GB2138691A - Bowls and game apparatus including such bowls - Google Patents

Abstract

A bowl 11 comprises a first portion 15 providing a first rolling surface and a second portion 16 providing a second rolling surface, the centre of gravity of the bowl lying within portion 16. A target 12 provides a plurality of bowl receiving ports 14. The bowl rolls initially on the cylindrical surface of the first portion 15 and upon slowing rolls upon the fruso-conical surface of the second portion 16 and hence undergoes transition from rolling in a straight line to rolling in a circle. In a second form the frusto-conical surface of the bowl is defined by the edges of a cylindrical disc and the free end of a cylindrical peg projecting from the centre of the disc. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Bowls and game apparatus ineluding bowls The present invention relates to bowls and to game apparatus including bowls.

Many bowling games are known and some employ bowls which are biased so that they do not roll in a straight line but progressively deviate therefrom. There is however a continuing need for fresh forms of entertainment, and it is an object of the invention to provide a novel form of bowls game and equipment therefor.

According to the present invention there is provided a bowl defining a first rolling surface and a second rolling surface, the bowl being so shaped and weighted as to be rollable on the first surface at a relatively high rolling speed and to be rollable on the second rolling surface at a relatively low rolling speed.

There is also provided in accordance with the invention a bowl defining a first rolling surface and a second rolling surface, the bowl being rollable on the first rolling surface above a first threshold rolling speed but being shaped and weighted so as to roll on the second rolling surface below a second threshold rolling speed.

Preferably, the first rolling surface is shaped such that the bowl tends to roll in substantially a straight line when rolling upon the first rolling surface and the second rolling surface is shaped such that the bowl tends to roll in substantially a circle when rolling upon the second rolling surface. In use, the bowl will normally be rolled so that initially the bowl rolls in a straight line on the first surface, next the bowl rolls in a spiral on a junction between the surfaces, and finally the bowl rolls in a circle on the second surface.

In a preferred form of the invention, the bowl comprises a first cylindrical portion and a second frusto-conical portion, the two portions being joined at the base of the fursto-conical portion and the centre of gravity of the bowl lying within the frusto-conical portion.

Preferably the first rolling surface is a right circular cylindrical surface and the second rolling surface is right circularfrusto-conical surface, and the two surfaces are coaxial.

There is also provided in accordance with the invention in another aspect, a bowl defining a first rolling surface which is a right circular cylindrical surface and a second rolling surface which is a right circular frusto-conical surface, the two surfaces being coaxial and the bowl being rollable, in use, on one or other of the two rolling surfaces.

In some arrangements the two said surfaces of the bowl may not be continuous, solid, material surfaces, but may for example be perforated or discontinuous surfaces or may be surface regions defined by projecting rims or the like. Thus in some arrangements one or each said rolling surface may be a virtual (or imaginary) surface defined between edges of the bowl which touch the ground in operation. However, it is preferred that each said surface is a continuous material surface of the bowl, and it is further preferred that the surfaces of the bowl are contiguous.

Preferably bowls according to the invention are hollow but they may be solid. If they are hollow they preferably are so shaped that they may be formed in a nested stack. If desired the bowls of a set may be of a range of sizes so that smaller ones fit into larger ones for storage.

There is also provided in accordance with the invention a set of such bowls as are described above. Preferably the members of the set are distinguishable from one another, e.g. by being differently coloured or patterned or by bearing numbers, letters or other signs.

The invention includes one or more bowls as described above together with a target which is preferably a barrier having a pluarlity of bowl receiving ports therein. The ports may be separated by gates extending transversely of the barrier. The gates may be foldable to lie against the barrier.

A support arm is preferably provided lying transversely of the barrier abutting one end thereof, preferably hinged thereto. The support arm may have a number of holes therein in which bowls may be received for storage.

Each port may be coded to denote a score, e.g.

by having a number representing a score marked thereon or adjacent thereto. Where the bowls are in a set of colours, the ports are preferably marked with the same set of colours. More generally, where a set of markings differentiate the bowls of a set, a complimentary set of markings preferably differentiate the ports of the barrier.

The apparatus may suitably comprise a set of rules for playing a game such as will be given hereafter.

The invention will be illustrated by the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bowl embodying the invention, Figures 1(a) and 1 (b) show an alternative bowl, and Figure 2 is a perspective view of a target which with the bowl of Figure 1 constitutes game apparatus embodying the invention.

The embodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 consists of game apparatus comprising a number of bowls 11 (of which one is shown in Figure 1), and a target 12 shown in Figure 2. The purpose of the game is to bowl the bowls 11 in a path indicated for example by the path 13, so that the bowl enters a selected one of a number of ports 14 defined in the target 12.

Considering firstly an individual bowl 1 such a bowl is shown in Figure 1 and comprises a hollow bowl for example of wood or synthetic piastics material suitably shaped and/or weighted, to achieve bowling characteristics to be described.

The bowl 11 comprises a first short cylindrical portion 15, and a second frusto-conical portion 1 6. The first cylindrical portion 1 5 is open at one edge and at the other edge is joined integrally with the circular base of the frusto-conical portion 1 6 so as to form a narrow cylindrical rim. The first portion 1 5 defines a right circular cyclindrical first rolling surface, and the second portion 1 6 defines a right circularfrusto-conical, second rolling surface.

The bowl is arranged by virtue of its shape and/or by being selectively weighted, so that the centre of gravity of the bowl lies in the frusto conical portion 16. Above a certain minimum threshold speed of rolling, gyroscopic force will keep the bowl rolling upon the first portion 2, and below a second threshold speed of rolling the bowl will roll on the second frusto-conical surface 1 6. Between the first and second threshold bowling speeds, the bowl may roll on the junction between the first and second portions 1 5 and 1 6.

When the bowl is rolling on the cylindrical, first rolling surface, of the portion 1 5, the bowl will tend to roll in a straight line on level ground. When the bowl is rolling on the frusto-conical, second rolling surface, of the portion 16, the bowl will roll in a circle of diameter dependent upon the size of the then shape of the bowl. During transition from rolling upon the first rolling surface to rolling upon the second, the bowl will tend to roll in a spiral path.

Thus, in use, when the bowl is rolled at the beginning of a throw above the first threshold speed, the forward momentum overcomes the tilting force of the onical section and enables the bowl to travel in a straight line. As momentum is lost, the bowl progressively tilts and follows a spiral course until the conical section touches the ground, after which the bowl travels in a circular path determined by the size and shape of the bowl. The force of the throw determines the length of the bowl's straight path and the weight of the bowl's rim also determines the length of the straight path. The balance between the rim weight and the cone weight determines the rate of change from a straight path to a circular path. The pitch of the cone side determines the radius of the circular path and the size of the bowl determines the radius of the circular path.

Conveniently a set of bowls are provided in which the bowls are hollow and of graded diameter so that they may be fitted one inside the other.

Turning now to the construction of the target 12 shown in Figure 2, this comprises a barrier 1 7 having a plurality of ports 14 therein into which the ball may roll. Two sets of ports 1 4 are formed, one on each side of the barrier 1 7, and the two sets of ports 14 are indicated generally as set A and set B.

The ports 14 are defined by gates 18 which extend transversely of the barrier 17 and separate one port from another. The gates 18 are pivoted on the barrier 1 7 so that they may be folded flat against opposite sides of the barrier 1 7 for storage.

Pivotally coupled to one end of the barrier 1 7 is a support arm 19 which for storage can fold flat against the barrier 17, and in use can be opened to form a right-angle to the barrier 1 7 so that the target can stand on the ground during play. Holes 20 may be provided in the support arm 1 9 to accept the bowls, enabling the two arms of the target 1 2 to be folded together and secured for transportation with the bowls and gates held in place.

In play, a bowl is pitched along the outside of the support arm 19 before curving around along the path illustrated at 13 to enter a port 14. As there are sets of ports on each side of the barrier 17, bowls may enter either after completing a 180 degree turn or after completing a 360 degree turn. Preferably each gate is numbered in order of difficulty and coloured so that matching a bowl colour and a gate colour results in a double score.

By way of illustration a particular game will now be described that may be played using apparatus according to the invention comprising a target as shown in Figure 2, in which each port is coloured and marked with an appropriate score, and a set of correspondingly coloured bowls plus one black bowl. The target may for instance have ports coloured from left to right as red, green, brown, blue and white and scoring respectively 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 points, on side A, and as red, green, brown, blue and white, scoring respectively 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50, on side B. The score values are painted on the appropriate sides of the gates 18, which are coloured appropirately.

The rules of the game may be generally as follows. Each player throws six bowls consecutively. When any bowl wholly or partially enters a port, then that score is recorded. When the bowl colour and gate colour match, then the gate score is doubled. The player must, however, specify what colour he wishes the black bowl to represent before he throws it and matching the specified colour with the gate colour scores triple the value marked on the gate.

If a bowl hits one previously thrown and knocks it into a port, then that score is allowed. If a bowl knocks a previously thrown bowl out of a port then the score for that bowl is disallowed, i.e. the final score for the six bowls thrown is based on the number of bowls wholly or partially in ports 14 at the end of the player's turn.

The whole game may consist of: 1. a single turn each, or 2. a set of three turns each, the winner being the one who wins two out of three turns, or 3. three sets of three turns each, the winner being the one who wins most sets.

A tie is decided by a single throw of the black bowl.

The game can be played at all levels of skill. In its simplest form it is almost inevitable to score something and can thus be played by children purely for fun. At its highest level a greater degree of skill is required than for a conventional game of bowls, and by introducing various requirements into the scoring, e.g. a requirement to start with a double, the degree of skill required can be made as great as for darts.

The game can be played by any number of people, and by varying the size and weight of the equipment can be played indoors or outdoors and over varying distances.

Figures 1 (a) and 1 (b) illustrate diagrammatic perspective views an alternative form of bowl 11 embodying the invention. This bowl includes a short cylindrical first portion 1 5 corresponding to the first portion in the bowl shown in Figure 1, but the frusto-conical surface constituting the second rolling surface is, in Figures 1 (a) and 1(b) an imaginary, virtual surface indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1 (a) and indicated by reference numeral 21. The virtual frusto-conical surface 21 is defined between one edge of the cylindrical portion 1 5, and an end edge of a second portion 1 6' of the bowl. The second portion 16' consists of a relatively long cylindrical portion of narrower diameter than the first portion 1 5, but coaxial therewith and projecting from an end face of the cylindrical portion 1 5. Conveniently the bowl shown in Figures 1 (a) and 1 (b) is solid. In Figure 1 (b) the bowl is shown lying on its side, that is to say in a position in which it may roll about the virtual rolling surface 21.

Claims (21)

1. A bowl defining a first rolling surface and a second rolling surface, the bowl being so shaped and weighted as to be rollable on the first surface at a relatively high rolling speed and to be rollable on the second rolling surface at a relatively low rolling speed.

2. A bowl defining a first rolling surface and a second rolling surface, the bowl being rollable on the first rolling surface above a first threshold rolling speed but being shaped and weighted so as to roll on the second rolling surface below a second threshold rolling speed.

3. A bowl as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the first rolling surface is shaped such that the bowl tends to roll in substantially a straight line when rolling upon the first rolling usrface, and the second rolling surface is shaped such that the bowl tends to roll in substantially a circle when rolling upon the second rolling surface.

4. A bowl as claimed in any preceding claim comprising a first cylindrical portion and a second frusto-conical portion, the two portions being joined at the base of the frusto-conical portion, the centre of gravity of the bowl lying within the frusto-conical portion.

5. A bowl according to any preceding claim in which the first rolling surface is a right circular cylindrical surface and the second rolling surface is right circular frusto-conical surface, the two surfaces are coaxial.

6. A bowl defining a first rolling surface which is a right circular cylindrical surface and a second rolling surface which is a right circularfrusto- conical surface, the two surfaces being coaxial and the bowl being rollable, in use, on one or other of the two rolling surfaces.

7. A bowl according to any preceding claim in which each said surface is a continuous material surface of the bowl.

8. A bowl according to any of claims 1 to 6 in which one or each said rolling surface is a virutal surface defined between edges of the bowl which touch the ground in operation.

9. A bowl according to any preceding claim in which the said two surfaces are contiguous.

10. A bowl as claimed in any preceding claim which is hollow.

11. A bowl substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A set of bowls as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each bowl is of a different colour or is otherwise distinguishable from the other members of the. set.

13. A set of bowls as claimed in claim 10 which are stackable one within another.

1 4. Apparatus for playing a game comprising one or more bowls as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 or a set of bowls as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13, together with a target.

15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein the target comprises a barrier having a plurality of bowl receiving ports therein.

1 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 5 wherein the ports are separated by gates extending transversely of the barrier.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein each of the gates is foldable to lie against the barrier.

18. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 5 to 17 wherein a support arm is provided lying transversely of the barrier abutting one end thereof.

19. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 18 wherein the major guide member is hinged to the barrier.

20. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 15 to 19 wherein each port is coded to denote a score.

21. Apparatus for playing a game substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.