US2801854A - Wicket type toy game structure - Google Patents

Description

. TRLJ DE.ALJ

ATTORNEYS INVENTOR.

A E TRUDEAU WICKET TYPE TOY GAME STRUCTURE Filed NOV. -l8, 1955 Aug. 6, 1957 FIG.

United States Patent I 2,801,854 WICKET TYPE TOY GAME STRUCTURE Armand E. Trudeau, Holyoke, Mass.

Application November 18, 1955, Serial No. 547,658

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-127) This invention relates to a toy game structure of the wicket type having an opening therein through which an object may be directed as for example a croquet ball or other object.

An object of my invention is to provide novel apparatus for agame or sport wherein several units of the invention may be distributed about an indoor or outdoor area and the participants may attempt to propel a ball through the openings of the individual units in a desired sequence with the passage of the ball through the same being reflected by the coming to life of a novel figure represented by the structure. Thus the scoring of a player by the passage of his ball through a wicket may be signaled to him and to other players of the game.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy structure especially attractive to children which will instill into a child of tender years the desire to participate in playing a game with the unit or using the same as a toy and in the process of which the childs muscular coordination-and sense of direction may be exercised and developed.

Another object is to provide a unique toystructure in which a novel figure is pictorially represented by surface ornamentation on a front side thereof and as a complement to which a second member may be .movably attached and concealed at the rear side thereof so as to pivot into an extended position in which it forms in periplrera-l outline and surface ornamentation a part of the outline and ornamentation of the major figure in order togive a unique visual effect.

Still another "object of "the invention is to provide a toy or game structure of the above nature particularly attractive to children and in which the actuation of the secondary member to its extended position provides an action shot or panoramic view of the supplementary or complementary member coming to rest in completing a pictorial repersentation as seen from the front of the figure.

The above and other particular objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following disclosure thereof as shown by the drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a unit embodying the invention with the secondary member thereof in retracted position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view from the back side of the unit of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the extended position of the secondary member on the release of the latch mechanism as actuated by a ball passing through the opening of the primary member;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view showing a second form of unit embodying the invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective from the rear of the unit of Fig. 4 with the secondary member thereof held in retracted position; and

Fig. 6 is a similar perspective showing the extended position.

In the drawings, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, a wicket member,

r ICC such as the planar figure cutout 1, is formed with the peripheral outline of a gunman in shooting stance. 0n the front side of the planar cutout is painted the clothing and facial characteristics of a desperado or Wild West 5 character. The cutout 1 is the primary or major figure of the unit and is adapted for vertical support in anupright position by means of pedestal supports 2 which are grooved to receive the legs of the figure as shown by Figs. 2 and 3. Stakes 3 may also be provided for insertion in appropriate slots at the underside of the supports 2 for driving into the ground in an outdoor area.

On the back side of the cutout 1 and pivoted at the upper section thereof is a secondary cutout member 4 in the form of an arm and gun in hand of the shooter.

depicted on the face of the cutout 1. The cutout 4 is a complementary figure member adapted for movement in a plane adjacent to the plane of the cutout 1 and for giving an action shot or panoramic view of the shooter going into action as the arm and gripped gun sweep from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 3. At its inner end the cutout arm is pivoted on a pin 5 with washer 6 and cotter pin 7 holding the same for swinging action. The arm is yieldably tensioned in the direction of the extended position of Fig. 3 by a spring means such as an elastic or rubber band 8 fastened at one end to a looped anchor hook 9 fixed eccentrically of the pivot 5 to the innermost end section of the arm 4 and to an anchor hook 10 fixed to the cutout 1 rearwardly of the arm and substantially in alignment therewith in its extended position as shown by Fig. 3. As shown by the retracted position of Fig.2 the rubber band 8 is stretched beyond the pivot 5 and across the same so that release of the arm from its .re-

tracted position will cause its extension in the manner shown by Fig. 3. In the latter position the band 8 may be substantially relaxed so as to maintain the extended position shown or a stop 1-1 :on the cutout 1 may he .located, if desired, in the path of the moving arm to provide an abutment against which the rubber band may snap the arm.

The arm 4 in its retracted position of .Fig. 2 is held by a yieldable latch means indicated generally by numeral 12 and comprising a yieldable rubber band and a bent wire [rod mounted on a vertical pivot at one side of the wicket type opening 13 formed between the shooters legs;

of the Z-figure shown by Fig. 1. The latch means includes an intermediate pivot portion at 14, pivotally fastened by vertically spaced staples 15 fixed adjacent the lateral edge of the opening 13; a lower release or trigger arm portion 16 with looped end 17, the trigger arm being bent horizontally from the lower end of the portion 14 and extending transversely of the opening 13; and a latching portion having a vertical rearwardly offset section at 18 (joined to the portion 14 by a horizontal connection 19 at right angles to the trigger 16), and a horizontal latch arm 20 extending above the trigger with an inwardly directed tip end 21 for engagement against the rear face of the cutout 1. The rubber band 22 is tensioned between the offset section 13 and a hook 23 fixed at the opposite side of the arched opening in the cutout 1. The band 22 thus yieldably urges the latch into latching position with the arm 16 blocking the opening 13 and the tip 21 pivoted against the rear face of the cutout.

In latched position the tip 21 is adapted to hold the outer end of the member 4 in overlying position against member 1 and concealed from the front face of the same. The tip 21 abuts the edge of member 4 which is held under the tension of rubber band 8 to swing the arm to extended position whenever the latch is turned to swing the tip 21 rearwardly against the resistance of the rubber band 22 on the latch at 18. The latch will be released in this manner whenever an object such as a ball 25, as shown by Fig. 3, is propelled through the archway 13 Patented Aug 6, 19.57;

from the front side of the unit. Normally the rubber band 22 will return the latch to latching position after passage of the ball through the opening. However, in the simplified arrangement shown the latch ofi'set section 18 may be carried over the center of the vertical pivot of the portion 14 to be held there by the band 22 as specifically shown by Fig. 3. If desired a stop may be pro vided on the member 1 to prevent travel beyond the in-line condition and insure an automatic return of the latch to latching position. In the form shown the latch may have to be manually reset if the striking force of the object against the trigger 16 is sufiicient to lodge the latch into its full open condition. In resetting the secondary member 4 to its retracted position for subsequent operation, the angled rebent side of the tip 21 as at'26 forms a cam surface against which the end of member 4 may slide in cocking the gun arm of the unit of Figs. l3. I

In Figs. 4, and 6 a second form of unit is depicted wherein the pictorial representation of the major figure 30 is shown as that of a poultry house. The secondary figure is that of a duck 31 which will be swung up onto thetop of the roof when a score is made by an object as the'ball 25 passing through the opening 32.

As shown by Fig. 5 the yieldable means for the secondary figure is an elastic 33. Inasmuch as the movable member of this unit must swing from concealed position to extended position through a substantially greater pivotal arc the band 33 in concealed position of the member 31 is trained over the pivot 34 at the inner end of the member 31. In the extended position of member 31 the eccentrically mounted elastic band is substantially in alignment with the body of the figure. The anchorage for the inner ends of the tensioned elastic band 33 (for the member 31) and band 35 (for the latch 36) may be the common hook 37. In latching the member 31 the neck of the duck is engaged in the same manner as the edge of member 3 in Fig. 1.

What is claimed is:

1. A wicket type toy game structure comprising a planar member formed with an arched opening at the base thereof for passage of a manually propelled object and adapted for support in an upright position, the periphery of said member defining the outline of a novelty figure and the front side of said member bearing a pictorial representation characteristic of the figure with the rear side having a second planar member pivoted thereon for movement in a plane adjacent to the plane of the first member, said second member overlying the rear side of said first member and pivoted at the upper section thereof, and, in one position of pivotal movement being concealed from the face of the first member with its outer end disposed adjacent the upper edge of said arched opening, and in another position of movement having the outer portion extending beyond the periphery of said first member, the front face of said pivoted member bearing a pictorial representation forming a component portion of a completed figure with the representation of said first member, yieldable means acting on said pivoted member to swing the latter to its said extended position, and yieldable latch means mounted on the rear side of said first member engageable with the pivoted member in said concealed position, said latch means comprising an intermediate pivot portion mounted laterally adjacent the edge of the arched opening on a vertical axis, a releasing arm portion extending horizontally from the lower end of said pivot portion transversely of said opening, and a latching portion engageable with said pivot member in said concealed position thereof extending from the upper end of said intermediate pivot portion, said latching portion including a section rearwardly offset from said intermediate pivot portion and angularly disposed relative to said releasing arm portion, the outer end of said latching portion lying in a horizontal plane with an inwardly directed tip being engageable against the rear side of said first member in the path of movement of the outer end of said pivoted member whereby movement of said arm portion away from said opening causes the disengagement of said latching portion and release of said pivoted member for panoramic movement to its said extended position.

2. The structure of claim 1 in which said latch member is a wire rod, and an elastic band tensioned between said otliset section of the upper latching portion and the first member at the opposite side of said opening constitutes the yieldable means therefor, and the said yieldable means for pivoting the pivoted member comprises an elastic band fixed between the inner end of the pivoted member, eccentrically of the pivot thereof, and said first member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 254,200 Crandall Feb. 28, 1882 1,526,663 Cavicchioli Feb. 17, 1925 FOREIGN PATENTS 656,623 Great Britain Aug. 29, 1951

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