US2757003A

US2757003A - Game board

Info

Publication number: US2757003A
Application number: US357657A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ray E Lawther
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-05-27
Filing date: 1953-05-27
Publication date: 1956-07-31
Anticipated expiration: 1973-07-31

Description

United States Patent O My invention relates to anew anduseful improvement in a game board" which'embodies a mechanism for play.

ing a game therewith. The game to be. played resembles the game of baseball and a number of separate tokens are positioned upon the game board at the places usually occupied by baseball players. The various bases includ- 2,757,003 Patented July 31, 1956 Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on' line 33 of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, with a part broken away.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 1, Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view slightly enlarged of a pivot structure used in the invention,

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 7, Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 99 of Fig. 2, Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on line 1010 of Fig. 2.

As shownin the drawings, I use

abaseboard having sidewalls

16 and 17 at two of the edges of the baseboard, these sidewalls, extending the full length of the baseboard. Projecting from the sidewall 16 is a sidewall 18 ing home plate and the pitchers box are indicated by proper indicia.

The game is to be played by two persons. On the board there is provided a tube extending frombehind home plate past the pitchers box and then doubled upon itself to return toward the pitchers box so that a marble or other spherical object placed in the tube and permitted to roll to the turned back portion will issue from the tube at approximately the pitchers box with sufficient momentum to carry the sphere past the station of the home plate. This tube is rotatable on a vertical axis and also is rockable on a horizontal axis. One person would manipulate the tube and the other would endeavour to strike the sphere with a small bat.

The game board is provided with side boards and the various sections thereof are marked with indicia indicating certain values in a baseball game, such as a home run, a two-base hit, an out, a foul ball or the like. The person manipulating the tube can change the velocity of travel of the sphere. Elevating the entry end 'of the tube will also elevate the end from which the sphere emerges so that the sphere may be propelled toward home plate partially in the air and partially rolling, or it may be propelled simply by rolling. By swinging the tube on the vertical axis, the path of travel of the sphere from point of emergence from the tube toward the home plate may be varied, so that the sphere may pass centrally over the home plate or over merely the edge thereof or in a line to entirely miss the home plate. The manipulator of the tube by changing the speed of travel of the sphere, and changing the direction of travel, may thus bafile the other player who is using the bat to strike the sphere.

When the sphere is struck and driven out of the infield of the baseball diamond into the outfield, the batter will be credited with the credit shown on the section of the abutment board toward which the sphere is driven.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a game of this class which will be easily operated and possessed of considerable appeal. Another object of the invention is the provision in a game of this class of a tube which may be swung on a vertical axis and also rocked on a horizontal axis. Another object of the invention is the provision of a game of this class which may be easily and quickly assembled or disassembled.

Other objects Will appear hereinafter.

It is recognized that various modifications and changes may be made in the detail of structure illustrated without departing from the invention and it is intended that the present disclosure shall be considered to be but the preferred embodiment.

Forming a part of this application are drawings in which:

which terminates short of the length of the baseboard at that side. Asidewall 19 projects upwardly from the .base- :board along one side and extends from the sidewall ,17 but terminates short of the edge of the baseboard on which mounted. There is thus provided an open space wherein sidewalls are present. Projecting upwardly from the baseboard is a pair of

standards

20 and 21 over each of which is slipped a sleeve 22 formed on opposite ends of a strip 23 of fabric.

Displayed on the face of the baseboard 15 is an outline 24 outlining a baseball diamond, and the bases are indicated by the square 25 which is displayed on the face of the baseboard 15. The homeplate 26 is also displayed. Used with the game is a plurality of tokens 27, these tokens being preferably formed in the image'of a ball player and loosely positioned on the face of the baseboard 15 at the positions usually occupied by the players playing a ball game.

Each of the Sideboards is divided into a plurality of sections 28 and on these sections is displayed indicia indicating various features and plays present in a ball game.

Projecting upwardly from the base 15 and positioned outwardly from the pitchers box 29A is a stud 29. Swivelly mounted on this stud 29 is a sleeve 30 having a bracket arm 31 projecting outwardly therefrom. The

sleeve 30 may rotate on a vertical axis on the stud 29. Pivotally connected to the bracket 31 by means of a pin 32 is an arm 33 which is secured to and projected outwardly from the lower end of the bight 34 of a tubular U -shaped member. The shorter leg 35 extends forwardly toward the homeplate 26, and the longer leg 36 is elevated to extend rearwardly of the homeplate 26. This longer leg, adjacent its end, is cut away to provide a trough-shaped portion 37. This longer leg also rests on a U-shaped support 38 projecting upwardly fromthe base 15.

The game is usually played with two persons. One of the players is provided with a small bat approximately 8 or 10 inches long. The other player manipulates the U-shaped member. A spherical body 39 is deposited in the trough-shaped portion 37 and the long leg slightly tilted so that this sphere, which may be a small marble, travels downwardly through the long end of the tube and discharges from the open end of the short leg 35, so as to roll toward the homeplate 26. The speed of travel may of course be regulated depending upon the amount of tilt of the longer leg. The party manipulating the longer leg may so elevate this longer leg that the marble or sphere 39, when discharged from the short leg 35, will travel toward the homeplate free of contact with the baseboard 15. By swinging the longer leg 36 on the pivot 29, the path of travel of the marble or sphere 39 may 1 that section of the wall which would indicate a homerun or a three-base hit.

Experience has shown that the game is very attractive and entertaining, and that the person manipulating the elevation and the swinging of the U-shaped member may acquire considerable skill as to the path of travel of the sphere or marble 39. The sleeve 30 is loosely positioned over the stud 29. When desired the sleeve 30 may be lifted from the stud 29 so that the U-shaped member may be laid flat on the base 15. The stud 29 is inserted in an opening formed in the baseboard and this stud 29 may likewise be lifted clear of an opening in the board so that when it is desired to store the structure a minimum of space may be required.

What I claim is. 1. A device of the class described, comprising: a game board having displayed on its upper face a baseball diamond including the various bases of a baseball diamond, home plate, and the pitchers box; a U-shaped tube mounted on said board and being disposed in a substantially vertical plane and having one leg longer than the other; means connecting the shorter leg to said board for rockable movement above said board on a horizontal axis perpendicular to the plane of said U-shaped tube and swingable on a vertical axis with the end of said shorter leg terminating adjacent the pitchers box and faced toward home plate; and side Walls on the edges of said board projecting above the upper face of said board.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1, including a U'shaped supporting member projecting upwardly from the upper face of said board and loosely supporting the longer leg of said tube on the bight portion thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,942,429 Jacobs Jan. 9, 1934 2,618,483 Chiodo NOV. 18, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 166,341 Austria 1950