US2142068A

US2142068A - Game

Info

Publication number: US2142068A
Application number: US230541A
Authority: US
Inventors: Berger Lee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-09-19
Filing date: 1938-09-19
Publication date: 1938-12-27
Anticipated expiration: 1955-12-27

Description

Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a game device, and more particularly to a device of the general class which comprises a bat and a ball tethered to the ball by an elastic strand. The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel game device of the character indicated which, in use, will develop dexterity, concentration, and a sense of rhythm; and in which means are incorporated to penalize errors in rhythmic dexterity.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawing, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawing is illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the game device of the present application;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, looking from the right hand side of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an illustration, upon a reduced scale, of the game device in use.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, it will be seen that I have illustrated a bat which is in the form of a thin, flat plate indicated generally by the reference numeral l0, and conforming in shape substantially to the outline of a human hand. As will be seen, relatively narrow slots l2, l3, and I4 define the outlines of the four fingers and the thumb of a human hand.

Adjacent the bases of said slots are penalizing indicia indicated by the reference numerals I 5, I6, l1, and I8, and printed in any suitable manner upon one flat surface of the bat. A legend indicating the manner of scoring is likewise printed upon the same surface of the bat, and is indicated by the reference numeral IS.

A weighted member, which may preferably be a rubber ball 20, is tethered, preferably by means of an elastic strand 2|, to the palm portion of the said surface of the bat I 0, for instance by means of a staple 22. When the bat is made of wood, a wire staple may be driven directly into the bat surface for this purpose.

To the opposite surface of the bat I0 is secured a stirrup 25. Preferably said stirrup comprises an elastic band or strap the opposite ends of which are fastened, as by staples 23 and 24, adjacent opposite lateral edges of the bat upon the surface opposite that to which the strand 2| is secured.

In use, the players hand is slipped between the stirrup 25 and the plate H), with the players fingers substantially coinciding with the finger outlines of the bat. Thereby, the surface of the bat to which the strand 2| is secured is presented away from the players hand. The player then holds the ball in his free hand and drops it and attempts to strike the ball with the bat l0. According to the preferred method of playing the game, the ball is so struck as to cause it to fly upwardly, thereby of course stretching the strand 2|. As the ball returns, under the influence of gravity and the resiliency of the strand 2|, it is again struck with the bat, and this method of play continues, counting one (1) point for each successful stroke. If the player fails to strike the ball, the strand 2| will usually become engaged in one of the finger-defining slots, whereupon the player is penalized by the number of points indicated by the penalizing legend adjacent that slot in which the strand is so engaged.

Of course, the game may alternatively be played by striking the ball in such manner as to cause it to fly forwardly or laterally on a substantially horizontal plane or by striking the ball in such manner as to cause it to fly downwardly. Under either of these methods of play, the resiliency of the strand 2| will return the ball.

I claim as my invention:

1. A game device comprising an element formed generally in the shape of a human hand and presenting a fiat palm-like surface, an elastic strand having one end secured to said element adjacent the center of the palm, and a weighted member carried at the other end of said strand, the fingers of the hand being defined by narrow, separating slots adapted to receive said strand upon certain rebound movements of said memher.

2. A game device comprising a plate shaped to conform generally to the outline of a human hand, the fingers being defined by relatively narrow separating slots opening through an edge of said plate, an elastic strap having its opposite ends secured respectively to one surface of said plate adjacent the opposite lateral edges thereof to form a stirrup adapted to receive the hand of a player to secure said plate thereto, and a ball tethered to the opposite surface of said plate by an elastic strand, said slots being adapted to receive the elastic strand upon certain rebound movements of the ball.

3. A hand-shaped plate formed with a plurality of slots extending from an end thereof toward the palm portion thereof to define finger outlines, an elastic stirrup secured to one surface of said plate for attaching the same to a play- I ers hand, a ball, and an elastic strand secured to said ball and to the palm portion of the opposite surface of said plate, said plate being provided, on one surface, with penalizing indicia adjacent the bases of said slots, said slots being