Patent Publication Number: US-3879034-A

Title: Footprint alignment game

Description:
O United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,879,034  
 Petrusek Apr. 22, 1975 [5 FOOTPRINT ALIGNMENT GAME l.277.645 9/l9l8 Rothkogcl 35/29 c x l.490.20l 4 W24 B 273 I R [761 lnvemo&#34; Pmusek, 8571 Gmschalk 1.815.443 7l1931 illlrh cn 35/2 9 c Homewood. lll. 60430 22 Filed; June 25 973 Primary E.\&#39;am1&#39;n0rPaul E. Shapiro Almrncy. Agent, or Firn1-Sabin Cf Bronson [2]] Appl. No.: 373,173  
  [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl 273/] R A game including a plurality of randomly oriented [5]] Int. Cl. A63f 9/00 pairs of footprints. located in a prescribed area. A [58] Field of Search 273/l R. 1 A; 35/29 C player must successfully jump into the area and align his feet onto each of the pairs of footprints in the area. [56] References Cited jumping from one pair of footprints to another pair UNITED STATES PATENTS until he has jumped on all footprints in the area.  
 233.482 I0/l880 DcLong 35/29 C X 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures FOOTPRINT ALIGNMENT GAME BACKGROUND The present invention relates to a game and more particularly to a game requiring agility and balance.  
  The game includes generally a plurality of foot imprints which are randomly oriented within a prescribed area. A player is required to jump and implant both of his feet on pairs of differently oriented foot imprints in sequence until he has successively implanted his feet onto each one of the imprints. When implanted on the imprints the feet of the player must be positioned in the same general direction as the imprint. In the drawings:  
  FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of game with a player shown in acceptable position for continuing the game.  
  FIG. 2 is a top plan view of one of the footprints used in the embodiment of the game shown in FIG. 1.  
  FIG. 3 is a top plan view of another embodiment of the game.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The game of the present invention includes a plurality of footprints or imprints 10. The prints 10 as shown in FIG. 2 may be made from a slab of relatively rigid material so that it may be tossed. Suitable material from which the footprints may be made is cardboard, plastic or the like.  
  The footprints may be colored or marked with different indicia on opposite sides of the print so that the same foot print may be used for both the left and right footprint in carrying out the game. For example, one side of the footprint may be colored red to designate the right foot and the opposite side may be colored green to designate the left foot. The footprints are cut considerably larger than the size of a persons foot.  
  The game is played within a rectangular area of a dimension of about 5 by feet suitably marked off on the ground by chalk or the like. An opponent then randomly tosses right and left foot prints successively to within the marked off area. The footprints may land and be positioned and oriented as shown in FIG. 1. 6 to 12 sets or pairs of footprints 10 may be thrown into the area. Of course the number of pairs of footprints used may be varied to either simplify or make the game more difficult.  
 The player then jumps into the area so that his right foot is located on and facing in the same direction as the right footprint, and the other foot is located on and facing the same direction as a left print. The player then jumps onto another pair of footprints with his feet properly aligned as described above. The player continues to jump onto each of the other pairs until he has successfully jumped onto each of the pairs in the area.  
  Should the player miss or fail to properly implant his feet on the footprints in the area, the next child must try to do so with the same pattern of footprints 10, or the footprints may again be tossed at a random pattern within the area until all children playing have tried to jump successfully from one pair of footprints onto the others successively without error.  
  Referring now to FIG. 3 there is shown anotherembodiment of the invention wherein pairs of left and right footprints 10 are permanently imprinted on a sheet 14. The sheet may have the same dimensions as that suggested in the embodiment of FIG. I and laid out with a start and stop located similarly. The footprints 10 are randomly oriented with pairs of right and left footprints located adjacent to each other.  
  The game is played in the same manner as described in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2.  
 What is claimed is: l. A method of playing a game comprising: providing a plurality of pairs of rigid footprints, each pair comprising a footprint with means thereon denoting a right foot and a footprint with means thereon denoting a left foot. each footprint being further provided with means designating the forward or toe end of the footprint, tossing successively a plurality of said footprints onto a prescribed playing area, the selection of the tossed footprints and the manner of tossing same being such as to result in a plurality of right and left footprints randomly oriented on said playing area.  
 jumping into said area so that the jumpers right and left feet respectively land on a right footprint and a left footprint and with the toe end of each foot extending in the direction of the toe end of each footprint,  
 and then successively jumping onto each of the remaining footprints, each successive jump landing the right foot on a right footprint and the left foot on a left footprint with the toe of each foot extending in the direction of the toe end of each footprint.