US2968485A

US2968485A - Bowling pin

Info

Publication number: US2968485A
Application number: US774957A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard P Aler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1958-11-19
Filing date: 1958-11-19
Publication date: 1961-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 1978-01-17

Description

Jan. 17, 1961 R. P. ALER BOWLING PIN Filed No. 19, 1958 Fig. 3

United States Patent O BOWLING PIN Richard P. Aler, 1605 Chilton St., Baltimore, Md.

Filed Nov. 19, 1958, Ser. No. 774,957

I Claims. (Cl. 273-82) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in sports equipment, and more particularly to an improved bowling pin.

At the present time one of the major items of expense to operate a bowling establishment is the cost of the pins. Inasmuch as the pins are struck by bowlin-g balls which are travelling at a high rate of speed and since the striking area between the bowling ball and the pin is relatively small, each time a pin is struck by a bowling ball, it is damaged to some extent. Furthermore, the bowling pins fly when struck by the bowling balls and strike each other or components in the alley pit. This results in further damage to the bowling pins. In many instances the force of the bowling ball hitting a bowling pin is sufficient that the ball will sufliciently damage a new pin to a point that it is worthless. lOn the other hand, while many bowling pins do take repeated hammering by the bowling balls, after the pins become slightly out of shape or have splinters projecting therefrom, when the pins go through the automatic pin Setters, these damaged pins oftentimes jam the pin setting machine and cause stoppage thereof. This, of course, results in the loss of revenue and the attention of a mechanic.

Numerous attempts have been made to provide` a bowling pin which will withstand the shock of the irnpaot of a bowling ball thereon. While it is possible to sufficiently reinforce a bowling pin whereby it will stand the shock of the impact of the bowling ball thereon, the bowling pin does not react in the same manner as the conventional maple bowling pin.

Inasmuch as the bowler desires both the usual sound of bowling balls striking the maple pin and also the action obtainable with the maple pin, these reinforced bowling pins have proved to ybe unsuccessful. Also, much experimentation has been made in the line of coating the wooden core with a thin layer of hard plastic material. However, while this has increased the -life of the bowling pin and such a pin is being used in the trade, the extra cost of the bowling pin is not particularly offset by the extra life thereof. Also, bowling pins are at the present time being reclaimed by turning down the ball striking area thereof and reinforcing it so that the damaged bowling pin may be used over for some time. On the other hand, these innovations do not solve the existing problem.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide' an improved bowling pin, vwhich bowling pin reacts the same as the conventional maple bowling pin and at the same time is so constructed whereby it is resistant -to the impact of a bowling ball thereon.

Another object of this invention is -to provide a composite bowling pin, the composite bowling pin including an outer hard shell which is shock resistant and which is mounted with respect to a solid core by means of a resilient layer so that not only does the outer shell of the bowling pin take the initial shock and prevent it from being damaged by the impact of the bowling ball due to its hardness, but also due to resilient mounting ICC thereof there is a lloating action between the shell and the core so as to stress relieve the area of the shell struck by the ball.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved composite bowling pin, which bowling pin will have the same action as the existing maple wood bowling pin when struck by a ball, and at the same time is highly resistant to shock whereby the life thereof is very great 'as compared to existing bowling pins.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved bowling pin which includes a rigid core, which core may be formed of wood, plastic or of a composite material, there being provided for the core a resilient layer which is formed of rubber, neoprene, or the like, and there being an outer shell, which outer shell is formed of a very hard material, preferably one of fiber composition, which material is resistant to `the impact of a bowling ball and which is iloatingly mounted with respect to the 4core by the resilient layer so that damage to the shell under normal operating conditions is prevented.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational View of the bowling pin which is the subject of this invention, a portion of the bowling pin being broken away and shown in section in order to clearly illustrate the details of the construction thereof;

Figure 2 is Ian enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by section line 2-2 of Figure 1 and shows the construction of the bowling pin; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view similar to Figure 2 and shows the details of a slightly modied form of bowling pin construction.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated the bowling pin which is the subject of this invention, the bowling pin being referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The bowling pin 1t) will have the same final external configuration as existent bowling pins and will be of ap# proximately the same weight. The bowling pin 10 inf cludes a solid core 12 which may be formed of wood, molded sawdust, wood chips, composition board, etc., or a suitable plastic. Disposed about the core 12 is a resilient layer 14 which is formed of a resilient rubber-f like material such ias latex or neoprene. The resilient layer 14 may be placed on the core 12 by any one of several methods including molding, spraying and `dip coating. g

Surrounding the resilient layer 14 is a. shell whichl is referred to in general by the reference numeral'l. The shell 16 is formed of two

identical halves

18 and 20 which are joined together with an overlapping joint 22 between each edge of the

shell halves

18 and 20, the joint 22 being disposed in diametrically opposite relation. A suitable adhesive will be used to secure the halves 18 `and 20 together whereby the shell 16 has no weakness at its joints. A

It is necessary that the shell 16 be extremely rigid and at the same time resistant to shock. For that reason, it is proposed that the shell 16 be formed of a fiber material. A material such #as a laminated phenolic plastic that is applied under heat and pressure is suitable for this purpose. The adhesive used in securing together the halves of the shell 16 will be in the form of a strong phenolic adhesive or other plastic adhesive.

Disposed over the shells 16 is a thin coat of white plastic paint 24 so as to give the bowling pin 10 the normal white coat. Overlying the coat of plastic paint 24 fis a 4thin coat of plastic 26, lsuch as a ,thin coating of vinyl plastic.

The bowling pin is concluded by a pin setting plug 28 which js seated in a recess 30 which is formed at the time .the core 12 is turned or molded. The pin setting plug 28 will also be formed of a suitable plastic material.

The Vshell 16, being vformed of a hard impact resistant material, is not subject to damage by the normal impact placed thereagainst upon the striking thereof by a bowling pin. Furthermore, inasmuch as the shell 16 is resiliently mounted with respect to the core 12 by means of the resilient layer 14, extra high stresses at one point on .the Yshell 216 are eliminated inasmuch as the shell 1 6 may shift slightly with respect to the core 12 due to the resiliency of the resilient layer 14. Thus, the exposed surface of .thebowling pin .10 is not subject to the normal breakage which occurred in existing bowling pins. On the other fhand, .the particular construction of the bowling pin 10 is such that when struck by the bowling ball, it will make the same sound as that of the customary maple bowling pins and will have the same action as the maple bowling pins. If anything, the bowlingpin 10V will beslightly livelier than the maple bowling pin.

V.Referring now to Figure 3 in particular, it will be seen that there is illustrated a modified form of bowling pin which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 32. Thebowling pin 32 includes a solid core 34 which is very similar to the core 12, but is slightly smaller than the core 12. Surrounding the core 34 is an inner resilient layer 36 which corresponds to the resilient layer 14. Surrounding theresilient layer 36 is a shell 38 which is formed of identical halves 40 and which corresponds to the shell .16.

.The bowling pin 32 differs from the bowling pin 10 in that surrounding the shell 38 is a. second resilient layer 42 which is of the same construction as the resilient layer 36. Further, surrounding the resilient layer 42 is au outer shell 44 which isformed of identical vhalves 46. It s to be noted that thehalves 46 have theirjoints disposed approximately 90 from the joints between .the halves 40. The outer shell 44 has a layer of paint 48 thereovcr, the paint layer 48 corresponding to the paint layer v24. The .bowling pin 32 is iinished by a plastic outer layer, -the plastic layer being referred to by the reference numeral 50 corresponding to the plastic layer 26.

From the foregoing, it will be readily apparent that the howling pin 32 differs from the bowling pin 10 only in that .it .is provided with van extra resilient layer and extra shell. It v.is also to he understood that it is within the province fof this invention to provide as many resilient layersandas many shells as is desired.

lFrom the foregoing description of the bowling pin, which vis the subject of this invention, it will be seen thatthe cost thereof is slightly greater than the natural maple bowling pin, but not greatly in excess. On the other hand, because the bowling pin is resistant to the shock and does lnot shatter or splinter las in the case of existing bowling pins, it will be readily apparent that the life `of the bowling pin, which is the subject of this invention, is greatly in -excess of that of existing bowling pins. Thus, the added life of the .bowling pin of this Vinvention could 'be oset through the minor increase in cost thereof and the bowling pin will satisfy the long sought after requirements of the composition bowling pin.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and .operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A bowling pin comprising a core including an elongated main body having a base portion at one end, a neck portion at the other end, and an intermediate body portion of circular cross-sectional area for receiving impact from a bowling ball, a layer of resilient ymaterial completely enclosing and engaging said core and a shell of rigid plastic material completely enclosing and engaging said layer of resilient material, said resilient material and rigid shell .cushioning impact received by the shell and distributing the forces produced by impact received on .the shell 4throughout the area of the shell and resilient material thereby eliminating force concentration at any one point on the pin and eliminating damage to the pin caused by such concentration.

`2. The bowling pin of claim 1 together with a thin plastic coating enclosing said shell.

3. The bowling pin of claim 1 wherein said rigid shell is constructed from thermosetting plastic material.

4. The bowling pin of claim 1 wherein said shell includes identical halves, the edges of said halves being rigidly secured together by an overlapped joint, said joint lying in a vertical plane disposed longitudinally and passing through the longitudinal center of the core.

5. A bowling pin .comprising a core including a main body having a base at one end, a neck at the other end and .an intermediate ball contacting belly portion, a resilient layer completely enclosing and engaging said core throughout the extended surface area thereof, said layer being of equal thickness throughout, anda rigid shell completely enclosing and engaging said resilient layer throughout its external surface, said shell being of equal lthickness throughout, said l.shell being constructed -of rigid impact resistant material whereby the resilient layer will distribute the stresses produced when a ball strikes the bellyportion of the body throughout the pin thereby cushioning the limpact and preventing damage to the pin by such impact.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 846,164 Teetor Mar. v5, 1907 1,146,509 Obenhack July 13, 1915 1,702,556 Wilhem Feb. '19, 1929 2,166,950 German et al. July 25, 1939 2,199,310 Hartley Apr. 30, 1940 2,202,674 Seaman et al. May 28, 1940 2,357,458 Clough Sept. 5, `1944 2,494,351 Montero a Jan. 10, 1950 2,809,038 Scheidemantel et al. Oct. 8, 1957 2,876,011 Hunt Man 3, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,081,046 France June 2, 1954