US2044994A

US2044994A - Amusement device

Info

Publication number: US2044994A
Application number: US45595A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank M Pierce
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-10-18
Filing date: 1935-10-18
Publication date: 1936-06-23
Anticipated expiration: 1953-06-23

Description

F. M. PIERCE 2,044,994

AMUSEMEMT DEVICE Filed OC'b. 18, 1955 :Zwan/ WZ. gre.

Patented June Z3, 19.36

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AMUSEMENT DEVICE x `Frank MrPierce. Miami, Fla. Application oteber 1s, i935, serial No. 45,595

` 15 claims. (ci.` 27s- 138) My invention relates to amusement devices and particularly to a structure comprising a housing or cage having a plurality of shelves therein, together with projector means manually operable from the exterior of the cage for throwing counting members such as dice upwardly in the cage to land on the shelves, the scoring being determined by the arrangement of the counting members on the shelves.

A feature of the invention is the provision of shelves of different colors and counting members of corresponding colors with the scoring depending upon projected counting members landing on correspondingly colored shelves. i

Another feature of the invention is the inclusion among the counting members 4of an` elongated preferably tubular member, as for example a thimble, with the landing of the thimble on a shelf, whether on its side or on end, having a certain value in the determination of the score.

A further feature of the inventionis the provision of a unitary shelf structure in the form of a stepped plate with the steps forming the shelves, and with the shelf structures pivotally mounted for swing or rotation thereof to dump the accumulated counting and scoring members.

A further feature of the invention resides in improved projection meansA in the form of a projection lever extending along the bottom of the cage for supporting the counting members at its inner end so that a downward blow on its outer end will cause the counting members to be thrown upwardly in the cage for landing on the shelves j l 'I'he above enumerated and other features of the invention are embodied in the structure shown on the drawing, in which drawing 1 t Figure 1 is a plan view of the device; and

Figure 2 isa section on plane IIK-II of `Figure 1`.

The structure shown comprises the elongated rectangular base l whose innerportion has the rearwardly inclined top 2. A housingis mounted lon and secured to the base i and-,may bein the form of a cage comprisinglan archshaped wall 3 forming the front and rear sides and the top of the cage, and the side wall structures 4` which may be in the form of Wire netting, which netting may be secured to the inwardly deflected portions or flanges 5 on the wall 3, The top portion of the wall 3 may be provided with longitudinally extending slots 6` so that through these slots and Vthe Wire mesh vsides 4,`the interior of thef cage may be fully visible at all times'.` n y At approximately thel central point of thek mesh `side walls 4, these walls-*nave bearingaplates 1 ,a pocket I8 provided in Agagingu against the under side of the prosecured thereto forjournaling shaft 8` which is secured to the rear end of a shelf structure 9 which, when in its normal position, extends `for-f wardly to the front part of the wall 3, `the shelf structure normally resting on a stop I0 which may be in the form of a sheet metal strip securedmto and extending between the mesh side walls 4. VBetween the side walls il and the adjacentedges ofthe shelf structure, washers `Il of suitable material are mounted on the shaft 8" so as to keep the shelf structure clear at its edges from the side walls 4.` The outer ends l2 of the shaft are deflected at right angles to afford handles by means of which the shelf structure may be swung yupwardly to `dump accumulated counting members therefrom after a playing operation, and the extent of such dumping movement is limited by the engagement of one of the handle ends with a'stop I` 3 extending from one of the side Walls VI. "Ikfhe shelf structure maybe in the form of a single plate of' sheet metal deflected to form the step or shelf portions A, B and C, and these shelf portions may have their top surfaces of different colors, as for example, red, white and blue, respectively.

The projector mechanism shown comprises an elongated rectangular plate or board M which is pivoted intermediate its ends on the base I. To provide such pivot support, a U-shaped yoke frame I5 may be screwed or otherwise secured against the underside of the projector board with its depending ends engaging pivot screw |6 se cured in the base which may be of Wood or formed of` sheet metal, as desired. The pivot support of the board is adjacent to the front end of Vthe inclined top 2 of the base, the board` extending rearwardly to within a short distance of lthe rear part of thewall 3 and is normally held` in inclined position by a thrustspring I' seated in the base and enjeetor platera freni; of the plate pivot axis, the top' surface 2 of the base having preferably a cushion abutment I9 thereon for engagement by the inner' end of the projector board.

The front end of the projector board extends to the exterior of the cage through an Aopening 20 provided-in the front part of the Wall 3, and on this outer end of the board an impact cushion 2l,` which may be of sponge rubber, is secured which cushion is struck by the fist or theA hand for quick upward` swing of the rear end of the board and upward projection of counting members normally supported by the board'.` The counting members 22 are preferably in the form of cubes or dice and for supporting the counting lil 2.1 Y, members on the projector board a sheet metal frame of angular cross section is mounted on the board I4 above the rear portion thereof. This supporting frame may be formed from a single piece of sheet metal and comprises the

wall parts

23, 24 and 25, the wall 24 extending upwardly at right angles with the wall 23, the wall 23 resting at its rear end against the rear end of the board I4 and being held tilted away from the board I 4 by the front wall 2,5, the supporting structure being held in place as by screws 26 extending through the wall and into the board I4. The

walls

23 and 24 may be lined by cushioning material 2 such as felt.

The counter members 22 may be plain cubes or game dice and are preferably of different colors,`

as for example, red, white .and b lue, to correspond with the coloring ofthe s'helVesA, B and C. The counting members normally .rest onthe:

support wall 2;? against the back wall 24 thereof, 'andto avoid interference of the side walls 4 with thelcounting members, guide or guard walls 28 may be extendedl upwardly from the supporting wall 23 in front of the back wall 24.

'In playing the game, the projector lever is sudde nlyv swung by a blow against the outer end thereof;` as-by the fist. The counting members arethen thrown upwardly and forwardly to land 'onthe'shelves A, B and C, the score depending 'upon the matching of the colored counting members with the colors of the shelves on which they land, a count of ten being recorded for each cube that llands ona shelf of similar color. A count of "'30-will be registered if all three cubes land onthe` same shelf;` After each play the shelf structure is swungy upwardly to dump the acv 'cumulated lcounters therefrom. 'I'o make the Ygame more interesting, an odd or roving counting 'member of elongated or tubular form, such as a 'thimble 29 may be added. The game could be that when the thimble lands on any shelf on its side it would not count Ain the scoring, but-if the thimblelanded on either end it would put the ,player wout. l,

l' "A tiltableand preferably removable shelf 30 is lalsoprovided to be extended between the side 'wallsll `in the path of projected counters, the scoring depending on the number of counters VV which canv be Ylanded on top of the shelf. For exmple; the winner-would be the one who first landed Vall three cubes, or all three cubes plus the Kthimble, on the shelf 30, this requiring considerfable skill as the thimble is lighter than thecubes and .more 4or less interferes with the landing of the cubes; "i-Where' game dice are'used, the scoringjcould llfuriiher depend on the numbers displayed by the "dice" after landing on the shelves: -'I'o"'eliminate noise and stop the impact of the 'projector board when it is struck downwardly, a

cushion 3| preferably of sponge rubber is secured vontheY base lv below the projector board. The front end ofthe base I` may be hollow to provide a resented@ 32 f l .;Iliaye shown a practical and efficient embodi- Iment of the various features of my inventiombut .'I-do lnot desire .to be limited to the exact construction, arrangement and operation shown and described as changes andmodifications may readfily be made without kdeparting from the scope anridfsp'irit ofthe invention. V.I

vwill' claim as follows:

ll In a device of the class described, a housing, .za-projection lever extending along the bottom of the housing to be struck for upward swing of the inner end of the lever, supporting means on the 'inner end of said lever for counting members, a

shelf structure within said housing providing a series of shelves for receiving the projected count- 'ing' members when said lever is operated, said `shelf'` structure being hinged to be swung for dumping therefrom of the accumulated counting members.' `3. In a device of the class described, a housing, a projection vlever extending along the bottom of said-housing with its outer end projecting to the exterior of the housing to be struck downwardly for'upward swing of the inner end of the lever, a support on the inner end of said lever for counting members, a shelf structure within said housing providing a plurality of shelf surfaces for receiving projected counting members when said lever is operated, said shelf structure being arranged to be swung for dumping collected counting members therefrom back -onto said support.

4. In a device of the class described, a housing, a projection lever extending along the bottom of said housing with its outer end at the exterior thereof vto be struck downwardly for upward swing of the inner end of the lever, a support on the inner end of the lever, a plurality of counting members comprising a number of cubes and a 'tubular member, said counting members normally resting on said support for upward projection -thereof in said housing when said lever is operated, and shelving within said housing for receiving projected counting members, said shelving being arranged to be manually moved for dumplingl received counting members therefrom back to said support.

5.-In a device of the class described, the combination of a cage structure, a projection lever extending along the bottom of said cage with its vouter end projecting to the exterior thereof to be struck downwardly for upward swing of the inner end of the lever, a support at the inner end of said lever, a plurality of counting members comprising a number of cubes and a thimble, said counting members normally resting on said support, shelves in said cage structure equal in number to the vnumber of cubes for receiving the pro- 'jected cubes or the thimble when the lever is operated, said cubes being differently colored and said shelves being correspondingly colored.

6. In a device of the class described, a housing, a projection lever pivoted intermediate its ends and extending along the bottom of the housing 'with its outer end projecting to the exterior of fthe housing to be struck for upward swing at the inner end of the lever, supporting means on the inner end of said lever for counting members, al

.dumping therefrom of the accumulated counting members, and a removable shelf in said housing above said pvoted shelf structure for receiving projected counting members.

7. In a device of the class described, a housing, a projection lever pivoted intermediate its ends and extending along the bottom of the housing with its outer end projecting to the exterior of the housing to be struck for upward swing at the inner end of the lever, supporting means on the inner end of said lever for counting members, upper and lower shelf structures Within said housing for receiving projected counting members, said shelf structures being tiltable in directions for dumping .accumulated counting members therefrom back to said supporting means.

8. In a device of the class described, a housing, a projection lever extending into said housing from the exterior thereof and adapted to support counting members, and shelving within said housing for receiving projected counting members when said projection lever is operated, said counting members being differently colored and said shelving having surfaces colored to correspond with the coloring of said counting members.

9. In a device of the class described, a cage structure, a projecting lever extending into said cage structure from the exterior thereof and adapted for supporting counting members Within said cage structure, shelving within said cage structure for receiving projected counting members when the lever structure is operated, and means supporting said shelving for dumping movement thereof to return received counting members to said lever.

10. In a device of the class described, a housing, a projection lever extending along the bottom of said housing with its outer end at the exterior of the housing for manipulation thereof, a plurality of counting members comprising a number of cubes and a tubular member, said counting members normally resting on said lever for upward projection thereof in said housing when said lever is operated, and shelving within said housing for receiving projecting counting members, said shelving having differently colored surfaces.

11. In a device of the class described, a housing, a projection lever extending across the bottom of said housing with its manipulating end at the exterior of the housing, said lever having pivotal support intermediate its ends within said housing and adapted to support counting members at one side of the housing for upward projection in said housing when said lever is manipulated, and shelving supported at the opposite side of said housing for receiving projected counting members.

12. In an amusement device of the class described, a housing, a projection lever extending across the bottom of said housing with its front end outside of the housing for manipulation thereof, means pivoting said lever within said` housing near the front thereof, said lever at its inner end being adapted to support counting members adjacent the rear wall of said housing, and shelving at the front part of said housing above said lever for receiving projected counting members.

13. In an amusement device of the class described, a housing, a projection lever extending across the bottom of said housing with its front end outside of the housing for manipulation thereof, means pivoting said lever Within said housing near the front thereof, said lever at its inner end being adapted to support counting members adjacent the rear wall of said housing, and shelving at the front part of said housing above said lever for receiving projected counting members, and means supporting said shelving for dumping movement thereof to return received counting members to the rear end of said lever.

14. In an amusement device of the class described, a housing, a projection lever extending into said housing from the exterior thereof and arranged for manipulation to project counting members therefrom upwardly through said housing, and upper and lower shelf structures within said housing for receiving projected counting members, said shelf structures beingtiltable in direction for dumping accumulated counting members therefrom back to said lever.

15. In a device of the class described, a housing, a lever extending into said housing from the exterior thereof and arranged for manipulation to project counting members therefrom upwardly in said housing, shelving within said housing above said lever, said shelving comprising an upper shelf structure and a lower shelf structure for receiving projected counting members, said shelf structures being tiltable in direction for dumping accumulated counting members therefrom back to said lever, said shelving having 50 differently colored surfaces.

FRANK M. PIERCE.