US1396425A - Game-board - Google Patents

Description

TyR. HARLOW.

GAME BOARD; APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, 1921- 1,396,425. Patentd Nov. 8, 1921 I I A '1 15 g A&\ I ,0 wmlmm lanummll IIIIIIIIIIIIHEE k I! I m 4 H INVENTOR ThomasiZfiZrW A TTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS E. HARLOW, OF BENTON CITY, MISSOURI.

GAME-BOARD.

Application filed February 14, 1921.

T0 (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS R. HARLOW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Benton Cit in the county of Audrain and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful improvements in Game-Boards, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to games and gameboards, resembling to some extent the well known game of checkers, however, the board being of a more elaborate design, the manner of play more intricate, and the moves of greater strategic value than is usual in connection with games of this character now in use.

An object of this invention is to provide a game-board of artistic appearance and so designed as to admit of a variety of complicated and strategic moves, calculated to intensify interest in the game, while at the same time being governed by a simple and easily understood code of play.

The invention consists in the novel design of a game-board made up of squares, circles, diagrammatic sections, etc., and the combination with such board of checks or men, as will be more clearly described in the fol lowing specification, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and finally pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing, in which corresponding parts are indicated by similar reference characters:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the gameboard; and

Fig. 2 is a similar detailed view showing the general layout of the player pieces.

In the illustrated embodiment characterizing this invention there is shown a board 5 of any suitable material divided into 81 squares or checks of contrasting colors, for instance, alternately white and black, or white and brown, etc., and for purposes of description, referring to the entire field, 40 squares are white designated as 6, 22 are black designated as 7, at in each corner or 16 are brown as 8, and 3 red as 10.

The major field is made up of 22 black squares (7), collectively forming a substantially square field 11 the sides of which extend diagonally to those of the board, and forming exterior of said square or field 11, triangular sections 12 at the four corners of the board. Each of these triangular sec,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

Serial No. 444,723.

tions 12 is made up of foursquares ofacontrasting color to the central field 11, preferably brown, and dividing these brown squares 8 from the major or central field 11 is a line 13 of still another contrasting color or green, hereinafter to be known as the dead line, and which obviously borders the major or central field 11.

The three red squares 10 are positioned in alined and spaced relation, one at either side and one in the center of the boa d, the one in the center is surrounded by a circle 14 of a contrasting color such as green, and referred to as the Kings palace, and the other two surrounded by semi-circles 1b, and referred to as Royal arches.

The basis of the game is similar to checkers, being played with checks or like pieces of any desired configuration, the number employed being twenty six, thirteen by each player. which to start the game are placed on the thirteen colored squares comprising the first three rows across the board immediately in front of each player, excepting the Royal arches which are left vacant, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The initial moves are the same as in checkers, that is, each player in his turn moves toward his opponent attempting to jump and remove from the board as many of the op posing players men as possible, and aiming by strategy of play to move into the central circle or Kings palace, which can only be accomplished by jumping an opponents man or check. The Kings palace cannot be held indefinitely and upon the next move must be vacated, however, the man or check having been in the Kings palace is thereafter a king and has free range of the board.

After a man has been moved into opponents Royal arch to become or crown a king. unlike the Kings palace, it is optional whether the arch be held or not.

\Vhen a man has been moved across or back of the dead line it becomes dead and cannot again be moved, except to jump an opponents man within the same territory.

Such a man or check, however, may at any 7 time be taken by a king which has free range of the entire board.

lVhile for purposes of description the above is the general scheme of play, it is obvi w from the d a mm lay ut Oft e board, that various modifications and special rules may be employed to make the game especially interesting to exceptionally scien- 1 tific. and'fastiduous players, as Well as to the casual player. V

Although in the foregoing, I have described and illustrated the probable design of board and code of play forming the subject matter of this invention, it is to be understood that slight changes as to colors, design, and rules governing the game may be utilized Without departing from the spir t of the invention or evading the appended claim.

Without enumerating variations and equivalents, What I desire protected by Letters Patent is:

A game-board comprising a square field laid off into alternate different colored checks and formed by diagonally extending boundary lines into a major field square in contour, and a series of triangular shaped dead fields, one of the latter being situated the Kings I palace.

THOMAS R. HARLOW.

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