US1982491A - Toy basket ball game - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 27, 1934. H, N A NUM 1,982,491

' TOY BASKET BALL GAME Filed March 25, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 27, 1934. 'H. N. BARNUM 1,982,491

TOY BASKET BALL GAME Filed March 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 27, 1934 "UNITED STATES;

TOY BASKET BALL GAIVIE Howard N. Barnum, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to M Wolverine Supply and Manufacturing Comvania pany, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsyl- Application March 25, maseriaI N0 662,760

9 Claims. (c1.27s s5) The object which I have in view is the provision of a game wherein manually operated toy players are caused to throw a ball into or at a basket, the figures being movably positioned so that the ball may be aimed at the basket.

For use in connection with the game I have invented a new and improved playing inclosure comprising a floor upon which the toy players are mounted, a back wall upon which the basket is supported, wing walls and canopy.

Preferably'the canopy is detachably mounted on the back wall, and the wing walls are in turn hinged to the back wall. The walls are detachably mounted upon thefloor, the latter being formed of two parts hinged together. Thus the playing inclosuremay be disassembled and packed flat and in small compass. Means are provided for holding the playing inclosure assembled.

My improved playing inclosure may be used in playing other games.

I also provide a novel character of mechanical player whichreceives the playing ball and is operated by a lever to throw the ball at the basket, the mechanical player being 'movably mounted on the floor so'that theball may be thrown in the proper direction, the force of the throw being regulated by the manner in 'which the actuating lever is operated.

The mechanical players are detachably mounted on the floor so'that they maybe removed when the game ispacked.

I also provide a .newand improved form of basket which may be adjusted to different diameters so as tovary the skill required to successfully play the game. I

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated a practical embodiment of the principles of my invention, Fig. 1 is an isometric view showing the playing inclosure and two mechanical players, the one at the right being shown in the ball-receiving posture while the one at the left is shown as just having completed the ball-throwing operation.

7 Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the playing inclosure taken on a plane at right angles to .that of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a broken plan view showing one corner of the playing field and the bayonet opening for mounting a mechanical player thereon.

Fig. 4 is a broken side elevation looking from the left in Fig. 1 showing means for holding the playing inclosure assembled.

, Fig; 51 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the mechanical players in'the ball-receiving attitude, one half of the hollow body being removed to show the actuating lever and its connection.

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the mechanical player at the completion of the ball-throwing movement;

Fig. '7 is a front elevation of the mechanical player in the attitude also illustrated in Fig. 6. Referring to the drawings, 1 and 1:; represent the two halves of theplaying floor which may Q5 be made of any suitable material but-I prefer to stamp the same out-of sheet metal. The two halves are hinged togetheratthe front as at 2 so that they may be extended, as shown in Fig. 1, to form a relatively wide'fiat form or may be swung forwardly substantially ninety degrees from their shown position so as to occupy less spacefor packing.

The two edges which abut when the floor is extended are provided with vertical supporting 7 flanges 3 and 4 represents similar flanges adjacent the front corners. Thus the floor is supported when extended;

Along the front the floor halves l and 1a are provided with vertical upwardly extending flanges '5 which act as a guardto prevent the ball rolling of the back wall.-

' The walls may be made of any suitable material but I prefer to use cardboard for this purpose.

The walls are-provided adjacent their lower edges with horizontally disposed slotted openings 8 which when the playing inclosure is set up. are engaged by the tongues 9 which extend from the edges of the floor members 1' and' 111, thus enabling the wallsto be detachably mounted on the floor. I i l The outer faces of the wing walls 7 are provided with swing hooks 7a which engage'holes in the outwardly protruding tongues 9, thus preventing accidental disassemblage' of the playing inclosure.

10 represents'the canopy which guards the top of the basket. Thi's'may be formed of cardboard having a straight edge which mates against the back wall 6, and at its ends are provided with 'downturned brackets 11, which :are hinged to the canopy. The rear edges of the canopy and brackets are provided with tongues 12 which are inserted through suitably:disposedslotted openings in the back wall, so that the canopy may be removably mounted on the back wall. When the toy is to be packed, the canopy is dismounted from the back wall and the brackets are flattened out.

Attached to the front face of the back wall and at the proper elevation is a horizontally disposed metal plate 13 in which are pressed the vertically disposed sockets 14 into which areinserted the downturned ends of the basket hoop-15, preferably formed of a piece of wire. of the wire may be inserted into the, twosockets adjacent the center of the plate, thus contracting the basket so that greater skill is required to play the game, or to render the game easier to play, the ends of the hoop may be inserted in the outer sockets 14, thus expanding the diameter of the hoop. Mounted on the hoop isthe usual net basket 16. I

One or more mechanical players are employed; I prefer'to provide two, one mounted at each front corner ofthe playing floor.

The mechanical players as shown in the drawings are of the following construction. The players are preferably formed of sheet metal. Their bodies and heads 17 are formed of two mating concaved metal halves to which the legs 18 are hinged by the cross pin 19. The feet are rigid with the legs and are fixed to or integral with a base plate 20 which is provided with a depending headed stud 21.

22 represents a bentlever whose lower end is provided with a bracket 23 which is pivotally mounted on a cross pin 24 which extends between the lower legs of the player. The upper end of the lever 22 is provided with an elongated opening 25 through which extends a cross pin 26 whose ends are fixed to the halves of the body. The lower end of the lever is provided with a rigidly attached handle 27, which extends rearwardly from between the legs of the player.

The arms 28 of the player .are fixed relative to the body and are provided at their free ends with concaved disks 29 which oppose each other in, a tilted manner substantially as illustrated Fig. 7, so that when the playeris inthe posture illustrated in Fig. 5, a rolling, ball will be received and supported between the disks, as illustrated in dotted lines at 30a.

The floor of the playing inclosure, preferably adjacent each front corner, is provided with a bayonet opening to receive the stud 19 of themechanical player. Said opening comprises a hole 31 sufiiciently large to. receive the head of the stud119. and connected thereto and extending inwardly a slot 32 of proper width to accommodate the shank of the stud, so that theplayer may be mounted on the floor by inserting the head of the stud through the hole 31 and then moving the figure along the floor until the shank. of the stud engages the other end of the slot 32. I prefer to cup the material of the floor upwardly at the blind end of the slot, as at 33, so that the mechanical player will be properly supported in position whileit may be turned on the stud as an axis to aim the ball without too much resistance. The mechanical player may be dismounted from the floor by backing the playeralong the slot until the stud registers with the hole when the player may be lifted from the floor.

The mechanical players are overbalanced forwardly by the weight of the body, arms and disks 29. so that when released they automatically return to the receiving posture illustrated in Fig. 5. To play the game the ball is placed or allowed The ends to roll between the disks 29 of a mechanical player and the lever 2'7 is sharply depressed. This will result in the body of the mechanical player being thrown upwardly from its posture shown at the right in Fig. l and in Fig. 5 to the posture shown at the left in Fig. 1 and in Figs. 6 and '7 with the result that the ball indicated. at 30a in Figs. 1 and 5' will be projected, as illustrated at 3022 in Figs. 1 and 6, toward the basket, the accuracy of the aim depending upon the correctness with which the mechanical player has been adjusted onits vertical axis of movement and the skill in applying the proper amount of force in depressing the lever 27.

In the case of a miss, where the ball does not drop into the; basket, or where the basket has an open bottom, the ball falls on the floor, and owing to the inclinations of the same to either side of its center, rolls between the disks of one or the other of the mechanical players, depending upon which side of the floor the ball lands. The mechanical player which receivesthe balls throws, it again. Thus an added element of chance is present.

As soon asthe lever is released, the mechanical player reassumes itsball-receiving position.

It is obvious from the drawings and, the foregoing description that considerable skill isnecessary to throw the ball into the basket and the required degree of skill may be increased by reducing the diameter, of the basket.

I claim:-

1. A mechanical basket ball player comprising a support, arms provided with. opposed concaved and upwardly diverging disks, adapted to receive I 10 a playing ball, pivotally mounted on said support, and means comprising a lever having a pin and slot connection with said armsfor swingingsaid arms upwardly to project the playing ball.

2. A mechanical basket ball player comprising a support, arms provided with, opposed; concaved and upwardly diverging disks adapted to receive a playing ball, pivotally mounted on said support, means comprising a lever having a pin and slot connection with said arms for swinging said no arms upwardly to project the playing ball, and a handlearranged to be grasped to throw the lever.

3. A mechanical, basket ball player comprising a support, a lower bodyportion mounted onsa-id support, an upper body portion pivotally mounted on the lower portion to. swing on a horizontal axis, a lever having apin and slot connection with the upper body portion to swing the latter, and 13 means to support a playing ball moving with the upper body portion whereby by throwing the lever the body maybe swung'to project the playing ball.

4. A mechanical basket ball player comprising a support, a lower body portion mounted on said 135 support, an upper body portion pivotallymounted on the lower portion toswing on-a horizontal axis, a lever having a pin and slot connection with the upper body portion to swing the latter, and

means to support a playing ball comprising apair the upper-part being pivoted relative tothelower part, means comprising a pair of opposed and upwardly diverging disks arranged to support the playing ball and moving with the upper part to support a playing ball, and lever mechanism for swinging the upper part to throw the ball toward the basket.

6. In a toy basket ball game, for use in connection with a floor, a wall rising from the floor and a basket mounted on said wall, a mechanical player arranged for throwing a playing ball toward the basket and comprising a two-part body, the upper part being pivoted relative to the lower part, a pair of opposed concaved and upwardly diverging disks moving with the upper part to support a playing ball, and means for manually swinging the upper part to throw the ball toward the basket.

7. In a toy basket ball game, for use in connection with a floor, a wall rising from the fioor' and a basket mounted on said wall, a mechanical player arranged for throwing a playing ball toward the basket and comprising a twopart body, the upper part being pivoted relative to the lower part, means comprising a pair of opposed and upwardly diverging disks arranged to support the playing ball and moving with the upper part to support a playing ball, lever mechanism for swinging the upper part to throw the ball toward the basket, and means for turning the player on a vertical axis to aim the playing ball.

8. In a mechanical basket ball player, the combination of a base, upwardly extending legs fixed to said base, a body pivotally connected on a horizontal axis to the leg portion and provided with arms arranged to receive and project the playing ball when the body portion is moved, a pin projecting from the side of the body portion, and an angular lever pivoted at its angle to the base and having one end upwardly extending and provided with a longitudinal slot in which said pin is engaged and having its other end extended rearwardly to form a handle whereby said body portion may be thrown upwardly to project the playing ball. I

9. In a mechanical basket ball player, the combination of a base pivotally mounted to be swung on a vertical axis, upwardly extending legs fixed to said base, a body pivotally connected on a horizontal axis to the leg portion and provided with arms arranged to receive and project the playing ball when the body portion is moved, a pin projecting from the side of the body portion, and an angular lever pivotedat its angle tothe base and having one end upwardly extending and provided with a longitudinal slot in which said pin is engaged and having its other end extended rearwardly to form a handle whereby said body portion may be thrown upwardly to project the playing ball. v

HOWARD N. BARNUM.

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