Abstract:
A game spinner rotates an indicator to a selected random position on a dial by compressing a spring and releasing its stored energy. A clutch is engaged during the energy release to transmit a rotary force to the indicator.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to a game device and, more particularly, to a spinner operative for selecting, by chance, indicia that indicates the next move in a game, especially a board game. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Board games are well known in the art. A conventional board game typically includes a game board having a plurality of playing spaces or stations defining a path of travel; a plurality of playing pieces, one for each player of the game; and a chance device for determining the number of playing stations a particular playing piece is to advance along the travel path, or for broadly indicating to the player what the next move is. The chance device contributes to overall game play by introducing an unknown, unpredictable element of luck. 
     As exemplified by U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,441,281; 3,442,512; 3,810,628; 3,861,686; 5,332,227; and 5,382,023, a conventional chance device includes a spinner that is spun and that selects an indicium when the spinner comes to a rest. Typically, a player rotates an arrow over a dial subdivided into different regions bearing markings. The arrow points to one of the markings when the arrow stops rotating. Such rotatable spinners are very popular, but are disadvantageous in that a player may seek to compromise the element of luck somewhat by controlling the force and extent by which the player rotates the arrow. 
     Another popular chance device is a stack of preprinted cards bearing messages for the players, each card to be selected and obeyed by a player in a respective turn. Here again, a player may seek to compromise the luck element of the game by not mixing the cards sufficiently to sort the cards in a random order. 
     Still another chance device utilizes a die marked on each of its six sides with from one to six dots. The die is mounted within a container which, when pushed downwardly against a spring, causes the die to flip over with a quick motion to expose an upper side with the number of dots to be used in playing the game. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to improve game play by insuring that game moves are selected randomly. 
     More particularly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a random chance selector that is inexpensive in manufacture, durable in construction, and easy to use. 
     FEATURES OF THE INVENTION 
     In keeping with the above objects and others which will become apparent hereafter, one feature of the present invention resides, briefly stated, in a game spinner having a base and an upright threaded rod fixed to, and extending along an axis away from, the base. A dial housing is mounted on the base and has a dial subdivided into a plurality of chance regions, for example, numerals or other indicia. 
     The spinner further comprises a rotor which includes an indicator overlying the dial, and a casing underneath the dial and connected to the indicator through the dial for joint spinning with the indicator about the axis. In the preferred embodiment, the casing has a circular track concentric with the axis, and a plurality of stops on the track. 
     An engageable clutch preferably includes a sleeve having a hub with an opening for threadedly engaging the threaded rod, and a plurality of radial arms freely ridable on and along the track in one circumferential direction. In the opposite circumferential direction, as described below, the arms are engaged by the stops. 
     A compressible spring is mounted between the dial and the base. A push member is mounted on the base for axial movement between a pressed position in which the spring is compressed to store energy in the spring, and a released position in which the energy stored in the spring is suddenly released. 
     During manual movement of the push member to the pressed position, the dial, the rotor and the clutch are moved in one axial direction, e.g., downwardly toward the base. The threaded rod enters and is threaded through the hub opening during this downward movement. The arms freely ride along the track without mechanical interference. 
     During movement of the push member to the released position, the dial, the rotor and the clutch are suddenly moved by the spring in the opposite axial direction, e.g., upwardly away from the base. The threaded rod is unthreaded through the hub opening and rotates the arms into engagement with the stops to turn the sleeve jointly with the rotor. A sudden release of the spring causes the rotor to rapidly spin for a time until the indicator eventually comes to a halt in one of the chance regions of the dial. 
     In accordance with this invention, game moves are randomly selected. No longer does a player directly control the extent of rotating an indicator since it is a released spring that spins the indicator. Overall game play is enhanced. 
    
    
     The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a game spinner in accordance with this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a further enlarged sectional view taken on line  3 — 3  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a still further enlarged sectional view taken on line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3 in one operating condition; 
     FIG. 5 is a view analogous to FIG. 4, but in another operative condition; 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded, perspective view of the game spinner of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of one of the components of the game spinner; and 
     FIG. 8 is a bottom perspective view of another of the components of the game spinner. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, reference numeral  10  generally identifies a game spinner having a base which includes a bottom circular plate  12  (see FIG. 2) and a hollow cylindrical receptacle  14  fixed to the plate  12  by a set of screws  16 . A circular footing  18  surrounds the outer periphery of the plate and elevates the plate above a support surface, such as a game board or a tabletop. The receptacle  14  has an upper circular flange  20  extending in a radial direction, as explained in further detail below. The receptacle  14  is seated within, and bounded by, the footing  18 . 
     An upright threaded rod  22  is fixed to, and extends upwardly along a vertical axis away from, the plate  12 . As shown in FIG. 2, a screw  24  extends through the center of the plate  12  and through a center boss  26  into a lower end of the rod  22 . The rod  22  has a generally rectangular core (see FIG. 3) and a helical thread  28  that is spirally wound around the core. 
     A plurality of radial fins  30  equi-angularly spaced around the axis is integral with the plate  12 , preferably by being simultaneously molded of a synthetic plastic material. A raised circular ridge  32  bounds a shallow compartment in which the fins are accommodated. 
     A dial housing  34  is mounted within the receptacle  14 . The dial housing has a generally planar, upper circular wall  36  subdivided into a plurality of sector-shaped chance regions numbered with numerals one through six. The chance regions need not be sector-shaped, nor need they bear numerals since any indicia or marking could be employed in game play. The dial housing also has a cylindrical side wall  38  extending downwardly from the upper wall  36 , and terminating in a circular lip  40  extending in the radial direction, as explained in further detail below. The housing  34  still further includes, as shown in FIG. 2, a guide tube  42  extending downwardly, and integral with, the dial  36 . 
     The spinner includes a rotor comprised of an indicator  44  juxtaposed with the dial  36 , and a casing  46  connected to the indicator for joint spinning therewith about the axis. As shown in FIG. 6, the indicator  44  is shaped as an arrow with an arrowhead pointing to one of the chance regions on the dial  36 . The indicator is mounted above the dial and has a shaft  48  that extends through a hole  50  in the dial and is press-fitted into an upper opening  52  in the casing  46  which is located underneath the dial. 
     The casing  46  is shown in isolation in FIG.  7  and includes an upper section  54  which bounds the opening  52 , an intermediate cylindrical section  56  having a predetermined diameter, and a lower cylindrical section  58  of greater diameter and having a base wall  60  lying in a plane. A circular track  62  concentric with the axis is provided on the base wall  60  within the lower cylindrical section  58 . The track includes a plurality (as shown, four) of track sections, each rising in elevation relative to the plane of the base wall  60  and terminating in a stop  64 . The operation of the stops and the track sections is described in detail below in connection with FIGS. 4 and 5. 
     The spinner includes a clutch having a sleeve  66  mounted within the casing  46  in FIG. 2, and shown in isolation in FIG.  8 . The sleeve  66  has an upper cylindrical portion  68  slidably mounted within the intermediate section  56  of the casing  46 , and a lower hub portion  70  having a generally rectangular opening  72 , and a plurality (as shown, four) of radial arms  74  ridable on and along the track  62 . The opening  72  has a complementary contour to the rectangular core of the threaded rod  22 . The arms  74  are equidistantly spaced apart, one arm for each track section, as explained below. 
     A compressible coil spring  76  having opposite open ends is mounted between the dial  36  and the plate  12 . The guide tube  42  is inserted into the upper end of the spring. The fins  30  and the ridge  32  are inserted into the lower end of the spring. 
     A push member  78  is mounted on the receptacle  14  for axial movement, and includes a generally planar, circular top wall  80 , a cylindrical side wall  82  extending downwardly away from the top wall  80 , and a circular abutment  84  extending in the radial direction. The push member  78  is constituted of a light-transmissive material to enable viewing therethrough. 
     As shown in the assembled condition of FIG. 2, the spring  76  is under tension and constantly urges the dial housing  34  upwardly away from the plate  12  until the lip  40  engages the abutment  84  and, in turn, constantly urges the push member  78  upwardly away from the plate  12  until the abutment  84  engages the flange  20  of the receptacle. The upper threaded end of the rod  22  has entered the casing  46  and is threaded through the opening  72  in the sleeve  66 . 
     To actuate the spinner  10 , a player must depress the push member  78  by pressing downwardly to a desired extent in the direction of the arrows A on the top wall  80 . Pushing down on the push member  78  causes the abutment  84  to push on the lip  40  to simultaneously move the dial housing  34  down. This causes the spring  76  to be compressed to the desired extent. The indicator  44 , the casing  46  and the sleeve  66  likewise participate in this downward axial movement. The downwardly moving sleeve  66  turns in one circumferential direction about the axis as the sleeve is threaded onto the threaded rod  22 . The arms  74  of the sleeve  66  freely ride on and along the track  62  without mechanical interference from the stops  64 . Each arm  74  slides on a respective track section and rises in elevation relative to the base wall  60 . At its highest elevation, each arm  74  passes over a respective stop  64  and falls to the lowest elevation of the next track section. This alternating rising and falling is repeated during the downward movement of the sleeve  66 . This represents a disengaged position for the clutch since no rotary force is transmitted from the sleeve  66  to the casing  46 . This also represents a compressed condition for the spring and a pressed position for the spinner. 
     As previously stated, the spring is compressed, thereby storing potential energy therein. When the player lets go of the top wall  80 , the stored energy of the spring is suddenly released. The expanding spring pushes the dial housing  34  upwardly and, via the engagement between the lip  40  and the abutment  84 , pushes the push member  78  upwardly until the abutment  84  again contacts the flange  20  on the receptacle. The indicator  44 , the casing  46  and the sleeve  66  participate in this upward axial movement. The upwardly moving sleeve  66  rotates in an opposite circumferential direction about the axis as the threaded rod  22  withdraws from the sleeve  66 . The arms  74  of the sleeve  66  ride on the track  62  until they meet the stops  64  which, this time, blocks their way. 
     As shown in FIG. 5, a respective arm  74  is riding along a track section toward the left in the direction of arrow B from a highest elevation to a lowest elevation until the respective arm  74  abuts against the stop  64 . The arm  74  cannot pass over the stop  64  and hence carries the stop in its path. This causes the casing  46  to spin and, at the same time, the indicator  44  spins because the indicator is fixed to the casing. The sudden release of the spring causes a rapid spinning of the indicator. This represents an engaged position for the clutch since rotary force is transmitted between the sleeve  66  and the casing. This also represents a released position for the spinner. 
     The indicator  44  eventually stops spinning once the released energy is spent, and frictional forces brake the indicator. The pointing of the indicator to one of the chance regions on the dial represents the next randomly generated game move. 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, also may find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a game spinner, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 
     Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims. 
     What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.