IE46351B1 - Improvements relating to mountings for figures of sports games - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to mountings for or including figures of sports games of the type wherein the figure and mounting form a composite unit, the mounting generally defining a base on which the figure stands. Such units may be for use in sports games such as football, hockey, cricket of rugby in which case the figure will be a representation of a human figure, but the invention also applies where the figure represents an inanimate object, such as a ball, wickets, and so on, and references to figure in this specification and in the appended claims are to be construed accordingly.

TO The mountings of such units have usually comprised a generally saucer shape hollow base cup whichis closed by a disc, the disc carrying or being adapted to carry the figure. In such arrangement, it is usual furthermore to include in the base cup, a ballast weight which in use tends to keep the figure upright.

There have been a number of proposals for connecting the disc to the base cup. Normally, a peripheral region of the disc simply is glued to a ledge on the base cup, but this suffers from a number of disadvantages. The glue and disc have to be applied manually and carefully, which is time consuming, and glue tends to spill over the disc edges, which can some20 times result in an unsightly finished article. In one proposal for overcoming these difficulties the disc and cup are designed for snap fitting together. This arrangement can give rise to problems as the manufacturing tolerances are small, and there is the danger of the parts coming apart when the units are subjected to certain temperature conditions, as a result of which could cause expansion or contraction of the parts to such an extent that they come apart. 2: 6 3 S t The present invention seeks to provide a means for the connecting together of the disc end base cup, which is free from the aforesaid disadvantages.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a 5 mounting for or including a figure for a sports game comprising a base cup and a closure disc means adapted to close the base cup and be connected thereto by a connection including a spigot element and a socket element of which the base cup has one element inside and at the bottom of the base cun and the disc means has the other element at one side thereof, which spigot and socket elements frictionally interfit when the disc means closes the base cup. In an embodiment of the invention, there is tensioning means adapted to be engaged with one of said elements to distort same before the elements are interengaged or to limit distortion of said one element by virtue of the interengagement so that the frictional grip '5 between the spigot element and the socket element becomes greater than it otherwise would be- if the tensioning means were omitted.

Preferably, the tensioning means is adapted to engage the socket element which is formed integrally with the base cup and is axially split to define sections which can, by the tensioning means, be prevented from distorting excessively outwards. The tensioning means may be a spring clip adapted to engage around the outside of the socket element. The mounting may include a ballast weight comprising a metal washer of appropriate size to be pushed over the socket element prior to the location thereon of the spring clip, such clip also serving to hold the washer in position. ρς in another embodiment of the invention, one of said base cup and closure disc means which has said spigot element also has a holding sleeve means which engages over and holds the socket element when the disc means closes the cup, to prevent expansion of the socket element under the pressure thereon resulting from the frictional engagement of the spigot element with the socket element. The holding sleeve means may be adapted to distort the socket element before the spigot element engages therein or to limit distortion of the socket element by virtue of the engagement thereof by the spigot element so that the frictional grip between the spigot element and the socket element becomes greater than it otherwise would be if the holding sleeve means were omitted.

The socket element is preferably formed integrally with the base cup and is axially split to define sections which can, by the holding sleeve means, be prevented from distorting excessively outwards. The holding sleeve means may be a holding sleeve integral with said peripheral part of the disc means. The mounting may include a ballast weight comprising a metal washer of appropriate size to be pushed over the socket element prior to the location thereon of the disc means.

In a further modification of the mounting the spigot and socket elements loosely interengage and in use are connected together by means of adhesives in the socket element.

It is easy to place a spot of adhesive in the socket element prior to insertion of the spigot therein, and the spigot and socket element and the adhesive will be hidden from view when the disc means closes the cup.

Although it is preferred that the disc means be circular and the base cup be of circular section, other configurations are possible within the scope of the present invention. The disc means and base cup preferably are of plastics material.

In the preferred construction, the mounting includes a figure formed integrally with the disc means where this is in one piece, or in another case where the disc means is in two parts, a central part and a peripheral part, the figure is formed integrally with the central part, which is also provided with one of said elements.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:Figure 1 is a perspective view of a base cup of a mounting according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a washer usable with the base cup of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a disc means and integral figure usable vn'th the base cup of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a sectional elevation showing the base cup of Figure 1, the washer of Figure 2 and the disc of Figure 3 in assembled condition; Figure E is a view similar to Figure 3 showing an alternative disc 15 means and figure arrangement for use with the base cup of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a sectional view showing the base cup of Figure 1, the washer of Figure 2 and the disc means and figure arrangement of Figure 5 in assembled condition.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the spring clip forming the 20 tensioning means of the mounting in each of the arrangements shown in Figures 4 and 6.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a base cup of a mounting according to a modified arrangement of the present invention.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a disc means and a figure 25 integral with a part of said disc means, usable with the base cup of Figure 8; and 3 SiFigure 10 is a sectional elevation showing the base cup of Figure 8, the washer of Figure Z and trie disc means-of Figure 9 in assembled condition.

Referring to the drawings, and first to Figure 1, in this drawing »5 there is shown a base cup for a mounting of the type to which the invention relates. The base cup is moulded'in plastics material in the configuration shown, which is of circular cross section, and in the centre of the cup, which is referenced 10 in the drawing, there is provided a socket element 12 which forms one element of a spigot and socket element connection and which extends upwardly from the central bottom region of the cup. The socket element is generally of cylindrical form and has a chamfered top edge 14.

The socket element is provided with axial slots 16 at 90° spaced locations so as to leave four socket·element sections'which can be distorted radially inwards or outwards together so as to narrow of enlarge the bore of the socket, at least at the top end thereof. 'f·' In Figure 2 there is shown a washer 18 which serves as a ballast weight for the base cup, and indeed the entire mounting, as will be explained. In order to prevent distortion of the socket element sections outwardly after locating the washer 18 on the chamfered top edge 14, and pushing- the washer 18 downwardly until it reaches the seating ledge 20 (Figure 4) in the bottom of the base cup 10,.- a spring clip 19, which is a split, spring metal sleeve, is pushed over-the socket element 12 until it reaches the position shown in Figure 4 in which it is wrapped round the outside of socket element 12 and bears on washer 18 keeping^ it in position. The spring clip 19 is also shown in Figure 7.

V 1 In order to complete the assembly, the cup 10 is closed by the disc means 22 shown in Figure 3. On the bottom side, and in the central region thereof, the disc means 22 is provided with the spigot element 24 of the spigot and socket element connection. Spigot element 24 is of cylindrical form, and has a chamfered end 26. On the top side, the disc means 22 is provided integrally with a figure 28, in this case a figure representing a model of a football player.

In fitting the disc means 22 to the base cup 10, the chamfered end 26 of spigot element 24 is located in the bore of the socket element 12, and then the disc 22 is simply pushed downwards, frictionally engaging in the socket element 12, until the disc seats on ledge 30 formed integrally at the rim of the base cup 10. The spring clip 19 acts to prevent excessive outwards distortion of the sections of element 12 and indeed acts to push the sections of socket element 12 into firm frictional engagement with the spigot element and this prevents accidental detachment of the base and disc means. Figure 4 shows the assembled mounting in sectional elevation, and it will be noticed that the spigot and socket elements are located internally of the mounting.

It will be appreciated that by springingly holding the socket element 12, the spigot element 24 will become engaged therein with a much greater frictional force than it otherwise would be, were the spring clip 19 to be omitted. As a result, the disc means 22 can only subsequently be removed with great difficulty, and as it is arranged that the disc means 22 should lie in the cup 10 so that its top surface is flush or under the top peripheral rim of the cup 10, then it is not possible to prise the disc means out of the cup using a screwdriver or the like instrument.

Figure 5 and 6 show another embodiment of the disc means and figure arrangement. In the embodiment of figures 5 and 6, the disc means 22 is in two parts, namely a small central part 22A, and an annular peripheral part 22B. The bore in the part 22B is stepped as shown in Figure 6 at 32, and the central part 22A is adapted to seat on this ledge 32 in the assembled condition of the mounting, as shown in Figure 6. The spigot element 24 is provided on the underside of central part 22A, and the figure 28 is formed integrally with and on the upper side of the part 22A, Therefore, irr-the assembled condition shown in Figure 6 the frictional grip between spigot element 24 and socket element 12 effects the connection between the centre part 22A of the disc 22 and the base cup 10 and as the centre part 22A seats on ledge 32, this frictional engagement also ensures the holding in position of the outer annular part 22B of the disc 22 The embodiment of Figures 5 and 6 is also provided with a spring clip 19 surrounding the socket element in the base, for the same purpose as in the Figures 1 to 4 embodiment.

A modified arrangement of the present invention is shown in Figures 8 to 10. Referring firstly to Figure 8, the base cup is moulded in plastics material in the configuration shown, which is of circular cross section, and in. the centre of the cup, which is referenced 110 in the drawing, there is provided a socket element 112 which forms one element of a spigot and socket element connection and which extends upwardly from the central bottom region of the cup. The socket is generally of cylindrical form and is provided with axial slots 116 at 90° spaced locations so as to leave four socket element sections which can be distorted radially inwards or outwards together so as to narrow or enlarge the bore of the socket element, at least at the top and end thereof. Each socket element section is provided with an axial location rib 116A for the location of the washer 18 shown in Figure 2.

The washer 18 serves as a ballast weight for the base cup and indeed the entire mounting, as will be explained. After locating the washer 18 over the socket element Π6, the washer 18 is pushed downwardly until it reaches the seating ledge 120 (Figure 10) in the bottom of the base cup 110, so that its central aperture engages the ribs Π6Α.

In order to complete the assembly, the cup 110 is closed by a disc means 122 which is in two parts, namely a small central part 122A, and an annular peripheral part 122B. At the top side thereof, the bore in the part 122B is stepped as shown in Figure 10 and the central part I22A is adapted to seat on the stepped portion of the bore in part 122B in the assembled condition of the mounting, as shown in Figure 10.

The spigot element 124 of said spigot and socket element connection is provided on the underside of central part 122A and a figure 128 is formed integrally with and on the upper side of the part 122A. On the underside of the peripheral part 122B there is an integral holding sleeve 126, which is adapted to engage the outside of the top of the socket element 112 in the assembled condition. In order to assemble the mounting, the peripheral part 122B is pressed into the positioji shown in Figure 10, in which the sleeve 126 engages over the top of socket element 112 in order to hold the tops of the sections of the socket element 112 in position. Next, the central part 122A is pushed into the position shown in Figure 10, a suitable tool being used if desired. The spigot element 124 firmly and frictionally engages in the sccket element 112.

The sleeve 126 may either push the tops of the sections of socket element 112 inwardly or may simply prevent the section top from moving outwardly as the spigot element 124 engages in the socket, but in any event the sleeve improves the maintenance of the frictional grip between the socket element and spigot element when the mounting is asssembled. Therefore, in the assembled condition shown in Figure 10, the frictional grip between spigot element 124 and socket element 112 effects the connection between the centre part 122A of the disc 122 and the base cup 110 and as the centre part 122A seats on ledge 132, this frictional engagement also ensures the holding in position of the outer annular part 122B of the disc 122. The holding together of the spigot element 124 and socket element 112 may be assisted by means of adhesive.

In another embodiment, the figure is not formed integrally with any part of the disc means, but the disc means is otherwise adapted to accept a figure. The figure may simply be glued to the disc means, but it is unlikely that this will be considered the best method of mounting the figure, as it may be liable to ready detachment in use.

In a further modification of the present invention according to the embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 6, the spring clip 19 in the embodiments shown in Figures 4 and 6 is omitted, and the assembly is completed by locating a portion of glue in the bore of the socket element 12 and then the disc means 22 is positioned to close cup 10 and is simply pushed downwards, the spigot element 24 being a loose fit with the socket 12, until the disc means seats on ledge 30 formed internally at the rim of the base cup 10.

The assembled units as shown for example in any of Figures 4, 6 or 10 are for use in a table football game, and the method of play involves the flicking of the units over a playing surface.

The ballast weight 18, combined with the particular shape of the base cup shown, has the effect of tending to return the unit to the upright position. In other words, the units tend to be selfrighting.

With the exception of the metal weight 18, and spring clip 19 it is preferred that all of the other components be moulded in plastics material.

Claims (14)

1. A mounting for or including a figure for a sports game comprising a base cup and a closure disc means adapted to close the base cup and be connected thereto by a connection including a spigot element 5 and a socket element of which the base cup has one element inside and at the bottom of the base cup and the disc means has the other element at one side thereof, which spigot and socket elements frictionally interfit when the disc means closes the base cup.

2. A mounting according to Claim 1, including tensioning means 10 adapted to be engaged with one of said elements to distort same before the elements are interengaged or to limit distortion of said one element by virtue of the interengagement so that the frictional grip between the spigot element and socket element becomes greater than it otherwise would be if the tensioning means were omitted. 15

3. · A mounting according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the mounting includes a figure formed integrally with the disc means and the disc means is in one piece.

4. A mounting according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the mounting includes a figure formed integrally with the disc means, and the disc 20 means is in two parts, a central part and a peripheral part, the figure being formed integrally with the centre part, which is also provided with one of said elements.

5. A mounting according to Claim 2, or Claim 3 or 4 when dependent upon Claim 2, wherein the socket 25 element is formed integrally with the base cup and is axially split to define sections which can by the tensioning means be prevented from distorting excessively outwards. 46331

6. A mounting according to Claim 5, wherein the tensioning means is a spring clip adapted to engage around the outside of the socket element.

7. A mounting according to Claim 6, including a ballast weight 5 comprising a metal washer of appropriate size to be pushed over the socket element prior to the location thereon of the spring clip, such clip also serving to hold the washer in position.

8. A mounting according to Claim 1, in which the one of said base cup and closure disc means which has said spigot element has a holding sleeve 10 means which engages over and holds the socket element when the disc means closes the cup to prevent expansion of the socket element under the pressure thereon resulting from the frictional engagement of the spigot element with the socket element.

9. A mounting according to Claim 8, wherein the holding means is 15 adapted to distort the socket element before the spigot element engages therein or to limit distortion of the socket element by virtue of the engagement thereof by the spigot element so that the frictional grip between the spigot element and socket element becomes greater that it otherwise would be if the holding sleeve means were omitted. 20 10. A mounting according to Claim 8 or 9, wherein the mounting includes a figure formed with the disc means and the disc means is in two parts, a central part and a peripheral part, and the figure is formed integrally with the central part, which is also provided with either of said spigot element and socket element. 25 11. A mounting according to Claim 10, wherein the holding sleeve means is integral with the peripheral part of the disc means and the spigot element is integral with the central part of the disc means. 46 351 12. A mounting according to Claim 8, 9, 10 or 11, wherein the socket element is formed integrally with the base cup and is axially split to define sections which can, by the holding sleeve means, be prevented from distorting excessively outwards. 5 13. A mounting according to Claim 12, including a ballast weight comprising a metal washer of appropriate size to be pushed over the socket element prior to the location on the base cup of the disc means. 14. A modification of the mounting according to claim 1, the modification -comprising that the spigot and socket elements loosely interengage

10. So as to be connectible in use by means of adhesive in the socket element.

11. 15. A mounting for or including a figure for a sports game substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7 of the accompanying drawings. 15

12. 16. A mounting for or including a figure for a sports game substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 5, 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.

13. 17, A mounting for or including a figure for a sports game substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 2, 8, 9 and 20 10 of the accompanying drawings.

14. 18. A mounting for or including a figure for a sports game as claimed in Claim 14, substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.