A New Game.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1893
A New Game.
I, FRITZ SICK, of N° 2° Schumannstrasse, Dresden, Germany, Merchant,
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 :-
My invention relates to a new combination game of chance, which I term "A
Glance in the Future" and which consists in that three consecutive results given
by a device operating by chance, such as dice, rolling balls, revolving pointers,
cards, &c., or in that single results given by three such devices, are taken in
relation to each other in such sequence as to denote respectively the grammatical
ideas of subject, predicate and object.
The said words are so arranged that, at each indication of the chance device,
there shall be afforded a choice of several words as subject, several as predicate,
and several as object, so as to enable a grammatically correct answer in any known
or artificial or "mystic" language to be given, either affirmatively or negatively to
any question.
Although it is preferred to employ three such chance devices, any greater
number may be used, and the grammatical significance of the words may also be
changed.
I will describe my said invention with reference to the accompanying drawing
which shews at Fig. 1, by way of example, a game in which the devices for
determining the chances consist of three dice formed as regular pentagonal dodeca-
hedrons, marked with I, II and III, there being marked on each of the 12 faces
of I three words serving as "subjects," while on each face of II there are three
words serving as "predicates" and on each face of III three words serving as
"objects." By means of this arrangement there may be obtained, by the aid of
the 36 words contained on each of the dice, 46,656 grammatically correct
sentences. For increasing the effect in playing, the words employed can, as
indicated on the drawing, be taken from an artificial or "mystic" language.
The choice between the three words of the face of each die may either be
optional or determined by certain rules.
Figs. 2 and 3 shew in plan and section, a game consisting of a disc containing
three annular compartments a, b c, separated by circular rims, in which are three
balls e, or one ball may be used, to be placed consecutively in each of the rings.
Each compartment contains 36 recesses f in which are marked figures corre-
sponding to words marked on a table those on the inner ring being made to
represent words signifying "subjects" while those of the middle ring indicate
words signifying "predicates," and those of the outer ring represent words
indicating "objects.'
In this case also, by means of the thirty-six numbers of each ring, 46,656
different intelligible grammatical sentences can be formed.
Figs. 4 and 5 shew two different modifications of the same device as at Figs. 2
and 3. In Fig. 4 there is, in place of the ball, a revolving pointer, made to
operate consecutively in combination with the three rings with numerals.
Fig. 5 shews the same construction as Fig. 4 in the form of a watch, with
remontoire mechanism.
The game can be otherwise variously modified in construction, the main principle
of action always remaining the same, namely, the selection by a suitable medium
operating by chance, of three groups of elements of a sentence, by the suitable
application of which a grammatically correct and intelligible sentence can be
formed.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A combination game, called "A Glance in the Future" where three consecutive
results given by a device operating by chance, are taken in relation to each other as
the grammatical ideas: "subject,"" predicate," and "object," so that such grouping
of three words shall form a grammatically correct sentence capable of answering a
question either in the affirmative or in the negative, such words being taken from
any ordinary or artificial or mystic language, substantially as described.
2. A combination game consisting of the use of three dice I, II, III of dodeca-
hedron, or other form, on each side of each of which are marked several words,
those on I serving to indicate the "subject" of a sentence, those on II the
"predicate" and those on III the "object," so that at each throw of the dice a
grammatically correct sentence is formed by these words, suitable for answering a
question either positively or negatively, whether such words be in any known or
artificial or mystic language, substantially as described with reference to Fig. 1 of
the drawings.
3. A combination game, wherein three concentric rings are marked with a series
of figures, those of the one ring serving to denote the "subject" of a grammatical
sentence, while those of the second one serve to denote the "predicate," and those
of the third one, the "object," the determining of the figures being effected either
by rolling balls, or by revolving pointers, substantially as described with reference
to Figs. 2 to 5 of the drawings.
Dated thie 25th day of January 1802
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.