Rotatably Mounted Board Patents (Class 273/280)
  • Patent number: 4834390
    Abstract: A turntable rotatably supports the board of a board game when the board is unfolded for use. The turntable supports the board at all four sides and adjusts to the size of the board. The turntable is reduceable in size to fit inside the container of the board game for convenient storage when not in use and for enhanced marketability in conjunction with a game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 30, 1989
    Inventor: Jerry G. Phillips
  • Patent number: 4819945
    Abstract: A novel word game is disclosed having a generally planar game board with an intersecting grid pattern formed therein. Playing pieces for the game are formed as individual tile members with a letter of the alphabet on the upper surface thereof and projections on the bottom surface thereof for engaging the grid pattern and facilitating movement of the tile members in a horizontal or transverse direction along the grid pattern for forming words or word portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Inventor: Edmond J. Porcheddu
  • Patent number: 4708348
    Abstract: A game in which all of the pieces, while movable for play, are captured against removal and loss from the game. Player movable pieces are received for movement along slots extending through the thickness of a playing surface but are captured by upper and lower enlargements against removal. Discreet positional stops are provided along the slots by spaced apart depressions into which a mating truncated conical portion on the movable pieces fits. In one form, a captive rotatable disc cooperates with the playing surface to permit selective opening of covers that obscure indicia matchable with indicia designating positions along a slot path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 24, 1987
    Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
    Inventors: John V. Zaruba, Steven P. Hanson, Wayne A. Kuna
  • Patent number: 4705276
    Abstract: A base is provided from which an overlying support is supported for angular displacement about an upstanding axis passing centrally through the support. A plurality of elongated coplanar support arms are disposed generally radially of and spaced equally about the axis and are mounted from the support for longitudinal extension and retraction of the arms relative to adjacent portions of the outer periphery of the support. The arms include outer end portions from which elongated gameboard marginal edge support members are mounted extending transversely of the arms and the support members include upwardly facing support surface portions spaced longitudinally therealong for support of a corresponding marginal portion of a gameboard therefrom. The support surface portions are generally coplanar with the upper surface of the horizontal support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1987
    Assignee: Swak, Inc.
    Inventors: George E. Kastle, Jennie R. Kastle, Constance V. Stinedurf, James E. Wilson, Barbara M. Wilson
  • Patent number: 4624464
    Abstract: There is disclosed a game (10) comprised of a base (16) with a central hub (24), a playing board (28) which is removeably mounted on the base over the central hub and is held thereto so that it will not rotate with respect to the base. A transparent turntable (38) having a plurality of pockets (40) contained therein is rotatably mounted on the base by means of cooperating bearing means (44, 46) formed in the lower surface of the turntable and the upper surface of the central hub. The playing board includes a playing surface (29) with a number of spaces (34) printed thereon. The number of spaces on the playing surface and the pockets formed within the turntable are identical whereby in the starting position, the pockets, and the spaces will be aligned. During play, playing pieces (12) are placed in the pockets over spaces on the playing surface for movement over the playing surface. The turntable may be rotated during play to transport the playing pieces over different spaces on the playing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1986
    Assignee: Western Publishing Company, Inc.
    Inventor: George F. Propsom
  • Patent number: 4593910
    Abstract: A game is played by two teams of two players who are positioned about the four sides of a rotatable playing board. The play area of each player is shielded from the others by four vanes which extend radially at 90.degree. spacings from a shaft mounted on the playing board. The board, shaft and vanes are rotatable through 180.degree.. Identical play cards, information cards and pins are distributed to the players and the play cards are provided with holes corresponding to data on the information cards. The players place their play cards on their play areas and each player attempts to insert a pin in each correct hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1986
    Assignee: Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
    Inventor: Linda T. Font
  • Patent number: 4591161
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a game is disclosed in which a plurality of word-building structures, each having a plurality of playing spaces, are disposed about a gameboard. The preferred word-building structure comprises a pyramid shaped grid having 49 playing spaces. The pyramid is arranged in seven rows, with thirteen playing spaces in the base row and two less playing spaces in each succeedingly higher row.A word-building structure is associated with each respective competitor, as well as a color-coded set of playing pieces containing alphanumeric characters. These pieces are used by each competitor for building words in the horizontal, vertical, and diagonal directions in his respective word-building structure during a three minute word-building phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1986
    Inventor: John R. Vanderhoof
  • Patent number: 4579346
    Abstract: A game board for use in a game wherein the board is caused to tilt about a centrally located support by moving playing pieces on the board in game play, the board being composed of a relatively thin high impact styrene plastic material. The board has a horizontal coplanar surface with regularly spaced depressions of uniform cylindrical configuration for receiving the playing pieces. The bottoms of the depressions are coplanar and their areas total slightly more than one-half of the total horizontal surface of the board obtained by measuring its length times its width (less the supporting projections). The depressions extend downwardly substantially below the supporting projections, thus significantly lowering the center of gravity of individual playing pieces received in the depressions. This assists in maintaining the center of the gravity of the board and the playing pieces thereon at approximately the same level as where the projections meet the underlying supporting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 1, 1986
    Assignee: Jack B. Slimp, Jr.
    Inventor: Domenic Giuntoli
  • Patent number: 4552362
    Abstract: Furniture quality game table with multiple plane surfaces on at least three sides of a cubical game board assembly, with end panels journaled for rotation on end standards spanning the board assembly, and with endwise removable locking pins and a handle for locking the board assembly with any one of the game board surfaces in an upper horizontal position, with the handle configured to cover the locking pins from view when engaged. The typical game board assembly is rotatable on a fixed trunnion bar on which a lighting fixture is mounted for back lighting of the game board surfaces. The table includes in its lower portion a storage compartment for game pieces, playing cards and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 12, 1985
    Inventor: Hugh F. Oake
  • Patent number: 4529206
    Abstract: Game apparatus comprising a playing field and plural path-forming elements rotatably disposed on the playing field. The elements are arranged in elongate intersecting rows, and are rotatable to align path segments provided on the elements. The elements are mounted in cylindrical recesses in the game board and have a raised ridge to assist in rotating the elements. Playing pieces which have a channel fitting over the ridge are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1985
    Inventors: David B. Curry, David L. Withers
  • Patent number: 4488720
    Abstract: The game board features a display disk situated between upper and lower layers. The display disk has a plurality of radial columns of information which are rotated under display windows in the upper layer. A removable drive hub engages the disk through a central recess in the upper layer. Channel sectors in the lower layer limit the rotation of the hub and disk. The upper and lower layers each consist of two sections hingedly joined together. Folding of the game board is accomplished by aligning the fold line on the disk with the hinge line between the two game board sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 18, 1984
    Inventor: Eugene F. Cook
  • Patent number: 4487417
    Abstract: An amusement device for selectively interchanging or transferring coded pieces from one storage element to a second adjacent storage element is disclosed. The two storage elements are connected to each other for relative rotation. The coded pieces are transferred by aligning one or more storage space or cavity containing a coded piece, in one storage element with like storage spaces or cavities in the adjacent storage element and inverting the device. The storage cavities are configured to allow a prearranged relationship between coded pieces upon rotational alignment of storage cavities lying on the same radius from the axis of rotation. Self-contained games and multiple puzzle configurations are achievable by sequential rotation, alignment and inversion of storage cavities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: December 11, 1984
    Inventor: Douglas A. Engel
  • Patent number: 4466515
    Abstract: A stock exchange game is disclosed. A circular playing board is divided into forty spaces at the outer periphery with some spaces representing companies, color coded states of the economy, taxes due, collect dividends, etc. Each company space has a stock price window. There is one state of the economy window. An information board is rotatably mounted under the playing board. The information board has color coded states of the economy and corresponding color coded stock prices. When a state of the economy aligns with the respective window in the playing board, related stock prices align with their respective company windows in the playing board. Players move tokens around the board in response to dice rolls. The state of the economy changes and in turn the stock prices of the companies change when a player lands on an economy condition space. This information board is rotated accordingly and the stock prices change. Stocks are bought and sold during the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1981
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1984
    Inventors: Joseph R. D'Aurora, David F. Specht
  • Patent number: 4456258
    Abstract: The invention refers substantially to games and their construction. The games are played on the outer surface of a geometric solid necessitating piece and gaming surface construction adequate to permit piece and surface adherance. Also the geometric solid utilized is scribed or covered with an appropriate map or grid pattern to provide separate playing positions and thus specific moves of play are possible. The geometric solid chosen is a three phase icosahedron geodesic sphere. The icosahedron geodesic sphere is supported by support pins projecting from the sphere resting in a concave support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 26, 1984
    Inventor: Lawrence E. Lodrick
  • Patent number: 4452455
    Abstract: A puzzle game comprises a base having a plurality of steps extending upwardly from a circular wall to a top platform. A circular well or raceway extends between the circular wall and the lower of the steps and receives a circular ring therein for rotation thereabout. A plurality of additional rings are rotatably supported on the steps and a center member is supported on the platform. The faces of the rings are slanted upwardly and have line indicia thereon forming a maze pattern. A player rotates the rings which come to a click-stop in a random manner. A maze is created from the outer edge of the device to the center member and vice versa. Scores are awarded to a player in proportion to the length a playing piece is moved by the player through the maze for a given time period. The highest score is awarded the player who negotiates a path through the maze with a playing piece within a specific time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1982
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1984
    Inventors: Jon Bergstrom, Jerice Bergstrom
  • Patent number: 4422644
    Abstract: A board game apparatus includes a housing having a playing surface defined thereon. A plurality of spaced playing piece receiving apertures are arranged in a pattern on the playing surface. A playing piece support surface is arranged beneath the playing surface to support one or more playing pieces, sized to pass through the playing piece receiving apertures, within the apertures. A plurality of deflectable elements are arranged on the support surface, aligned beneath certain of the apertures, to allow a playing piece to be pushed through the support surface and the playing surface into the interior of the housing. The playing surface is rotatably mounted on the housing to enable the position of the apertures to be varied with respect to the position of the deflectable elements on the support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1983
    Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
    Inventors: Edward T. Holahan, Harry Disko
  • Patent number: 4384722
    Abstract: A rapid pace word game is provided and consists of a platform, a box affixed to the center of the platform, four playing boards each playing board affixed at the top edge to each top edge of the box and affixed at the bottom edge to the platform so that each playing board is at a set angle and played simultaneously by up to four players, a turntable affixed to the bottom of the platform placed on a flat surface for rotating the platform, a plurality of letter tiles with various score values whereby the letter tiles are used to make interlocking words vertically and horizontally when placed on each playing board giving a score to each player and four racks, each rack used by each player to hold seven letter tiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1983
    Inventor: Robert W. Higgins
  • Patent number: 4378943
    Abstract: A turn-table for supporting a flat game board, the turn-table including a base portion which rests on a table or the like and a flat platform portion, pivotally supported on the base portion, and provided with a pair of spring clamps, one at each end of the platform, for engaging edge areas of the game board to hold the board securely on the platform. Adjustment of the clamp spacing to fit boards of different sizes can be effected either by relative movement of the parts of a two-piece platform or by relative movement of elongated clamps on the ends of a one-piece platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1981
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1983
    Inventor: Meigs W. Newberry
  • Patent number: 4348027
    Abstract: A multi-level game board apparatus, adapted to be played with playing pieces such as chess men or the like, consists of a chess or checker board divided into a plurality of levels for play. The board appears, in plan view, to have the arrangement of bilaterally colored dark and light squares of the shape and number of squares of a conventional chess or checker board. The board, however, is separated into a central portion at one level and a plurality of surrounding portions of square configuration separately supported at least at one other level. The separate square portions supported at another level are separately supported on support members permitting rotation of each square portion about its center. In the play of the game, the playing pieces are placed on the board initially, and are moved, as if all of the portions of the board were in a single plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1982
    Inventor: Ricardo Escamilla-Kelly
  • Patent number: 4334680
    Abstract: Game apparatus is disclosed having a top wall with openings for the insertion of pins by two players as called for by indicia on a rotatable signal disc below the top wall but which indicia is visible through openings in the top wall, the pins may fall through the top wall and signal disc as determined by programmed openings in the disc and preferably pass through a counter for delivery by a chute to a return opening for each player, the signal disc being propelled by a spring motor during a predetermined time interval.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 15, 1982
    Inventor: Thomas K. Liversidge
  • Patent number: 4188034
    Abstract: A board game of skill which has an upper transparent stationary surface, a transparent first movable underlying member with a partial direction-movement pattern, a lower opaque second underlying movable member which has a complimentary partial direction-movement pattern in one of a number of varied positions. The uppermost stationary transparent surface is provided with peg holes for moving pegs or pieces along color coded allowed direction-movement patterns formed by the two movable underlying members. Selection of the underlying member position to determine the alignment of the partial direction-movement patterns and the number of movements allowed is determined from random selection dice mounted in a centrally supported revolvable dice box.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1980
    Inventors: Leonard H. Dempsey, Linda S. Adrian
  • Patent number: 4143878
    Abstract: A toy has three or more ball housing elements for two or three different colored balls. Inside of each of the ball housing elements the inner vertical partitions form the space into nine separate compartments within the ball housing elements which contain the two or three different colored balls in the separate compartments. All the compartments have equal length, width and height.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1977
    Date of Patent: March 13, 1979
    Inventor: Ervin L. Unique
  • Patent number: 4129303
    Abstract: A game board for adversary move and countermove type games in the form of a cube presenting six playing surfaces each including a plurality of holes arranged in a rectangular matrix pattern of not less than three by three nor more than five by five holes therein, each of said holes being adapted to releasably retain a manually displaceable pin member thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 1977
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1978
    Inventor: John G. Flagg
  • Patent number: 4123058
    Abstract: A horizontal circular disc is disposed upon and is manually rotatable about the center of a square shaped horizontal top. A depressed central circular area of the disc simulates the green of a hole of a golf course and has an offset depression simulating the cup. The outer annular area is divided into a plurality of sectors of like area by radial lines. Each sector has a differently contoured top surface with roughened and smooth sections simulating the arrangement of different holes other than the green. Flat like horizontal ring shaped members (raceways) each have a plurality of spaced balls (ball bearings) therein, each ball being individually rotatable therein and having a bottom portion which extends below the member and engages the top surface of the disc when the member is place therein. Each member is dimensioned to fit into the depression and simulates a golf ball. A start position is marked on the table top. Each player in turn strikes his member with his finger to move his "ball" along the course.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1977
    Date of Patent: October 31, 1978
    Assignee: Creative Inventions
    Inventors: Robert C. Furyk, Jon E. P. Gow
  • Patent number: 4114892
    Abstract: A game is disclosed which is played by two opposing players disposed on opposite sides of a vertically disposed, opaque game board; said board being formed with a plurality of holes therein, and pegs inserted in the holes. Each player rests one U-shaped token member on a peg without disclosing the location of the token member to the other player, and in turn each player removes pegs in an effort to cause the opposing player's token member to drop from the board thereby winning the game. The construction permits the U-shaped token member to fall onto a lower peg disposed directly below the removed peg position, thus frustrating attempts of the opposing player to cause the peg to fall clear of the board. In a preferred embodiment the game is a free standing vertically upright unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1977
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1978
    Assignee: Fun Things, Inc.
    Inventor: Frank S. Csoka
  • Patent number: 4105211
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a game of logic which matches the skill and strategy of one player against the other. This game includes a game board having a central display portion wherein a plurality of display devices such as electric lamps are activated by the actuation of the proper combination of switches in the control console at each player's end of the game board. Each switch at one player's console is dependently connected to the corresponding switch at the other player's console and to an electric lamp in such manner that either player can activate or deactivate each lamp in the central display portion of the game board. In play, each player attempts to activate the lamps on the central display area of the game board whereby patterns contained on any of a number of playing cards associated with the Game of Logic are duplicated in the central display area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1976
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1978
    Inventor: Fred E. Wernig
  • Patent number: 4079945
    Abstract: A children's game is provided in which plastic animals, such as turtles, are used as playing pieces and race along the track of a game board, advancing a given number of spaces on the basis of the spinning of a dial. The game board, however, is round and rotatable and has a base with randomly positioned magnets under the spaces on the board. The playing pieces also include magnets which are affected when they are on spaces over the random magnets. In particular, the playing piece is designed so that the animal's head drops when over a magnet, so it "falls asleep." The animal can then be "awakened" by rotating the board the equivalent of one space and so removing it from the magnet. In doing so, however, another player's piece may be moved over a magnet and similarly "fall asleep".
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 1976
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1978
    Inventor: Robert L. Brass