US4314700A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Card counting prevention apparatus for blackjack
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1980-10-03
•
Granted: 1982-02-09
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Expires: 2000-10-03
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for preventing card-counting in blackjack games includes one or more shields on a playing table which obstruct each player's view of at least one other player's cards, without obstructing each player's view of the dealer's cards or the dealer's view of any of the cards. One or more shields may be used. They may be fixed to the table, or they may be portable so that the dealer may move them during the game if he or she wishes. Portable shields may be supported by legs, or may be inserted in grooves in the table. Each shield is a thin sheet of opaque material which stands generally vertical with respect to the table. The plane defined by the shield generally passes through the dealer's line of sight so that the dealer's view of the players' cards, and each player's view of the dealer's cards, is not obstructed. However, each player's view of at least one other player's cards is obstructed so that none of the players may count cards. A checker vantage point is provided over the table from which a checker may view the dealer' s card and each of the player's cards.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth C. Dylag
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 21:41
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F1/00; A63F1/06; A63F1/067; A63F3/00; A63F3/00173; A63F3/00261; A63F2003/00416; A63F2003/00419; A63F2003/00422; A63F3/00003; A63F3/00157
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
Apparatus for preventing card-counting in blackjack played at a blackjack card table comprising a table, a dealer station on one side of said table having a dealer vantage point above and behind said dealer station from which a dealer may view said table, a plurality of player stations on the opposite side of said table, each said player station having a player vantage point above and behind each of said player stations for viewing said table, said player stations partially surrounding said dealer station, a checker vantage point over said table from which a checker may view said table, and means for obstructing the view of at least one of the said player stations from each of said player vantage points without obstructing the view of any of said player stations from said dealer vantage point, said dealer station from any of said player vantage points, and said dealer station and each of said player stations from said checker vantage point.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
Apparatus for preventing card-counting in blackjack played at a blackjack card table comprising a table, a dealer station on one side of said table having a dealer vantage point above and behind said dealer station from which a dealer may view said table, a plurality of player stations on the opposite side of said table, each said player station having a player vantage point above and behind each of said player stations for viewing said table, said player stations partially surrounding said dealer station, a checker vantage point over said table from which a checker may view said table, and means for obstructing the view of at least one of the said player stations from each of said player vantage points without obstructing the view of any of said player stations from said dealer vantage point, said dealer station from any of said player vantage points, and said dealer station and each of said player stations from said checker vantage point.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said player stations form an arc partially surrounding said dealer station.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said obstructing means comprises an opaque shield adjacent said table between any two of said player stations, and means for maintaining said shield substantially vertical with respect to said table.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the plane formed by said shield intersects said dealer vantage point.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said shield is not secured to said table and may be moved by said dealer between different player stations, and said maintaining means comprises a leg secured to each side of said shield.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said shield is adjacent said table with said legs adjacent said player stations, away from said dealer station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said obstructing means comprises a plurality of opaque shields adjacent said table between pairs of said player stations, and means for maintaining said shields substantially vertical with respect to said table.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said shields are not secured to said table and may be moved by said dealer between different player stations, and said maintaining means comprises a leg secured to each side of each of said shields.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said shields are adjacent said table with said legs adjacent said player stations, away from said dealer station.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said obstructing means comprises a first shield between the first two player stations furthermost to the left of said dealer, and a second shield between the two player stations furthermost to the right of said dealer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said maintaining means comprises a plurality of grooves in said table between said player stations, said shields slidably fitting into said grooves.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said shields are secured to said table.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said shields extends away from said dealer station beyond said player stations.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said maintaining means comprises a groove in said table between two of said player stations, said shield slidably fitting into said groove.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said shield is secured to said table.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said shield extends away from said dealer station beyond said player stations.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said shields are approximately twenty-inches long, twelve inches high and one-quarter inch thick.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
165 words
In a blackjack card table having a table, a dealer station on one side of said table having a dealer vantage point above and behind said dealer station from which a dealer may view said table, a plurality of player stations on the opposite side of said table, each said player station having a player vantage point above and behind each of said player stations for viewing said table, said player stations partially surrounding said dealer station, and a checker vantage point over said table for viewing said table, the improvement comprising: means for obstructing the view of at least one of said player stations from each of said player vantage points without obstructing the view of any of said player stations from said dealer vantage, said dealer station from and of said player vantage points, and said dealer station and each of said player stations from said checker vantage point, and means for maintaining said obstructing means in substantially vertical communication with said table.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
165 words
In a blackjack card table having a table, a dealer station on one side of said table having a dealer vantage point above and behind said dealer station from which a dealer may view said table, a plurality of player stations on the opposite side of said table, each said player station having a player vantage point above and behind each of said player stations for viewing said table, said player stations partially surrounding said dealer station, and a checker vantage point over said table for viewing said table, the improvement comprising: means for obstructing the view of at least one of said player stations from each of said player vantage points without obstructing the view of any of said player stations from said dealer vantage, said dealer station from and of said player vantage points, and said dealer station and each of said player stations from said checker vantage point, and means for maintaining said obstructing means in substantially vertical communication with said table.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The improvement of claim 18 wherein said player stations form an arc partially surrounding said dealer station.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
The improvement of claim 18 wherein said obstructing means comprises a vertical opaque shield adjacent said table between any two of said player stations.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
35 words
The improvement of claim 20 wherein said shield is portable and may be moved by said dealer between different player stations, and said maintaining means comprises a leg secured to each side of said shield.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
The improvement of claim 21 wherein said shield is adjacent said table with said legs adjacent said player stations, away from said dealer station.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The improvement of claim 18 wherein said obstructing means comprises a plurality of opaque shields adjacent said table between pairs of said player stations.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
The improvement of claim 23 wherein said shields are portable and may be moved by said dealer between different player stations, and said maintaining means comprises a leg secured to each side of said shield.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The improvement of claim 23 wherein said shields are secured to said table.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
18 words
The improvement of claim 23 wherein said shields extend away from said dealer station beyond said player stations.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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Cited
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Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-02-08 | 1985-08-10 | 1986-02-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-02-08 | 1989-08-10 | 1990-02-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-02-08 | 1993-08-10 | 1994-02-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |