US1245684A - Bowling-alley. - Google Patents

Description

G. E. COLMAN.

aowuma ALLEY. APPLIC'ATIQN FILED NOV. 9|19l6- 1 $45,684. Patented Nov. 6, 1917.

Irwenior: George E. Colman,

uturn of the spent balls to a point within the reach of the player.

Th invention consists in certain 'novel GEORGE E. COLMAN, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOWLING-ALLEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented'Nov. 6, 1917.

Application filed November 9, 1916. Serial No. 130,460.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. CoLMsN, a citizen of the United States of America,

and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bowling-Alleys, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to toy bowling alleys adapted to be used as a parlor game, and it has for its object the production of a device of this character which may be folded into a small space when not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ball'track therefor, the inclination of which may be varied at will to give a greater or lesser momentum to the balls as desired. A further object of the invention is to provide a simple arrangement for the re features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be fully. understood by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claimshereinafter given.

For the purpose of.illustrating the invention. one preferred form thereof. is illus-.

trated in the drawings, this form'having been found to give satisfactory and reliable ganization of these instrumentalities, as

herein shown and described.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 represents a plan of a bowling alley embodying the principles of the pres ent invention.

Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal vertical section of the same, on line 22 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 represents a horizontal section on line 3-3 on Fig. 2.

Fig. l represents a transverse vertical section on line 1- l on Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 represents a section on line 22, showing the parts folded together when not in use, and

Figs. 6 and 7 represent details of a modified form of ball track.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, 10 is a pin table having side walls 11 and an end wall 12 extending upwardly above said table. Between the side walls'll and the table 10 are gutters 12?. "The rearend of the table 10 is separated from the end wall 12, permitting the balls to fall upon the inclined bottom 13.

The bottom l inclines downwardly t0 ward the front of the table 10, and isprovided on its upper surface with adiagonal cleat 1e1- which is adapted to direct the spent balls on the inclined bottom 13 to an opening 15' in a transom 16 extendingtrans versely beneath the table 10' and between the walls 11. is a trough 17 adapted toI'QClVe the spent balls. i Y

To the front endsof'the side walls 11 are faces oft-he side-walls '19, said slotsfb'eing' adapted to receive the supports 22 when the apparatus is in use. supports'22 may be practically as indicated in the drawings, or at any desired inclinalVlienthe apparatus is not in use the-supfolded over upon the table 10, said side walls 19 and supports 22 being partially positioned within the gutters 12*, all as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

The pins 23 have secured to their lower ends cords 2 1 extending through vertical openings in the table 10, said cords 24 all being connected at 25 to a single cord 26 extending through a staple 27 on the under side of the table 10, and being connected at its outer end 28 to the front end of the ball track 20.

When the pins 23 have been upset they may again be set in position by pulling upon the cord 26. When the apparatus is not in use the pins 23 may lie fiat upon the table 10 in the position indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

The trough 17 is in such position that the operator may readily remove the balls there- In front of the transom 16 To the front ends and inner It is obvious that the tion, thereby varying the inclinationof the ball track 20, and thus varying the speed, of the balls as'they pass down the inclined j track 20 onto'the horizontal pin table 10.

9O poits 22 are folded over the inside of the side wall.s 19, and the ball track is then from when playing the game. Extending transversely of the apparatus between the side walls 11 are two wires 29 which support the cords 24 and 26 and prevent them from sagging down into the path of the balls as they move down the inclined bot tom 13. If desired, the inclined ball track 20 as shown in Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings may be dispensed with and a modified form of track used such as is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings. This modified form consists of a rod 30 extending transversely of the front end of the apparatus between the side walls 11. Loosely pivoted to the rod 30 by means of eyes 31 surrounding said rod are two parallel rods 32 the outer ends of which are secured in a handle When this modified form of ball track is used the operator seizes with his left hand the handle 33 and moves it into any desired vertical inclination or at any desired horizontal angle to the rod 30 and places the ball on the rods 32 adjacent to the handle 33 and per mits said balls to run down the track formed by said rods 32 onto the table 10.

By means of this toy device a game of ten pins may be played in practically the same manner that the game is played upon. a full-sized bowling alley. When not in use the device may be folded up in small compass, as indicated in Fig. 5.

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of this device will be fully understood from the foregoing description.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a bowling alley,a pin table; side walls therefor extending above the upper surface and beyond the rear end thereof; an end wall removed from the rear end of said table and connected to said side walls; a bottom secured to said side walls and inclining downwardly from said rear wall to the front of said table; a transom interposed between and secured to the opposite side walls beneath the front end of said table, said transom being positioned at the front end of said inclined bottom and having a delivery opening therein; and a cleat diagonally secured to the upper face of said bottom with its rear end abutting a side wall and adapted to direct the spent balls to said delivery opening.

2. In a bowling alley, a pin table; side walls therefor extending above the upper surface and beyond the rear end thereof; an end wall removed from the rear end of said table and connected to said side walls; a bottom secured to said side walls and inclining downwardly from said rear wall to the front of said table; a transom interposed between and secured to the opposite side walls beneath the front end of said table, said transom being positioned at the front end of the inclined bottom and having a delivery opening therein; a cleatdiagonally secured to the upper face of said bottom with its rear end abutting a side wall and adapted to direct the spent balls to said de livery opening; and a ball trough beneath the front end of said table and communicating with said delivery opening.

3. In a bowling alley, a pin table having gutters on opposite sides thereof; side walls outside of said gutters; a ball track with side walls pivoted to the front ends of the side walls of said table and adapted to be folded over into said gutters; and supports pivoted to the front end of said ball track and adapted to be folded over within the walls of said track.

Signed by me at 1 Post Oh'ice Sq, Boston, Mass, this 8th day of November, 1916.

GEORGE E. COLMAN.

IVitnesses NATHAN C. Loarnann, IVALTER E. LOMBARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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