US3036833A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

y 29, 1952 L. v. WILSON 3,036,833

GAME APPARATUS Filed Jan. 4, 1960 LOYAL V WILSON INVENTOR.

BY A rr'v United States Patent 3,036,833 GAME APPARATUS Loyal V. Wilson, Rte. 1, Box 37, Tangent, Oreg. Filed Jan. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 262 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-103) This invention relates generally to game apparatus and one of its objects is to provide a simple and inexpensive device for playing a game involving both skill and chance.

More particularly, the invention has reference to that class of game devices or apparatus in which balls, marbles and the like are projected by being thrown or tossed into receiving compartments of relative fixed value, and in which means is also included for returning the played projectiles to a player or players where the scored value of all the projectiles allowed to the player can be almost instantly read and checked up and so that the playing operations may be conveniently repeated.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a game apparatus of the character described a combined arrangement of pockets or compartments having a targetlike arrangement of unlike scoring values, and means superjacen-t the pockets to deflect a tossed projectile (ball) from an indented pocket unless skillfully and accurately tossed.

Further objects and purposes of the invention include a simple, durable and inexpensive construction, easily disassembled to be put away when not in use, readily, simply and quickly set up for playing, and wherein the target arrangement can be conveniently adjusted into various elevated positions relative to a players stand whereby greater or less skill will be required in tossing the projectile at a proper trajectory for entering the target compartments.

The foregoing and 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 drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of my game apparatus shown as set up for use.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view of FIGURE 1 on an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary detail view on an enlarged scale taken approximately along the line 33 of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional end elevational view taken approximately along the line 4-4 of FIG URE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a rear elevational view of FIGURE 4.

With continuing reference to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like parts, reference numeral 1 indicates generally the target arrangement, which comprises a vertical rear wall 2, a downwardly and rearwardly inclined front wall 3, downwardly and inwardly converging side walls 4 and 5, and similarly converging partition walls 6 and 7 to provide chutes 8, 9 and 10. This target assembly can be conveniently attached to a wall 12 or other suitable supporting surface in vertically adjusted positions relative thereto by means of an elongated bracket 13 secured as at 14 to the back wall 2, and provided with key-slots 15 engageable with a screw 16, nail or the like driven into the wall 12.

The rear wall 2 extends above the front and side walls 3, 4 and 5 as shown and this extended area is provided with openings 8A, 9A and 10A directly above the chutes 8, 9 and 10. Each opening is backed by a covering of cloth or fabric 20 or any other suitable non-resilient material adapted to cushion the impact of a tossed'ball and thus cause it to fall into the corresponding subjacent chute. An inaccurately tossed ball, striking any of the frame-like members 21 which define the openings, would, of course, rebound in unpredictable directions and any scoring which might result therefrom would be purely a game of chance.

Hingedly attached as at 25 (FIGURES 2, 5 and 6) to the bottom of the rear wall 2 is one end of a ball-return table indicated generally at 26 provided throughout its length with tracks in the form of grooves 27, 28 and 29, and supported at its opposite end by a pair of hingedly attached legs 30, preferably rubber-tipped as at 31. For

convenience in disassembling the game apparatus for storing or shipping, the hinges 25 are provided with keyslots 35 by means of which they, and hence the table 26, can be detached from pins 36 carried by the back wall 2 of the target assembly *1.

Matching the grooves 27, 28 and 29 at the hingedly supported end of the table 26 are three inverted semicircular openings 40, 41 and 42 which provide gravitational outlets for the balls 43 from any of the chutes 8, 9 or 10.

It will be noted in FIGURES 2 and 4 that the bot-tom ends of the partition walls 6 and 7 terminate in a plane above the corresponding end of the table 26 to provide a space 45 within which a ball or balls dropped from the chutes will be free to bounce around in an unpredictable manner until gravitating into one of the grooves 27--29 and finally coming to rest at the players end of the table where the score can be computed by the values applied to the ends of the grooves as shown in FIGURE 1. Thus an accurately tossed ball even after striking the intended one of the cloth covered openings 8A, 9A and 10A and dropping into the corresponding chute therebelow is thereafter out of control while bouncing about within the space 45 and until it finally settles into one of the grooves 27-29 and rolls out to the score computing end of the table 26 at the players end.

While I have shown a particular form of embodiment of my invention I am aware that many minor changes therein will readily suggest themselves to others skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A ball game apparatus comprising in combination a target arrangement having a plurality of vertically disposed chutes open at their top and bottom ends and defined by a downwardly and rearwardly inclined front wall, a vertical rear wall, downwardly converging side walls and downwardly converging partition walls intermediate said side walls, said partition walls terminating at their bottom ends on a plane above the bottom ends of said side walls, whereby to provide an uninterrupted space below and across the bottom of said chutes, said rear wall being co-extensive in width with the spacing between the top ends of said side walls and extending above the top end of said chutes and having a number of openings therethrough matching the number of and 3,036,833 3 a 4 vertically aligned with said chutes, non-elastic flexible space as it gravitates into said one end of the ball-return coverings closing said openings whereby a. tossed ball t b1 striking any one of said coverings will fall into the chute in vertical alignment with the covering so struck, a ball- References Cited in the file of this patent return table attached at one of its ends to said rear Wall 5 of the tar-get arrangement and in open communication UNITED STATES PATENTS at that end with the space below said bottom ends of 4 54 Dixon Jan. 16, 1923 said chutes whereby said space will permit of uncon- ,53 55 Russell Mar. 31, 1925 trolled and unpredictable bouncing of a ball within said ,5 7,171 Huttlin July 28, 1925

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