US3738658A

US3738658A - Disk rotating game

Info

Publication number: US3738658A
Application number: US00181420A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-09-17
Filing date: 1971-09-17
Publication date: 1973-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 1990-06-12

Abstract

A game for individual use comprising an imperforate bowl adapted to be held in the hands of the user with the upper interior surface forming an upwardly opening concave annular track for rotating one or more disk-shaped objects of the size of coins by the user giving gyratory motion to the bowl, the radial curvature of the track gradually increasing from the near horizontal at its center axis to the near vertical at its outer portion enabling the user to rotate several disks simultaneously upon the surface along paths spaced at varying distances from the axis, the bowl having a base adapted to support the bowl in upright position on a flat surface.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Smith DISK ROTATING GAME [76] Inventor: Robert E. Smith, 2429 Lyndale Avenue, Minneapolis, Minn. 55405 [22] Filed: Sept. 17,1971

[21] Appl. No.: 181,420

[52] U.S. Cl. 273/109, 273/126 [51] Int. Cl A631) 67/08 [58] Field of Search 273/108, 109, 112,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,191,341 6/1965 Martin 273/109 3,559,990 2/1971 Philpot 273/39 3,204,964 9/1965 Geary 273/109 2,949,682 8/1960 Humbert 273/118 R 3,098,316 7/1963 McCarty 273/109 3,101,946 8/1963 Ebert 273/109 [111 3,738,658 [451 June 12, 1973 3,531,124 9/1970 Vaulter 273/138 R Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Harry G. Strappello Attorney-Carlsen, Carlsen & Sturm [57] ABSTRACT A game for individual use comprising an imperforate bowl adapted to be held in the hands ofthe user with the upper interior surface forming an upwardly opening concave annular track for rotating one or more diskshaped objects of the size of coins by the user giving gy- I 1 Claim, 2 Drawing; Figures PAIENIEB INVENTOR. FI 5 ROEERT s. sM/rw gwwwy Arroawsy DISK ROTATING GAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various games and amusement devices have been de signed for individual use wherein the user imparts a gyratory motion to a bowl-shaped holder to keep one or more objects rotating about the inner surface of the holder. US. Pat. Nos. 3,101,946; 3,191,341; 3,098,316; and Des. No. 192,011 are exemplary of such devices.

While these devices have been suitable for rotating balls or the like, none of them are adapted for the more challenging feat of rotating a plurality of disk-shaped objects such as coins which, of course, must be rolled upon their own fixed circumference. This is due to the fact that prior holders have not been provided with an interior track surface with the curvature required to start and continue the rotation of a plurality of disks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the main object of the present invention is to provide a game wherein the player holds a bowlshaped holder in his hands and revolves one or more disks about the inner surface of the bowl at varying speeds with said surface of the bowl being particularly designed to facilitate such revolvement.

The game while used by only one individual at a time may take various forms of competition with users playing it alternately or concurrently each with his own equipment. With beginners the object may be to keep a single coin or disk revolving for the longest period of time without falling flat on its side or being thrown out of the holder. For more advanced players the object may be to start and keep several coins revolving. Other variations lie in using different sized disks concurrently in the same holder, walking back and forth between two goals with the holder, one hand support of the holder, relay games, etc.

With the above and other objects in view the invention broadly comprises an annular bowl-shaped holder having a base adapted to support the holder in upwardly opening position on a flat table top surface or the like, the bowl having an upper concave annular surface and extending radially in a parabolic curve with the degree of curvature gradually increasing from the center of the surface to the outer edge.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the game in play with the operator holding and imparting a gyratory motion to the bowl to keep a plurality of disks in rolling motion around the track provided by the bowl upper surface.

FIG. 2 is a diametrical vertical section through the bowl taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawing reference numerals will be used to denote like structural features in the different views.

The holder is denoted generally by the number 10. It has an upwardly opening bowl shape with a base 11 on its underside for supporting the holder in level position on a horizontal surface S such as a table top. The holder is symmetrical about a center vertical axis X--X and has a concave upwardly facing surface 12. This surface curves radially outward at a gradually increasing pitch. It is found that the curvature shown in FIG. 2 is the most operative of many different configurations attempted for the present purpose.

There are practical limits to the dimensions of surface 12, it preferably being in the range of 10 to 18 inches in diameter and the depth thereof being in the range of one-sixth to one-fourth of the diameter. The radial curvature of surface 12 from its center at X-X to the outer edge 14 thereof is a parabolic curve with the radius of curvature constantly and gradually decreasing from the center out. The outer portions of surface 12 adjacent to edge 14 approach the vertical but the center of the radius of curvature in that area stays at or above the edge 14 so that there is no inward curvature.

In play of the game a coin or disk D of similar size is started in rolling movement on surface 12 in the area and direction that would be substantially tangential to the base 11 here shown. The operator'then manually imparts a horizontal gyratory movement to the holder in the same direction as the coin is rolling. Other coins are then added and the objective is to maintain several coins rolling about different radially spaced paths on the surface 12. If the movement of the holder is too fast or too slow or irregular, the disks D will fly over edge 14 or fall flat in the center portion of the surface.

Once the disks are rolling the holder may be removed from surface S and carried about.

Having now therefore fully illustrated and described my invention, what I claim to be new and desire to protect by United States Letters Patent is:

, I. An amusement device comprising 'an imperforate bowl-shaped holder having an upwardly opening concave top surface which is symmetrical about its center axis, an integral base centered on the underside of the holder for supporting the holder on a horizontal surface with said axis vertical, said top surface having a vertical dimension of between one-sixth and one-fourth of its horizontal diametrical dimension and the radius of ourvature thereof constantly and gradually decreasing from the horizontal center to the: near vertical at the outer edge thereof, and a plurality of disks to be rolled upon said holder surface.

Claims

1. An amusement device comprising an imperforate bowl-shaped holder having an upwardly opening concave top surface which is symmetrical about its center axis, an integral base centered on the underside of the holder for supporting the holder on a horizontal surface with said axis vertical, said top surface having a vertical dimension of between one-sixth and one-fourth of its horizontal diametrical dimension and the radius of curvature thereof constantly and gradually decreasing from the horizontal center to the near vertical at the outer edge thereof, and a plurality of disks to be rolled upon said holder surface.