US3861524A

US3861524A - Portable sectional game board

Info

Publication number: US3861524A
Application number: US376357A
Authority: US
Inventors: James F Coleman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-07-05
Filing date: 1973-07-05
Publication date: 1975-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 1992-01-21

Abstract

A portable game board device is made in aligned sections hingedly interconnected and foldable one upon the other into compact form to define a carrying case with a latch and carrying handle. The described game board is designed for golf putting practice or similar games where a ball or a number of balls or other playing pieces are rolled or slid over an upper surface of the unfolded sections toward a cup or other targets.

Description

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,861,524

Coleman Jan. 21, 1975 PORTABLE SECTIONAL GAME BOARD [76] Inventor: James F. Coleman, 5215 SE. 57 g); j tnerigeorgiljrlzlduarltoS k St. P a d 0 97206 or e gen ,or zrm- 1s par man,

or reg Campbell, Leigh, Hall & Whinston [22] Filed: July 5, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 376,357 [57] ABSTRACT A portable game board device is made in aligned sec- [52] US. Cl 206/315, 273/176 FB, 273/176 H tions hingedly interconnected and foldable one upon 51 1111. C1 A63b 69/36 the other into compact form to define a carrying Case [58] Field f Search 273/176 177 178 179 with a latch and carrying handle. The described game 273/180; 206/315 board is designed for golf putting practice or similar games where a ball or a number of balls or other play- [56] References Cited ing pieces are rolled or slid over an upper surface of UNITED STATES PATENTS the unfolded sections toward a cup or other targets. 1,761,039 6/1930 l-lazeltine 273/176 H 5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PORTABLE SECTIONAL GAME BOARD This invention relates to improvements in a game device and more particularly to a game board simulating a putting area in strip form made of three hingedly interconnected sections foldable over onto each other into compact form for transporting or storage. When unfolded into an elongated playing condition, the top face of each section is preferably, though not restrictively, surfaced with a mat of material simulating grass and obtainable on the market under many trade names including the trade name Tartan Turf."

Principal objects of the invention are to provide a game of the character described which is of simple, efficient, durable construction, readily portable and easily extended from a collapsed condition to an extended one ready for use as a golf putting strip or similar game.

Another object is to provide a game of this character which not only affords amusement, but also serves as a portable practice facility for golfers in the home or office or while traveling.

Another object is to provide a sectional game board which folds and latches to form a carrying case.

The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages will become more apparent from the following description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a'game board made in accordance with my invention and shown in condition for its intended use;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view on an enlarged scale showing the board in a position of partial collapse;

FIG. 3A is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing a modification;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the game board when fully collapsed;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the right-hand end of FIG. 4, with a locking mechanism secured thereto; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the right-hand end of FIG. 5.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts, numeral 1 indicates generally a game board section in the form of a rectangular box having a bottom wall 2 with a flat inner or upper surface 2a, end walls 3,4, side walls 5,6, and sometimes hereinafter referred to as game board section C.

As best illustrated in FIG. 2, a center game board section B includes a bottom board member 9 which, as shown in FIG. 4, forms a cover for the open box-like section C, a forward end wall 10, and inclined side walls ll, 12 which taper rearwardly as shown to a point of mergence with the top rearward end of the bottom wall 9. Side walls ll, 12 and forward end wall 10 support an upper board member 8 having an inclined upper or inner playing surface 8a with a target in the form of a putting cup 25.

Itwill be noted that side walls ll, 12 are inset from the side edges of bottom wall 9, and the forward and rear ends of the side walls 11, 12 are inset from the corresponding ends of wall 9. These offsets provide the forward end of section B with what might be termed a step 13 and its rearward end with a step 15 and enable bottom wall 9 to fit neatly as a cover on section C with the upper inclined portions of section B fitting inside the side and end walls of section C. Section B is hingedly connected to the rear end of section C by hinge means 30.

A third flat game board section A is connected at its forward end by cooperative hinge means 17, 18 to the rear end of the second section B so as to be foldable upwardly over section B with an upper, playing surface 19 of section A lying in face-to-face abutment against playing surface 8a of section B as shown in FIG. 3A. When unfolded to its playing position, section As playing surface forms a smooth inclined continuation of playing surface 8a of section B.

From the foregoing and with particular reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be readily apparent that the rearmost section A may be folded about the hinges I7, 18 to underlie the section B when being collapsed as in FIG. 3 to the fully collapsed position shown in FIG. 4 wherein the entire assembly is of collapsed compact form with sections B and C defining a carrying case with section A and the playing surfaces of sections B and C contained within the case and thus protected from damage. In such form, sections B and C can be fastened together at their unhinged ends by any suitable locking or latch mechanism comprising one part 22 for cooperation with a companion part 23. A carrying handle 31 is provided on a side surface of section C.

The inside or upper, playing surfaces of bottom wall 2 of section C, bottom wall 9 of center section B and rearmost section A may be covered with material simulating the color and texture of grass to represent a natural putting green. Alternatively one or more of such sections could be carpeted for the same purpose. Thus the cup-like opening 25 of section B represents the hole or cup of a standard putting green. Additional cups, other targets or hazards could be provided in section B or either of the other sections.

It is to be noted that the sections A, B and C in FIGS. 1-6 are identical with the corresponding inverted parts in FIG. 3A. However, because of the inversion of the assembly in FIG. 3A, the box C becomes a lid or closure for section B, withsection A folded over upon it. In this way the device may be unfolded more conveniently by lifting the free end of section A upwardly from section B after lifting lid C, thus preventing the free end of section A from dragging along the upper surface of bottom wall 2 of box section C, as shown in FIG. 3.

However, when either section B or C is placed upon a supporting surface, the game may be readily opened and extended to its full-length playing position without difficulty.

If desired, the playing surface of any or all of the sections may be devoid of any covering to provide a smooth, fast rolling surface for a golf ball, puck or other movable playing piece.

For convenience in further identifying the three components A, B and C of the game board, section A may be referred to as the approach or ramp section, B as the target section, and C as the terminal section.

In use as a golf ball putting practice device, all three sections can be laid open along a flat surface as shown in FIG. 2. A player would stand in putting position just to the left of inclined approach section A in FIG. 2, with a golf ball on the supporting surface in line with the sections and a putter in hand. Using a conventional putting stroke, he would attempt to putt the ball into cup 25. If he overshoots, the ball may roll into terminal section C where it would be stopped by the side or end walls of such section. If he undershoots, the ball would roll back down the inclined surfaces of sections B and A to the player.

Although the illustrated game board device has three sections, it could be provided with only two sections the equivalent of sections B and C, or more than three sections, if desired. Similarly, any number of cups or other targets could be provided, in any of the multiple sections.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of my invention, I am aware that many modifications thereof will suggest themselves to others skilled in the art. I claim as part of my invention all such modifications as come within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A portable sectional game board device comprismg:

at least three game board sections including a first ramp section, a second target section and a third carrying case section,

said ramp section being of flat rigid board-like construction and being hinged at one end to an upper end of said target section so that said ramp section can be folded over said target section for carrying and so that when said ramp section is unfolded it forms a longitudinal continuation of said target section along an inclined plane from said target section downwardly to a supporting surface,

said target section including a playing surface portion defining an inclined playing surface with a target pocket therein and a flat rigid backing member supporting said playing surface portion,

said carrying case section being of open rectangular box-like construction with an end of said backing member remote from said ramp section being hinged to an end of said case section and said case section having upstanding side and end walls of a height such that said ramp and target sections can be folded into and contained within said case section with said backing member forming a cover for said case section.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said backing member of said target section and said case section include fastening means for fastening said sections together for carrying and an outer side wall of said case section includes a carrying handle.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said backing member is hinged to an upper end edge of said case section such that the inclination of said target section can be adjusted by adjusting the height of a free end of said case section above a supporting surface.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein said playing surface portion includes upstanding side walls and an upstanding end wall inset from the corresponding sides and end of said backing member to an extent such that said playing portion can be folded within said case section while said backing member covers said case section.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein said backing member, upstanding side and end walls and said inclined playing surface of said target section define a hollow interior between said playing surface and said backing member.

Claims

1. A portable sectional game board device comprising: at least three game board sections including a first ramp section, a second target section and a third carrying case section, said ramp section being of flat rigid board-like construction and being hinged at one end to an upper end of said target section so that said ramp section can be folded over said target section for carrying and so that when said ramp section is unfolded it forms a longitudinal continuation of said target section along an inclined plane from said target section downwardly to a supporting surface, said target section including a playing surface portion defining an inclined playing surface with a target pocket therein and a flat rigid backing member supporting said playing surface portion, said carrying case section being of open rectangular box-like construction with an end of said backing member remote from said ramp section being hinged to an end of said case section and said case section having upstanding side and end walls of a height such that said ramp and target sections can be folded into and contained within said case section with said backing member forming a cover for said case section.