A DISPENSER FOR WORD GAME LETTER PIECES

UN DISTRIBUTEUR POUR PIECES DE LETTRE DE JEU AVEC DES MOTS

English Abstract

The present invention relates to a dispenser for word game letter pieces consisting of a box, preferably made of plastic, comprising 27 separate vertical storage volumes for letter pieces, which are stacked in columns of 15 pieces each, in cages which are juxtaposed in line and each containing a column of letter pieces, a horizontal volume enclosing a plurality of cages, which at the bottom of each, enclosing an assembly, each being composed of a pivotal lever and a lever return spring mounted on a common axle, with a detachable lid which allows easy access to the cages during loading and closing of the box during transport of the device with its letter pieces.

French Abstract

La présente conception est un distributeur de lettres de jeu, de préférence fait en plastique et comprenant vingt-sept cases verticales distinctes pour les lettres, lesquelles sont empilées en colonnes de quinze pièces chacune, dans des cages juxtaposées en ligne dont chacune contient une colonne de lettres, un volume horizontal ceinturant plusieurs cages dont le bas comprend un mécanisme constitué d'un levier et d'un ressort de levier articulés autour d'un même axe, un couvercle amovible offrant un accès facile aux cages pour les remplir et un fermoir du boîtier pour le transport du dispositif et des lettres.

Claims

6
CLAIMS
A dispenser for word game letter pieces
1. A dispenser for word game letter pieces comprising:
a box, preferably made of plastic, comprising 27 separate vertical storage
volumes
for letter pieces which are stacked in columns, in cages which are juxtaposed
horizontally in line, with a horizontal rectangular opening at each cage on
the lower
front panel;
a base, preferably made of plastic, large enough to support the dispenser
stable while
being used by a player;
a removable snap action lid for easy access to each cages during loading and
closing
for transport;
a removable, snap action cover panel to cover the horizontal rectangular holes
on the
front panel for preventing letter pieces from falling off during transport;
a strip of imprinted letters of the alphabet affixed, preferably with glue, on
the front
panel, corresponding to each horizontal rectangular opening.
2. A dispenser for word game letter pieces, according to claim 1 comprising:
an assembly at the bottom of each cage, being composed of a pivotal lever and
a
lever return spring mounted on a common axle for the purpose of ejecting a
letter
piece when the pivotal lever is activated by a downward force;
an opening at the bottom and the lower back of each cage for the purpose of
allowing free movement of the pivotal lever when activated by a player;

Description

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DESCRIPTION
Title
A dispenser for word game letter pieces
Technical field
The present invention relates to word games and devices for playing word
games.
Background information and prior art
Word games are known in the art that include manipulating individual letter
piece to
form words. Game letter piece dispensers are additionally known in the art.
Game
piece dispensers take many forms and are adapted to the type of game it is
used for.
One game piece dispenser and the associated methods of playing a word game is
disclosed by Coster et. al in U.S. Pat. No. 6,902,163 B2.
A number of patents have been issued that pertains to word game dispensers
and/or
trays for holding letter pieces. For example, in the U.S. Pat. Application No.
20030052448 by Bertrand, a tray for holding pieces is disclosed.
In U. S. Pat. No. 4,919,426, by Vieira, a dust cover for a game board is
disclosed.
In France Pat. No. FR2580599, by Heilmann, a token dispenser for blind
dispensing
is disclosed.
In U. S. Pat. No. 1,530,906, by Nelson, a coin carrying and dispensing device
is
disclosed.
References cited
U.S. Patent documents
20030052448 Mar., 2003 Bertrand 273/148R
2003/0230848A1 Dec., 2003 Mellerowicz 273/272
4,919,426 Apr., 1990 Vieira 273/148R
D467,980 S Dec., 2002 William D21/334
6,902,163 B2. June, 2005 273/149
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1,530,906 Mar.,1925 Nelson
France Patent document
FR2580599 Oct. 1986 Heilmann
Description of how the invention addresses a technical problem
In some word games, like scrabble and others, the game start by calling a
number of
letters at random, the players "scramble" in a box of letter pieces to fmd the
right
letters and quite often miss a letter in the process. With the letter pieces
dispenser,
when a letter is called, the player press the lever of the corresponding
letter and the
letter piece will slide out of the box through an opening in the front of the
box.
The advantages of using this game pieces dispenser is speed and precision, no
letter
is lost in the process. When a letter is called the player pushes the lever
that
correspond to the letter and one letter piece is dispensed by the mechanism.
The user
does not have to fumble around on the table or in a box to fmd the right
letter and
time is saved that way.
List of figures
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the complete dispenser for word game letter
pieces.
Fig. 2 is a working drawing of the dispenser for word game letter pieces.
Fig. 3 is a side, view with the end removed for clarity, of the dispenser for
word
game letter pieces.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged side view of the dispenser for word game letter pieces.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged end view perspective to show the details of one vertical
storage
volume for letter pieces.
Fig. 6 is a detailed view of the lever mechanism and associated spring on the
common axle for the dispenser for word game letter pieces.
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Detailed description
A dispenser for word game letter pieces
A description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is
presented with
reference to the included figures 1 to 6. The dispenser for word game letter
pieces
consist of a box, preferably made of plastic, a front side panel 15 and a back
side
panel 14 joined with two end pieces molded to the base 3. On the front panel
of the
box 15, above the horizontal rectangular openings 12 is affixed, preferably
with glue,
a strip of the letters 21of the alphabet corresponding to each rectangular
openings for
the purpose of identifying each letter. Between the horizontal rectangular
openings
12 and the base 3 are 27 vertical oval openings 16 to give access to the
pivotably
attached leavers 4, one for each letter. The letter pieces dispenser box
comprise 27
separate vertical storage volumes for letter pieces 10 which are stacked in
columns,
in cages which are juxtaposed in line and each containing a column of 151etter
pieces of the same letter, a horizontal volume enclosing 27 cages, with at the
bottom
enclosing an assembly, each being composed of a pivotal lever 4 and a lever
return
spring 5 mounted on a common axle 11.
One letter piece is dispensed through the horizontal rectangular opening 12 in
the
front panel of the letter pieces dispenser 15 when the corresponding lever 4
is
activated by a downward force by a fmger of the player. The rear portion of
the
lever 4 applies a pressure on the back side of one letter piece 10, being
retained by
friction only, the letter piece is pushed forward, out of the dispenser,
through the
front opening rectangular hole 12. The letter piece is replaced by the one 10
that was
stacked on top of it as soon as the lever 4 returns to its original position.
When the
lever 4 is released, it is returned to its original position by the force of
the lever return
spring 5. The lever return spring core 5 is wound around the common axle 11,
one
end of the spring attached to retaining pins 6 which is attached to the main
structure
(box), and the other end to pin 7 which is attached to the body of the lever
4. The
common axle is attached to the main box by a plurality of axle holders 20.
The lever 4 is pivotably attached to the common axle 11 and is limited in its
rotation
axis by pin 8 in its upward movement and by pin 9 in its downward movement.
The
lever 4, in its pivotal motion slides inside a lever opening 18 in the bottom
13 of
each column and in the slot 19 in the back panel 14 of the box.
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The letter dispenser additionally comprises a removable lid 2 that is
dimensioned to
press fit, snap action, in covering relation to the top of the box to keep the
letter
pieces from falling off during transportation and while it is being used. The
letter
pieces dispenser also comprises a removable front cover panel 22 that is press
fit,
snap action to cover the 27 front panel horizontal rectangular holes 12 for
preventing
the letter pieces 10 from falling off during transport.
. ..,. .. __ _

Representative Drawing