US3016242A

US3016242A - Game device

Info

Publication number: US3016242A
Application number: US852343A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank F Colucci
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-11-12
Filing date: 1959-11-12
Publication date: 1962-01-09
Anticipated expiration: 1979-01-09

Description

Jan. 9, 1962 co uccl 3,016,242

GAME DEVICE Filed Nov. 12, 1959 Y M H-W AITTOANEZ' United States Patent Ofilice 3,016,242 GAME DEVICE A Frank F. Colucci, 1936 S. Norwood St,

' Philadelphia, Pa. Filed Nov. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 852,343 Claims. (Cl. 273-102) The present invention relates to a game device, and more particularly to a device for use in playing a novel ball game.

There are many ball games in which a ball is bounced off "a fiat wall or the like by being either thrown or hit against the wall. Such games are played both by professionals and amateurs. In most of such games, the object is to bounce the ball off of the wall in such a manner that the ball cannot be caught or hit by an opposing player. The use of a fiat wall in such games has the disadvantage that the fiat wall does not provide the player on offense, who is throwing or hitting the ball against the wall, with much control over the direction that the ball will bounce away from the wall so as to be able to direct the ball away from the player or players on defense. Thus, the player on offense can rely on only either the force he uses to throw the ball against the wall or possibly spinning the ball to attempt to direct the ball away from a defensive player.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel ball game device.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel ball game device for use in a game in which a ball is bounced off of the device.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel ball game device for use in a game in which a ball is thrown against the device, and which permits control over the direction that the ball will bounce from the device.

Other objects will appear hereinafter. For the purpose-of illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the ball game device of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a back elevational view of the ball game device of the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the ball game device of the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of a modification of the ball game device of the present invention.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the modification of the ball game device of the present invention.

Referring initially to FIGURES l and 2, the ball game device of the present invention is generally designated as 10.

Game device comprises a convex plate 12, which as shown is a quarter of a sphere. The convex plate 12 is supported on a base 14 by three

upright legs

16, 18, and 20.

The base 14 has a semi-circular horizontal plate 22, and an upright rim 24 extending around the convex and straight sides of the plate 22. The legs 16, '18, and extend between the rim 24 of the base 14 and the bottom edge of the convex plate 12. The

legs

18 and 20 are along the straight side of the base plate 22 and the leg 16 is intermediate the ends of the con-vex side of the base 14.

The convex plate 12 is provided With a flange 26 secured along the back edge of the convex plate 12. Flange 26 has a keyhole shaped slot 28 therethrough at the uppermost point of the flange 26.

The ball game device 10 of the present invention is used as follows:

The ball game device 10 is mounted at one. end of a playing field or court, which may be either indoors or outdoors. The playing device 10 may be mounted at the end of the field or court by seating the base 14 on the ground or floor. The ball game device 10 may .b'e'firmly secured on the'ground or floor by bolts extending through the bottom plate 22 of the base 14, or by placing weights on the bottom plate 22 of the base 14. If the playing field or courthas a wall at the one end, the ball game device 10 of the present invention may be mounted on the wall by placing the keyhole slot 28 over a hook or nail secured to the wall. With the ball game device 10 mounted at the end of the field or court, the convex plate 12 faces toward the playing field or court.

The player or players on the defensive place himself or themselves in the playing field or court in front of the ball game device 10. The player on offense then throws a ball against the convex plate 12 ofthe ball game device 10 so as to bounce the ball off of the convex plate 12 into the playing field or court.

If the ball which is bounced off of the convex plate 12 is caught by a player on defense before the ball hits the ground, the player on offense is out. If the player on defense does not catch the ball, the player on the offense scores a point. Thus, the player on offense attempts to aim the ball so that it will bounce in a direction away from any player or players on the defense. The convex shape of the plate 12 permits the player on the offense to aim the ball in a desired direction. Thus, the player on the ofiense can throw the ball against a predetermined point on the surface of the convex plate 12 so that the ball will bounce away from the game device 10 in a desired direction, and the player or players on defense are not aware of the direction that the ball will bounce until after the ball leaves the convex plate 12. This permits the player on offense to use his skill in aiming the ball at a desired point on the surface of the convex plate 12, and permits the player on defense to use his skill in determining where the ball will bounce from the convex plate -12.

A player on offense continues to throw the ball against the convex plate 12 of the game device 10 until he is put out by a player on defense catching the ball. When all of the players on the offense are put out, the teams change sides and the players previously on the defense take turns throwing the ball against the convex plate 12 of the game device 10. In playing the ball game with the game device 10 of the present invention, the players may make up their own rules for playing the game. For example, if'a player misses the convex plate 12 when he throws the ball against the plate 12, the player may be out. Also, the players may provide boundaries within which the ball must stay after it bounce-s from the convex plate 12.

Referring to FIGURES 4 and 5, a modification of the ball game device of the present invention is generally designated as 30.

Ball game device 30 comprises a convex plate 32 which has a hemispherical outer surface. The convex plate 32 is supported on four legs 34 which extend vertically upwardly from a base 36. The legs 34 are uniformly spaced around the bottom of the convex plate 32. The convex plate 32 may be provided with an indicia line 38' which extends across the top of the convex plate 32 and divides the convex plate 32 into two equal segments.

In the use of theball game device 30 of the present invention, the ball game device 30 is mounted along the common end of two adjacent playing fields or courts. The ball game device 30 is positioned so that one segment of the convex plate 32 faces toward one of the playing fields or courts and the other segment of the convex plate 32 Patented Jan. 9, 196-2 faces the other playing field or court. Thus, two separate ball games may be played in the playing fields or courts with each game being played on one-half of the ball 'game device 30.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms Without departing from the spirit or essential at tributes thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

I claim:

l. A ball game comprising a convex plate which is substantially a quarter of a sphere, a base, and a plurality of spaced upright legs depending from said plate and supporting said plate on said base, said plate being supported above said base solely by said legs in a position wherein the convex surface on said plate faces upwardly and out- Wardly from said legs so that a ball can be bounced olf said convex surface, said legs being spaced from each other and structurally interrelated with said convex plate so that there is a substantial lack of rebound structure above and below said convex plate.

2. A game as set forth in claim 1 wherein said plurality of spaced upright legs includes a pair of legs along a flat side of said plate and a third leg spaced substantially ninety degrees from each of said pair of legs.

3. A game as set forth in claim 2 including a second convex plate being substantially a quarter of a sphere, said convex plates being positioned back to back thereby forming a hemisphere, a fourth leg depending from said second convex plate, said fourth leg being opposite to said third leg and spaced ninety degrees from said pair of legs.

4. A ball game device in accordance with claim 2 in which the base includes a semi-circular fiat bottom plate and a rim extending upright from the edge of the bottom plate, and said three legs support said convex plate on said rim.

5. A ball game device in accordance with claim 4 including a flange secured to the back edge of the convex plate, and a hole in said flange by which the game device can be hung from a wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,214,486 Snyder Sept. 10, 1940 2,436,816 Meyer Mar. 2, 1948 2,567,557 Fedrowich Sept. 11, 1951 2,812,946 Hughes Nov. 12, 1957 2,899,204 Ratay Aug. 11, 1959