried by said axle wherein said tumbler is formed with a series of inclined recessed portions within its internal circumferential periphery, each of which are separated by a raised portion to produce a convoluted form, and a series of indicia, each of which correspond to one of said recessed portions, positioned on the exterior circumferential periphery of said tumbler; means to rotate said tumbler; a reaction indicator device including a first pocket, a second pocket, a divider segment separating said first and second pockets, a first reaction ball carried in said first pocket, a second reaction ball carried in said second pocket, an indicator ball partly supported by said first reaction ball and said second reaction ball, wherein said first reaction ball and said second reaction ball can be moved by a player within their respective pockets to remove support from said indicator ball so that the first to be moved causes said indicator ball to drop into the associated pocket thereby indicating the quickest reaction to the stimulus of the indicia shown on said tumbler.

Claim 3

An indicia scrambling machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said first and second reaction balls are normally urged to a central position within said pockets when providing support for said indicator ball and each reaction ball can be moved to a forward or a backward position within its respective pocket to separately designate two different responses to the indicia stimulus.

Claim 4

An indicia scrambling machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the means to rotate said tumbler includes a motor mounted within said housing to rotate said axle member and means to selectively actuate said motor.

Claim 5

An indicia scrambLing machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said axle member includes an offset attached tubular portion to impart eccentric motion thereto when rotated.

Claim 6

An indicia scrambling machine as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one end of siad axle member can be lifted free of its bearing support sufficiently to easily interchange tumblers carried thereon.

Claim 7

An indicia scrambling machine as defined in claim 1 wherein said housing is hollow and includes a raised dome within which said tumbler is carried and said dome includes an open portion through which specific indicia on the periphery of said tumbler can be seen.

Claim 8

An indicia scrambling machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the reaction balls are substantially the same size.

Claim 9

An indicia scrambling machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the reaction balls and indicator ball are substantially the same size.

Claim 10

An indicia scrambling machine comprising: a housing; an axle mounted within said housing; at least one hoop-shaped tumbler loosely carried on said axle so positioned that its central axis is substantially parallel with said axle, each of which tumblers carries a series of separate indicia markings on its circumferential periphery, said tumblers having formed on their internal periphery separate recessed portions corresponding to each of said indicia, wherein said tumblers are urged by gravity to rest on said axle in one of their internal recesses; means for rotating said tumblers randomly relative to each other to impart scramble motion to said tumblers so that, when at rest, randomly scrambled indicia are aligned relative to each other on the tumblers; and an indicating apparatus having a supporting structure; at least two changeable-position reaction members carried by said supporting structure; one mobile indicator member supported at least in part by said reaction members; a barrier means separating at least in part each of said reaction members; a directing means to force said indicating member to associate with one of said reaction members when the position of at least one of said reaction members is sufficiently changed to remove support from said indicating member; a retention means to confine said reaction members to separate home positions where said reaction members support said indicator member until one of said reaction members is forced to change position so as to cause said indicator member to move, at least in part, to that side of the barrier means corresponding to the reaction member that underwent change in position thereby indicating which reaction member was first to undergo a change in position.

Claim 11

An indicia scrambling machine comprising: a housing; an axle mounted within said housing; at least one hoop-shaped tumbler loosely carried on said axle so positioned that its central axis is substantially parallel with said axle, each of which tumblers carries a series of separate indicia markings on its circumferential periphery, said tumblers having formed on their internal periphery separate recessed portions corresponding to each of said indicia, wherein said tumblers are urged by gravity to rest on said axle in one of their internal recesses; means for rotating said tumblers randomly relative to each other to impart scramble motion to said tumblers so that, when at rest, randomly scrambled indicia are aligned relative to each other on the tumblers; and an indicating apparatus having a supporting structure; at least two changeable-position reaction members carried by said supporting structure; one mobile indicator member supported at least in part by said reaction members; a barrier means separating at least in part each of said reaction members; a directing means to force said indicating member to associate with one of said reaction members when the position of at least one of said reaction members is sufficiently changed to remove support from said indicating member; a retention means to confine said reaction members to separate home positions where said reaction members support said indicator member until one of said reaction members is forced to change position so as to cause said indicator member to move, at least in part, to that side of the barrier means corresponding to the reaction member that underwent change in position thereby indicating which reaction member was first to undergo a change in position.

Claim 12

An indicating apparatus comprising: A supporting structure; at least two changeable-position reaction members carried by said supporting structure; one mobile indicator member supported at least in part by said changeable-position reaction members; a barrier means separating at least in part each of said reaction members from the rest of said reaction members; a directing means to force said indicating member to associate with one of said reaction members when the position of at least one of said reaction members is sufficiently changed so as to lose support from said reaction member; a retention means to confine each of said reaction members to a home position which supports said indicator member until one of said reaction members is forced to change position so as to cause said indicator member to move, at least in part, to that side of said barrier means corresponding to the reaction member that underwent change in position thereby indicating which reaction member was first to undergo a change in position; in combination with an indicia scrambling means.

Claim 13

An indicating apparatus comprising: A supporting structure; at least two changeable-position reaction members carried by said supporting structure; one mobile indicator member supported at least in part by said changeable-position reaction members; a barrier means separating at least in part each of said reaction members from the rest of said reaction members; a directing means to force said indicating member to associate with one of said reaction members when the position of at least one of said reaction members is sufficiently changed so as to lose support from said reaction member; a retention means to confine each of said reaction members to a home position which supports said indicator member until one of said reaction members is forced to change position so as to cause said indicator member to move, at least in part, to that side of said barrier means corresponding to the reaction member that underwent change in position thereby indicating which reaction member was first to undergo a change in position; in combination with an indicia scrambling means.