US3406973A

US3406973A - Lawn bowling game with target

Info

Publication number: US3406973A
Application number: US495557A
Authority: US
Inventors: James C Poole
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1965-10-13
Filing date: 1965-10-13
Publication date: 1968-10-22
Anticipated expiration: 1985-10-22

Description

Oct. 22,1968 .1. c. POOLE 3,406,973

LAWN BOWLING GAME WITH TARGET Filed Oct. 15, 1965 INVENTOR James 6. Poo/e ATTORNEYS U wd St te Pew LAWN BOWLING GAME WITH TARGET I James'C; Poole, P.0. Box 1291,

, Atascodero, Calif. 93422 1 Filed Oct. 13, 1965 Ser. No. 495,557 Claims. (Cl. 273-423) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLQSURE A lawn pool or lawn bowling game which has a large, fiat,'portable and non-collapsible target piece with large open scoring sections. It is formed by an outerperipheral rim and ,aplurality of outwardlyradiating dividing ribs. Both the. ribs and the rim have the same cross sectional shape being relatively wide in horizontal section and thin in vertical. A plurality of dilferent colored hand-size balls substantially smaller than-the ,scoring sections are rolled toward theztargett by each player. The scoring sections are each a different color; one rib and the adjacentvportion of the peripheral section are a given color to identify the different scoring sections. The number of scoring sections are equal to'the number of balls, each ball is colored to match a color-of one of the scoring sections. A score is received for a ball rolled into a scoring section, and additional bonus-.score is made when a ball is rolled into its corresponding color scoring section.

This invention relates to a new type .ofbowling game for either two or four players, and which is known as lawnpool, I 1 1 This invention comprises the use of a flat, rigid, flat wheel-shapedtarget member having a plurality of separate sections readily distinguishable one from another, and into which a player rolls a ballfrom a distance. The balls correspond to different sections of the target and bonus points are received for rolling a particular ball into its corresponding section of the target.

a This invention has for a general object the providing of a new game which can be played on any typeof substantially fiat surface.

Another object of this invention is to provide a movable target which is simple of construction which can merely be laid on the ground at a chosen spot and can be readily moved from one location to another.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a bowling game which can be played on lawns or on other surfaces whichare not completely smooth, and the surface and adjacent area to the target does not require any special preparation or surface.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive target which is rigid and can be placed on any flatsurface, and into which a ball may be rolled.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a bowling game wherein several players can participate and each players ball has. a separate section on the target which will provide bonus points when the ball is rolled therein.

A still further object of this invention is to provide for asimple lawn bowling game wherein small hand size balls are used by the players, and the targets have open sections into which these balls are rolled.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a lawn bowling game wherein the target member has a plurality of ball receiving open sections defined by a peripheral member and connecting ribs, and into which the balls are rolled, the area of such sections being the surface on which the target is laid.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a target for a bowling game wherein special bonus point sections are provided.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a lawn bowling game which is simple and readily understood, while providing different bonus target sections for each player.

A still further object of this inventionis to provide a simple and inexpensive game for outdoor use primarily, which is inexpensive to manufacture.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a simple bowling game having a target with a wheel-shaped configuration divided into quarter sections and which are identified as different scoring units, one from the other, by use of different colors for the periphery of each section.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, reference being bad to'the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a general view of the game as played;

FIGURE 2 shows the target member in plan view; and

FIGURE 3 shows the four balls as used in the game.

Referring particularly to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows a game as it would be played on a lawn with the targets generally designated as 10 and 12 laid on the lawn the desired distance apart.

The game can be played by either two or four players, and FIGURE 1 shows the game as being played by two

players

14 and 16. The player 14 is shown watching player 16 who has just completed rolling the ball 18 along the lawn in the direction of target piece 12. Each player-is entitled to two balls, which are rolled in the direction of the target piece in an effort to roll each ball into the target piece, and if possible into a special bonus section of the target which will be explained below.

The

targets

10 and 12 are identical, but the detailed description of the target as shown in FIGURE 2 will be had with reference to target 12.

In FIGURE 2, a top view of the target 12 is shown as it would appear when laid in position on a lawn during play of the game.

The target 12 is wheel-shaped and has an annular rim 22 with a plurality of

ribs

24, 26, 28 and 30 integrally connected to a central hub 32. The

ribs

24, 26, 28 and 30'respectively engage the rim 22 at 34, 36, 38 and 40, so that the target piece is formed into a rigid structural unit.

As can be seen in FIGURES 1 and 2 the target piece is an open-latticed structure having four quadrants or radial arcuate

open scoring sections

42, 44, 46 and 48, into which the player attempts to roll one of the two balls chosen by him.

It will be noted that each of the four sections are color coded with the annular rim 22 having

sections

50, 52, 56 and 58 which are resp=ctively colored white, yellow, blue and red. The rib 24 is colored white to match the rim section and to define by color the white quadrant scoring section 48 within which the white ball 60 is shown. The player rolling the white ball into this quadrant will receive extra bonus points as will be explained below.

In the same fashion, the rib 26 and the rim section 52 are both colored yellow to define the yellow scoring quadrant 42.

The scoring quadrant 44 has yellow ball 62 resting therein. The quadrant is made up of the rib 28 and the arcuate rim section 56 both of which are colored blue. In this instance, the player rolling the yellow ball into the blue quadrant would receive points for getting the ball into the quadrant but he would not receive additional bonus points, as would the player who rolled the white ball, because the yellow ball 62 was not rolled into the yellow scoring quadrant 42.

The fourth scoring quadrant 46 is colored red and is bounded by the red colored rib 30 and the red arcuate section 58.

With respect to the target piece, it is possible to move the targets either closer together or further away depending upon the capabilities of the players in the game.

The target can be made of any type of material, but preferably it is made of a one-piece molded plastic construction with the respective rib and arcuate rib portions being colored to designate the individual scoring sections. The rim and ribs of the target piece are thin in crosssection to permit a ball to be rolled thereover.

It is also possible to vary the size of the target sections, and to either increase or decrease the number of sections of the target. However, it is preferable that a quadrant be used, with each player having two balls each.

FIGURE 3 shows the balls which are used with the target piece or target ring. The balls are preferably made of sponge rubber or similar substance so that they can readily roll along the surface and over the peripheral rim 22 and ribs of the ring shaped target.

Operation The game is played by either two or four players, with each player entitled to roll two balls apiece each. All of the balls are of a different color, each ball having a color corresponding with one color of the target sections of the target ring.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the first player such as player 14 rolls his ball toward the target ring in an attempt to get the ball into the ring and preferably within the quadrant having the same color as that ball. After the first player has rolled the ball, the second player 16 as shown in FIGURE 1 rolls the ball 18 toward the target 12 with the object to get the ball into the target and preferably into the quadrant having the same color as his ball.

The second player .14 then rolls his second ball toward the colored quadrant corresponding to the color ball thrown. The second player 16 then rolls his ball toward the target ring.

Points are scored for any ball which is rolled within the peripheral rim 22 of the target, while additional or bonus points are scored for those balls that are rolled into the scoring quadrant having the same color as the ball.

The points scored by the players are counted after the second player has rolled his second ball, and the players then walk to the target 12, pick up their respective balls, and repeat the same procedure by rolling the balls back toward the target 10.

The distance betwen the targets or target rings can be varied depending upon the capabilities of the players, with the distance between targets being varied between 10 to 30 feet.

A player rolling his ball within the targets scores points, with an additional 5 bonus points being scored for a ball which is rolled into a quadrant having the same color. The player scoring the first hundred points is the winner.

The game can also be played with four players, with the same procedure, except that two opponents stand at each target, the two teammates being at opposite targets having the same colored balls.

The balls are hand size, and the targets are approximately 3 feet in diameter. The target is preferably made of light, rigid, plastic material, with the upper surface of the target rim and the ribs being painted to define the colored open scoring quadrants.

It can thus be seen from the foregoing description that a novel type of lawn game for people of all age groups is provided, by this invention. The game rules are simple and easily understood, and the use of simple rigid targets enables the game to be manufactured and sold at a relatively low price.

While the invention has been described in connection with different embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth and fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A lawn bowling game, comprising:

(a) a large, flat, portable, non-collapsible, rigid member, target piece which can be placed on a fiat surface and which has a plurality of open equal-size scoring sections;

(b) said scoring sections being defined by an outer peripheral rim and a plurality of ribs which extend radially outward from a central hub to join said peripheral rim to form a plurality of substantially pie-shaped scoring sections;

(c) said scoring sections being distinquished from each other by a different color on the portion of the rim enclosing a given scoring section;

. (d) said peripheral rim and said radially extending ribs being relatively wide in horizontal section, and thin in vertical section;

(e) a plurality of hand-size balls which are substantially smaller in size than the scoring sections; and

(f) at least two of said balls each having a color which matches one of the colors identifying respectively one of the scoring sections whereby a point bonus is received by rolling a ball into the scoring section having the matching color.

2. The lawn bowling game as set forth in claim 1,

wherein:

(a) said target piece is made of plastic material and is a one-piece unit.

3. The lawn bowling game as set forth in claim 1,

wherein:

(a) said ribs divide said target piece into four quadrants; and

(b) there are four balls, one colored to match each of said quadrants.

4. The lawn bowling game at set forth in claim 1,

wherein:

(a) each scoring section of said target is distinquished from the other scoring sections by the color of its peripheral rib portion and also the color on one of the adjacent ribs.

5. The lawn bowling game as set forth in claim 1,

wherein:

(a) said balls are made of resilient material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 445,016 1/1891 Greene 273-126 579,198 3/1897 Vick 273-123 884,277 4/1908 Hughes 273-127 2,366,782 1/1945 Gorsuch 273-427 3,190,657 6/1965 Johnson 273- ANTON o. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

T. ZACK, Assistant Examiner.