Electrical game

Application filed March 24,

This invention relates to electrical games and particularly to a racing game wherein the objects raced are operated by electromagnetic means operated by the players.

® An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the class described by means of which either a small or large number of players may participate in a game simulating a racing of animals.

® A further object is to provide, in such an apparatus, means for operating and controlling the movement of the objects simulating the animals, which means will require, for the successful operation thereof, a consider⁵ able degree of skill and steadiness on the part of the player. . .

A further object of the invention is to provide, in such an apparatus, obstacles in the normal path of movement of the objects simulating the animals, so as to add to the difficulties qf the operation thereof.

A further object is the provision, in such an apparatus, of means whereby the progress _ of all of the objects simulating the animals taking part in the race, will be automatically stopped by the arrival at the finish line of the object winning the race.

The foregoing objects will be amplified and other objects will appear in and from ’° the following specification considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are for purposes of illustration and not intended as a definition of the invention, the invention being defined in the appended ³⁵ claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate’ corresponding parts throughout the various views:

Fig. I is a perspective view of the preⁱ⁰ ferred embodiment of the complete game, a portion of the surface of the game board being cut away to disclose one of the operating units therebeneath.

_λ . Fig. II is a fragmentary section of the 44 apparatus on line II—II in Fig. I.

Fig. Ill is a section on line III—III in Fig. II.

Fig. IV is a view of one of the objects simulating the animals to be raced, here ⁶⁰ represented as a turtle.

1,808,030 swinging being limited only by the ends of the slots 18.

The rack 13 is provided at its inner end with suitable means for normally retracting S the rack 13 toward the center, which means may comprise a hook 21 or other suitable engagement for a spring 22, the other end of which may be attached to the central member 7 as indicated at 9, said spring operat10 ing to oppose manual pull on handle 15 and normally retract the rack 13 to its innermost position, as approximately indicated at Fig.

Carried on the inner end of the rack 13 is 15 an electro-magnet 23, connected with the electrical source at connection 8 on the central member 11 by means of flexible wires 24, normally hanging within the depressed central portion 5 of the box, but being of sufficient 20 length to permit the outward movement of the magnet 23 to the limit to which it can be carried by the outward movement of the rack 13 above described. The magnet has a pole piece, 25, projecting upwardly therefrom, 25 and held in sliding contact with the under side of the top. 1, by means of the spring 26 positioned between the magnet and the end of the rack 13, for exerting upward pressure on the magnet.

Any suitable means as post 27, may be provided for indicating the center of the table top, which top is provided with an outer rim 28 to prevent objects dropping off the top of the table.

A double finish line 29 is provided annularly near the edge of the top 1, and is suitably connected with the electrical source as hereinafter described, so that when any object contacts both members of said finish line, the 40 electrical circuit connected with all of the operating members will be broken and all of the electro-magnets will be de-energized.

Objects 30, here represented as simulating turtles, are provided, on the under side of 45 each of which is provided a metal ball 31, mounted in a socket 32, whereby the object will roll upon the ball, being kept in upright position by the legs 33.

The objects 30 are placed upon the table, co one object being placed above each magnet 23, whereby when the magnet is moved beneath the top 1, the object thereabove will tend to move thereivitli by reason of the magnetism permeating the top 1, and as the mag55 net 23 is moved outwardly by the player pulling on the handle 15 the object thereabove will tend to move outwardly with and _z above said magnet.

It will be understood that the current sup50 plied to the magnet will be of such strength as to supply only a comparatively weak magnetism so that if the magnet be moved too suddenly or too rapidly the magnetic connection between the pole 25 and the ball 31 on ⁸⁵ the object 3Q, will be broken and it will be necessary for the player to manipulate the magnet so as to again position the same immediately beneath the ball 31, in order to reestablish such connection.

It will be noted that the bar 16 may swing laterally between the sides 10 of the runway, whereby the control of the position of the runway, the rack 13 and the magnet 23 is rendered uncertain and more difficult than if the said rod 15 were rigidly attached to the runway.

Also it will be noted that various objects 33 indicated in Fig. I may be placed irregularly upon the top 1 for the purpose of hindering the direct moving of the object 30 from its initial point near the center of the top to the finish line and such objects are preferably so positioned as to make it necessary to move the object 30 in an irregular line from its start to the finish line.

Where objects 30 simulate turtles, the objects 33 may simulate stones, cacti, and other plants and objects which would naturally be found in places inhabited by turtles. The objects 33 may be varied to correspond with the nature of the animal simulated by the objects 30.

The game consists in collecting the objects 30 near the center of the top 1, each player having one of such objects 30 positioned immediately above the magnet 23, which will be operated by the handle 15 to be operated by such player. The player who can so skilfully manipulate the apparatus connected with the handle 15 operated by him as to cause the object 30 to first reach the finish line 29, wins the game, and when the object 30 reaches the finish line the ball 31 will rest upon and complete electrical connection between the two portions of the finish line 29, thereby breaking the electric circuit which energizes all of the magnets 23 and automatically stopping the progress of all of said objects 30, whereby the relative positions of all of said objects may be determined so as to determine the relative standing of each player in the race.

A suitable guard rail 34, may be supported around the table by means 35, at a sufficient distance from the table to prevent the players interfering with the handles 15 and rods 16 of rack 13 when the same are extended to their limit from the rim of the table, all as dearly indicated in Fig. I.

Fig. VI illustrates the electric circuit by which the «various portions of the apparatus are energized and de-energized, and at this figure any suitable source of electric power, which may be connected with an ordinary light circuit, is indicated at 36. When the magnet,38 is energized by the closing of the circuit between the two parts of the finish line 29, the circuit is broken at switch 37. When the magnet 38 is de-energized the switch 37 may be operated either by gravity or by any suitable means to close the circuit.

1,858,030 magnetically permeable top, objects freely movable over said top and each carrying magnetic material normally contacting with said top as said object is moved thereover, magnets beneath said top and adapted to ex- jjj ert magnetic force upon said objects through said top whereby to cause said objects to follow said magnets as the latter are moved, means for yieldingly holding said magnets near the center of said top, manually operat- ₇₆ed means for moving said magnets toward the periphery of said top. _

5. In apparatus as denned in claim 4 said manually operated means for moving said magnets comprising a runway carrying a sc fixed rack and a movable rack, a pinion therebetween, means for manually moving the pinion on the fixed rack for moving the movable rack, the magnet being carried by the movable rack.

6. In apparatus as defined in claim 4 said manually operated means comprising a runway pivoted for lateral movement and carrying a manually operable rack and pinion, the magnet being carried by a rack movable by said manual operation..

7. In apparatus as defined in claim 4, said manually operable means being mounted to swing laterally whereby the line of move-

Transformer 39 may be provided for stepping down the current as desired.

Many changes in detail of construction, all within the scope and spirit of the foregoing ^c description, and within the definition of: the appended claims, will occur to those skilled in the art and I do not wish to be limited to the details of construction heretofore described or illustrated in the accompanying 1° drawings. .

It will be obvious that the opaqueness of the top 1 conceals the magnet, 23, from view, thereby rendering more difficult to reposition the magnet under the object 30 when mag¹⁵ netic connection therebetween has been broken. , , , ,

It will also be obvious that the above described rack and pinion structure for movement of the magnets affords a rapid and ex20 tensive movement of the magnet for a comparatively slow and short movement of the handle 15, and also that such variance in movement renders exact control of the movement of the magnet by handle 15 indirect ²⁵ and difficult.