US3063720A - Chance device - Google Patents

Description

1962 L.- H. UNGLESBY 3,063,720

CHANCE DEVICE Filed Jan. 4, 1960 INVENTOR. law/j: A. Ung/esby 2%zzwm United States This invention relates to new and useful improvements in chance toys, and has particular reference to a toy or device adapted to determine a number entirely by chance, as the casting of a single die determines any number from 1 to 6 inclusive by chance.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of a toy or game of the general character described having novel means rendering the number determined by a single operation thereof entirely a matter of chance, and which will defeat any known method of controlling the outcome by unscrupulous or skillful manipulation. This object is accomplished by the inclusion in the toy of a plurality (four as shown) of separate though interrelated chance mechanisms or functions each normally beyond the power of an ordinary operator to control so as to afiect the number determined thereby. Hence while a highly skillful operator might conceivably be able to control or affect any one of these chance mechanisms or functions, as a skillful operator can in some degree control dice, it is inconceivable that he could control or afiect all of the chance mechanisms and functions simultaneously. in general, the toy constitutes a fiat circular disc adapted to be spun on its edge on a table or other horizontal flat surface in the same manner as spinning a coin on its edge. Both faces of the disc are divided radially into numbered segmental divi sions. The disc has a flat circular cavity formed therein concentrically therewith, in which is contained a small spherical ball, the walls of said cavity being transparent whereby said ball may be viewed. As the disc gradually assumes a horizontal position when coming to rest after being spun on its edge, its motion causes said ball to be spun rapidly about the periphery of the cavity, and this motion of the ball continues for a time even after the disc has come to rest. When the ball finally comes to rest, the number of the segment of the disc adjacent which it comes to rest is the number determined. The surface of the disc defining the flat circular walls of the cavity may also be provided with raised ribs dividing said walls into segments corresponding to the numbered segments of the disc.- Since the ball must come to rest between such ribs, there can be no question which number of the disc is finally indicated. Also, the ball, just before it comes to rest, bounces over said ribs in an entirely random, unpredictable pattern, thereby proyiding an additional chance mechanism further defeating any attempt to control the outcome. The cavity periphery is so designed, however, that the ball in spinning thereabout does not engage said ribs.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, simplicity of operation and use, and the provision of a toy having attraction and charm for people of all ages.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appear in the course of the specification, reference will be had to the drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a chance toy embodying the present invention, and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken on line II-II of FIG. 1.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the drawing, and the numeral 2 applies generally to the toy forming the subject matter of the present invention. It constitutes a flat circular disc having parallel faces, and the edge of which is rounded as indicated at 4.

atent C 'ice Although the specific diameter of the disc is not pertinent to the invention, a diameter of about three inches has been found to provide good handling and manipulation characteristics. A cavity 6 is formed in the disc, said cavity being circular and fiat, concentric with the disc, and with its plane parallel to the faces of the disc. Said cavity contains a small spherical ball 8 which is freely movable therein. The periphery of said cavity is semicircular in cross sectional contour, whereby to form a circular track 10 for the ball, the use of which will presently appear.

While the specific structure of the disc 2.is subject to considerable variation and is not pertinent to the invention, the disc is shown as being formed of a pair of circular plates 12 and '14 of transparent plastic or other suitable material through which ball 8 may be viewed from'either side of disc 2, plates 12 and 14 being cemented or otherwise fixed in a circular rim member 16, which may also be formed of plastic if desired, but which need not be transparent. Cavity 6 is formed by matching depressions in the adjacent faces of said plates. Sealed between plates 12 and 14, and viewable therethrough, is an annular card 18 concentric witth disc 2 and surrounding cavity 6. The face of the card shown in FIG. 1 is divided by radial lines 20 into a series of segmental panels, and in each of said panels a numeral 22 or other suitable indicia is imprinted. While the panels are shown as consecutively numbered from 1 to 6 inclusive, obviously other indicia could be imprinted thereon if desired. It will be understood that the opposite face of the card (not shown) is likewise divided into segments registering with those illustrated on the side shown, and also have numerals or other indicia imprinted in those segments. However, for a purpose which will presently appear, matching segments on the opposite sides of the card do not carry the same numeral. For example, the segment on the opposite side of the card from the illustrated segment bearing the numeral 6 may appear the numeral 1, opposite the 5 may appear the numeral 2, and so on.

The inner surfaces of the portions of plates 12 and 14 which constitute the planar circular walls of cavity 6 each have a series of straight raised ribs 24 formed thereon and preferably integrally therewith. Said ribs extend radially from the axis of the disc, and blend at their outer ends into the semi-circular curvature of track 10 at the periphery of the cavity. They divide the cavity Walls into segments corresponding to and registering with the segments of card 18, as shown. The distance between ribs 24 of the two plates, in a direction parallel to the axis of the disc, is greater than the diameter of ball 8, so that said ball may pass freely therebetween.

In use, the disc 2 is stood on edge on a table or other horizontal planar surface, and spun about an axis diametric to itself, in the same manner as a coin may be spun. As long as the disc remains upright on its edge, ball 8 remains in the lower portion of cavity 6. As the rate of spin slows, the disc gradually approaches a horizontal position with either of its faces uppermost, gyrat ing rapidly about its axis, and also turning more slowly about its own geometric axis, in the same manner that a coin or any other fiat disc will perform when spun in this manner. During the dying motion of the disc, its gyration and rotation about its axis causes ball 8 to spin or roll rapidly around the track 10, at a much greater rate of speed than the disc itself turns about its axis. During this motion of the ball, centrifugal force urges it outwardly and causes it to roll along the midline of the track, so that it does not engage ribs 24, but passes freely therebetween. This position of the ball is illustrated in a 3 dotted lines at 8' in FIG. 2. Furthermore, the ball will continue its motion around track 10 for some time after the disc has come to rest. Eventually the spinning ball slows, and the resultant lessening of centrifugal force allows it to roll downwardly from track it onto the flat surface of whichever of plates 12 or 14 is lowermost. There it immediately engages ribs 24 of that plate, and is thereby deflected or bounced about the cavity in a random, unpredictable manner until it comes to rest. When it does come to rest it will be disposed between a pair of ribs 24, in a segment corresponding to one of the segments of card 18, and the number imprinted in that card segment is of course the number determined by the total operation of the toy. 7

As has been stated, operation of the toy involves at least four separate though interrelated chance mechanisms or functions which in combination will defeat any attempt to control or affect the outcome by any manipulation, however skillful. The chance mechanisms or functions are as follows:

(1) The disc may come to rest with either of its faces uppermost, in the same manner that a coin similarly spun may come to rest with either heads or tails uppermost. In the present disc, the corresponding numerals on the opposite faces thereof do not register with each other. Hence, all other elements being equal, a different number will be indicated depending on which face of the disc is uppermost when it comes to rest.

(2) The disc turns around its own geometric axis, or about an axis perpendicular to the table, as it comes to rest. Since the extent and duration of this motion cannot be accurately controlled or forecast, this defeats any effort to control the outcome either by spinning the disc with a given numeral uppermost at the moment of spinning, or by spinning it on a surface which is slightly out of true horizontal.

(3) Ball 8 in whirling around track 10 completes many more revolutions than does the disc itself, and therefore rapidly traverses all of the numbered segments of card 18. Furthermore the duration and extent of the movement of the ball in track '10 cannot be accurately controlled or forecast.

aoearzo (4) The bouncing of the ball over ribs 24 during the final portion of its movement is very erratic and cannot be forecast or controlled. The ribs also will prevent the ball from rolling to the low side of the cavity, in the event the table surface is not precisely horizontal.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, it will nevertheless be readily apparent that many minor changes of structure and operation could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A chance toy comprising a fiat circular disc having parallel faces and having a flat circular cavity formed therein concentrically therewith and with its plane parallel to the faces of said disc and a spherical ball carried loosely in said cavity, the portion of said disc defining said cavity being transparent whereby said ball may be viewed from either face of said disc, and each of said disc being divided into a series of segmental panels each having a different indicium imprinted therein, the portions of said disc defining the opposite circular walls of said cavity each having a series of raised, radially extending ribs thereon, whereby said wall is divided into a series of segmental panels corresponding to and registering angularly with the segmental panels of said disc, the distance between corresponding ribs of said opposite Walls, in a direction normal to the plane of the disc, being greater than the diameter of said ball, the peripheral wall of said cavity being concave and having its plane of greatest diameter dis-posed midway between said walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 570,858 Waddel Nov. 3, 1896 658,097 Smith Sept. 18, 1900 938,509 Pullen Nov. 2, 1909 2,262,891 Gortner Nov. 18, 1941 2,546,441 Guthmann Mar. 27, 1951

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