US2954978A

US2954978A - Game

Info

Publication number: US2954978A
Application number: US384303A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Robert E Towle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-10-05
Filing date: 1953-10-05
Publication date: 1960-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 1977-10-04

Description

Oct. 4, 1960 R. E. TowLE, JR

GAME

Filed Oct. 5. 1953,

GAME

Robert E. Towle, Jr., 410 s. 48th Ave, Omaha, Nebr.

7 Filed Oct. 5, 1953, Ser. No. 384,303

1 Claim. (31. 273-126) This invention relates to games of a type played with a sliding puck and in particular it is an object of this invention to provide a folding hinged sliding board in such a game whereby the game can be stored more readily.

Games of this general type have been patented many times but never has any game for use in the home of the sliding puck type ever received wide popularity.

This has, in my opinion, been because it has been very .inobvious to inventors to so design these games so that the rack on which they are played can fold.

The advantages of folding are great, in that folding makes possible convenient storage behind a davenport or drapery, or in a closet of a home. Also it makes it possible to transport the game conveniently for delivery and for the user to carry the game to a friends house for use other than in the home.

This game has the advantage of active physical activity without the necessity of expensive equipment because it is designed to be placed on a dining room table or card table to avoid the expense of legs.

Therefore, a further object of this invention is to'provide suitable supporting means under the rack for engaging the top of atable in order to prevent the hinge from contacting the table. Preferably this means consists of buttons formed of rubber or the like to avoid scratching of the table.

A further object resides in the provision of a clasping means in combination with a hinged rack of a particular design especially adapted to make the two halves of the rack fit together tightly. The design of this clasp is of great importance because play is enhanced considerably by a good fit.

A further object is to provide pucks for the game having apertures 'therethrough, and in combination a as the drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a way in which the principles of this invention can be applied.

Other embodiments of the invention utilizing the same or equivalent principles may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the appended claims.

In the drawings: 1

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the board or rack of the game shown in playing position.

Figure 2 is a, perspective view of a puck holder with pucks thereon.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the rack taken;- along the line 3- 3 of Figure 1 and further illustrating its position on a, table.

States Patent in number.

Patented Oct. 4, 1960 Figure 4 is a detail view illustrating the clasp used.

Figure 5 is a detail view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4 and showing the clasp and hinging.

Figure 6 is an isometric view showing the clasp or clamp used to rigidly secure the game board in an extended position. i

The game of this invention comprises a playing board generally indicated at 10, which is called a rack. The rack 10 has two

half portions

12 and 14.

Each half portion is composed of bottom members 16 and two side members or rails 20. The bottom members 16 are normally disposed horizontally and are each of elongated rectangular shape having their ends adjoining each other along a line 30. I

The rails 20 extend vertically upwardly one on each of the longer sides of the bottom boards 16. The inside lower corner of each rail 20 is notched as best seen at 34 for receiving the adjacent corner of the edge of the respective bottom piece 16. The edges of the bottom pieces 16 are suitably secured to the rails 20.

The bottom pieces 16 are held together by a hinge 40 shown in dotted lines in Figure 4 and in full lines at Figure 5. The hinge 40 is preferably of a great length for extending substantially from one side to the other of the bottom pieces 16.

The hinge is secured to the bottom pieces 16 by screws 44. The hinge 40 has a transverse pin 46 in alignment with the joint 30.

The upper corners of the adjoining edges of the bottom pieces 16 are beveled inwardly as seen at 50. The bevel '50 is slight but is helpful in permitting pucks 70 to slide freely across the joint 30.

The two

halves

12 and 14 of the rack are held together by clasps generally shown at St). The clasps are vdisposed one on each side of the rack attached to the inner side of the rails 20 and spanning the joint 30 therebetween.

The clasp 80 is best shown in Figure 6 and has a hook portion 82 with one end turned back for receiving a holder member 84 of a loop shape having an open center 86 and inturned ends 88 pivotally attached to a clamp lever 90. The lever 90 is of U-shape having its outer ends pivotally fixed by a pivot pin 92 to a mounting member 94, which latter has an outturned end 96 with its outer end turned back upon itself around the pin 92 for holding the pin 92 in place. i i

The two half portions 82 and 94 of each clasp 80 are fixed to the rails 20 by screws 100.

As thus described when the holders 84 are placed in the hooks 82 and the lever 90 is pressed down against its mounting member 94, the edges of adjacent rails 20 will be firmly pressed together to provide a rigid game board.

As best seen in Figure l, the target end of the board is provided with a plurality of stalls 129, preferably four These stalls are formed by providing three equally spaced apart wall members 124 which extend inwardly from an end rail 126. The walls 124 are suitably secured to the respective bottom member 16 and to the end rail 126. The end rail 126 is suitably secured to the adjacent rails 20. i

The wall members 124 are further held in place by a reinforcing rod 128 which extends from one rail 20- to the other through apertures 130 in the walls 124. The ends of the rod 128 are secured to the respective rails20.

Each stall 120 is provided with a number fixed to the end rail 126,'the numbers being 1, 3, 4 and 2 respectively, reading from left to right. The higher numbers are preferably in the center'stalls because it is easier to shoot a puck into the side stalls 1 and 2 because of the guidance of the guide rails 20.

bumper 150 should be of resilient material preferably rubber and add interest to the game because they cause the pucks to bounce back out of the stalls 120 if thrown too hard. 2 p

Additionally, a rubber bumper 160 is fixed to the lower portion of the inner end of each wall 124.

All

bumpers

150 and 160 are disposed adjacent the bottom 16 and at a height to cause the pucks to bounce rearwardly therefrom for adding interest to the game.

A limit rod 170 extends across the board between the joint 30 and the open end of the boardy172. The limit rod 170 is fixed to the rails 20 and is spaced aboutmid- Way between the bottom of each rail 20 and the top. In this way pucks will slide under the limit rail-170 but it is not possible for a player to push his playing hand under the rail 170 while holding the puck. Because of this the limit rail 170 limits the closeness to the target stalls to which the player can be. a

The pucks '70 are each of circular shape having a center opening Nib-extending axially therethrough. The purpose of the openings 200 is seen in Figure 2 as a plurality of pucks 70 can be placed upon a puck holder 300 for holding the pucks in. the left hand while shooting with the right hand. i 7

The holder 309 comprises the handle portion 310 fixed to a holder rod having a handle receiving port-ion, 312 disposed preferably at slightly less than a right angle with respect to a spacing portion 314 to which it is connected. The spacing portion 314 is connected to a normally vertical downwardly extending portion 316 which is attached at its lower end to an inwardly extending horizontal portion .320. .The

portions

314 and 320 are horizontally disposed preferably in ali nment as seen in top plan view and in parallelism as seen in side elevation. The portion 316 is disposed at a right angle to the portion 314 and the portion 320. i

At the inner end of the portion 320 is, an upwardlyextending puck receiving portion 322. The portionH322 is disposed at right angles to the portion 320' and is attached thereto. 1 The portion 322 extends upwardly beyond the handle 310 and has a tip end portion 324 attached thereto which bends at an angle of approximately 150 with respect to the portion 322, the bend being slightly toward thehandle 31b for facilitating the placing of a puck on theiportion 324. There is' a tendency to hold the packs 70 on the carrier or holder 3% at times when the. portion 322 is held in an approximately horizontal position.

As best seen in Figure 3 the rack 10 can be placed upon a table 350 having legs 352 and is supported upon feet 354 which are formed of. rubber or other suitable resilient material. I v

The feet 354 are fixed to the underside of the bottom pieces 16 in any suitable manner and the feet 354 are preferably four in number, two being disposed underthe section 12 and two under the section 14. The feet 354 are disposed toward the side rails each disposed adjacent a respective side rail 20 and are disposed approximatel'y midway between the respective end of the

section

12 or 14 and the center joint 30. p

The game is scored in accordance with the number of pucks disposed inwardly of the stalls 120. If the center of an opening 200 of a puck is disposed under the rod 128 then the puck is considered to be in the stall in question. i

If one puck is in each of the four stalls, then the score 2 the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated, and it will also be obvious that my invention is susceptible of some change and modification without departing from the principles and spirit thereof, and for this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown in carrying out my invention in practice, except as claimed.

a I claim:

A game board having a bottom of oblong shape having a normally horizontal surface for receiving sliding pucks, said game board having upwardly extending wall members fixed to its sides and at least one of its ends, said bottom board and side wall members being in two separate sections normally abutting each other at approximately the lengthwise center of the board, hinge means attaching the two sections of said game board together, whereby the two sections are adapted to be folded into positions alongside each other for storage, a plurality of upright stall partition walls being provided and sutiably secured in place for providing a plurality of target stalls at one end of said game board, said walls being disposed in parallelism with said sidewalls and opening toward the opposite end of said board for receiving pucks there- 'between, a means disposed extending across said bottom board adjacent outer ends of said stall partitionwalls, and spaced upwardly fromisaid bottom board and attached .to said stall partition walls and to said side walls for indicating an outer boundary of said stalls to facilitate the determining of whether a puck should'be counted asadequately in a targetstall; a plurality of resilient bumpers disposed one in each of said-target stalls and fixed to said end wall at points sufiiciently near the upper surface of said bottom member to receive the force of pucks striking thereagainst to cause the pucks to bounce backwards, a plurality of resilient bumper members on the inner ends of each of said partition walls likewise disposed sufficiently close to said bottom member for causing pucks to bounce back therefrom; a limit member extending transversely across said board from one side wall to the opposite sidewall and being fixed to said side walls at points disposed between said joint between said sections and that endyof saidboard which is opposite said target stalls, said limit member being spaced a substantial distance inwardly from that end of said board which isopposite said stalls, and being spaced upwardly from said bottom member a sufficient distance for the free passage ofpucks therebeneath; and each section of said bottom member being bevelled on its upper side at the point of joinder-between'said sections soas -to permit pucks to.,slide more freely across the joint; and said hinge means comprising a hinge extending substantially the en tire distance from one side. of said board to the other side of said board, said hinge being fixed to each section of said bottom member and disposed beneath said bottom member section,"an d clasps attached to the inner side of each of, said side wall sections and spanning the point of joinder between the sections of each side wall respectively References Cited in the file of this pat ent UNITED STATES PATENTS