Liquid Absorbing Playing Piece

The present invention relates generally to the field of amusement devices and more particularly to the field of games which simulate warfare.

Many of the war games available today do not actually provide the player with a sense of realism due to the fact that they are mostly played on small-scale playing boards. Additionally, no real destruction to the tools of war, such as battleships and airplanes takes place. For this to occur would require an enormous expenditure of money in order to purchase large scale models which would constantly require replacement. There are existing "exploding" models which spring apart when hit, however, they are expensive, unrealistic and do not provide any method of scoring based upon the degree to which they are impacted upon.

It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a playing piece for war game which is inexpensive enough to permit the continued destruction of playing pieces. To this end, all war game structures are constructed of ordinary toilet tissue, this would include all absorbant (toilet) tissue of all sorts, preferably two-ply, which comes in 10 cm wide rolls.

A further object is to provide a playing piece for war game which are to be manufactured by machinery in a factory and not assembled by players and or others.

A further object is to provide a playing piece for war game which may be "shot down" or "sunk" by using a water pistol, or pieces of tissue paper soaked or impregnated with water in the form of weapons e.g. torpedoes and missiles. When the war playing piece is hit with water, the toilet tissue absorbs the water and the water penetrates to a level defined by the absorptive quality of the tissue structure.

A further object is to provide a playing piece for war game which is constructed in layers so that a "hit" score may be computed according to the number of layers which have been penetrated. The penetrability of layers may be determined by the relative permeability of the tissue, the tightness with which it is rolled and the spacing between helical flattened rolls.

A further object is to provide a playing piece for war game in which each layer is constructed of a different colored permeable material so that as the structure is "hit" the extent of "damage" is easily ascertained by examining the layers which are exposed when the soggy matted material is removed.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.

The figures in the drawings are briefly described as follows:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention showing the game board and some playing pieces, setup and in play.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of just one typical square on the game board.

FIGS. 3,4,5,6 and 7 show the sequential steps involved in fabricating the playing pieces.

FIG. 8 illustrates a typical ship being examined to determine the extent of damage after being impacted with a liquid in stream form (water pistol) or wetted tissue paper (e.g. torpedo or missile).

In FIG. 1, four war game playing pieces typified by 10 are shown placed upon a typical playing board 12. The size of the playing board 12 is scaled to match the size of war game playing pieces typified by 10. Many kinds of board type war games may be devised with different strategies and scoring modes. For example, if a game requires the subdivision of larger squares into a matrix of smaller squares, this may be accomplished as illustrated by a detailed examination of typically subdivided square 14 which is shown in greater detail in FIG. 2.

The structure of the war game playing pieces 10 may best be understood with reference to FIGS. 3 to 7. A permeable absorptive material, such as toilet tissue is rolled longitudinally, as in 16 to form the inner core of the war game 10. The width of this inner core layer 16 determines the height of the war game playing piece 10. The width of this layer, as well as all subsequent layers may be determined by folding over the tissue along its entire length. For example, a 10 cm. wide tissue may be folded in half to form an inner core 5 cm. in height. If a ship was being simulated this inner core might represent the hull of a ship. This layer, as is true for all subsequent layers, may be made to vary in its capacity to absorb water and therefore in its capacity to resist damage when impacted by water shot from a water pistol, or water impregnated tissue weapons (e.g. torpedo and missile). This may be accomplished in three ways. First, the relative permeability of the layer may be varied by varying the density of the permeable material; i.e. the more dense the material the less water penetration damage will occur. Secondly, the tightness of the roll may be varied; i.e. the tighter the roll the less water penetration damage will occur. Thirdly, the spacing between rolls may be varied; i.e. the smaller the spacing between rolls the less water penetration damage will occur.

In FIGS. 4 and 5 intermediate layers 18 and 20 are added by wrapping pre-folded tissue around core 16 forming a helical roll running perpendicularly to the major axis of the ellipse formed by the flattened inner core 16. If a ship is being simulated, these intermediate layers may represent layers of armament or plating. As already described, these layers may be made more water absorption proof by, for example, wrapping the layers tighter and eliminating spaces between the coils of the helical rolls.

In FIG. 6 an outer layer 22 is added, again by forming a helical roll running perpendicularly to the major axis of the ellipse formed by the flattened inner core 16. If a ship is being simulated, this outer layer 22 may represent the decking of a ship. Since the deck is often quite vulnerable during attack, the simulated deck is wrapped with full-width tissue and is wrapped loosely.

Each of layers 16, 18, 20 and 22 may be variously colored to assist in determining the extent of water penetration and, thereby the extent of damage caused by the attack and a score for the game.

Additional various size rolls of tissue may be added to add the realism of the simulation. For example in FIG. 8 a superstructure 24 and a gun turret 26 have been glued to the main war game structure 28. In this figure the determination of damage and scoring is illustrated. It is assumed that water from a pistol or wetted tissue explosive warhead, (e.g. torpedo, missile) has been incident upon main war game structure 28 on the side facing the viewer. At the point of incidence the water will penetrate main war game playing piece 28 leaving a volume of soggy wadded mass. One of the players, typically the enemy, pinches this mass 30 between fingers 32 and removes it entirely. Due to the nature of soggy wadded toilet tissue this mass is easily removable and dry tissue will be left intact. An examination of the main war game playing piece 28 reveals, by examination of the color of the exposed layers, that damage has been caused to inner layer 34, intermediate layers 36 and 38 and outer layer 40.

Although a ship has been used as an illustrative example, it is understood that almost any war machine or transport may be similarly simulated without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, airplanes, submarines, tanks, armored vehicles and even fixed structures such as houses and forts may be so constructed.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.