US1801225A - Game-scoring indicator - Google Patents

Description

April 14, l1931. F, s CAVEN 1,801,225

GAME SCORING INDICA-TOR Filed June 20. 1929 3 Sheets-Shee't` l Bnvcntor April 14, 1931. F, s, CRAVEN GAME SCORING INDICATOR Filed June 20, 1929 3 Sheets-511691'I 2 (IttoruegS.

April 1411931 F. s. CRM/EN 1,801,225

GAME SCORING INDICATOR Filed June 20. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 nnentox:

attorneys;

-Iatented Apr. 14, 1931 i PATENT `oler-'ICE'.

Y FRANCIS SANDERSON CRAVEN, OF BALTIMORE, MARIYLAND GAME-SCORING INDICATOR Application leo, June 20,

My invention relates to indicators for computing and indicating the scores made in games, especiall games having a complicated system ofy scoring such as the card game known as contract bridge. In order to make clear the nature of my invention and to illustrate an application thereof, I have developed it in a form suited to computing and indicating the score in contract bridge,

and as such it is illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specilication.

Since the rules governing the game of contract bridge are well known, and appear in several standard books of reference, these rules will not be elaborated here and it will be assumed that the context will be sutliciently` clear without them.

The principal objects of my invention, as

developed in relation to scoring in contract bridge, are to compute and indicate the exact value of the bid contracted to be made, provided it be actually made or exceeded by the contractor, or if not made, to blank ofi all indication of trick values; to compute the exact value of the bonus achieved for bidding and making a slam; to compute the exact composite value of all other bonuses except the bonus for winning the final game of a 33 rubber which bonus canbe indicated most advantageously by means of a brief explanation appearing on the face of the device; t0

compute the exact value of penalties; to in-` dicate automatically the appro riate bonuses or penalty, determined from t e relation of the tricks made to those contracted for; and to indicate in a single and clear manner whether an indicated value constitutes a bonus or a penalty.

Another and equally important object is to reduce each display to a single value which is the exact amount of the entry to be made on the score sheet, thereby avoiding the chance .for error which would exist if the display consisted of a group of values one of which mustbe selectednccording to some rule indicated to or known V,by the scorer.

How thesevobjects are accomplished by my invention will be rendered clear by the fol- 1929. Serial No. 372,374.

lowing description and reference to the annexed drawings Figure l is a full size face view of a device embodying my invention inthe form of fiat circular disks and partial disks, concentrically mounted with respect to a common 'axis about which they oscillate, although the device can take other forms, such as'iiat rectilinear slides havin lateral movement in guides, without preju ice to the principles involved. l l

Figure 2 is a transverse section at full size, taken along the line 2--2 of Figure l, showing the six disks and partial disks which comprise this form of device, and the axis or spindle about which they oscillate.

Figure 3 is a reduced size face view of the (botltom-most disk 7, called the tricks bid Figure 4 is a reduced size face View of the 3er/; to bottom disk, called the tricks made7 Figure 5 is a reduced size face view of the partial disk 4, called the trump or suit disk and the partial disk 5,' called the vulnerability disk.

- Figure 6 is a reduced size face view of the ez to top disk 3, called the, doubling7 AFigure 7 isfa full size side view, taken at right angles to the line 7-7 of Figure 1, which is partly in section in order to show the construction ofithe form of pointer detent used for-disks 3, 4 5 and 6 and to show also the construction whereby the` device can be mounted on a base plate 38 towhich the face plate 2 is rigidly secured. v

Figure 8 is a full size partial section along the axis of the pointer 24 to show the detent employed with this pointer. In Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 the positions of the apertures 9, 10 and 11 of the tace plate 2 are shown for convenience by means of vdashed lines, and portions of the periphery, of disk 2 are likewise indicated.

In the drawings, 2 designates a face plate or topmost disk which is provided with three apertures or windows for disclosing scoring values. Viewing the face plate in its normal position, one aperture 9, marked score below the line only, is located inthe lower part of the disk in order that its position may have a natural relation with this marking, ,f

and is for the purpose of indicating the scoring value of tricks contracted for and made. In Figure 1 there is displayed in this slot the scoring value for a bid of 6 spades, doubled, vnamely 360 points.l

Another aperture 10, the upper of two apertures markedscore above the line only, is located in the upper part of the disk in order that its position may likewise have' a natural relation with this marking, and is for the purpose of displaying the composite value of bonuses for making and exceeding contract or the value of the penalty when the contract is not attained. The third aperture 11 is also located' in the upper part of the disk, but below aperture 10, with which it'V only, and is for the purpose of displaying the slam bonus when earned. ln Figure 1 there is displayedin slot the combined bonus for makin the contract and one extra trick when doub ed and vulnerable, vnamely 300 points; and in slot 11 is displayed -lhe bonus forbidding and making a small slam when vulnerable, namely 75() points.

The face plate 2, also contains alongits margin stop positions for pointersl attached to other disks as follows ln the upper left sector, two positions, one of them 12, marked not vulnerable?, and the other 13, marked vulnerable, which regulate the set-ting of the pointer14,'of the vulnerable disk 5, shown i'nFigure 2 and Fig.- ure 5; in, the lower left sector, Ythree positions, lone of them 15, marked no trump, another 16, marked majors and the other 17, marked minors, which regulate the setting of the pointer 18, of the suit disk 4, shown in Figure 2 and Figure 5; to the left,

and between these two groups of stop positions, another group of .three positions, one of them 19, marked fnot doubled, another 20, markeddoubled, and the other 21, marked"-redoubled, which regulate the setting of the ointer 22 of the doubling disk 3, shown in igure 2 Iand Figure 6.. At the right side of the face plate 2, extending from near the top clockwise around to near the 'bottom of the disk, are a series of fifteen stop positions, marked in succession from thee top as follows: 6 extra, 5 extra, 4 extra, I3 extra, 2 extra, 1 extra, the contract, 1 down, 2 down, 3 down, 4 down, 5 down, 6 down, 7 down, 8 down. These positions regulate the setting of the pointer 23, of the tricks made disk 6, shown in.\Figure 2 and-Figure 4. At the right side of the-face' plate 2, arranged in a small arc concentric-with the disk axis, is a series of seven positions which are marked in order :from'the top clockwise as follows: 7 j andslam), 6- (small slam), 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

- 05 ese positionsY regulate the setting of, the

yto the bid pointer 24, as is shown` in Figure 2.

Detente are provided for holding the above pionters temporarily fixed in relation to the face plate 2. lt is obvious that various mechanicaldevices of more or less complication could 'be utilized for this purpose' without affecting the principles involved in the invention. Detents illustrated in the anncxed drawings are of simple form, relying upon springiness in the materials used for constructing the disks andpointers. Thus, one form of detent which is shown with relation to the pointer of disks 3, 4, 5 and 6, is illustrated in Figure 7, and consists simplyof a cylindrical lug 25, aflixed to the pointer which in this case is pointer 23, and so positioned as to engage a notch cut in the periphery of the face plate 2. The vertical height of the lug 25, would be equal only to the distance between the top of the disk lto which its pointer relates and the bottom of the face plate, 2,'plus an amount slightly less than the thickness of the face plate 2. Thus, the detentI` is readily disengaged by pushing down'upon the pointer carrying it, while lifting slightly upon the contiguous rim of the face plate 2, enabling the pointer to be shifted to and engaged in a new position. The other`10-0' form of detent, which is applied only to the bid pointer 24, is illustrated inFigure 8, and

consists of a short pin 27 which' projects through the under surface of the bid pointer 24, and will enter any one ofv a series of concentrically arranged holes'- positioned at the stations, at which it is desired that the pointer should stop, asis illustrated in Figure 1. This dctent is disengaged simply by springing the end of the bid pointer 24,-upward with `they would not be ridden over when the pointer is sprung for shifting its position. imit stops for the other pointerscould, consist of downward projecting lugs or flanges formed from the rim of the face plate 2, such as the flanges 29 shown in Figure 1, Figure 2, and Figure 7. As shown in Figure 7, theseA flanges can be utilized as feet, provided with. small rivetable projections 39 to 130 regard to the forms of detent which have been described, 'it is obvious that other forms could be utilized without affecting the principles of my invention.

The face plate 2 can also carry on its face, as in the position` marked 30 in Figure 1, a

brief statement of the rule covering the scoring of the rubber game. In any other convenient position there could' appear also the descriptive name or purpose of the device and the name of its manufacturer.

The construction of the device must provide for rigid interconnection of the pointer 24 and the disk 7 as has been described, yet allow for free oscillation relative to one another and the faceplate 2 and the disk 7 of the interior disks 3, 4, 5 and 6. This is provided for by the construction of the pivot assembly of the device. The central pin 41 has a square shank 42 which is a snug fit in square axial holes 8 in the disk 7 and the pointer 24. Between this disk and its pointer is the cylindrical ferrule 43 which fits snugly around the square shank 42 of the central pin 41, and is of a height slightly exceeding the combined thicknessof disks 3, 4, 5 and 6, thereby insuring these disks freedom of oscillation as well as providing them a s indle upon which to revolve. The assembly is then locked securely by the nut 44 which screws down on the threaded end 45 of the central pin 41. However, it is evident that any other mechanical arrangement which Vwould, answer the same purposes could be employed without prejudice to the principlesl involved in my inventlon.

Havin now described the face plate 2 and indicate some of the other features of the device, the detailed description and use of the other disks will be taken up.

Of next importance is the bottom or tricks bid disk 7 illustrated in Figure 3. On this disk are entered all trick values of from one to seven tricks undoubled, doubled and redoubled, and in the minor suits, major suits and no trump, a total of sixty-three values. These values are arranged in seven straight. columns radiating from the axis of the disk spindle 8, the columns being so positioned-with respect to distance from the axis that all figures of, any one column could be observed throughthe aperture 9 .of the face plate 2 if there were no other dlsks 1n place and if the disk 7 were properly orlented with respect to the face plate 2. Thus, 1f the bid pointer 24 were successively. brought opposite each ofits indicated posltions on the face plate-2, in the manner previously described, each of the radial rows of gures on disk 7 would in turn take position, under the aperture 9 of disk 2. From the foregoing 'it will be apparent that the right hand radial row of figures on disk 7 representsthe various possible values of a bid of one, the left hand row represents similar values of a bid of seven or grand slam, and the intervening rows similarly represent the values of intervening bids in increasing series from rightv to left.

It will be' observed further from Figure 3 that there are nine sets of values in each radial row and that of these the three nearest the center of the disk are the values of undoubled bids, the middle three are those of doubled bids and the outer three are the values of redoubled bids. Reference to Figure 6 will illustrate the action of the doubling disk 3, whereby one of its three irregularly spaced lower apertures 40 is aligned with aperture9 of the face plate 2, cutting off the view oftwo of the above three groups of values and exposing one group, depending upon the position occupied by the pointer 22. In the illustration this pointer occupies position 20, markeddoubled and the exposed values in aperture 9 therefore -are'those for doubled bids) since in au the drawings the various disks are shown only` in one position each, which is the position indicated by the disk pointer in Figure 1, the values appearing in aperture 9 of Figure 6 are the same as those in Figure 3, and are for a bid of six y tricks.

Reference to Figure 5 will show how the trump or suit disk 4 operates to cut down to a single value the three values exposed by disk 3. In the drawing the suit disk 4 is set 'for its intermediate position 16, marked majors which thereby exposes-to view the second, fifth and eighth values of the vertical column on disk 7 which appears in aperture 9. But since disk 3 has blanked off the upper and lower of these, only the middle value, which is the value of six tricks in hearts or spades, doubled, appears to the observer.

Referenceagain to disk 7 on Figure 3 shows that it carries in its upper part the four possible values of thev slam bonus. These are so positioned on the disk that they register radially with aperture 11 of theface plate 2 and they register with it arcuall when disk 7 is set for a bid of sixfor seven w ich are the slam bids. Reference to Figure 5 shows how the vulnerability disk 5 o erates to cut off the up er or lower part o the aperture 11 of the ffice plate 2, depending on whether disk 5 is set at position 12 or 13 respectively, thereby revealing to the observer only one value 'of the slam. bonus. As illustrated in Figure 1, the disk 5 is set at the vulnerable position 13 and the disk 7 is set for a bid of 6, therefore the value. +750 appears in aperture 11, which is the value of a little slam' when vulnerable.

But an essential feature of the game of contering therewith whenever the calledV for by his contract he shall losethe trick value of his abid and any slam bonus to which` he would otherwise have been entitled. Tn my invention this is accomplished by means of disk 6 as shown in Figure 4. 'When disk 6 is set for the contract or for any number of eXtra tricks, the large aperture 31 registers with and fully opens aperture 9 of the face plate 2, but should disk 6 beset for down 1 or down any other number of tricks, the aperture 31 will 'swing clear of aperture 9, blanking oif the view of disk 7 therethrough. Tn like manner the aperture 32 of disk 6 registers with and opens up aperture 11 of the face plate 2 when the disk 6 is set for the contract or for 1 eXtra, which are the only possible positions for which disk 6 could :be set when a slam has been bid and made; but when disk 6 occupies any other of its positions the aperture 32 will no longer register with aperture 11 of the face plate 2, thus blanking E the slam bonus from View. Another function of disk 6 is to carry on the upper part of its face all the possible values of bonuses for making and exceeding the contract and all penalties down to those for eight under tricks.7 These are arranged in radial rows, the values in the left hand eight rows being the possible' penalties for under tricks, those in the ninth row from the left being the possible bonuses'for making the contract and those in the remainving six rows at the right being the possible combined bonuses for making the contract, which bonus accrues "whenever the bid has been doubled or redoubled, and the bonuses for exceeding the contract by one or more tricks, as may be indicated by the setting of the pointer 23 of disk 6 relative to the indications on the right rim of the face plate 2. The above bonuses and penalties are so arranged that an entire vertical column will registenwithin the length of the aperture 10 of the face plate 2, a different column regissetting of the pointer 23 is changed.

Within all vertical columns the Values are arranged in the same sequence, namely: the two values nearest the pivot of the disk are for an undouble'd bid, the middle two values are for a doubled bid and the outer two values are for a redoubled bid; and of each of these .pairs of values the one nearer the disk pivot isl for a bid mad-e when not vulnerable and the other is for a bid made when vulnerable.

' Reference to Figure 5 will now disclose how the partial disk 5 operates to expose those values which relate to bids made when vulnerable and cuts off values relating to bids made when not vulnerable, or vice versa, depending on whether its pointer 14 be set at position i3 or 12. Likewise, Figure 6 shows how the disk 3 blanks 0E two thirds of the aperture 10, exposing any one of the three pairs of values previously referred to, de-

pending on the setting ofthe pointer 22 relative to its positions 19, or 21. It will be seen that the interaction of these two disks 3 and 5 with the aperture 10 of the face plate 2 will operate to reduce to a single value the display visible in aperture 10. Thus, Figure 6 shows disk 3 set for doubled which eX- poses only the two middle values of the column registering with aperture 10 of the face plate 2, namely, +300 and +150; and Figure 5 shows disk 5 set for vulnerable, thereby blanking oli the lower of these two values and exposing only the upper one, namely +300. This is the value which appears in aperture 10 of Figure 1 and consists of the sum of the bonus for making contract when doubled and vulnerable, namely +100, and the ybonus for one extra trick when doubled and vulnerable, namely +200.

Since doubling and redoub'ling does not 'ailiect the values of the slam bonus, a large aperture is cut in disk 3 which fully opens up aperture 11 of the face plate 2 whatever the setting of disk 3. In like manner. in Figure 5, since the suit bid does not aectf penalties or bonuses appearing in apertures 10 or 11, large apertures could be cut in disk 4 opening up apertures 10 and 11 or, more simply, the unused portions of disk 4 can be entirely cut away, as illustrated in Figure 5. The same reasoning applies to the disk 5 which can similarly be reduced to a partial disk because vulnerability does not affect the value of tricks, which appear in aperture 9 of the `face plate 2,

lVhen the device is constructed of warpable materials such as Celluloid or paper it is necessary to cut the sector edges 33 of disk 5 at a considerable angle to the radial in order to prevent interference with the radial edges 34 of the large aperture 31 of the contiguous disk 6, shownin Figure 4. lVhen cut as 'above described there results a scissor-like engagement of these edges which is devoid of interference. However, there 1s no necessary .sequence of position of disks 3, 4 and 5 with respect to one another. It is necessary only that they be grouped together under the face plate 2 and above disks 6 and 7, the illustrated arrangement being adopted only for convenience. Thus should the .arrangement be lvaried so that disk 4 became adjacent to disk 6, it would be necessary to cut the sector edges of disk 4 in the manner above described for disk 5.

The details of my invention having now been described, the action of the whole is readily explained by reference-to Figure 1. During the bidding, preliminary to playing a hand, the pointer 23 of the tricks made disk 6 is set at the indication the contract. on disk 2 and the pointer 14 is setto indicate whether or not the playeris vulnerable. He may then, by manipulating pointers 18 and 24, to show suit and .amount of a contemplated bid, ascertain by observing the exhibit in aperture 9 whether his bid will be suiicient to score game; or, by manipulating other pointers, he can investigate the bonuses or penalties contingent upon doubling or redoubling and upon making or exceeding the contract or failing to make it, thereby informing himself regardingthe wisdom of risking a contemplated bid. After a hand has been played theproper entries on the score sheet are determined by setting pointer 14 for vulnerability, ointer 18 for suit bid, pointer 24 for tricks id, pointer 22 to indicate whether the bid was doubled, redoubled or un-doubled, and pointer 28 -to show whether the contract was made, exceeded or not made, and by how many tricks.

When thus set the device will show in aperture 9 the score to be entered on the score sheet below the line in the contractors column; and in a ertures 10 and 1l the scores to be entered a ove the line, in the contractors column if marked plus but in the adversaries column if marked minus. If game be scored and it be the deciding game of the rubber, the bonus, therefor is determined slots, a tricks-bid disk movable an ularly with respect to said face plate and aving tables of group values for appearing selectively at certain of the slots, a tricks-made disk rotatable with respect to the plate and disk and having group values to register with a slot of the face disk, vulnerable and suit disks rotatable independently about the plate Iand disks and having radially and circumferentially offset windows to register selectively with said slots, a doubling disk having a circumferentially enlarged opening to register at all times with a slot of the face plate and also having groups of radially and circumferentially offset windows to selectively register with the other slots of the `face plate, a pin on the tricks-bid disk passing through the other disks and face plate, a pointer fixed on the pin in front of the face plate, a scale on the face plate over which the pointer is adaptedto be deflected, and a sleeve on the pin for rotatably passing through the disks except the tricks-bid disk. FRANCIS SANDERSON CRAVEN.

from the printed instructions, 30, appearin on the face of the device.

ft lis obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from'the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the .fol-

lowing claims;

, What is claimed is:

1. In an indicator, a relatively-fined face member having slots and bearing indicia, a

movable tricks-bid member having group tables of values adapted to appear selectively at one of the slots, a movable tricks-made member also having group tables of values ,exposable selectively at another slot, and cooperating window members for blanking oi portions of said tables.

2. In an indicator, a face plate having slots, a tricks-bid disk movable angularly with res ect to said .face plate and -having tables oy group values for appearing selectively at'certam of the slots, a tricks-made disk rotatable with respect to the plate and disk and having group values to register with a slot of the face disk, vulnerable and suit disks rotatable independently7 about the plate and disks and having radially and circumferentially offset windows to re 'ster selectively with said'slots, and a doubling disk having a circumferentially enlarged opening to register at all times with a slot of the face plate and also havin groups of radially and circumferentially o set windows to selectively register with the other slots of the face plate.

3. In an indicator, a face plate having

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