US4210337A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Alignment game
Assignee: JW Spear and Sons Ltd
•
Filing: 1978-01-11
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Granted: 1980-07-01
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Expires: 1998-01-11
Abstract
Abstract A board game for two or more players in which the board has a playing area comprising two sets of parallel rows, the intersection of the rows defining regions for receiving playing pieces (preferably balls). The playing pieces in a row in which all its receiving regions are occupied are movable together along the axis of that row by applying a force to one of the two end pieces in that row so that each of the pieces in that row except the other end piece is moved into its next adjacent receiving region in that row.
Inventors
- 👤 Gilbert K. J. Obermair
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 00:12
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F3/00; A63F3/00173; A63F3/00574; A63F7/00; A63F7/0076; A63F9/00; A63F9/06; A63F3/00634
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
321 words
A game comprising at least two sets of playing pieces, each playing piece being in the form of a ball and having an identifiable characteristic, the playing pieces in each set having the same identifiable characteristic, which characteristic is different from the identifiable characteristic of the pieces in the other set or sets, and a board defining a playing area, the playing area comprising two sets of parallel rows of channels, the rows in one set of rows lying transverse to the rows in the other set of rows, each of the intersections between the rows in one set and the rows in the other set defining a pocket for receiving a playing piece, the total number of playing pieces being at least one more than the number of pockets and the board defining a playing piece receiving region outside the playing area; wherein, in play, every pocket is simultaneously occupied by a playing piece, the playing pieces being visible and lying in substantially the same plane, and the number of pieces in one set of pieces on the playing area is the same as or one more than the number of pieces in the other set or sets of pieces on the playing area, and wherein the playing pieces in a row in which all its pockets are occupied are movable together along the axis of that row by applying a force to one of the two end pieces in that row, using a playing piece which is not in the playing area, so that each of the pieces in that row except the other end piece is moved into its next adjacent pocket in that row, so that the said other end piece is moved off the playing area and into the said receiving region, and so that the playing piece used to apply the force is received in the pocket previously occupied by the same one end piece.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
321 words
A game comprising at least two sets of playing pieces, each playing piece being in the form of a ball and having an identifiable characteristic, the playing pieces in each set having the same identifiable characteristic, which characteristic is different from the identifiable characteristic of the pieces in the other set or sets, and a board defining a playing area, the playing area comprising two sets of parallel rows of channels, the rows in one set of rows lying transverse to the rows in the other set of rows, each of the intersections between the rows in one set and the rows in the other set defining a pocket for receiving a playing piece, the total number of playing pieces being at least one more than the number of pockets and the board defining a playing piece receiving region outside the playing area; wherein, in play, every pocket is simultaneously occupied by a playing piece, the playing pieces being visible and lying in substantially the same plane, and the number of pieces in one set of pieces on the playing area is the same as or one more than the number of pieces in the other set or sets of pieces on the playing area, and wherein the playing pieces in a row in which all its pockets are occupied are movable together along the axis of that row by applying a force to one of the two end pieces in that row, using a playing piece which is not in the playing area, so that each of the pieces in that row except the other end piece is moved into its next adjacent pocket in that row, so that the said other end piece is moved off the playing area and into the said receiving region, and so that the playing piece used to apply the force is received in the pocket previously occupied by the same one end piece.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
A game as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one end of each row is extended beyond the playing area, the extension of each row defining an individual playing piece receiving region, those individual regions being arranged in two further rows, one lying substantially parallel to one of the sets of rows and the other lying parallel to the other set of rows.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
A game as claimed in claim 2, in which each of the individual receiving regions which is in the further row lying parallel to one of the sets of rows and each of the individual receiving regions which is in the row lying parallel to the other set of rows has an identifiable characteristic.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A game as claimed in claim 3, in which the identifiable characteristic is a number or a letter.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
73 words
A game as claimed in claim 1, in which each end of each row is extended beyond the playing area, each extension of each row defining an individual playing piece receiving region, those individual regions being arranged in four further rows, one of the sets of rows lying between the substantially parallel to two further rows, and the other set of rows lying between and substantially parallel to the other two further rows.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
A game as claimed in claim 5, in which each of the individual receiving regions which is in a further row lying parallel to one of the sets of rows and each of the individual receiving regions which is in a row lying parallel to the other set of rows has an identifiable characteristic.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A game as claimed in claim 6, in which the identifiable characteristic is a number or a letter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A game as claimed in claim 1, in which the spacing between adjacent rows in one set is the same and equal to the spacing between adjacent rows in the other set.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A game as claimed in claim 1, in which the two sets of rows lie at right-angles to each other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
A game as claimed in claim 1, in which the playing area is square in shape.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
A game as claimed in claim 1, in which the identifiable characteristic of each playing piece is the colour of the playing piece.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A game as claimed in claim 1, in which there are only two sets of 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) | 1983-07-01 | 1983-12-31 | 1984-07-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-07-01 | 1987-12-31 | 1988-07-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-07-01 | 1991-12-31 | 1992-07-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |