US2205218A

US2205218A - Game apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2205218A
Application number: US313330A
Authority: US
Inventors: Myron C Morrill
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1940-01-11
Filing date: 1940-01-11
Publication date: 1940-06-18
Anticipated expiration: 1957-06-18

Description

n 1940- M. c. MORRILL GAME APPARATUS Filed Jan. 11, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Mme/v 61 MOE/PIA z ATTORNEY.

June 18, 1940. R L 2,205,218

GAME APPARATUS MYROA/ CMORRIL L ATTORNEY.

June 18, 1940. M. c. MORRILL. 2,205,218

GAME APPARATUS Filed Jan. 11, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY.

Patented June 18, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

The invention relates to game apparatus, more especially to a form of bowling apparatus wherein balls are rolled or played along an alley or platform to strike pins swingably suspended above the same.

It has for an object to provide in a compact and more or less portable unit swingably mounted pins and novel means for retaining a struck pin in elevated position, the particular position depending upon the degree of impact of a played ball thereon.

The invention has for another object the provision of novel means whereby all elevated pins may simultaneously be released as by electrical means operated from a remote point and restored to the normal vertical position. v

A further object of the invention is to pro vide clutching mechanism between certain of the pins whereby these pins will be elevated not only when struck directly, but when an associated pin is struck rather than said pin.

Still another object of the invention is to so arrange the free and clutched pins that it becomes possible to throw a strike with a single 'ball or a spare with two balls, notwithstanding that all of the pins are suspended and therefore constrained to a definite plane of movement.

In carrying out the invention, provision is top of the floor into a compartment or pit into which -pit is received a spent ball after delivery over the floor in the playing of the game. Between the sides of the structure are located transverse rows of pins which are swingably suspended upon transverse shafts supported in the said sides.

These shafts are designed to be rotated all in one direction, and preferably simultaneously, to cause a pin or pins mounted thereon to partake of the rotation of the shaft for restoring a pin to its normal vertical position after having been struck by a ball and elevated. When such pin is struck by a ball, it will be elevated to a degree depending upon the impact and will be held in the elevated position through engagement of pawl and ratchet means, for example, as a pawl carried by and rotatable with its supporting shaft engaging an internal ratchet element through which the shaft passes and carried by a corresponding pin.

Provision is made,.furthermre, through suitable clutch means on certain of the shafts whereby when predetermined pins are struck by a played ball an associated pin will also be elevated even though when not directly struck by the ball, such associated pin, however, when struck directly by a ball not carrying with it the first-named pin.

The nature of the invention, however, will best be understood when described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the pin end of the game apparatus and illustrates the novel mounting and arrangement of the pins, several of which are indicated in the upset or elevated position.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof taken on the line 2-2, Fig. l of the drawings, and looking in the direction of the arr0ws;'and Fig. 3 is a similar view taken on the line 33, Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Fig. 4 is a detail, fragmentary view, partly in longitudinal section, of one of the rows of pins, and viewed from the side of a pin opposite that of an on coming ball.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section taken on the line 5--5, Fig. 4 of the draw ings, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figs. 6, '7, and 8 are fragmentary elevations and part vertical sections of a pin and its supporting and stop means, Fig. 6 showing the pin in its normal upright position; Fig. 7, in the prone position after having been struck by a ball, and Fig. 8, in its restored vertical position. I

Referring to the drawings, Ill designates a box-like structure which is open at the top and comprises the sides H and i2 and the bottom I 13 with back or apron [4, from which depends a swingable back-stop I5. The bottom [3 is, as shown, preferably inclined upwardly toward the back wall I4 and terminates thereat in a trans- 40 verse opening l6 through which a played ball passes to be returned through a trough I! in well-known manner to the front of the game apparatus.

Between the sides H and I2 four parallel and horizontally disposed shafts 20, 2!, 22, and 23 are rotatably mounted at successively higher 10- cations to follow the inclination of the bottom 13. Suitable bearings for the respective shafts are provided in the opposite sides, as shown; and at one side the shafts project through to receive

worm wheels

24, 25, 26, and 21, respectively, engaging

corresponding worm gears

28, 29, 30, and 3|, respectively, of a worm shaft driven from an electric motor 32 mounted at the side 56 of the structure. Operation of the motor is preferably controlled from the play end of the apparatus (not shown) through a suitable control circuit indicated at 33.

On the respective shafts are arranged to swing the pins to be played; and, as shown, shaft 20 is designed to carry but a single pin 35; shaft 2i, two

pins

36 and 31; shaft 22, three

pins

38, 39, and it; while shaft 23 carries four

pins

41, 42, 43, and 44. The arrangement of the pins is that generally adopted in standard ten pin bowling games where the pins are not suspended. The pins are designed to be elevated when their lower end is struck by a ball rolled over the floor l3, which may be extended the desired length in a direction opposite the box-like structure end.

To permit a pin to swing freely on its shaft, and at the same time to remain in elevated position after being struck and until released, a pin is mounted, for example, upon a sleeve 45, the pin being transversely bored through as at 46 to accommodate the sleeve in a more or less forced fit, and at a position such that the axis of rotation or swing of the pin may be at or, preferably, somewhat above its center of gravity. A sleeve, furthermore, is provided with an end flange or with a ring element 4'? having nail or screw openings 48 through which fastening means may be driven into the pin so that the latter and the sleeve with ring become one member. The position of the sleeve with respect to the pin may be further assured by means of a screw 48' passing through the side of a pin and threaded into its sleeve.

Ring 47, moreover, is provided with an internal ratchet element 49 whose teeth are engaged by a-pawl 50 mounted in the shaft upon which the pins are carried and projecting radially therefrom, being spring-urged outwardly by a coil spring 5| to engage the teeth of the ratchet in such a manner that the said teeth may ride freely thereover in the direction indicated by the arrow (1, Fig. 5 of the drawings, when a pin is struck by a ball and swung upwardly. Of course, the pawl and ratchet means shown may be reversed, if desired.

- By this expedient, no appreciable return movement of the pin is had as such return movement will be checked by the pawl engaging a tooth of the ratchetsee Fig. 7 of the drawingsand from which it will be noted that the pawl has not changed from its vertical position indicated in Fig. 6, although the pin has swung approximately through an angle of 90. Of course, a pin may assume various intermediate positions depending upon the degree of impact.

To restore elevated pins to the normal upright position indicated in Fig. 8 of the drawings, it is necessary merely to operate motor 32 by closing the electric circuit 33 thereto. This will cause the various shafts to rotate simultaneously in the direction indicated by the arrow b, Fig. 5, and any pins in the prone or an intermediate position will be carried along until the lower portion of the pin engages one of the stop rods 20, 2|, 22, 23' disposed immediately in front of and somewhat below the corresponding shafts 20, 2|, 22, and 23. Continued rotation of the shafts will not objectionably affect the apparatus as the pawl will merely slip over the ratchet teeth, although rotation of the motor should be stopped before further balls are played.

It will be apparent that with the suspended pin type of bowling game as ordinarily arranged,

it is not possible to make a strike with a single ball, since each of the freely swinging pins is constrained to movement in a definite plane and is not free to be thrown about as in the case of standard bowling practice utilizing unattached pins. However, this result may be secured by the novel association herein set forth between certain pins whereby, notwithstanding that all the pins are freely swingable, certain of the pins when struck by a ball will also carry with them a further pin.

Thus, reference being had more especially to Figs. 1, 2, and 4, the first row of pins, namely that of the shaft 20, is constituted of but a single pin 35 and the next row of two pins 36, 3'1, each freely and independently swingable. In the case of the pins mounted on the third shaft 22, however, the intermediate pin 39 is arranged to be coupled to its

adjacent end pins

38 and 40, though in a manner such that if either of these end pins be struck by a ball, the pin will swing freely and be elevated similarly to the

pins

35, 38, and 31.

The coupling arrangement may conveniently be embodied in the sleeves for the different pins as in providing at the inner end of sleeve 45 of the pin 40 a tooth juxtaposed to a similar tooth 56 at the cooperating end of a divided sleeve 45 of the pin 39. The other half of this sleeve carries also a tooth 5'! cooperating with a tooth 58 of the sleeve 45" of pin 38. Thus, if the pin 39 be struck by a ball, the two sets of engaging teeth will cause the

sleeves

45 and 45" to be carried along with sleeve 45 of the said pin 39; but if either of the

pins

38 or 40 be struck, the juxtaposed teeth will separate and only the particular pin struck will be elevated.

Similarly, in the case of the rearmost shaft 23, the end pins 4! and 44 may be coupled to their respective

intermediate pins

42 and 43 through the clutch elements 60 and GI, respectively. The end pins may, therefore, be swung without actuation of an intermediate associated pin, for example, as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, but if either of the

intermediate pins

42 or 43 be struck, the corresponding associated I end pin will also be elevated.

The general arrangement of the pins on the shaft is such that a ball hitting the first pin 35 and passing straight through the set of pins will also strike the two

pins

36 and 31, the pin 39 which causes pin 38 and pin 40 also to be swung upwardly-and the two

pins

42 and 43, which in'turn will cause the end pins 4| and 44 to be swung upwardly, thus making a strike. The position of the pins on the shafts is fixed by suitable collars and the lengths of the different sleeves.

I claim:

1. In game apparatus of the nature set forth: a plurality of parallel, horizontally disposed shafts rotatably supported between the sides of a box-like structure, pins swingably mounted thereon, and means connecting the pins to their respective shafts to permit a pin to swing in one direction independently of the rotation of its shaft, together with means to rotate positively all of the said shafts.

2. In game apparatus of the nature set forth: a plurality of parallel, horizontally disposed shafts rotatably supported between the sides of a box-like structure, pins swingably mounted thereon above their respective centers of gravity, and pawl and ratchet means interposed between the pins and their respective shafts, together with means to rotate positively all of the said shafts.

3. In game apparatus of the nature set forth: a plurality of parallel, horizontally disposed shafts rot'atably supported between the sides of a box-like structure, pins having respective sleeves passing therethrough for swingably mounting a pin on a shaft, an internal ratchet element movable with a sleeve and its pin, and a spring-urged pawl element carried by a shaft to engage a corresponding ratchet element of pin, together with means to rotate the said shafts.

4. In game apparatus of the nature set forth: a plurality of parallel, horizontally disposed shafts rotat'ably supported between the sides of a box-like structure, pins swingably mounted thereon, means connecting the pins to their respective shafts to permit a pin to swing in one direction independently of the rotation of its shaft, and means to rotate all of the respective shafts in a direction opposite that of the swing of the pins.

5. In game apparatus of the nature set forth: a plurality of parallel, horizontally disposed shafts rotatably supported between the sides of a box-like structure, pins swingably mounted thereon, means connecting the pins to their respective shafts to permit a pin to swing in one direction independently of the rotation of its shaft, and means to rotate simultaneously all of the respective shafts in a direction opposite that of the swing of the pins.

6. In game apparatus of the nature set forth: a plurality of parallel, horizontally disposed shafts rotatably supported between the sides of a box-like structure, pins swingably mounted thereon, pawl and ratchet means interposed be tween the pins and their respective shafts, and an electric motor for rotating the respective shafts in a direction opposite that of the swing of the pins, together with intermediate gearing and a control circuit for the motor.

7. In game apparatus of the nature set forth: a plurality of parallel, horizontally disposed shafts rotatably supported between the sides of a box-like structure, means for mounting thereon pins swingable in one direction independently of the rotation of the shaft, clutching means mounted upon certain of the shafts for communicating the swing of one of a pair of pins to its associated pin, the clutch means operating to permit said associated pin to swing independently of the said one pin when struck by a played ball.

8. In game apparatus of the nature set forth: four parallel, horizontally disposed shafts rotatably supported one behind the other between the sides of a box-like structure, a single pin mounted on the foremost shaft, two pins mounted on the second of the shafts, three on the third of the shafts, and four on the rearmost shaft, saidpins being swingable on their respective shafts in one direction independently of the rotation of the shafts, clutching means mounted upon the third shaft and clutching means mounted upon the rearmost shaft for communicting respectively the swing of the intermediate pin on the third shaft to either of its adjacent end pins and the swing of either of the two intermediate pins of the rearmost shaft to its respective adjacent end pin.

9. In game apparatus of the nature set forth: a plurality of parallel, shafts rotatably supported between the sides of a box-like structure, means for mounting thereon pins swingable in one direction independently of the rotation of the shafts and including a sleeve carried by a pin, certain of said sleeves having-juxtaposed clutch teeth for communicating the swing of one of a pair of pins to its associated pin, and operating to permit said associated pin to swing independently of the said one pin when struck by a played ball.

MYRON C. MORRILL.

horizontally disposed