WO2000027491A1

WO2000027491A1 - Randomly openable game apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2000027491A1
Application number: PCT/GB1999/003696
Authority: WO
Inventors: Edmund Neil Swaile
Original assignee: Edmund Neil Swaile
Priority date: 1998-11-09
Filing date: 1999-11-09
Publication date: 2000-05-18
Also published as: AU1168800A; GB2343382A; GB2343382B; GB9824489D0

Abstract

A randomly openable game apparatus for use in a game in which an item contained within the apparatus cannot be obtained until a ball is dropped into the correct one of a number of tubular ducts. The apparatus consists of a pair of hinged shells (17, 18) that can be opened only when a ball (20) enters the apparatus through a duct (21) and hits the trigger (30) of a releasing mechanism. The trigger can move independently of the catch (23), allowing it to rest beneath a random duct (21). If the ball is placed in the duct with the trigger beneath it, the weight of the ball on the trigger will lever the catch (23) to release the shell (18), revealing an item contained within the shells.

Description

RANDOMLY QPENABLE GAME APPARATUS

This invention relates to randomly openable game apparatus. A randomly openable game apparatus can be used for playing a game in which an item contained within the apparatus cannot be obtained until a correct triggering mechanism is operated. Thus such an apparatus allows players in a game an opportunity of attempting to open the apparatus by selecting a trigger mechanism in the hope this will allow them to obtain the item contained within the apparatus. Therefore, according to the present invention there is provided a randomly openable game apparatus comprising: first and second container portions hinged together to define a chamber, the second portion being moveable with respect to the first portion from a closed position where removal of an object within the chamber is prevented, and an open position where removal of an object is permitted; a catch to hold the second portion in the closed position; a plurality of tubular apertures leading into the chamber; and a releasing mechanism arranged to release the catch to allow movement of the second portion to the open position, the releasing mechanism being randomly movable for association with any one of the tubular apertures, whereby an object introduced to the chamber through a tubular aperture either will pass freely into the chamber or will strike the releasing mechanism to free the catch.

Preferably, a ball is used as the object to be dropped through a tubular aperture of the apparatus. In this case, the releasing mechanism may comprise a trigger for randomly positioning in the path of the ball passing into the chamber, which trigger is operatively connected to the catch. Each tubular aperture is preferably in the form of a duct cranked along its length, so as to prevent direct sighting of the position of the trigger, thereby preventing cheating by a player.

The random positioning of the trigger may preferably be achieved by mounting the trigger for lateral sliding movement within the chamber across the inner ends of the apertures. This may conveniently be achieved by mounting the trigger on at least one guide for lateral sliding movement, across the apertures. The trigger may advantageously be provided with at least one roller arranged to run along the length of the guide. Random positioning of the trigger may be achieved by tipping or moving the apparatus from side to side, so causing the trigger to run along the guide.

It is further preferred that biasing means are provided to retain the trigger at a position where it is associated with a randomly-selected tubular aperture, until the trigger is randomly repositioned for association with an aperture. Such biasing means may comprise raised and lowered portions alternating along the length of a guide along which the trigger may run, so that in use the trigger tends to remain at a lowered part where it is in the path of a ball passing into the chamber. The trigger may be provided with a weight, which urges the trigger to remain at a lowered part of the guide.

The catch may be pivoted on the first container portion to be engageable with an abutment provided on the second container portion. Preferably the guide is secured to the catch for pivoting movement therewith, whereby movement of the trigger caused by an object falling through the correct aperture and striking the trigger will pivot the catch.

Preferably, the catch operates automatically to retain the second container portion in the closed position, when the second portion is moved there from the open position. In order to prevent the catch from becoming incorrectly positioned, and so unable automatically to hold the second container portion, a stop is advantageously provided to retain the catch at a position ready to engage the second container portion.

Objects introduced into the apparatus must be held therein until the apparatus is opened. A compartment may be provided in the chamber for receiving both an item to be retrieved from the chamber and also for receiving objects introduced through the apertures, with the intention of releasing the second container portion.

Also, it may from time to time be necessary temporarily to prevent the apparatus from opening despite possible releasing of the catch. For this purpose, a removable or releasable locking device may be arranged to hold the second portion in its closed position. The second container portion may be hinged in such a way that when released, it opens under gravity, but this may not always be possible or feasible. For such a case, it is preferred that the first portion is urged by a spring towards its open position. The apparatus of this invention may form part of some other game and may be directly associated with a board used in that other game. Consequently the first container portion may be connected to a stand to support the apparatus in an operative position, and in such a case the stand may be configured so as to be attachable to a game board of that other game. By way of example only, the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of the apparatus, having first and second shells which together define a container, shown in the closed position; Figure 2 is similar to Figure 1 , but with the second shell in the open position;

Figure 3 is a front view of the apparatus of Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figures 1 and 2, with the second shell in the open position; Figure 5 is a section on line A-B indicated on Figure 3, showing details of the interior of the apparatus;

Figure 6 is a front view on the apparatus, with the second shell removed for clarity;

Figure 7 is a horizontal section on line E-F, marked on Figure 5; Figure 8 is a view similar to that of Figure 5 but showing the entry of a ball into the apparatus and depressing the trigger ;

Figure 9 is a plan view of a second embodiment of apparatus of the invention, with the movable shells open;

Figure 10 is a plan view of a third embodiment of apparatus, again with the movable shells open;

Figure 11 shows on an enlarged scale a modified form of trigger assembly; and Figure 12 is a section taken on line G-H marked on Figure 11. Referring initially to Figures 1 to 8, there is shown a first embodiment of randomly openable game playing apparatus of this invention. This comprises a base 15 from which upstands an arm 16 supporting a first shell 17 to the lower region of which is hinged a second shell 18 movable between a closed position, shown in Figure 1, and an open position, shown in Figure 2. When in its closed position, the two shells 17 and 18 define a closed container in which may be positioned an item to be retrieved from the container, when the second shell is moved to its open position. Internally of the container, there is a catch mechanism 19 which serves to retain the second shell 18 in its closed position until that mechanism is released. This may be done by dropping a ball 20 through a chosen duct 21, there being in this embodiment three such ducts. A trigger is randomly associated with only one of those ducts and dropping a ball 20 through that duct strikes the trigger to release the catch mechanism 19. A ball dropped through either of the other two ducts simply falls to the bottom of the container. Each duct is cranked as shown, to prevent a line of sight from outside the container to the trigger mechanism.

The catch mechanism comprises a catch member 23 pivoted at its upper end to a lug 24 formed internally within the first shell 17, at the front thereof below the central duct 21. The catch member 23 has a hook 25 at its lower end engageable with a bar 26 extending across the second shell 18, internally between the sides thereof. The external surface of the catch member at the hook is suitably profiled so that on movement of the second shell towards its closed position, the bar 26 engages that external surface to move the catch member upwardly until the hook may drop behind the bar 26. In this way, the catch member engages with and holds the bar, to retain the second shell in its closed position. A stop 27 is provided as a part of the lug 24, to prevent the catch member 23 pivoting in the clockwise sense (in Figure 5) beyond the position shown, when the second shell 18 is in its open position.

The lower region of the catch member 23 is formed to provide a rail 28 extending transversely across the first shell 17, below the lug 24, the rail 28 having a central slot 29 extending therealong. A trigger 30 is provided with a pair of rollers 31 arranged to run on the rail 28, one to each side of the slot 29. A weight 32 is suspended from the trigger 30 by an arm 33 projecting through the slot 29 and secured to the trigger. In its normal position, shown in Figure 5, the trigger 30 projects laterally from the rail 28, so as to underlie the outlet end 34 of one of the ducts 21 , so as to be engaged by a ball dropped into that duct, as shown in Figure 8. The weight of the ball causes the catch member 23 to pivot in a counter-clockwise direction, so releasing the bar 26 from the hook 25 of the catch member and allowing the second shell to move to its open position, shown in Figures 2 and 4.

The upper surface 36 of the rail 28, along which the rollers 31 run has an undulating profile, with the lowest parts 37 beneath the outlet ends 34 of the ducts 21 and the highest parts 38 mid-way between those outlet ends. Thus, as shown in Figure 6, the rollers 31 will be biased towards the lowest parts, where the trigger 30 is below an outlet end of one of the ducts 21.

The trigger 30 is randomly positioned along the length of the rail 28, but in one of the lowest parts 37, by rocking the container from side to side, so causing the trigger to roll along the rail. Alternatively, the trigger may be randomly positioned by moving the entire container generally horizontally from side to side, with a sufficient degree of vigorousness to cause the trigger to roll along the rail, in a random way.

Objects dropped through a duct not associated for the time being with the trigger 30 will fall to the lower region of the container. When an object is dropped through the duct having the trigger immediately therebelow, the trigger will move the catch member 23 so freeing the second shell 18 to drop downwardly and open the container. Objects in the bottom of the container will drop into the second shell 18. A compartment wall 39 is provided in the second shell, so as to keep those objects in the region of the second shell nearest its hinged connection to the first shell. The central opening 21 has a bore 41 through its lower surface, there being a recess 42 in the second shell 18, immediately below the bore 41. A peg may pass through the bore 41 to engage the recess 42 and so hold the second shell 18 in its closed position irrespective of release of the catch mechanism.

Figure 9 shows a second embodiment of randomly openable apparatus similar to the first embodiment described above, but having two second shells 45, each pivoted to a first shell 46 and movable between open positions (shown in Figure 9) and closed positions where the first shell and two second shells together define a closed container. A double catch mechanism 47 is provided in the first shell 46, to retain the two second shells in their closed positions but which may be released by a single trigger in the manner described above with reference to the first embodiment. As the second shells are pivoted about generally vertical axes, springs (not shown) may be provided to urge the second shells to their open positions, when released.

Figure 10 shows a third embodiment which differs from that of Figures 1 to 8 in that it is of a generally cubic shape and has a first shell 49 to which are hinged three second shells 50 each of rectangular cross-section, when open as shown in Figure 10. The catch mechanism 51 has individual hooks 52 each engageable with a respective bar 53 in each second shell, whereby all of the second shells may be released simultaneously, to open and expose an item contained within the shells. Figures 11 and 12 show an alternative trigger arrangement to that shown in Figures 5 and 6. Here, the rail 55 has an upstanding side plate 56 in which is formed a slot 57 through which trigger 58 projects, the trigger carrying a single roller 59. The slot 57 is of an undulating form, so that the trigger 58 will be biased towards a lowest portion 60 thereof and so be retained in a random position beneath an outlet end of a duct, as has been described above.

Though in the described embodiments the catch mechanism is located in the upper portion of the container defined by the first and second shells, it will be appreciated that the catch mechanism could be located centrally or in a lower region, the ducts then being extended downwardly to the appropriate level for releasing the trigger. Also, instead of the mechanical catch mechanism described particularly with reference to Figures 1 to 8, a magnetic catch arrangement could be employed. In this case, the trigger would serve to lever apart the two elements of the magnetic catch, to such an extent that the magnetic force could no longer hold the second shell in its closed position.

In Figures 1 to 9 the containers defined by the shells are generally spherical, and in Figure 10 the container is generally of a cuboid shape. The invention is not limited to these shapes and various other container shapes may be employed. Moreover, though in Figures 1 to 9 three ducts 21 for objects are shown, and in Figure 10 four such ducts, other greater numbers of ducts may be provided, to decrease the likelihood of the choosing of the correct duct to open the container.

Claims

1. Randomly openable game apparatus comprising: first and second container portions hinged together to define a chamber, the second portion being moveable with respect to the first portion from a closed position where removal of an object within the chamber is prevented, and an open position where removal of an object is permitted; a catch to hold the second portion in the closed position; a plurality of tubular apertures leading into the chamber; and a releasing mechanism arranged to release the catch to allow movement of the second portion to the open position, the releasing mechanism being randomly movable for association with any one of the tubular apertures, whereby an object introduced to the chamber through a tubular aperture either will pass freely into the chamber or will strike the releasing mechanism to free the catch.

2. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the releasing mechanism comprises a trigger for random positioning in the path of an object entering the chamber, which trigger is operatively connected to the catch.

3. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein biasing means are provided to urge the trigger to a position where the trigger is associated with a randomly selected aperture.

4. Game apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the catch is pivoted to the first container portion and is engageable with an abutment provided on the second container portion.

5. Game apparatus as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the trigger is mounted for lateral sliding movement within the chamber, across the openings.

6. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the trigger is provided with at least one roller arranged to run along the length of a guide provided within the first container portion.

7. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 4 and in either claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the guide is secured to the catch for pivoting movement therewith, whereby movement of the trigger caused by an object entering the container will pivot the catch.

8. Game apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the surface of the guide has an undulating upper surface along its length, so that the trigger is biased to rest only in a randomly selected lower portion of that surface, in the path of an object passing into the chamber.

9. Game apparatus as claimed in any of claims 2 to 8, wherein the trigger is provided with a weight.

10. Game apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein each tubular aperture is cranked, to prevent sight of the trigger position therethrough.

11. Game apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the first container portion is connected to a stand to support the apparatus in an operative position.

12. Game apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein a stop is provided to maintain the catch correctly positioned to engage with the second container portion, when moved from its open position to its closed position.

13. Game apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein a compartment is provided in the chamber for the containment of an object in a specific part of the chamber.

14. Game apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein a removable locking device is provided to prevent movement of the second portion to its open position.

15. Game apparatus as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the second container portion is urged by a spring to move to its open position, when released.