US3559991A - Ball game with pinch type projectors - Google Patents

Abstract

A model football game having a playing field and two teams of rotatable but fixedly positioned figures corresponding to the members of opposing teams and a plurality of goals, each of the figures being provided with means for projecting a ball and with defense means positioned therearound. Each projector consists of a vertically movable solenoid operated ball receiving cup and a fixed inclined surface above the cup. As the cup is forced upwardly the ball is pinched between the cup and the inclined surface and is thereby projected.

Description

United States Patent [72) lnventor Karl lmmendorf 33 Weinbergstr, Uberlingen(Bodensee), Germany [21] Appl. No. 738,163

[22] Filed June 19, 1968 [45] Patented Feb. 2, 1971 [32] Priority Mar. 13, 1968 [33] Germany [54] BALL GAME WITH PINCH TYPE PROJECTORS 17 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 273/85,

124/10,273/129 [51] Int. Cl A63f 7/10 [50] Field of Search 273/85(A),

85(E), 85(C), 94(A), 94(E),94(C) 129; 124/10 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,310,482 7/1919 lles 273/85(E) 2,783,754 3/1957 Heiss 273/85(A) FOREIGN PATENTS 522,655 0/1953 Belgium 273/85(A) 760,645 0/1933 France 273/85(A) 539,383 0/1931 Germany... 273/94(A) 660,669 0/1938 Germany... 273/85(A) 514,913 O/1955 Italy 273/85(A) Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant ExaminerPaul E. Shapiro Att0rney-Lackenbach and Lackenbach ABSTRACT: A model football game having a playing field and two teams of rotatable but fixedly positioned figures corresponding to the members of opposing teams and a plurality of goals, each of the figures being provided with means for projecting a ball and with defense means positioned therearound. Each projector consists of a vertically movable solenoid operated ball receiving cup and a fixed inclined surface above the cup. As the cup is forced upwardly the ball is pinched between the cup and the inclined surface and is thereby projected.

ATENTEU FEB 21% 35598.91

snm 1 UF 3 INVENTOR: m RL IMME/VDORF By f PATENTED FEB 219w 3,559,991

' sum-2 nr 3 INVENTOR 1 KARL /MM/VDO/?F PATENTEU FEB 2l97l SHEET 3 0F 3 l NVENTOR KARL /MM/VDORF Attorneys BALL GAME WITH PINCH TYPE PROJECTORS BALL GAME WITH PINCH TYPE PROJECTOR This invention relates to a model ball game and in particular a football game in which on a playing field with goals two teams in the form of stationary but rotatably movable figures which represent the individual players are arranged and are provided with a shooting device to be actuated from outside.

Many different model football games are already known. Simple plastic fields on which synthetic material figures of rubber are mounted and by deflecting by hand only give the possibility of shooting a small ball of synthetic material in any desired directions represent a very well-known model football game.

Model football games are also known in which figures rotatable from outside by the movement of an articularly ar ranged lay the mechanical control of which can likewise be effected from outside, imitate the direction of shooting on the football field in the model game. 1

There are also model football games in which every player can be moved to and fro one side of the goal to the other in a groove associated with him by suitable actuation of a lever belonging to each player. The players of the two sides are thereby disposed alternately next to one another and the appertaining operating levers couple the drive of the players to a continuously rotating drive in and out. Thereby the players push the ball in front of them. By pressure on the control knob the players can also be rotated on their own axis so that they can carry out shotlike movements.

All the model football games known up till now do not follow the interesting and changing incidents of play sufficiently accurately enough and do not permit of any reproducible aimed shots.

Likewise there is only faulty and insufficient possibility of imitating the attacking and defense play of two or more football players in the model game.

The present invention is based on the problem of providing an apparatus with which an interesting and exciting football match can be imitated on the model game realistically and whereby shots capable of being influenced exactly in direction and strength or distance can be given as well as also at the same time the attacking and defense play of man against man is rendered possible.

The solution of the problem according to the invention is I characterized in that around the shooting means of the individual figures a defense means is disposed. A further advantageous construction of the invention is characterized in that the shooting means is provided with a shot direction guide and rotatably mounted about a vertical axis and that around the shooting means there is disposed a ball deflecting means rotatable about the same axis independently of the shot direction guide for the defense.

In a further development of the invention all shooting devices of one side are actuated from a first drive and all defense devices on the shooting devices of the other side are actuated by a second drive and these two drives are coordinated for operation on the apparatus of one side.

A further feature of construction of the invention is characterized in that the shot direction guide is formed with a wedge face sloping in the vertical axis of rotation of the shooting device against which or which is thrust against the synthetic material ball serving as a ball in a vertical direction upon shooting and which effects the shooting of the synthetic material ball in the desired direction of shooting.

The present invention will be better understood and objects and important features other than those specifically enumerated above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following details and description, which when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawing describes, discloses, shows and illustrates certain preferred embodiments or modifications of the present invention and what is presently considered and believed to be the best mode of practicing the principles thereof. Other embodiments or modifications may be suggested to those having the benefit of the teachings herein. and such other embodiments or modifications are intended to be reserved especially as they fall within the scope and spirit of the subjoined claims.

IN THE DRAWINGS FIG. I shows a cross section through the construction of the shooting and defending apparatus of a player figure.

FIG. 2 shows a part cross section through the shooting and defending apparatus of a player figure.

FIG. 3 shows a plan of the shooting and defending apparatus of a player figure.

FIG. 4 shows an electrical block circuit diagram.

FIG. 5 shows diagrammatically the arrangement of the player figures on the. playing field with common driving and operating elements.

The shooting apparatus consists of a short directing guide 1 and a ball cup 2 which is fixed on a plunger 3 movable in an axial direction.

The shot directing guide consists of a rod 4 which is fixed eccentrically on a rotating member 7 by means of plates and screws and of a deflecting nosepiece 5 which is intersected by the central axis of the shooting apparatus and the plunger 3. The shot directing guide has a wedge member 6 on its underside directed towards the ball cup 2.

The ball cup 2 is also provided with a face 8 directed obliquely in the direction of shooting of the ball or of a synthetic material ball 9 which together with a rearward and obliquely set face 10 forms a groove in which the intersecting line of these two faces 8 and 10 of the ball cup 2 is on the central axis 11 of the shooting apparatus.

The oblique face 8 of the ball cup 2 forms with the wedge face 6 of the shot directing guide 1 an angle 12 (FIG. 2) which amounts to at least 10. The slopes of the wedge face 6 and of the oblique face 8 of the ball cup are so selected that a line 13 bisecting the angle 12 forms with the central axis 12 an angle 14 which may be between 40 and 70. For supporting the wedge member 6 in the desired direction of shooting there are provided on the ball cup 2 two walls 15 running parallel to the direction of shooting which are a little higher than the center of the ball and this lateral spacing is a little greater than the diameter of the sphere of the synthetic material sphere 9 serving as a ball.

In its position of rest the ball cup 2 together with its sidewalls l5 sinks into the hollow space of the rotating member 7 which is provided with a cover cap 17 the upper bounding face of which is inclined towards the central axis 11 and thus forms a supply chute for balls 9 for the ball cup 2. The rotating member 7 is firmly affixed to a tube 18 in which the plunger 3 of the ball cup is mounted the plunger 3 being axially movable but not rotatable by means of an upper and a lower guide bush 19, 20. The lower guide bush 20 of the plunger is provided with a flange 21 on which a rubber ring 22 and an intermediate washer 23 rest. The intermediate washer and the rubber ring serve as a damping stop for the plunger at the lower end of the tube 18.

The tube 18 is mounted axially and rotatably in an upper frame plate 24 and carries at its lower end a double pulley 25 which is affixed to the tube 18 and rotatable therewith.

The upper frame plate 24 is connected by pillars 26 to a base plate 27. On the axis 11 of the shooting apparatus a disc 29 is rotatably mounted in a base plate 27 by means of a journal 28. The disc 29 affixed to the double pulley 25 by pillars 30, one only of which is shown in FIG. 1 but in reality there are three.

Between two yoke plates 31 and 32 which are mounted axially movable on the pillars 30 there is solenoid 33 the coil 34 and armature 35 of which are disposed coaxially with the axis 11 of the shooting apparatus. The two yoke plates 31 and 32 are firmly connected to one another by means of distance bolts 36.

The armature 35 is provided at the top with a guide pin 37 which is mounted axially movable in a guide bush 38 and has at its other end a striker cap 39 by means of which the axial movement of the armature 35 is transmitted to the end face of the guide bush of the plunger 3 At its lower end the armature has a guide pin 40 which is mounted axially movable in an insulation member 42 connected to the distance bolts 36 by means of screws 41.

The position of the solenoid 33 may be adjusted in an axial direction by adjusting bolts 43. The adjusting bolts 43 are connected to the yoke plate 32 of the solenoid 33 and have at this lower end an adjusting screw 44 and a locknut 45. The head of the adjusting screw 44 is supported on the disc 29 and determines according to its distance from the adjusting bolt 43 the axial position of the solenoid 33.

ln order that the plunger-type magnet 33 may be pressed downwards as far as the adjusting screw 34 permits there are disposed on the pillars 30 compression springs 46 which are supported at the top on a supporting ring 47 firmly connected to the pillars and press the yoke plate 31 of the plunger-type magnet 33 downwards. These compression springs 47 however have not only the object of pressing the plunger-type magnet 33 downwards so that the screwheads of the adjusting screw 44 rest on the disc 29 but they also have the object of damping in axial direction the impact effected upon excitation of the plunger-type magnet 33 by the plunger armature 35 in order on the one hand to achieve a reduction of the noise and on the other hand a protection of the shooting apparatus. The strength of the shot can be regulated by the adjusting bolts 43 or adjusting screws 44.

Between the double pulley 25 and the upper frame plate 24 there is inserted an impact damping insert 125 in the form of soft rubber, foamed rubber or the like in order to dampen thestriking action of the magnet armature 35.

The supply of current to the coil 34 of the plunger type mag net 33 is effected via two circular contact plates 48 and 49 which are disposed above and below the insulating member 42 and are connected to one end of the winding of the coil 44. The contact plate 48 is in electrical contact with a slide 50 which is fixed and preferably electrically insulated on one pillar 26 and is connected by means of a setscrew to an electrical lead (not shown in FIG. 1). ln the same way there is associated with the contact plate 49 a slide 52 with a setscrew 53 which is fixed, also preferably electrically insulated, on the other pillar 26 and is in communication with the other pole of the source of current by means of an electrical lead (not shown).

The defense apparatus consists of a rotating plate 60 the surface 61 of which is inclined towards the central axis 11. The rotating plate is provided with a cylindrical cup shaped member 62 which closely surrounds the rotating member 7 of the shooting apparatus and on its lower side carries a double pulley 63. By means of a hub 64 the rotating plate 60 with its double pulley 63 is rotatably mounted on the tube 18 and the hub 64 is supported on a distance ring 65 which lies on the upper frame plate 24.

As already described deflecting devices 66, 67 and 68 may be fixed on the rotating plate 60 with which the ball rolling over the rotating plate by suitable rotary motion of the rotating plate 60, is again deflected outwards so that it does not reach the shooting apparatus on the ball cup 2 of the player in question. As can be seen from FIG. 3 the deflecting device 66 consists of a doubly curved member with which the ball 4 whilst rolling past on the rotating plate 60 may come in contact. The deflecting device 66 may also project beyond the diameter of the rotating plate 60 as indicated in broken lines (FIG. 3).

A deflecting device 68 is formed as a catching pocket and is open outwards so that there is the possibility of catching the rolling ball and projecting it in another direction outwardly as the rotating plate 60 is rotated.

A deflecting device 67 consists of a U-shaped wire stirrup with which a shot by the opponent can be obstructed by placing the device in the line of travel of the ball by rotation of the plate 60.

As shown in FIG. 5 there are set up on a playing field 69:

which is surrounded by a frame 70. two teams the individual.

player figures of which consist of the shooting device and defense device hereinbefore described sunk. into the playing field. These devices are so disposed in the surface of the playing field that the surface 61 of the rotating plate 60 of each player H6. is level with the playing surface of the playing field 69. Between the individual player figures the playing field is curved so that the ball does not remain lying in the playing field but always rolls from the playing field to a figure on its rotating plate 60. r I

On team consists of the figures -71. 72. 73.74. 75. 76. 77. 78, 79 and 80. The opposing team consists of thefigures 81. 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87. 88.89 and 90. In therepresentation. shown in H6. 5 the larger circle of the individual figures in-- dicates the rotating table 60 and the arrow in the smaller circle indicates the shot direction guide 1. In the first team with the player figures 71 to 80 the smaller circle representsthe double pulley 25 of the shooting device whilst for the opposing team with the figures 81 to it representsthe double pulley 63 of the rotating plate 60, that is, the defense device.

The double pulley 25 of the team with the figures 71 to 80 is connected to the player by means of an endless traction cord 91 which are in drive connection with a driving pulley 92. The driving pulley 92 is connected to a second pulley 93 which is in driving connection by means of a belt or cord 94 with a pulley connected to a hand lever 96. By the pivoting movement of t the handlever 96 all double pulleys 25 and thereby all shooting devices of the figures 71 to 80 are pivoted simultaneously.

The double pulleys 63 of the opposing team, for the figures 81 to 90 are connected by a traction cord 101 which is shown in broken lines and which is driven by a driving roller 102. The driving roller 102 is in driving connection with a pulley via a traction cord or belt 104 and a second pulley 105 .onwhich a pulley 105 a hand lever 106 is fixed. Whilst the hand lever 96 serves for determining the direction of shooting the hand lever 106 is provided for the rotation of the rotating plate of the opposing team for the defense.

On the side of the playing field opposite the hand levers 96 and 106 are disposed anothertwo hand levers 108 and 109 the hand lever 108 of which is in a similar driving connection via a traction cord with all double pulleys 63 of the team with the figures 71 to 80 and the hand lever 109 is in driving connection with the cord rollers 105 of the team with the figures 81 to 90 likewise via a traction cord. The lever 108 therefore serves the playing partner as a defense lever and the hand lever 109 as an attack lever for determining the direction of the shot. with the shot direction guide 1 of the individual figures of his own team.

For the shooting of the ball with the shooting device there are disposed between the hand lever 96 and 106 and 108 and 109 on the long sides of the playing field frame 70 two switch boxes 110 and 111 which are provided with ten press-buttons 112 and 113. The electric switches are actuated by the pressbuttons 112 and 113 which are associated with the individual playing figures. The press-buttons 112 are associated with the required for the excitation of the solenoid 33 is produced as a discharge current from a condenser 114 with large. capacitance upon closing of one of the press- button switches 115, 116, 117 and 118 and is fed via an adjustable resistance 119. The charging of the condenser 114 is effected via .a bridge rectifies arrangement 120 and a resistance 121. The rectifier is fed by a transformer 123 which is connected to the mains voltage 124.

During a game the two players stand opposite one another at opposite longitudinal sides of the playing'field 69 and' operate with one hand the hand levers 96, 106 and 108 and 109 respectively and for the shooting of the ball from one of their players the press buttons 112 or 113 of the switchboxes 110 and Ill relating to their players. lf the ball or the sphere S4 is in the spherical cup 2 of a player figures 81 to 90 the player on the right side ol the playing field by suitable adjustment of the hand lever 96 will bring the shot direction guide I of the shooting device of the player figure concerned with the shooting direction and then with the other hand operate the press-button 112 associated with this player figure and thereby release the shot Upon operating the key 112 then one of the press button switches 115 to 117 (of which in reality there are not only four but 20) is closed and the solenoid 33 of the player figure concerned is excited. Due to the excitation of the solenoid 33 the armature 35 moves rapidly upwards and the cap 39 on the guide pin strikes the plunger 3 with the spherical cup 2 and the ball 54 upwards so that the ball 54 strikes against the inclined face 6 ofthe shot direction guide I and in conjunction with the face 8 is shot in the direction of the nosepiece 5 or one of the arrows illustrated in FIG. 5. Upon shooting the ball the opponent can by suitable adjustment of the rotating plate 60 of one of his own figures attempt to obstruct the ball to bring it again to a player figure of the player in possession of the ball or coming into his own goal 125 or 126. The goals 125 and 126 are in known manner formed as catching holes through which the ball comes into a collecting chute.

If the opponent succeeds in guiding the ball shot by the other player into the ball cup 2 of one of his own player figures then this can shoot again in the desired direction and it is then again the task of the opponent by suitable operation of the defense devices with the lever 106 or 108 to catch the ball and to guide it into the ball cup of one of his own figures.

Due to the fact that the defense device, that is, the rotating plate 60 with its ball deflecting devices 66, 67 and 68 surround directly the shooting device of the other player a very realistic defense during the game is given so that it is not left as in previous model games to chance where the ball rolls.

By means of the shooting device according to the invention and in particular by means of the shot direction guide there is given also a high degree of accuracy of shooting the ball with a greater certainty of aim.

It should also be mentioned that it is also possible to provide instead of ten press buttons 112 and 113 on each switchbox 110 and 111 a single press-button and accordingly also a single press-button switch 115 or 118 for each player and at the same time upon shooting operate all solenoid 33 contact of his own team. Because of the comparatively large current impulse which would thereby be necessary it is recommended however to switch the individual solenoid 33 by means of separate press-button switches as hereinbefore described.

In order to be able to vary the strength of the ball shot the adjusting knob of the variable resistance 119 may also be arranged on the switch box 111 or 110 so that the current impulse which excites the solenoid 33 concerned may be adjusted by the player from time to time as required.

Whilst in the embodiment illustrated the ball cup 2 is movable in an axial direction and the shooting device guide 1 is mounted to be only rotatably movable the ball cup may also be disposed immovably in an axial direction and the shooting direction guide made axially movable with its wedge face 6. This would then be of advantage in particular if the shooting device were to be operated by hand instead of by means of electromagnets. The shooting direction guide 1 then only needs to be provided with a striking head which can be moved by hand in the direction of the ball cup 2 lying thereunder. Thus the same shooting action can be constructed differently from the above described embodiment, for example, the ball cup may be shaped to have the shape of a small central symmetrical plate with a centering device for the ball and the two guide sidewalls which are shown in the embodiment described on the ball cup and indicated with the reference number may be disposed on the nosepiece 5 of the shooting direction guide 1. i

As every rotating plate 60 and every shooting device is in effective connection only with a single traction cord for the driving of the defense device and of the shooting device in the direction of rotation in itself a simple pulley would suffice. In order however to allow the four different traction cords, that is two defense traction cords and two attacking and shooting device traction cords to run under the playing field 69 in four different planes so that they do not obstruct one another the pulleys 25 and 63 are formed as double pulleys.

A possible simplification of the operation of the shooting device consists in the contact switches 115. 116, 117 and 118 being replaced by a single contact switch which is not operated by press-buttons 112 or 113 but by an upward movement or pressing movements of the hand levers 96 or 109 which at the same time releases all shooting devices of a player.

In order to protect the traction cords against destruction it is expedient to provide between the pulleys 92 and 93 and 102 and 103 (FIG. 5) overload couplings which interrupt the connection if excessive torques occur with rough working of the levers 96, 106 and 109, 108.

While the invention has been shown, illustrated, described and disclosed in terms of certain preferred embodiments or modifications which it has assumed in practice, the scope of the invention should not be deemed to be limited by the precise embodiments or modifications herein shown, illustrated, described or disclosed, such other embodiments or modifications as may be suggested to those having the benefit of the teachings herein being intended to be reserved espe cially as they fall within the scope and breadth of the claims here appended.

I claim:

I. A game comprising a model of a football game playing field with a plurality of goals and two teams of rotatably movable figures representing the individual players disposed at fixed positions thereon and each comprising, in turn, a shooting device operable from outside the playing field and a defense device disposed around each of said figures.

2. A game defined in claim 1 wherein the shooting device is provided with a shot direction guide rotatably mounted around a vertical axis and said defense device comprising, in turn. a ball deflecting device rotatable about the same axis independently of the shot direction guidev 3. A game defined in claim 2 wherein said shot direction guide is formed with a wedge face inclined relative to the axis of rotation of the shooting device against which the ball is thrust upon shooting and which deflects the ball in the desired shooting direction.

4. A game defined in claim 3, further comprising a vertically movable ball cup disposed beneath said guide and provided with a catching groove defined by two sidewalls running parallel to the shooting direction.

5. A game defined in claim 6 wherein the shooting direction guide comprises two sidewalls extending downwardly parallel to one another towards the ball cup.

6. A game defined in claim 3 whereinthe wedge face is disposed rigidly over a ball cup on a rod fixed eccentrically to the axis of rotation of the shooting device, said ball cup being carried by a plunger axially movable along the axis of rotation.

7. A game defined in claim 1 wherein all shooting devices of one team are actuated from a first drive and all defense devices associated with the shooting devices of the other team are actuated by a second drive and wherein said drives are disposed on one side of the playing field.

8. A game defined in claim 7 wherein the shooting devices and the defense devices are driven by double pulleys, each of the shooting and defensive device drives of each team being engaged with a different one of the grooves of each of the double pulleys.

9. A game defined in claim 8 wherein the double pulley of the shooting device of each FIG. of one of the teams are in driving connection by one of said drives which comprises a traction cord with a driving roller operated by a hand lever and the double pulley of the defensive device of each FlG. of each team is in driving connection by another of said drives which comprises another traction cord with a driving roller driven by a second hand lever and wherein the two hand levers associated with one team are disposed on one side of the playing field.

10. A game defined in claim 1 wherein said shooting device comprises. in turn, a rotatable spherical cup recessed into the surface of the playing field and having a wedge face oblique to the axis of rotation; a shot direction guide mounted for rotation about the same axis of rotation and having a face oppositely inclined to the axis of rotation and means for moving the wedge face and the inclined face towards one another in a vertical direction along the axis of rotation.

11. A game defined in claim 10 wherein the wedge face and the inclined face form an angle with one another of at least 10.

12. A game defined in claim 11, wherein the angle bisector of the angle between the wedge face and the inclined face forms an angle of inclination between 40 and degrees relative to the axis of rotation.

13. The game defined in claim 10 wherein said moving means comprises a solenoid which is excited by operation ofa button adjacent the edge of the playing field,

14. A game defined in claims 13 wherein said solenoid is disposed below the shooting device and coaxial with the axis of rotation thereof and adjustable in an axial direction 15. A game defined in claim 14 wherein the armature of said solenoid is firmly connected to the shooting device and is rotatably mounted and axially movable in a stationary frame.

16. A game defined in claim 15 wherein the field coil of said solenoid is secured against axial movement relative said frame by an impact damping insert selectively secured thereto.

17. A game defined in claim 1 wherein said defense device comprises a symmetrical rotary plate on which several different kinds of ball deflecting devices are disposed and the surface of which is inclined towards the axis of rotation.

Claims (17)

1. A game comprising a model of a football game playing field with a plurality of goals and two teams of rotatably movable figures representing the individual players disposed at fixed positions thereon and each comprising, in turn, a shooting device operable from outside the playing field and a defense device disposed around eaCh of said figures.

2. A game defined in claim 1 wherein the shooting device is provided with a shot direction guide rotatably mounted around a vertical axis and said defense device comprising, in turn, a ball deflecting device rotatable about the same axis independently of the shot direction guide.

3. A game defined in claim 2 wherein said shot direction guide is formed with a wedge face inclined relative to the axis of rotation of the shooting device against which the ball is thrust upon shooting and which deflects the ball in the desired shooting direction.

4. A game defined in claim 3, further comprising a vertically movable ball cup disposed beneath said guide and provided with a catching groove defined by two sidewalls running parallel to the shooting direction.

5. A game defined in claim 6 wherein the shooting direction guide comprises two sidewalls extending downwardly parallel to one another towards the ball cup.

6. A game defined in claim 3 wherein the wedge face is disposed rigidly over a ball cup on a rod fixed eccentrically to the axis of rotation of the shooting device, said ball cup being carried by a plunger axially movable along the axis of rotation.

7. A game defined in claim 1 wherein all shooting devices of one team are actuated from a first drive and all defense devices associated with the shooting devices of the other team are actuated by a second drive and wherein said drives are disposed on one side of the playing field.

8. A game defined in claim 7 wherein the shooting devices and the defense devices are driven by double pulleys, each of the shooting and defensive device drives of each team being engaged with a different one of the grooves of each of the double pulleys.

9. A game defined in claim 8 wherein the double pulley of the shooting device of each FIG. of one of the teams are in driving connection by one of said drives which comprises a traction cord with a driving roller operated by a hand lever and the double pulley of the defensive device of each FIG. of each team is in driving connection by another of said drives which comprises another traction cord with a driving roller driven by a second hand lever and wherein the two hand levers associated with one team are disposed on one side of the playing field.

10. A game defined in claim 1 wherein said shooting device comprises, in turn, a rotatable spherical cup recessed into the surface of the playing field and having a wedge face oblique to the axis of rotation; a shot direction guide mounted for rotation about the same axis of rotation and having a face oppositely inclined to the axis of rotation and means for moving the wedge face and the inclined face towards one another in a vertical direction along the axis of rotation.

11. A game defined in claim 10 wherein the wedge face and the inclined face form an angle with one another of at least 10*.

12. A game defined in claim 11, wherein the angle bisector of the angle between the wedge face and the inclined face forms an angle of inclination between 40 and 70 degrees relative to the axis of rotation.

13. The game defined in claim 10 wherein said moving means comprises a solenoid which is excited by operation of a button adjacent the edge of the playing field.

14. A game defined in claims 13 wherein said solenoid is disposed below the shooting device and coaxial with the axis of rotation thereof and adjustable in an axial direction.

15. A game defined in claim 14 wherein the armature of said solenoid is firmly connected to the shooting device and is rotatably mounted and axially movable in a stationary frame.

16. A game defined in claim 15 wherein the field coil of said solenoid is secured against axial movement relative said frame by an impact damping insert selectively secured thereto.

17. A game defined in claim 1 wherein said defense device comprises a symmetrical rotary plate on which several different kinds of ball deflecting devices are disposed and the surface of which iS inclined towards the axis of rotation.

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