US2639152A

US2639152A - Spring actuated wheel and track device

Info

Publication number: US2639152A
Application number: US195025A
Authority: US
Inventors: John O Redlind
Original assignee: CLAYTON E BARGEWELL
Current assignee: CLAYTON E BARGEWELL
Priority date: 1950-11-10
Filing date: 1950-11-10
Publication date: 1953-05-19
Anticipated expiration: 1970-05-19

Description

May 19, 1953 J o, REDLIND 2,639,152

SPRING ACTUATED mm. mm TRACK DEVICE Filed Nov. 10, 1950 5 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 a J J0 41 4 a 3K 44 J9) IN VENTOR. Jz v V //\/\/S//A .27 wk 0, E 18 zxgJ,

20 ATTORNEYS Patented May 19, 1953 SPRING ACTUATED WHEEL AND TRACK DEVICE John 0. Redlind, Napa County, 'Calif., assignor of one-fourth to Clayton E. Bargewell, Gustinc,

Calif.

Application November 10, 1950, Serial No. 195,025

3 Claims.

This invention relates to amusement devices of the type having numbered indicating elements mounted to travel on a game board with sections of the game board numbered to correspond with numbers of a traveling element and in which the traveling element is in the form of a wheel and a track on which the wheel travels is provided with an upwardly sloping end into which the wheel is driven by a spring and from which the wheel returns by gravity to indicate a numher.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a game device having a roller in combination with a numbered track on a playing field wherein the roller is actuated by tripping a spring.

Various types of numbered wheels have been provided in combination with tracks for playing games but where a wheel is journaled on a pin or in a stand the momentum of the wheel is dependent upon the force applied thereto b an operator. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a numbered wheel in which an operating force is applied to the wheel by a spring and in which the spring is tripped in the same manner in each operation. By this means the distance the wheel travels is dependent upon the force applied by the spring so that the travel of the wheel is mechanically controlled and is not influenced by an operator of the game.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for constructing a game device wherein a numbered indicating wheel, mounted to rotate through shafts extended therethrough on a track, is started with a snap movement by a spring and is returned by gravity, and wherein the spring is released by a manually actuated trigger.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game device having an indicating element in which the indicating element may be actuated by a player or by an operator of the game.

A further object of the invention is to provide a game device having a numbered wheel mounted to rotate on a track with numbers provided on the wheel to correspond with numbers on a playing field of the device, which is of a comparatively simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies a game board having a playing field with a track positioned across one side of the field, with a roller mounted to travel on the track, and with a manually actuated spring for starting the roller.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing where- Figure 1 is a plan view showing the game board with a track provided at one side of a substantially semi-circular field and with a wheel mounted on the track and positioned to travel from a casing at one side of the track to a similar casing at the opposite side.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the game board, taken on line 2-4? of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section through the game board taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a detail illustrating the numbered Wheel that travels on the track of the game board.

Figure 5 is a cross section through the starting end of the track being taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Figure 6 is a cross section through the opposite end of themtrack being taken on line 66 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, the traveling wheel game'of this invention includes a game board [0, a track having rails II .and I2 extended across one side of the game board, a wheel 13 having a shaft H with flat sides thereon extended from opposite sides there! of, a spring l5 positioned to drive the wheel along the track, an actuator 01' operating element 16 for tripping the spring, and a crank I! on a shaft I8 on which the actuator I6 is mounted.

The game board 10 is provided with a horizontallydisposed panel [9 which is supported by legs 20 and the semi circulai' portion 21 of the board is provided with a wall 22.

The section 2| of the game board is provided with a divided section 23 having numerals 24 thereon corresponding with numerals 25 on opposite surfaces of the wheel I 3 and the intermediate part of the board may be provided with areas 26 in which the terms high, low, odd and even may be placed.

The track formed by the rails II and i2 is positioned in the portion 10 of the game board and the rails extend from a casing 21 at one side of the board to a casing 28 at the opposite side and the portions of the rails upon which the ends of the shaft of the wheel travel are covered with felt, or similar material, as indicated by the

numerals

29 and 30.

The track is formed by a longitudinally disposed slot or groove 3| formed in a block 32 extended across the board and positioned against the main block or section to of the game board. With the ends of the shaft l4 positioned on the rails of the track the wheel I3 is positioned between the rails as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The block 32 is provided with an upper section 33 and the upper end of the spring I 5 is retained in a slot 34 in the block 33 by a screw 35. The block 33 is also provided with a set screw 36 having a lock nut 31 thereon and the screw 36 is positioned to regulate tension on the spring I5 whereby the travel of the wheel may be controlled.

The shaft I8 on the outer end of which the crank I1 is positioned is journaled in the blocks I and 32, as shown in Fig. 5. The actuator I6, which is mounted on the shaft may be actuated by the crank H to move the spring I over to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 and then release the spring whereby the spring action, inherent therein, snaps the spring against the wheel I3, driving the wheel along the track and up an incline 38 in the casing 21 where the wheel comes to rest. As the wheel stops the force of gravity draws the wheel down the incline 38 and the wheel travels along the track, stopping at some point thereon with one of the numbers thereof extended upwardly.

The player having a chip on the number that extends upwardly when the wheel comes to rest is the winner of the game. The numbers extend upwardly from the flat side of the shaft so that when the wheel comes to rest one of the numbers will extend straight upwardly from the center of the shaft.

The casing 21 is provided with an opening 39 through which the wheel passes, and the casing 28 is provided with a similar opening 40, also through which the wheel passes.

The block I ll of the game board is provided with slots ll separated by partitions 42 providing a chip rack in which chips, or the like, are positioned, as indicated by the dotted lines 43 in Fig. 3.

The band or wall 22 extended around the section 2| of the game board, extends across the ends and the edges at the rear are connected by a similar band 44, extended across the lower section of the block I 0 providing the head or main portion of the game board.

In playing the game chips are placed by players on the numerals 24 in sections 23 and the wheel I3 is actuated by turning the crank H in a clockwise direction until the actuator I6 releases the spring I5 whereby the spring naps the wheel I3 along the track and up the incline in the casing 28. The wheel comes to rest and the force of gravity causes the wheel to roll downwardly on the sloping surface 38 of the track whereby the wheel comes to rest at some intermediate point on the track and with one of the numerals 25 extended upwardly.

It will be understood that the wheel may be of any suitable shape and size and other modifications may be made in the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a game, the combination which comprises a game board having a track thereon and with one end of said track extended upwardly, a Wheel rotatably mounted on said track and having shafts extending from the opposite sides of the wheel and engaging the track a spring positioned to drive the said wheel on the track, and means actuating the spring for driving the wheel on the track whereby the wheel travels up the inclined section of the track and is returned by gravity to a position of rest upon the track.

2. A game comprising a game board having spaced rails providing a track having an arcuate upwardly inclined end section on said game board, a wheel with shafts having fiat sides extended at the sides and having riding engagement with said rails, a spring mounted on the game board and spaced from the end of the track opposite to the end in which the upwardly inclined section is positioned, a shaft having a crank on the end thereof journalled in the said game board, an actuator on the said shaft and positioned to engage the said spring and the said spring is so positioned that upon release thereof by the actuator the spring engages the wheel and drives the wheel along the track and up the inclined section at the opposite end thereof.

3. A game as in claim 2 wherein means is provided for regulating the tension on the said spring.

JOHN O. REDLIND.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 645,859 Kuck Mar. 20, 1900 1,319,561 Brenner Oct. 21, 1919 1,500,767 Rice July 8, 1924 1,569,688 Utter Jan. 12, 1926 1,576,966 Glinger Mar. 16, 1926 1,723,377 Salomon Aug. 6, 1929 2,118,084 Heinzelmann May 24, 1938 2,199,016 Watkins Apr. 30, 1940 2,322,089 Greitzer June 15, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 124,095 Austria Aug. 10, 1931