Patents by Inventor John A. Cates

John A. Cates has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4150829
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a game apparatus comprising a game board having at least two playing areas. Each playing area includes a plurality of passageways with an object normally stationed adjacent one end of each passageway. A set of a plurality of various length locking tumblers are provided each player or team of players, and in the case of playing the game of the present invention each locking tumbler is placed in passageways to effectively "lock" each object adjacent a respective passageway. Without knowing the particular placement of the locking tumblers in the passageways about a particular area, a player then selects from a set of a plurality of various length keys and inserts the keys, one at a time, into the passageways with the object being to move a respective locking tumbler to where that tumbler protrudes from its passageway and engages the adjacent object and causes the same to move from a locked position to an unlocked position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 1977
    Date of Patent: April 24, 1979
    Inventor: John A. Cates