GB2117652A - 8-ring puzzle - Google Patents

Abstract

In the puzzle shown, the rod 16 has to be disengaged from the ring 14. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Puzzle This invention relates to puzzles, and in particular concerns a puzzle designed to give long periods of entertainment, amusement and education. Puzzles for solution by an individual are extremely popular throughout the world, and a particularly popular puzzle is known as "the cube" which is a cube made up of a plurality of smaller individually movable cubes having colours or other markings on the outer surfaces thereof, so that the respective faces of the large cube can be arranged with faces of the smaller cubes disposed therein so that each large face exhibits a single colour or pattern.

Also known, is a puzzle called "the snake" which comprises a plurality of coioured plastic blocks interconnected so as to be positionally adjustable to construct different shapes and patterns.

The present invention is also a puzzle for providing long periods of amusement and entertainment, but is based upon the disengagement of a loop member from a particular structure, and for the re-engage mentofthe loop memberwith such structure in a particular manner.

In accordance with the present invention the puzzle comprises a plurality of rings each pivotally mounted on the end of a support rod, the rings being arranged in a row so that the second ring loops round the support rod of the first ring, the third ring loops round the support rod of the second ring, and soon so that the last ring loops round the support rod of the last but one ring, and there is a loop member which passes through all the rings, the loop member being U-shaped, and arranged so that the support rods pass between the limbs of the U and the end which defines the base of the U projects beyond the adjacent end of the row of rings, and the other end of the loop member is adapted for gripping by the hand in order to manipulate the loop member with the object of disengaging the loop member from the rings.

It will be appreciated that to effect said disengagement, the loop member and rings must be manipulated much in the same fashion as knitting needles are manipulated in order solve the puzzle.

The other ends of the rod members may be mounted on a base plate so as to be slidable in the direction of their lengths on said base plate but being incapable of detachment therefrom.

The facility of the rods to slide relative to the base plate, and the rings to pivot relative to the rod ends facilitates the manipulation of the loop member in effecting a solution to the puzzle.

The number of rings in the row may be selected as desired, but I have found that a row of eight rings provides a puzzle which takes a length of time to solve which is not so long asto make the person trying to solve the puzzle become bored orfrustrated, although the puzzle does provide many hours of entertainment for users of same.

The rings, rods and loop member may be constructed of metal and/or plastics material, and it may be made in any size which is manually manipulable. I feel that a particularly suitable size for the puzzle will be pocket size to enable the puzzle to be carried on one's person, so that it can be used for example during travelling or during periods of waiting.

The accompanying drawings illustrate diagrammatically one example ofthe invention, and in the drawings, which are not to scale: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the puzzle according to the example; Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a length of the row of rings of the puzzle shown in Fig. 1; and Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are perspective views serving to illustrate how the loop member can be manipulated in order to remove same from the first ring of the row of rings.

Referring to the drawings, the puzzle of the example shown comprises a base plate 10 on which are mounted a plurality of parallel, upstanding rods 12. The rods 12 are slidable in the direction of their lengths relative to the base plate 10, but cannot be detatched therefrom.

Atthetop end, each rod 12 is provided with a ring 14, whereby a row of rings is defined as shown. In this example, there are eight rods 12 and eight rings 14, the rings 14fromfirstto last in the row respectively being numbered 14-1, 14-2 - - 14-8, and it will be noticed that ring 14-2 is looped round the support rod 12 of ring 14-1, ring 14-3 is looped round the support rod of ring 14-2, and soon so that ring 14-8 is looped round the rod 12 of ring 14-7, so that the rings 14 are interconnected by virtue of this looping arrangement.

Additionally, there is a U-shaped loop member 16 which passes through all of the rings 14, and the U-end 16A of the loop member projects through the first ring 14-1, and the other end 1 6B of the loop member projects from the other end of the row of rings, and is provided with a manipulating handle 18.

By manipulating the handle 18, and by manipulating the rings 14-1 to 14-8, the loop member 16 can in fact be removed from the row of rings 14, although as shown in Fig. 1, such detachment will clearly require a considerable amount of ingenuity and effort, because not only does the loop member 16 pass through the rings 14, but also the rods 12 extend between the limbs of the U-shaped loop member 16. However, it is possible by suitable manipulation as above described to detatch the loop member from the row of rings. Fig. 2 illustrates in sectional elevation how the rings 14 loop round the support rods, and also how the loop member 16 is positioned in relation to such rings.

Obviously, it would be inappropriate to describe the entire solution of the puzzle in this specification, but Figs. 3to 6 illustrate in a sequence how the loop member 16 can be removed from the first ring 14-1, and manipulation of a nature similar to that illustrated by Figs. 3 to 6 must be continually repeatedly and in a particular sequence in order to detatch the loop member from the row of rings. Referring to Figs. 3 to 6, in Fig. 3 the loop member 16 has been illustrated as having been retracted so that the end 1 6A passes through the first loop 14-1. In Fig. 4, the loop member 16 has been again advanced, but after the ring 1$1 has been positioned so that the loop member 16 passes under the ring 14-1.In Fig. 5, the ring 14-1 is shown as being passed between the limbs of the loop member 1fi, and finally in Fig. 6, the position is shown in which the loop member 16 has again been retracted, and after the ring 14-1 has been passed between the limbs of member 16, so that the ring 14-1 and its support rod 12 are detatched from the loop member 16. The puzzle as has been indicated is capable of solution, and it is also possible to reconnect the loop member 16 and the row of rings to re-establish the position shown in Fig. land doubtless the puzzle will be used not only for the solution of disconnecting the loop member from the row of rings, but also for reconnecting the loop member and row of rings.

When one has solved the puzzle, one can then endeavour to solve it at a higher speed or in a shorter time, and the puzzle can be used in competition in which the winner is the person who can solve the puzzle in the shortest time, in much the same manner as competitions are held for solving the cube puzzle mentioned above.

The puzzle can be manufactured in plastics and/or metal or wood or any suitable material, as clearly the material from which the puzzle is manufactured does not affect the nature of the invention.

Claims (5)

1. A puzzle comprising a plurality of rings each pivotally mounted on the end of a support rod, the rings being arranged in a row so that the second ring loops round the support rod of the first ring, the third ring loops round the support rod of the second ring, and so on so that the last ring loops round the support rod of the last butone ring, and there is a loop member which passes through all the rings, the loop member being U-shaped, and arranged so that the support rods pass between the limbs of the U and the end which defines the base of the U projects beyond the adjacent end of the row of rings, and the other end of the loop member is adapted for gripping by the hand ih order to manipulate the loop member with the object of disengaging the loop member from the rings.

2. A puzzle according to claim 1,wherein the rod members are mounted on a base plate so as to be slidable in the direction of their lengths on said base plate, but being incapable of detatchment therefrom.

3. A puzzle according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rings, rods and loop member are constructed of metal and/or plastics material.

4. A puzzle according to any preceding claim, wherein the puzzle is of pocket size.

5. A puzzle substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.