US2097670A

US2097670A - Marble game

Info

Publication number: US2097670A
Application number: US1453A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick H King
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-01-12
Filing date: 1935-01-12
Publication date: 1937-11-02
Anticipated expiration: 1954-11-02

Description

Nov. 2, 1937. F. H. KING MARBLE GAME Filed Jan. 12, 1935 R O T N E V m FREDERICK H.KING

ATTOR Y Patented Nov. 2, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT as 8 Claims.

This invention relates to marble games, and particularly to marble games comprising a target at which marbles may be shot or otherwise propelled.

An object of the invention is to provide a target for marbles or the like comprising a plate formed at its lower edge with a row of spaced openings through which a marble may pass, said openings varying in width to vary the facility with which a marble may pass through the different openings.

Another object is to provide a frame for mounting the marble target, the parts of which may be readily disassembled from each other and from the target. 1

A'further object is to position a holder for a so-called king marble at the rear of the described target, and to provide said holder with a trip arm serving to release the king marble when struck by a shot marble.

A further object is to adapt the king marble holder to be easily detachably secured to the frame of the device in rearward alignment with any of the target openings.

These and various other objects the invention attains by the construction hereinafter described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of the target with its frame and the king marble holder.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentaryperspective view showing how the target plate and the parts of the frame are fitted together.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the king marble holder and the frame bar carrying the same.

In these views, the reference character I designates a horizontally elongated target plate which may be formed of fibre board, and is adapted to be vertically mounted upon or adjacent to a floor, and is formed with a row of openings 2, 3, 4, 5,

and 6, upwardly arched from its lower edge and the front of the plate, the score numbers corresponding to the respective openings 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, being respectively Ill, 8, 6, 4, and 2. Thus it is seen that the smallest opening provides for the largest score, .and that the score decreases as the width of the opening increases.

The plate I is notched at its ends and in proximity to its lower edge as indicated at 8, to en gage the forward portions of a pair of frame bars 9, which form the sides of the target frame, said bars being downwardly notched as indicated at ill, to accommodate the target plate. The side bars are held properly spaced by a rear frame bar ll, the end portions of which are upwardly notched as indicated at E2 to engage in downward notches [3 formed in the rear end portions of the side bars. Thus it is seen that the target plate and the parts of the frame may be quickly and easily assembled in operative relation or disassembled, and are adapted to be quite compactly arranged for boxing for shipment. It is to be noted that the side bars project sufiiciently forward beyond the target plate to prevent lateral deflection of marbles encountering the front face of such plate.

Some distance rearwardly of the target plate and preferably upon the rear bar 5 l of the frame, it is preferred to mount a king marble holder formed preferably of sheet metal stampings. Thus, a sheet metal plate as adapted to seat against the front face of the bar Ii carries an integral hook l5 for snugly straddling said bar, and is further integrally formed with a pair of spaced parallel forwardly projecting arms it to mount the king marble receiver ii. The latter consists of a U-shaped sheet metal member mounted between said arms and formed with a pair of tongues 18 insertable in opposed openings in the front of said arms to 'pivotally mount the receiver. The rear portion of the receiver is rearwardly hooked as indicated at it, to normally loosely engage the hook IE to thereby limit'the downward rocking of the receiver. A trip arm 20 projects integrally downward from the front portion of the receiver at a forward inclination, terminating adjacent to the floor or other surface supporting the frame.

In use of the described game, the players shoot or roll marbles at the target from some definite position suitably forwardly spaced from the target, the endeavor being to shoot the marble through a selected one of the openings 2, 3, t, 5 and 6. Delivery of a marble through any of said openings accrues for the player a score equal to the number marked adjacent to such opening. If a marble so delivered further encounters the trip arm 20 and thereby dislodges the king marble (see 'dash line showing of Fig. 3), the score accruing from the shot is doubled. If the king marble rolls forwardly and passes through one of the openings 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, the shot scores double the score number of the opening through which his marble was delivered, and additionally the score number of the opening through which the king marble escaped. If the king marble escapes forwardly through the same opening by which a played marble passes through the target plate, the resulting score is three times the score number of such opening. The first player whose accumulated score reaches some arbitrary total as for example, three hundred, may be considered the winner.

The king marble is preferably rearwardly aligned with the opening 2 of the target plate, but said holder may be slid along the frame bar it to align it with any desired opening of the target plate.

It is to be noted that the frame 9, H, forms with the target plate an enclosure which may easily accommodate a considerable number of marbles. Thus, if preferred, each player may shoot a suitable predetermined number of marbles before yielding place to another, such marbles as enter said enclosure accumulating therein.

It is further to be noted that the trip arm in dislodging the king marble from its holder, imposes on such marble a forward impetus such as will ordinarily cause it to either encounter the target plate or pass through one of the openings of such plate.

The described game is simple and inexpensive and will serve to amuse adults as well as children.

The invention is presented as including all such modifications and changes as come within the scope of the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a marble target, a support engageable with a surface on which marbles may be propelled, a member carried by said support and formed with a pair of substantially parallel spaced arms, a receiver for a marble pivoted between and transversely of said arms, and a trip arm for dislcdging said marble and projecting downwardly from said receiver and into a proximity to said surface, adapting such arm for actuation by a marble propelled on said surface.

2. In a marble target, a sheet metal stamping engageable with a support and formed with a pair of spaced substantially parallel arms forwardly projecting from said support, an approximately U-shaped receiver for a marble pivoted upon and between the front portions of said arms, and having a rear portion resting normally on said support, and a trip arm downwardly projecting from the forward portion of said receiver for actuation by another marble, and adapted, on actuation, to release the marble from the receiver.

3. In a marble target, a support engageable with a surface on which marbles may be propelled, a pair of spaced arms similarly projecting from said support, a marble receiver pivoted upon the support between said arms and coacting therewith to normally retain a marble, a trip arm downwardly projecting from the receiver for actuation by another marble, and adapted to release the supported marble upon such actuation.

4. A marble game comprising a target plate formed with a row of marble passages upwardly opening from its lower edge, a frame comprising a pair of side bars rearwardly extending from the ends of the target plate and holding said plate substantially upright and a cross bar connecting the side bars and forming therewith and with the target plate. a marble-receiving enclosure, and a device adjustably mounted upon said cross bar for registration with any of the target plate passages, said device comprising a marble support, and means operatively associated with such support for tripping a marble therefrom under impact of another marble delivered through one of said passages.

5. A marble target comprising a marble receiver pivoted for upward actuation to dislodge a marble therefrom, an arm downwardly projecting from such receiver for effecting marble-releasing actuation of the receiver, and a member pivotally mounting the receiver and comprising portions laterally adjacent to the receiver to assist in normally retaining a marble thereupon.

6. In a marble game, a target plate having a row of marble passages upwardly opening from its lower edge, a frame attached to the target plate and forming a marble-receiving enclosure rearwardly of such plate, a marble support carried by said frame in a rearwardly spaced relation to the target plate, and means operatively associated with such support for dislodging a marble therefrom under impact of another marble delivered through one of said passages, and for impelling the dislodged marble forwardly toward the target plate, whereby the score may be varied accordingly as a marble is passed either rearwardly or forwardly through the passages.

'7. In a marble target, the combination with a member comprising a back and a pair of spaced arms forwardly projecting from said back, of a member pivoted upon and between said arms, forming a seat for a marble and formed rearwardly of such seat with a stop engageable with said back to establish a normal position of said seat, and formed forwardly of said seat with a downwardly projecting trip arm for tilting said seat upwardly to dislodge a seated marble.

8. A marble game comprising a target plate formed with a row of marble passages, a frame comprising a pair of side bars rearwardly extending from the ends of the target plate and holding said plate substantially upright and a cross bar connecting the side bars and forming therewith and with the target plate a marblereceiving enclosure, and a device adjustably mounted upon said cross bar for substantial registration with any of the target plate passages, said device comprising a marble support, and means operatively associated with such support for tripping a marble therefrom under impact of another marble delivered through one of said passages.

FREDERICK H. KING.