US1748030A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 18, 1930.

c. A. WETZELL GAME APPARATUS Filed March 27, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l 48' 1 Idol ATTORN EY Patented Feb. 18, 1930' PATENT OFFICE CLARE A. WETZELL, or STERLING, ILLINOIS GAME APPARATUS Application filed Marchfli', 1928. Serial No. 265,078.

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in game apparatus and has for its principal object the provision of an approved construction of this character which will be economical in manufacture, fascinatingandamusing inuse. j j

Among the several objects of the invention isto provide a game apparatus which includes unchangeable elements affording the playing of several games without wholly disassembling the apparatus. .Otherobjects will, appear hereinafter. a ;;The invention consists in thenovel com bination and arrangements of parts herein- 1 after described and claimed. I

The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, 'showingthe preferred form of construction and in which Fig. 1 is atop plan view of the game embodyingimyinvention;

;Fig{.. 2 is a sectional detail view of the same taken substantially on line 22 of Figure 1; I Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view of the same 5 taken substantially on line 33 of Figure 1'; f Fig. 4: isa plan view ofthe game illustrated in Figure 1,: showing an attachment thereto Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective View ofithe; attachment I tusillustrated in Figure 1 showing an attachment thereto;

Fig. 7 is a sectional 'detail view of the same taken substantially on line 77 of Figure 6;

35 Fig.18 is afragmentary sectional detail may be played and to accomplish this. and

' other objects of the invention, I provide a .baseplate' 1O whichinclu'des on three sides jflanges 11" and 12 defining av restricted field 13. Opposite the flange 12 the base plate pro- Fig.6 is a plan view of the game apparavides a flange 14 which has its intermediate portion removed as at 15 to provide a substantial space for the end of the operator and to accommodate a projecting device indicated at 16 and hereinafter more fully de scribed. At one end of the base plate there is defined a plurality of seats 17 on which pins 18 are mounted at the opposite end of the base plate there is likewise provided a plurality of seats 19 which may be of a different color and design from the color and design of the seat 17 whereby to distinguish the seats. The projecting device which is herein indicated at 16 is similar in structure to that disclosed in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 265,079, filed March 27, 1928, and therefore only such structure as is necessary to understand the operation and use of the present invention will be described.

This projecting device includes the body 7 20 defining the receiving seat 21 and guiding groove 22 returning through and adapted to support a plurality of balls 23 to be suc cessively received bythe seat 21 and proj ected by the spring actuated projecting head 24 operated bymeans of a handle 25. This body is providedwith an opening26 into which projects a stud 27 carried by the plate 10 whereby the projecting device may be moved from side to side and held firmly in one position.

In playing the. game shown in Figure 1, the pins are positioned upon the seat 17 The projecting head is Withdrawn by means of the handle 27 so that the first ball may find entrance to the receiving seat. The handle is released and the projecting head strikes the ball and projects the ball toward the pins knocking down one or more of the pins.

The flanges 11 provide aligned openings 28 through which fastening elements 29 are adapted to be passed to secure a coil spring 30 transversely of the plate 10 adjacent the flange 12. These fastening elements as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing are each formed from a link of wire bent to provide a loop 31 which has connection with the end loop 32 of the spring coil. The links are passed through the openings by extending the links longitudinally with respect to the coil spring and after they have passed through they are turned Substantially at right angles with respect to the coil spring whereby to firmly hold the coil spring in the position shown in Figure 1. By the use of this spring in con nection with the base plate, the pins may be struck down from the seats 19 and this is accomplished in the following manner.

The pins are firstdisposed upon the seats 19 and a ball is positioned in theseat by retracting the projecting head. hen this is accomplished the projecting head is released to strike the ball by action of the spring projecting the ball toward the coil spring. The impact of the ball against the coil spring will place this spring under tension and when this spring returns to its normal position itwill throw the ball back toward the pinsupon the seat 19 and strike-one orinore of these pins down.

In Figure to the game apparatus shown in Figure 1 whereby an entirely different game may be played. In this particular instance there is mounted upon the base plate a platform This platform 33 is held above the base plate by means of end flanges 34. Theedge 35 of the platform defines an inclined flange 36 which extends slightly to the rear and above the spring 30. The platform has formed therein a plurality of spaced openings 37 each indicated by numerical character 38. These openings are of a smallerdimensi'on than the balls 39 and when the balls 39 are positioned upon the platform their portions 40 will be exposed beneath the platform through these openings. Thedista'nce between the platform and the base plate is of a suiiicient diameter to permit a ball to travel thereunder, but

the distance between the exposed portionsof the balls and the platform is of a dimension whereby the ball will come in contact with one or more of th exposed portions of the balls to unseat the balls from their-positions in the openings.

WVhen the platform is mounted uppn the base plate the game is played in the following manner. I

The projector head is retracted to permit one of the balls 23 to pass down into the receiving seat. When the projector head is released it will strike this ball and direct the ball toward the platform. The ball will pass under the platform and if aimed correctly will; hit one or more of the exposed portions of the balls 39 and unseat these balls thus hit from the openings. The ball 23 when it passes under the platform-will strike against the coil spring and be bounced backward toward the playing end ofth'e game apparatus. I v V In Figure 8 I have shown an attachment to the game apparatus shown in Figure 7 and in this instance the attachment includes a plate 41 having one edge portion 42 resting 6 I'have shown an attachment upon the base plate 10 and its upper edge 43 flush with the edge 44 ofthe platform. The plate 41 is supported in an inclined position by end flanges 45. With this additional attachment it is intended that the balls will be guided up the plate 41 onto the platform 33 to settle in different-of the openings provided therein.

In Figures 9 and 10 I have shown a further I attachment which is adapted to be associated with the game apparatus illustrated in'Figures 1 and 2 and in the preferred form of construction this attachment includes a plate 46 which is shaped to represent the side of a cabin or the like and provided with Window openings 47 The fianges ll provide opposite grooves 48 into which the edges 49 of the plate l6 are adapted to pass to effect connection between this plate and the-template. Tethe rear of the plate 4.6 there reattached in any suitable manner a trackway 5O into alon which a plurality of balls 51 are adapted to I pass. This} trackw'ay is supported in an inclined position upon the plate 46 whereby the balls are to pass by gravity to the lower end portion 52 of the traekway, wh-ie hlow'er end portion 52 is exposedthrough a dpor opening 53 fortneclin the plate 46. This trackway at this we portion is rovided with an opening 54 through which portiens '55 of the balls will be exposed. In pI-aj ingthe game with this attachment the object is to aim the ball prejecting frointhe projecting device toward and'through the openingso that the'projected ball will strike the portion 55 of the ball 51 in the opening 54 to unseat the ball from that opening. 1 In view of the fact that the trackway is-in c li-iied itis manifest that the tails will seat by gravity if each ball is struck from the openi g. k

In considering the various structiires 'vvhich I have herein shownand describedit will be manifest that I haie'pr'otided a single game with several attachments-whereby several games be played in a fascinating and amusing manner.

I do not wlsh' to g pro ecting devlce to heuse'd 1n connectlon with the ame apparatus herein describednar v to any particular designof pins or ballslwhich are to be struck down by the proj (acting-balls as it is obvious'that different styles of pins and balls may be employed without departing from the spirit of my investi ate with out making any radical changes.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of c nstruction for carrying my invention intoeffect, this. capable of variation and modification, without departing from the spirit of the invention. I; therefore do notwishto be limited to theprecise details of construetio'n'set forth, but desire to avail m self of su'chvariationgandgniodifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

be. limited toa'ny style-0f.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as newand desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A game apparatus including a baseboard providing a field, a member extending spaced openings, a plurality of balls positioned in said openings with portions exposed through said openings beneath the platform, a ball adapted to be projected toward and beneath the platform in a direction to engage one or more of the ball portions exposed beneath the platform, and means for projecting said balls. I v

2. A game apparatus including a baseboard providinga field, a member extending transversely of the field at one end thereof and having a portion providing a platform I and other portions supporting the platform in spaced relation with respect to the base plate, said platform being provided with a plurality of spaced openings, a plurality of 1 balls positioned in sa1d openings with pors tions exposed through said openings beneath the platform, a ball adapted to be pro- 'jected toward and beneath the platform in a direction to engage one or more of the ball portions exposed beneath the platform, and

means for projecting said balls and means for changing the direction of movement of said ball after passing under the platform.

3. A game apparatus including a restricted A field, a plurality of balls, means supporting V said'balls above the field, a ball adapted to be projected toward said supporting means into contact with the balls at their lower portions.

and means for projecting said balls.

4:. A game apparatus including a member having a plurality of openings formed there- "in, a plurality of elements positioned in the openings with their lower portions exposed from the bottom of said members, a ball adapted tobe projected toward said member and pass thereunder to strike one or more of the exposed portions of said balls, means for supporting said member to permit said ball topass'thereunder into contact with said exposed portions, and means forprojecting said balls.

5. A game apparatus including a member having a plurality of openings formed there i in, a plurality'of elements positioned in the openings with their lower portions exposed from the bottom of said members, a ball adapted to be projected toward said member s and pass" thereunder to strike one or more of the exposed portions of said balls, means for supporting said member to permit said ball to pass thereunder into contact with said ex-' s posed portions, and means for projecting said balls, andmeans for arresting movement of said ball after passing under said platform and for throwing said ball in an opposite direction.

6. A game apparatus including a member providing a restricted field, a member providing a platform and having end portions supportin the platform in spaced relation with the eld, said platform having a plurality of openings formed therein, a plurality of balls positioned in the openings with their lower portions projecting through the openings beneath the platform, a ball adapted to be projected beneath the platform into contact with one or more of the exposed portions of said balls, means for projecting said balls, a spring member extending transversely of the field and longitudinally with respect to the outer edge of the platform and adapted to arrest movement of the ball and throw said ball in an opposite direction.

In testimony whereof I aflix my si ature.

CLARE A. WETZ LL.

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