US750862A - Puzzle - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED FEB. 2, 1904.

H. KEELER.

PUZZLE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. a, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

[12 13022 tor Henry fCeeZer Attorney M71inc-away;

. WASHINGTON. a, c.

UNITED STATES- Patented February 2, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

PUZZLE.

SPEGIFICATIQN forming part of- Letters Patent N0. 750,862, datedFe'bruaryQ, 1904.

Application filed September 3, 1903. Serial No. 171,714 (No model.)

use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. 4 1

My invention relates to puzzles, and more particularly to that class of puzzles known as sliding-block puzzles, and has for its objects, first, to make a puzzle which willrequire for its solution a higher order of skill than puzzles of that class heretofore made; second, to provide a puzzle in which success in solution is measured by the manner of producing a prescribed result; third, to provide means to automatically indicate and register the degree of success in the solution of the puzzle, and, fourth, to provide a superior construction of sliding-block puzzles.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an isometric View of my device. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the middle section of my device, showing the means for operating the indicator. Fig. 3 is a detail side view of the turn-table and the shaft on which it rotates. Fig. 4c is a cross-section on the line w m, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the sliding block used in my device.

In the drawings like reference-numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The base 1, upon which my puzzle is mounted, is most conveniently made in three sections 1 1 1". On the top of section 1 is a hollow sectional track 2 2 3, of sheet metal or other suitable material, having a longitudinal slot l in the top thereof.

6 6 are two series of sliding blocks of uniform length, except that one block in each series is twice as long as either of the others, and the number of blocks in each series is eight or some other even number. The numbers marked upon the sliding blocks in the drawings are constituent parts of the blocks and are not be. treated as reference-numbers in connection with this specification. These .blocks are provided with flanges 7 to-prevent them from being raised out of the slot 4, which is made too narrow to permit the blocks to be turned therein. The blocks are so marked as to indicate to which series they respectively f belong and to indicate their proper order therein. The length of section 3 of the track should be twice the length of one of the longer blocks in the series 6 6,. There projects rigidly and perpendicularly from the center of the bottom of section 3 of the track a shaft 16, which passes through a perforation 9 in sections -1 1 of the basel and into asocket or collar in section 1. Near, the center of sections 1 of the base and cutting one side of perforation 9 is a lateral slot 10. On one side of and -opening from slot 10 is a recess in which is seated a pulley-block 12, carrying a pulley 13. The outer end of pulley-block l2 rests against a spring 15,. the pressure of which presses the pulley-block toward the shaft 16 and causes the pulley 13 to impinge against the shaft 16. The indicator 18 is a flat, thin, and somewhat rigid strip of metal or other material, marked with serial numbers in the manner of a carpenters rule, except that the intervals between numbers are each equal to one-half of the circumference of the shaft 16. This indicator is of any desired length and is adapted to be loosely mounted in the slot 10 and easily forced between the shaft 16 and the pulley 13.

In the operation of my puzzle the sliding blocks are placed in the slot in the track, as shown in Fig. 1, one series of blocks being on each of the end sections of the track and in serial order. One end of the indicator is then inserted in the lateral slot and forced between the shaft and the pulley far enough so that when the shaft turns the indicator will be propelled along the slot, whereby the serial numbers on the indicator will be successively displayed at one end of the lateral slot.

The gist of my puzzle is apparent by treating the sectional track 2 2' 3 as a railroadtrack, the middle section as a turn-table, and the two series of sliding blocks as two trains of cars approaching each other, with the turntable between them, the problem to be solved being to demonstrate how to pass the trains past each other by means of the turn-table in such manner that after the passage the cars in each train will be in the exact order and with the same end of each car in front as before the passage and to accomplish this with the least possible number of half-revolutions of the turn-table. The liability to make an unnecessarily large number of half-revolutions is largelyincreased by having an even number of blocks in each series and by having one block in each series of double length, for the reason that if all the blocks were of uniform length and there were an even number of them in each series, or if one block in each series were double length, with an odd number in each series, it is obvious that in getting one series past the other the turntable can at every turn be occupied by two blocks (or one double-length block) from each series, and there need be no turn which will not pass the turn-table full of blocks. All of the blocks will then be in two, one, four, three order, and to turn them back right end first only two blocks can be turned at one time. Hence it will require twice as many turns of the turn-table to turn them around as it took to pass them, and the operator has no choice nor chance for skill, whereas if the blocks are as described the turn-table cannot be kept fully occupied even in getting the blocks past each other, because the aggregate of the lengths of the blocks is not div-isible by the length of the turn-table, and the two doublelength blocks have such effect that in getting the blocks past each other they are thrown into such order that they cannot be turned back right end first without sometimes hav ing the turn-table occupied by only one or two blocks. A large number of complications in this respect can be produced by different Ways of passing the blocks. In order that the indicator may correctly indicate the number of half revolutions, the turn-table should be rotated in one direction only. When a record is not desired or when the puzzle is not in use, the indicator may be pulled entirely out of the slot and laid aside.

I do not'limit myself to the exact details of structure herein shown and described, inasmuch as the same may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a puzzle, the combination with a base 1, of a sectional track comprising end sections 2 2 secured "to said base and a middle section 3 rotatably mounted on said base, and two series of blocks adapted to slide on said track, each of said series of blocks containing an even number of blocks and having one' block in each of said series of double the length of the other blocks.

2. In a puzzle, the combination of a base,

a track mounted on said base having a rotatk HENRY KEELER. Witnesses:

FREDERICK J. CHASE, M. F. MOCU'LLOOH.

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