US3741541A

US3741541A - Simulated table football game

Info

Publication number: US3741541A
Application number: US00190920A
Authority: US
Inventors: N Crismani
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-10-20
Filing date: 1971-10-20
Publication date: 1973-06-26
Anticipated expiration: 1990-06-26

Abstract

A plurality of figures simulating football players are manipulated on a table freely into various positions by tubular handles which extend beyond the respective ends of the table and are guided in elongated slots; each tubular handle has a resilient squeeze bulb adapted to be gripped for suitable manipulation of the respective playing figure and, when the ball is adjacent to a figure, by squeezing the bulb air is blown through a nozzle against a plate simulating kicking feet, which swings the feet against the ball so that the ball appears to be kicked by the player. Other figures, corresponding to defensive players on each team, are manipulated through handle bars extended beneath the table with magnets at their inner ends adjacent the magnetic bottoms of the respective defensive figures; in addition a goalie figure at each end is provided with a manipulator for moving hand-like members to grip the ball.

Description

United States Patent [191 Crisn ani SIMULATED TABLE FOOTBALL GAME ['76] Inventor: Nerino Crismani, 1250 Francisco Street, San Francisco, Calif. 94123 [22] Filed: Oct; 20, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 190,920

[52] U.S. CL. 273/85 H, 273/85 F, 273/127 B [51] Int. Cl. A63f 7/06 [58] Field of Search 273/85 E, 85 F, 85 H,

- 273/94 E, 94 F, 94 H, 119 B [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ll/l947 Gosnell ..273/85F 1,982,491 "ll/1934 Barnum June 26, 1973 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner--Harry G. Strappello Attorney-George B. White '[5 7] ABSTRACT A plurality of figures simulating football players are manipulated on a table freely into various positions by tubular handles which extend beyond the respective ends of the table and are guided in elongated slots; each tubular handle has a resilient squeeze bulb adapted to be gripped for suitable manipulation of the respective playingfigure and, when the ball is adjacent to a figure, by squeezing the bulb air is blown through a nozzle against a plate simulating kicking feet, which swings the feet against the ball so that the ball appears to be kicked by the player. Other figures, corresponding to defensive players on each team, are manipulated through handle bars extended beneath the table with magnets at their inner ends adjacent the magnetic bottoms of the respective defensive figures; in addition a goalie figure at each end is provided with a manipulator for moving hand-like members to grip the ball.

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INVEUTOE 67 NEE/NO CE/SMAN/ ATTOQNEY I SIMULATED TABLE FOOTBALL GAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION the outlet of which was stationary on the playing .table or board. In other-instances figures were magnetically shifted on the board without being able to simulate the kicking of a ball.

The primary feature of this invention is to simulate the movement of soccer players on the playing field and simultaneously by squeezing a bulb blow compressed air to operate a foot-like kicking member when adjacent the ball, the manipulation to be performed with comparative freedom of directing the figures to various locations so that the movement of the figures substantially simulates the playing of the game.

Another feature of the invention is to accomplish the manipulation and the provision of the compressed air for the kicking operation by the same handles, which handles are arranged in such a way as to facilitate the players at each end to shift from manipulation of one figure to manipulation of another quickly, as required by the movement of the ball.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game illustrating the arrangement of the figures and the manipulating handles on the table.

FIG. 2 is'a fragmental top plan view illustrating the directional arrangementof certain of the figures.

FIG. 3 is a side view with the table frame partly in section showing certain of the figures facing the ball.

FIG. 4 is a fragmental sectional view, the section being taken on lines 4-4 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a fragmental partly sectional view showing the goalie with its manipulator.

FIG. 6 is a detailed view showing a kicking figure in section and the attached tuublar handle with the ball at its end.

FIG. 7 is a perspective detailed view of one of the fig ures on a larger scale.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view. of the same figure in a kicking attitude.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a magnetically controlled figure and showing the magnetic tip of the manipulating bar. 1

FIG. 10 is a perspective'view of the goalie and the manipulating mechanism for the arms thereof.

FIG. 11 is a partly sectional view of the goalie.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION a figure 8 simulating a football player. On the outer end of each handle bar is a resilient compression bulb 9 which is gripped for the manipulation of the figure 8.

Below the palying field Zand spaced therefrom is a double bottom 11 secured to the longitudinal sides 3 and ends 4. Elongated slots 13 at each end of the space 12 accommodate the magnetic handle bars 14. Certain of the figures 16 corresponding to the halfbacks and the fullbacks in this game are provided with a magnet 17 in the bottom as shown in FIG. 5. The inner ends of each magnetic handle bar 14 have a magnet or magnetic metal 18 embedded therein for manipulation of the magnetic figure 16.

Hereafter in order to avoid confusion in describing the game, the figures 8, manipulated by pneumatic handle bars will be referred to as pneumatic figures 8, and the figures manipulated by the magnetic handle bars 14 will be referred to as magnetic figures 16.

At each end of the tabel there is provided the usual goal in the form of a net 19 and the figure of a goalie 21 in front of the net 19 as shown in FIG. 5 with its manipulating handle 22 extending through a suitable slot 23 in the adjacent end 4 and near the top of the net 19 'so that the player can shift the goalie 21 to various positions according to the approaching ball and then actuate the goalie in a manner to be hereinafter described for catching the ball.

Each pneumatic figure 8, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, has a body 24 standing on a base 26 and has a perpendicular passage 27 extending from the head 28 downwardly to a forward nozzle 29 spaced above the base 26. Legs 31 are pivoted at their tops by a piovt 32 under shoulders 33 of the body 24 so as to be swingable forward of the body. The legs 31 are connected by a cross plate 34 which covers the nozzle 29 in the normal position shown' in FIG. 7. Each leg 31 has a kicking foot 37 projecting forwardly beyond theplane of the cross plate 34. When compressed air is blown down the passage 27 and out through the nozzle 29 it blows against the plate 34 and swings it against the ball 37 as shown in FIG. 8, and thereby simulates the kicking of the ball.

The pneumatic handle bars are formed in a substantially semicylindrical shape as shown in FIG. 4 so as to prevent their rotation or rocking in the respective elongated slot 6. In the figures of one team, in the illustration in FIG. 1 the dark figures 8, the pneumatic handle bar 7 is secured, in this illustration threaded, into the back of the head 28 as shown in FIG. 6. The compression bulb 9 is suitably secured on the outer end of the bar 7. The penumatic bar 7 may be straight as shown in FIG. 6 or may be offset at its end downwardly as shown in FIG. 1.

On the pneumatic figures 8 of the other team on the right hand side of FIG. 1 and on the right hand side of FIG. 3, the passage 27 eittends to the top of the head 28 and the pneumatic handle 7 is suitably connected to the upper end of the passage 27. The reason for this is to permit a limited crossing over of the figures as illustrated on the left hand side of FIG. 2, thus the opposing players can pass one another in opposite directions because the pneumatic handles 7 and the figures 8 on the left hand side of FIG. 3 can pass under the pneumatic handles 7 of the opposite team.

The legs point forward on the figures in the center, and on the figures on the sides point forward and inward on the playing field so graduated that the ball is kicked by the figures generally toward the opposite goals as illustrated in FIG. 2.

In order to reduce the number of manipulations, the defensive figures 16, which are the halfbacks and backs in the usual soccer game, are defensively manipulated. In this illustration the manipulation is accomplished by handling or manipulating the respective magnetic handles 14 and moving them in the space 12 under the respective magnetic figures 16.

Each goalie 21 has legs 38 extended outwardly to receive the balls between them and guide them toward the body 39 of the goalie. The goalie has arms 41 movable on the body 39. In this illustration the arms 41 are held by a coil spring 42 secured in pockets 43 of the respective arms 41 and extend through a transverse hole 44 in the body 39 as shown in FIG. '11. A manipulating cord 46 extends over the arms 41 and then through a hole 47 in each arm inwardly and then the double ends of the cord extend through a central hole 48 into the hollow manipulating handle 22 and then out through a side hole 49 in the top of the manipulating handle 22. The double ends 51 of the cord 46 are suitably secured to an arm 52 of a bell crank, the thump piece 53 of which extends outwardly over the outer end of the manipulating handle 22, the bell crank being pivoted on a pivot 54 in ears 56 near the outer end of the manipulating handle 22. In this manner the player can shift the goalie 21 in the path of the ball and if the ball rolls between the legs 38 then by depressing the thumb piece 53 the arms 41 are pulled together and the hand disks 57 on the ends of the arms 41 can catch the ball in the manner shown in broken lines in FIG. 11.

The game is played preferably in accordance with the rules of the usual soccer game and it is started from the position shown in FIG. 1 where the starting players kick the ball and then endeavor to pass it from one to the other while the defensive forwards endeavor to kick the ball in the opposite direction each toward the goal of the other team. Suitable skill can be acquired by practice to shift from one handle to the other as needed, each player operating one or two handles. Several players at each end may play and manipulate the respective handles and can co-ordinate in manipulation with each other at the respective ends of the table. The game is exciting in that it requires ingenuous positioning of the figures as well as the timing of the squeezing of the compression ball.

I claim: 1. A simulated table football game device comprising,

a game board having a goal at each end, a plurality of figures simulating football players movable on said board, manipulating means for moving certain of said figures in their entirety and individually, said individual manipulating means for each figure including a hollow handle connected to the respective figure at one end thereof, a squeezable resilient bulb at the other end of each handle for blowing air through said hollow handle, a system of passages in the adjacent figure connecting air from said hollow handle to a nozzle near the foot portion of said figure fro propelling a ball adjacent to the foot portion of said figure, said certain figures corresponding to the attacking members of a soccer football team, the other figures being defensive members of each team, individual handles extending beyond the adjacent end of the table for manipulating said defensive figures, and said other figures and their handles being correlated by magnetic means for manipulation.

2. The invention specified in claim 1, and

swingable foot-like members pivoted on the foot portion of said certain figures and extending over said nozzle whereby air blown through said nozzle swings said foot-like members for kicking the adjacent ball. U a" 3. The invention specified in claim fiand said hollow handles connectedt o said certain figures of one team being spaced higher from said game board than the hollow handles on said certian figures of the other team to permit limited crossing of the respective paths of movement during manipulation, and

all the hollow handles being spaced higher from said game board than the height of said defensive figures to permit manipulation of the attaching members past the opposing defensive members toward the respective goal.

4. A simulated table football game device comprising,

a game board having a goal at each end,

a plurality of figures simulating football players movable on said board,

manipulating means for moving certain of said figures individually, said individual manipulating means for each figure including a hollow handle connected to the respective figure at one end thereof,

a squeezable resilient bulb at the other end of each handle for blowing air through said hollow handle,

a system of passages in the ajdacent figure connecting air from said hollow handle to a nozzle near the foot portion of said figure for propelling a ball adjacent to the foot portion of said figure,

said certain figures corresponding to the attacking members of a soccer football team,

the other figures being defensive members of each team,

individual handles extending beyond the adjacent end of the table for manipulating said defensive figures,

said other figures and said handles being correlated by magnetic means for manipulation,

a goal keeper figure in front of each goal being movable across the goal,

movable arms on said goal keeper figure resiliently held in an initial position,

a manipulating handle extended from said goal keeper figure for moving said goal keeper figure in the path of the ball, and

manipulatable means correlated with said handle for moving the arms together for catching the ball at the will of the player.

5. A simulated table football game device comprising,

a game board having a goal at each end,

a plurality of figures simulating football players movable on said board,

a system of passages in the adjacent figure connecting air from said hollow handle to a nozzle near the 6. The invention specified in claim 5, and substantially perpendicular ends and sides surrounding said board, elongated slots in each of said ends, each slot slideably accommodating one of said hollow handles.

Claims

1. A simulated table football game device comprising, a game board having a goal at each end, a plurality of figures simulating football players movable on said board, manipulating means for moving certain of said figures in their entirety and individually, said individual manipulating means for each figure including a hollow handle connected to the respective figure at one end thereof, a squeezable resilient bulb at the other end of each handle for blowing air through said hollow handle, a system of passages in the adjacent figure connecting air from said hollow handle to a nozzle near the foot portion of said figure fro propelling a ball adjacent to the foot portion of said figure, said certain figures corresponding to the attacking members of a soccer football team, the other figures being defensive members of each team, individual handles extending beyond the adjacent end of the table for manipulating said defensive figures, and said other figures and their handles being correlated by magnetic means for manipulation.

2. The invention specified in claim 1, and swingable foot-like members pivoted on the foot portion of said certain figures and extending over said nozzle whereby air blown through said nozzle swings said foot-like members for kicking the adjacent ball.

3. The invention specified in claim 1, and said hollow handles connected to said certain figures of one team being spaced higher from said game board than the hollow handles on said certian figures of the other team to permit limited crossing of the respective paths of movement during manipulation, and all the hollow handles being spaced higher from said game board than the height of said defensive Figures to permit manipulation of the attaching members past the opposing defensive members toward the respective goal.

4. A simulated table football game device comprising, a game board having a goal at each end, a plurality of figures simulating football players movable on said board, manipulating means for moving certain of said figures individually, said individual manipulating means for each figure including a hollow handle connected to the respective figure at one end thereof, a squeezable resilient bulb at the other end of each handle for blowing air through said hollow handle, a system of passages in the ajdacent figure connecting air from said hollow handle to a nozzle near the foot portion of said figure for propelling a ball adjacent to the foot portion of said figure, said certain figures corresponding to the attacking members of a soccer football team, the other figures being defensive members of each team, individual handles extending beyond the adjacent end of the table for manipulating said defensive figures, said other figures and said handles being correlated by magnetic means for manipulation, a goal keeper figure in front of each goal being movable across the goal, movable arms on said goal keeper figure resiliently held in an initial position, a manipulating handle extended from said goal keeper figure for moving said goal keeper figure in the path of the ball, and manipulatable means correlated with said handle for moving the arms together for catching the ball at the will of the player.

5. A simulated table football game device comprising, a game board having a goal at each end, a plurality of figures simulating football players movable on said board, manipulating means for moving certain of said figures individually, said individual manipulating means for each figure including a hollow handle connected to the respective figure at one end thereof, a squeezable resilient bulb at the other end of each handle for blowing air through said hollow handle, a system of passages in the adjacent figure connecting air from said hollow handle to a nozzle near the foot portion of said figure for propelling a ball adjacent to the foot portion of said figure, said hollow handle on said certain figures of one team being spaced higher from said game board than the hollow handle connected to the other of said figures to permit manipulation of opposing figures crossing one another''s path.

6. The invention specified in claim 5, and substantially perpendicular ends and sides surrounding said board, elongated slots in each of said ends, each slot slideably accommodating one of said hollow handles.