Word game and apparatus therefor

Claim 2

A word game unit comprising a vertically extending longitudinal cabinet member of unchanging transverse section having a front face and including bins spaced a predetermined distance from each other, means forming compartments in the bins opening through the front face thereof with a letter of the alphabet on the front face identifying each compartment, lettered playing pieces in corresponding compartments, a playing board insertable in and able to occupy substantially the entire space between said bins, said playing board including an upper playing surface divided into vertical and horizontal rows of areas shaped correspondingly to said playing pieces and adapted to receive and retain them, said playing board being selectively positionable widthwise between the bins in a playing position in which the playing surface extends outwardly from the front face of said vertically extending cabinet member, and in a storage position in which the playing surface extends vertically and substantially along the front face of said bins, each player placing the word game unit at his chosen location with the playing surface out of view of the others, the rules of the game being such that each player may call a letter in succession and all players must choose the playing piece from their bins with the letter called thereon and place the pieces on their boards in selected areas thereof to form as many vertical and horizontal words as possible, the scoring depending solely on the number and length of words formed.

Claim 3

The word game unit of claim 1 wherein the front of said vertically extending cabinet member inclines downwardly and outwardly and said playing surface of said playing board is correspondingly inclined when said board is in said selected storage position, said playing surface also therefor extending downwardly and forwardly of said vertically extending unit when said playing board is in said selected playing position.

Claim 4

The word game unit of claim 2 and doors slidably mounted on said vertically extending cabinet member to cover and uncover said bin compartments.

Claim 5

The word game unit of claim 2 wherein said means forming said compartments include intersecting vertical and horizontal partitions whose outer surfaces form the downwardly and outwardly inclined front face of said vertically extending member.

Claim 6

A word game unit comprised of a longitudinal vertically extending member including interconnected horizontal top and bottom walls, a rear vertical wall, outer end vertical walls, and inner vertical walls spaced from said outer vertical walls and from each other, the areas at the ends of said vertically extending member between each end wall and its closest inner wall forming bins, intersecting vertical and horizontal partitions in each bin dividing the same into compartments with a letter associated with each compartment, the top wall being of lesser width than the bottom wall so that the front of said vertical member is substantially in a downwardly and outwardly inclined plane, the front faces of said partitions being correspondingly inclined, lettered playing pieces in corresponding compartments, a playing boarD formed of interconnected rear, front, side and upper walls, said rear wall being higher than said front wall so that said upper wall and the upper edges of said side walls incline downwardly from said rear to said front wall, the degree of inclination thereof being substantially the same as that of the front of said vertically extending compartmented member and the width of said playing board approximating the space between said inner vertical walls of said vertically extending compartmented member, said upper wall of said playing board being the playing surface and being divided into vertical and horizontal rows of areas shaped correspondingly to said playing pieces and adapted to receive and retain them, the widths of said front and rear walls of said playing board approximating those of the top and bottom walls of said vertically extending compartmented member so that when said playing board is positioned widthwise in the space between said inner vertical walls with said rear wall of said playing board adjacent said rear wall of said vertically extending compartmented member, the board is in its playing position with the playing surface downwardly and forwardly inclined and, when said playing board is placed so that its front wall is under said top wall of said vertically extending compartmented member and said rear wall of said playing board overlies the bottom wall of said vertically extending compartmented member, said playing board extends vertically and occupies the space between said bins bins in the storage position with its upper wall in substantially the same inclined plane as the front of said vertically extending compartmented member.

Claim 7

A word game unit comprised of a longitudinal vertically extending member including interconnected horizontal top and bottom walls, a rear vertical wall, outer end vertical walls, and inner vertical walls spaced from said outer vertical walls and from each other, the areas at the ends of said vertically extending member between each end wall and its closest inner wall forming bins, intersecting vertical and horizontal partitions in each bin dividing the same into compartments with a letter associated with each compartment, the top wall being of lesser width than the bottom wall so that the front of said vertical member is substantially in a downwardly and outwardly inclined plane, the front faces of said partitions being correspondingly inclined, lettered playing pieces in corresponding compartments, a playing boarD formed of interconnected rear, front, side and upper walls, said rear wall being higher than said front wall so that said upper wall and the upper edges of said side walls incline downwardly from said rear to said front wall, the degree of inclination thereof being substantially the same as that of the front of said vertically extending compartmented member and the width of said playing board approximating the space between said inner vertical walls of said vertically extending compartmented member, said upper wall of said playing board being the playing surface and being divided into vertical and horizontal rows of areas shaped correspondingly to said playing pieces and adapted to receive and retain them, the widths of said front and rear walls of said playing board approximating those of the top and bottom walls of said vertically extending compartmented member so that when said playing board is positioned widthwise in the space between said inner vertical walls with said rear wall of said playing board adjacent said rear wall of said vertically extending compartmented member, the board is in its playing position with the playing surface downwardly and forwardly inclined and, when said playing board is placed so that its front wall is under said top wall of said vertically extending compartmented member and said rear wall of said playing board overlies the bottom wall of said vertically extending compartmented member, said playing board extends vertically and occupies the space between said bins bins in the storage position with its upper wall in substantially the same inclined plane as the front of said vertically extending compartmented member.

Claim 8

The word game unit of claim 5 and means to stabilize said playing board in its playing position, said means including notches in the lower edges of said side walls of said playing board, said notches being substantially coextensive with the width of said bottom wall of said vertically extending compartmented member and receiving the portion of said bottom wall between said bins.

Claim 9

The word game unit of claim 5 and means to stabilize said playing board in its playing position, said means including a base wall interconnecting the rear, front and side walls of said playing board, said base wall including a notched portion extending to said rear wall and being substantially coextensive with the width of said bottom wall of said vertically extending compartmented member and receiving the portion of said bottom wall between said bins.

Claim 10

The word game unit of claim 5 and doors mounted for vertically sliding movement on said vertically extending member at said bins to cover and uncover said compartments.

Claim 11

The word game unit of claim 5 and doors mounted for horizontal sliding movement on said vertically extending member at said bins to cover and uncover said compartments.

Claim 12

The word game unit of claim 5 wherein said upper wall of said playing board includes intersecting horizontal and vertical portions extending upwardly from said upper wall forming said areas adapted to receive and retain playing pieces placed therein.

Claim 13

A word game unit comprised of a longitudinal vertically extending cabinet member including interconnected horizontal top and bottom walls, a rear vertical wall, outer end vertical walls, and an inner vertical wall intermediate said outer end vertical walls, intersecting vertical and horizontal partitions in the area between one end wall and the intermediate wall dividing the same into compartments with a letter associated with each compartment, lettered playing pieces in corresponding compartments, a playing board insertable in and able to occupy substantially the entire space formed between the top and bottom walls, the intermediate wall and the other end wall, said playing board including an upper playing surface divided into vertical and horizontal rows of areas shaped correspondingly to said playing pieces and adapted to retain and receive them, said playing board being selectively positIonable widthwise between said intermediate wall and said other end wall in a playing position in which the playing surface extends outwardly from the front of said cabinet member, and in a storage position in which the playing surface extends vertically and substantially along the front of said cabinet member.

Claim 14

A word game unit comprised of a longitudinal vertically extending cabinet member including interconnected horizontal top and bottom walls, a rear vertical wall, outer end vertical walls, and an inner vertical wall intermediate said outer end vertical walls, intersecting vertical and horizontal partitions in the area between one end wall and the intermediate wall dividing the same into compartments with a letter associated with each compartment, lettered playing pieces in corresponding compartments, a playing board insertable in and able to occupy substantially the entire space formed between the top and bottom walls, the intermediate wall and the other end wall, said playing board including an upper playing surface divided into vertical and horizontal rows of areas shaped correspondingly to said playing pieces and adapted to retain and receive them, said playing board being selectively positIonable widthwise between said intermediate wall and said other end wall in a playing position in which the playing surface extends outwardly from the front of said cabinet member, and in a storage position in which the playing surface extends vertically and substantially along the front of said cabinet member.

Claim 15

The word game unit of claim 11 wherein the front of said vertically extending cabinet member inclines downwardly and outwardly and said playing surface of said playing board is correspondingly inclined when said board is in said selected storage position, said playing surface also therefor extending downwardly and forwardly of said vertically extending unit when said playing board is in said selected playing position.

Claim 16

The word game unit of claim 11 and a door slidably mounted on said vertically extending cabinet member to cover and uncover said compartments.