US2002631A - Game - Google Patents

Description

May 28, 1935.

J. A. FIONDELLA GAME Filed May 24, 1952 Patented May 28, 1935 s PATENT OFFICE GAME Jean A. Fiondella,

East Haven, Conn.

Application May 24, 1932, Serial No. 613,185

One of the objects of my present invention is to provide superior and attractive means whereby both entertainment and physical exercise may be afforded a player or players at a relatively low cost. e Other objects in part will'appear from the fol lowing. r a

In one of its phases, my invention contemplates both a novel game-piece to be tossed or flipped and a novelrod-like memb r which may be employed for tossing or flipping the first-mentioned game-piece or the like.

The-game-piece to be tossed or flipped may assume a variety of forms, in each of which, however, it has certain novel characteristics as will appear from the following and be more clearly set forth in certain of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a perspective view illustrating a flipping-stick in position to flip one of the dumb-bell shaped game-pieces;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the dumbbell shaped game-pieces;

Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectional View thereof;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a ring-like gamepiece;

Fig. 5 is a view thereof partly in central horizontal section and partly in plan;

Fig. 6 is a broken perspective view of the lower end of a flipping-stick like that shown in Fig. l; and

Fig. '7 is a similar view illustrating one of the several other forms which the lower end of a flipping-stick may assume.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawing, I have shown a dumb-bell shaped gamepiece generally designated by the numeral l0 and comprising a pair of complementary spaced-apart bulbous members i l and 52 joined together by a connecting-member l3 and constituting the bulbous terminals thereof. Preferably, the bulbous members H and i2 and the connecting-member l3 of the game-piece it? are formed as a unit from sponge rubber, so as to provide a relatively high degree of resiliency to the said bulbous members in particular. Preferably, also, I provide the connecting-member 13 with an axially-arranged stiffening-wire or equivalent M which at its respective opposite ends extends partway into each of the bulbous members H and i2 and serves to reduce the flexibility of the connecting-member i 3 to facilitate the more or less'accurate flipping of the game-piece it] as will appear from the following.

While the game piece it above described may be used in a variety of ways, I prefer to employ a flipping-stick l5 for flipping the same. The said flipping-stick may be formed of bamboo or more or less flexible metal-tubing,'etc.,,and is, as shown, provided at its upper end with a handgrlp I6 andat its lower end with a flipping-head I! which latter terminates at its lower end.- in an amiular flange 18 into which the surface of the head l't' proper merges, as at 19.

By placing the flipping-head bulbous members H and I 2 of the game-piece I!) in close proximity to the connecting-member [3 thereof, the said game-piece may be flipped or-tossed at a targetor at a markedoff space on a lawn or beach as may be desired.

Owing to the fact that the bulbous terminals i I and I2 serve to space the connecting-member I3 sufficiently above the surface upon which the game-piece rests to permit the lower end of a flipping-stick to be engaged with the said connecting-member, remarkable accuracy may be attained in the flipping of the said game-piece at or toward a desired point.

As above pointed out, the bulbous terminal members H and I2 of the game-piece ID are resilient and when the game-piece is flipped and lands, it will not, if the game is being played outdoors, dig into either a lawn or beach sand to an undesirable degree. If the game is played indoors, by children, for instance, the resiliency of the bulbous terminal members referred to will serve to prevent damage to furniture, etc., which the game-piece may strike. If composed of resilient material of less specific gravity than water, such as sponge rubber, as I prefer, the gamepiece I0 will also have sufficient buoyancy to float, should it inadvertently strike the water during outdoor games.

Instead of shaping the game-piece more or less like a dumb-bell, I may shape the same in the form of a ring or quoit, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In the flgures referred to, the quoit-like game-piece, which is generally designated by the numeral 2!], consists of a ring 2| preferably formed of relatively-stiff rubbertubing and having mounted thereon at equidistant points three (more or less) bulbous members 22, 23 and 24 formed, as shown, of sponge rubber preferably vulcanized or cemented in place upon the said ring 2| and serving to space the 11 between the same above the surface upon which the gamepiece lies and also acting as bufiers to prevent injury to furniture, lawns, etc.

The game-piece 20 may be flipped in much the same manner as the game-piece Iii already referred to, or it may be thrown by hand in the manner of an ordinary quoit, but in any event the bulbous members referred to will serve to a remarkable and unexpected degree to prevent injury to a lawn, etc., or to prevent the game-piece from becoming buried in the sand, should the game be played upon a beach. Furthermore, I have found that regardless of what manner of surface the game-piece 20 is thrown or flipped upon, it has the property of halting practically immediately upon landing, rather than slddding along the surface, as is the case with an ordinary quoit, with the result that fortunate breaks so-called, in a game in which the gamepiece 2B is employed, are largely avoided and the game resolves itself mainly into a question of skill.

When formed of sponge rubber, the surfaces of the bulbous members H and l2, and 22, 23 and 2 4 are preferably provided with a relatively-smooth outer skin 25, which serves to render the same tougher and waterproof.

Returning now to a further discussion of the flipping-stick 5, the head I! thereof, instead of being circular in cross-section, may, as shown in Fig. 7, be of polygonal form in cross-section to provide four (more or less) definite faces 26, any one of which may be placed substantially' flatwise against either the connectingmember l3 or the ring 2| of the game-pieces l0 and 20 respectively for flipping or tossing the latter. 7 7

'It will be understood by those skilled in the art that my invention may assume varied physical forms without departing from my inventive concept, and I, therefore, do not limit myself to the specific embodiments herein chosen for illustration, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A game apparatus comprising: a game piece having a plurality of bulbous members spaced from each other and interconnected to form a unitary structure by means of a connecting-member extending therebetween and of relatively-smaller size; and a flipping-stick having a terminal flipping-flange at its lower end of a thickness not greater than one-half the difierence between the diameter of the connecting-member and the diameter of a bulbous member and designed and constructed to be engaged under the lowest part of said connecting-member when said game-piece is resting on a surface, and flip said game-piece.

2. A game apparatus comprising: a gamepiece having a plurality of resilient bulbous members spaced from each other and interconnected to form a unitary structure by means of a connecting-member extending therebetween and of relatively-smaller size, the said bulbous members being buoyant to enable the game-piece to float upon water; and a flipping-stick having a terminal flipping-flange at its lower end I of a thickness not greater than one-half the difference between the diameter of the connecting-member and the diameter of a bulbous member and designed and constructed to be engaged under the lowest part of said connectingmember when said game-piece is resting on a surface, and flip said game-piece.

JEAN A. FIONDELLA.

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