US1254958A - Game apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

H. P. ANDERSON.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21,1917.

Paizented Jan. 29, 1918 s suns-snsar 1.

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Patented J an. 29, 1918.

Attorneys,

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2- Witnesses I H. P. ANDERSON.

' GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21.1917- 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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HANS P. ANDERSON, OF FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 29, 1918.

Application filed June 21, 1917; Serial No. 176,157.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HANS P. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fargo, in the county of Cass and State of North Dakota, have invented a new and useful Game Apparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The present invention appertains to game apparatus, and relates more particularly to improvements over the game apparatus disclosed in my prior Patent N 0. 1,187,054, granted April 25, 1916.

It is the object of the invention to provide a novel and improved game apparatus for howling, the pins or targets being piv otally connected with a frame to be upset by the balls, the pins being readily reset by the players, and the construction being such that the game will be practically the same as ordinary bowling games, strikes, spares and similar plays being possible by well directed balls, whereby the game will be interesting and scientific.

The invention has for its object the provision of novel means for mounting the pins or targets, and means whereby when certain pins are struck or upset, a group of pins or targets in rear thereof Will also be upset, thus enabling strikes and spares to be made as in an ordinary bowling game.

A further object of the invention is the provision of novel means for retarding and cushioning the movement of the pins when upset.

The invention also has for its object the provision of a game apparatus of the nature indicated which is improved generally in its construction and details to enhance the utility and etliciency thereof.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus, portions being broken away".

Fig. '2' is a side clevationthereo f, portionsbeing broken away.-

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the tripping device in set position.

Fig. l is asimilar vie w showing said device released.

Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, portions being removed for sake of clearness.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side elevation illustrating' the mounting of one of the pins.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmental elevation of one of the pins, showing the butter thereof.

Fig. 8 is, a lower end View of the pin.

The present apparatus utilizes ten pins or targets designated 1 to 10, inclusive, and arranged in triangular formation in the manner of the pins of an ordinary ten-pin bowling game, with the head pin 1 foremost. These pins are suspended over the rear portion of the alley 11, which is preferably covered with a cork mat or the like, for deadening the noise. Along the sides of the alley 11 are troughs12, and a butter 11 is suspended loosely at the rear end of the alley for stopping the balls. The rear end portion of the alley, below the buffer 11, slopes to one side, as at 16, for delivering the balls into the return trough 16 sloping to the forward end of the alley for returning the balls 17 where they can be picked up by the players. It is preferable to provide cork or other noise deadening strips 13 in the troughs 12 and 16.

The troughs 12 also preferably slope forwardly to return the balls to the'players, should they roll off of the alley.

The pins are supported by a frame above the alley, and this frame includes the arches 18 and 19 standing astride the alley to per: mit the balls to roll under the frame and pins, and said frame further includes longitudinal bars 20 supported on the arch 19 and having their ends connected to the arch 18. Transverse rods 21 are engaged through the bars 20, and have the pins mounted thereon the movement of the pins when swung to a vertical position. I The pins are of semi-cit cular cross section, with their curved iaces disposed toward the forward end of the alley, and the lower end of each pin is re duced, as at 25, and has fitted thereon a buffer 26 behind the forward curved portion of which is a resilient cushion or pad 27. This reduces the noise and jar when the balls 17 strike the lower ends of the pins, said balls when rolling along the alley moving under the pins.

In order to hold the pins in either normal. or upset position, leaf springs 28 have their rear ends secured to cross bars 22 of the frame secured upon the bars in rear of the rows of pins, and the forward ends of said leaf springs are pivoted, as at 29, to rearwardly projecting ears 30 carried by the pins adjacent to the rods 21. The springs 28 are longer than the spaces between the ears30 and bars 22, whereby said springs are bowed upwardly, thereby tending to move their enc apart. Nhen thepin is swung ton vertical position, the cars 30 are swung downwardly to bring the pivot 29 below'a straight line connecting the respective rod 21 and-bar 22, whereby the spring 28 exerts a tension tending to move the lower portion of the pin forwardly, and holding the buffer 24, against the stop rod 23. The pin is thus held in reset or normal position, and when the lower end thereof is struck by the ball and moved rearwardly a sufficient distance to move the pivot 29 above the line connecting the rod 21 and bar 22, the spring 28 will now tend to move the ear 30 forwardly over the rod 21, thereby completing the upsetting of the pin, as seen in Fig. 6. The spring 28 will, therefore, either hold the pin in vertical normal position or in upset position, the pin being readily upsetwhen the ball strikes the lower endthereof with sufiicient force, and the spring holding the pin in upset position, as well as completing its upsetting movement.

As ameans for retarding and cushioning the upsetting movement of the pins, a weight 31 for each pin is employed, said weight having an upstanding stem 32 sliding through the respective bar 22, and provided at its upper end with a head 33 to limit the downward movement of the weight. and support it. The stem 32 has a washer 34: fitting slidably thereon below the bar 22, with a compressible washer 35 between the washer 34: and weight. The weights 31 are thus suspended from the frame in rear of the pins, and the lower ends of the weights are inclined for the contact therewith of the buffers 26 when the pins are upset.

Thus, when a pin is upset, the lower end or buffer 26 thereof moves upwardly against Should the weight be. comple'telyraised' to bring the washer 34: against the bar 22, the resilientwasher 35 willprovide a yieldable stop.

Means are provided whereby when either of the pins 2 and 3 behind the head pin are upset, the four pins behind such pins will also be upset, in order that strikes and spares can be made, even though the ball cannot hit all of the pins. This arrangement is provided in lieu of the fact that in an ordinary bowling game, the pins in being. knocked down. fall rearwardly and also knock down those pins in rear thereof, so that the present gamewill have practically the same result. For this purpose, a pair of upwardly projecting tripping members 36 is pivoted to certain bars 20 of the frame in rear of each pin 2 and 3, and a pair of similar tripping members 37 is fulcrumed to the bars 20' of the frame in rear of eachpair of members 38- The members are between the pin 5 and pins 4e6 while one pair of members 37 is between the i ns. 7 and 8, while the other pair is between the pins 9 and 10. Transverse rods 38' and 39 are engaged through the members and 37, respectively, of the several pairs, and their terminals project behind the respective pins- Thus, the left hand rod 38 extends behind the pins and 5, while the right hand rod 38 extends behind the pin 5 also and the pin 6. The left hand rod 39 extends behind the pins 7 and 8, while the right hand rod 39 extends behind the pins 9 and 10. The corresponding rods'38 and 39 at the opposite sides are connected by links or bars 40, whereby they swing simultaneously, and a coiled wire retractile spring 41 connects each rod 39 with the frame, thereby tending to move the tripping 1nem bers 36 and 37 forwardly to bring their rods 38 and 39 into engagement with the respective pins above their pivots, to swing the pins to upset position. Each of these up"- setting devices is normally held in set position by means of a rearwardly extending detent 42 pivoted upon one bar of the frame and having its rear end adapted to abut the rod 38 to hold the tripping members in rearwardly swung positionagainst the tension of the corresponding spring ll,

said rod 38 having stop 4% secured thereto for supporting the detent and limiting its downward movement when snapped into en gagement with the rod 38 when the tripping devices are set. Each of the detents 42 has a spring 43 tending to move it downwardly, whereby to either hold it in abutment with the rod 38 or bearing thereon. An inverted U-shaped trigger l5 has its ends pivoted to certain bars 20 of the frame in front of each pair of tripping members 36, and is connected by a link 46 with either the pin 2 or 3, there being two triggers 45 for said pins, and said triggers swing under the detents 42. When the apparatus is set, the springs 43 move the detents 12 into engagement with rods 38, as seen in Fig. 3, to hold the tripping devices set, and the triggers 45 are swung rearwardly due to the rearward movement of links 46 when the pins 2 and 3 are swung to vertical position. When either the pin 2 or 3 is upset, it will pull the link 46 forwardly, and swing the respective trigger 45 upwardly and forwardly, thereby raising the detent 42 and releasing the rod 38, so that the spring 41 will swing the corresponding tripping device forwardly, which will upset those four pins in rear of the pin upset by the ball. Thus, if the pin 2 is upset by the ball, this will also upset the pins 4:, 5, 7 and 8, whereas if the pin 3 is upset, this will also upset the pins 5, 6, 9 and 10. The player can, therefore, make a strike by first hitting the head pin 1, and then hitting both pins 2-3 (the ball being of sufficient diameter to hit both of said pins) which will result in all of the pins of the last two rows being upset. If the ball hits the pin 1 and one of the pins 2--3, then the pins 1 and 5, and those at one side will all be upset, while the other pins remain in .set position, and can be upset by hitting the remaining pin'2 or 3, thereby resulting in a spare. The pins 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are only upset in groups when the pairs 2 and 3 are struck, and said pins of the last two rows can be upset individually when the ball misses the first three pins. in this manner, the game played with the present apparatus is quite similar to an ordinary bowling game.

In order to reset any and all upset pins, a resetting frame 47 is slidable upon the main supporting frame, being of suitable shape to extend between the pins, and being provided with guide slots 48 receiving bolts of guiding elements 19 carried by the main frame. The resetting frame 47 is normally moved forwardly by means of springs 50 connecting the rear portion thereof and main frame, and in order to move the resetting frame rearwardly, a cable or other flexible element 51 is connected to the rear end thereof and extends around guide pulleys 52 at the rear end of the alley and then forwardly, preferably under the alley, to a hand lever 53 fulcrumed to a post 54 at the forward end of the alley within convenient reach of the players. A slight movement of the lever 53 is suflicient to pull the resetting frame rearwardly to accomplish the resetting of the pins conveniently, an elastic spring 55 being interposed in the cable 51 to prevent a too sudden jerk on the lever from injuring the apparatus, since the spring will relieve the strain. The resetting frame 47 is connected by straps or flexible connections 56 with the pins above their pivots, said straps being normally slackened, so

as not to interfere with the upsetting of the pins, but when the resetting frame is moved rearwardly, the straps 56 will pull the upper ends of the pins rearwardly, to reset them. The rearward movement of the resetting frame also resets the tripping devices, should they have been released. Thus, chains or flexible elements 37 connect the rear rods 39 of the tripping devices with the resetting frame 47, in order that when the resetting frame is moved rearwardly, the chains 57 will pull the tripping devices rearwardly, the detents -12 snapping into place to hold the tripping devices set, as seen in Fig. 3.

The operation of the apparatus will be readily obvious from the foregoing, the game being played in the manner of an ordinary bowling game, and the pins being reset after each playerhas had his opportunity to upset the most number of pins. Due to the provision of the tripping devices for upsetting the pins in groups, this renders the game much more interesting, and it approaches more closely to the ordinary bowling game from a scientific point of view.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A game apparatus embodying a plurality of targets adapted to beupset, and means under the control of one target for upsetting other targets when said target is upset.

2. A game apparatus embodying a plurality of targets, a tripping device for upsetting some of the targets, and detent means controlled by another target for holding the tripping device inactive and releasing it when the last mentioned target is upset.

3. A game apparatus embodying a plurality of targets adapted to be upset, tripping means for some of the targets to upset them, a detent for holding said tripping means inactive and controlled by another target to release the tripping device when the last mentioned target is upset, and means for resetting the targets and said tripping device.

4. A game apparatus embodying a frame, pins pivoted thereto, a tripping device for upsetting pin in rear of another pin, and detent means controlled by the last mentioned pin for holding the tripping device inactive until the last mentioned pin is up set.

5. A game apparatus embodying a frame, pins pivoted thereto and depending therefrom, a spring pressed tripping device carried by the frame for upsetting pins in rear of another pin, a detent carried by the frame for holding said tripping device inactive, and a trigger operated by the last mentioned pin for releasing the detent when said pin is upset.

6. A game apparatus embodying an alley, a frame supported thereover, pins in triangular formation pivoted to the frame and suspended therefrom, means for holding said pins in vertical and rearwardly upset positions, spring pressed trippingdevices carried by the frame for upsetting pins in rear of others, detents carried by the frame for holding said tripping devicesinactive, means operated by the last mentioned pins for releasing said detents when said pins are upset, and means for resetting the pins and tripping devices.

7. A game apparatusembodying a frame, a plurality of targets pivotally secured in the frame and adapted to be upset, resilient means for moving the targets toward and retaining them in upset position, upsetting mechanism pivoted to the frame and to some of the targets, detents for the mechanism pivoted to the frame, trips for the detents, and connections between the trips and other targets.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

HANS P. ANDERSON.

Witnesses RAsMUs MILLER, OTTO PALMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissione of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

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