Game or Puzzle.
Year: 1894

page_text: Game or Puzzle.
I, HERBERT HOWLAND SARGENT, of Fort Bowie in the County of Cochise,
Territory of Arizona, United States of America, Lieutenant U.S. Army, 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 apparatus and has for its object to produce
mathematical puzzles or problems based on mathematical and geometrical plans for
the purpose of instruction as well as amusement. With this and other objects in
view, the invention consists of the construction and arrangement of the several parts
which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.
In the drawings ;-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved game apparatus showing the
manner of playing the same.
Figure 2 is a similar view of the device showing the game completed.
Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in the
Beveral views.
Referring to the drawings, the letter A designates a board having a series of
radial divisions B, which are supplied with numerals, and run to the centre C. A
series of blocks or checkers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are employed in playing the game
and are of the form shown. Twenty-four blocks or checkers are used and comprise
four sizes of 1, four sizes of 2, four sizes of 3, four sizes of 4, four sizes of 5 and
four sizes of 6. The circle is divided into thirty-one parts numbered from 1 to 31
inclusive, and the object of the game is to close the circle; that is, each player
playing alternately can take any one of the twenty-four blocks and cover as many
parts of the circle as there are parts on the block, the blocks being numbered as
shown, and the numbers thereon indicating the number of parts of the circle which
the block will cover. The player who closes the circle, or the one who comes
neurest to closing it, wins the game.
To illustrate the mode of playing the game, the player who plays first takes one
of the blocks and beginning with Figure 1, covers from 1 to 6 of the circle,
depending upon the size of the block taken. The other player then takes any one
of the blocks he desires and continues the process of covering the figures of the
circle. Thus if the first player has played block 4 and the second player desires
to play block 3 he places it next to block 4 and covers 5, 6, and 7 on the circle.
As previously stated the player who first closes the circle wins the game.
When
it is impossible to close the circle by reason of the blocks necessary to it having
been all played, then the player who comes nearest to closing the circle wins
the game.
For instance if the player covers number 30 on the circle
and the 1's are all played, then he wins the game. Each player must continue
to cover the numbers with the blocks as long as there are left any blocks
small enough to continue playing. In this connection, suppose the first player
starts with 3 and the second player with 4; then again twice more in the
same way; the result would be that the second player with the last 4 would
make 28, and the first player could not play 3 and make 31 because all the 3's
would have been played. He would then, in accordance with the rules of the
game be required to play 1 or 2 and the second player by playing 2 or I would win
the game.
It will be understood that the same principle might be applied to several kinds of
boards of different forms and still embody the same features.

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. A game or puzzle comprising a base-piece having a series of segmental spaces
marked thereon in continuous order to form a circle, and a series of segmental
blocks or checkers, substantially as shown and described.
2. A game or puzzle comprising a base-piece having an upraised circular body
or portion thereon, and a series of segmental blocks or checkers, substantially as
shown and described.
3. In a game apparatus, the combination, with a series of numbered blocks or
checkers of varying dimensions, of a board having a series of spaces thereon bearing
consecutive numbers, and adapted to be covered individually and in series by the
said blocks, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 1st day of September 1894.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.