Improvements in Game Apparatus.
Year: 1892

page_text: United States of America),
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 17th June, 1892
Complete Specification Left. 17th June, 1892-Accepted, 23rd July,
1892.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Game Apparatus.
I, JOSEPH ADDISON ENO, of Newark, in the County of Essex and State of
New Jersey, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide a simple, cheap, and amusing
game that can be played by any number of persons and adapted for use when
travelling.
The invention consists in the new and improved game and game-board and the
combination and arrangement of the various portions thereof, substantially as will
be hereinafter more fully described, and finally embodied in the claims.
The accompanying drawing represents a plan view of my improved game or
game-board, in which-
A represents a table or board made of card-board, wood, or any desired material
of sufficient thickness. From a point a at or preferably near the centre of the
board A are formed a series of concentric circular lines b, c, d, e, and f, forming a
series of annular rings. The circle or annular ring between the lines b and c is
divided by radial lines g into eight segmental portions, the lines 9 being extended
outward to the circular line f. The segments formed by the lines g in the annular
rings between the lines c, d, e, and fare subdivided equally by radial lines h. The
lines 9. or any number of them that may be desired, are extended beyond the outer
line, as shown in the drawing, to provide a point i, from which a button or other
object m is propelled, as hereinafter described. These segmental portions of the
rings are alternately shaded or colored in contrast and so arranged that the shaded
portion of one ring shall be opposite, or nearly so, the open segment or field of the
other ring. The central circle is not shaded or colored. The unshaded or open
portions I term the "fields" and are the points within which it is the effort of the
player to deposit the button. These fields vary in value or number of points to be
counted, the central field being of the greatest value, and the value of the fields
in the surrounding rings decreasing as their distance from the centre increases.
In the drawing I have shown the central field as "50" and the outer fields in
a decreasing ratio to "5;" but such valuation is not absolute, as any valuation can
be arranged as desired.
In playing the game the players have an equal number of buttons and play
alternately. One button is then placed on the point i and shoved or propelled
within the rings. The next player does the same with one of his rings, and so on
until all the buttons have been played. In order that a button shall count, it must
be entirely within a field, and must not rest upon or touch any line, and the
counting or reckoning is not made until all the buttons have been played. The
number of points to constitute the game-limit must be agreed upon before com-
mencing the game. The open spaces or fields must be large enough to receive the
button without resting upon or touching a boundary-line.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a game-board, the combination, with the playing buttons or men, of a
central field, a series of concentric circles surrounding said central field and
adapted to form annular rings, a series of radial lines dividing said rings in equal
segmental portions, numbers arranged alternately on said segmental portions,
decreasing in value from the centre and a number arranged on the central field,
substantially as described and set forth:
2. In a game-board, the combination, with the playing buttons or men, of a
central field, a series of concentric circles surrounding said central field and
adapted to form annular rings, a series of radial lines dividing said rings in equal
segmental portions, numbers arranged alternately on said segmental portions,
decreasing in value from the centre a number arranged on the central field, and
points arranged opposite each other and outside of said annular rings, said points
being adapted to form the homes for the men or checkers, substantially as described
and set forth.
3. In a game-board, the combination, with a central field, of a series of annular
rings surrounding said central field, a series of lines extending radially from the
first and second inner ring, respectively, to the outmost ring, said lines dividing
said rings into segmental fields, numbers arranged alternately on said fields, and
men or checkers to be played and counted, substantially as described.
4. In a game-board, the combination, with a central field, of a series of annular
rings surrounding said central field, a series of lines extending radially from the
first and second inner rings, respectively, said lines dividing said rings into equal
segmental fields, numbers arranged alternately on said fields, men or checkers,
and points arranged opposite each other and outside of said annular rings, said
points adapted to form the homes for the said men or checkers, substantially as
described and set forth.
Dated this 17th day of June 1809
F. W. BARKER,
Applicant's Agent.