Bingo game indicator

A lighted display board or sign has a viewing face subdivided into 25 squares arranged five by five simulating a Bingo playing card and having a separate light positioned behind each square. An unusual circuit and switching arrangement makes it possible by merely closing a single switch to cause the lights on the board to indicate to the players what particular design, such as an "X", cross, square, etc., must be attained to obtain a "Bingo" or winner for the particular game then in progress. An on and off flashing light spelling out the words Bingo forms a part of the basic circuit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The popular game of Bingo wherein a group of players place indicators at 
specific locations on a graduated board in response to orders called out 
by the game operator until a predetermined pattern is formed, whereupon 
the first to form said pattern is the winner, has been well known for many 
years. Numerous devices have been made and used to facilitate the playing 
of this game, particularly in large groups at church organizations, clubs 
and parties. These have taken the form of electrically lighted and 
actuated devices in some cases to actually play the game itself and in 
other to merely assist in the game. The prior art as presently known to 
the applicant is set forth briefly below. 
Peak, U.S. Pat. No. 2,760,619. Peak is, among other things, an apparatus 
comprising an electrical panel on which are positioned the 25 lights 
corresponding to a Bingo board, each light being actuated by a separate 
switch as the numbers and letters are called out so that the electrically 
lighted board itself takes the place of the conventional Bingo board and 
the overall device actually comprises a game in itself. 
Hofsetz, U.S. Pat. No. 2,594,434 teaches a device which automatically mixes 
and delivers in succession balls containing the Bingo letter and number to 
the person running the game who in turn calls it out for the players to 
position upon their board as the game progresses. 
Taylor, U.S. Pat. No. 3,671,040 teaches a very sophisticated and highly 
automatized, coin operated Bingo game and also provides what amounts to a 
complete method of playing the game. 
Pawelka, U.S. Pat. No. 3,271,529 teaches a game board equipped with 
electrical switching devices which in combination with the other elements 
disclosed makes possible an automatic, or at least a semi-automatic, 
method of playing the game. 
Goloborodko, U.S. Pat. No. 2,333,002 teaches light display boards wherein 
the numbered lights are actuated by a rotating switch which in turn is 
operated in the manner of any other gambling wheel but causes the lights 
to show on the display boards for the benefit of the players. 
As is evident from the above brief summaries that all of this art is 
concerned with a game itself, or a method of playing a game such as Bingo. 
None of the devices known to applicant are designed or constructed as an 
aid or guide to a Bingo game played in the usual manner with ordinary 
Bingo playing equipment. 
It is also evident that electrical lighting equipment may be used to 
display Bingo designs to players by actuating a large number of switches 
to correspond with the lights it is desired to illuminate in accordance 
with the design for the particular game being played. Such a procedure 
however, is complicated and cumbersome and offers no advantage to the 
person operating the game. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
We have invented a circuitry and switching arrangement which eliminates the 
objections and particularly the cumbersomeness of present methods used to 
conduct a Bingo game. Our invention makes possible the illumination of an 
electrically lighted display board to correspond with the design or plan 
of any game it is desired to play. 
By properly interconnecting our circuits and utilizing strategically placed 
relays in a unique manner, we are able to display on our board any desired 
design by merely closing a single switch. When a given game is completed 
by someone attaining a Bingo and after that is verified, all we need do is 
open the switch for that particular game and close any one of a number of 
other switches and our board automatically lights up to show what the 
design or pattern is for the next game. Thus by means of our invention we 
are able to have one switch take the place of what would be at least 25 
switches if each light were separately actuated. 
In addition to the convenience which we provide, we eliminate also the 
source of human error and consequent difficulties which might arise. 
We have found that the use of our device greatly enhances the playing of 
the game, not only on the part of the operators but on the part of the 
players themselves who seem to derive considerable satisfaction in having 
the designs or patterns flashed to them in this rapid and concise manner. 
As a part of our basic circuitry, we may include also lighting and 
switching arrangements which intermittently flash the word "Bingo" on and 
off after a Bingo has been attained by one of the players.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring first to FIG. 1, there is seen a source of power supply 111 
indicated schematically which may be a conventional 110 volt AC source. 
The main connects with switch 112 which may be of a single pole, single 
throw type and also controls the power input to lights 113 which together 
spell out the word Bingo. These lights may be made to flash on and off by 
operating an interrupting make and break switch 114 to which power may be 
supplied through switch 114a or cut off by the same switch which is of a 
double throw type. The interruptions or blinking of the Bingo lights is 
effected by switch 114b operated from the actuator 114. 
When using a 110 volt AC supply as shown, we employ a combined 
transformer-rectifier 115 which converts the power supply to the various 
systems to 6 volt DC which we have found to be more convenient, although 
this is not essential to the successful operating of our invention. 
We next employ a series of master switches shown at 116A through K which 
feed are individual systems labeled "A" through "K" which are arranged and 
wired to produce the designs or patterns shown on FIGS. 1A through 1D as 
set forth more fully below. 
The relays "A" through "K" and pilot lamps 117A through K are connected as 
shown and their positions and functions are more clearly shown in FIGS. 2 
through 5 to which reference should now be had. 
While our invention is adapted to produce any desired design or pattern, we 
have shown in detail only four of the better known ones, the principles of 
our invention being the same when used to produce other well known 
patterns. 
In FIGS. 2 through 5 the position and connections of relays "A" through "D" 
are seen and their contacts numbered 1 through 9 are shown. These contacts 
sometimes perform the function of closing the circuit to the signal lights 
identified collectively as 119 but individually numbered as 1 through 25 
to take care of the 25 numbers on a conventional Bingo board. At other 
times these contacts perform the function of closing the circuits to other 
systems for combining patterns to produce other patterns as desired and as 
further set forth below. 
The position of the lights 119 with respect to the indicator assembly are 
shown on FIG. 6 where each of the numbers correspond to a light number 
shown on the FIGS. 2 through 5. 
The five by five light arrangement of the 25 lights positioned as shown in 
FIG. 6 is positioned inside of our indicator housing or assembly shown on 
FIG. 7. Here the housing itself 120 has positioned on its viewing surface, 
a translucent screen 122 behind which are situated the lighting 
arrangement of FIG. 6, each light occupying a position within one of the 
squares 121. 
As indicated on the drawings, FIG. 2 comprises the arrangement used to 
produce FIG. 1A and is known as system A. The relay A operates to close 
the 8 normally opened contacts 1 through 8. Contacts 3, 4, 5, and 6 
operate to supply current and thereby illuminate lights 11, 12, 14 and 15. 
Contacts 1, 2, 7 and 8 serve to supply current through contacts 3, 5, 6 
and 8 of FIG. 5 which are normally closed and thus supply current to 
lights 3, 8, 18 and 23. The wiring to light number 13 is not shown since 
this remains lighted at all times and is what is known in a Bingo game as 
a "free" number. It is now evident that by closing switch 116A and thus 
actuating relay A there is caused to be displayed on the indicator screen 
122 the cross of FIG. 1A. 
If now switch 116A is opened and switch 116B is closed we obtain the 
condition seen on FIG. 3 or system B. Here the relay B operates to close 
the 8 normally opened contacts 1 through 8 which illuminate the lights 1, 
5, 7, 9, 17, 19, 21 and 25 as shown, thereby forming the X-pattern of FIG. 
1B. 
When it is desired to produce the pattern shown in FIG. 1C, which is 
basically a combination of patterns 1A and 1B, it is necessary only to 
open switch 116B and close switch 116C, bringing into play the system C of 
FIG. 4. Here the two normally open contacts 1 and 2 of FIG. 4 are closed 
by relay C which then energize both relays A and B and effect the combined 
pattern of FIG. 1C. 
When it is desired to produce the pattern of FIG. 1D which is essentially a 
"T", the switch 116D is closed, the other master switches remaining open. 
This brings into effect the condition of FIG. 5 or system D. Here the 
relay D operates to close normally opened contacts 1, 2, 4, 7 and 9 and 
open normally closed contacts 3, 5, 6 and 8. Contacts 2, 4, 7 and 9 serve 
to supply current to lights 1, 6, 16 and 21. Contact 1 serves to energize 
relay A of FIG. 2, closing all contacts previously used to form the cross. 
Since lights 3, 8, 18 and 23 are now not needed to form the "T", the 
normally closed contacts controlling these lights previously energized 
from relay A are open, thus leaving only the lights necessary to form the 
"T", namely 1, 6, 11, 16, 21, 12, 14 and 15 plus, of course, the free 
light 13. 
It should be evident now that by thus interconnecting our control relays 
with the needed 25 lights, we are able to obtain any conventional Bingo 
board pattern such as an open square, four outside corners, an inside 
square, etc. Using our arrangement it is necessary only to have the 
actuating relay or control relay of any one given system interconnected 
with the circuitry of another system in such a manner as to supply current 
to the lights it is desired to illuminate to indicate the game pattern 
desired and cut off the current from those lights which are not needed.