Game with movable players

A game, to be played by two operators, one at each end thereof, simulates a game such as soccer, hockey, ice hockey or the like. A central playing area has a flat surface (11) above which substantially nothing protrudes apart from the players and a simulated ball or the like. The players can be moved towards and away from the operator on members (24) and also can be rotated, as required by means of gears 29 engaged with racks (30, 31) or the like.

This invention relates to a game and is applicable particularly, but not 
exclusively to a game simulating a field game in which two opposing teams 
of players propel an object, such as a ball around a playing field. 
Typical of such full-size games are soccer, hockey, ice-hockey or the 
like, but the game of the present invention is not limited to simulating 
such above-mentioned field games. 
Games which simulate a game of soccer are known, in which players 
representing miniature versions of the two opposing teams are mounted on 
parallel rods located above a playing surface representing a soccer field. 
The rods are reciprocable along their length and rotatable about their 
axes, alternate rods being operable from one end of the game and the 
intermediate rods being operable from the opposite end of the game. Such 
prior art games suffer from being unrealistic, since the operating 
mechanism is above the surface of the simulated playing field. They are 
also inflexible. 
Hereinafter the term "operator" is used for the person who plays the game 
according to the invention and the term "player" is used for the miniature 
model of the person playing the game being simulated. 
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a game 
including a playing area, one or more players adapted to be movable above 
the surface of the playing area by an operator, so as to propel an object 
on the playing area, and operating means operable by the operator to move 
the or each player, in which substantially no part of the operating means 
protrudes above the surface of the playing area where there is no player. 
Preferably the operating means is adapted optionally to move the player in 
one direction of translation and to rotate the player about an axis, which 
may be normal to said direction of translation. 
For simulation of some games, the game according to the invention 
conveniently includes said operating means for one player or one set of 
players operable from one end of the game and operating means for another 
player or another set of said players operable from an opposite end of the 
game. 
Advantageously, the operating means includes a member on which the player 
is mounted, the member being positioned entirely beneath said surface of 
the playing area and constrained to slide in said one direction of 
translation only. The member may be a bar extending in the one direction 
and adapted to receive and hold a plurality of said players. 
Conveniently, the rotation of the player is effected by a toothed rack 
engaged with a toothed gear connected to rotate the player, the rack being 
movable parallel to said member. There may be two racks for each of said 
members, one rack engaging with the gears of one or more players mounted 
on said member nearer the operator and the other of said racks engaging 
with the gears of one or more players mounted on said member further from 
the operator. 
Preferably the or each player is mounted on a pin affixedly insertable into 
a co-axial bore of said gear.

In the drawings, a game includes a board, indicated generally at 10, having 
a central rectangular flat playing surface 11, preferably bounded by a 
fence 12, which may be of mesh or other suitable materials. At either end 
of the board 10 is a control area 13, 14, each of which has four equally 
spaced control positions 15, 16. The positions 16 are staggered relative 
to the position 15. 
The control areas 13, 14 have covers 17, 18 of sheet material and at each 
control positions 15, 16 the covers 17, 18 have three parallel slots 19 
through each of which a control pin 20 protrudes upwardly. 
As shown in FIG. 2, the board 10 comprises a base board 21 to which 
parallel spacer bars 22 are affixed and on the upper surface of which 
parallel slats 23 are fastened. The upper surfaces of the slats 23 are 
co-planar and form the playing surface 11. 
Between each adjacent pair of spacer bars 22, there is a bar 24, of 
inverted T section. Each bar 24 is constrained to slide in the direction 
of its length only, by the base board 12, the spacer bars 22, and inclined 
surfaces 25 on the edges of the slats 23. The upper surfaces 26 of the 
bars 24 are as narrow as practical and co-planar with the playing surface 
11. 
As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, each bar 24 has a plurality of spaced central 
holes 27, through each of which a peg 28 (seen in FIGS. 4 and 5) can 
freely pass. 
At each hole 27 the bar 24 carries a toothed gear 29, the teeth of the gear 
29 protruding beyond the sides of the upright limb of the bar 24. Spigots 
on the gear 29 are rotatable in vertical bores in the bar 24. For 
convenience of assembly, each bar 24 may be composed of three separate 
elements stuck, screwed or otherwise affixed together. 
Between the spacer bars 22 and on either side of the upright limb of the 
bar 24, there is slidably located a short toothed rack 30 and a long 
toothed rack 31, shown in FIG. 3. 
The teeth on the racks 30, 31 engage the teeth on any of the gears 29 which 
are alongside the rack 30 or 31, but not both racks simultaneously. The 
control pins 20 at any one control positions 15, 16, are fastened 
respectively into the rack 30, the bar 24 and the rack 31. 
Instead of the gears 29 and racks 30, 31 being toothed, drive from one to 
the other could be by friction, for which purpose each gear 29 could be 
provided with an elastomeric tire. 
Alternatively, pulleys and cord could be used instead of the gears 29 and 
racks 30, 31 respectively, or even sprockets in place of the gears 29 
engaged by fine chains in place of the racks 30, 31. 
Although each peg 28 is a loose fit in the hole 27 in the bar 24, the peg 
28 is a push fit into a co-axial bore 32 in each gear 29. Each peg 28 has 
firmly affixed thereabove a player 33, 34 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. If 
the game being simulated is soccer, each player 33 has one leg extended 
away from the other leg, which "stands" on the peg 28. Thus, if a ball is 
adjacent a player 33, it can be kicked by the player 33, either by the 
operator sliding the bar 24 to which the particular player 33 is attached 
by the peg 28, or by rotating the player 33 about the axis of the peg 28 
by sliding whichever of the racks 30, 31 is engaged with the gear 29 of 
the particular player 33. By skillful manipulation of the control pin 20, 
a combined translatory and rotary movement of the player 33 can be 
achieved. The players 33 can be distributed over the playing surface 33, 
as two teams, by pushing the peg of each player 33 into a chosen one of 
the bores 32. Spacing between adjacent bars 24 is chosen in relation to 
the spread of the legs of adjacent players 33, so as to minimise "dead" 
space on the playing surface 11, as shown in FIG. 4. The players 33 are 
shown in diagrammatic form, since they can be modelled with any chosen 
degree of realism and colouring to suit different teams and different 
simulated games. 
Where hockey, ice hockey or the like are being simulated, the players 33 
carry a protruding stick, for use instead of their protruding leg. In such 
games, goals can be mounted or stood on the playing surface 11. The ball 
used may have some feature which reduces the tendency to excessive 
rolling, such as one or more flats on the surface thereof. 
FIG. 5 shows a player 34 adapted for throwing a ball, as in cricket or the 
like. In this case, one hand has a cup formation 35, in which the ball can 
be placed and projected by pushing the bar 24 forwards and then stopping 
it abruptly. This movement is assisted by the provision of a flexible 
joint of rubber or the like in the leg which is attached to the peg 28. 
Clearly, the game can be adapted for simulating a variety of different 
games. For this purpose, the playing surface 11 can be marked out with 
easily removable marking, to simulate a soccer field, a hockey pitch, a 
cricket pitch etc. The players 33, 34 can be formed and dressed 
appropriately. Similarly, for some games, such as "crazy" golf, various 
obstacles can be positioned on the playing surface 11, as required and the 
player 33 provided with a golf club. 
In order that the control pins 20 can reach the racks 30, 31, the inclined 
surfaces 25 of the slats 23 may be cut back locally, as can be seen in 
FIG. 1. 
The players 33, 34 can be more realistic if their arms and/or their legs 
are attached to the bodies thereof by frictional pivots, such as 
ball-and-socket joints, whereby the arms or legs can be moved and set at a 
variety of dispositions. Such an articulated construction facilitates 
moulding of the bodies, arms or legs by enabling parting lines of moulding 
dies therefor to be on or close to a single plane.