Logic game

A logic game having a plurality of courses connected to each other by a common connecting course in which game pieces are inserted. In particular, the game comprises three courses of equal length having guide grooves with varying widths decreasing towards the ends of said courses distal from the common connecting course. The game pieces each have a guide tang of a different size which engages the guide grooves. A prize is displaceably disposed at the distal end of one of said courses. A distal end of another of said courses forms an opening through which said prize can be removed by logical shunting of the game pieces in the courses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a logic game having a plurality of courses which 
are connected to each other by a common connecting course in which game 
pieces are displaceably inserted. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Games of this type are known. Their object mostly is to move the game 
pieces in a defined sequence from one course into the other. These games 
are usually very simple. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of this invention to provide such a game, where certain 
obstacles make playing more difficult and in which a correct solution 
releases a prize, for example a piece of money. 
This object is attained in a game in accordance with this invention 
comprising a plurality of courses which are connected to each other by a 
common connecting course with game pieces displaceably inserted therein. 
The plurality of courses are of equal length with guide grooves of 
different widths, the width of the guide grooves decreasing towards the 
ends of the courses opposite the ends connected to the common connecting 
course. The game pieces are provided with guide tangs of different sizes, 
which guide tangs engage the guide grooves. A prize is displaceably 
disposed at the end of one of said courses and an opening is provided at 
the end of another course through which the prize can be withdrawn by 
shunting of the game pieces in the courses. 
At the start of the game, one course is fully occupied by game pieces and 
one of the game pieces has a guide tang of such a size that it can only be 
moved in the connecting course and not in any of the other courses. 
Play can be made more difficult in accordance with one embodiment of this 
invention where all the game pieces are of the same size and are 
differentiated only by guide tangs of different sizes, where the prize is 
also the same size as the game pieces, but does not have a guide tang. 
In accordance with one embodiment of this invention, playing can be made 
easier where the game pieces can be distinguished from one another by 
numbers, letters, colors or other markings.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The game in accordance with one embodiment of this invention comprises a 
base plate 1 having three courses 2 extending in the long direction of the 
plate which are connected by a common connecting course 3. The courses 2 
and the connecting course 3 are of the same width B and have the same 
depth. They are provided with recessed guide grooves. Starting at the 
connecting course 3, the guide grooves in the courses 2 are gradually 
stepped, from a width b4 to a width b1, while the guide groove in the 
connecting course has a width b5, which is greater than the width b4. 
The game pieces S1 to S5 are in the shape of round disks of equal diameter, 
so that they can be moved in the courses 2 and 3. The game pieces only 
differ by the guide tangs of different diameters d1 to d5, which 
correspond to the width of the guide grooves b1 to b5. 
In FIG. 1 of the drawings, a prize, for example a coin, having the same 
diameter as the game pieces, lies at the bottom of the left course. The 
center course 2 has an opening 20 at its end. 
FIGS. 3 to 5 are sections along the lines I to III of FIG. 1. It can be 
clearly seen from these figures, that the courses have the same width B 
and the same depth, while the guide grooves have a graduated width b1 or 
b2 and are cut deeper into the base plate 1. FIG. 5 shows a section along 
the line III of FIG. 1 in which it can be seen that the ends of the two 
outer courses 2 distal from the connecting course do not have guide 
grooves, and that the end of the center course distal from the connecting 
course has an opening 20. 
FIG. 6 is a section along the line IV of FIG. 1 with the prize G shown at 
the side of it. 
FIG. 2 illustrates the transparent cover plate 4, which is provided with 
slits 40. The cover plate 4 is connected to the base plate 1, for example 
by screws, not shown, and assures that neither the game pieces nor the 
prize can be removed from the courses. 
The cover plate 4 has been omitted in FIG. 1 for the sake of clarity, but 
is shown in the cross-sectional views shown in FIGS. 3 to 6. In FIGS. 3 
and 4, it can be seen that the game pieces are provided with a handle 5 
for easier displacement of the game pieces in the courses. From FIG. 6 it 
can also be seen that the cover plate 4 has been slightly milled at the 
lower ends at 41 (also see FIG. 2), so that the prize can be inserted into 
the left or right course slightly pinched. 
The game piece S5 is sized so that it can only be pushed back and forth in 
the connecting course 3, but cannot be inserted into any of the courses 2. 
The game piece S4 can only be inserted into the courses 2 up to the portion 
of the guide grooves having width b4. The game piece S3 can be inserted 
into the courses 2 at most as far as the portion of the guide groove 
having width b3, and so on. 
The object of the game in the initial position of the game pieces S1 to S5 
as shown in FIG. 1 is to bring the game pieces S1 to S5 from the left 
course 2 into the right course 2 by logical shunting (movement back and 
forth). This frees the path for the prize to be moved from the left course 
2 into the center course 2, at the end of which it comes out through the 
opening 20. The game piece 5 can only be pushed back and forth in the 
connecting course 3 and blocks the entrance to one of the courses 2. Each 
of the game pieces S1 to S4 can only be pushed into a course as far as 
their guide tangs permit. 
It should be obvious that with an appropriate layout of the base plate, the 
courses and the guide grooves it is also possible to provide a game with 
less or more game pieces.