GB2091565A

GB2091565A - Ball-retrieving game

Info

Publication number: GB2091565A
Application number: GB8101964A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: TAIMING PLASTIC PRODUCTS CO LT
Current assignee: TAIMING PLASTIC PRODUCTS CO LT
Priority date: 1981-01-22
Filing date: 1981-01-22
Publication date: 1982-08-04
Also published as: HK96384A; GB2091565B

Abstract

Two players compete to catch a ball 29 in the hollow head 13 of a longitudinally movable member 12 guided at the rear end by lateral projections 18 in guideways. During forward movement, against the action of an elastic element 32, pins 27 on the member 12 ride up a ramp comprising a pair of resiliently deformable tongues 24, so that the head 13 rises, before descending abruptly as the pins 27 leave the front end of the ramp. As the member 12 is retracted, the tongues 24 deform to make way for the pins 27. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for playing a game This invention relates to a game in which the object is to capture a ball, rolling on a base, by means of heads which move over the base.

The invention provides apparatus for playing a game, comprising an elongate member mounted on a base member for limited longitudinal movement across the base member, the elongate member having at its front end a head with a downwardly open cavity for receiving a ball, one of the members- carrying a ramp, the other carrying a follower for engaging the ramp, the follower and the ramp cooperating with each other so that, when the rear end of the elongate member is held down and pushed forwards, the head rises gradually to a given height above the base member and then abruptly falls, the follower and the ramp being resiliently displaceable relative to each other to allow return of the elongate member in the rearward direction.

For ease of construction, the follower is preferably carried by the elongate member, and the ramp by the base member. Similarly, although it is possible to mount the follower resiliently, it is simpler to make the ramp resiliently displaceable, for instance by mounting it pivotably or, preferably, by making it of resilient material. If the follower and ramp are mutually displaceable in the vertical direction, this provides the advantage that when they engage with each other during the return of the elongate member they tend to prevent the head from rising.

The rear end of the elongate member preferably has lateral projections guided by longitudinal guide means on the base member. It is convenient for the rear end to have an upwardly and rearwardly extending tail constituting an operating handle.

The apparatus preferably includes means for urging the elongate member rearwardly in order to assist return. This means preferably comprises an elastic element, one end of which is connected to the underside of the base member beneath the rear end of the elongate member, the other end of the elastic element being connected to the middle part of the elongate member above the base member. Thus, the elastic element also urges the elongate element downwards.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of apparatus for playing a game; Figure 2 is a bottom view of the apparatus; Figure 3 is a view on line Ill-Ill in Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, illustrating the use of the apparatus.

It will be seen from the drawings that the lefthand and right-hand sides of the apparatus as illustrated are identical to each other. Accordingly, identical components will be given identical reference numerals.

The apparatus illustrated comprises a moulded plastics base 1 whose upper surface defines, in the middle, a playing area 2 which slopes gently downwards from the edges to a substantially horizontal region 3 having a bulge 4 in the centre.

At each end the base 1 has a channel 6 from which balls can be fed onto the area 2 and a receptacle 7 which can receive balls from the area 2 via a channel 8.

At each end of the base 1, between the channel 6 and the receptacle 7, there is a hollow body 9, fixed by screws 11 (Figure 2) and open at the front and rear, which guides an elongate member 12 for limited longitudinal movement The front end of the elongate member 12 (adjacent the area 2) has an integral head 13 with a downwardly open cavity 1 4 (Figure 3) which, in the retracted position of the elongate member 12 (Figures 1 to 3), overlies the entrance to the channel 8. The rear end of the member 12 has an upwardly and rearwardly extending tail 1 6. The head and tail of the member 12 together with the body 9, which has integrally moulded legs 17, constitute a stylized representation of a dog.

The rear end of each member 12 has a pair of lateral projections 1 8 running in respective longitudinal guideways each defined by a lower rail 19 integral with the base 1, an upper rail 21 integral with the body 9, and a side rail 22 also integral with the body. Below the middle of each member 12 the base 1 has an elongated aperture 23 containing a pair of resiliently deformable tongues 24 whose rear ends are free and whose front ends are integral with the base; the tongues define a ramp rising in the forward direction. A bracket 26 integral with the middle of the member 12 extends down into the aperture 23 and carries a pair of integral pins 27 constituting a follower which rides up the ramp when the member 12 is pushed forwards.

The action of the elongate member 12 is made clear in Figure 4. Starting from the retracted position shown in Figure 3, the rear end of the member 12 is held down and pushed forwards by acting on the tail 16 by hand, the rear end being guided by the projections 1 8 running in their guideways. The pins 27 almost immediately make contact with the tongues 24 and thus the head 13 gradually rises as the member 12, which pivots about the common axis of the projections 1 8, moves forward. At the moment at which the pins 27 reach the front end of the tongues 24 the head 1 3 is at its maximum height and further pushing of the tail 1 6 causes the head to descend abruptly (as shown by the arrow 28 in Figure 4) as the pins 27 re-enter the aperture 23.It is during this descent of the head 1 3 that a ball 29 on the region 3 can be captured in the cavity 1 4 (see Figure 4, left-hand side). The member 12 is then returned to the retracted position (in the direction of the arrow 31 in Figure 4) by pulling on the tail 1 6. During the return movement the pins 27 contact the underside of the tongues 24, whose free ends then deform upwards resiliently to allow the pins 27 to pass. The effect of the tongues is thus to hold down the head 13 while the captured ball 29 is drawn towards the channel 8.

An elastic band 32 is connected at one end to an integral hook 33 on the underside of the base 1, passes under the bracket 26 approximately level with the pins 27, and is connected to a hook 34 within the elongate member 12 ahead of the pins 27. This elastic band 32 not only urges the member 12 rearwardly but also urges it to pivot downwards about the projections 18.

In playing the game, two players operate the "dogs" and compete to capture balls rolled onto the area 2 from the channels 6. Although the apparatus illustrated has only two "dogs", it will be appreciated that three or more "dogs" could be provided, preferably symmetrically spaced about the playing surface.

Claims

1. Apparatus for playing a game, comprising an elongate member mounted on a base member for limited longitudinal movement across the base member, the elongate member having at its front end a head with a downwardly open cavity for receiving a ball, one of the members carrying a ramp, the other carrying a follower for engaging the ramp, the follower and the ramp cooperating with each other so that, when the rear end of the elongate member is held down and pushed forwards, the head rises gradually to a given height above the base member and then abruptly falls, the follower and the ramp being resiliently displaceable relative to each other to allow return of the elongate member in the rearward directions.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the ramp is resiliently displaceable relative to the member which carries it.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which one end of the ramp is resiliently pivotable.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which the ramp is resiliently deformable to permit pivoting of the said one end.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, in which the ramp comprises a pair of elements extending in parallel.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, in which the follower comprises a pair of transversely extending elements aligned with each other.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, in which the follower is carried by the elongate member, and the ramp by the base member.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, in which the follower and ramp are mutually vertically displaceable in the vertical direction.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, in which the rear end of the elongate member has transversely extending projections guided by longitudinal guide means on the base member.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, in which the rear end of the elongate member has an upwardly and rearwardly extending operating handle.

11. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 10, including means for urging the elongate member rearwardly.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11, including means for urging the elongate member downwards.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 12, including an elastic element, one end of which is connected to the underside of the base member beneath the rear end of the elongate member, the other end of the elastic element being connected to the middle part of the elongate member above the base member.

14. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 13, in which the elongate element is one of a plurality of similar elongate elements whose heads project over a common playing area.

1 5. Apparatus for playing a game, substantially as described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.