US3806118A - Log rolling adversary game device - Google Patents

Abstract

An elongate platform comprising a length of paper tubing of arcuate cross section fitted into two longitudinal channels along the edges of a board. The platform is long enough to support two players, thereon without touching each other and is about nine inches wide. The height of the platform is substantially no greater than the radius of curvature of the arcuate tubing and may be considerably less than that radius. Cleats on the underside of board at each player station facilitate lifting the device. In an alternate embodiment the device is a solid body molded from a self skimming rigid urethane foam.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Way 1 Apr. 23, 1974 LOG ROLLING ADVERSARY GAME 894.120 7/1908 Croy 138/158 DEVICE 3,459,234 8/1969 Richter etal. 138/156 x [76] Inventor: David G. Way, Little'field Rd., FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Boxbomugh, Mass- 01720 118,037 10/1969 Norway 272/60 [22] Filed: Feb. 2, 1972 Primary ExaminerAnton O. Oechsle [21] X 222929 Assistant Examiner-Paul E. Shapiro [52] U.S. Cl. 273/] R, 272/60 R, 273/DIG. 8 51 Int. Cl. A63b 69/00 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field of Search 273/1 R; 272/1 B, 57 A, An elongate platform comprising a length of paper 272/57 R, 60, 56; 138/156, 157, I58 tubing of arcuate cross section fitted into two longitudinal channels along the edges of a board. The plat- [56] References Cited form is long enough to support two players, thereon UNITED STATES PATENTS without touching each other and is about nine inches 349 701 8/1920 Wallace 272/56 wide. The height of the platform is substantially no 2470'473 5H949 'fi 272,56 greater than the radius of curvature of the arcuate 3:279:794 lo/1966 jenkinsmumxm 272/56 tubing and may be considerably less than that radius. 2 3 H1940 Hutchinson 27 B Cleats on the underside of board at each player station 3,485,493 12/1969 Pitkanen 272/60 X facilitate lifting the device. In an alternate embodi- 3,024,021 3/1962 Coplin et al. 272/57 A ment the device is a solid body molded from a self 3,116,925 l/l964 Welch 272/1 B kim ing rigid urethane foam.

820,342 5/1906 Besser 138/157 442,162 12/1890 Young 138/157 X 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 1,071,185 8/1913 Shannon 138/157 X LOG ROLLING ADVERSARY GAME DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Adversary games are always popular and especially those that appeal to a wide range of age groups.

An interesting example of such a game is the art of log rolling in that while it is fun to watch, relatively few people ever have the opportunity to try their hand at it. Devices have been proposed for aquatic uses in simulation of log rolling, see, for example, Davies U.S. Pat. No. 2,931,648 and Bancroft No. 3,223,411, but as far as I know, no game device has been made available for use on land enabling, in a game analagous to logrolling, one contestant to attempt to dislodge his opponent from an unstable platform as distinct from balancing devices of which the patent to Pitkanen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,485,493, is an example.

THE PRESENT INVENTION The objective of the present invention is to provide an adversary game device that can be likened to log rolling" but is adapted for use on dry land, even indoors.

In accordance with the invention, this objective is attained with an adversary device that comprises an elongated platform that is unstable with reference to its long axis and is of such length and width that two contestants can stand thereon, one at each end, without physically contacting one another and attempt to dislodge one another by platform unbalancing movements.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION In the accompanying drawing, there are shown preferred embodiments of the invention of which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an adversary game device;

FIG. 2 is a section taken approximately along the indicated lines 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken approximately along the indicated lines 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section similar to FIG. 3 illustrating another embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective of another game device in accordance with the invention.

The adversary game device illustrated by FIGS. 1 3 is generally indicated at and comprises an arcuate shell 1 1 that may be a lengthwise section of a relatively heavy paper tube. A platform 12 has lengthwise marginal channels 13 disposed and dimensioned to receive the edges of the arcuate shell 11 which are anchored therein as by an adhesive. Internal reinforcements 14 are provided in the areas where the contestants are to stand and each reinforcement also serves as a cleat or handle for onehanded lifting and carrying of the device. The device is finished with a suitable protective coat.

In use, the contestants initially stand, with both feet on the platform, one at each end, and without contacting each other. When each is thus positioned, he tries to dislodge the other by rocking the device' in a manner simulating log rolling making possible games of the type presently to be generally described.

While the dimensions of the devices depend somewhat on the age groups of the contestants and the degree of instability wanted, for most uses the following illustrative dimensions are satisfactory for adults and most children: length 30 inches, platform width approximately nine inches, and with a height usually approximately equal to or slightly less than the outside radius of the arcuate shell 1 l in order to prevent the platform from being too unstable.

In this connection, reference is made to FIG. 4 in which there is shown a modified form of the invention which is identical to the device just described except that its height is substantially less than the outside radius of its shell thereby rendering the platform some what more stable. As this embodiment of the device is primarily for use by small children, the other dimensions may also be smaller. In this embodiment, corresponding parts are distinguished by the suffix addition A to the appropriate reference numerals.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated by F IG. 5 is preferred for outdoor uses or institutions and is generally indicated at 15 and may be molded from a rigid foam material, preferably a self-skinning, rigid urethane foam. The supporting surface 16 of the device 15 is arcuate and while its radius may be varied as in the case with the previously described embodiments, it is slightly more than the height of the device. The upper surface or platform portion 17 of the device 15 is shown as arcuate with the radius thereof substantially greater than the height of the device.

In use, a device in accordance with the invention is placed round side down, on a suitably level and flat surface and spaced, four feet, for example, from any obstruction. Two contestants take their places on opposite ends of the device and when both are ready, each triesv to dislodge the other.

By way of example, rules of a game could provide that the first person to touch the floor on other surface with his foot or any other part of his body loses and his opponent gains one point with the winner being the first contestant to win two points. If either contestant touches the other, it is a foul and a point is awarded to the contestant who is fouled.

The devices can be used in a game to be played by any number of persons. For example, the several players form a line with the first two persons being the first contestants. The winner is challenged by the next in line with the winner and the challenger playing one game and so on at least until each person has had an opportunity to participate.

I claim:

1. An adversary game device comprising an elongated platform that is unstable relative to its long axis and includes a substantially flat upper surface and an arcuate undersurface extending substantially from endto-end of the device and of a radius such that its junction with the upper surface is substantially at the margins thereof, the length of the upper surface of said platform being such as to enable two contestants to stand thereon one at each end without physically contacting each other and attempt to dislodge each other by platform-unbalancing movements, thewidth being not substantially greater than nine inches and the height of said upper platform surface being substantially no greater than the radius of said arcuate portion.

2. The game device of claim 1 which comprises a lower arcuate supporting shell that is a lengthwise section of relatively heavy paper tubing providing the underlying the station of each contestant.

4. The game device of claim 1 in which the height of the device is approximately the radius of said arcuate surface.

5. The game device of claim 1 in which the height of the device is less than the radius of said arcuate surface.

Claims (5)

1. An adversary game device comprising an elongated platform that is unstable relative to its long axis and includes a substantially flat upper surface and an arcuate undersurface extending substantially from end-to-end of the device and of a radius such that its junction with the upper surface is substantially at the margins thereof, the length of the upper surface of said platform being such as to enable two contestants to stand thereon one at each end without physically contacting each other and attempt to dislodge each other by platformunbalancing movements, the width being not substantially greater than nine inches and the height of said upper platform surface being substantially no greater than the radius of said arcuate portion.

2. The game device of claim 1 which comprises a lower arcuate supporting shell that is a lengthwise section of relatively heavy paper tubing providing the undersurface of the platform and a flat upper platform surfaced, boardlike member providing the upper platform surface and having longitudinal channels adjacenT its margins, the edges of said shell being entrant of the channels and received and secured therein.

3. The game device of claim 2 in which there are manually engageable supporting cleats secured to the undersurface of the board-like member, one cleat underlying the station of each contestant.

4. The game device of claim 1 in which the height of the device is approximately the radius of said arcuate surface.

5. The game device of claim 1 in which the height of the device is less than the radius of said arcuate surface.

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