GB2177606A - Device for assisting in playing the game of bowls or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for assisting in playing the game of bowls or the like comprises a bowl-receiving receptacle (15) mounted adjacent the lower end of a stock (10). A bowl can be releasably held in the receptacle (15) by a rotary mechanism (19) and released therefrom by operation of a trigger mechanism (25). The device is intended for use by persons who have difficulty in bending close to the playing surface in order to release a bowl. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for assisting in playing the game of bowls or the like This invention relates to a device for assisting in playing the game of bowls orthe like. Although the device is particularlysuitableforthe playing of bowls, it can also be employed for otherforms of ball games where a ball has to be rolled at or adjacent ground level.

Normally when playing the game of bowls, the game is played on afloat, grassed surface or"rink".The texture ofthe surface has been carefully prepared and accordingly, when playing the game, it is necessary for the player to deliver a bowl by bending down close to the surface ofthe rinkso that the bowl can be delivered without damageto the rink surface. Ob- viously, delivering a bowl from a height oftwo or three feet would involve considerable damage to the rink surface due to the fact that bowls are of considerable weight.

In addition,the game of bowls isvery popular amongst older persons and it frequently happens that an older person is more liable to have an infirmity or disability which makes it difficultforthat person to bend down in order to effect proper delivery of a bowl. Consequently, such a person can have no alternative but to deliverthe bowl from an undesirable height with the resultant risk of rink damage or noise.

Also, in the case of,for example, paraplegic persons having a permanent physical disability which possibly requires confinement to a wheelchair, it is difficult for such a person to take part in a game of bowls orthe like because of his or her inability to delivera bowl from adjacent ground level.

An object of the present invention is to provide a deviceforenabling delivery of a ball such as a bowl by a person who has difficulty in achieving a delivery position adjacent ground level.

According to the present invention there is provided a device for assisting in playing the gameof bowls orthe like comprising an elongated member having adjacent one end thereof a receptacle for releasably retaining a ball element therein, retaining means for retaining the ball elementwithintherecep- tacle until the retaining means is actuated, and manually operable means located adjacentthe upper end of said elongated memberforeffecting control ofthe retaining means.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lisa side view of the device according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a bowl receptacle at the lower end of the device and Figure 3 is a detail sectional view of the manually- operable trigger mechanism at the upper end ofthe device.

Referring to the drawings a device for assisting in playing the game of bowls, particularly by a player having a physical disability which prevents him bending sufficiently to deliver a bowl sufficiently close to thesurfaceofa rink, comprises an elongated stock 10.

The stock loins oftelescopicallyform having a rectanguiarcross-section and having an upper portion 11 to the upper end of which is fitted a handle 12. A lower portion 13 of the stock is slidably located within the upper portion 11 and can be fixed relative thereto by a lock nut 14.

Tothelowerendofthestockportion l3thereis fitted a bowl receptacle 15. The bowl receptacle 15 comprises a bifurcated cradle 16 (as shown best in Figure 2). The cradle 16 is of arcuate profile in orderto conform closely to the circumference of a bowl and to extend around that circumference over an arc of not more than 1800. The cradle 16 is connected to the lower end of to stock portion 13 by means of an adjustable connector 17 which enables the disposition of the cradle 16 relative to the lower end ofthe stock portion 13to be adjusted asto its anglethereby permitting the angle of release aperture 18 (Figure 2) through which a bowl is released from the cradle 16to be varied as required.

Also fitted to the lower end of the lower stock portion 13 is a retaining mechanism 19 which incorporates a spring-loaded projection 20. The projection 20 is spring-loaded by means of spring 21 so as to normally extend partly across the release aperture 18 from the cradle 16.

Movement of the projection 20 from its obstructing position across the release aperture 18to anon- obstructing position is controlled by a cable 22 extending upwardly along the length of the stock 1 Oto the handle 12. The handle 12 is fixedly mounted atthe upperendoftheupperstockportion 1 1 . The handle 12 is provided with a bell-crank lever 23 pivotably about a pivot 24 in a spring-loaded manner. One trigger end 25 of the bell-crank lever 23 projects through an aperture 26 in the upperface ofthe handle 12 and the other end 27 of the bell-crank lever23 is connected to the upper end of the cable 22.It can be seen that by depression of the trigger 25 the cable 22 is urged upwardly to move the projection 20 into a position clear of the release aperture 18 of the bowl cradle 16 thereby allowing a bowl to be delivered from the cradle 16 at an instant dictated by the user.

It will thus be appreciated that a user of the device, having possibly a physical disability, does not need to bend down in order to deliver a bowl but can stand in a relatively upright position holding the handle 12 of the device in one hand. A bowl to be delivered is located within the cradle 16 where it is retained therein by means of a spring-loaded projection 20 at an instant dictated by the user, the trigger 25 on the handle 12 is depressed in orderto move the retaining projection 20 into a position clear of the release aperture 18from the cradle 16. Inthisway, a bowl can be delivered sufficiently close to a rink surface so as not to damage the surface thereof or cause undue noise if an indoor rink is being used. The device can be of any suitable material butis preferablymadefrom a light- weight alloy such as aluminium alloy. It also may be convenient to have the cradle 16 of the receptacle 15 of a spring metal or synthetic plastics material.

The length of the stock 10 can be adjusted telescopically in orderto accommodate different heights of user and the only modification which then would be required would be a corresponding adjustment in the length ofthe cable interconnecting the bell-crank lever 23 and the projection 20.

Although the embodiment described above has particular application to playing the game of bowls, it will be readily appreciated that the device of the invention can be adapted for use in playing of other games similarto bowls and wherein a ball element is required to be delivered from a position close to ground level. For example, the device can be used for playing skittles. In the eventthatthe ball element used in any particular game has dimensions different from that of a bowl, the dimensions of the cradle 16 can be adjusted accordingly by substituting a cradle of appropriate size. If desired, the cradle can be constructed so as to be releasably detachable from its associated stock so as to facilitate such substitution.

The device ofthe invention also has a consequential benefit in that it can be used to pick up a bowl or the like from ground or floor level without the user having to reach down to that level.

Claims (9)

1. A device for assisting in playing the game of bowls orthe like comprising an elongated member having adjacent one end thereof a receptacle for releasably retaining a ball element therein, retaining means for retaining the ball element within the receptacle until the retaining means is actuated, and manually operable means located adjacent the upper end of said elongated member for effecting control ofthe retaining means.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, in which the receptacle comprises a cradle adapted to conform closelytothe profile ofthe ball elementthrough an arc of not more than 1800.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or2, in which adjustable means are provided forvarying the position of the receptacle relative to the elongated mem ber whereby the angle of release of a ball element from the receptacle can be altered.

4. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, in which the receptacle is bifurcated.

5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the retaining means comprises a springloaded member adapted to be biassed into retaining engagement with a ball element located in the recep tacle, and trigger means for effecting movement of said spring-loaded member out of an obstructing position in order to permit release ofthe ball element from the receptacle.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5, in which the spring-loaded mechanism and the trigger means are interconnected by a cable.

7. A device as claimed in claim 5 or 6, in which the trigger means comprises a spring-loaded lever pivotally mounted adjacent the upper end of the elongated member.

8. A device according to any preceding claim in which the elongated member is telescopic.

9. A device for assisting in playing the game of bowls or the like, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.