US2238703A - Game - Google Patents

Description

April 15, 1941.

J. K. M IVER ETAL.

GAME

Filed July 25, 1939 JOHN K. MC /1/E,Q CHER/E J'o Patented Apr. 15, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME John K. McIver and Carrie J 0y, Baltimore, Md.

Application July 25, 1939, Serial No. 286,453

1 Claim.

This invention refers to games and more particularly to those requiring exceptional skill, and the use of discs, rollers, blocks or counters, and the like, propelled to targets or goals. It has among its objects to provide a game that will have a functional playing action different and distinct from the general type of such games now in use. Another object is to provide a special form of goal equipment that will cooperate with the playing piece used in the game to give it 1 variable actions, employed in the game as a means for calculating results and points. A further object is to have the game ccnstructible for portable purposes and for varying the eifect of the functional action of the parts. to have an arrangement of parts in the game that will create particular interest in the observers; require unique skill and afford features of an unexpected nature. A still further object is to have the structural parts of the game equipment arranged that they will restrict the movement of the moving or propelled pieces within a certain predetermined area after the shot or move has been made in the usual manner; and to provide for a. dual manner of scoring with the playing 1 piece.

Other objects will become apparent as the invention is more fully set forth.

The conventional games of this type usually have openings in their targets or goals for the playing pieces or blocks used, that are of round form and permit the pieces to enter, no matter how they are turned at the time. The latter are of such regular form that their motions can be closely predetermined by the player and provided plural in number to enable the plays to be varied.

and employed with a plural quantity of markers or playing pieces. The playing pieces are of narrow cylindrical construction and are rolled during plays towards the goal on their edges. The narrowness of the area Within which the axis of the center of gravity passes through and the tendency of the rolling or rotation to keep the playing pieces upright, provide a diverging infiuence on its travel that causes the device to Still another object is i have varied movements in accordance with the force with which they are propelled and the position they are started out with. These movements of these pieces makes it difiicult to direct them to the openings in the goals accurately, and even when they reach same, to make them enter suitably to get the score sought. The device is portable and may be closed on itself into a flat compact package with great facility and speed, or opened up for reuse as the case may be. The structure is relatively simple and may be manufactured easily of standard materials' In the drawing which illustrates examples of this invention:

Figure 1 is a View in perspective of the goal members and structure of a game embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of the game combined with a table structure;

Figure 3 is a detail of the joint used between adjacent wall parts for the goal structure;

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation along the line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a detail of the playing missile used in this form of the invention.

Figure 6 is a detail of the strap means to hold the walls in position.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

In the construction shown, the goal structure of the game consists of a background member I with holes 2, along the edges 3 for the use of the flexible connecting cords 4, which tie in corresponding holes 22, along the edges 33 of'the side wall members H. The cords 4 are preferably of rubber rings tied together with a link 5 to make a complete joint and at the same time keep the members tightly and resiliently together without injuring themselves when being opened, closed, orused. The flexibilityof the joint overcomes many difficulties of a'practical nature arising in the use of the goal structure, in a simple manner, which otherwise would require special adjustments and sundries of various natures to get the same results.

A front target plate 6 is similarly secured to the edges 1 of the side wall plates 2!, through the use of the cords 8, and holes 9 and IE! respectively in the plate 6 and 2| as indiciated. The wallplates 2| are placed so that their free edges I2 place themselves at the joints between the background member andside wall members, and are clamped tightlythere between their edges inplace. The front plate has a series of vertical openings [3, which are intended for the playing pieces, which are arbitrarily termed missiles, l 4 to pass through, if in the proper position to do so. The lower portions [5 of the openings are rectangular in form and wide enough to allow the whole playing missile I4 to pass through when upright and rolling in a vertical position. The upper portion It of the openings are circular in contour and large enough to allow the blocks to pass through in any position, horizontal or vertical, provided they are propelled throughin proper alignment therewith.

When mounted on a table structure 11, having legs l8, of such size as to give the top surface I8 a slant towards the front of about one inch to the foot. The goal structure is placed at the rear end portion IS with the chamber 20, formed by the walls and plate over a sunken or depressed portion 3| made in the surface [8 asindicated. Rails,

The missiles I 4 are circular like a disc, with I their thickness suflicient to permit them to roll along a flat surface if properly played, but take on an erratic movement if not sent along carefully in the proper way. They have central holes 25 bevelled as indicated for handling and other.

purposes, and to give a dilferent effect when rolling along.

In the operation of the game, assuming the goal structure is placed directly on the floor, the parts are preferably arranged as shown in Figure 1, which does not require further explanation. The players take up a position at a. line about sixteen feet from the goal and roll the missiles I4 on their edges to same. The preferable manner of holding the blocks is between the thumb and first finger, as the control. over their travel is made more diflicult in this way. The missiles roll towards the goal if they remain upright, and the conditions are right, or fall on a side and remain there. Their subsequent positions with relation to the goal determine the amount of the score.

The scores are determined by the following conditions and locations. If .the discs strike the goal target plates without entering through the openings I3, the score is five points, and so on, as outlined in the following table:

Score 1. Hit front plate 5 2. Partway through opening 5 3. Through either side slot goal 10 4. Through center slot goal 5. Triple through either slot goal; 50 6. Triple through center slot goal 100 7. Through all slots at random goal 150 8. Through all slots in rotation (either way) 200 9. Passing through circles of slots 210 10. Game, total 500 Rules (a) Any number of persons may play,

(17) Playing distance 16 feet,

(c) All missiles must roll all the way to score,

(11) Each player, in turn, rolls three missiles,

(e) No count allowed on missiles not being played at time,

(1) Plays reversing from goal through slot, cancel previous score,

(9) Jumping over front plate by missiles, re-

moves player from game.

When the table is used, the forward slant of the surface i8, affects the play to a considerable degree, as the missiles roll back if they do not make a goal. This makes the game more difiicult, and causes various situations to arise that are not expected and that do not happen when the missiles are run on a horizontal surface. The game, with its rules, keeps the player at tension throughout, and excites the interest to a maximum degree.

The goal is additionally protected and made rigid by the use of U-shaped straps 26, slipping under the front plate and background walls as indicated and thereby preventing the movement of same from each other. The depressed section 3| in the table serves to drop the missiles and hold them when they have passed into the goal, so they cannot return or escape from the goal under normal playing. The cords 4 and 8 are pref erably of rubber or other flexible arrangement to permit their stretching and allowing the connecting walls edge portion to open up the joints and fit in between, and thus be clamped in place.

While but one form of the invention is indicated in the drawing, and two ways of using same, it is not desired to limit this application for patent to same otherwise than limited by the prior art, as it is appreciated that other forms of construction could be used that employ the same principles and come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

In combination with fiat-sided discs having bevelled holes therethrough, of a target device having a frontal piece with vertical straightsided keyhole type of slots'adapted to permit the discs to pass through edgewise and topped with an enlarged circular portion, said slots leading from the bottom thereof and terminating at the proximate middle of the piece, a pair of vertical walls flexibly attached to the side edges of the said piece and disposed therefrom at an angle thereto, in rearward direction, similar walls connected to the rearward side edges of the previous ly mentioned vertical walls and angular pointing towards the front to provide a V-like wall attachment to the frontal piece for supporting the same vertically on a horizontal surface and a background wall vertically disposed' and joining the rear portions of the said walls where they meet in V-like arrangement and forming an open box-like compartment behind the frontal piece to receive the discs passing through the slots.

JOHN K. MCIVER. CARRIE JOY;

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