US463903A - Puzzle - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

.D. H. KENT. PUZZLE.

No. 463,903. Patented Nov. 24, 1891.

DEVILLE II. KENT, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,903, dated November 24, 1891.

Application filed June 9, 1891. Serial No. 395 652. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DEVILLE H. KENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Puzzles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention consists in a new and improved puzzle, which, while very simple in its construction, so that it can be manufactured and placed on the market at a small cost, requires considerable ingenuity and skill to properly solve it, and the invention will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top perspective view of my new and improved puzzle or game. Fig. 2 is a diametrical section of the same.

Referring to the several parts by their letters of reference, the puzzle is formed of the base or board A, which is preferably made of such size that it can be conveniently held and.

manipulated by the hands or by one hand. This board is preferably circular in form and is provided at its outer edge with the upwardly-extending rim or flange B. In annular grooves in the upper part of the board is secured the lower edge of a small ring 0, leaving an annular space between the said ring and the outer edge rim or flange B. In the ring 0 is formed a series of openings or arches D, preferably twelve in number, the loweredges of these openings being flush with the upper surface of the board A. The central space on the board, which is inclosed by the ring 0, is called the lobby. The annular space between the ring 0 and the outer flange B is divided bythe radial partitions E into the twelve compartments or spaces G. In one side of each of said spaces is arranged a small inclined block F, which is preferably provided with a vertical flange a, and communicates at the point f with the open space in its compartment, this open space Gr being termed the office. The several openings D communicate with the inner ends of the offices G and the floor of the lobby. The lower edges of the openings D and the floors of the offices G are on the same level, all lying in the same horizontal plane. The several openings'D are marked with the numerals 1 2, &c., up to 12 to distinguish them and their compartments into which they open from each other.

This puzzle is played with the device just described and with a small sphere or ball H of such size that it will easily pass through the openings D. This ball is placed in the open central space, the lobby as it is termed, and represents the office-seeker. The several compartments (indicated by the numeralsfrom 1 to 12) are supposed to represent the highest twelve offices that are elective by the people, as follows: 12, President; 11, Vice- President; 10, Congressman; 9, Governor; 8, Lieutenant-Governor; 7, Secretary of State; 6, State Treasurer; 5, Attorney-General; 4E, Comptroller; 3, State Engineer; 2, Judge of Court of Appeals; 1, State Senator.

The puzzle is held in the hands with the ball 11 in the center or lobby, and the object is by tilting the device to cause the ball to roll into each office through the opening D and then up the incline F, over the top of the ring 0, back into the lobby again, and so on into each office in succession, passingin turn through the offices from No. 1 to 12, the latter being supposed to represent the \Vhite House. Each office must be entered success ively by passing through its opening D, and must be left by passing up its incline F and over the top of the ring 0 back into the lobby, the tops of the inclines F being flush with the top of the ring 0. If the office-seeker represented by the ball II should get into any office but the one next to that which he has already occupied, he is defeated and must make a new run by going back and starting again at No. 1. If the office-seeker enters the office and comes out through the opening D, instead of passing up the incline and over the top of the ring, he is defeated and must make a new run, or if the office-seeker goes back into the office which he has just left by the incline he is defeated and must make a new run.

The rules governing the puzzle can of course be changed or modified at will.

It will be seen, more particularly by refer ence to the sectional view, Fig. 2, that the several parts are so arranged that each incline F, over which the ball runs in passing from a compartment, is directly opposite an arch or opening D 011 the other side of the lobby, so that when the board is tilted to cause the ball to run up over one of the inclines it will be very apt to continue directly across the lobby into the diametrically-opposite arch or opening D, thus adding greatly to the difficulty of the puzzle and to its interest.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it Will be seen that my new and improved political puzzle is extremely simple in its construction,and can therefore be manufactured and placed. on the market at a small cost, while it is extremely interesting and in structive and will require considerable attention and skill to properly solve it.

IIavin g thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A puzzle, substantially as described, comprising the base, the outer circular rim, the inner ring having a series of openings, the

vertically-disposed radial partitions extending from the inner ring at points between the openings therein to the outer rim, and radially-disposed inclines arranged Within the compartments, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a puzzle, the combination, with thebase having the outer circular rim, the inner ring having a series of radially-disposed openings, and the radial partitions extending from the inner ring at points between the openings therein to the outer rim, of the radially-disposed inclines arranged in the compartments at the side of the openings leading therein, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DEVILLE H. KENT.

Witnesses:

II. A. CLURTSMAN, W. S. KNAPP.

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