US3801104A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Board game apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-07-13
•
Granted: 1974-04-02
•
Expires: 1992-07-13
Abstract
Abstract A competitive game of skill and chance is played by two or more players. The broad aspect of the game features investment in land and prospecting for oil with associated economic activity. The apparatus employed embodies a hollow game board with a defined chamber in which magnets may be arranged in a concealed random fashion. Coacting magnetic oil prospecting and indicator devices are employed by the players in an interesting and amusing manner and with great realism. In another embodiment, the prospecting device arenot magnetic but have movable shafts which pass through openings in the board and may engage one of the magnets. The game also features a wide variety of simulated business transactions and options which test the skill and wisdom of players.
Inventors
- 👤 R Potts
- 👤 C Word
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 05:15
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F3/00; A63F3/04; A63F3/0457; A63F3/00003; A63F3/00006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
197 words
A game apparatus comprising a game board having a playing race, said playing face including a marginal play path having numbered spaces, said spaces arranged in plural distinctly colored groups around the play path, said playing face including a central visibly outlined area containing a plurality of regions colored to correspond to said colored groups of spaces in the play path, said regions each containing numbered plots and the plot numbers corresponding to the numbers of the play path spaces for a given color group of spaces, said game board having a concealed internal chamber and an opening means for said chamber, said chamber in superposed registering relation with said outlined area and conforming to the configuration of said area, a plurality of permanent magnet elements placed with random spacing inside of said concealed chamber and lying beneath said outlined area of said playing face, and a magnetic indicator shiftable over said playing face of the game board and responding to the presence of one of said permanent magnet elements to visibly indicate the proximity of said element and being representative of the discovery of oil within one of said regions where said magnet element is located.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
197 words
A game apparatus comprising a game board having a playing race, said playing face including a marginal play path having numbered spaces, said spaces arranged in plural distinctly colored groups around the play path, said playing face including a central visibly outlined area containing a plurality of regions colored to correspond to said colored groups of spaces in the play path, said regions each containing numbered plots and the plot numbers corresponding to the numbers of the play path spaces for a given color group of spaces, said game board having a concealed internal chamber and an opening means for said chamber, said chamber in superposed registering relation with said outlined area and conforming to the configuration of said area, a plurality of permanent magnet elements placed with random spacing inside of said concealed chamber and lying beneath said outlined area of said playing face, and a magnetic indicator shiftable over said playing face of the game board and responding to the presence of one of said permanent magnet elements to visibly indicate the proximity of said element and being representative of the discovery of oil within one of said regions where said magnet element is located.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The structure of claim 1, and said magnetic indicator including a reciprocatory plunger element including a part influenced by the magnetic field of one of said permanent magnet elements in said chamber to thereby move the plunger element to an active indicating position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The structure of claim 2, and the polar relationship of said permanent magnet elements with said plunger element being such that the latter is magnetically repelled by any underlying permanent magnet element and thereby elevated to an indicating position visible to a player.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
87 words
The structure of claim 1, and said game board formed in two hinged half sections which are foldable onto each other in a non-use position, said opening means of said concealed chamber comprising a pair of entrance slots in said game board half sections along the hinge joint of said sections, said slots being exposed by the folding of the half sections into superposed relation and said slots becoming aligned and concealed by the unfolding of the half sections to a flat coplanar game board playing position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
123 words
A game apparatus comprising a game board having a playing face and an interior concealed chamber beneath the playing face, plural locator elements each in the form of a permanent magnet disposed randomly within the concealed chamber beneath said playing face of the game board, and a visual indicator device separate from the game board and shiftable thereon, said indicator device comprising a housing and a magnetically operated movable plunger carried by the housing, said plunger moving to a visual indicating position in response to the magnetic force of one of said locator elements lying below the indicator device as the indicator device is shifted over the playing face of the game board in various directions seeking the location of said locator elements.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
123 words
A game apparatus comprising a game board having a playing face and an interior concealed chamber beneath the playing face, plural locator elements each in the form of a permanent magnet disposed randomly within the concealed chamber beneath said playing face of the game board, and a visual indicator device separate from the game board and shiftable thereon, said indicator device comprising a housing and a magnetically operated movable plunger carried by the housing, said plunger moving to a visual indicating position in response to the magnetic force of one of said locator elements lying below the indicator device as the indicator device is shifted over the playing face of the game board in various directions seeking the location of said locator elements.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
56 words
The structure of claim 5, and said game apparatus additionally comprising a magnetic compass shiftable upon the playing face of the game board and having a needle influenced by the presence of the concealed locator elements in said chamber, whereby said compass may be employed in the manner of a seismograph for simulated oil prospecting operations.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
The structure of claim 1, and said game apparatus additionally comprising a magnetic compass forming a simulated seismograph, plural player tokens, plural colored land ownership markers, and additional plural game pieces indicative of established wells, refineries and pipe lines within said regions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The structUre of claim 1, and said permanent magnet elements comprising plate-like elements each provided on one flat face only thereof with a non-slip substance enabling said elements to remain substantially fixed within said chamber after initial random placement therein.
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) | 1977-04-01 | 1977-10-01 | 1978-04-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-04-01 | 1981-10-01 | 1982-04-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-04-01 | 1985-10-01 | 1986-04-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |