US3926437A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vertical game board and playing pieces including move setting mechanisms
Assignee: Aurora Products Canada Ltd
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Filing: 1973-12-20
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Granted: 1975-12-16
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Expires: 1993-12-20
Abstract
Abstract A competitive game of skill for two players has a playing board common to the players divided into a grid-like arrangement of playing areas. Playing pieces for each player are adapted to be mounted for player selected and controlled movement between the playing areas; the selected movement being concealed until such time as the player decides to move the playing piece.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter Moe
- 👤 Michael Meyers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 22:14
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F3/00; A63F3/08; A63F3/02; A63F3/00173; A63F3/00261; A63F2003/00406; A63F2003/0041
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
67 words
A game apparatus comprising a playing board common to the players and playing pieces adapted to be mounted for movement across said playing board, each of said playing pieces including player controlled means for presetting said playing piece in a selected direction of movement and means for selectively concealing said playing piece to prevent premature discovery of the preset selected direction of movement for the playing piece.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
67 words
A game apparatus comprising a playing board common to the players and playing pieces adapted to be mounted for movement across said playing board, each of said playing pieces including player controlled means for presetting said playing piece in a selected direction of movement and means for selectively concealing said playing piece to prevent premature discovery of the preset selected direction of movement for the playing piece.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein said concealing means includes a shield member and means for mounting said shield member for movement relative to said playing piece.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
The combination of claim 1 Wherein said concealing means includes an axially cut opaque cylindrical shield member and means for mounting said shield member to said playing piece for rotation about its axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
79 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein said concealing means includes a pair of sheets of polarizing material, said sheets of material being mounted for relative movement between a first position wherein the angle between the polarization planes of the sheets permit the presetting means to be seen throught both sheets of material and a second position wherein the angle between the polarization planes of the sheets prevents the presetting means from being seen through both sheets of polarizing material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
40 words
The combination of claim 4 wherein the planes of polarization of the sheets of polarizing material are substantially parallel when the sheets are in the first relative position and substantially perpendicular when the sheets are in the second relative position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination of claim 1 wherein said presetting means includes a pointer mounted for rotation with said playing piece with respect to a plurality of indicia to indicate the preset direction of movement of the playing piece.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination of claim 6 wherein said presetting means includes a detent and said indicia include a plurality of holes cooperatively positioned to engage said detent to hold said presetting means in the selected direction.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
114 words
An apparatus for a game of skill to be played by two players comprising a playing board including a plurality of playing areas adapted to be substantially vertically mounted between the two players, game pieces adapted to be mounted for movement by the opposing players on opposite sides of the playing board, each game piece including a combined playing piece and indicator rotatably mounted in the game piece for indicating a player selected and controlled direction of movement of the game piece during the course of the game and a shield means for selectively concealing the combined playing piece and indicator from the opposing player to prevent discovery of a selected direction of movement.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
114 words
An apparatus for a game of skill to be played by two players comprising a playing board including a plurality of playing areas adapted to be substantially vertically mounted between the two players, game pieces adapted to be mounted for movement by the opposing players on opposite sides of the playing board, each game piece including a combined playing piece and indicator rotatably mounted in the game piece for indicating a player selected and controlled direction of movement of the game piece during the course of the game and a shield means for selectively concealing the combined playing piece and indicator from the opposing player to prevent discovery of a selected direction of movement.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 8 further including a front window having a plurality of indicia thereon secured to the game piece for indicating proposed directions of movement of said game piece said combined playing piece and indicator being mounted on said window for rotation with respect to said plurality of indicia.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said shield means include an opaque axially cut cylinder mounted for axial rotation within the game piece.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
206 words
An apparatus for a game of skill to be played by two players comprising a transparent playing board having a plurality of rectilinear playing areas dividing said playing board into a plurality of vertical columns and horizontal rows, means vertically mounting said playing board between two playing positions to be occupied by said players, a plurality of playing pieces, interengaging means associated with said playing pieces and said playing areas for mounting said playing pieces on opposite sides of said playing board for movement between said playing areas, each playing piece including means for presetting a vertical, horizontal or diagonal direction of movement for the playing piece over the playing board and means for concealing the preset direction of movement for each playing piece, each playing piece being moved across the opposite sides of the playing board in accordance with the player selected and controlled direction of movement after the preset direction of movement is revealed to the opposing player and playing pieces being eliminated from the playing board when the playing piece of one player moves to a playing area occupied by the playing piece of the other player until all the playing pieces of one of the players is eliminated from the playing board.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
206 words
An apparatus for a game of skill to be played by two players comprising a transparent playing board having a plurality of rectilinear playing areas dividing said playing board into a plurality of vertical columns and horizontal rows, means vertically mounting said playing board between two playing positions to be occupied by said players, a plurality of playing pieces, interengaging means associated with said playing pieces and said playing areas for mounting said playing pieces on opposite sides of said playing board for movement between said playing areas, each playing piece including means for presetting a vertical, horizontal or diagonal direction of movement for the playing piece over the playing board and means for concealing the preset direction of movement for each playing piece, each playing piece being moved across the opposite sides of the playing board in accordance with the player selected and controlled direction of movement after the preset direction of movement is revealed to the opposing player and playing pieces being eliminated from the playing board when the playing piece of one player moves to a playing area occupied by the playing piece of the other player until all the playing pieces of one of the players is eliminated from the playing board.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the concealing means includes an axially cut opaque cylinder and means for mounting said cylinder for rotation abOut said playing piece.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 12 further including a housing and means mounting said playing piece and concealing means in said housing.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 13 further including indicator means for indicating said preset direction of movement for said playing piece and means for movably mounting said indicator means with respect to said housing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 13 further including indicator means and means rotatably mounting said indicator means and said playing piece for indicating the preset direction of movement for said playing piece.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said interengaging means includes a hook member associated with said playing piece and a slot formed in each playing area.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said presetting means includes means for rotating said playing piece to indicate a preset direction of movement for the playing piece.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
225 words
An apparatus for a game of skill to be played by two players comprising a transparent playing board having a plurality of recitilinear playing areas dividing said playing board into a plurality of vertical columns and horizontal rows, means vertically mouting said playing board between two playing positions to be occupied by said players, a plurality of playing pieces, interengaging means associated with said playing pieces and said playing areas for mounting said playing pieces on opposite sides of said playing board for movement between said playing areas, each playing piece including means for presetting a direction of movement for the playing piece over the playing board and means for concealing the preset direction of movement for each playing piece, storage means in said vertically mounting means for holding said playing pieces, each playing piece being moved across the playing board in accordance with the player selected and controlled direction of movement after the preset direction of movement is revealed to the opposing player and playing pieces being eliminated from the playing board when the playing piece of one player moves to a playing area occupied by the playing piece of the other player, the playing pieces which have been removed being placed in the storage means, play continuing until all the playing pieces of one of the players is eliminated from the playing board.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
225 words
An apparatus for a game of skill to be played by two players comprising a transparent playing board having a plurality of recitilinear playing areas dividing said playing board into a plurality of vertical columns and horizontal rows, means vertically mouting said playing board between two playing positions to be occupied by said players, a plurality of playing pieces, interengaging means associated with said playing pieces and said playing areas for mounting said playing pieces on opposite sides of said playing board for movement between said playing areas, each playing piece including means for presetting a direction of movement for the playing piece over the playing board and means for concealing the preset direction of movement for each playing piece, storage means in said vertically mounting means for holding said playing pieces, each playing piece being moved across the playing board in accordance with the player selected and controlled direction of movement after the preset direction of movement is revealed to the opposing player and playing pieces being eliminated from the playing board when the playing piece of one player moves to a playing area occupied by the playing piece of the other player, the playing pieces which have been removed being placed in the storage means, play continuing until all the playing pieces of one of the players is eliminated from the playing board.
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) | 1978-12-15 | 1979-06-16 | 1979-12-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-15 | 1983-06-16 | 1983-12-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-15 | 1987-06-16 | 1987-12-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |