US3834707A

US3834707A - Magnetic game

Info

Publication number: US3834707A
Application number: US00431203A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Birkett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-01-07
Filing date: 1974-01-07
Publication date: 1974-09-10
Anticipated expiration: 1991-09-10

Abstract

A magnetic game comprising a board of non-magnetic material having a flat upper surface. A plurality of spaced apart pins of ferrous material are secured to the board and protrude above the upper surface of the board. A first and second magnetic disc each having a known polar disposition whereby said discs will repel each other when brought in close proximity to each other. Pusher means are provided for restraining and moving one of the discs on the board upper surface whereby to cause the other disc to be repelled and displaced on the flat surface.

Description

United States Patent Birkett Sept. 10, 1974 MAGNETIC GAME [76] lnVeniOl'Z Ralph 11. Birkett, 1030 4111 Ave., W 9' ,Oechsle M omre al 204, Quebec, Canada Asszstant Exammer-Theatr1ce Brown [22] Filed: Jan. 7, 1974 57 ABSTRACT pp 431,203 A magnetic game comprising a board of non-magnetic material having a flat upper surface. A plurality of 52 us. 01 273 126 A Spaced apart Pins of ferrous material are Secured i51i 1m. c1. A6It 3/00 the board and protrude PPer Surface of of Search U R A l A board. A first and SECOI'ld magnetic diSC each having a 273 9 A 120 A 12 122 A 123 A known polar dlSPOSitlOI'l whereby said diSCS Will repel 124 125 1 46/236 each other when brought in close proximity to each other. Pusher means are provided for restraining and [56] References Cited moving one of the discs on the board upper surface whereby to cause the other disc to be repelled and dis- UNITED STATES PATENTS placed on the flat surface. 2,665,912 1/1954 .Iuran 273/1 M x 0 3,214,171 l0/l965 Luchsinger 273/1 M x 10 Claims, 2 g; Figures MAGNETIC GAME BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Field of Invention This invention relates to a magnetic game and more particularly to a game in which a magnetic disc is displaced on a board by a further magnetic disc of like polar disposition, whereby one of the discs must be guided between spaced apart pins of ferrous material.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION It is a feature of the present invention to provide a magnetic game which may be played by people of all ages as it does not require any special skills for execution.

It is a further feature of the present invention to provide a game which is economical to produce and safe to use.

According to the above features from a broad aspect, the present invention provides a magnetic game comprising a board of non-magnetic material having a flat upper surface. A plurality of spaced apart pins of ferrous material are secured to the board and protrude above the upper surface thereof. A first and second magnetic disc of like polar disposition are provided whereby the discs repel each other when in close proximity to each other. A pusher means is provided for re straining and moving one of the discs on the board upper surface whereby to cause the other disc to be repelled and displaced on the flat surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the game board of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken transversely of the game board; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the pusher means and the discs.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown generally at the magnetic game of the present invention. The game comprises a board 11 constructed of a non-magnetic material such as wood, plastic, etc. Hereinshown, the board is of rectangular configuration and is provided with a flat upper surface 12. The upper surface defines a playing surface area 13 and a starting area 14 where a pusher means 15 and two or more magnetic discs 16 can be stored when the game is not in use. The playing area is also subdivided into zones which are defined by spaced apart transverse lines 17, each zone having a particular designated value.

A plurality of spaced apart pins 18, of ferrous materials are secured to the board and protrude above the upper surface 12 of the board, as is clearly shown in FIG. 2. As can also be seen from this figure, the board is provided with vertical sidewalls 19 which extend above the flat upper surface 12. Side rails 21 of ferrous material are also provided on the inner surface of the sidewalls 19. The rails 21 and pins 18 provide magnetic attraction to the discs when the discs are in close proximity thereof.

At least two magnetic discs 16 are provided and have at least a known polar disposition each of which are identified by suitable means such as paint on a surface or markings (not shown). Both discs are placed on the upper surface of the board with both their north or south pole facing upwardly or downwardly whereby they will repel each other when brought in close proximity to each other. The pusher means 15 is an elongated flat member constructed of non-ferrous material, i.e., wood, plastic or non-ferrous metals. The pusher is provided with a disc engaging end 25 in the form of an arcuate slot and having a curvature corresponding to a portion of the periphery of the discs 16. The arcuate slot 25 is provided to receive a portion of a disc 16 positioned on the flat upper surface 12 of the board whereby the pusher means can displace the engaged disc on that surface whilst restraining it from lateral displacement due to magnetic attraction by the pins 18 or the side rails 21.

Referring again to FIG; 1, it can be seen that the pins 18 are equidistantly spaced from one another. The spacing between the pins is at least twice as great as the diameter of the discs (see FIG. 2). Also, the pins 18 are disposed on circumferential parameters 26 which extend concentrically about a central pin 18' secured at the center of the playing surface 13. The magnetic power of attraction of the pins and rails will depend on the iron content in these metals and is considered when determining the spacing of these relative to the size of the discs.

The zones which are delineated by the lines 17 are given values as stated hereinabove. Also, in the upper zone there are provided target markings 27 which have a higher value than the zones, for reasons which will be described later.

The operation of this game is as follows. The object of the game is to displace one of the discs 16 through the playing area 13 starting from startline 28 and moving towards the other end of the playing area, that is to say, through the zones of increasing values. The discs are displaced as follows. One of the discs is engaged in the arcuate slot 25 of the pusher l5 and is brought in close proximity to the other disc or free disc. As the disc engaged by the pusher is brought closer to the other one, it will repel the other disc as described above. Thus, the free disc must be guided between the pins and substantially along a path which extends mid way between adjacent pins. This path is the one of least magnetic attraction as it is the furthest path from adjacent pins. If the free disc is guided closer to the pin it will be attracted to the pin and come in contact therewith. When either discs are attracted to a pin, then that player has terminated his turn at the game and will score according to the designated value of the particular zone where the disc has stopped. The targets in the upper zone are of higher value as they are more difficult to attain seeing that they are located in an area where the free disc must be guided through a great number if pins before arriving there. As mentioned hereinabove the side rails also attract the discs and the player must guide the free disc away from the side rails.

It is within the scope of the present invention to provide a board of different configuration to that as defined herein. For instance, the board could be circular with the starting point at the center of the board and the discs moved away from the center towards the periphery. On the other hand, the disc could be moved from the outer periphery to the center of the board. Also, many players could play at the same time. Still further the sides and configuration of the pins and discs 16 may be altered depending on the magnetic power of attraction required between them. Still further the pusher means can be modified to positively engage one of the magnetic discs 16. For example, one of the discs could be provided with a cavity on a surface thereof, and by inserting a pin in this cavity one of the discs can be controlled whereby to guide the free discs through the pins. Still further the pusher means may be angulated in the disc engaging end area thereof whereby the hand can be held above the upper surface of the game board whilst the disc engaging end area is substantially flat on the upper surface of the board.

I claim:

1. A magnetic game comprising a board of nonmagnetic material having a flat upper surface, a plurality of spaced apart pins of ferrous material secured to said board and protruding above said upper surface of 20 the board, a first magnetic disc having a known polar disposition, a second magnetic disc having a polar disposition which is the same as said first disc whereby said discs repel each other when in close proximity to each other, said pins being spaced apart a distance substantially greater than the diameter of said discs and pusher means for restraining and moving one of said discs on said board upper surface whereby to cause said other disc to be repelled and displaced on said flat surface.

2. A magnetic game as claimed in claim 1 wherein said board is subdivided into zones having designated values.

3. A magnetic game as claimed in claim 2 wherein said board is rectangular, said zones being defined by straight parallel lines extending transversely to the longitudinal side edges of said board, said values increasing from one end of the board to the other.

4. A magnetic game as claimed in claim 1 wherein said board is provided with vertical sidewalls extending above said flat upper surface. side rails of ferrous material on at least part of the inner surface of said surface, said rails providing magnetic attraction to said discs when in close proximity thereto.

5. A magnetic game as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pins are equidistantly spaced from one another.

6. A magnetic game as claimed in claim 5 wherein said spacing between said pins is at least twice the diameter of said discs.

7. A magnetic game as claimed in claim 5 wherein said board has a playing surface area one of said pins being located at the center of said area, the others of said pins lying on circumferential perimeters equally spaced and concentric to said central pin.

8. A magnetic game as claimed in claim 7 wherein said spacing between said circumferential perimeters is equal to said spacing between said pins.

9. A magnetic game as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pusher means is an elongated flat member of nonferrous material having a disc engaging end adapted to restrain one of said discs from lateral displacement relative to the longitudinal axis of said elongated member.

10. A magnetic game as claimed in claim 9 wherein said disc engaging end is an arcuate slot formed in an end of said pusher member, said slot having a curvature corresponding to the periphery of said discs for receiving and displacing a disc held therein.

Claims

1. A magnetic game comprising a board of non-magnetic material having a flat upper surface, a plurality of spaced apart pins of ferrous material secured to said board and protruding above said upper surface of the board, a first magnetic disc having a known polar disposition, a second magnetic disc having a polar disposition which is the same as said first disc whereby said discs repel each other when in close proximity to each other, said pins being spaced apart a distance substantially greater than the diameter of said discs and pusher means for restraining and moving one of said discs on said board upper surface whereby to cause said other disc to be repelled and displaced on said flat surface.

4. A magnetic game as claimed in claim 1 wherein said board is provided with vertical sidewalls extending above said flat upper surface, side rails of ferrous material on at least part of the inner surface of said surface, said rails providing magnetic attraction to said discs when in close proximity thereto.

9. A magnetic game as claimed in claim 1 wherein said pusher means is an elongated flat member of non-ferrous material having a disc engaging end adapted to restrain one of said discs from lateral displacement relative to the longitudinal axis of said elongated member.