US3425696A - Convertible table model shuffleboard with croquet game attachments - Google Patents

Description

A. L. DOCKUM Y CONVERTIBLE TABLE MODEL SHUFFLEBOARD WITH Feb. 4. 1969 GROQUET GAME ATTACHMENTS Sheet Filed Oct. 8. 1965 Arthur L; 0mm

INVENTOR.

Feb. 4, 1969 A. L. DQCKUM 3,425,696

CONVERTIBLE TABLE MODEL SHUFFLEBOARD WITH CROQUET GAME ATTACHMENTS Filed Oct. 8, 1965 Sheet of 2 United States Patent 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A table-size game board is made up of half sections joined by special hinge means. It is light in weight and foldable for convenient handling and storage. The top of the panel means enables participants to play (1) shuffleboard and (2) croquet. Built-in holddown clips are used to store miniaturized playing disks (pucks) and proportional cue sticks. It is within the purview of the overall concept to provide distributively arranged holes constituting sockets for removable retention of the legs of miniaturized wickets. Specially covered and cushioned croquet balls are adapted to be struck by a properly proportioned mallet. Regularly established rules govern the manner of play by the participants.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in a multipurpose portable table-size game board which is functionally designed and structurally adapted to permit users to play the well known game of shuflleboard and is such in construction that, when implemented with miniaturized coordinating attachments and accessories, it can be aptly and effectually converted so that an equally well known game, croquet, can also be played thereon.

More specifically, the invention has to do with a folding game board which while primarily intended to function as a shufileboard permits the aforementioned optional attachments to be brought into use when the participants desire to play croquet. A significant aspect of the over-all concept is predicated on the shuflleboard features. Accordingly, the structure pertaining thereto will be stressed first and the croquet equipment and usage thereof will be set forth as the description proceeds.

Persons conversant with the state of the art to which the concept relates are well aware that shufiieboard is a game of skill wherein dexterity and capability of performance of one or more participants is put to test in a contest where the result is contingent on and according to the requirements of established rules.

One object in the instant matter is to advance the art of shuflleboards and, in so doing, to provide one which is feasible and practical for use primarily, but not neces sarily, in the users home and which is comparable from a standpoint of achievement with a full-size shuflleboard. It is unique and in fact an innovation in that it may be aptly and successfully used atop a conventional dining room table, atop a pool table in a recreation room or on and in association with makeshift support means such as two or more aligned chairs if and when necessary. To the ends desired a miniaturized shuffleboard is provided, the same being possessed of the commerciable requisites of compactness and convenience, ease of carrying and handling and the capability of being folded and stored unhampered in a closet, under a bed, back of a chest of drawers or wherever convenient out-of-the-way storage space is available.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the concept the game board (shufileboard) is made up of a pair of complemental or companion half-sections which are,

joined together by novel double-knuckle hinge means and 3,425,696 Patented Feb. 4, 1969 can accordingly be folded into compact and convenient form for handling, carrying and storing. The puck supporting, confining and playing surface of the board is in simulation of a regular or full-size shuflleboard. This is to say the game playing area or surface is laid out and suitably marked to provide a court and complemental end zones which are generally triangulate and are diagrammatically subdivide-d to provide customarily or commonly numbered 7-8-10 disk or puck landing and score counting spots.

Briefly this invention comprises a folding portable shuflieboard, eight disk-type projectiles of suitable size, four playing cues and specially constructed and arranged clips whereby the disks and cues can be clipped on the board in out-of-the-way positions when not being used, the over-all structure weighing a total of approximately ten pounds. More explicitly, the structure pertains to a panel made of hinged masonite half-sections, said panel being keyed in grooves provided therefor in adjoined pieces of molding connected together and fashioned into a panel encompassing and rigidifying frame, said frame components or parts having upper and lower portions extending above and below the top and bottom surfaces of the then-framed panel to provide 1) clearance for the novel hinge means and (2) to provide the desired disk curbing and confining result plus other features and advantages which will be hereinafter made apparent.

Also and as will be hereinafter more fully clarified the unique shufileboard provides and offers a special adaptation and environmental association of a plurality of lightweight spring metal clips certain of which are usable as mooring places and retainers for readily applicable and removable disks (regular disks in proper proportional sizes, four red and four black) and lightweight stick-type disk shoving and maneuvering cue hold-down and storing clips of novel construction.

Another significant aspect of the herein disclosed sub ject matter has to do with a shuflleboard whose surface is such in construction that it permits the user to temporarily mount nine miniature wickets and two end stakes thereon, whereby said surface is then converted so that the participants can play a game of croquet thereon. To this end and, instead of having to cover the surface with felt or the like (like the surface of a pool table) the desired result is achieved by using croquet balls whose surfaces are suitably covered and cushioned. By providing properly proportioned mallets a game of croquet, much like the outdoor game, can be satisfactorily played.

These together with 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 drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of a portable table model shuifleboard readied for use but with the disks omitted and two of the cues clipped in out-of-use positions at the left and right hand end portions of the board;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view, that is a view with the 'board of FIG. 1 turned upside down, showing the novel hinge, and bringing into play selectively usable checkerboards as well as a surface which, if desired, can be used as a make-shift or picnic-style table;

FIGURE 3 is an edge view showing the half-sections of the shufileboard folded or collapsed for carrying or storage as the case may be;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross-section taken on the plane of the section line 4-4 of FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of the indicating arrows;

FIGURES 5 and 6 are views in. perspective showing one of the disks or pucks (FIG. 5) and one of the disk shoving and propelling and maneuvering cues (FIG. 6);

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed section showing the gameboard folded and a form of hinge means (double knuckle hinge) which is being satisfactorily used contingent, to some extent, on the requirements of the manufacturer and continuing approval of retailers and users;

FIGURE 8 is a view showing the hinge means as it appears when the game board is readied for use;

FIGURE 9 is a view in perspective corresponding somewhat to FIGURE 1 and which shows certain added accessories or attachments which when assembled in the manner shown function to transform the shuflleboard into a game board on which a game of croquet can then be played.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged transverse section taken on the plane of the line 10-10 of FIGURE 9 looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 11 is a detailed sectional view of one of the croquet balls showing how, generally speaking, it is constructed.

FIGURES 12, 13 and 14 are perspective views of certain of the details; namely, a wicket, a ball and a mallet respectively.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 to 8 pertaining to the the shuffleboard it will be seen that the smooth surfaced flat-sided elongated or rectangular panel is denoted by the numeral 8. The fact that many of the shuflleboards under advisement have been constructed and experimentally used, it can be pointed out that Masonite has been found to be an ideal product from which the panel has been appropriately constructed. This panel is actually made up of two panels or half-sections which abut at their inner ends as denoted at 10 in FIG. 7. The top side or surface is denoted at 12 and the parallel bottom side at 14. The coacting ends 10 are assembled and appropriately joined by hinge means which may vary in practice.

In practice various types and forms of hinges have been experimented with and satisfactorily used. As a result of the experimentation it has been ascertained and determined that the hinge means which is shown in FIGS. 3, 7 and 8 in particular constitutes a preferred adaptation in that it provides for stability, easy folding and should be found to be unobjectionable to makers and users alike. More specifically, it will be noted that a three-part hinge is employed. It is specifically referred to here as a double knuckle hinge and, to the ends desired, it comprises a pair of duplicate relatively wide rectangular flanges 16 and 17 amply broad that they may be superimposed on and bonded, screwed or otherwise securely fastened to the coacting surfaces of the two panel sections; that is, one to the left and one to the right of the joint 10. The opposed edges of the flanges are provided with alternating and properly nested and arranged knuckles 18 and companion knuckles 19. These knuckles are properly oriented .and facilitate joining the cooperating edges of the web or plate 20 with the two flanges 16 and 17. Manifestly, these interrelated and associated knuckles are assembled on and by way of hinge pintles denoted generally at 21. Then too, the plate 20 spans the joint and is set inwardly from the edges 11 when the sections are folded, as illustrated in FIG. 7. This arrangement insures unhampered opening and closing or folding of the panel sections. Also, as shown in FIGURE 7, the top surface, playing field, is denoted at 26 and the underneath or bottom side at 28. The court on the top surface is of a diagrammatic character and has marginal lines 30. The triangulate diagrammatic zones are denoted at their respective ends as at 32 and are of more or less conventional form in that they are subdivided to provide commonly arranged scorekeeping spots identified by the visual numbers 7, 8, 10,10 off or the equivalent. The marginal edges of this thus constructed panel are fitted and keyed in grooves 34 provided therefor (FIG. 4) in the interior surfaces 36 of the component parts or frame members 37 of the elongated rectangular frame 38. Actually the frame is made up of suitable pieces of molding fixed together to provide an elongated rectangle, the latter corresponding in shape with the panel and marginally bordering and fastened to the panel. The upper portions of the frame members project amply above the surface 12 and the lower portions depend below the surface (in the proportion and relationship brought out in FIG. 4). To be more specific the structure is characterized by a one-eighth inch tempered Masonite panel or board and three-quarter inch molding forming the frame 38. The groove is one-eighth inch and fits over the edges of the panel sections 40 and is glued or otherwise secured in place with the panel sections hinged together as shown in FIG. 7. The gameboard is approximately 84 inches in length and 25 inches in width and it folds to one-half its length when it is not being used as shown in FIG. 3. It follows that the length of the board is about as long as the ordinary dining room table in, let us say, the average home. The playing surface is hard and smooth and needs no wax. Accordingly, there are no gutters to collect dust. The board has a margin on either side between the game area and the interior surfaces of the curb-like frame members which border or encompass the playing area. The game has been played on a kitchen table, dining table, library table in fact on the backs of two dining room chairs and on common wooden folding chairs and picnic chairs. The board can be placed upside down or bottom side up which then makes available the four checkerboards denoted at 41 in FIG. 2. Also, with the board, as shown in this figure, provides a durable neat and convenient picnic table even when placed on chair backs or other suitably arranged and available support means. Prior art boards are complicated in construction, much heavier in weight, less convenient to use and far more expensive to manufacture. The present invention makes for good entertainment, is much lighter in weight, far more convenient, highly strong and durable and can be manufactured so economically that no family need be deprived of the enjoyment of using this ever popular table type and amusing game. The projectiles used in this game are small customary type but suitable disks or pucks 42 of the type shown in FIG. 5. When these disks are not in use they can be moored or placed aside and held in the horseshoe-shaped or U-shaped retaining and keeper clips 44 which are attached to the left-hand rail of the frame as shown in FIG. 1. These are arranged in groups of four to accommodate the eight different playing disks. Each cue is approximately 12 inches long and is of the type shown in FIG. 6 and is denoted at 46 and has a handle portion 48 at one end. Each cue comprises a plastic or equivalent stick which is rectangular in crosssection and the leading end is provided with a semicircular kerf or notch 50 conformable with the marginal size of the disk 42. The underneath notched end is mitered or suitably beveled as at 52 to facilitate use, in an obvious manner. When the cue is not being used it can be Placed in a holddown clip in an out-of-the-way position as suggested in FIG. 4. The clip comprises a spring steel finger 54 which has an angle end portion 55 which is keyed into the groove 34 in the manner shown in FIG. 4. The free end of the finger or clip is deflected and fashioned into a cam-like detent 56 to facilitate applying and removing the cue and holding it in place when set aside as suggested in FIG. 4. All of these clips are such that they have their surfaces substantially flush with or below the level of the upper surface portions of the frame members 37. In practice, no nails or screws (sometimes tiny brads) are used in the construction of the novel board. It follows that the table or other surface on which the board is used when in play is not likely to become damaged.

With further reference to the hinge means it should be noticed that the thickness or dimension of the several component parts, sometimes referred to as knuckle equipped leaves, are such that no portions project below the bottom surface of the portions 36 of the frame members. Accordingly, there is no likelihood of the hinge means marring or scratching the table surface or other support surface on which the game board, when in use, is placed. The hinge means may be covered (not shown) if desired.

At this point it is to be explained that the description of the shutfleboard aspect of the over-all concept has been completed. Now it will be explained how the shuffleboard can be transformed or converted into a table-type game board for playing the aforementioned game of croquet. It should be noted in this connection that FIG. 9 shows the same details as shown in FIG. 1 for which reason like numbers apply to like component parts. The same holds true insofar as FIG. is concerned in that it corresponds to FIG. 4 except that the equippage which is necessary to play croquet has been added. With reference in further detail to these two views it will be noted that the sections of the over-all panel are provided at predetermined points with holes which constitute sockets and all of which are conveniently designated to simplify the description, as wicket accommodating sockets 60. In actual practice these sockets are paired and positioned to accommodate the prongs or legs 62 (FIG. 12) of the readily attachable and detachable miniature wickets, one of which is denoted at 64 in FIG. 12. It will be evident from FIG. 9 that there is one wicket at the approximate center line, the hinge point, of the over-all board while the other wickets are in groups of four at the respective end portions, this being the same arrangement as is followed in the game of croquet on a lawn or equivalent foundational surfaces, not shown. The central portions of the transverse members of the panel frame are provided with sockets 66 to accommodate the insertable and removable point scoring stakes 6 8.

A requisite number of headed mallets are provided and one of these is shown in FIG. 14 where it is denoted by the numeral 70. It remains that the croquet balls are denoted at 72. Each ball is of the construction shown in FIG. 11 wherein it comprises a wooden or substantially solid wooden-like or equivalent ball 74 of required miniaturized proportions. The surface of this ball is covered with cushioning material as denoted at 76.

It will be evident that the disclosure clearly presents the dual purpose and convertible characteristics of the over-all game board as such. In particular it brings out the fact that the game board for playing shuflleboard is the same as the one for playing croquet and that, as suggested FIGS. 1 and 9, can be compared with the thought in mind that when the accessories or attachments are provided on the board as shown in FIG. 9 it is ready to enable users to participate in the well-known game of croquet. It will be evident too that instead of having to provide a game board with a cushioned surface similar to the surface on a pool table such as would retard the movement of the croquet balls the same surface is available for both games; namely, suflleboard and croquet. The significant point to note is not only the miniaturized attachable and detachable wickets and stakes and the miniaturized mallets which are some 8 or 9 inches in length, the croquet ball in each instance is highly unique in that it has a cushioned surface which solves the problem very nicely. The game of croquet here is played approximately as the outdoor game is played. The sockets can be red circled or otherwise marked to indicate the rather tiny holes into which the legs or prongs of the wicket can be pushed and anchored to hold the wickets in perpendicular playing position. The balls and mallets will be of six different colors as they are in the regularly played croquet game. The hinge means (not appearing in FIGS. 9 and 10) is the same as that already described and shown with particularity in FIGS. 2, 7 and 8.

The cushioned croquet ball illustrated in FIG. 11 is made by dipping a wooden ball into shellac and while still tacky, it is rolled in rubber cuttings which may be obtained by rubbing rubber across sandpaper.

Another embodiment of the apparatus encompassed by the present invention is to attach the wire wickets to the bottom surface of the playing board with the checkerboard indicia either omitted or left in place. In this instance, the hinge would be a double hinge orientated centrally between the top and bottom surface of the panel so that the two sections of the playing board may be folded in either direction and both surfaces will be smooth. The bottom surface then could be covered with a cushioning material or cloth and wood croquet balls could then be used.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous [modifioations and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling 'within the scope of the in vention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A portable miniature-type indoor table-size game board for playing the game of shuflle'board and comprising, in combination, a smooth-surfaced panel made up of duplicate half-sections having abutting inner ends hingedly joined and foldable into compact and convenient form for manual carrying, transporting and storing when not in use, said panel having a wholly smooth top surface provided with a shuffleboard court including duplicate triangulate end zones diagrammatically subdivided and customarily numbered 7-8-10 from their base portions to their vertices, said panel being rectangular in plan, an elongated rectangular panel bordering frame of sectional construction and embodying interconnected pieces of molding having interior panel grooves into which coacting marginal edges of said half-sections are cooperatively fitted, horseshoe-shaped spring clips fixed to interior surfaces of component portions of said frame and adapted to store and retain disk-type projectiles, and elongated resilient cue positioning and holddown clips atop said panel and having laterally bent outer end portions anchored in said grooves and free end portions laterally flared to facilitate unhampered use of said holddown clips.

2. The portable miniature type indoor table-size game board defined in and according to claim 1 and wherein the hinge means joining the abutting inner ends together comprises a first flange superimposed upon and bonded to a surface of the bottom side of one half-section, a second flange like said first flange superimposed upon and bonded to the corresponding bottom surface of the other half-section, said flanges being flat and uniform in cross-sectional dimension and :being normally in a comtmon plane when the game board is being used, the adjacent edge portions of said flanges being parallel and provided with rows of hinging knuckles spaced inwardly from the respective abutting inner ends of said halfsections, and a complemental flange-uniting plate spanning the space between the knuckle-equipped edges of said flanges and having cooperating knuckles along its respective marginal edges, said plate bridging the joint between said inner abutting ends, being normally in a plane common with the plane of said flanges, all of the knuckles on the respective flanges and marginal edges of said plate being coordinated and oriented with each other and aligned and cooperatively joined by hinge pintles.

3. The game board defined in and according to claim 1 and wherein said panel halfsections are each provided at predetermined places with a plurality of distributively arranged holes, said holes extending completely through the top andbottom surfaces of the panel and providing selectively usable sockets.

4. A portable table size game board comprising, in combination, a panel made up of duplicate halfsections having abutting inner ends hingedly joined and foldable for compact and convenient carrying, transporting and storing, said panel having a top surface provided with a marginally delineated shuifleboard court encompassing duplicate longitudinally spaced triangular end zones diagrammatically subdivided and numbered 7-8-10 and ranging toward each other from their base portions to their vertices, a disk-confining and curbing frame attached to and completely encompassing the marginal edge portions of the over-all panel, the longitudinal and transverse marginal boundary lines of said court being visually marked and equally spaced inwardly from the surrounding curbing portions of said frame and defining an out-of bounds border between the metes and bounds of the court and the encompassing interior surfaces of said curbing portions, a plurality of individual recessed disk mooring and retaining clips carried by the cunbing portions of certain of the frame members and confined within the limits of the OUt-Of-bOLIlI'ldS areas of said border, cue storing and holddown clips also carried by others of the frame components likewise confined within the limits of proximal oriented areas of said border, and, in cornlbination, a plurality of distinguishably colored disks pro portional in size with each other and the over-all shuffleboard and said disk mooring and retaining clips, and a plurality of manually usable disk shoving and maneuvering cues, said cues being relatively short and proportional in size and shape to and comparable with the disks, shuflieboard and said cue storing clips, each cue comprising a stick rectangular in cross-section having a for- Ward disk engaging end formed with a semi-circular kerf conformable in shape and size with any one of said disks, the underneath side of said forward end being provided with a rearwandly and downwardly sloping bevel capable of being slid with dexterity along or over the playing surface of said court when the cue is manually held at a contemplated oblique angle, all of said clips having upwardly facing portions which are substantially flush with the associatively cooperable upper surfaces of the coacting component portions of said frame.

5. The structure defined in and according to claim 4 and wherein all of the disk mooring and retaining clips are fixed to an interior vertical surface of one longitudinal frame component, said cue storing and holddown clips being paired, one pair mounted on one longitudinal frame component, the other pair on the other frame component and being likewise afiixed to the interior vertical surfaces thereof, said disk retaining clips being horseshoe-shaped in plan, said cue storing clips comprising slender resilient fingers with upwardly and outwardly flared free end portions.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 333,703 l/1886 Vogelsang 273126 458,516 8/1891 Bullen 273-126 567,218 9/1896 Butler.

810,224 1/1906 Sackett 273126 1,420,334 6/1922 Neuner. 1,609,671 12/ 1926 Steuart 211-126 2,344,737 3/1944 Schlesinger 273126 3,318,362 5/1967 Joyce 16l28 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

T. ZACK, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R.

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