US2173865A - Game - Google Patents

Description

Sept.26, 1939. AWS E 2,173,865

GAME

Filed July 5, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ENTO Cir/[7w OM94) en sgn To uays Sept. 26, 1939. A. w. swENsoN GAME Filed July 3, 19:57 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 .MJW\

@rf/mr W402 son I 0204). M 6" 37 ZiFZTTOIQXEYS Patented Sept. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME Arthur W. Swenson, Rockford, 111..

Application July 3, 1937, Serial No. 151,849

6 Claims.

This invention relates to games which involve the rolling of balls up an inclined playing surface and direction thereof into different scoring pockets.

The primary object is to provide, in a game of the above general character, a novel mechanism for automatically indicating scores in response to movement of balls following catching thereof in different scoring pockets.

The invention also resides in the novel construction of the scoring mechanism by which simplicity of the parts and reliability of operation are obtained.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of a game embodying the novel features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view.

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken respectively along the lines 3-3 and 3-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the ball projector.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, I

have shown in the drawings and will herein describe in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not intend to limit the invention by such disclosure but aim to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

For purposes of illustration, the invention is embodied in a game of the so-called bowling type in which balls are projected by a suitable shooter 6 and rolled one by one upwardly along an inclined playing surface I into engagement with an upturned deflector 8 by which the balls are directed, according to the momentum they obtain, into different scoring pockets arranged in vertically spaced relation on an upwardly inclined plate 9. Herein, the playing surface is formed from a sheet ill of metal bent to form front and side walls ll bounding the playing surface. The sheet is supported at the proper angle through the medium of front and rear legs i2 and IS. The deflector 8 comprises a separate strip of metal secured as by spot-welding to the sheet It] with its upper end curved upward sharply and positioned for causing the balls to pass into the different pockets.

Parallel side balls I l, also bent from the sheet it, are apertured as indicated at 15 and provided with flanges 16 against which the pocket-supportingplate 9 lies and to which this plate is fastened as by spot-welding. Curved flanges I! are formed at the upper edges of the walls l4 and support a screen l8 or other transparent covering which terminates in front of the deflector 8 and at a point substantially above the playing surface. Balls projected upwardly from the deflector are thus caused to fall in one of the pockets.

Four scoring pockets are provided in the present instance, the high scoring one of these being in the form of a hole [9 in the plate 9. Successively larger pockets 20, 2|, and 22 comprising strips of sheet metal outstanding from the plate 9 are arranged beneath the pocket l9. These communicate respectively with holes 2%, 2 l and 22 also formed in the plate 9 immediately above the corresponding pockets.

The improved and automatic scoring mechanism is housed within a casing 23 defined by front and rear vertical plates 24 and 25 having overlapping side flanges 26 suitably joined together. The legs iii are formed on the lower end of the casing 23 which receives and is secured by screws 21 to the rear edge portions of the side walls M.

The counter proper comprises two vertical disks 28 and 29 disposed one above the other in spaced parallel relation within the casing 23 and fast on shafts 30 and 3i freely journaled in bearings 32 supported by the plate 25. Scoring indicia 33 and 34 annularly spaced around the front faces of the disks near the peripheries thereof are visible through a window 35 in the front plate 24. Between the indicia thereon, the disk 23 carries pockets formed in the present instance by radially opening recesses 36 punched in the disk and having widths slightly greater than the diameter of the balls 3? which are employed. These recesses are spaced apart uniformly to correspond to the spacing of the indicia on the disk.

The disk 28 is rotated under the weight of a ball guided from one of the scoring pockets into one of the recesses 36 on one side of the disk, the extent of rotational movement being determined by the recess into which the ball is directed in any stopped position of the disk. To permit the balls rolling through the different holes I 9 to 22 to gravitate to successively lower recesses in the disk 28, holes 38 are cut in the plate 24 so as to register with the inner closed ends of the recesses 36 are indicated in Fig. 3 in any stopped position of the disk. Troughs 39 of sheet metal or the like (see Figs. 2 and 4) are fastened at opposite ends to the plates 9 and 24 each with its ends alined with one of the holes 38 and one of the corresponding scoring holes. Each trough is inclined rearwardly, downwardly, and to the right as viewed in Figs. 1 and 4, so that a ball passing through one of the scoring holes will gravitate through a hole 38 into one of the recesses 36.

The ball so received is confined in the recess by the casing walls 24 and 25 and by a metal strip 40 fastened to the rear wall and disposed between the latter and the disk 23. The strip is curved to maintain a ball traveling with the disk near the closed end of the recess in which it is carried. Near its lower end and beyond the vertical diameter of the disk 28, the strip 48 is bent to form a vertical wall 4! which cooperates with a wall 42 to form an outlet channel 43 into which a ball moving with the disk may drop when the open end of the ball carrying recess becomes alined with the channel as shown in Fig. 3. Preferably, the Wall 42 projects above the wall ll so as to be disposed in the path of the moving ball whereby to quickly arrest the advance of the disk when the motivating ball engages the wall l2. In this position of the disk, a check pawl 44 pivoted at 45 on the plate 25 drops in behind a wall of one of the recesses 36 and holds the disk against reverse movement.

The ball falling from the disk recess into the channel 43 is temporarily held by a stop 46 in a position to block the disk against further move ment. The stop comprises a turned up end on a rod 4'! slidably mounted beneath the metal sheet if! and urged forwardly by a spring 49 to normally hold the stop in blocking position (Fig. 2).

When the forwardly projecting end 55 of the rod (see Fig. 1) is pushed rearwardly, the stop 46 is retracted to permit a ball held in the outlet channel to fall onto the sheet if! down which the balls will start to gravitate. In this downward movement, the ball is led by an upstanding guide wall 5| through an opening 52 at one end of the deflector 8. After passing through the opening 52, the ball continues to roll down the playing surface. Any ball shot upwardly from the defiector 8 and failing to be caught in one of the pockets falls into a channel defined by the deflector 8, the plate 9, and a strip 53, the latter of which is inclined laterally of the playing surface so as to direct the ball onto the sheet if! and through the opening 52.

Since successively higher scores are to be indicated by balls rolling through the successively higher holes 22 2M, 20 and I9, the lowermost hole communicates through the lowermost trough 39 with the disk recess 38 next adjacent the outlet channel 43. Thus, in response to a ball caught in the lowermost pocket 22, the disk 28 will, in the manner described above, be advanced one step, that is, a distance equal to the spacing of the recesses 38, This results in movement of the next scoring number 33 into view through the window 35. In similar ways, the disk will be advanced two and three steps respectively when balls are caught in the 20 and 30 pockets. A ball rolling through the high scoring hole 19 is led to the fourth higher recess 38 and, as a result of gravitation to the outlet channel 43, advances the disk four steps.

It will be seen that in its successive movements the disk 28 will indicate increasing scores in steps of ten. In the final step of each revolution of the disk, that is, the next movement of the disk when the score 90 is visible through the window 35, a pin 55 on the disk enters one of the peripheral notches 55 on the disk 29, and by engagement with a shoulder 51 advances the latter one step. Successive movements of this disk increase the score in steps of 100, the total score at any time being indicated by combining the indications of the two disks.

To reset the disk for the starting of play, the high scoring disk 29 is advanced by turning a knob 5'1 until the next highest score is indicated, that is, 1900. Then by turning a knob 58 in a direction to turn the disk 28 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 3, the disk is advanced to zero position as a result of which the disk 29 will also be advanced to its zero position.

It will be' observed from the foregoing that the counter disk is mounted to rotate freely, that is to say, it is not urged in either direction by springs or other energy applying means. This is especially advantageous in that a very light ball, such as an ordinary marble, will actuate the disk in the intended manner. Also, playing of the game may be continued indefinitely, there being, by virtue of mounting the disk for free rotation, no limitation imposed on the extent to which the disk may be turned under the action of successive balls.

The use of such a freely rotatable disk is made possible through the provision of the means above referred to for preventing the disk from overrunning a definite angular position which is determined by the disk pocket in which the ball is received. Thus, in the present instance, the ball itself, coacting with the stop 42, the disk, and the check pawl to arrest the motion of the disk by a ball in a position in which pockets in the disk are properly alined with each of the troughs 39 and one of the scoring indicia, is in register with the window 35.

Preferably, although not necessarily, the shooter 6 is of a construction forming the subject matter of my co-pending application Serial No. 137, 21.9, filed April 16, 1937, and is arranged to effect automatic reprojection of a ball up the playing surface after the ball has been caught in the shooter by manipulation effected by the player. Referring to Figs. 1 and 5, the shooter includes two metal plates 65 and GI rigidly connected by a shouldered stud 62 extending through a slot 63 in the plate l0 near the lower end of the playing surface. The two plates are pivoted on a stud M for swinging movement laterally of the playing surface. The upper end of the plate 60 is slotted and bent to form upstanding flanges 65 constituting a ball guiding channel and flared apart at their upper ends as indicated at 66 to facilitate catching of a ball rolling down the playing surface. By grasping a handle 66 upstanding from the projecting end of the plate 6!, the operator may swing the catching device to any desired position either for catching a ball gravitating down the playing surface or for positioning the guide channel for reprojection of the ball in the desired direction up the playing surface.

Automatic reprojection of a caught ball as it rolls to the lower end of the flanges 55 is effected by a bifurcated arm 61 pivoted at 63 on flanges 59 struck out from the plate 5|. The lever is actuated by a contractile spring Hi stretched between the lower end of the arm and a lub H bent downwardly from a plate 12 interposed between the plates ill and BI. The projecting arm 61 is held in the cocked position shown in Fig. 1 by a latch 73 pivoted at M and having formed thereon a lug 75 adapted to overlie a shoulder 56 on the arm 61.

Resetting of the lever 61 is effected manually by shifting a projection 11 on the plate 12 toward the projection 66 whereupon a shoulder l8 will engage the lever 61 and swing the latter about its pivot until the lug 15 drops over the shoulder 16. The resetting slide 12 is moved back to normal position by the action of the spring, this position being defined by engagement of the lug H with a projection 19 struck downwardly from the plate 6|. In this position, the upper end of the latch 13 projects forwardly from the arm 61 and is disposed in the path of a ball gravitating down along the shooter channel. In response to engagement by the caught ball, the latch 13 is swung about its pivot and the lug l5 disengaged from the shoulder l6. This releases the arm Bl to the action of the spring 10 in such timed relation that the caught ball will, in the movement of the arm from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 5, be propelled upwardly with sufficient momentum to cause elevation of the ball by the deflector plate 8 into one of the scoring pockets.

After reprojection of the ball, the shooter is reset preparatory to catching the ball after it gravitates down the playing surface following release of the ball by pushing inwardly on the rod 50.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a game apparatus of the character described, the combination of a counter member bearing annularly spaced scoring indicia and mounted to turn freely about a substantially horizontal axis, ball-receiving recesses annularly spaced around the periphery of said member, a plurality of scoring pockets, guide channels for receiving balls from the respective pockets and directing the same to different ones of said pockets to cause rotation of said member diflferent distances under the weight of balls received in the difierent recesses, an outlet disposed below said member to receive a ball from any one of said recesses after movement of the member thereby to a predetermined position in which one of said recesses is alined with said outlet, and a manually retractible stop normally positioned to block a ball received in said outlet with the ball projecting into a recess in said member.

2. In a game apparatus of the character described, the combination of a counter member bearing annularly spaced scoring indicia and mounted to turn freely about a substantially horizontal axis, ball-receiving recesses annularly spaced around the periphery of said member, a plurality of scoring pockets, means for receiving balls from the respective pockets and directing the same to difierent ones of said recesses to cause rotation of said member difl'erent distances under the weight of balls received in the different recesses, an outlet disposed below said member to receive a ball from any one of said recesses after movement of the member thereby to a predetermined position, and means operating to hold the ball temporarily in said outlet in blocking relation with respect to said counter member whereby movement thereof is arrested with the member in a predetermined angular position.

3. In a game apparatus of the character described, the combination of a counter member bearing annularly spaced scoring indicia and mounted to turn freely about a substantially liorizontal axis, ball-receiving recesses annularly spaced around the periphery of said member, a plurality of scoring pockets, means for receiving balls from the respective pockets and directing the same to difierent ones of said recesses to cause rotation of said member different distances under the weight of balls received in the different recesses, an outlet disposed below said member and positioned in the direction of movement of the counter member beyond a vertical diameter of the member to receive a ball from any one of said recesses after movement of the member thereby to an over-center position whereby the weight of a ball entering said outlet tends to reverse the direction of movement of said member, and a check pawl acting to limit such reverse movement of the member with the latter positioned to aline one of said recesses with said outlet.

4. In a game apparatus of the character described, the combination of, a plurality of scoring pockets, a member bearing scoring indicia and mounted to rotate freely about a substantially horizontal axis, said member having annularly spaced ball receiving recesses formed thereon and being unrestrained and free to turn indefinitely in one direction under the weight of successive balls directed into said recesses, guidechannels for receiving balls from different ones of said pockets and directing such balls to successively higher recesses on said member, an outlet below said member adapted to receive a ball from any one of said recesses after movement of the member thereby to a predetermined position in which one of the recesses registers with said outlet, and stop means engageable by each ball during actuation of said member thereby and acting through the medium of the ball to arrest the motion of the member in said direction with each of said channels and said outlet in register with difierent ones of said recesses.

5. In a game apparatus of the character described, the combination of, a plurality of scoring pockets, a member bearing scoring indicia and mounted to rotate freely about a substantially horizontal axis, said member having annularly spaced ball receiving recesses formed thereon and being unrestrained and free to turn indefinitely in one direction under the weight of successive balls directed into said recesses, guide channels for receiving balls from different ones of said pockets and directing such balls to successively higher recesses on said member, an outlet below said member adapted to receive a ball from any one of said recesses after movement of the member thereby to a predetermined position in which one of the recesses registers with said outlet, a check pawl engageable with said member for arresting movement thereof reverse to said first mentioned direction with the member in definite angular positions in each of which said channels and said outlet register with different ones of said recesses, and independently operable means operating automatically as an incident to actuation of said member by a ball to arrest the motion of said disk in said direction with each of said channels and said outlet in register with different ones of said recesses.

6. In a game apparatus of the character described, the combination of, a substantially flat disk mounted to turn about a generally horizontal axis and having radially opening notches formed in its periphery to form ball receiving recesses, a plurality of scoring pockets having vertically spaced outlets leading to different ones of said recesses while said disk is at rest, a stationary wall on the side of said disk opposite said recesses constituting a stop for balls rolling into the recesses andoperating during rotation of the disk under the weight of a ball to hold the latter in the plane of the disk, and a peripheral guide for holding a ball in a disk recess until the ball, by rotation of the disk, reaches a predetermined position at which the ball may gravitate from the recess.

ARTHUR W. SWENSON.

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