Amusement devices: games – Physical skill or ability – Game element capture or pick up using manual dexterity
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-16
2001-10-02
Layno, Benjamin H. (Department: 3711)
Amusement devices: games
Physical skill or ability
Game element capture or pick up using manual dexterity
C273S292000, C273S444000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296253
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a game useful for entertainment. In particular, the invention relates to a game using cards, moveable grab items, and animal appendages that can be placed upon and worn by the players.
2. Description of the Background Art
Numerous games have been developed to facilitate enjoyment. One such game is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,060,900. The U.S. Pat. No. 1,060,900 patent discloses a game which utilizes cards with pictures of different animals. Another such game is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,524,645. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,524,645 patent discloses the use of a card holding apparatus, which is configured to be worn on a player's forehead, in combination with a deck of playing cards. A third game is disclosed in U.S. Pat. 3,159,403. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,159,403 patent discloses the use of individually movable playing pieces that are configured to be stacked upon one another.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a multi-faceted game which combines card-playing skills, quickness, and costumery into one game. In particular, the apparatus for playing the game according to the invention includes a deck of game cards, a number of grab items, and a number of sets of items to be placed on the body and worn as a penalty, one item at a time until being eliminated from the game. The cards are marked with indica and are subdivided into groups with the cards in a given group each bearing the same indicia.
In preferred embodiments, the indicia on the cards are farm animals, and the items put on and worn upon the body are animal appendages, e.g., a pig nose and ears.
To play the game, the cards are distributed among the players and are passed between the players until one of the players accumulates all of the cards of a given group. At that point, the player who has accumulated all of the cards in a given a group grabs for one of the grab items, and the other players grab for one of the grab items as well. Because the number of grab items used is one less than the number of players playing the game, one of the players will not be able to grab a grab item and that player is “penalized” by being required to put on and wear one of the costume items. Play is then repeated until a player has accumulated a predetermined number of the costume items, at which point that player is out of the game. The number of grab items available to be grabbed is then reduced by one, and preferably the number of groups of cards present in the deck of cards being used—preferably equal to the number of players playing at a given point in time—is also reduced by one.
Thus, in one aspect, the invention provides a method of playing a game in which a number of hand-grabbable grab items are placed where they can be reached by all players, with the number of grab items present being one less than the number of players playing the game. Upon the occurrence of a predetermined event, each of the players tries to grab one of the grab items, with all but one of the players actually being able to grab a grab item. The player that is not able to grab a grab item is assigned a penalty, the penalty being that that player has to put on and wear a wearable item, i.e., a piece of the costume.
In another aspect, the invention is a method of playing a game in which a number of hand-grabbable items are placed where they can be reached by all of the players, there being one less grab item available than the number of players present. A deck of game cards is provided, with the deck being subdivided into groups of game cards wherein each of the game cards in a given group bears the same indicia. The players pass the game cards among themselves until one of the players has all of the game cards in a given group, at which point, that player reaches for one of the grab items. At this point, all of the other players try to grab one of the grab items, with all but one of the players being able to grab one. The player unable to grab a grab item is assigned a penalty.
In preferred embodiments of the invention according to either of these two aspects, the penalty consists of being required to put on and wear replicas of animal appendages, e.g., a pig nose and pig ears. When a player accumulates a predetermined number of penalties, e.g., the player has been required to put on and wear all of the pig appendages, that player is eliminated and the game continues with one less grab item being made available. Play continues in this manner until two players remain, at which point the player of the two having the lesser number of penalties is declared the winner in an interesting way of playing the game under either of these two aspects, a player may pretend that the predetermined event, e.g., the collection of all the cards in a group, has occurred and fake a grab for one of the grab items. The first of any players to be fooled by such a fake is then penalized appropriately.
REFERENCES:
patent: 832005 (1906-09-01), Atkinson
patent: 1060900 (1913-05-01), Hobbs
patent: 1583223 (1926-05-01), Cooke
patent: 3159403 (1964-12-01), Glass et al.
patent: 3524645 (1970-08-01), Breslow
patent: 4327911 (1982-05-01), Ptaszek et al.
patent: 4773643 (1988-09-01), Mizunuma
patent: 4993717 (1991-02-01), Fiske
Scarne's encyclopedia of games “Donkey and PIG” p. 362-363.*
See attached Scane's encyclopedia of genes pp. 362-363, 1973.
Layno Benjamin H.
Mendiratta V K
Rothwell Figg Ernst & Manbeck
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