US2215687A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

s p 24, 194W c. c. CARTER 2,215,687

* GAME APPARATUS Filed May 17, 1959 z Sheetssheaf 1 Sept. 24. 1940.

2 Sheets-Sheet -2 lid Patented Sept. 24, 1940 UNITED VSTAT'ES rm'reu'r OFFICE 2 Claims.

lvly invention relates to that class of so-called parlor game apparatus in which the contending players use paddles on paddle rods for propelling a light weight ball such as a ping-pong'ball toward and into a goal at the end of the playing field.

The object of my invention is to provide a game apparatus of this class by-means of which the players may develop and utilize a high degree of skill in impelling the ball longitudinally of the playing held by a swinging movement of the paddles, transversely by a sliding movement oi. the-paddles, and diagonally of the field by striking the ball with the beveled sides of the blades, and a twisting motion or English may be applied to the ball by striking the ball with a beveled surface of the paddle by a twisting motion or the paddle.

Referring to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 shows a'perspective view of my improved game apparatus;

Figure 2 shows an enlarged detail top view with a portion of one of the paddle rods oi a paddle secured thereto;

till

hit

Figure 3 shows an enlarged detail view oi. a portion of one oi thepaddle rods of a paddle secured thereto, and showing the front or ballstrilring iace oi the paddle;

Figure it shows an edge view of same, the position of the paddle being shown by dotted lines in various positions oi its adjustment;

Figure 5 shows an enlarged detail view, partly in section, illustrating a modified form oi the player-protecting. heads mounted on the paddle rods;

Figure 6 shows a top view of my improved game apparatus, the position of some of the paddle rods being shown by dotted lines in position where they will be moved by the players. The arrows in said figure indicate the various angles at which the ball can be driven by the paddles during the various movements of the paddles;

Figure-'7 shows a central longitudinal sectional view oi the playing field and upright members with the upright side member shown in an elevated position;

Figured shows a vertical longitudinal view of my improved game apparatus;

Figure 9 shows an enlarged detail view i1lustrating a modified form in which the paddles are yieldingly supported upon the paddle rods; and

Figure 10 shows a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating a modified form of the striking face of the paddle.

My improved game apparatus comprises a playing field member 10 which is preferably smooth and flat. At the ends thereof there are the upright end members ii, each of which has a goal opening it, and a pocket it for the ball, which is indicated. by the reference numeral it.

As illustrated in Figure '7, the upright side members it are formed with rounded notches at ill, equally spaced apart, and a bar ii is detachably mounted above the side member it by means of the screws it, and this bar has rounded notches ill.

Mounted in the notches it and iii are the paddle rods 2%. These are smooth and round and have free longitudinal sliding movements in the side Walls, and are also capable of freely rotating. One end of each rod is termed the handle end, and on the other there is a player-protecting head. This, as shown in Figure d, comprises a rounded metal disc it held to the end of the rod by a screw ii, and it is in diameter much larger than the rod and serves the purpose oi preventing injury to players when the rod is pushed rapidly in a direction away from the side wall oi the game device.

On each of the paddle rods there are two paddles, spaced apart from each other and so positioned on the rod that they will engage one or the other of the side walls it when the rod is moved to its limit in eitherdirection. The body of the paddle is indicated by the reference numeral it. This is formed with a notch at one side to receive a paddle rod, as shown. in Figure l, and it is held to the paddle red by the screw it. Each paddle has a vertical, centrally-arranged striking i'ace illustrated in Figure 3 by the reference numeral it, and on opposite sides are the inclined striking faces it which extend outwardly and rearwardly relative to the face it.

In the modified iorm'shown in Figure 10 I have shown another striking face ill in the form of an are.

In the modified form shown in Figure 9 the paddle is held to the rod by a bolt 2d, and this bolt is arranged to permit a slight rotary movement or the paddle relative to the rod. An extensile coil spring 29 is applied to the bolt and bears against the adjacent surface of the paddle for yieldingly holding the paddle relative to the paddle rod.

In practice, and when it is desired to assemble the game apparatus, the bars ll are first removed and the paddle rods with their paddles fixed thereon are mounted in the notches it, and the bars ii are then screwed to the upright side walls. This makes it easy for an operator to remove the paddle rods and place them upon ill dill

l-lti lib the playing field within the uprights for shipping and storing.

The arrangement of the paddles upon the paddle rods is shown in Figure 6. The paddle rod at the right has the paddles on the'side away from the adjacent goal as the operator of this paddle rod is always striving to drive the ball away from his goal. Each alternate paddle rod has the paddles arranged in the same way and preferably the alternate paddle rods are made of different colors so that the players may not become confused as to which paddle rods belong to him.

The game may be played by two or more persons, and the ball which is used is very light and resilient and is of the kind commonly known as ping-pong balls. To commence play, the ball is dropped in the center of the playing field and then the players move the paddle rods both with a sliding longitudinal movement and with a rotary movement for driving the ball toward an opponents goal. I have found in practice that a player soon learns to utilize the paddles for applying a number of different kinds of movement to the ball. For instance, when the ball is close to the striking face of the paddle, the operator simply imparts a rotary motion to the paddle rod and drives the ball straight forwardly longitudinally of the field, as indicated by the arrow 30 in Figure 6. In some instances it is desirable to drive the ball diagonally toward one of the side walls, and this is done by moving the paddle rod longitudinally and causing the in clined side striking face to engage the ball, as shown by the arrow 3| in Figure 6. Furthermore, I have found in practice that the player, by skilful manipulation of the paddle may, by means of a combined lengthwise rotary and sliding movement of the paddle, cause the inclined side edge of a paddle to strike a. ball and give it a. twisting motion corresponding to the so-called English" which is imparted to balls in billiard games.

The object of the game is to place the ball in the opponent's goal pocket.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a game apparatus, a playing field, upright side members at the sides thereof, a series of paddle rods slidingly and rotatably mounted in the side members, and paddles carried by the rods, each paddle being formed with a notch at its rear upper portion to receive the paddle rod, a bolt extended through the rod and paddle and permitting a limited rotary movement of the paddle relative to the rod, and a spring carried by the bolt and pressing against the paddle for yieldingly holding the paddle toward the rod.

2. In a game apparatus, a playing field having upright sides, a series of paddle rods rotatably and longitudinally slidably mounted in said upright sides, paddles carried by the paddle rods and having a fiat striking face parallel with the paddle rod and fiat striking faces at the sides thereof, inclined outwardly and rearwardly from the first mentioned striking face.

CHARLES C. CARTER.

Images