Wheel Word Game

1. Field of the Invention

The instant invention relates generally to games and more specifically it relates to a wheel word game.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Numerous games have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to utilize the formation of different types of words and sayings in playing the games. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a wheel word game that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.

Another object is to provide a wheel word game that allows any size group of people to enjoy the fun and excitement of a game that is similar to a very popular TV game show and is adaptable to various age groups.

An additional object is to provide a wheel word game that requires no outside power source to operate it, but instead uses a host and score keeper to manually control the play of the game.

A further object is to provide a wheel word game that is simple and easy to use.

A still further object is to provide a wheel word game that is economical in cost to manufacture.

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.

FIG. 1 is a front view of the puzzle board and the alphabet board on an easel used in playing the game.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a portion of a front perspective view of the puzzle board showing one of the slide markers in greater detail.

FIG. 4 is a portion of a rear perspective view of the puzzle board showing the retainer member of the slide marker in greater detail with respect to the vertical center brace of the easel.

FIG. 5A is a plan view of a hand made puzzle card.

FIG. 5B is a plan view of a plurality of printed puzzle cards.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a plurality of free spin tokens.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of two dry erase pens.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a wiping cloth.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a plurality of contestant selection cards.

FIG. 10 is a front view of the wheel on an easel used in playing the game.

FIG. 11 is a right side view thereof.

FIG. 11A is an enlarged portion of the right side view showing the structure in greater detail.

FIG. 11B is an enlarged portion of the right side view showing the pointer in greater detail.

FIG. 11C is an enlarged portion of the right side view as indicated by arrow 11C in FIG. 11A with parts broken away and in section showing the adjustment feature of the wheel to the easel.

FIG. 12 is a front view of a portion of the wheel showing the pointer in greater detail.

FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view taken through a portion of the wheel showing one of the flexible insert segments thereon.

FIG. 14 is a front perspective view of a portion of the wheel showing the flexible insert segment thereon.

turning new descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, all the figures illustrate a wheel word game which basically consists of a puzzle board 10 on a first easel 12 (FIGS. 1 through 4) for displaying the puzzle as it is worked out, an alphabet board 14 for displaying letters called by the contestants but not used in the puzzle (FIGS. 1 and 2), a hand made puzzle card 16 (FIG. 5A) or printed puzzle cards 18 (FIG. 5B), free spin tokens 20 for the contestants who win free spins (FIG. 6), dry erase pens 22 (FIG. 7), a wiping cloth 24 (FIG. 8), contestant selection cards 26 for selecting the contestants and their order of play (FIG. 9) and a spinning wheel 28 rotatably carried on a second easel 30 (FIGS. 10 through 14).

The puzzle board 10 is mounted on the first easel 12 which is a four legged type. The puzzle board 10 provides a plurality of squares 32 in rows, upon which a host writes the letters of the puzzle as they are called by the contestant. It also provides a way of showing the contestant and audience how many words and of what length are in the puzzle. Each row of letter squares 32 is made of a material compatible with the dry erase pens 22, so that at the end of the puzzle the puzzle board 10 can be wiped clean by the wiping cloth 24. There is a marker 34, which slides in a slot 36 running horizontally above each row of letter squares 32, to show how many letters are in each word. This marker 34 hangs down so it can be positioned at the right hand edge of the last letter square 32 to be used. It is brightly painted so as to be noticeable to both the contestant and the audience. If a stage size puzzle board 10 is used, where more than one word is used on a line, it will use a panel (not shown) riding in the slot 36 to indicate the space between the words.

The alphabet board 14 is a small board attached to the top of the puzzle board 10 and is of the same material as the letter squares 32. The alphabet board 14 is preprinted with all the letters 38 of the alphabet. Beside each letter 38 is a space 40 where a check mark can be made with one of the dry erase pens 22. When a letter is called but not used in the puzzle the host checks that letter 38 to show that it has been called but not used in the puzzle. In a stage size game the alphabet board 14 is free standing.

The spinning wheel 28 is a roulette type mounted on the second easel 30, which is a three legged type. The wheel 28 is marked off in segments 42 with dimensions giving the best eye appeal for the size of the wheel 28 used. Each segment 42 is brightly painted and numbers 44 in the hundreds to low thousands are printed inmost of the segments 42. There is one segment 42a having "free spin" printed thereon and strategically located, to afford the contestant a free spin. There are two segments 42b, each having "lose a turn" printed thereon and strategically located to indicate a contestant has lost his/her turn and two segments 42c strategically located to indicate a contestant has lost all of his/her accumulated score. Two segments 42d, opposite each other, each have structures 45 to overlay one of two flexible insert segments 43 in which one insert segment has a much higher numbered score printed thereon while the other insert segment has "lose it all" printed thereon. At each outer edge 46, just inside the outer periphery 48 of each segment 42 to 42d, a pin 50 projects perpendicular to the face of the spinning wheel 28, sufficiently to trip a pointer 52 pivotly positioned on an arm 54 that extends upwardly from the second easel 30 to the apex of the spinning wheel 28. After the spinning wheel 28 has been spun and comes to rest the pointer 52 will point to one of the segments 42 to 42d with the numbers or wording which determines the score of the contestant.

The wheel 28 is of such strength of weight as to prevent wobble and to provide sufficient inertia, while spinning to create a smooth, long lasting spin on an axle assembly 56 connected to the second easel 30. A drag structure 58 is built into the axle assembly 56, in which the drag structure 58 is adjustable to allow for spin duration and wear on the drag structure 58.

The axle assembly 56 includes a front bearing hub 60 and a rear bearing hub 62 positioned at the center of the wheel 28. An axle bolt 64 with a large head 66 extends through the front bearing hub 60, the wheel 28, the rear bearing hub 62 and the second easel 30. An axle nut 68 is threaded onto the end of axle bolt 64.

The drag structure 58 includes a drag washer 70 positioned on the axle bolt 64 between the large head 66 and the front bearing hub 60 and a drag adjustment nut 72 positioned on the axle bolt 64 between the rear bearing hub 62 and the second easel 30. Tension tightners are made between the drag adjustment nut 72 and the axle nut 68 while the drag on the wheel 28 is made by the drag washer 70 between the large head 60 and the front bearing hub 60.

All of the easels 12 and 30 are hinged to facilitate storage and handling, while the alphabet board 14 is detachable from the puzzle board 10 for the same reason. Above each vertical row of letter squares 32 on the puzzle board 10 are numbers 74 beginning with one through, however many squares 32 there are on the horizontal lines. These numbers 74 are to show the host where a letter should be printed on the puzzle board 10 without having to count.

The puzzle cards 16 or 18 are almost a duplication of the puzzle board 10. These cards show the puzzle, what kind of puzzle it is (i.e. event, person, place, etc.), the number of words, the number of letters in each word, and above each vertical row of letters are numbers as on the puzzle board.

Contestant selection cards 26 are drawn to determine all of the contestants' turn at play. The number of groups of contestants and the number of contestants in each group must first be determined. If there are to be, say, five groups of three contestants the cards 26 for groups one through five should be used. If, for example, there is to be one group of three contestants and the rest audience the cards 26 for group one and as many audience cards should be used as there are people involved.

The first contestant, having determined by drawing a selection card 26, will spin the wheel 28. If the pointer 52 falls in a segment 42 with a number 44 printed in it the contestant will call for a consonant. If the letter called is contained in the puzzle the host will write that letter in the appropriate square/s 32. The contestant will be credited with the number of points shown in the segment 42 multiplied by the number of times that letter is contained in the puzzle. He/she will spin again. If the pointer 52 falls in the segment 42a marked "free spin" the contestant is given a free spin token 20 useable at any time during his/her turn at play. He/she will spin again. If the pointer 52 falls in a segment 42b marked "lose a turn" the contestant relinquishes his/her turn to the next player. If the pointer 52 falls in a segment 42c marked "lost it all" that player's accumulated score is erased and he/she relinquishes his/her turn.

Any letters called for but not used int he puzzle, with the exception of vowels called out of turn, will be checked off the alphabet board 14 by the host. A contestant who calls for a letter marked on the alphabet board 14 shall relinquish his/her turn. A vowel called out of turn is useable to subsequent contestants.

Vowels are; A, E, I, O, U. A vowel may be called for by a contestant before he/she spins and at no other time. When a vowel is called at the proper time, two hundred points are deducted from the contestant's accumulated score regardless of the number of times that vowel is or is not used in the puzzle. If a contestant spins and calls for a vowel instead of a consonant he/she has called vowel out of turn. A contestant calling for a vowel without a minimum of two hundred accumulated points is considered to have called a vowel out of turn. No points shall be deducted for calling a vowel out of turn. Contestants calling a vowel out of turn shall relinquish his/her turn.

The free spin tokens 20 may be returned to the host after a contestant has spun and landed on a segment 42c marked "lose it all", a segment 42b marked "lose a turn" or has called for a vowel out of turn.

The first contestant who can solve the puzzle is the winner for that puzzle and retains his/her accumulated score. The scores of the other contestants are zeroed out. The contestant with the highest accumulated score, after a predetermined number of games or a specified time, wins for that group. Play-offs between various group winners is popular when several groups are involved.

10 puzzle board

12 first easel

14 alphabet board

16 hand made puzzle card

18 printed puzzle card

20 free spin token

22 dry erase pen

24 wiping cloth

26 contestant selection card

28 spinning wheel

30 second easel

32 letter square on 10

34 marker

36 slot in 10

38 one letter of the alphabet on 14

40 space on 14

42 segment on 28

42a "free spin" segment on 28

42b "lose a turn" segment on 28

42c "lost it all" segment on 28

42d overlay segment on 28

43 flexible insert segment

44 numbers on 42

45 overlay structure

46 outer edge

48 outer periphery

50 pin

52 pointer

54 arm on 30

56 axle assembly

58 drag structure in 56

60 front bearing hub

62 rear bearing hub

64 axle bolt

66 large head on 64

68 axle nut

70 drag washer

72 drag adjustment nut

74 number on 10

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.