US2784970A - Imitation football game - Google Patents

Description

March 12, 1957 L E. HEINER IMITATIONFOOTBALLGAME 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed July e. "1954.

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March I2, 1957 L.. E. HEINER IMITATION FOOTBALL GAME:

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United States Patent O 2,784,970 IMITATION FOOTBALL y GAME Laurence E. Heiner, San Francisco, Calif. Application July 6, 1954, Serial No. 441,343 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-94) '.llhe present invention relates to improvements in an imitation football game, and its principal object is to provide a game that may be played by two opposing parties substantially in accordance with the principles of a football game.

More particularly,

it is proposed to provide a panel divided by a median line to present two opposing play iields, with markings thereon representing strategic positions for men or play pieces to be used in the game, one of the fields presenting the offensive side and the other the defensive; and the offensive side being played with one man, and the defensive side with the regular football team of eleven men.

It is further proposed to provide a shield on the panel which conceals each field from the view of the opposing player, so that each of the players may position his man or men while unobserved by the other player.

It is additionally proposed to make the shield in the form of two foldable panel sections, which in one position serve as a fence between the two fields, and in another position overlie the fields and present legends evaluating the position of the men on the fields and indicating scores made by the players in positioning their respective men.

It is further contemplated to provide a base board for the panel and to provide yard lines on the base board along the edge of the panel with movable indicators showing the scores made and resulting scores of a number of plays, in accordance with common football practice.

And finally, it is proposed to make the panel structure reversible on the base board whenever the foot ball, as represented by the single man on the offensive side shifts to the other player under the rules of the game.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent as the specification proceeds, and the new and useful features of my game will be fully defined in the claims hereto attached.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 shows a top plan view of my game;

Figure 2, a section taken along line 2 2 of Figure l;

Figure 3, a section taken along line 3-=3 of Figure l;

Figure 4, a top plan view of the panel structure used in my game;

Figure 5, a top plan View of the main panel, with the shield removed;

Figure 6, a section taken along line 6-6 of Figure 5, with one shield section swung to an intermediate position;

Figure 7, a top plan View of a man or play piece used in -my invention;

Figure 8, a side View of the same;

Figure 9, a perspective View of `a ten yard marker used in my game; and

Figure 10, a perspective View of a down marker, used in my invention.

While I have shown only the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claims hereto attached, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my invention comprises in its principal features, a base board 1, a panel 2 slidable and reversible on the board, and `a second panel or shield 3 normally overlying the first panel.

The base board may be made of any suitable material, and is preferably formed with parallel side edges 4 and rounded end edges 5'. The lboard may be about three feet long and two feet wide, and has a central channel 6 extending from end to end, with raised rim sections 7 bordering the channel, the rim sections havingparallel inner edges 8.

One of the rim sections is used to provide two undercut grooves 9 and 10, one for accommodating the ten yard marker 12 and the other the down marker 11, both grooves running parallel to the inner edge of the rim section. The area controlled by the length of the grooves is divided into yard lines, beginning with 50 at the transverse center and graduated downward toward bothends, in accordance with practice followed |in laying out a football field. M f

The panel 2, shown in detail in Figure S, is slidable and reversible in the channel 6, and is of a width to fit between the rim sections 7, the panel having parallel side edges 13 and rounded end edges 14 and being somewhat shorter than the base board. f

The panel presents two play fields 15 and 16 on opposite sides of a median transverse line 17.

The left field has a line of circles 18 marked thereon in parallel relation to the `transverse median line 17, ten such circles being shown for the purpose of the present illustration. This field also has a number of additional circles 19 marked thereon rearwardly of Ithe line circles, carrying the legends Long pass to Gold Zone, Short pass to Blue Zone, Kick, Short pass to Red Zone, and Long pass toeWhite Zone, as shown in Figure 5.

Each of the circles carries a number, as shown, and the field carries the legends Place quarterback on any circle, and Numbers indicate amount of yards you may make.

The right field of the panel, as shown in Figure 5, has a similar line of circles 20 marked thereon adjacent to the median line 17 and six additional circles 21 behind the said line, in the backfield, with the notation No more than five men in the backfield. `Corresponding line circles in the two fields are interconnected by arrows indicated at 22.

It should be noted that none of the circles of one of the fields are made to register with any of the circles of the other field, which is of significance in the function of the second panel or shield 3.

This panel or shield 3 is of the same dimensions and shape as the first panel and is split along a median line to form two sections 23 and 24 (see Figure 4). The two sections are hingely connected along the median line, as at 25, and one of them is hingediy connected to the first panel along the median line 17, as shown at 26.

The hinge arrangement is such that the two sections may be made to lie flat on the first panel and may be swung into vertical position to form a barrier hiding each field of the first panel from View for the opponent playing the other field.

The second panel is formed with holes registering with the circles of the first panel when the second panel lies fiat on the first panel, the holes being marked 13', 19', 20 and 21. Since these holes register with the circles, none of the holes on one section of the second panel register with those of the other section, so that, when both sections are lifted to vertical position, lthey complete` 1y bar each play field on the first panel from the view of the opponent, thus allowing )each player to arrange his man or men on his play field unobserved by thepotherV First hole:

No man Gold Zone-18 yards One man incomplete Second hole:

No man Blue Zone- 16 yards One man Blue Zone- 8 yards Two men incomplete Third hole: Opposition gets ball on twenty yard line Fourth hole:

No man in Red Zone- 14 yards One man in Red Zonew7 yards Two men-incomplete Fifth hole:

No man in White Zone-30 yards One man-interception; opposition gets ball on scrimmage line The line holes on the second section 2d are also marked with certain scores, preceded by the letters C (covered) or NC (not covered); the upper one of the holes being marked, for instance: NC-8 yards gain, C-5 yards loss, indicating that when the player on the left field has placed his man on the circle to his extreme left, and the opponent has placed no man on his corresponding circle, the first player gains 8 yards; if the opponent has placed a man on the corresponding circle, the irst player loses five yards.

The right section 24 is also marked with areas of different colors; a blue area 3@ connecting two of the holes 21'; a red area 31 connecting two other holes, as shown; a gold area 32 being drawn about the fifth hole; and a white area 33 about the sixth hole.

The left section 23 of the upper panel is marked Offense, and the right section is marked Defense The player on the Olfense plays with a single man, and the player on the Defense with eleven men.

The men or play-pieces same shape, andvone of them is illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 as consisting of a frusto-conical block adapted for positioning on any one of the circles on the first panel and adapted to allow the corresponding hole in the second panel to telescope thereover.

The slide 11 (Figure l0) has a cube marker 35 revolvable thereon, the sides of the marker being identified by the numerals l-2-3-4, respectively.

The game is played by two players, one taking the Offense, and the other the Defense. Offense has one man at his disposal'and Defense has eleven men. The two panels may be centered with respect to the base board to bring the median line i7 opposite the SO-yard line.

To begin with, the two sections of the upper panel 3 are raised to vertical position, so as to bar each players iield from the view of the opponent. The slide if is placed opposite the 35-yard line, with the face marked l facing the playtield.

For `the rst play, Defense places his men on any circles he may choose on the defense panel, with a view, of course, of anticipating and blocking the move made by the opponent. Oifense decides to place his man on the left and circle of his line play.

The two upper panel sections are now lowered, and the results studied. The players note that the arrow 4from the position Oiense has chosen points toward the right 34- used in my game are of the end line circle of Defense. If this circle is covered by a man, Offense loses 5 yards; if not, Olfense gains 8 yards. Assuming that it is not covered, the cube marker 35 is moved 8 yards toward the Defense goal line, and the cube is turned so that the numeral 2 faces the playeld. It is now Second Down and 2 yards to go.

The play is resumed and the shields are raised to ver tical position.

On the second play, Defense rearranges his men in any suitable manner designed ,toY meet an anticipated play on the part of Odense. The latter places his man on Short Pass to Blue Zone, and the shields are lowered. The question is how well is the Blue Zone (30) of Defense covered. The instructions read: No man in Blue Zone- 16 yards; one man in Blue Zone- 8 yards; two menincomplete.

Assuming that there are two men in the Blue Zone, no yardage is gained or lost on this play, but a down is lost, and'l the cube marker is turned to No. 3, meaning it is now third down and 2 yards to go.

For the third play, the shields are lifted again, posi tions chosen, and the shields lowered for inspection. Offense has chosen a long pass from his right side. The instructions read: No man White Zone-30 yards; one man, interception; opposition gets ballon scrimmage line.

Assuming that Defense has placed a man on the white circle, the Defense gets the ball, 'the down marker is turned back to l, and the panel structure is lifted out of the base board and reversed. The opponent now has the ball and the game is resumed in the opposite direction.

Iclaim:

l. In a game of -the character described, panel, a second panel overlying the same, `the second panel being split intermediate the length thereof to form two sect-ions, and hinged connections at the split between the two sections and between `the sections and the first panel made to allow the -two sections to Abe swung into vertical position, the first panel having spaced markings thereon on opposite sides of the split for positioning men with respect thereto, and the second panel having holes therein registering with the markings when the sections are lowered upon the `first panel, and the holes in the t-wo sections of the second panel being positioned for non-registry when the sections are in vertical position to cause the ltwo sections to form a 4solid barrier across t-he iirst panel.

2. ln an imitation football game of the character described, a panel having a median line thereon to divide the same into two playfields, the panel having opposing lines of circles presented thereon in parallel rel-ation to `the median line and having additional circles back of said lines of circles, and a pair of shields hinged with respect to the median line of the panel for movement :etween ventical position and horizontal position, the shields having holes ytherein made to register with the circles when the shields occupy horizontal positions over the panel.

3. fln an imitation football game of the character described, a panel 4having a median l-ine thereon to divide the -sa-me into two playelds, the panel having opposing lines of circles presented thereon in parallel relation to the median line and having additional circles back of said lines of circles, 4and a pair of shields hinged with respect Ito the median line of the panel for movement between vertical position and horizontal position, the shields having holes therein made yto register with the circles when the shields occupy horizontal positions over the panel, the holes in the two shields being positioned for nonregistry when the shields are in vertical position.

4. in Ian imitation football game of the character de scribed, a panel having a median line thereon to divide the same into two playelds, the panel having opposing lines of circles presented thereon in parallel relation to the median line and having additional circles back of said lines of cir-cles, and a pair of shieldshinged with ref speot `to the median line of `the panel )for movement between vertical position and horizontal position, the shields having holes therein made to register with the circles when the shields looeupy horizontal position over lthe panel, the holes in the ltvvo shields being positioned for non-registry when the shields are in vertical position, and the shields having legends marked adjacent the holes evaluating the relative position of play pieces placed on the circles by opposing players.

:1,472,568 Seher Oct. 30, 1923 Wylie et al. May 22, 1928 Potter Apr. 25, 1933 Jackson Oct. 31, 1933 `Shepherd Apr. 22, 1941 Spause Nov. 30, 1948 Kobs Ian. 4, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Sept. 21, 1936

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