Board game with chance operation and random striker

A surprise action game apparatus comprising in a presently preferred form a game board defining a plurality of pathways, one for each player, and each having a starting end and extending longitudinally therefrom to a finish line. There are a plurality of play pieces, one on each player's path for longitudinal movement therealong. The play pieces are adapted to be knocked over when engaged. The game apparatus further includes a knock-down unit which may be positioned at the starting end of any selected one of the pathways. The unit includes a movable wheeled toy striker vehicle and operating mechanism for propelling the vehicle along the selected pathway, but only after random or apparently random operation of the mechanism, to engage and knock down the play piece on that pathway. In play of the game, at each player's turn, the player places the knock-down unit at the start of his or her pathway and selectively operates the mechanism. For example, the player may turn a knob through increments or repeatedly push a button. Each such turn or push may permit the player to advance his or her play piece a space along the player's pathway. However, at some point after a certain number of turns or pushes, the toy striker vehicle is propelled along the player's pathway to knock over his or her play piece, which may require that the player return the play piece to the starting end. The players each attempt to be the first to advance his or her play piece to the finish line.

The present invention relates to a surprise action game apparatus wherein 
the surprise action takes place after a random or apparently random time 
delay or amount of activity. 
In the prior art there are various toy devices using timers which after a 
predetermined time interval interrupt the play activity or otherwise 
create some action effect. For example, after a time delay a bell might 
ring or a figure might pop up. There have been other toy devices where the 
players took turns adding additional pieces to a build-up structure until 
the structure collapsed, or adding sticks to such a structure until the 
structure collapsed or pieces moved, or adding additional weight to a 
pointed member engaging an inflated balloon until the balloon burst. 
In the illustrated play apparatus, players take turns manipulating a 
movable operating member in successive increments, with the player being 
entitled to advance his play piece along a path the same number of spaces 
as he manipulates the operating members. However, after a random or 
apparently random number of manipualtions, a wheeled toy striker vehicle 
will suddenly be propelled along the path and the player's play piece will 
be knocked over. When this happens, the player may lose a number of 
points, have to "go back" a number of spaces, or may lose the game. 
The toy striker vehicle is directed along each player's path when it is 
that player's turn and the player attempts to move his play piece as many 
places as he can without releasing the striker vehicle. Thus in the play 
of the game, exciting anticipation builds until there is a sudden surprise 
action by the release and propulsion of the striker vehicle.

Briefly, the illustrated surprise action game apparatus 10 comprises means 
defining a plurality of pathways 12, one for each player. In the 
illustrated form, these pathways 12 are provided on the upper surface 14 
of a flat game board 16 and they are disposed side-by-side and generally 
parallel to one another, extending from a starting end of the board 
longitudinally toward a finishing end or line of the board. The game 
apparatus 10 further includes a plurality of self-standing movable play 
pieces 18, one for each of the players, to be moved along one of the 
pathways assigned to that player. The play pieces 18 are readily tipped or 
knocked down when contacted or engaged. 
The illustrated game apparatus further comprises a movable surprise action 
striker unit 20 which in the illustrated form includes a housing 22 and a 
wheeled toy striker vehicle 24, which is insertable into the housing for 
being propelled outwardly from the housing and along one of the pathways 
to knock down or run over the play pieces located on that pathway. 
The housing 22 contains (1) power or propelling means in the form of a 
spring powered propelling mechanism 26, (2) latch means 28 for releasibly 
holding the propelling mechanism in a cocked position, (3) randomly or 
apparently randomly positioned release means 30 for releasing the latch 
means, and (4) an incrementally movable operating means 32 which is 
manually moved through successive increments of movement by the players 
until it operates the release means. Each time the latch means is released 
and the wheel toy striker vehicle 24 is propelled, the release means may 
be randomly oriented or reoriented for the next turn. Then when the 
wheeled striker vehicle is replaced in the housing, which cocks the 
propelling mechanism 26 and engages the latch means 28, the release means 
will be oriented in a way unknown to the players. Thus, after some unknown 
number of incremental movements of the operating element, the release 
means will release the latch means. 
In the illustrated apparatus, the number of such operations of the 
operating member is randomly determined after every release of the striker 
vehicle and therefore will be different from turn to turn. Therefore, when 
the players begin to operate the operating member, they will not know how 
many times it can be operated before the striker vehicle will be released. 
Players can take a chance and try to operate the operating member a 
greater number of times so that they can move their play pieces forwardly 
a greater number of spaces, or they may elect to operate the operating 
member a lesser number of times. 
Now considering the illustrated apparatus in further detail, the 
illustrated board 16 is generally flat and rectangular in configuration, 
having a starting end 40 and a finishing end 42 and a plurality of 
generally linear player pathways or tracks 12 extending longitudinally 
over its surface 14 from the beginning end to the finishing end. Each 
pathway 12 has designated spaces 44 therealong for advancement of the play 
pieces 18. Each pathway may be assigned to a player who also has one of 
the movable play pieces which he moves along that pathway. The board 16 
may be of any suitable material such as cardboard, paper, plastic, wood, 
metal and the like. 
Each of the player paths 12 are separated by longitudinally extending 
dividing lines 46. These dividing lines 46 may be substituted by 
upstanding walls or the like in order to define the individual player 
paths 12. As indicated above, each of the paths 12 are further subdivided 
into a plurality of longitudinally extending spaces or regions 44 such 
that each region 44 could correspond to a certain indicia, as for example, 
successive numbers. Thus, the first region of each path could have a value 
of 1, the second region a value of 2, the third region a value of 3, and 
so forth for each path 12. 
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the play pieces 18 may 
adopt the form of a cat or similar animal, although it should be 
understood that the play pieces 18 can adopt any form of animate or 
otherwise inanimate object. Thus, the featured play pieces 18 could 
represent obstacles or the like in a manner to be hereinafter described in 
more detail. 
The illustrated striker unit 24 is a separate unit positionable at the 
start of any one of the pathways and facing along the pathway so that when 
the striker vehicle is propelled, it will move forwardly along the 
pathway. Other arrangements could be utilized, as for example having the 
striker unit pivotally mounted so that it will face in various radially 
outward directions with the pathways extending radially outwardly from the 
striker unit so that the unit could be rotated to direct the striker 
vehicle along any selected one of the pathways. The pathways also might be 
other than straight if suitable means were provided for directing the 
striker vehicle along such pathway or track, as for example, a curved 
track having side rails which guided the movement of the striker vehicle. 
The striker unit could, of course, be attached to the playing board and 
movable relative thereto as for example, if it is pivoted as described 
above, or is mounted for movement on a transversely extending track to 
align with various pathways. 
The striker vehicle 24 includes a base 50 having four rectangularly located 
wheels 52 mounted thereon. In addition, the vehicle 24 includes a back 
wall 56 and a front wall 58, the latter of which may be provided with any 
suitable illustration or design. In a preferred embodiment of the present 
invention which utilizes play pieces in the form of a cat, the vehicle 24 
is provided with an object 57 representative of a dog. However, it should 
be understood that the vehicle 24 could adopt any form of characterization 
and could be an animal directly mounted on wheels, a car, a boulder on 
wheels, or the like. Thus, the term "vehicle" is used in a broad sense to 
represent any movable object. 
In one mode of play, each of the plurality of players will take successive 
turns in rolling a dice or otherwise obtaining a score from a randomly 
variable device, as for example a spinner wheel, or the like. In this 
case, if one of the players rolls a dice with a number 3, then the player 
will move his or her play piece 18 into the third region 44. If the second 
player rolls a dice with a number 5, then that player will shift his or 
her play piece 18 into the fifth space. Again, the number of spaces or 
regions the player moves his play piece 18 will be correlated to the 
randomly achieved number or other indicia acquired by the player as 
through the roll of the dice, the spinner or the like. 
The housing 22 includes an outer shell comprised of a pair of 
longitudinally extending sidewalls 58, a back wall 60, a front wall 62 and 
a top wall 64. Formed within the front wall 62 is an enlarged opening 66 
which permits movement of the vehicle 24 into and out of the housing 22. 
Mounted on the top wall 64 of the housing 22 is a manually operable knob 
68 which is capable of being incrementally rotated by each of the 
individual players of the apparatus. The knob 68 operates a randomly 
variable selector mechanism 70, which is hereinafter described in more 
detail. Depending upon the degrees of rotation of the knob 68 or the 
number of increments the knob 68 is rotated through, the randomly variable 
selector mechanism 70 will permit movement of the vehicle 28 out of the 
housing 22. Thus, if the knob 68 is turned through a sufficient number of 
increments in accordance with the amount necessary to trigger the release 
means for the release of the vehicle, as determined by the randomly 
variable selector mechanism 70, then the vehicle 24 will be propelled 
outwardly through the opening 66 in one of the player paths 12. 
Thus, in accordance with the above described embodiment of the invention, 
if the first player moves his play piece 18 through three successive 
regions pursuant to a variable random number obtained through the role of 
a dice or other device, the player would also rotate the knob 68 through 
three successive increments established by three clicks. If the randomly 
variable selector mechanism 70 is in a position where it will release the 
vehicle 24 on three or less successive clicks, then the vehicle 24 will be 
so released and propelled down the player path 12 in order to engage and 
knock down the play piece 18. 
The randomly variable selector mechanism 70 is more fully illustrated in 
FIGS. 2-9 of the drawings. The mechanism 70 comprises a generally 
vertically disposed tubular shaft 72 having a central bore 73 and a 
plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced apart splines 74 
thereon and which is fitted within a depending flange 76 formed on the 
lower end of the knob 68 and which extends through the top wall 64 of the 
housing 22. Moreover, the knob 68 is provided with a plurality of 
circumferentially spaced apart grooves (not shown), on its interior 
surface in order to receive the various splines 74. In this way, the 
splined shaft 72 is rotatable with the knob 68 but is axially shiftable 
independently of the knob 68. The knob 68 and the shaft 72 serve as a part 
of the incrementally movable operating mechanism 32. 
At its lower end, the splined shaft 72 is rigidly secured to or otherwise 
integrally formed with an upper disc or wheel 78 having a plurality of 
closely spaced apart circumferentially extending recesses 80 on its 
undersurface. In the embodiment as illustrated, the plate 78 is provided 
with 32 circumferentially spaced recesses 80. Moreover, by reference to 
FIG. 2, it can be observed that the recesses 80 are very closely spaced 
with respect to each other. The periphery of the disc 78 is provided with 
an upwardly located and outwardly struck annularly extending flange 
portion 82. 
The randomly variable selector mechanism 70 also comprises a lower disc or 
plate 84, which serves as the randomly or apparently randomly positioned 
release means 30. The plate 84 is also provided with a plurality of 
upwardly extending snap-in connecters 86 arranged in a circular path so as 
to extend within the tubular bore of the splined shaft 72. The connecters 
86 are each provided with outwardly struck prongs 88 at their upper ends 
and which engage an inwardly formed abutment flange 90 at the lower end of 
the splined shaft 72. In this way, the lower plate 84 is vertically 
shiftable with respect to the plates 78 for a distance approximately 
equivalent to the vertical length of the connecters 86. Thus, the plate 84 
can be disposed in engagement with the undersurface of the plate 78 and 
with the connecters extending upwardly into the tubular bore of the 
splined shaft 72. When separated, the lower plate 84 can extend downwardly 
until the prongs 88 engage the abutment flange 90 on the splined shaft 72. 
The lower plate 84 is also provided with a plurality of upwardly located 
detents 92 (four as shown). The number of detents 92 should be 
significantly less than the number of recesses 80 formed within the bottom 
surface of the plate 78. In the embodiment as illustrated, one such detent 
92 is provided for eight such recesses 80. Moreover, the detents 92 should 
be aligned properly and spaced with respect to each other so that each can 
fit upwardly within one of the associated recesses 80. Thus, it can be 
observed that the plate 84 may be independently rotatable with respect to 
the plate 78 and is also axially shiftable with respect to the plate 78. 
As indicated previously, the plate 84 may be rotatable independently of the 
plate 78. The plate 84 is provided with a pair of diametrally spaced apart 
outwardly struck fingers 96 and each of which are provided with integrally 
formed and diagonally located interrupters 98, in the manner as 
illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings. These fingers 96 and the 
interrupters 98 function as part of the release means in a manner to be 
hereinafter described in more detail. 
Disposed about the splined shaft 72 and located immediately above the upper 
disc 78 is a spring washer 100 which includes a central opening 102 
somewhat larger than the splined shaft 72 so as to be independent of the 
rotation of the splined shaft 72. The spring washer 100 also includes a 
pair of diametrally opposed recesses, or so-called "cut-outs" 104. In 
addition, the washer 100 includes a pair of diametrally opposed tabs 106 
which are located intermediate the two recesses 104. The tabs 106 are 
designed to extend into slots formed within the side walls of the housing 
22 and thereby retain the spring-washer 100 against the upper surface of 
the flange 82. In this way, the spring washer 100 serves to hold the disc 
78 in engagement with the disc 84 and hence holds the detents 92 within 
the recesses 80 on the underside of the plate 78. 
A somewhat U-shaped retaining member 110 is located within the housing 22 
and positioned against one of the longitudinal side walls 58 for holding a 
so-called "click-spring" 112 and which is provided with an outer end 114, 
in the manner as illustrated in FIG. 2. It can be observed that the outer 
end 114 of the click-spring 112 will engage a plurality of notches 116 
formed on the peripheral side wall of the flange 82, forming part of the 
upper plate 78. Thus, as the user of the device rotates the knob 68, and 
hence the shaft 72, the click-spring will shift between the various 
notches 116 and thereby generate a click sound as it snaps into each 
notch. In this way, each click sound constitutes one increment of movement 
of the knob 68. 
The notches 116 serve a second purpose in that they are provided with a 
shape so that they permit rotation of the plate 78 in only one direction. 
Thus, when the user of the device attempts to rotate the plate 78 in a 
counter-clockwise direction, reference being made to FIG. 2, the outer end 
of the click-spring 112 will engage a wall of the notch and thereby 
prevent such rotation. Contrariwise, when the plate 78 rotates in the 
opposite direction, the end of the click-spring is located so that it will 
ride along the periphery of the flange 82 and hence generate the clicking 
sound as it snaps into each notch. 
Mounted within the housing 22 is a horizontally shiftable carrier 118 which 
forms part of the spring powered propelling mechanism 26. The carrier 118 
is comprised of a horizontally disposed flat plate 120, having a pair of 
transversely located, longitudinally extending, somewhat cylindrically 
shaped bosses 122. The longitudinally extending side walls 58 of the 
housing 22 are provided with a pair of inwardly extending rails 124 having 
recesses 126 which are sized to slidably accommodate the somewhat 
cylindrically shaped bosses 122. In this way, the carrier 118 can shift 
back and forth longitudinally within the housing 22. 
The rails 124 are spaced apart from each other to provide a longitudinally 
extending elongate slot 128 in order to accommodate a depending striker 
arm 130 on the underside of the horizontal plate 120. The striker arm 130 
is provided at its lower end with an enlarged somewhat cylindrically 
shaped striker head 132 and which is positioned to engage either the base 
50 or the rear wall 56 of the vehicle 24. In this way, when the carrier 
118 is released, in a manner to be hereinafter described, it will be 
prpopelled forwardly in the housing such that the striker head 132 will 
engage the vehicle 124 and propel the same outwardly through the opening 
66 in the front wall 62 of the housing 22. 
Integrally formed with and extending upwardly from the plate 120 is an 
upstanding head 134 which engages the underside of a camming boss 136 
which is located on the undersurface of the plate 84. In this way, it can 
be observed that the head 134 will hold the plate 84 into contact with the 
plate 78 and hence, will hold the detents 92 within the recesses 80 until 
the carrier 118 moves away. As this occurs, the plate 84 will be permitted 
to shift axially downwardly with respect to the plate 78, and hence remove 
the detents 92 from their interfitting engagement with the recesses 80. In 
like manner, when the carrier 118 is returned to its cocked position, that 
is when it is located under the plate 84, the head 134 will again engage 
the camming boss 136 and hold the plate 84 in contact with the plate 78 
and hence maintain the interfitting relationship of the detents 92 in the 
recesses 80. 
Also located within the housing 22 immediately rearwardly of the carrier 
118 is an upstanding bracket 140 which is shaped to provide a retaining 
channel 141 for a latch spring 142, as illustrated in FIG. 3 of the 
drawings. In this case, it can be observed that the latch spring 142 has 
an inverted somewhat U-shaped construction including a pair of vertically 
disposed legs 144 and a laterally struck portion 146 which extends 
outwardly of the bracket 140. 
Rigidly secured to the striker arm 130 immediately beneath the plate 120 is 
a latch plate 148 including a rearwardly struck tab 150 having a notch 152 
formed therein. The notch 152 is sized to receive and hold the lower ends 
of the legs 144 of the latch spring 142. The tab 150 forms a vertically 
disposed shoulder 151 with the latch plate 158 to receive and engage a 
continuous rubber band 154, located within the housing 22. The rubber band 
154 is trained about a pair of posts 156 located near the forward end of 
the housing and are preferably secured to the posts 156. In addition, the 
rubber band 154 can be engaged by the shoulder 151 at the rearward end of 
the latch plate 148. 
When the carrier is shifted rearwardly within the housing 22, the shoulder 
151 will engage the rubber band 154 and thereby stretch the rubber band 
until such point the carrier is locked into position. In this respect, the 
carrier will be locked in its position under the plate 84 when the latch 
spring 142 is engaged within the slot 152. For this purpose, it can be 
observed that the tab 150 is provided with a camming face 158 which biases 
the latch spring 142 into the slot 152. In addition, it can be observed 
that the enlarged head 134 is provided with a camming shoulder 160 at its 
rearward end so as to engage the underside of the camming boss 136 on the 
plate 184. In this way, the camming shoulder along with the enlarged head 
134 will bias the plate 84 upwardly when the camming boss 136 is engaged 
by the enlarged head 134. 
The latch spring 142 along with the tab 150 on the plate 148 and the slot 
152 serve as the latch means 28, and this means will releasably hold the 
propelling mechanism 26 including the carrier 118. Moreover, it can be 
observed that when the latch means 28 is engaged with the carrier 118 the 
rubber band 154 will be under tension and the carrier 118 will hence be in 
a cocked position. Moreover, when the latch spring 142 is released from 
the slot 152, in a manner to be hereinafter described, the rubber band 154 
will propel the carrier mechanism 118 forwardly within the housing and the 
striker head 132 will engage and propel the vehicle 24 outwardly of the 
housing as previously described. 
Powered means other than a rubber band could be employed for powering the 
carrier 118, as for example, a spring connected to the housing and to the 
carrier. In addition, a wind-up motor, or similar spring wind-up mechanism 
could be used to engage and propel the carrier 118 upon release of the 
latch spring 142. 
The materials used in the formation of the board 16 were described above. 
In addition, the various other components forming part of the apparatus of 
the present invention as well as the board 16 can be formed of a number of 
known plastic materials, as for example, polyethylene, polystyrene, 
polybutadiene, various vinylidene copolymers and the like, and which may 
be formed in a number of known plastic molding operations, as for example, 
thermo-forming, injection molding or the like. In addition, for purposes 
of increased strength and durability, many of the components could be 
formed of reinforced plastic materials including, for example, fiberglas, 
boron, carbon and other fibers and grown crystal whiskers incorporated in 
a suitable matrix, such as an epoxy resin or other thermo-plastic or 
thermo-setting resin. Notwithstanding, many of the components of the toy 
apparatus could be formed of other known structural materials, such as 
metals, etc. The various springs, e.g., the clock spring 112 and the latch 
spring 142 would be formed of somewhat resilient metals or at least of a 
thickness where they are somewhat resilient. 
When a child-user operates the apparatus, he or she will rotate the knob 68 
through a selected number of turns. When the carrier 118 is located 
beneath the plate 84, the detents 92 will be locked into four of the 
recesses 80 on the underside of the plate 78. Hence, the plate 78 and the 
plate 84 will rotate together in the clockwise direction, reference being 
made to FIG. 2. Depending upon the position of the arms 96 and the 
projections 98, they may engage the latch spring 142. Thus, if the 
child-user rotates the knob 68 through three increments, namely three 
clicks which result from the end 114 of the spring 112 engaging three 
successive notches 116, and the arms are still not in a position where 
they will engage the latch spring 142, there will be no release of the 
carrier 118. However, if the child user rotates the knob 68 through a 
sufficient degree of rotation so that the arms 96 and the projections 98 
thereon engage the latch spring 142, they will deflect the spring 142 so 
that it moves outwardly of the slot 152. As this occurs, the carrier 118 
will be released from its cocked position and will thereby be propelled 
forwardly in the housing to engage and propel the vehicle 24. 
After the carrier 118 is propelled forwardly in the housing, the plate 84 
will immediately drop from its engaged position with the plate 78. Again, 
the lowermost limit of travel is established by connectors 86 with the 
prongs 88 engaging the flange 90 on the splined shaft 72. Nevertheless, in 
this latter position, the plate 84 will be freely rotatable. In this way, 
the latch spring 142, which has been released from its latching position 
with the carrier, will contain some energy and spring back to engage one 
of the arms 96 on the plate 84. As this occurs, the spring 142 will rotate 
the plate 84 in a counter-clockwise direction through some related small 
arc. The amount of retained energy in the latch spring 142 after its 
release is relatively small, but nevertheless sufficient to engage the arm 
96 and rotate the plate 84 through some relatively small arc. However, it 
can be observed that the degree of rotation of the plate 84 is quite 
random so that the detents 92 can be rotated to almost any position with 
respect to the recesses 80. 
After the carrier is pulled back to its initial or cocked position, it will 
force the plate 84 upwardly into engagement with the plate 78 as 
previously described. In this way, the detents 92 will once again engage 
the recesses 80. It can be observed that as the carrier is pulled back 
into the housing, the shoulder 151 will engage the rubber band 154 so that 
the carrier is again in a cocked position, and in which the 
above-described action can again take place. 
It can be observed in accordance with this embodiment of the invention that 
there are 32 recesses 80 on the underside of the plate 78 and four detents 
92 on the upper surface of the plate 84. Hence, there is approximately one 
detent for every eight recesses. Thus, any one detent could be in a 
position where it could engage the first of each eight recesses or the 
seventh of each eight recesses. When engaging the first of each recess, 
the plate 78 and the plate 84 would have to be rotated the equivalent 
arcuate distance of eight notches before the arm 96 engaged the latch 
spring 142. In like manner, if the detents 92 engage the seventh of each 
eight groups of recesses 80, then the knob 68 would only have to be 
rotated the equivalent arcuate distance of one recess in order to cause 
the arm 96 to release the latch spring 142. 
In accordance with the above-outlined construction, it can be observed that 
the randomly variable selector mechanism provides a true randomness in the 
action of releasing the vehicle 24. However, it should be understood that 
the device of the present invention could be constructed so as to operate 
with an apparent randomness. Thus, there could be a preselected number of 
random positions which are not truly random, but which appear to be random 
to the players. Accordingly, the term "random" or "randomly variable" will 
be deemed to include any mechanism which provides an apparent randomness 
in its action. 
Thus, there has been illustrated and described a unique and novel surprise 
action game apparatus in which a striker member engages a play object 
after manipulation of a randomly variable selecter mechanism, and which 
therefore fulfills all of the objects and advantages sought therefor. It 
should be understood that many changes, modifications, variations and 
other uses and applications of the surprise action game apparatus will 
become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering this 
specification and the accompanying drawings. Therefore, any and all such 
changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which 
do not depart from the nature and spirit of the invention are deemed to be 
covered by the invention which is limited only by the following claims.