Patent US3784205A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3784205A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Board game apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-09-05
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Granted: 1974-01-08
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Expires: 1992-09-05
Abstract
Abstract A game including a game board having a plurality of recesses preferably defined by upstanding pegs and a plurality of spherical playing pieces which are of a diameter such that they can be placed in adjacent recesses in diagonal rows but not in adjacent recesses in orthogonal rows. The purpose of the game is to form all of the playing pieces into squares with the playing pieces in the diagonal corners of the square, these squares being designated as crown squares. An alternative way of winning is to capture all but a designated number of the opponent''s spherical playing pieces by enclosing them in capture squares. Capture squares are squares in which the playing pieces are arranged in alternate squares along orthogonal rows so that a captured piece will fit between the four playing pieces of the square.
Inventors
- 👤 N Cross
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 22:20
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F3/00; A63F3/00173; A63F3/00574; A63F3/00697; A63F2003/00716
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
231 words
In a game including a game board and a plurality of playing pIeces which are movable thereon to various positions, a plurality of playing pieces of uniform size including at least two groups of playing pieces of contrasting appearance, a game board having a plurality of playing recesses of uniform size each defined by at least three playing piece contacting surfaces equally spaced from the center point of the recess, said recesses being arranged uniformly in first rows with any playing recess in any one of said first rows adjacent to and coextensive with playing recesses in adjacent rows so that said playing recesses are also disposed in a second set of rows perpendicular to said first rows and in third and fourth diagonal rows disposed diagonally with respect to said first and second rows, the spacing between the centers of said playing recesses being greater along said diagonal rows than along said first or second rows, and said playing recesses and said playing pieces being of such relative size and shape that playing pieces when placed in the recesses are centered therein by engagement with said contacting surfaces and when so centered can be placed in adjacent playing recesses without obstructing each other only along said diagonal rows so that said playing pieces can be grouped into diagonal squares with each playing piece in a diagonal corner of a square.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
231 words
In a game including a game board and a plurality of playing pIeces which are movable thereon to various positions, a plurality of playing pieces of uniform size including at least two groups of playing pieces of contrasting appearance, a game board having a plurality of playing recesses of uniform size each defined by at least three playing piece contacting surfaces equally spaced from the center point of the recess, said recesses being arranged uniformly in first rows with any playing recess in any one of said first rows adjacent to and coextensive with playing recesses in adjacent rows so that said playing recesses are also disposed in a second set of rows perpendicular to said first rows and in third and fourth diagonal rows disposed diagonally with respect to said first and second rows, the spacing between the centers of said playing recesses being greater along said diagonal rows than along said first or second rows, and said playing recesses and said playing pieces being of such relative size and shape that playing pieces when placed in the recesses are centered therein by engagement with said contacting surfaces and when so centered can be placed in adjacent playing recesses without obstructing each other only along said diagonal rows so that said playing pieces can be grouped into diagonal squares with each playing piece in a diagonal corner of a square.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The game of claim 1 in which the playing recesses are symmetrical in cross section about any line drawn through the center of the recess in the plane in which the cross section is taken.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
63 words
The game of claim 1 in which each playing recess is defined by four posts arranged at the four corners of a square, the distance between adjacent posts being less than the maximum transverse dimension of the playing pieces and the distance between diagonally opposite posts in any square being at least as great as the maximum transverse dimension of the playing pieces.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
76 words
The game of claim 1 in which said two groups of playing pieces are main playing pieces and in which there is a third group of playing pieces contrasting in appearance with the main playing pieces and acting as crown pieces, said crown pieces being of such a size and shape that they can be placed between and retained by any four of said main playing pieces when the latter are grouped into a diagonal square.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
The game of claim 4 in which each playing recess is defined by four posts arranged at the four corners of a square and in which the main playing pieces are of circular cross section with a diameter greater than the distance between adjacent posts but not greater than the distance between diagonally opposite posts in any one square.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
83 words
The game of claim 4 in which said main playing pieces are of circular cross section with a diameter greater than the spacing between the centers of said recesses along said first or second rows but less than the spacing between said centers along diagonal rows and in which said crown pieces, when retained between four of said main playing pieces when the latter are disposed in four diagonally adjacent recesses, acting to crown the square formed by said four main playing pieces.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The game of claim 6 in which the main playing pieces and the crown pieces are both spheres.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
The game of claim 7 in which the diameter of the main playing pieces is substantially equal to the distance between diagonally opposite posts, and in which the crown pieces have a diameter not less than ( Square Root 2-1)d, where d is the diameter of the main playing pieces.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
The game of claim 7 in which the crown pieces are of the same diameter as that of the main playing pieces.
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) | 1977-01-07 | 1977-07-09 | 1978-01-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-07 | 1981-07-09 | 1982-01-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-07 | 1985-07-09 | 1986-01-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |