US3105685A - Bowling target - Google Patents

Description

c. R. JAHN BOWLING TARGET Oct. 1, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 27, 1961 INVENTOR. Cubans R. JAHN FIG. 1.

C. R. JAHN BOWLING TARGET Oct. 1, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 27, 1961 INVENTOR. Cannes R. JAHN FIG. 6 y

C9O7XAMWWWV2/M United States Patent 3,105,685 BOWLING TARGET Charles R. Hahn, 4 /2 S. Greenwood Ave, Park Ridge, Ill. Filed Mar. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 98,419 6 Claims. (c1. z73 54 This invention relates to bowling and pertains particularly to a new and improved bowling target for use in connection with bowling alleys.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved bowling target of the type comprising a ribbon or strip which is suspended over the bowling alley, part way down the alley from the foul line, so that the bowler will have a nearby target toward which he may deliver the bowling ball.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved bowling target comprising either one or two strips or arms adjustably suspended over the bowling alley by means of clamps mounted on a telescopically extensible horizontal supporting rod extending over the alley, so that the strip or strips may be adjusted in position.

Another object is to provide a new and improved bowling target of the foregoing character, in which two such horizontal supporting rods are supported by a single post mounted on the divider between adjacent alleys, the two rods being arranged to extend over the adjacent alleys so that both alleys will be provided with targets.

A further object is to provide a new and improved arrangement whereby the supporting post may be mounted on the alley divider.

Another object is to provide a new and improved arrangement whereby the horizontal supporting rods for the bowling target may be swung out of the way when not in use, into positions parallel to the bowling alleys and lying over the alley divider.

It is a further object to provide new and improved means whereby the supporting rods are retained in either their active or their inactive positions.

A further object is to provide a bowling target which is sturdy, easy to install and use, yet economical in construction.

Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description, taken from the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of a pair of adjacent bowling alleys, equipped with a dual bowling target to be described as an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational section, taken generally along a line 22 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view corresponding to portions of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section, taken generally along the line 55 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a locating disk employed as part of the bowling target.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the locating disk.

FIG. 8 is an elevational view showing the front of one of the target strips or arms employed on the bowling target.

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view of the target strip of FIG. 8.

3 ,195,685 Patented Oct. 1, 1963 FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan view showing the inner end of one of the extensible horizontal supporting rods or arms employed in the bowling target.

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 10.

It will be seen that FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a bowling target 20 adapted to be used in connection with a pair of adjacent bowling alleys 22 and 24.' In the usual manner, eachof the alleys 22 and 24- is provided with gutters 26 running along both sides thereof. In this case, a slightly raised divider 28 is provided between the alleys 22 and 24. A ball return (not shown) may be provided beneath the level of the alleys 22 and 24, and under the divider 28. While this arrangement of the alleys is illustrated, it will be understood that the invention may be applied to any suitable alley arrangement.

It will be seen from FIG. 2 that the bowling target 20 comprises either one or two strips or arms 30 suspended over each of the alleys 22 and 24. The strips 36 may be made of thin plastic, metal, fabric or other suitable material. The strips 30 dangle above the alleys, with the lower ends of the strips spaced above the surface of the alley. When one strip 30 is used, as shown over the right hand alley 24 in FIG. 2, the bowling ball 32 is aimed at the strip 39. If the ball 32 is properly delivered, it will strike the strip 30 and swing it upwardly, out of the way, as the ball rolls down the alley toward the bowling pins 34.

When two of the target strips 30 are used, as shown over the left hand alley 22 in FIG. 2, the bowling ball 32 is aimed between the strips 30, which are adjusted so that the space between the strips is slightly greater than the diameter of the ball 32. Thus, if the ball is properly delivered, it will pass between the strips 30 as it rolls down the alley.

To support the target strips 30, the bowling target 20 is provided with two horizontal supporting rods 36, one of which extends over each of the alleys 22 and 24. The inner ends of both rods 36 are supported by a single post 38 which may be mounted on the alley divider 28.

In this case, each of the rods 36 is formed with a plurality of telescopically extensible sections 36a, 36b, 36c and 36d. It will be understood that any suitable number of sections may be employed in the rods. When the bowling target is not in use, the rods 36 may be telescoped inwardly to their positions of minimum length. Moreover, the positions of the target strips 30' may be adjusted by telescoping the rods 36. It will be understood that the sections 36a-36d are in the form of hollow tubes which telescope successively, one within another.

As shown, the target strips 30 are adjustably mounted on the rods 36 by means of clamps 40. As shown to advantage in FIGS. 3 and 4, each clamp 40 comprises a hollow tubular body member 42 having a bore 44 therein adapted to be received over the rods 36. For the sake of stability, a V-shaped channel 46 may be formed along the lower portion of the bore 44, to receive the lower portion of the rod 36. A thumbscrew 48 may be threaded into the body member 42 so as to engage the rod 36 and clamp it downwardly into the channel 46.

Each target strip 30 is swingably suspended on a pin 59 which extends between a pair of downwardly projecting ears 52 on the corresponding body member 42. The upper end of the strip 30 may be formed into a loop which extends around the pin 50. A suitable form for the loop is shown to advantage at 54 in FIGS. 8 and 9. A snap fastener 56 may be employed to close the loop, so that the loop may readily be opened when it is desired to remove the target strip 30 from the supporting pin 54 In some cases, the loop may be held closed simply by its own resilience.

As shown to advantage in FIGS. and 11, the inner end of each horizontal supporting rod 36 may be formed with a generally circular flattened portion 58 having an opening 60 therein adapted to be received over a threaded stud 62 extending upwardly from the upper end or" the post 38. A wing nut 64 may be threaded onto the stud 62 to retain the flattened portions 58.

The angular positions or" the horizontal supporting rods 36 are maintained by a horizontal locating disk 66 which is secured to the upper end of the post 38 around the lower portion of the threaded stud 62. A central opening 68 is formed in the disk 66 to receive the stud 62. In this case, the disk 66 is provided with four channel shaped formations 7% which are spaced apart by 90 degrees. Each formation 70 comprises a pair of upwardly projecting flanges 72 with a channel or groove 74 therebetween. It will be seen that the channels or grooves 74 are adapted to receive the inner sections 36a of the telescoping rods 36.

When the bowling target is in use, the channel shaped formations 70 retain the rods 36 in their active positions, perpendicular to the length of the alleys. These positions are shown in full lines in FIG. 1. When the bowling target is not needed, the arms or rods 36 may be swung to the positions shown in broken lines in FIG. 1, so that the rods will be paraliel to the alleys and over the alley divider 28. The intermediate channel formations 79 locate the rods 36 in these inactive positions.

In the illustrated construction, the post 38 is mounted on the alley divider 23 by drilling a small hole 76 in the center of the alley divider 23, to receive a pin 78 which projects downwardly from the lower end of the post The post 38 is supported and stabilized by a channel shaped member 89 secured to the lower end of the post 38. It will be seen that the member 86} is provided with a pair of downwardly projecting flanges 82 which rest upon the top of the alley divider 28. This construction is especially well adapted for the use with an alley divider which is crowned, as shown, rather than fiat on the top thereof. The flanges 82 or" the channel 36 extend along the crown of the alley divider 28 and prevent the post 38 from turning. The channel 86 is made sufliciently long and wide to hold the post 38 in an erect position, free from any tendency to wobble.

It has been found that the bowling target of the present invention is of great value in connection with bowling instruction and practice. When needed, the bowling target may be set up very quickly and easily. The horizontal supporting rods or arms 36 may be arranged to extend over two adjacent flleys, or over only one alley By adjusting the clamps 4d and the telescopic rods 36.

the target strips 30 may be moved to any desired positions over the alleys.

When one target strip 30 is employed, as shown for the right hand alley 24 in FIG. 2, the bowler aims the bowling ball so that it will strike the target strip. When two target strips 39 are used, as shown for the left hand alley 22 in FIG. 2, the bowler aims the ball so that it will pass between the target strips.

It has been found that the beginning bowler can greatly improve his game by using the bowling target. The beginner finds it much easier to deliver the ball so that it will strike the target strip 30, only a short distance down the alley, than to aim the ball with relation to the distant bowling pins. The target strip is positioned so that the bowler will be likely to roll a strike if he delivers the ball so that it engages the target strip.

Still greater accuracy can be achieved in bowling by providing two target strips and aiming the ball between them. The use of the bowling target in this manner'is of great value to experienced bowlers who wish to improve their games, and of course is also of value to beginners The target strips may be positioned to direct the ball along any desired path down the alley, either into the strike zone or toward any particular bowling pin or combination of pins.

When the bowling target is not needed, the horizontal supporting rods 56 may be swung out of the way, as shown in broken lines in FIG. 1. The telescopic rods may be retracted for the maximum in compactness. This feature is especially valuable when the bowling target is being transported or stored.

With all of its advantages, the bowling target is easy to manufacture and low in cost.

Various other modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents may be employed without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, as exemplified in the foregoing description and defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A bowling target, comprising a supporting post adapted to be mounted between a pair of bowling alleys; a threaded stud extending upwardly from said post; a pair of horizontal supporting rods having apertured inner portions swingably received around said stud; a nut disengageably retaining said apertured portions on said stud; each of said horizontal rods having a plurality of telescopically extensible and retractible sections for adjusting the length of said rod; a plurality of clamps mounted on said rods; each of said clamps having a bore therein received over one of said rods, a clamping screw threaded into said clamp and engageable with the corresponding rod, and a horizontal pin mounted on said clamp; and a plurality of target strips suspendedfrom the corresponding clamps; each of said strips having its upper end formed into a loop received over the pin of the corresponding clamp; said target strips thereby being adapted to be engaged and swung back by a bowling ball rolled along one of the bowling alleys.

2. A bowling target, comprising a supporting post, a stud extending upwardly from the upper end of said post, a horizontal supporting rod having an apertured inner end portion swingably received around said stud, means on said stud disengageably retaining said apertured portion thereon, a locating member on said post and having a plurality of locating channels for positioning said horizontal rod in an active position and also in an inactive position at right angles to said active position, said rod having a plurality of telescopically extensible and' retractible sections, a member having a bore therein received around said rod, said member being adjustable in position along said rod, and a target strip swingably suspended from said member.

3. A bowling target, comprising a supporting post, a horizontal supporting rod having its inner end connected to said post for swinging moyement around said post, a locating member on said post and having channels for positioning said rod in a plurality of positions, and a tare get strip adjustably suspended from said rod for swingmg movement.

4. A bowling target, comprising a supporting post, a pair of horizontal rods adjustably connected to said post for adjustment to various angular positions around said post, a locating member on said post and having a plurality of channels for locating said rods in a plurality of positions, and a plurality of target strips adjustably suspended from said rods for upward swinging movement.

5. A bowling target, comprising a supporting post, a plurality of horizontal rods extending radially from said post and adjustable in angular position around said post, a member on said post and having channels therein for locating said rods in a plurality of positions, a plurality 6 of supporting members adjustably slidable along said and a target strip adjustably suspended from said rod rods, and a plurality of target strips suspended from said for Swinging film/emeritsupporting members for upward swinging movement References Cited in the file of this patent 6 A bowling target, comprising supporting post, a 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS P 2,336,997 Mobley Dec. 14, 1943 mg m mber n said post and having locatlng ele- 2,766,892 Graber Oct. 16, 1956 ments for positioning said rod in a plurality of positions, 2 387 320 Gravene et a1 May 19 1959

Claims (1)

1. 6. A BOWLING TARGET, COMPRISING A SUPPORTING POST, A HORIZONTAL SUPPORTING ROD HAVING ITS INNER END CONNECTED TO SAID POST FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT AROUND SAID POST, A LOCATING MEMBER ON SAID POST AND HAVING LOCATING ELEMENTS FOR POSITIONING SAID ROD IN A PLURALITY OF POSITIONS, AND A TARGET STRIP ADJUSTABLY SUSPENDED FROM SAID ROD FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT.

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