US1675453A - Adjustable game device - Google Patents

Description

July 3, 1928.

A. D. FORRY ADJUSTABLE GAME DEVICE Filed July 25, 1927 PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHIE D. FOB-BY, OF OLABKSVILLE, IOWA.

ADJ'USTABLE GAME DEVICE.

a ucmoa filed July 25,

claimed, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2'is a plan of my improved game device. Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation of the propelling device thereof. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view on a still larger scale of the special spring device employed with said propelling means.

The game device illustrated is specifically that to be used for a basket ball game, but it is to be understood thatthe invention herein is not limited to this species of alne, but that such modifications may be e ected therein as will adapt the device for other games to which its principles of operation may be applicable without departing from the invention or the scope of the claims.

The numeral 1 denotes a base plank having longitudinally spaced cross bars 2 fixed upon its under face, divergent pairs of legs 3 being fixed upon said cross ars to suitably position the plank 1 from a supporting surface. Upon the rear part of the plank 1 are secured a pair of transversely spaced sockets 4 in which are fixed the lower ends of a pair of vertical tubular standards 5 of the same length. Rods 6 are slidably seated in the bores of said standards 5, and may be secured therein b means of set-screws 7. A cross bar 8 is xed upon the upper ends of said rods horizontally and a rectangular back-board 9 is fixed upon said cross bar to project upwardly vertically therefrom. transversely apertured bracket fixture 10 mounted upon the front face of the backboard 9 medially and below its center, and fixedly carries a horizontal ring 11, projecting forwardly. It will be seen that the back-board 9 and the ring 11 may be adj usted vertically by the means described.

The numeral 12 denotes a propeller arm, made of wood or other suitable substance .and having its rear part diminished and furnished with a fixed metal projection 18 1927. Serial No. 208,834.

having a hole 19. A short standard 20 has its lower threaded end fixed in the medial line of the base plank 1, secured by a nut 22 on its threaded end, and has a forwardly hooked terminal 21 which is inserted loosely in the hole 19 of said arm hole being large enough to permit considerable play to said pro ection and arm.

A spring device is engaged between the lower rear part of the arm 12 and the top of the plan 1. This device consists of a single spring rod bent and shaped as follows. The rod is bent to provide a transverse medial reach 24 havin arm parts directed to one side, the rod eing provided with several coils 26 at the end of each arm part, and from said coils straight arm parts 23 project in a direction opposite to that of the arm parts first mentioned and have downwardly bent terminations which are seated in holes provided in the top of the plank 1 to anchor the device thereto, with the reach 24 in contact transversely with the under face of the arm 12 about midway of its'length.

The numeral 14 denotes'a rod bent in an inverted U-shape having a. medial transverse reach part 13, the side members being terminally threaded and passed downwardly through holes in the secured for vertica adjustments relative thereto by nuts 15 and 16. The reach 13 crosses the 'arm 12 a distance from its forward end, and the arm 12 has in advance of said reach 13 a circular hollow seat 17 to receive a basket ball 27.

A player may manually depress the forward end of the arm 12 while compressing the spring device thereunder, and then release the arm, the reacting spring swinging up the arm and projecting the ball 27 toward the ring 11.- If the ball falls through the ring a count is recorded for the player. When the arm 12 strikes the reach 13 in swinging upwardly, it is stopped, but the ball is projected upwardly as stated, to ordinarily strike the back board 9 and bound to fall either within or outside of the ring 11. The back board 9 may be first adjusted in gisitionv verticall by the means descri d, to vary the distance of the ring 11 from the propeller arm 12. This means of adjustment of the relative position of the ring 11 in a measure prevents a practiced player. from acquirin which will give an a vantage over players plank 1, where they area skill at playing projection 18, the

not havin the same experience, and therefore it is air that before beginning a game, the position of the ring should be changed enough to obviate the advantages of prac-' tice when the ring is in one position.

However, a player may nevertheless by practice gage the different adjustments possible for said ring 11, so I have supplied other means of adjustment operative upon the propeller arm 12, which may be initially adjusted so as to render it very unlikely that any player can acquire such skill by practice as to much surpass an inexperienced player. This adjustment is secured as follows.

The nuts 15 and 16 on either side member of the looped device 14 are manipulated to push up either member to a greater height than the other member, thus, as shown exaggerated in Fig. 3, including the reach part 13 laterally, the rod yielding at both angles of bending. As the arm 12 has its rear fixed projection 18 loosely mounted upon the depending end part 21 of the short fixed standard 20, the arm 12 is free to turn sidewise enough when it strikes the inclined reach 13 in moving upwardly to conform to the inclination thereof, so that at the moment of stopping the arm and projecting the ball 27, a sidewise impulse is given to the ball 27, so that it is not impelled upwardly and rearwardly over the center of the ring 11, but a little to one side of the center thereof. The ball may lightly strike the ring on this account in dropping. lessening the chances of its dropping through it, according to the manner of dropping the ball, so that the ball in striking the ring may fall inwardly through the ring, or if a little too far displaced from the center of the ring, will bound off the ring outwardly. The two means of adjustment, therefore, can be used to equalize the chances between different players, fortuitously. Aside from mamas mounted loosely to be freely tiltable in any direction, means for limiting the scope of movement of said device, and means for varying the said limiting device in position to variably tilt the propelling device when striking the limiting device. j

2. A device of the character described, comprising a game ball, a horizontal ring mounted and supported for vertical adjustments, a resiliently controlled propelling arm mounted loosely for projecting said ball toward said ring, and a stop member crossing said arm and adjustable for lateral inclinations relative thereto to limit the scope of movement of the arm while propelling said ball and to impart to the ball when striking the inclined stop member a side wise deflection in its course.

3. A device of the character described,

comprising a game ball. a horizontal ring mounted fixedly at a desired altitude, a.

resiliently controlled propelling arm mounted loosely for projecting said ball toward said ring, and a stop member crossing said arm and adjustable for lateral inclinations relative thereto to limit the ecope'bfi'movement of the arm while pro Hing said balland to impart to the ball w en striking the inclined stop member a sidewise deflection in its course.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ARCHIE D. FORRY.

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