US2631854A - Simulated baseball game - Google Patents

Description

March 17, 1953 H. J. VOLMAN.

SIMULATED BASEBALL GAME Original Filed May 19, 1948 Patented Mar. 17, 1953 SIMULATED BASEBALL GAME Harold J. Volman, Cicero, Ill., assignor to Toy Enterprises of America, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Continuation of application Serial No. 27,992, May 19, 1948. This application October 25,

1950, Serial No. 192,055

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to games and more particularly to a game having a playing field over which a projectile is adapted to be propelled and in which magnetic means is utilized to intercept the projectile at scoring positions.

A primary object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved game having a playing surface over which a ball of magnetic material is adapted to be propelled and a plurality of ball intercepters of magnetic material interspersed in the field in which either or both the ball and intercepters are permanently magnetized so that balls propelled over the field are magnetically intercepted rather than being mechanically intercepted as in conventional games of this type.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved game which may be made to simulate quite closely at regular baseball game in layout and in manner of playing, and which requires and develops strategy and skill in playmg.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved game as above set forth in which the field is laid off to simulate a baseball field and in which the intercepting means are permanent magnets, and certain of the intercepting means are arranged to correspond generally with the positions occupied by the infielders and outfielders of a baseball team, and other of the intercepters are located at positions in the field corresponding generally with regions into which base hits are made, and the former intercepters have indicia designating outs while the latter have indicia designating the value to be assigned when a ball is intercepted at those positions.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved game as above set forth which may be packaged in a flat boxlike structure, the side walls of which define the perimeter of the playing field and prevent escape of propelled balls from the field.

A general object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved game of simple is had to the accompanying drawing, in-which:

Fig. 1 is atop plan view of the improved game of the present invention showing the layout of the playing field;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of the game on an enlarged scale; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view on an enlarged scale of the ball propelling means partly broken away more clearly to show its structure.

This application is a continuation of my copending application (now abandoned) Serial No. 27,992, filed May 19, 1948, and entitled Simulated Baseball Game.

As indicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the game of the present invention may, for example, be packaged in a relatively fiat boxlike structure of cardboard, paper board, or any other suitable material, which may be approximately 14 inches square and 1 inch high. This boxlike structure includes a bottom section Hi and a top section or cover I2 adapted to be received over the bottom section. Both of these sections may be constructed in a manner conventional in the paper box art. The bottom section has a bottom wall [4 and upstanding peripheral walls It and is adapted to contain all the other elements of the game. Thus when the cover is placed on the bottom section, the game forms a package convenient for handling, storage, shipment or display, and by virtue of its relatively small size it may be set up for playing upon any fiat surface such as a card table.

Fixed in the bottom section 10 is a laminated base 58 which includes a relatively thick intermediate sectionor lamination 20 of relatively light weight paper board and paper top and bottom laminations 22 and 24, respectively, which may be secured to the top and bottom sides of the intermediate lamination, preferably by means of a suitable adhesive. When the base is in position in the bottom section, the top lamination 22 provides a smooth and unobstructed playing surface. If desired, a slight grade may be produced in this top surface by elevating the edges of the base section slightly along its peripheral edges so that the top surface of the base inclines downwardly very slightly from its peripheral edges toward its center for a purpose which will appear hereinafter.

This elevation of the peripheral edges of the base is effected by means of spacing strips 26 disposed along the peripheral edges of the bottom section It. These strips may be of wood or paper board and the peripheral edges of the base section are preferably rabbeted as indicated at 28 in Fig. 3 to engage upon the spacing strips 26.

Both the strips and the base may be fixed to the bottom Id of the bottom section by means of a suitable adhesive or by detachable means if it is desired to have the base removable.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the top side of the top lamination 22 is marked off generally to simulate a. baseball diamond and field including the usual home plate 30, pitchers mound 32, and first, second and third bases, designated by the members 34, 36 and 38, respectively. Right and left field foul zones are defined outside the lines extending from home plate to first base, and home plate to third base, respectively,v and the extensions of these lines. These areas bear a legend as shown designating them as foul zones.

Slightly beyond the diamond a plurality oi spaced positions 49 are marked off in the field corresponding in number and generally in location with respect to the diamond with the position assumed by the infielders of a baseball team in the field. Farther out in the field, it is marked with a second group of spaced position indicated individually by the number 42 inFig, 1. These latter positions correspond generally in location with the positions assumed by the outfielders of a baseball team in the field. These marked posi tions may be of any desired shape, the circles used in; the drawing being merely xemplary, and each of these, positions is also marked for scorin purposes to designate an. out. The manner of scoring will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

Interspersed in the field with the marked positions 40 and 42 described above is a plurality of other marked positions 54 which may also be of circular shape. These latter positions are located in the field to correspond generally with the regions or areas in the field into which base hits are made, and each of the positions is provided with indi'oia to designate the base value to be assigned to each position for scoring purposes. In addition to these positions a pair of bunt positions 46 is: alsov provided and each of these positions is somarked.

Each of the above mentioned spaced positions has associated therewith a magnetic means for interceptin balls propelled from home plate into the field and for holding them at the position which forms one of the features of the present invention. This magnetic means may be in the form of a permanent magnet disposed below the surface of the top lamination 22 so as to leave the top surface or playing field smooth and unobstructed. To achieve thi construction the intermediate lamination 2E7 is provided with apertures; or recesses 48 corresponding in location. to

,is disposed in each of the recesses. 18. in the intermediate lamination, and these magnets are held in position by the top and bottom laminations 22 and 26 when the latter are fixed to the intermediate lamination. Thus a readily assembled and inexpensive construction is provided which results in a reduction in cost of manufacture and assembly.

A ball 52 of magnetic material i provided for propelling into the field from home plate and a magnet similar to the magnets 55 may be embedded in' the intermediate lamination below home plate for releasably holding the ball when it is about to be struck. However, the magnetic holding. means may bedispensed with and the top. surface of the base provided with a shallow semir-spherical depression at home plate adapted to receive and releasably hold the ball. The ball 52 is preferably hollow so that it is light in weight and readily propelled into the field.

In order to permit the player to control the region of the field into which the ball i to be propelled. in. accordance with his skill, an improved ball propelling means best. seen in Fig. 4 is provided which will now be described. This means includes a cylindrical finger piece 54 of metal or wood and a ball striking means or bat 56 also of metal or wood. The bat normally is disposed radially of the finger piece, as shown in full lines. i-nFig; and is connected thereto by a coil spring: 58-. A flexible suction cup 59 is secured Y to the underside of the finger piece as indicated in, Fig;v 4, so that the propelling means may be releasably fixed to. the base I8 at any desired position relative to home plate. In playing the game a. player first fixes the finger piece 54 to the base at the particular position he chooses. The outer end of. thebat thendrawn. back as indicated in phantom inFig-.. 1, and then released. The spring 53 thereupon restores the bat to radial. position with respect to the finger piece, causing the end of the batto strike the. ball. and propel the: same into the field.

The construction.- of the propelling means can be simplified-by eliminating. the suction cup '59 and providing the finger piece 54 with a flat bottom. side. In. playing the-game with a. propelling means of this type: the finger piece is held on the base [8' in any desired position relative to the ball at home plate with the fingers of onev hand and the bat. 56 manipulated with the fingers of the other hand;

While the finger piece 54 is shown to the right of home plate in Fig. l in apositioncorresponding to that assumed. by a, left-handed hitter, it will be apparent that the propelling means could be operated as well withv the finger piece on the opposite side of home. platein. a position corresponding to that assumed by a right-handed hitter. Due to the fact that the position at which the propelling, means islocated in batting may be selected by a player, itis possible quite accurately to control. the. area of: the. field into which the ball is propelled. Furthermore the resilient connection between the bat and finger piece allows a player to control the force with which the ball is hit because this will depend on the distance the bat is pulled back before being released. Thus it will be apparent that. skill. and strategy on the part of a player arenecessary bothin positioning the, pr pel-ling. m ansand manipulating the bat to play th same succes ully;

. In. sin v th gam any number of contestan s from two to eighteen may play at one time. Pref erably the. contestants; arev divided; into. sides or teams with an equal; number of contestants, on each team and: with members of. each team alternating in batting, as in; a regular baseball game. Scoring may follow the general pattern of a regular game so that. such a game is simulated quite closely in. the play.. At times, and particularly when inexperienced players are. atbat, the ball will pass. through the field. without being stopped by any of the intercepters. When that happens theperiphera-l wallsv l 6 of the. bottom section preventescapeof the ball] and, form a barrier from which the ball rebounds toward the field. This effect is increased where. the peripheral edges of the base of. the ame are elevated. sligh l as. before described- It -i ..of course. e re gnized. that the. foregoin instructions. or rules are m r y suggestive and that other rules may be devised by the players as they see fit.

Although the preferred embodiment above described utilizes separate permanent magnets for intercepting the ball at the various positions marked on the field, and an unmagnetized ball of magnetic material, it should be apparent that the ball itself might be permanently magnetized or might carry a permanent magnet. If such a ball is used, then the intercepting means can be either a series of permanent magnets or merely unmagnetized bodies of magnetic material. In either case interception of the ball will occur in the manner previously described as a result of the action of magnetic forces.

While the principles of the invention have been described as applied to a simulated baseball game, it should be apparent that they are applicable to games or other types which include a playing area or field, a projectile which is propelled into the field, and means in the field for intercepting objects propelled thereinto where interception occurs as a result of the action of magnetic forces. Moreover by supplying each game with several cover sheets or top laminations for the base section I8 marked ofi with different playing fields, each game may readily be converted from a simulated basebal1 game to some other type of game. This can also be accomplished by removably securing the base 18 in the bottom section and marking the opposite sides of the base with different playing fields so that by reversing the base it will be possible to play two games.

It should also be apparent that modifications can be made in other parts of the game, such as the ball propelling means, without departing from the principles of the invention. Other modifications and variations will be suggested to those skilled in the art which come within the principles of the invention as above described. I, therefore, desire, by the following claims, to include within the scope of the invention all such variations and modifications by which substantially the results of my invention may be obtained through the use of substantially the same or equivalent means.

I claim:

1. A game board comprising a base of nonmetallic material, a plain unobstructed playing surface on said base, said playing surface being delineated to simulate a baseball playing field including a home plate and carrying indicia at various selected fixed positions to indicate scoring values, and metal blocks fixed on said base beneath said playing surface and disposed immediately beneath said home plate and said scoring positions, said metal blocks being permanently magnetized whereby to attract a ball of magnetizable material to said home plate and said scoring positions and to hold said ball releasably thereon.

2. The game board of claim 1 wherein said base is of relatively thick material and is provided with recesses located beneath the home plate and scoring positions and said magnetized blocks are disposed in said recesses.

13. The game board of claim 1 wherein said playing surface is provided with elevated peripheral edges.

HAROLD J. VOLMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,093,764 Brown Apr. 21, 1914 2,448,837 Siberts Sept. 7, 1948 2,470,159 Geary May 17, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 580,925 Great Britain Sept. 25, 1946

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