US3559993A

US3559993A - Stockmarket game and method

Info

Publication number: US3559993A
Application number: US762090A
Authority: US
Inventors: William J Thomas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-09-24
Filing date: 1968-09-24
Publication date: 1971-02-02
Anticipated expiration: 1988-02-02
Also published as: BR6912550D0

Abstract

A game is provided, whereby a plurality of persons may play in a simulated stockmarket atmosphere, towards the accumulation of profit, utilizing elements of chance and elements of skills. The game includes buying and selling sheets, each having indicia thereon, a board having indicia thereon related to the buying and selling sheets, a set of darts for use in selecting the indicia on the board, a set of dice and two sets of cards having additional interrelated indicia thereon.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor William J. Thomas 447 Manorview Ave., Mount Pocono, Pa. 18344 [21] Appl. No. 762,090 [22] Filed Sept. 24, 1968 [45] Patented Feb. 2, 1971 [54] STOCKMARKET GAME AND METHOD 4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 273/95, 273/ 1 35 [51] Int. Cl A63b 65/00 [50] Field of Search 273/95, 135(C),(1nquired) [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,039,352 5/1936 Ross 3,107,097 /1963 Warden 3,163,424 12/1964 Lindsey Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Marion Siskind Attorney-Paul & Paul ABSTRACT: A game is provided, whereby a plurality of persons may play in a simulated stockmarket atmosphere, towards the accumulation of profit, utilizing elements of chance and elements of skills. The game includes buying and selling sheets, each having indicia thereon, a board having indicia thereon related to the buying and selling sheets, a set of darts for use in selecting the indicia on the board, a set of dice and two sets of cards having additional interrelated indicia thereon.

STOCK EXCHANGE Trading for April 1, I949 AHBUTT LABS l6 GUMBALL CO- ACNE BROS- 37 GULF CORP.

AHBUTT LABS 32 ACNE BROSv 16 BACKSTI 2 FlREBONE C0. 23 SHINLEY CORR FIXBORO INST. STEADYBAKER GUMBALL CO. GULP CORP.

STOCK EXCHANGE Trading for April 1, I959 AHBUTT LABS 42 GJMBALL CO. ACNE BROS. GULP CORP.

STOCK EXCHANGE Truilng for April 1, I950 AHBUTT LABS 47 GUMBALL CO I ACNE BROS. l6 GULP CORP. 99 BACKSTIR 1 FIREBONE CO- 57 FIXEORO INST. 89

SHINLEY CORR 27 STEADYBAKER I01 PATENIED FEB SHEET 1 OF 2 ExTRA AT SPLlT SPLIT MERGER DIVIDEND MARKET 3:1 3:2

SPLIT STOCK SOLD EXTRA SPLIT SOLD E 3:2 DIVIDEND SHORT DIVIDEND 312' SHORT SPLIT MER ER SPLIT -AT EXTRA & 2:1 6 3:1 MARKET DIVIDEND I c STOCK SPLIT SOLD SPLIT MERGER DIVIDEND 3:1 SHORT \s 2:1 ii SPL sTocK AT SPLIT SOLD SPLIT 2:1 DIVIDEND MARKET 3:2 SHORT 3:1 W

STOCK SPLIT STOCK AT DIVIDEND MERGER 3:2 DIVIDEND MARKET STOCK EXCHANGE Trading for April 1, I949 AHBUTT LABS l6 GUMBALL co. 99 Ac E BRos. 37 GULP coRR 59 STOCK EXCHANGE Trading for April 1, i940 AHBUTT LABS 32 GUMBALL CO. 87 ACNE BROS. l6 GULP CORP. 50 A BACKSTIR M FIREBONE CO. 23 SHINLEY CORP. I 68 FIXBORO INST. 45 STEADYBAKER 56 Trading for April 1, I959 STOCK EXCHANGE AHBUTT LAB ACNE BROS.

29 sTocK EXCHANGE 57 Trading for April 1, i950 AHBUTT LABS 47 GUMBALL ca 46 INVENTOR' AcNE BROS. l6 GULP CORP. 99 B Thomas,

BACKSTMW BY FlREBONE co. 5? SHINLEY CORP. 27 M r'fiw FIXBORO INST. 89 lOl STEADYBAKER ATTORNEYS.

PATENTED FEB 2197: 9559993 SHEET 2 OF 2 STOCK EXCHANGE Trading for April 1, I943 a Q AHBUTT LABS e9 GUMBALL co. 45 I ACNE BROS. 55 GULP CORP! I6 BMW FIXBORO INST I 26 STEADYBAKER 88 W 3 STOCK EXCHANGE L v Trading for April 1, I958 AHBUTT LABS l8 GUMBALL co. 40 Q ACNE BROS- 55 GULP CORP. .86 BACKSTIR LABS 22 sumam r [FIXBORO INST 55 STEADYBAKER 93 E AT MARKET STOCK DIVIDEND/ EXTRA DIVIDEND SOLD SHORT A Fly. 2

iNVENTOR.

ATTOR N EYS William J. Thomas I STOCKMARKET GAME AND METHOD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION With increased economic productivity, more and more people are becoming engaged in stock market pursuits, both from investment and from speculation standpoints. As people become more conversant with stock market language, games are and have been developed for purposes of entertainment, such games having stock market environments.

Generally, it has been the practice, that such games have been limited in that, the determination of a winner has generally been dependent entirely upon chance, without the introduction into the game of an element dependent upon a players skill, in which a skill of some sort may be developed by a player and interjected into the game in order to maintain the game at a maximum level of interest by each player.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention is directed toward providing a stock market game, wherein an element of chance, such as the throw of dice may be used to select stock buy and sell values, for example by selecting the buy and sell years for a given stock, and wherein a given stock transaction may be further affected by an element of skill, for example the use of projectiles, such as a dart, thrown to strike a divided surface, such as a dart board. The divisions in the divided surface may comprise zones which carry information or instructions regarding the further disposition or the transaction, indifferent degrees of complexity, either by giving complete information in the zones themselves, or by reference to another means, for example a deck of cards, having randomly arranged instructions to interject another element of chance into the game.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a novel stock market game utilizing elements of chance and elements of skill.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel stock market game, wherein stock market sheets are provided, 40

indicating various values for stocks, in various years, and wherein the buy and sell years may be selected by means of dice with the striking of a dart board by a dart indicating the further disposition of the stock.

It is another object of this invention to accomplish the above object, wherein at least one of the alternative or further dispositions of the stock is determined by reference to a deck of randomly arranged cards.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following brief description of the drawing FIGS. detailed description of the preferred embodiment, and the appended claims.

IN THE DRAWINGS In FIG. 1 there are illustrated all of the elements necessary to play the stock market game of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of the manner in which a player would complete one sequence of play with the various elements illustrated in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, reference is first made to FIG. 1, wherein there are illustrated a plurality of stock exchange buy" quotation sheets, collectively designated by the letter A, a plurality of stock exchange sell quotation sheets, generally designated by the letter B, a pair of dice designated by the letter C, a dart board D, a pair of darts E, a deck of"merger cards F, and a deck ofcrash" cards G.

The stock exchange buy quotation sheets A generally comprise ten sheets, numbered consecutively, for a given date over a period of years, for example, indicating stock quotations for the date Apr. 1 of the years 1940 through 1949 Each such quotation sheet would list the various stocks which are used with the game, such as Ahbutt Labs, Acne Bros, Backstir, etc. along with the given dollar value of the stock for that date, with the dollar value for a given stock in each of the years 1940 through 1949, preferably differing.

The stock exchange sellquotation sheets B are arranged generally similar to the sheets A, but would cover the years 1950 through 1959, along with the dollar value quotations of each of the stocks for the date Apr. 1 of the associated year, with such values either increasing or decreasing as the years vary.

Thus, a given stock such as e.g., Ahbutt Labs may vary, either by increasing, decreasing, or some combination of the two, throughout the years 1940 through 1949, and will also generally vary throughout the years 1950 through 1959, in a predetermined manner.

The dice C would generally comprise two die, each with six surfaces, to comprise a cube, with the surfaces of each die having a number of dots'thereon varying from one dot to six dots. By using two such die, various combinations extending from two dots to 12 dots may be obtained.

The dart board D may be arranged as a rectangle, divided, for example, in'36 zones of equivalent area, with the zones indicating various indicia in the form of instructions, to indicate merger, extra dividend, at market, split 3:1, split 3:2, split 2: 1, crash, stock dividend, sold short, and the like. The board D would generally comprise a hard backing, such as wood, with a zone-indicating surface constructed of a softer material, such as cork, to facilitate the entry of darts E therein. Also, the horizontal and vertical lines separating the various indicia-indicating zones may comprise permanent separations, such as wire or the like, if desired.

The darts E are generally used in pairs, in that it is desirable that each player would receive two turns or throwsof the darts.

The darts E may be of conventional construction, having steel tips and feathered trailing ends, or any other such construction that would enable a player to grasp a dart E and throw the same in the direction of the dart board D.

The group of merger cards F may be arranged in the form of an ordinary deck of cards, but preferably each card should bear the indicia merger" on one side, in order to distinguish them from other cards, and should bear on the opposite side the name of one of the various stock companies listed on the exchange quotation sheets A and B in order to indicate to a player the name of the new company with which his company is being merged.

The crash deck of cards G are also randomly arranged, each card bearing the indicia crash in order to enable accumulation of the same in a deck, and each card also bearing an instruction indicating the final condition of the market, in instances when the market would be in trouble, such as, the stock falling 10 points, a company going bankrupt and paying of stockholders only 10 cents on the dollar, etc,

In order to play the game, a group of players, for example four, will, in turn, select buy years from 1940 to 1949, by rolling the dice. Each player, then in turn, will select a given stock for the year which he has selected by his throw of the dice. For example, if the number 5 is the total rolled on the dice, the quotations for the year 1945 would be used in selecting a stock. If the number 10 were rolled on the dice, the year 1940 would be used. Similarly, the dice number 11 would require the use of the year 1941, and a dice number of 2 would require the use of the year 1942 for purposes of stock selection, as would a dice reading of the number 12 It is to be noted, that each player has the option of selecting a given number or lot size, e.g. shares of any stock from one of the preselected buy sheets regardless of the cost of the 100 shares.

Each player, then in turn, would return the quotation sheet to one of the players who would act as a broker and would again roll the dice to select a sell year. The buy and sell prices for each player are recorded by the broker on an exchange board, which, may preferably comprise a blackboard and chalk or the like, or even a pencil and paper with the broker performing the necessary computations to keep a running score of the stock profits and losses for each player.

After the profit or loss of a given players transaction following his. purchase and sale of a stock is known according to the years determined by the dice C, each player, then in turn, is allowed two throws of the darts E at the board D. If two misses are made, the stock sale is not completed and the amount paid for the stock is shown as a loss in the player's account by the broker. Should one of the darts E strike a zone of the board D, the first such dart to strike such a zone will give further instructions regarding the disposition of the sale or transaction.

The particular zone struck by a dart E indicates the final sales disposition to be recorded by the broker, with respect to that transaction of a particular player, as follows. If the dart E struck a zone indicated at market" the sale price determined by the sell" quotation sheet would remain in effect. Should the dart strike a zone indicated by the indicia crash, this. would indicate .that the market is in trouble, whereupon the player thus throwing the dart would select the to card from a shuffled deck of crash" cards G, with a card thus selected indicating the final condition, such as a drop in the market of l points for all stocks held, etc.

Should one of the zones marked extra dividend" be struck by a dart E, 50 dollars may be added to the sale price, if the sell" year is prior to 1955, and 100 dollars may be added to the sale price ifthe sell year is 1955 of after.

Should a merger" zone be struck by a dart E, this would indicate that the stock has been purchased by another company,

merger has fallen through and a penalty should be provided, such as the subtraction of 100 dollars from that player's account.

Should a zone indicated sold short be struck by a dart [3:

this would reverse a profit or loss previously attained by virtue years.

Should the dart E strike one of the zones indicated split", the player will then have an increased number of shares, as

determined by the type of split, to sell at the selling price for the stock sell year previously selected. For example, a 3:2 split would mean that a previously held 100 shares worth, for-- example, 47 dollars each, could now be sold as 150 shares also at 47 dollars each. Similarly, a 2:1 split would give the player 200 shares to sell, and a 3:1 split would give the player 300 shares to sell, both of the above assuming an original 100 shares held by the player.

Should the zone indicated as stock dividend" be struck by a dart E, the player so striking such a zone would receive 10 times the number thrown on the dice in stock to add to the 100 shares being sold, or another such bonus arrangement.

The game may be preferably continued in cycles of buying and selling 100 share blocks of stock until one player reaches a predetermined value, for example that of 100,000 dollars, in his net profits account as determinedby the broker. Should more than one player reach this sum in the same number of.

turns, the player with the highest total of net cash profit may.

win. It will further be apparent that shorter games may be played, such as by limiting the game to 5 or turns or cycles, or even by setting a predetermined timelimit. Furthermore, if in selecting stock exchange quotation sheets A, two or more players select the same buy year, it may be advisable to have the second player making such a selection make another selection, in order that no two players would be playing in the same year.

Still additional limitationsmay be placed upon the games such as by using a rule such that any playerwho is unfortunate enough to lose 50,000 dollars may be considered bankrupt and disqualified from additional investments.

of the difference between the stock values of the buy and sell I It will be apparent from the foregoing, that. various modifi cations may be made in the details of construction of the vari-, ous game elements, as well asin the layout, and in the mannerof playing with the same, all within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: 1. A game whereby a plurality of players can simulate stock market transactions. comprising:

a. a plurality of stock exchange "buy quotation sheets consecutively numbered to correspond to a given date over a period of years, each sheet having indicia thereon identifying a plurality of corporations and a purchase price of the stock of each corporation at that date; a plurality of stock exchange fsell" quotation sheets con-.

secutively numbered to correspond to .a given date over a period of years, each sheet having indicia thereon identifying a plurality of corporations and a sale. price of the stock of each corporation at that date;

c. a pairof dice having indicia thereon for selection of the buy" and sell' stock quotation sheets by number value corresponding to the year on said sheets upon rolling said dice;

indicating transactions to be made with the stocks of the. corporations on said buy" and sell quotation sheets; and

being adapted for being thrown at said dart board and sticking therein in one of the zones thereof whereby in-..

dicia are selected to instruct the player throwing said dart as to what transaction should be made with his stocks. The invention of claim 1 wherein:

a. aplurality of merger cards are provided each bearing the name ofat least one of said corporations listed on the.

exchange quotation sheets;

secutively numbered to correspond to a given date over a period of years, each sheet having indicia thereon identifying a plurality of corporations and a purchase price of the stock of each corporation at that date; a plurality of stock. exchange sell quotation sheets consecutively numbered to correspond to a given date over a period of .years, each sheet having indicia thereon identifying a plurality of corporations and a sale price of the stock of each corporation at that date; a pair of dice having indicia thereon for selection of the buy.. and

sell" stock quotation sheets by number value corresponding to the .year on said. sheets upon rolling said dice; a dart board di. vided into zones having instruction indicia indicating transactions to be made with the stocks of the corporations on said.- buy and sell quotation sheets; and, a pairof darts for use with said dart board, said darts being adapted for being thrownat said dart board and sticking therein in one of the zones thereof whereby indicia are selected to instruct the player; throwing said dart as to what transaction should bemadewith,

his stocks; comprising thesteps of? a. throwing the dice to select a "buy" year for. stock and,

drawing the buy" quotation sheet for that year, selecting a stock from that quotation sheetanddetermining the) buying price of that stock from the quotation sheetv and.

recording said buying price and stock;

b. throwing the dice to select a selling year for the stock and;-

selecting the. sell quotation sheet for that :year and determining the. selling ,price for that stock for that year and recording that selling price;

. a dart board dividedinto zones having instruction indicia v a pair of .darts for use with said dart board, said darts a plurality of .crash cards are provided each bearing instruction indicia indicating the final condition of the.,,.

c. throwing a dart at the dart board to select an instruction regard to a stock transaction; said dart board having merger" and crash indicia thereon whereby upon selection of said last mentioned indicia by having a dart thrown into the zone containing said indicia the player so throwing the dart is instructed to draw the corresponding merger" or crash" card and carry out the instructions thereon with respect to his stock.

3 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, D d February 2,

Inventor-( WILLIAM J. THOMAS It is certified that error appears in the above-identified pateni and thac said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1 line 36 after "inarket" insert the word --quotation--.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of June 1971.

EDWARD M.FLETGHER,JH.

Commissioner of Patent 'Attesting Officer

Claims

1. A game whereby a plurality of players can simulate stock market transactions, comprising: a. a plurality of stock exchange ''''buy'''' quotation sheets consecutively numbered to correspond to a given date over a period of years, each sheet having indicia thereon identifying a plurality of corporations and a purchase price of the stock of each corporation at that date; b. a plurality of stock exchange ''''sell'''' quotation sheets consecutively numbered to correspond to a given date over a period of years, each sheet having indicia thereon identifying a plurality of corporations and a sale price of the stock of each corporation at that date; c. a pair of dice having indicia thereon for selection of the ''''buy'''' and ''''sell'''' stock quotation sheets by number value corresponding to the year on said sheets upon rolling said dice; d. a dart board divided into zones having instruction indicia indicating transactions to be made with the stocks of the corporations on said ''''buy'''' and ''''sell'''' quotation sheets; and e. a pair of darts for use with said dart board, said darts being adapted for being thrown at said dart board and sticking therein in one of the zones thereof whereby indicia are selected to instruct the player throwing said dart as to what transaction should be made with his stocks.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein: a. a plurality of ''''merger'''' cards are provided each bearing the name of at least one of said corporations listed on the exchange quotation sheets; b. a plurality of ''''crash'''' cards are provided each bearing instruction indicia indicating the final condition of the stock market with regard to a stock transaction; and c. said dart board has ''''merger'''' and ''''crash'''' indicia thereon whereby upon selection of said last mentioned indicia by having a dart thrown into the zone containing said indicia, the player so throwing the dart is instructed to draw the corresponding ''''merger'''' or ''''crash'''' card and carry out the instructions thereon with respect to his stock.

3. A method of playing a simulated stock market game, having a plurality of stock exchange ''''buy'''' quotation sheets consecutively numbered to correspond to a given date over a period of years, each sheet having indicia thereon identifying a plurality of corporations and a purchase price of the stock of each corporation at that date; a plurality of stock exchange ''''sell'''' quotation sheets consecutively numbered to correspond to a given date over a period of years, each sheet having indicia thereon identifying a plurality of corporations and a sale price of the stock of each corporation at that date; a pair of dice having indicia thereon for selection of the ''''buy'''' and ''''sell'''' stock quotation sheets by number value corresponding to the year on said sheets upon rolling said dice; a dart board divided into zones having instruction indicia indicating transactions to be made with the stocks of the corporations on said ''''buy'''' and ''''sell'''' quotation sheets; and a pair of darts for use with said dart board, said darts being adapted for being thrown at said dart board and sticking therein in one of the zones thereof whereby indicia are selected to instruct the player throwing said dart as to what transaction should be made with his stocks; comprising the steps of: a. throwing the dice to select a ''''buy'''' year for stock and drawing the ''''buy'''' quotation sheet for that year, selecting a stock from that quotation sheet and determining the buying price of that stock from the quotation sheet and recording said buying price and stock; b. throwing the dice to select a selling year for the stock and selecting the sell quotation sheet for that year and determining the selling price for that stock for that year and recording that selling price; c. throwing a dart at the dart board to select an instruction to indicate a stock transaction; and d. making said transaction by recording the value thereof upon carrying out said last-mentioned instruction.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said game includes a plurality of ''''merger'''' cards, each bearing the name of at least one of said corporations listed on the exchange quotation sheets; a plurality of ''''crash'''' cards, each bearing instruction indicia indicating the final condition of the stock market with regard to a stock transaction; said dart board having ''''merger'''' and ''''crash'''' indicia thereon whereby upon selection of said last mentioned indicia by having a dart thrown into the zone containing said indicia, the player so throwing the dart is instructed to draw the corresponding ''''merger'''' or ''''crash'''' card and carry out the instructions thereon with respect to his stock.