Game board and method

Abstract

Removal of game pieces or tiles from the recesses of a game board surface having a raised grid to prevent sliding of the game pieces on the board is facilitated by providing, in one embodiment, pivotably mounted full boards or portions of boards which are rotated on their pivots to deposit the game pieces in a receptacle forming the frame for the structure. Another embodiment provides a grid with a slot under it for receiving a smooth-surfaced marked game board surface under the grid. The game board can be pulled out from under the grid to let game pieces fall down into a receptacle.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
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         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A game board structure, said structure including
 a. a frame for supporting a loose game board, said frame having a bottom wall and at least one side wall joined to said bottom wall forming a support for said game board and forming a receptacle beneath the location of said board   b. said game board having markings defining multiple game piece locations on said game board,   c. a pivotable support structure for pivotably supporting said loose board in said frame,   d. said pivotable support structure including at least one pivot member extending at each of two opposite sides of said board at a location spaced inwardly from one side edge of said board and pivotably supporting said board on said frame, whereby said board can be pivoted to tilt said board to dislodge said game pieces therefrom and cause said game pieces to fall into said receptacle.   
     
     
         8 . A game board as in  claim 7  in which said game board structure includes a retainer structure for holding each game piece against sideways movement at each of said locations, and in which said pivotable support structure is located adjacent one end of said board, said end being transverse to said opposite sides, and said pivotable support structure includes open grooves in one of the upper edge of said side wall of said frame and said board for receiving said at least one pivot member to rotate in said grooves and to permit said board to be lifted free from said frame, said frame having a ledge onto which the end of said board opposite said one end fits when said board rests horizontally in said frame. 
     
     
         9 . A game board as in  claim 7  in which said game board has two separate portions which fit together and are supported edge-to-edge at a joint with one another by a pair of said pivotable support structures, one pair for each of said portions, whereby each portion can be tilted about its pivot separately to deposit game pieces into said receptacle. 
     
     
         10 . A game board as in  claim 9  in which each of said pairs of pivotable support structures is located at a position selected from the group consisting of (a) adjacent said joint near the center of said frame, and (b) adjacent a wall of said receptacle remote from said joint, and said receptacle walls have supports for said board portions and ends of said board portions opposite said pivot rest on said supports. 
     
     
         11 . A game board as in  claim 7  in which said receptacle has an exit port in one sidewall for allowing egress of said game pieces from said receptacle. 
     
     
         12 . A game board structure comprising
 a frame,   a grid mounted on said frame and having a plurality of holes, each having side barriers for impeding sideways movement of game pieces mounted in said holes on a game board mounted underneath said grid,   a slot beneath said grid, said slot being sized and positioned to receive a game board slide and guide said slide to move underneath and in close proximity to the underside of said grid,   a game board slide having printed thereon a plurality of game indicia, each being sized and positioned to register with one of said holes in said grid,   said frame having a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending upwardly therefrom, forming a receptacle under said game board slide, and   said game board slide being slidable out from under said grid to allow game pieces on said board to fall down through said hales and into said receptacle when said board is slid out from under said grid.   
     
     
         13 . A game board as in  claim 12  in which said receptacle has four side walls and a bottom wall, and an exit opening in one of said side walls shaped and sized to allow game pieces to flow out of said receptacle. 
     
     
         14 . A game board as in  claim 13  in which said bottom wall has downwardly-sloping sections forming a trough for feeding said game pieces towards said exit opening. 
     
     
         15 . A game board as in  claim 13  in which said exit opening is sized to stay within the boundaries of an inlet to a game piece container selected from the group consisting of a cup and a bag. 
     
     
         16 . A game board as in  claim 7  in which said game board and said receptacle are rectilinear and said receptacle has a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls secured to and extending upwardly from said bottom wall, and said pivot members are located between the center of said game board and one of said side walls. 
     
     
         17 . A game board as in  claim 16  including a pair of open grooves into each of which one of said pivot members extends, said pivot members being removable upwardly from said grooves. 
     
     
         18 . A game board as in  claim 17  in which said markings on said game board define square game piece locations, and including a grid of raised barriers around each of said squares to releasably retain a game piece. 
     
     
         19 . A game board as in  claim 16  in which said game board fits into said enclosure when mounted therein for play, one of said side walls having a recessed upper edge for supporting an edge of said game board opposite said one of side side walls. 
     
     
         20 . A game board structure comprising
 a. a frame for removably supporting a game board,   b. said game board having markings thereon defining a plurality of game piece locations,   c. said frame having a bottom wall and at least one side wall extending upwardly from said bottom wall to form a receptacle,   d. said at least one side wall forming a support adjacent the upper edge thereof for supporting a loose game board resting thereon,   e. said receptacle having an outlet opening adjacent said bottom wall and said side wall of a size for allowing game pieces in said receptacle to be poured out of said receptacle into an external container.   
     
     
         21 . A game board structure as in  claim 20  in which said frame has a plurality of side walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall, said outlet opening being formed at said bottom wall and at an adjacent side wall so that said side wall serves as a guide to guide said game pieces through said outlet opening. 
     
     
         22 . A game board structure as in  claim 20  in which said game board has a retainer grid secured to and extending outwardly from the surface of said board and forming a barrier around each of said game piece locations to impede sideways movement of said game pieces on said game board. 
     
     
         23 . A game board structure as in  claim 20  in which said game board and said receptacle are rectilinear with four said side walls, and said game board is dimensioned to fit into said receptacle when horizontal, and said support being positioned to support said board in said receptacle near the upper edges of said side walls. 
     
     
         24 . A game board structure as in  claim 20  including a turntable secured to the outside of said bottom wall to rotatably support said frame on a horizontal surface.