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US 4,902,011 AGranted
Magnetic game apparatus
AssigneeNone recorded
InventorDouglas D. Seaton
Life of this patent
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AssigneeNone recorded
InventorDouglas D. Seaton
Estimating the term…
A game apparatus which utilizes a plurality of magnetized playing pieces is disclosed. The magnetized playing pieces are in the shape of two-sided circular discs, one side having a north polarity and other side a south polarity. The common polarities are identified by a surface color or by indicia printed thereon. The playing pieces are displayed on a flat, horizontal playing surface, preferably within a circular boundary on a rough-textured surface such as provided by canvas, leather or etched glass. The pole strengths of the magnetic playing pieces are sufficient to permit the balancing of a playing piece obliquely on its edge in proximity to but spaced from a flat-lying piece of like upward-facing polarity.
A magnetic game consisting, in combination, of, a planar playing surface having a predetermined boundary defining a playing area, a surface location marked on said playing surface, a first set of a plurality of imperforate magnetic playing pieces each in the shape of a two sided circular disc and having a north polarity on one side and a south polarity on the other side, a second set consisting of a single imperforate magnetic playing piece in the shape of a two sided circular disc and having a north polarity on one side and a south polarity on the other side said single playing piece being marked to distinguish said single playing piece from the first set of playing pieces, and intended to be seated on said surface location, said planar surface being provided by a rough-textured surface selected from a surface from the group consisting of the surfaces of a leather sheet, canvas sheet, plastics sheet, etched glass plate, plywood and paper board, and said first set of playing pieces and said second set of a single piece having means for identifying the said north and south polarities and having sufficient pole strengths for balancing of a playing piece obliquely on its edge in proximity to but spaced from a flat-lying, unrestrained disc of like upward-facing polarity randomly located within the playing area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Term ended 13 Jul 2008 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
This invention relates to a game apparatus and, more particularly, relates to a game apparatus which utilizes magnetized playing pieces on a playing surface.
Games which make use of magnetized playing pieces are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,293 issued Mar. 22, 1977 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,021,042 issued May 3, 1977 disclose magnetized game boards having array of locations, such as playing squares or pockets, which have randomly selected magnetic polarities.
British Patent Specification No. 1,109,898 published Apr. 18, 1968 discloses a game apparatus in which magnetic playing pieces have trunion projections for permitting altering of the positions of the pieces during the play of the game by making use of magnetic lines of force. This game apparatus necessitates a rigid and relatively complex multi-platform construction to make use of the magnetic lines of force.
The magnetic game apparatus of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the playing surface of the invention having magnetic playing pieces positioned in the playing area during play of the game;
FIG. 2 is a side elevation of a pair of the magnetic playing pieces showing a playing piece in its balanced position; and
The game apparatus of the present invention includes a flat playing area 10 preferably defined by a circular boundary 12 printed or embossed on a planar surface or sheet 14 on which play of the game is to be conducted. The playing area preferably has a somewhat rough or textured surface 15, for reasons which will become apparent as the description proceeds, such as provided by the relatively rough underside of a leather sheet or by a canvas sheet, etched surface of a glass plate, textured wood, plywood, paper board or the like.
In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, a leather sheet 14 is shown to be substantially rectangular in shape with the circular boundary 12 and a central dot or circle 16 drawn or printed thereon.
A plurality of a magnetic playing piece 18 is provided for play of the game on the playing surface. Each of the magnetic playing pieces comprises a thin, permanently magnetic circular disc having north and south polarities on opposite sides thereof with the magnetic axes of the discs perpendicular to their faces, as shown most clearly in FIG. 2. The pole strengths of the magnetic fields of said magnetic discs is sufficient such that adjacent but judiciously, i.e. skillfully, spaced-apart pieces are sufficiently mutually repelled to permit the balancing of one playing piece obliquely on an edge against gravity within the magnetic field of a flat-lying piece of like upward facing polarity.