US3009701A - Flipper game - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 21, 1961 Filed July 25, 1960 A. E. GQLDFARF.;

FLIPPER GAME 2 Sheets-Sheet l ADOLPH ,GOLDFA RB IN VEN TOR.

0.1,., Af v A T TORI/EK Nov. 2l, 1961 A. E. GoLDFARB FLIPPER GAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 25, 1960 ADOLPH E'. GOLD/54H3,

IN V EN TOR.

BY (l, ,s u' 1A 1 TTORNEK United States Patent 3,009,701 FLIPPER GAME Adolph E. Goldfarb, 7245 Atoll St., North Hollywood, Calif. Filed July 25, 1960, Ser. No. 45,039 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-96) This invention relates to a unique and original toy which is a flipper game taking the form of a simulated lfrying pan or skillet and a composition disc associated therewith whereby the disc can be flipped in the air and caught like a pancake or flapjack.

Although the terms frying pan, skillet, pancake and flapjack are used herein to describe a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that these terms are merely suggestive and not used in a limiting sense.

While the toy does in fact simulate the actual flipping of pancakes or flapjacks, it has been found to be an extraordinarily entertaining toy having the additional feature, that it is one calling for physical activity on the part of the child or player. 4It is to be understood further that the toy has further and broader implications beyond the actual simulation of pancakes and frying pans or skillets. Preferably, the part which may be said to simulate a pancake is a disc and the part by which the disc is flipped is referred to as a flipper. This is particularly true since a Wide variety of different types of flippers may be used such as, for example, in the game of jai alai, tennis, handball, -anti-over and numerous other similar games. The toy in actual demonstrations of it has shown that not only is it highly fascinating and entertaining but it offers opportunity for the development of a considerable degree of skill and manual dexterity in flipping the simulated pancake or flapjack and catching it in the simulated frying pan or skillet.

The toy actually provides a game and it may be utilized with a single simulated pancake or disc and two flippers or conversely with a single flipper and one or more discs.

In a preferred form of the invention, as disclosed herein, the flipper takes the form of a simulated frying pan which is preferably made relatively small and of light Weight, of inexpensive and easily fabricated materials such as plastic.

The disc simulating a pancake, in the preferred embodiment, similarly may be made of composition such as plastic, for example, a rubbery or elastomeric material such as vinyl plastic. The disc actually has rather particular characteristics whereby the desired results are achieved. The disc has a desired quality of resiliency and one might say limited rigidity, whereby the desired effects are secured. Actually', in a preferred form of the invention, the disc is given certain aerodynamic properties whereby self-inducing spinning or slipping action of the disc occurs in the air. That is, preferably the disc is slightly dished so as to be convex on one side and concave on the other side. Preferably, also the simulated pancake, that is the disc, has a small peripheral bead at the edge thereof extending from the convex side of the disc. It has been found that this particular conformation of the simulated pancake tends to stabilize it in the air and to improve the qualities of the toy in respect to the flipping of the disc and catching it in or on the flipper.

The flipper particularly, when in the form `of a frying pan, has a hole in it to prevent any possibility of a vacuum existing between the disc and the bottom of the pan so that the disc would be air locked on the flipper and not readily flipped.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a unique, original and highly fascinating and entertaining HCC toy in the form of a flipper as described and a disc adapted to be flipped from the flipper and caught therein.

Another object is to provide a toy as in the foregoing which is extremely simple, and capable of being easily fabricated from inexpensive materials.

Another object is to provide a toy as in the foregoing wherein the disc is in the form of a simulated pancake of composition material and the flipper is in the form of a simulated frying pan.

Another object is to provide a disc as in the foregoing in the toy as described wherein the disc is of composition material which is slightly dished so as to be convex on one side and concave on the other side.

A further object is to provide a toy as in the previous object embodying means to prevent an air lock or vacuum between the flipper and disc.

Further objects and numerous advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and annexed drawings, wherein:

FIG. l is a perspective view of the toy of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2 2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 with the disc in the opposite position; u

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 of a slightly modified form of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a view illustrating the flipping motion of the disc;

FIG. 6 is a plan View of a modified form of disc;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a modified form of flipper; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

FIGS. l to 3 show a representative preferred embodiment of the invention. In these figures, numeral 10 designates a toy including a flipper in the form of a simulated frying pan or skillet having a bottom 11 and an outwardly tapering peripheral wall 13 which is shown as having simulated pouring conformations or spouts as shown at 15 and 16. It should be understood, however, that these conformations may be omitted. The sides of the pan or flipper have a generally rounded configuration at the point where they are joined to the bottom. The flipper has a handle as shown at 17 which hasan opening extending through it.

In the bottom of the pan is a round hole or aperture Z1 having the purpose of preventing a Vacuum between the bottom of the pan and the disc, that is, the prevention of an `air lock occurring. This hole or aperture of course need not necessarily be round but may have other shapes. Also, the flipper may be of a construction resembling a tennis racket, for example or the like, having a reticular network held within a frame so that a plurality of openings or holes are provided preventing the formation of a vacuum between the flipper and disc, that is, preventing the occurrence of :an air lock interfering with the flipping of the disc from the flipper. Furthermore, the flipper might be flat but having a number of grooves in it so as to permit the air to escape from between the disc and the bottom of the flipper such as might possibly occur upon the landing of the disc on the flipper with the concave side down.

The simulated frying pan, that is the flipper may b made from any suitable material, more preferably a material such as a light, inexpensive plastic which is easily formed and fabricated. The configuration of the frying pan is such that it may be very easily produced using very simple fabrication techniques.

In combination with the flipper, there is provided a simulated pancake which is the disc 23. This disc is slightly dished as may be seen in FIG. 2 so that it is convex on one side and concave on the other. Preferably also around the periphery of the disc, it has a small bead as shown at 24 which extends from the concave side of the disc. The disc may be made from a suitable composition such as a flexible plastic or other suitable material. It is to be understood, however, that it is also possible and within the scope of the invention that the disc be made from a rigid or relatively rigid material. Actually, the disc is made of a material having the required conformation and characteristics to give it certain aerodynamic qualities in flight when flipped and the proper qualities with reference to its being caught in the flipper. If the disc is relatively rigid, it may tend to bounce out of the flipper unless the flipper is made of corresponding yieldable material which is of course possible. If the disc is too rigid, it has been found that it clatters in or around the flipper and is too easily dislodged. Preferably, the disc is made just sufficiently rigid as to avoid being drapable, i.e., just sufficiently rigid to be self-supporting or substantially so and so that there is but slight sag if the disc is permitted to rest either on its convex or concave side on a flat surface. On the other hand, if the disc is sufciently drapable or non-rigid to lose its substantial and desired concave or convex conformation in cross-section, its qualities of aerodynamic stability and particularly its ability to spin are impaired. It should be understood that the particular dished disc-like conformation gives the device the proper aerodynamic qualities of stability and spin while in flight. In order to realize these particular qualities in the disc, it is preferable that it be made of a rubber or elastomeric material, for example vinyl plastic. Normally the disc will rotate about a diameter in flight. It has sufficient rigidity to have this characteristic. FIG. shows a single disc being flipped back and forth between two separate flippers.

In practicing the invention, the disc is held on the flipper and tossed or flipped therefrom in a manner simulating that in which an actual flapjack may be flipped from a frying pan or skillet. However, both the flipper and the disc possess certain qualities not present in an ordinary frying pan or a flapjack and the operation has certain significantly distinct characteristics. The object and entertaining feature of the game is of course that the disc may be tossed to lesser or greater heights with the player endeavoring to catch it squarely on the flipper and flip it again. Such manipulations of course require some degree of skill and it has been found to be extremely entertaining and fascinating to flip or toss the disc in the manner described. It has been found further that the toy offers rather surprising opportunities for the development of skill in flipping and catching the disc. The holes or otherwise as described above in the surface of the flipper prevent the air lock between the two especially when the disc is caught in the flipper after having been tossed in the air but also to facilitate the release of one from the other even when the disc is merely lying in the flipper. The disc may be lifted and tossed by the edge of the simulated frying pan and the disc is sufliciently rigid so that it cannot drape over the edge of the pan, that is, it cannot conform readily thereto. If it did so conform to the edge of the pan, it would have poor air foil properties and would not flip in the air.

FIG. 4 shows a modified form of the invention having a hole 25 in the disc rather than there being a hole in the flipper.

The game described herein may be played as a game of catch between one or more individuals or even in the manner of volley ball or tennis where one team plays against another or in any manner tosses back and forth between a number of individuals, one or more at a time and in one or more directions at a time, that is, with one being thrown in one direction but preferably always in a manner to cause flipping as induced by the natural aerodynamic nature of the concave-convex shape of the disc.

The disc may take a form as shown at 27 in FIGS. 6 and 7 wherein the peripheral bead 24 has peripheral notches as shown at 28. The disc has a concave-convex shape as in FIGS. 2 and 3 and is otherwise similar in construction. The notches 28 prevent the formation of a vacuum or air lock when the disc lands concave side down on the flipper. Additionally, the disc may have beads on the convex side as shown by way of example at 30 as being of spaced arcuate conformation and circularly arranged around the central axis of the disc. These beads prevent any possibility of there being a vacuum or air lock between the disc and flipper when the disc lands on the flipper with its convex side down. It is possible that the central portion of the disc in contact with the flipper may flatten slightly so the beads 30 effectively serve their purpose of preventing a vacuum at that area.

The flipper itself as described in the foregoing may be a flat paddle or the flipper itself may be dish-shaped with or without the edge turned up relatively sharply in a manner of a frying pan. In other words, it is possible without the lip to flip the flipper and spin the disc about a diametrical axis. This can be demonstrated by using the back of a flipper as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. It is possible that the flipper itself may be concave on one side and flat on the other generally requiring more skill to catch at least on the flat side.

The flipper may take the form as shown at 33 in FIGS. S and 9. This form simulates a frying pan but has beads or ribs on the inside bottom surface having a conformation as indicated for example at 34. These beads or ribs prevent the occurrence of a vacuum or air lock between the flipper and the disc.

The game may be enlarged upon by the player having a flipper in each hand and tossing the simulated pancake, that is the disc, from one and endeavoring to catch it in the other. Another variation is the flipping of one or more simulated pancakes from a single flipper somewhat in the manner that a juggler juggles one or more balls or objects simultaneously. These variations of course require more skill and offer enlarged opportunities for the development of skill and are correspondingly additionally entertaining.

What is claimed is:

A flipper toy comprising a paddle-like member having a relatively flat surface, and a disc-like member of semirigid material having a dished conformation to give it aerodynamic stability in flight and a smooth peripheral bead at its outer edge, said disc-like member being of less diameter than the flat portion of said paddle-like member, and means for admitting air to any space between said paddle-like member and said disc-like member to prevent production of a vacuum between said members whereby said disc may be repeatedly flipped over in the air by said paddle-like member and then caught thereon.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,292,011 Monroe Ian. 21, 1919 2,886,320 Hennik May 12, 1959 2,912,246 Hayward Nov. 10, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 647,232 Germany June 30, 1937

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