Improvements in Games.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1887'
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Games.
I, HOWARD ROWLAND GRISWOLD, residing at No. 64 Pearl Street, in the
City of Hartford, in the County of Hartford, and State of Connecticut, United
States of America, Insurance, 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:
This invention relates to game devices, and the object thereof is to provide an
improved device of this class whoreby a new game may be played which is both
interesting and entertaining, and which is particularly designed to interest and
instruct the young; a further object being to provide a game device by means of
which a new game may be played, which I call the game of Planets.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the
accompanying drawing forms a part, in which :-
Fig. 1, is a plan view of a game board which I employ; and,
Fig. 2, a plan view of a smaller board or block which forms a part of the game
device.
In the drawing forming part of this specification, the separate parts of my
improved game device are indicated by numerals of reference, and in the practice
of my invention, I provide à main board 5, which is preferably square, but which
may be of any desired form and construction, and on which is printed, painted.or
otherwise formed a diagram which consists of a central circular space 6, in which
is painted, printed or otherwise formed the word "Sun," and around which is a
clear angular space 7, and around the clear annular space 7, are arranged eight
concentric annular spaces each of which is divided into blocks or spaces 5, which
are substantially of the same size.
The eight annular spaces around the central circular spaco 7, are separated each
from the other by two circular lines as shown at 9, although this feature is not
absolutely necessary, and but one of said circular lines may be employed, if
desired.
It will be observed that the diagram formed by the circular space is divided
vertically and transversely by straight radial lines 10, and 11, and adjacent to one
of these radial lines the blocks 8, are provided with the names of the planets,
which are arranged in the following order, from the centre outwardly, namely
Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, and each
of these blocks or spaces is also provided with an arrow, all of which point to the
right.
I also provide eight disks 12, on each of which is printed, painted, or otherwise
formed, the name of one of the planets, and these blocks or disks, in practice, are
placed in the order shown in the drawing, each block or disk being placed adjacent
to the left side of the space containing the name of the planet which corresponds
therewith.
The blocks or spaces 8, in each of the eight circular spaces may, in practice, be
numbered consecutively, beginning at the right of the blocks or spaces which
contains the names of the planets. This numbering of said blocks or spaces being
intended simply to facilitate the counting of the game, as hereinbefore described,
but such numbering of said blocks or spaces does not constitute an essential
element of my invention and is therefore not shown..
I also provide another block or board consisting of a central circular space 14,

page_text: around which is formed the eccentric annular space 15, and 16, and these annular
spaces are divided by radial lines 17, into eight similar blocks or spaces, and the
blocks or spaces in the outer annular space, each contains the name of the planets,
and the corresponding blocks or spaces in the inner annular space 15, each contains
one of the numerals from one to eight inclusive, arranged in consecutive order.
Mounted centrally of the board or block 13, is a pivot pin 18, on which is
mounted two arrows 19,,and 20, one of which is longer than the other, the shorter
arrow being designated by the reference numeral 20. :
The arrow 20, projects to or into the inner annular space 15, while the arrow 19,
projects to or into the outer annular space 16, and in practice, the game is played
by spinning or whirling the arrows 19, and 20, with the thumb and forefinger, or
in any desired manner, and the name of the planet at which the arrow 19, points
when it stops will indicate the disk 12, to be moved and the number of the space
at which the arrow 20, points when it stops will indicate the number of the blocks
or spaces 8, over which the said disk 12, is to be moved.
This game may be played by two or more persons with separate sets of boards,
or by two persons with one board, and in either event the party or player which
first, succeeds in moving his disks entirely around the circular space in which they
are placed wins the game.
The dieks 12, cannot be moved farther than indicated by the arrow 20, and when
said disks are almost in their home column, and the arrow 20, after being whirled
or spun, indicates a greater number of the spaces 8, than are between said disk
and the home column, the player cannot move, and must wait his turu, it being
understood that each player moves alternately.
If the game is played by two players on the same set of boards, the first player
will move the outer disk 12, which represents the planet Neptune, and the next
player the disk 12, which indicates or represents the planet Uranus, and so on each
player having four of these disks.
The game is entertaining, and is also instructive to the young, the object thereof
being to teach the location of the planets with reference to the sun; but it will
be apparent that the game device may be made and the game played, without any
reference to the planets, in which event, the blocks or spaces in which the names
of the planets are placed, may be provided with any other designating mark, or be
distinctively colored, and the disks 12, will be provided with corresponding
designating marks, or be similarly colored.
It will also be apparent that additional annular spaces may be employed on the
main board 5, and that the corresponding spaces on the supplemental board 13, may
be similarly increased, and that other changes in and modifications of the
construction herein described may be made without departing from the spirit of my
invention or sacrificing its advantages..
Instead of employing two separate plates or boards 5, and 13, on which the
separate diagrams are formed the board 5, may be made large enough and the
smaller diagram or that on the plate or board 13, may be placed on the main board
or plate 5, and thus but one plate or board may be employed, and in this event,
the smaller diagram may be made in the corner of the main plate or board, or in
any desired part thereof, and said smaller diagram will, in this event, be also
provided with the arrows 19, and 20, as hereinbefore described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declaro. that what I
claim is :
1. A game device, comprising two separate boards, one of which is larger than
the other, the larger board being provided with a plurality of concentrically
arranged annular spaces which are divided transversely into blocks or spaces
of similar form and size, the blocks or spaces in one radial line being
choracteristically named or distinguished from each other, a plurality of
disks equal to the number of said blocks or spaces in said radial line

page_text: said disks being similarly named or distinguished, and the other boarl being
provided with a diagram consisting of two annular spaces which are concentrically
arranged and divided radially into a number of blocks or spaces equal to said disks,
the blocks or spaces in the outer annular space being named or distinguished in the
same manner as said disks, and the blocks or spaces in the inner annular space
being numbered, and said plate or board being also provided centrally of said
diagram with two pivoted arrows, one of which points to said inner annular space,
and the other to said outer annular space, substantially as shown and described.
2. A game device which comprises a suitable board or boards, on which are
formed two separate diagrams, one of which is larger than the other, and comprises
a plurality of concentrically arranged annular spaces, which are divided by radial
lines into blocks or spaces of equal size, the blocks or spaces in one radial line
being named or characteristically distinguished a plurality of disks which equal in
number the blocks or spaces in said radial line, and which are correspondingly named
or distinguished, and the smaller diagram being composed of two annular spaces.
arranged concentrically around a central circular space, said annular space being
divided by radial lines into blocks or spaces which correspond in number with said
disks, said blocks or spaces in one of said annular spaces being named or
distinguished in the same manner as said disks, and the blocks or spaces in the
other annular space being numbered, and said smaller diagram being also provided
with two arrows which are pivotally mounted therein, and one of which points to
each of said annular spaces, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 29th day of December 1898.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.