US2518897A - Racing game device - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 15, 1950 E. DQ JONES '2,518,897

` RACING GAME DEVICEv i Filed Feb. 25, 1946l ,2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l[NVEN TOR.

Aug. l5, 1950 E. D. JONES RACING GAME DEVICE 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1946 WKN@ , QQ l Er/v. J0 lies IN V EN TOR.

Patented Aug. 15, 1950 vii.'

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE RACING GAME DEVICE Errol D. ones, New York, N. Y. Application February 23, 1946, Serial No. '649,671-

(Cl. .W3-86) f 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to game devices, and

more specifically to a device which simulates a race between a number of objects representing horses, cars, or the like, controlled byV different players `in such a way that the relative skill Aof the players determines the results of the race. While' illustrate my invention by means of a preferred embodiment wherein .the aforementioned racing objects are in the shape of horses, it will be obvious thatthe structure and operation of `my device are in no way affected bythe particular shapeof the racing objects, and that the wordfhorses, as used hereafter, must be construed to apply toa -fullrange of` equivalents.

An object of my invention is to provide a game device of the class described, which is simple, amusing, sturdy, and very economical to manufacture. l

Another object of my invention is to provide a gamedevicewhich is apt to test and develop the players coordination, sense of timing, and quick reiiexes.

A further object is to provide a game 'device wherein electromechanical `means are employed to operate the racing objects, said means being not only well suited to their purpose, but also amusing and attractive in themselves.

My invention will be understood with reference to the drawings, wherein: v

Fig. -1 is a perspective View yof the whole device, showing the horses at various stages of the race.

Fig. 2 is a `cross-section 'on the line 2-2 of Fig. 5.

' Fig. 3 is a cross-section fon the line 31--3 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 4 is a plan view with the cover removed from that part of the device which houses the operating elements, to show said elements at various stages of their operation.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, my device comprises a long box-like frame I, made of wood or other suitable material, the top part of which constitutes a race track and has a number of grooves or individual tracks 2, in the particular example shown, six of them. On each groove there may be placed a horse. Fig. 1 shows horse 4 at the starting point, horse 3 as near the end of the track, and the remaining horses 5, 6, 1, and 8 at intermediate positions. Each groove is adapted to receive a ball, of steel or any suitable material, such as balls II, I3, and I4 which are seen in Fig. 1, and balls 9, Ill, and I2 seen in Fig. 4.

When thedevice is in operation, the forward upon the race track a rearward-downward slant steep enough to cause the balls lto -rcll backwards in the grooves when left to themselves, but not steep enough to overcome the friction Vbetween the horses and grooves., The fra/me yI .also has a front plate Il `closing the end-of the race track, and a solenoid box I8 housing `what I vcall the operating elements, which are solencids, plungers, springs, and contacts. The balls 9 I4- when at rest are also covered by the Aopen front portion of the `box I8. Inside the box J8 vare solenoids I9, 2D, 2l., 22, l23, .and 24, associated respectively with plungers 25,26, 21, .28, 29 :and 30, and springs 3I, :32, 33, 34.. 35, and 36. .The plungers have in their rear `portions vertical : slots 31, 38, 39, 40,-4I, and 42, partially Vclosed at the rear `with twisted wires -or :simi-lar means 43, 44, 45, 46, 41, and 48. The length Vof `the ,slots y:is carefully determined to vobtain the .particular retarding action which will .be `*hereafter .described, and lon which the satisfactory roperation of the device largely depends. The springs 31 36 are made of any Asuitable material, such as piano wire, which has satisfactory vvproperties of lightness and resiliency.

Thek solenoids `are connected through iwi-rcs generally indicated at 49, push type .switches generally indicated 'at 50, vline wire 258|., .and Lp'lug 52, to a source of A. C. or D. current. Normallylthe plungers are iall rthe way tothe rear, like the plunger 26 in Fig. 4. Examining this plunger 26, it is seen that the spring 32 associated therewith is near the front end of the slot 38, and the associated @ball I 0 rests against the associated solenoid 20. The associated horse 4 is placed a little ahead of the ball Ill, at the beginning of its track. Those are the positions of all the elements at the beginning of the game.

If now the button 50 is pushed which is associated with a certain solenoid, the solenoid becomes energized and attracts its plunger. The-plunger being slotted, does not disturb its associated spring until it has reached the position exemplified by the plunger 28, which has advanced far enough for its end wire 46 to touch the spring 34. Until then, the plunger accelerates and gains momentum freely; thereafter the spring begins to bend and to resist the forward motion of the plunger. Nevertheless the plunger continues to move, eventually reaching the forwardmost position exemplied by the plunger 25. This latter is shown protruding through the forward end of its solenoid I9, striking its ball 9, and impelling it forward, whereby the ball in turn will strike its horse, and push it on, as the ball I3 is shown as doing in Fig. 1. As soon as the solenoid I9 is deenergized, the spring 3l will force the plunger back until it reaches the position exemplified by the plunger 28, whereafter the plunger will proceed by inertia back to substantially its starting point. The ball, after having pushed the horse, will roll back to rest in its starting position against its solenoid, while the horse will be held by friction in its new position.

The player, in order to win, must keep energizing the solenoid which operates th-e horse he picked as often and quickly as possible. However, if he pushes his switch button too quickly, the plunger will be al1 the way forward before the ball has quite returned to its starting point. An instant later the ball is in position, but it will bounce at once again out of position. Thereafter it will rest against the solenoid, but by then its backward momentum is spent, and if the ball is stricken now by the plunger, some time will have been lost. It is an instructive and amusing challenge to the player, this desirablity of striking the ball in the split second when it first hits the solenoid in its rear return, before it rebounds, a challenge which tests and develops his sense of timing and his reflexes. The mechanical structure of the propelling mechanism is also very important. Were plungers and spring so connected that motion of the one would immediately produce deformation of the other, the whole device would become sluggish and prone to jam. But thanks to the fact that the plunger is permitted to travel freely for a space, and to acquire a certain momentum before engaging the spring., this latter may be madeY relatively strong and with a small deformation, rather than weak and with a large deformation, and the plunger is permitted to strike the ball with a smart impact, resulting in an efcient and amusing operation of the latter Further, the rearward return of the ball being due to gravity, and opposed by the friction of the track, the ball has to be watched keenly by the player up to the moment in which it disappears under the forward part of the :box I8. The player has to guess the interval of time which will pass before the ball is'in the favorable striking position, and balance it against the delay in the striking. subsequent to his pressing the switch, due to plunger inertia and spring resistance. Thus my device not only provides a real 2i game of skill, but does so with a structure the simplicity and ruggedness of which, and the resulting economy are quite apparent.

It is to be understood that the foregoing dedescription has been given merely by way of example and that many changes, alternative arrangements, and additions of cooperative and ornamental details, are possible within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a game device having an upwardly inclined frame provided with a number of raceways therein, a racing object movable along each raceway thereof and a sphere in each raceway movable in one direction for displacing a racing object therealong and rollable by gravity in the other direction to a starting position; a solenoid supported in the frame at the rear of each raceway, a plunger actuable by said solenoid and movable from a rear position to a foremost position whereby its foremost end is projected forwardly of said solenoid into the raceway, the forward motion of said plunger upon projection when said solenoid is energized, propelling a sphere in its starting position toward the racing object, said plunger having a slot at its rear, a spring fastened to said frame and projecting into said slot, said spring normally projecting adjacent the front end of said slot when the plunger is inrearmost position and contacting the rear end of said slot when the plunger is in a position intermediate between its rearmost and foremost positions, and means for energizing and de-energizing said solenoid at will.

ERROL D. JONES.

REFERENCES CITED

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