US3861684A

US3861684A - Game apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3861684A
Application number: US410507A
Authority: US
Inventors: David R Gastin; Ronald A Baaske
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-10-29
Filing date: 1973-10-29
Publication date: 1975-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 1992-01-21

Abstract

A novel game in which two players playing competitively try to break each other''s inflated rubber balloon, the balloons being mounted upon opposite ends of a hollow base in which a threaded shaft has a knob on each end for each player to turn in order that a nut on the shaft can travel in a corresponding direction, the nut carrying a structure on which a snake-shaped figurine faces each balloon, the snake mouths being open and exposing pointed pins that are in line to puncture the balloons; the amount of the knob turn by each player being determined by first rotating a spinner.

Description

United States Patent [191 Gastin et al.

[4 1 Jan. 21, 1975 1 GAME APPARATUS [76] Inventors: David R. Gastin, Hay Denville, l ogan, Ohio 43127;Ro nald A. Baaske, 5743 Ohio St., Vermilion, Ohio 44089 [22] Filed: Oct. 29, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 410,507

[52] US. Cl. 273/134 G, 273/1 R, 273/86 A, 273/134 E [51] Int. Cl. A631 3/00 [58] Field of Search 273/1, 134, 135, 86, 95

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,410,371 3/1922 Chester 273/86 R 2,140,411 12/1938 Wood 273/95 A 3,608,903 9/1971 Cooper et a1. 273/135 R Primary E.raminer-Delbcrt B. Lowe [5 7] ABSTRACT A novel game in which two players playing competitively try to break each others inflated rubber balloon, the balloons being mounted upon opposite ends of a hollow base in which a threaded shaft has a knob on each end for each player to turn in order that a nut on the shaft can travel in a corresponding direction, the nut carrying a structure on which a snake-shaped figurine faces each balloon, the snake mouths being open and exposing pointed pins that are in line to puncture the balloons; the amount of the knob turn by each player being determined by first rotating a spinner.

1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures GAME APPARATUS This invention relates generally to competitive games.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a game in which two players try to break each others balloon in order to win the game.

Another object is to provide a game in which the players each try to move a snake-shaped figurine toward the opponents balloon, each figurine having a snake head with its mouth open from which a pointed pin extends so as to puncture the balloon if it moves into contact with it.

Still another object is to provide a game which can be played by children as well as by adults.

Other objects are to provide a game which is simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use, and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the invention, showing the base in cross section so as to illustrate the interior structure.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a spinner that is used with the game.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the reference numeral represents a game according to the present invention, wherein there is a hollow base 11 which at its opposite ends has bearings 12 for rotatably supporting a shaft 13 having a knob 14 on each end.

A screw thread 15 along shaft 13 engages a threaded nut 16 integral with post 17 extending upwardly out of a slot IS on top of the base, the upper end of the post being integral with a figurine on each side that is shaped like a snake 19 having an open mouth from which a pin 20 protrudes. The snakes face in opposite directions.

Upon the upper side 21 of the base, there is a clip 22 at each end, each clip serving to hold in place an inflated rubber balloon 23. The balloons are in line for being punctured by the pins.

A conventional spinner 24 is used in the game, the spinner comprising a flat card 25 with a circle of numbers 26 printed on it. A rotatable arrow 27 is mounted on a center rivet 28 of the card so it can be spun in order to point to one of the numbers after it stops spinning.

ln playing the game, the nut is first moved to the middle of the slot so that an arrow head 29 on the post lines up with an arrowhead 30 on upper side 21 of the base. A first player then spins the spinner so as to get a number. He then rotates his knob the number of times that is indicated by the spinner number. This causes a snake to move toward the other players balloon. Then the other player spins the spinner and rotates his knob accordingly so the snakes move in the opposite direction. After a number of back and forth movements, eventually one of the snakes reaches one of the balloons and punctures it so as to determine the game loser and win- 1161'.

I claim:

1. In a game apparatus, the combination of a base, a threaded shaft supported rotatably on said base, a knob secured on each end of said shaft, a threaded nut engaged on said shaft, a radially extending post integral with said nut, a figurine extending from two opposite sides of said post, each said figurine comprising a snake design having a projecting tongue, said tongues comprising oppositely extending pointed pins, said post extending through a slot of said base, longitudinal axes of said shaft and said pins being parallel to the longitudinal axis of said slot, said slot preventing rotation of said nut together with said shaft when said shaft is rotated, an inflated rubber balloon secured in a clip at each end of said base, said balloons being positioned at opposite ends of said axis of said pins, whereby rotation of either of said knobs axially advances said pins toward or away from said balloons; said apparatus including a spinner comprising a card having different numerals printed in a circular arrangement about a central rivet supporting a rotatable arrow, said numerals representing a number of turns for either said knob.