For the most part, prior art amusement devices having a pointer for the random selection of numbers or other answers and directions have been of the spinner type, in which the pointer is mounted for rotation about an axis extending through the center of the pointer and perpendicular to the plane of movement thereof. Rotation of prior art pointers was usually obtained by the direct application of physical energy with motion of the pointer being in a regular path.
In many games, a die is used to determine the reference number. Dice are quite common and have been used in games since ancient Roman times. However, it is often exciting to use other devices in place of the ordinary die. For the purposes of amusement devices, any apparatus that is capable of generating a random number between one and six can be used as a substitute die.
Various U.S. patents have described magnetically actuated amusement devices in the past. These patents have related to a variety of pointers and decision making tools.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,657, issued on Sept. 1, 1987, to L. E. Lodrick, Sr., is an amusement device that has a first magnet that is freely movable in a base and a second magnet that is suspended from a tether and a support arm attached to the base. These are arranged such that the second magnet is influenced by the movement of the first magnet. The repulsive interaction between the two magnets maintains the second magnetic member essentially parallel to the base and perpendicular to the tether. The second magnetic member is freely rotatable about the point of attachment to the tether such that movements of the first magnetic member cause corresponding changes in the rotational orientation of the second magnetic member.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,707,290, issued on Dec. 26, 1972, to M. Birnkrant is another type of amusement device in which a pointer is suspended above an answer board. The pointer is suspended by a thread. A permanent magnet is positioned immediately below the answer board and cooperates with a permanent magnet mounted to the pointer such that the flux fields of the magnets interact. The pointer is repelled so as to be directed to toward the periphery of the answer board. The edges of the permanent magnet are notched so that the flux lines are not uniformly distributed. The pointer will eventually seek an equilibrium position.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,211,414, issued on July 8, 1980, to J. C. Moodt describes a "wheedle wheel game apparatus". The base of this device is printed with a number of markings to indicate various activities. A pointer is rotatably attached to the base. The magnets which are disposed in the base and in the pointer serve to attract and repel the pointer to select a predetermined category of activities. In this particular invention, the desired activities are represented by an attractive magnet. The undesired activities are represented by a repulsive magnet. As such, the pointer will always choose one of the desired activities.
An older patent, U.S. Pat. No. 1,093,577, issued on Apr. 14, 1914, to H. B. Palmer, describes a game apparatus in which a witch figurine is attached to closely arranged repelling magnet. The witch has a stick in her hand that includes another magnet which points outwardly. The rotation of the witch will eventually point to certain decision making circles.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an indicator device which can generate random numbers between one and six.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an amusement device which assists in the decision making process.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an indicator device that provides a great deal of motion and movement prior to decision making.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide an indicator device that is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and easy to operate.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the attached specification and appended claims.