GAME APPARATUS

Abstract: A game apparatus comprising a game board in the form of a three dimensional block (10) having a plurality of elements (12) each having two or more faces (14), the elements (12) being arranged for relative movement about 3 axes of rotation, a guide means (16) representing a course to be followed fixed to or integral with the elements (12) and a plurality of tokens (20) arranged to be fixed to the guide means (16) and arranged to be moved therealong, movement of the elements (12) about the axes of rotation producing variation in the course to be followed.

Description: TITLE ____. GAME APPARATUS DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to a game apparatus and particularly to a game apparatus having a three dimensional game board with a course whose configuration may be changed during progress of play. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 10 In general, game apparatuses comprise a game board having two dimensional surfaces upon which tokens and the like are placed and moved subject to certain rules of use and along certain courses. The movement of tokens about such courses is generally well known and predictable 15 except where certain rules alter the usual progression of the tokens. In U.S. Patent No. 3,731,934 (SHOPTAUGH) an attempt has been made to allow players of a game apparatus to alter the course to be followed by moving sliders 20 laterally to the general movement of playing pieces during progress of game play. The effective alteration in course is limited by the lateral displacement to which the sliders are restricted. In U.S. PatentNos. 3,623,729 (WETHERELL) , 3,726,527 25 (SCHAUFFLER) and 4,129,303 (FLAGG) three dimensional gameboards have been proposed to give further variety of movement of playing pieces. However, in these apparatuses the possibilities of movement or placement of the playing pieces and the course to be followed 30 are all predefined. The player merely selects which course he or she wishes to take. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a game apparatus having 35 a game board with a course whose configuration may be changed during progress of play. In accordance with the present invention there is provided a game apparatus characterised in that it comprises a game board in the form of a three dimensional block having a plurality of elements each having two or more faces, the elements being arranged for relative movement about 3 axes of rotation, a guide means representing a course to be followed fixed to or integral with the elements and a plurality of tokens arranged to be fixed to the guide means and arranged to be moved therealong, movement of the elements about the axes of rotation producing variation in the course to be followed. Preferably, a score means is provided to enable the progress of the tokens about the guide means to be monitored. The guide means may be in the form of a raised track or a groove fixed to or formed in the elements or holes formed in the elements or posts fixed to the elements, or the like. A suitable construction of a three dimensional block withelements moveable about three orthogonal axes is described and claimed in Australian Patent Application No. 58434/80 (POLITECHNIKA IPARI SZOVETKEZET) and is relied upon in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention described hereinafter. The present invention will hereinafter be described with particular reference to a block being a cube and a guide means being a raised track. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is an upper perspective view of a game board in the form of a three dimensional block in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged upper perspective view of an element of the cube of Figure 1 having a guide means in the form of a raised track in accordance with the present invention; Figure 3 is an upper perspective view of a cut away of the raised track of Figure 2; Figure 4 is an upper perspective view of a token in accordance with the present invention and Figure 5 is a plan view of an indicator means in accordance with a preferment of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In Figure 1 there is shown a game board in the form of a three dimensional block such as a cube 10 of the game apparatus of the present invention comprising a plurality of elements 12 being of cubic shape and each element 12 having one or more exposed faces 14. Preferably, the elements 12 are arranged in the cube 10 so that they may be rotated so as to be moveable from one location adjacent a first element 12 to a further location adjacent of a further element 12. Accordingly, the cube 10 may be constructed as described in Australian Patent Application No. 58434/80. The cube 10 has arranged upon it a guide means, such as, for example, in the form of a raised track 16 as shown in Figures 1 and 2. It is envisaged that the track 16 may have a shape similar to that of a railway track as shown in Figure 3. The track 16 has track portions 18, as shown in Figure 2 , fixed to each of the elements 12. Preferably, the track portions 18 are fixed to the elements 12 so that each face 14 has two track portions 18 upon it. Also, it is preferred that each of the track portions 18 meets the boundary of each of the faces 14 at a similar position therealong so that track portions 18 of adjacent elements 12 align as shown in Figure 1, and may re-align after rotation of the elements 12 as described herein- above. The alignment is thus maintained after rotation of the elements 12 to a new location about the cube 10. Therefore, the preferred arrangement of track portions 18 about the cube 10 result in one or more continuous raised tracks 16 regardless of the arrangement of the elements 12 about the cube 10. It is envisaged that the guide means could alternatively be in the form of a groove fixed to or formed in the elements 12, or holes formed in the elements 12 or posts fixed to the elements or the like. In Figure 4 there is shown a token 20 comprising a "C" section shell 22 and a spring means 24. The shell 22 is arranged to be located about the width of the track 16. The spring means 24 is arranged to urge the shell 22 away from the track 16 so that outer ends of the shell 22 frictionally engage with the track 16 and are thereby maintained stationary with respect to the track 16. Each of the tokens 20 may be moved along the track 16 by pushing in the direction of the track 16 and providing a force capable of overcoming the force of frictional engagement. It is envisaged that other forms of tokens 20 could be used depending on the type of guide means such as a peg type token 20 for use with a hole type guide means, or an apertured token 20 for a post type guide means. The game apparatus of the present invention also conveniently comprises a score means conveniently in the form of a plurality of indicator means 26 as shown in Figure 5. Each of the indicator means 26 comprises holes 28 formed in regions 30 and each hole 28 being arranged to receive a marker peg (not shown) . The regions 30 are preferably coloured in similar colours as home bases (described hereinafter) of the cube 10. Preferably, regions 32 are coloured the same colour as a players home base. The central one of the regions 30 preferably has the colour of the home base opposite that of the players home base. Similarly, the outer ones of the regions 30 are arranged in a manner corresponding to the relative arrangement of the home bases about the cube 10. One of the marker pegs are intended to be inserted into one of the holes 28 when the players token 20 has passed a predetermined position (for example, one of the home bases) on the track 16. The score means thus is capable of maintaining a record of the progress of the tokens 20 about the cube 10. It is envisaged that where the game apparatus is used with rules of play other than the preferred rules of play described hereinafter, the score means may not be required. The game apparatus also comprises a device to provide a score, fortuitously. The score may be used by a player in moving his/her token 20 a corresponding distance along the track 16. The device may be a conventional die, for example. It is envisaged that the track 16 could constitute more than one continuous track 16 about the cube 10. In use, the game apparatus of the present invention is played by two or more people such as two to six people. Each player has a token 20 and an indicator means 26, when playing according to preferred rules of play. The object of.the game apparatus of the present invention, under the preferred rules, is for each player to move his/her token 20 from his/her home base (one of the elements 12 of the cube 10, such as, for example, the central ones of the elements 12) around the cube 10 along the track 16 and over all the other home bases before returning to his/her home base. The first player to achieve this is declared the winner. In the preferred rules for the game apparatus of the present invention the die is thrown by each player in turn to determine who is to move hig'her token 20 first. For example, the player throwing the highest die value may begin first. Each player then places his/her token 20 on his/her home base and without looking at the cube 10 rotates a side of the cube through 90°. This process continues until all the players have placed their tokens 20 onto the cube 10. The first player then moves his/her token 20 along the track 16 a number of faces 14 equal to the die score. The player may move his/her token 20 in either direction along the track 16. It is envisaged that special action faces 14 be marked on the cube 10. The special action faces 14 couldrequire a particular action from the player, for example throw the die again or rotate one side of the cube 10 through 90°, or the like. Rotation of the elements 12 of the cube 10 result in an alteration of the path of the track 16 and can affect the ability of another player to move to a desired ' location or may assist a player in moving to a desired location. If a move is blocked by another token 20 then the move must be taken in the opposite direction. Tokens 20 of the form shown in Figure 4 cannot jump each other, however, other forms of tokens 20 which are more readily removed from the guide means may be allowed to jump each other. As each of the home bases, other than the particular players home base is passed over, one of the marker pegs is inserted into a corresponding one of the holes 28 in the indicator means 26. When a player has passed over all of the home bases and lastly his/her own home base he/she has finished. The first player to finish is the winner of the game. Under preferred rules the finish is determined when the player passes all other home bases and then comes to rest, at the completion of a throw of the die, upon his/ her own home base. In a further embodiment of the present invention (not shown) the track 16 is replaced by a notional course having a plurality of holes arranged along it and pegs arranged to be inserted into the holes. Although the game apparatus of the present invention has beendescribed hereinwithparticular reference to the preferred rules it is to be understood that it could be arranged to be used for any board game requiring a course to be travelled. It is envisaged that the guide means track could be formed in modules and arranged to be adhered or otherwise fastened to the elements 12. It is also envisaged that the faces 14 or locations along the guidemeans could provide specification character or fact so that a detailed specification could be built up by rotation of the element 12 and noting the specification of those which fall adjacent to a set face 14. For example, personal characteristics could be specified about the faces 14 and a detailed personal character developed by the abovementioned process. It is further envisaged that a barrier (not shown) may be fixed to each face 14 between the track portions 18. The barriers are intended to assist in visual delineation of the course to be followed. Preferably, the barrier is raised substantially above the faces 14 and more preferably above the height of the tokens 20 when fixed to the track 16 so that the block 10 may be squarely rested upon a surface. The barrier is also envisaged to provide anchorage for one or more labels whereby the labels provide specification of character or instructions or identification of the particular face 14 for use in the game. The barrier may be triangular in cross-section and the labels may be clipped thereto. Conveniently, the barriers are disposed diagonally across the faces 14 so that adjacent barriers meet adjacent their ends to form a wall surrounding courses of the track portions 18. Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to a. skilled addressee are deemed within the scope of the present invention. For example, a number of track portions 18, other than two track portions 18, could transverse each face 14.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A game apparatus characterised in that it comprises a game board in the form of a three dimensional block having a plurality of elements each having two or more faces, the elements being arranged for relative movement about 3 axes of rotation, a guide means representing a course to be followed fixed to or integral with the elements, and a plurality of tokens arranged to be fixed to the guide means and arranged to be moved therealong, movement of the elements about the axis of rotation producing variation in the course to be followed. 2. A game apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the guide means comprises a raised track arranged to have the tokens slidably fitted to it. 3. A game apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the guide means comprises a plurality of holes formed in the elements and arranged to receive tokens having pegs. 4. A game apparatus according to claim 1. characterised in that the guide means comprises a groove fixed to or formed in the elements. 5. A game apparatus according to claim 2, characterised in that the raised track has a T or an I type cross- section. 6. A game apparatus according to any one of the proceeding claims, characterised in that the guide means has one or more portions transversing each face of the elements and arranged such that portions of adjacent faces meet, without connection, at adjacent edges of the faces. 7. A game apparatus according to claim 6, characterised in that the guide means has two portions traversing each face. 8. A game apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that at least some of the faces comprise unique visual characteristics to distinguish them from others of the faces so as to provide an indication of progress of the tokens about the three dimensional block. 9. A game apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, characterised ' in that at least some portions of the guide means comprise unique visual characteristics to distinguish them from others of the portions so as to provide an indication of progress of the tokens about the three dimensional block. 10. A game apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises a score means having regions corresponding to certain of the locations about the guide means and comprising markers arranged to be placed on or in said regions. 11. A game apparatus according to claim 10, characterised in that the region of the score means correspond to certain of the faces of the elements. 12. A game apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that it comprises a device to provide a score fortuitously and to be used in moving the tokens about the three dimensional block. 13. A game apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that it comprises a barrier disposed between the track portions of each face of the three dimensional block to separate same and to receive one or more identification labels.

Inventors: LINDSAY GRAHAM CHARLES, LINDSAY, GRAHAM, CHARLES
Applicants: LINDSAY GRAHAM CHARLES, LINDSAY, GRAHAM, CHARLES
Application year: 1986
Main classification: A63F9
IPC codes: A63F9