# US 4,397,871 A · Amusement device for transmitting messages

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- Number: US 4,397,871 A
- Document ID: US4397871A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/303,904
- Filed: 1981-09-21
- Granted: 1983-08-09
- Earliest claimed: 1981-09-21
- Assignees: Marvin Glass & Associates
- Inventors: Burton C. Meyer; Beth E. Luecke
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4397871A

## CPC

- A23G 3/50: characterised by shape, structure or physical form, e.g. products with supported structure
- A23G 4/18: characterised by shape, structure or physical form, e.g. aerated products
- A63F 3/0685: {having a message becoming legible after a chemical reaction or physical action has taken place, e.g. applying pressure, heat treatment, spraying with a substance, breaking microcapsules (use of microcapsules for duplicating paper B41M5/165)}
- A63F 9/00: Games not otherwise provided for
- B44C 1/1733: {Decalcomanias applied under pressure only, e.g. provided with a pressure sensitive adhesive}
- Y10S 428/914: Transfer or decalcomania
- A23G: COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF
- A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B44C: PRODUCING DECORATIVE EFFECTS (processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, in general B05D; shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; printing processes to produce transfer pictures B41M3/12; thermographic duplication or marking methods B41M5/00); MOSAICS; TARSIA WORK (imitation of mosaic or tarsia work patterns B44F11/04); PAPERHANGING {(labels G09F; multi-step processes for making paper labels or tags B31D1/02)}
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A amusement device for transmitting secret messages includes a central, generally flat, elongated core member for receiving the imprinting of messages thereon. A pressure sensitive sheet-like transfer element is wrapped around or placed adjacent a portion of the core material. The transfer element is coated on the side adjacent the core member with a substance which will transfer to the core upon pressure being applied to the outer side. The amusement device further includes an inner and outer wrapper, wrapped around the core member and pressure sensitive transfer element to disguise the nature of the device. A message may be written on the core material by using a stylus or other non-marking item to apply pressure to the outside wrapper. The pressure sensitive transfer element will imprint the message onto the core material such that when the core member is unwrapped, the message may be read. In one embodiment of the amusement element, the core member is a stick of chewing gum and the transfer element is coated with an edible substance.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An amusement device for transmitting a secret message, comprising:
an edible core member for receiving and displaying the secret message, and
a wrapper of a pressure sensitive transfer sheet sealingly enveloping the core member, said wrapper having an inside surface in contact with the core member and an exposed outside surface, said inside surface of said wrapper having a portion generally uniformly coated with an edible pressure sensitive transfer substance adapted to transfer from said wrapper to the core member in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of application of pressure to the outside surface of said wrapper.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The amusement device of claim 1 wherein said wrapper includes a first folded sheet bearing said transfer substance, a second sheet for sealingly enclosing said first sheet and said core member and a third sheet enveloping said second sheet.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The amusement device of claim 1 wherein said core member is resilient.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The amusement device of claim 3 wherein said core member is chewing gum.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The amusement device of claim 1 wherein said edible transfer substance is granulated sugar.

### Claim 6

An amusement method comprising the steps of:
providing a generally flat edible core member;
providing a wrapper of a pressure sensitive transfer sheet;
coating a portion of one surface of said wrapper generally uniformly with an edible transfer substance; and
wrapping said wrapper seaingly around said core member so that a portion of said transfer substance can be applied to said core member in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of application of pressure to the exterior of said wrapper.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 including the step of applying pressure in the pattern of written words to the exterior of said wrapper to print a message on said core member.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6 wherein the wrapping step includes the steps of enclosing said core member in a first sheet coated with the transfer substance, enclosing said first sheet within an air tight sealing sheet and enclosing said sealing sheet within a label sheet.