US1508239A - Chip holder - Google Patents

Description

H. J. O'BRIEN.

Sept. 9, 1924.

- CHIP HOLDER Filed Jan. 30. 1924 F'IEE.

HBEBEET J DEE/EN d MJW WITNESS.

Patented Sept. 9, 1.9245

00.. INC., 013 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A

, HERBERT J'. OBILIEN, 015? SAN FRANCISGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGN 'OR 'IO LUNG CHAN CORPORATION '33 CALIFORNIA.

CHIP "HOLDER.

Application filed January 30, 1924;. Serial No. 689,509.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HERBERT J. OBRIEN, a citizen of the United States, and a resi dent of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented a certain new and useful Chip Holder, of

which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a holder for holding counters or chips used in playing games. The holder is particularly adapted to be used in holding disklike counters or chips which are used in scoring in the now popular oriental game sometimes known as Mah-Jongg in which tiles are drawn from a wall to complete a hand consisting of cer tain prescribed arrangements the person obtaining the prescribed hand first, being declared the winner and being entitled from the other players an amount represented by the value of the winning hand. In this game, scores are settled at the end of each hand by an interchange of counters or chips between the players sothat'it is necessary that the counters be disposed in such manner that they are readily available to the players. This game is played with a large number of tiles which are usually arranged in four drawers fitting in a box. Below the tile drawers is a deep drawer in which the chips are contained. An object of the present invention is to provide a foldable or collapsible chip holder which, when in its folded position, will readily fit into the bottom drawer in the box, the holders being of such size that four folded holders will fit into the drawer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding chip holder which is of such construction that when folded,the chips may not become displaced from the'holder.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chip holder having means for indicating the number of chips constituting the original or initial stake, that is, the number of chips the player begins the game with.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following description, where I shall outline in full that form of my invention which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. In said drawings I have shown one form of holder embodying my in vention, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form, since the in-- ing the initial stake arranged on the holder.

Figure 2 is a cross-section of the holder taken on the line 2-2 Figure 1, the chips being removed. 1

Figure 3 is a cross-section of the holder taken on the line 3-3 Figure 1, the'holder being in the folded or collapsed position.

The holder of my invention comprises a base 4 preferably formed of sheet metal, having integral side walls 5 extending upward above the base. Pivoted to the side walls, preferably by pivots disposed in sub. stantial vertical alinement with the rear end of the base, is a holder member comprising the plate 6 and a. plurality of pegs 7 The plate 6 is pivoted at its rear edge to the side walls 5 so that the pegs 7 are movable from a vertical position as is shown in Figure% to the horizontal position as is shown in Figure 3.

Means are provided for holdingv the holder member-in vertical position and in horizontal position. This means, in the present instance. comprises an arcuate spring 8 arranged concentrically with the pivot of the holder member 6 and secured to one of the side walls 5. The spring Sis disposed between the side edge of the plate 6 and the side wall 5 and the spring is provided adjacent its ends with projecting portions 9 over which the edge of the plate rides as the plate ismoved from horizontal to vertical position. The edge of the plate moves past the extending portion of the spring so that the spring tends to hold the holder member in the position into which it has been moved.

In playing the game, chips of four different values are usually employed and these chips are usually distinguished from each other by difference in color or other marking. In the present instance the chips comprise perforated disklike elements, usually formed of sheet metal, and colored differently to represent different values. The chips are provided with central apertures to perniit them to be threaded onto and readily removable from the pegs 7. in playing the game, each player usually starts with a pre determined number of chips off each value, that is, usually ten of one value, eight each of the next two values and six otthe fourth value; In order to permit the proper nuinber of chips to be arranged on the pegs, without the necessity of counting the chips, I have provided each peg with a marl: or indentation 12 to indicate the proper number of chips to be initially held on the re spective pegs. When the stack of chips reaches the mark '12, the player knows that such stack contains the proper number of chips.

The side Walls 5 are provided along their upper edges with inturned shoulders 13 against which the plate 6 is held by the spring" 8. thus firmly locking the holder member in position with the pegs vertically disposed. Means are also provided for preventing the chips from becoming displaced from the pegs when the rack member has been folded to bring the pegs to horizontal position. The base 4 is provided alone; its front edge with an inturned lip 14 behind which the chips rest, when the pe s are horizontally disposed, so that the chips are held on the pegs between the lip 14 and the plate 6, thereby preventing their displacement. The base is preferably so proportioned, that with the proper initial number of chips on the pegs, that the counters lie in an inclined position when the pegs are horizontally d sposed, as shown in Figure 3. This decreases the over-all height of the filled holders so that they may be readily inserted into the drawer in the boX. The holder offers the further advantage, that, when it is in. folded condition, it is not liable to be pushed oil? the table on which the game is being played, since its vertical dimension is quite small and, it it is so displaced from the table. the chips will be held on the holder and not scattered on the floor.

I claim:

- 1-. A chip holder comprising; a base. side walls extending upward from said base, a plate pivoted to said side walls above the rear portion of said base and adapted to be moved from horizontal to. vertical position and vice versa pegs secured to said plate aoaase and resilient means for holding the plate in horizontal position.

2. it chip holder comprising a: base, side walls extending upwardly from said base,

a holder comprising a plate and plurality of pegs secured thereto, said holder being pivoted to the side walls and being movable to simultaneously move all of the pegs from horizontal to vertical position and vice versa. each peg being adapted to hold a plura of chips and means on the base for hold the chips on the pegs when the pegs are in horizontal position.

A chip holder comprising a base, side walls extending upwardly from said base, a holder pivoted to the side walls above the rear portion of the base, said holder coniprising a plate and a plurality of: pens cured thereto, said holder being movable to move the pegs from horizontal to vertical position and vice versa, the pegs being: adapted to hold a plurality of chips and a 7 turned up lip on the front of the base ar ranged to hold the chips on the pegs when the pegs are in horizontal position.

4. A chip holder comprising a base, sidiwalls extending upwardly from the base. a holder comprising a plate and a plurality oi pegs secured thereto, the holder beins: pivoted to the side walls above the rear P01 tion of the base, said holder being movable to move the pegs from a horizontal to a vertical position and vice versa, resilient means for holding the holder with the peas in the horizontal and vertical positions, said pegs being adapted to hold a plurality of chips and an overhanging lip on the front of the base arranged to hold the chips on the pegs when the pegs are in a horizontal po sition.

5. A chip holder comprising a base. a holder comprising a. plate and pluralitv o pegs secured thereto, the holder being pin oted to said base, said holder being movable with respect to the base to dispose the pegs in a horizontal or vertical position each pen being adapted to hold a plurality of chips and means on the base adapted to prevent displacement of the chips from the pegs when the pegs are in horizontal position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

HERBERT J. QBRIEN.

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