US3870308A

US3870308A - Magnetic target and disc surface projectile game apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3870308A
Application number: US318496A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jerry Reilly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-12-26
Filing date: 1972-12-26
Publication date: 1975-03-11
Anticipated expiration: 1992-03-11

Abstract

An amusement apparatus which comprises a base member and magnetic elements operationally arranged on a surface of the base member in an attracting relationship. One magnetic element provides a target for the other which is projected at the target in a fashion intended to cause the projected element or puck to travel about the target.

Description

Unite States atem 11 1 [111 3,870,308

Reilly 1 Mar. 11, 1975 [5 MAGNETIC TARGET AND DISC SURFACE 2,720,398 10/1955 Andrews et al. 273/126 R T LE GAME APPARATUS 2,903,264 9/1959 Munro ct 211. 46/241 X PROJEC I 3,091,464 5/1963 Birdsall et 21] 273/118 A X [76] Inventor: Jerry Reilly, Blandford r, 3,637,214 1/1972 Brcslow 273/126 R Sudbury, Mass. 01776 [22] Filed. Dec. 26 1972 Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-T. Brown [21] Appl. No.: 318,496

[57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl. 273/126 A, 273/119 A An amusement apparatus which comprises a base [51] Int. Cl. A63f 3/00 member and magnetic elements operationally ar- [58] Field of Search..... 273/119 A, 120 A, 126 RA, ranged on a surface of the base member in an attract- 273/127 R, 127 B, l M, 1 18 A; 46/241 ing relationship. One magnetic element provides a target for the other which is projected at the target in a [56] References Cited fashion intended to cause the projected element or UNITED STATES PATENTS puck to travel about the target.

2,482,404 9/1949 Domingo 273/126 R 8 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure MAGNETIC TARGET AND DISC SURFACE PROJECTILE GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to amusement apparatus. More precisely, the invention disclosed herein relates to apparatus which comprises magnetic members and utilizes principles of the magnetic attractive field existing between the members to provide amusement.

2. Description of the Prior Art Games and devices utilizing magnetic elements and magnetic principles to provide amusement are known in the art. Representative games and devices of this type are described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 2,987,852 to Koch; U.S. Pat. No. 2,908,110 to Koch; U.S. Pat. No. 3,090,662 to Sire and U.S. Pat. No. 3,214,171 to Luchsinger. A principal object of the present invention is to provide a game or device utilizing magnets and magnetic principles to provide amusement according to a distinctive mode of operation. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will in part be set forth hereinafter or will be apparent to those conversant and skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The amusement apparatus of the present invention comprises a base member providing a flat surface and two magnetic elements operationally arranged in an attracting relationship on the surface. One magnet element provides a target or a plurality of targets. Preferably the target magnet element is a single target magnet member maintained in a fixed position on the surface. The second magnet element serves as a puck or projectile and is shot along the surface at the target magnet element. As skill is acquired in shooting the puck or projectile magnet element at the target magnet element to thereby bring the magnetic elements into proper contact, the projectile magnet element can be caused to travel about the peripheral edge of the target magnet element one or more times. A score can be obtained each time the projectile magnet element or puck travels about the target magnet element and the game is won by the person who can cause the projectile element to travel about the target element the greatest number of times. The invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reference to the attached FIGURE taken in connection with the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE The FIGURE is a perspective view of an arrangement of elements suitable for providing an amusement apparatus of the present invention. An alternative embodiment is depicted in dotted lines in the center of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the FIGURE, the entire amusement apparatus is generally designated as 10. The amusement apparatus comprises as essential elements thereof, a base member 11 providing a flat surface 12 and two magnetic elements: target magnetic element 22 and projectile magnet element or puck 42. Base member 11 is preferably rectangular in shape and is face 12 and any object projected therealong can be reduced or minimized so that puck 42 can slide easily thereon. In an alternative embodiment the center of the base member 12 is removed to provide an additional element of chance in the game. The removal causes the puck 42 to travel over the gap to hit the target 22. With dexterity, the puck 42 will clear the gap and land ona position on the target 22 to spin around and around. In another alternative, not shown, an arcuate portion of the base member 12 can be removed, one end of the arcuate portion being at the corner nearest to the propulsion means 24 and the other end being somewhere near the edge of the target 22, thereby leaving a rib connecting the portion of the base supporting the projection means 24 with the portion of the base supporting the target 22 and forming a bow-shaped board.

Target magnet element 22 is preferably circular in shape and techniques can also be employed to reduce the friction between the peripheral edges thereof and any object that may travel about said peripheral edges. Exemplary of such techniques is the coating of the element 22 with an encapsulating layer of plastic or the like which can serve the dual purpose of reducing friction and preventing chipping. The coating can be materials such as polyvinylchloride, Nylon or Teflon. As shown, target magnet element 22 is a single magnet and is preferably maintained in a fixed position on surface 12 but it should be understood that means (not shown) for positioning or maintaining the single target magnet member 22 in various different fixed positions along surface 12 can be employed. It should also be understood that although target magnet element 22 is preferably a single magnet, more than one magnet can be employed. For example, target magnet element 22 can be a plurality of magnets arranged in various positions on surface 12. Accordingly, in its broadest sense, the term target magnet element means at least one magnet but the term can embrace a plurality of such magnets each functioning as separate targets.

The relative diameter of target magnet element 22 with respect to projectile magnet element or puch 42 is not an especially critical feature of the invention except that the element 42 must be self supporting when it magnetically attaches to the target 42. However in the preferred embodiment as shown in the FIGURE, target element 22 should be somewhat larger in diam eter than the diameter of projectile magnet element 42 and preferably the diameter of target member 22 should be at least about twice the diameter of projectile magnet element 42. Also target magnet element 22 should at least be somewhat thicker than projectile magnet element 42. This feature aids in establishing proper contact between the magnetic elements at impact thereof and improves the efficiency of the travel of the projectile magnet element 22 about the peripheral edges of target magnet element 22 by reducing friction. Accordingly, target magnet element 22 is pref A critical feature of the present invention, however, is that target magnet element 22 and projectile magnet element 42 are arranged in an attracting relationship during operation. By attracting relationship it is meant that the polarity of target magnet element 22 is opposite to the polarity of projectile magnet element 42. In other words, if the south pole of target magnet element 22 communicates with surface 12, than the north pole of projectile magnet element 42 is arranged during operation to communicate with surface 12 or vise versa as projectile magnet element 42 is shot at target magnet element 22.

According to this mode of operation, there is a special attraction between target magnet element 22 and projectile magnet element 42. The top peripheral edge I of target element 22 is attracted to the top peripheral edge of projectile member 42 while the bottoms of the peripheral edges of each element are also attracted to each other. Under such conditions, if projectile magnet element 42 is brought into proper contact with target magnet element 22, projectile magnet element 42 can be caused to lift from the surface 12 and then travel about the peripheral edges of target element 22. As skill is acquired in bringing the projectile magnet element 42 into a proper tangential alignment with target magnet element 22 together with sufficient momentum, the projectile magnet member 42 can be caused to travel about the periphery of target magnet member 22 several times. A score is obtained each time projectile element 42 travels about target element 22 and accordingly, the winner is determined by the ability to cause element 42 to travel about element 22 the greater number of times.

Proper contact between projectile magnet element 42 and target magnet element 22 will depend somewhat on such features as the shape of projectile magnet element 42 and the force of momentum available from the means employed to impel projectile magnet element 42 toward target element 22. However in the embodiment shown in the FIGURE, proper contact between projectile magnet element 42 and target magnet element 22 is best achieved by propelling projectile element 42 tangentially along surface 12 in the direction shown by the white arrows toward a side of target magnet element 22 e.g., point A thereof, to cause projectile element 42 to graze target member 22 at or near point A. In other words, proper contact is achieved by trying to obtain a tangential near miss between projectile element 42 and portions of target element 22. As mentioned, proper tangential contact in combination with sufficient momentum can cause projectile magnet element 42 to travel epicyclically as shown by the black arrow one or more times about the periphery of target magnet member 22 while projectile element 42 is in contact with target member 22.

A means to propel projectile magnet member 42 towards target magnet member 22 is preferably pivotally disposed on the front end of base member 12. Such propulsion means is generally designated as 24 in the FIGURE. Essentially the propulsion means can comprise a head 30 preferably shaped as shown to accommodate projectile magnet element 42. Head 30 can be operatively associated in known manner with shaft 26, compressable spring 28 and pivot means which comprises pivot bearing 32, pivot-pin 34 and pivot bracket 36. Knob 38 is also attached to shaft 26 and a washer 40 preferably of resilient material is positioned be- .4 tween knob 38 and pivot bearing 32. Accordingly, propulsion means 24 permits selective aiming of projectile magnet element 42 at particular portions of the peripheral edge of target magnet member 22 and can propel element 42 toward the portion selected. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular propulsion means shown and other such means can be employed including for example. a cue stick or even a straight rule edge in combination with snapping of the middle finger.

Other elements included in the amusement apparatus of the present invention include

vertical side walls

14 and 16 and

vertical side walls

14 and 16 and vertical rear wall 18 which are designed to retain projectile magnet element 42 within the confines of surface 12 if projectile element 42 should miss target element 22. All of these elements are made of a ferrous metal so that the projectile element 22 will be attracted to them. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, an inclined rear end portion 18 is provided to deaccelerate any projectile member 42 that misses target member 22 and thereby aid in retaining the projectile member 42 on surface 12. By inclining the end portion, the flat surface of the projectile element 42 is attracted to it thereby rapidly slowing it down and preventing leakage or chipping, when the projectile misses the target.

Many modifications of the details offered above for the purpose of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

Having described my invention as well as preferred embodiments thereof and manners of practicing same, what I declare as new and desire to secure by US. Letters Patents is as follows:

1. An amusement apparatus which comprises a base member providing a substantially smooth playing surface having front and rear ends, at least one nonrotating stationary cylindrical target magnet element positioned at one end of said playing surface, a cylindrical projectile magnet element which can be projected along said playing surface toward said target magnet element, said elements arranged on said playing surface so that the polarity of the surface of the target magnet element and the polarity of the surface of the projectile magent element which communicates with said playing surface are opposite each other so that the target magnet element and the projectile magnet element are in attracting relationship and proper contact between said elements can cause said projectile magnet element to spin about the periphery of said target magnet element, and means to propel said projectile magnet element toward said target magnet element.

2. An amusement apparatus of claim 1 wherein said target magnet element comprises more than one magnet.

3. An amusement apparatus of claim 1 wherein said target magnet element is a single magnet.

4. An amusement apparatus of claim 1 wherein said target magnet member is a single magnet.

5. An amusement apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means to propel said projectile magnet member at said target member comprises a pivotally mounted compressable spring.

6. An amusement apparatus of claim 1 further including vertical side walls and a vertical rear wall de' signed to retain any projected projectile magnet element within a substantial portion of the confines of said surface.

7. An amusement apparatus of claim 1 further including an inclined ferrous rear end portion designed to deaccelerate any projected projectile member that 5 meansmay miss said target magnet element.

Claims

1. An amusement apparatus which comprises a base member providing a substantially smooth playing surface having front and rear ends, at least one non-rotating stationary cylindrical target magnet element positioned at one end of said playing surface, a cylindrical projectile magnet element which can be projected along said playing surface toward said target magnet element, said elements arranged on said playing surface so that the polarity of the surface of the target magnet element and the polarity of the surface of the projectile magent element which communicates with said playing surface are opposite each other so that the target magnet element and the projectile magnet element are in attracting relationship and proper contact between said elements can cause said projectile magnet element to spin about the periphery of said target magnet element, and means to propel said projectile magnet element toward said target magnet element.

6. An amusement apparatus of claim 1 further including vertical side walls and a vertical rear wall designed to retain any projected projectile magnet element within a substantial portion of the confines of said surface.

7. An amusement apparatus of claim 1 further including an inclined ferrous rear end portion designed to deaccelerate any projected projectile member that may miss said target magnet element.