US3508755A - Dice shaker - Google Patents

Description

April 28, 1970 w. H. JOHNSON 3,508,755

DICE SHAKER Filed Feb. 14, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig. 'v y ///l ll/I/ll I 22 Walter H. Johnson 1N VEN TOR.

April 28, 1970 w. H. JOHNSON DICE SHAKER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 14, 1967 Wa/fer H Johnson INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,508,755 DICE SHAKER Walter H. Johnson, Denver, Colo. (4711 Lamar St., Wheat Ridge, Colo. 80033) Filed Feb. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 615,940 Int. Cl. A63f 9/04 US. Cl. 273-145 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An elongated housing including a bottom, upstanding front and rear walls and upstanding partitions spaced along said housing and extending between said front and rear walls dividing the interior of said housing into individual compartments between the front and rear walls thereof, each of said compartments having a die disposed therein and including die pushing and clamping means adapted to engage the corresponding die when disposed at rest in the bottom portion of the compartment and to push the die toward one of the upstanding walls of the housing which includes a transparent portion through which the face of the dice opposing the transparent portion may be viewed from the exterior of the housing.

The dice shaker of the instant invention is adapted to be utilized in conjunction with various forms of dice and includes a plurality of compartments spaced along one side wall of the housing of the shaker including transparent portions through which dice in the various compartments of the shaker may be viewed. Each of the compartments includes inwardly projecting elements which the die therein may strike when the shaker is subsequently inverted and then returned to an upright position and the shaker includes dice engaging and clamping means operable to engage each die when disposed in a rest position in the lower portion of the corresponding compartment and push the die toward the wall of the housing through which the dice may be viewed whereby the faces of the dice opposing this wall may be viewed through the latter from the exterior of the shaker. The dice engaging and clamping means are operative to maintain the dice in the bottoms of the compartments once the clamping means are actuated whereby the relative positions of the dice may not change even though the shaker is inverted and the faces of the dice opposing the transparent portions of the wall against which they have been moved will remain visible through the transparent portions of the wall.

The main object of this invention is to provide a dice shaker for shaking a plurality of dice and for thereafter maintaining the dice substantially stationary in position relative to a direction from which corresponding faces of the dice may be viewed.

Another object of this invention, and in accordance with the immediately preceding object is to provide a dice shaker which will stationarily position the associated dice in position to be viewed from a single direction and with the dice spaced along a predetermined path.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a dice shaker in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device which will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside inthe details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

ice

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the dice shaker of the instant invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged longitudial vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by thesection line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the dice shaker of the instant invention;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 55 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by thesection line 66 of FIGURE 4.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings thenumeral 10 generally designates one embodiment of the dice shaker of the instant invention. Theshaker 10 includes a housing referred to in general by thereference numeral 12 and including abottom wall 14 secured to and extending between upstanding front andrear walls 16 and 18. In addition, thehousing 12 also includes a pair ofopposite end walls 20 and 22 whose lower ends rest upon the opposite ends of thebottom wall 14 and which are secured between corresponding ends of the front andrear walls 18 and 20.

A removable top assembly is provided and generally referred to by thereference numeral 24 and includes atop wall 26, front and rear dependingwall panels 28 and 30 and dependingopposite end panels 32 and 34. Theopposite end panels 32 and 34 are provided with threadedapertures 36 in whichsetscrews 38 are threadedly engaged and the top orcover assembly 24 is positionable over the upper end of thehousing 12 with the front andrear panels 28 and 30 and theopposite end panels 32 and 34 telescoping downwardly over the front andrear walls 16 and 18 and theopposite end walls 20 and 22. Further, the inner ends of thesetscrews 38 are receivable in suitable outwardly openingrecesses 40 provided therefor in the outer sur faces of theend walls 20 and 22.

Thehousing 12 includes a plurality of downwardlyconvergent partitions 42, 44, 46 and 48 which have their lower ends abutted against thebottom wall 14 and extend between the front andrear walls 16 and 18 so as to divide the interior of the housing into a plurality of downwardly taperingcompartments 50, 52, 54, 56 and 58, asuitable die 60 being disposed in each compartment.

The partitions each include oppositely projectingabutmerits 62 projecting into the corresponding compartments and thetop wall 26 includessimilar abutments 64 Which project downwardly into the compartments and are engageable by thedice 60 when thehousing 12 is inverted with thetop assembly 24 thereon so as to cause thedice 60 to tumble when falling to the top of thehousing 12 as the latter is inverted and while falling to the bottom of thehousing 12 when the latter is returned to the upright position thereof illustrated in FIGURES 1-3. Still further, the inner surface portions of theend walls 20 and 22 also includeabutments 66 which are similar to theabutments 62 and engageable by thecorresponding dice 60.

The lower marginal portions of the front andrear walls 16 and 18 include forwardly and rearwardly directedflange portions 16 and 18, respectively, to increase'the width of the footprint of thehousing 10 on a suitable supporting surface and to thereby increase its stability. Further, therear wall 18 has a plurality of threadedapertures 70 formed therethrough in which the threadedshank portions 72 of a plurality of die pushing and clampingmembers 74 are threaded. The ends of themembers 74 disposed within thecompartments 50, 52, 54, 56 and 58 are provided with enlargedhead portions 76 adapted to engage thecorresponding dice 60 and push the latter forward in thehousing 12 into abutting engagement with the inner surface of thefront wall 16 immediately below the inwardly projectinghorizontal rib 78 carried by thefront wall 16 which serves to hold thedice 60 captive when themembers 74 are positioned as illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings. The outer ends of themembers 74 are provided withcontrol knob portions 80 whereby themembers 74 may be rotated in the threaded apertures orbores 70.

Inasmuch as thetop assembly 24 is removable, the binary dice illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 may be replaced by other types of dice including different indicia on the various side faces thereof.

Referring now more specifically to FIGS. 4-6 of the drawings there may be seen a second embodiment of the dice shaker generally referred to by thereference numeral 90 and which includes a housing referred to in general by thereference numeral 92 provided with abottom wall 94, front andrear walls 96 and 98, andopposite end walls 100 and 102. In addition, thehousing 92 also includes a top assembly referred to in general by thereference numeral 104 consisting of atop wall 106, vertically short depending front andrear flanges 108 and 110, and depending vertically shortopposite end flanges 112 and 114.

A plurality ofpartitions 116, 118, 120 and 122 similar to the partitions 42-48 are provided and divide the interior of thehousing 92 intoindividual compartments 124, 126, 128, 130 and 132 similar to compartments 50-58. Further, thehousing 12 includes an elongated longitudinally extending and generally horizontally disposed inwardly projectingrib 134 corresponding torib 78 and a plurality ofjournal bosses 136 are supported from therear wall 98 and have rotatably journaled therein the forward ends of a plurality ofscrew shafts 138 threadedly secured throughrear wall portions 140 of a plurality of diceengaging frames 142 slidably supported through therear wall 98 and includingforward wall portions 144 disposed in the compartments 124-132 for engagement with thebinary dice 46 disposed in those compartments and for shifting thedice 146 across thebottom wall 94 toward the dotted line position thereof illustrated in FIGURE 6 of the drawmgs.

Each of the compartments 124-132 includes a plurality ofprojections 148 and 150 corresponding to theprojections 62 and 66 and thetop wall 106 includesprojections 152 corresponding to theprojections 64. In addition, thefront wall 96 also includes a plurality ofprojections 154 and theopposite end flanges 112 and 114 include setscrews 156 corresponding to thesetscrews 38 and which coact with theend walls 100 and 102 to releasably retain thetop assembly 104 in position over the upper end of thehousing 92.

In operation, theshaker 90 may be utilized in substantially the same manner as the shaker and after thehousing 92 has been shaken or inverted and then returned to an upright rest position certain or all of thescrew shafts 138 may be rotated so as to shift theframes 142 toward thefront wall 96 and thereby engage and forwardly displace thecorresponding dice 146 until the latter have been positioned against the inner surface of thefront wall 96 below the rib orledge 134. Then, those faces of thedice 146 abutting thefront wall 96 may be read through the latter from left to right in the matter designated by thearrow 160 which-is applied to both-sides of thehousing 92, thehousing 12 includingsimilar arrows 162. Of course, inasmuch as thehousings Hand 92 are constructed of transparent material, any set of corresponding faces of thedice 60 .and 146, including even the lower faces thereof, may be read. i i

If it isr desired, thescrew shafts 72 and 138 may be threadeclly secured through suitable internally threaded sleeves carried by therear wall 18 and therear wall portions 140, respectively, if the material of which the latter are constructed proves to be too soft.

Although thedice shakers 10 and 90' may be utilized in any number of games it is contemplated that the shakers will be utilized primarily in conjunction with games Whose rules assign a given meaning to different possible binary values of the associated dice so as to have a large number of possible values which may be indicated by a relatively small number of dice. Theshakers 10 and 90 are particularly well adapted for use in connection with binary dice since the latter must be read from left to right and normal rolling of dice from the hand sometimes results in the dice being above each other or not clearly spaced from left to right for ease in reading in left to right sequence. Further, if theshakers 10 and 90 are to be utilized in conjunction with the binary dice, the games played with the shakers will of course be constructed around actual numeric value or by assigning a meaning to binary value.

It is also contemplated that a third embodiment of dice shaker may be provided. Such a third embodiment (not illustrated) would be similar to theshaker 90 but in lieu of therib 134 andframes 142 would include horizontally slidable shelves, one for each die compartment, shiftable through slots formed in the corresponding rear Wall portions at approximately the elevation of therib 134 and including opposite side longitudinal edge portions slidable in confronting horizontal channels formed in the corresponding partitions and end walls. Such shelves would project outwardly of and be manually operable from the rear of the shaker and shiftable between positions almost entirely withdrawn through the rear wall of the shaker and positions abutting the inner surface of the front wall of the shaker spaced slightly above the corresponding dice.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a housing including upstanding front and rear walls interconnected at their lower ends by a bottom wall, a plurality of upstanding partitions extending between said front and rear walls defining a plurality of compartments therebetween each including a bottom wall section, a die disposed in each of said compartments and receivable on the corresponding bottom wall section, at leastupper portions of said compartments being of suflicient volume to enable the dice to freely tumble therein, said housing including die pushing and clamping means mounted for movement between said walls in each of said compartments and operable to engage said dice when disposed at rest in the bottom portions of said compartments and push said dice toward engagement with one of said walls, at least. some portions of said one wall 7 against which said dice may be pushed being transparent clamped beneath said rib.

3. The combination ofclaim 1 wherein said compartments are vertically elongated and decrease downwardly in plan area.

4. The combination ofclaim 1 wherein said'compart- 'ments are generally constant in plan area throughout their vertical extent.

5. The combination ofclaim 1 wherein said pushing and clamping means includes selectively and individually movable portions thereof in each of said compartments.

6. The combination ofclaim 1 wherein said housing includes removable top means closing the upper ends of said compartments.

7. In combination, a housing including upstanding front and rear walls interconnected at their lower ends by a bottom wall, a plurality of upstanding partitions extending between said front and rear walls defining a plurality of compartments therebetween each including a bottom wall section, a die disposed in each of said compartments and receivable on the corresponding bottom wall section, at least upper portions of said compartments being of suflicient volume to enable the dice to freely tumble therein, said housing including die pushing and clamping means mounted for movement between said walls in each of said compartments and operable to engage said dice when disposed at rest in the bottom portions of said compartments and push said dice toward engagement with one of said walls, at least some portions of said one wall against which said dice may be pushed being transparent for viewing the sides of said dice opposing said one wall through the latter, said die pushing and clamping means including selectively and individually movable portions thereof in each of said compartments, said die pushing and clamping means including generally horizontally disposed screw members threadedly secured through said rear wall and including enlarged die engaging portions on their inner ends.

8. In combination, a housing including upstanding front and rear walls interconnected at their lower ends by a bottom wall, a plurality of upstanding partitions extending between said front and rear walls defining a plurality of compartments therebetween each including a bottom wall section, a die disposed in each of said compartments and receivable on the corresponding bottom wall section, at least upper portions of said compartments being of suflicient volume to enable the dice to freely tumble therein, said housing including die pushing and clamping means mounted for movement between said walls in each of said compartments and operable to engage said dice when disposed at rest in the bottom portions of said compartments and push said dice toward engagement with one of said walls, at least some portions of said one wall against which said dice may be pushed being transparent for viewing the sides of said dice opposing said one wall through the latter, said die pushing and clamping means including selectively and individually movable portions thereof in each of said compartments, said die pushing and clamping means including an elongated horizontally disposed inner end frame member disposed in each of said compartments and extending l0ngi tudinally of said housing, said frame members including portions thereof projecting rearwardly thereof and slidably received through said rear wall.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein each of said frame members and a corresponding portion of said rear wall have operatively connected therebetween a threaded screw member for shifting said frame members relative to said rear wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 500,478 6/1893 Edge et a1. 502,876 8/1893 Cahoon. 954,070 4/1910 Zschau. 2,739,815 3/1956 Fay. 3,240,496 3/ 1966 Reynertson.

FOREIGN PATENTS 833,694 7/1938 France.

192,030 5/ 1923 Great Britain.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner

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