US3891216A

US3891216A - Gunfight game

Info

Publication number: US3891216A
Application number: US499385A
Authority: US
Inventors: Burt Ensmann; Michael Ieda; Madhusdan Joshi
Original assignee: Ideal Toy Corp
Current assignee: Tyco Industries II Inc
Priority date: 1973-07-06
Filing date: 1974-08-21
Publication date: 1975-06-24
Anticipated expiration: 1992-06-24

Abstract

A simulated gunfight game has a playing board on which projectiles are discharged from a toy gun towards a target member mounted on an opponent''s toy gun. The guns each include a housing in the form of a simulated pistol, with mechanism in the housing for forcefully discharging a projectile or ball therefrom. The target members are operatively engaged with the housings of the respective guns and are disengaged therefrom by actuating mechanisms within the guns which are responsive to the impact of an opponent''s projectile on the target member in order to give a visual indication that the target was hit. The actuating mechanisms also prevent discharge of projectiles from their associated gun after the target on its gun is struck by an opponent''s ball or projectile.

Description

[ June 24, 1975 United States Patent 11 1 Ensmann et al.

3,787,052 1/1974 Glass ct a1. 273/101 1 1 GUNFIGHT GAME 3,830,500 8/1974 Ventura.............................. 273/129 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [75] Inventors: Burt Ensmann, Flushing; Michael Ieda, Ft. Solanga, L.l.; Madhusdan Josh, Hempstead, all of NY.

1,603,080 4/1970 Germany......................... 273/12) R [73] Assignee: Ideal Toy Corporation, Hollis, NY.

Aug. 21, 1974 Appl. No.: 499,385

Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Arnold W. Kramer [22] Filed:

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Richard M. Rabkin, Esq.

[57] ABSTRACT A simulated gunfight game has a playing board on Related US. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 376,990, July 6, 1973.

which projectiles are discharged from a toy gun to- 92 2N AC H9NE7 73 1O 2 ,E. A R 27 2 H121 Om N new 7 2 R WNAHL 9 "7O 2 '2 1 H m .UOW m m .1. 2 .m mnvm m mm I .a 7 Nel m W OB LMH C 3 w M7 Z 3 UhF W. 1:11 218 555 1:11

therefrom by actuating mechanisms within the guns [56] References Cited which are responsive to the impact of an opponents TED STATES PATENTS projectile on the target member in order to give a vi- UNl sual indication that the target was hit. The actuating mechanisms also prevent discharge of projectiles from their associated gun after the target on its gun is struck by an opponents ball or projectile.

22 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED JUN 2 4 ms SHEET SHEET PATENTEDJUN24 I975 050mm m GUNFIGHT GAME This is a division of application Ser. No. 376,990, filed July 6, 1973.

The present invention relates to a parlor game and more particularly to a parlor game which is used to simulate a gunfight.

One of the favorite pastimes of American boys is playing in games with toy guns, for example Cowboys", Cowboys and Indians, Cops and Robbers, etc. In the Western or cowboy type games the children usually simulate the activities of characters from the Old West and certain of their more romanticized activities, in particular, the old fashioned gun-fights or shoot-outs. For obvious safety reasons however, such games are usually played with simulated guns which do not eject any projectiles and they thus are somewhat limited by the childs imagination in determining the ultimate outcome of their simulated game.

By the present invention, a game is provided which now permits children to safely play a simulated shooting or gunfight game, by allowing the players to simultaneously shoot projectiles such as balls or the like at an opponents target, with the target being responsive to an impact by a projectile so as to give a positive indication of a hit.

Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to provide a safe parlor type game in which a gunfight may be simulated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a gunfight game in which the players may simultaneously discharge projectiles towards an opponents target member.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a gunfight game which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and durable in use.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a gunfight game is provided in which a frame or playing board provides a relatively flat playing surface onto which balls or other projectiles are ejected from toy guns which are operatively associated with the playing board. The toy guns are preferably located at opposite ends of the playing surface and are movably mounted with respect to the surface adjacent their associated ends. These guns each include a generally pistol shaped housing having means therein for discharging a ball or projectile onto the playing surface and towards the other of the toy guns. In addition, a target member, such as a cowboy figurine, or the like, is operatively engaged with each of the gun housings and with means in the housing for preventing discharge of a ball from the gun when the target is hit by a projectile discharged from the other of the toy guns. In this manner, the players can simulate a gunfight by shooting projectiles or balls at one anothers targets, until the target is hit. At that point, the opponents gun is disabled, or prevented from discharging further balls therefrom, and thus the players obtain a positive indication that the target has been hit. Preferably, the gun housings include means for ejecting the target from the gun upon an impact by an opponents ball or projectile so as to give a positive indication that the target has been hit.

The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention, will be apparent in the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof, which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toy gunfight game constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view, partly in section and with parts broken away, taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of the discharge end portion of the gun used in the present invention showing the means for preventing discharge of balls therefrom;

FIG. 4 is a front view, on a reduced scale, ofa toy gun and target member constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, taken along line 55 of FIG. 4, showing the movement of the target member in response to an impact by a ball or projectiles; and

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of a mounting arrangement for obstacles placed on the playing surface of the game.

Referring now to the drawing and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, it will be seen that a gunfight game 10, constructed in accordance with the present invention, in cludes a playing board 12 having a playing surface 14 on which individual projectiles or balls 16 are projected by a pair of simulated

toy guns

18, 20 respectively. These guns are each provided with a target member 22, which in the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, is in the form of a cowboy with a drawn pistol, and the object of the game, as more fully described hereinafter, is for the individual players to hit the target 22 of his opponent with a ball or projectile from the players gun. In this connection, each of the guns includes an actuating mechanism 24 which is effective to project target 22 from the gun when the target is struck by an opponents projectile, while simultaneously preventing further discharge of balls 16 from the gun whose target is hit, thereby to effectively disable that gun.

Playing surface 14 is bounded by an integral wall 26 formed in board 12 and has opposed

end portions

28, 30 adjacent to which the respective guns are mounted. Peripheral wall 26, at the

end portions

28, 30 defines a pair of

wells

32, 34 at opposite ends of the board (see FIG. 2). The wells 32 each receive the forward end portions 36 of the guns while the wells 34 cooperate with a mounting assembly 38 for each of the guns.

Mounting assemblies 38 each include a lever member 40 located below the playing surface 14 and pivotally mounted to the board 12 at pivot points 42 adjacent the central portions of the board, as seen most clearly in FIG. 2. This pivotal connection can be formed in any convenient manner, as for example by a post 44 formed on the lower surface 46 of the playing board 12 and a retaining washer 48 of conventional construction. Since

guns

18, 20 are respectively mounted on levers 40, the guns can be moved in a pivoting arc adjacent the

ends

28, 30 of the playing board. To guide the guns in this pivotal movement, the ends 50 of levers 40 (only one of which is seen in FIG. 2) include an integrally formed vertically extending receptacle 52 which is adapted to receive a pivot post 54 formed integrally with the gun 18. Receptacle 52 includes a laterally extending flange member 56 which has a tongue 58 extending downwardly into the well 34 in the peripheral wall 26 of the playing board. By this construction, lever 40 can be pivotally mounted about the pivot point 42 in a controlled are by the cooperation of well 34 and tongue 58.

To permit the free pivotal movement of the lever 40, playing board 12 is supported in vertically spaced relationship from the floor or table 60 on which the game is played by a plurality of leg members 62 formed integrally with the playing board or secured thereto in any convenient manner.

Guns

18, 20 are of identical construction and therefore only one of the guns need be described herein in detail. Thus, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing, it is seen that the toy gun 18 has a generally pistol shaped housing 64 preferably formed of a molded plastic material comprising two mirror image half sections bonded together along the longitudinal axis of the gun to form the complete housing. The upper surface portion 66 of housing 64 has an opening 68 therein which provides access to the rearward portion of an inclined ramp or magazine 70. Balls 16 are supplied to gun 18 through the opening 68 onto magazine 70 gravity supply to the projectile of ball discharge or trigger mechanism 72. Thus, ramp 70 is inclined downwardly and forwardly towards the nozzle portion 74 of the pistol housing, so that the balls 16 will roll down the ramp 70 onto a second inclined ramp portion 76 formed within housing 64 and along which the balls 16 will roll towards the trigger mechanism 72.

Trigger mechanism 72 consists ofa lever 78 pivotally mounted within housing 64 on a pivot pin 80 extending from one of the mold halves of the housing. The lever 78 is in the form ofa bell-crank, with one leg82 thereof extending downwardly through an opening 84 in the lower portion of the housing to function as the actuating mechanism or trigger of the gun and is readily grasped by the finger of the user in a conventional manner when the pistol grip portion 86 is held in the palm of a players hand. The lever 78 is biased by a tension spring 88 having one end fixed to a post 90 and its other end engaged about a hook member 92 on the lever, thereby to bias the lever to an inactive state, as shown in FIG. 2. However, when pressure is applied to the trigger leg 82 of the lever, the latter pivots about post 80, against the tension of spring 88, to discharge a ball 16 from the gun, in the manner described hereinafter. Of course, when manual finger pressure on the leg 82 is removed, spring 88 returns the trigger to the position shown in FIG. 2.

Housing 64 includes a ball discharge chute 94 formed integrally therewith and extending from the end 96 of ramp 76 to a discharge opening 98 located in the forward end 36 of the gun adjacent the playing surface 14 of the game. Chute 94 includes a curved ramp section 100 and is in communication with the interior of housing 64 through an opening 102 adjacent ramp 76. A generally U-shaped spring clip 104 is mounted in opening 102 in any convenient manner, such as for example by slots 106 formed in wall portions of the housing adjacent the opening. This spring clip retains the balls 16 in position over the eject opening 102. Preferably, in the at rest state, the spacing between the legs of the U- shaped spring clip is less than the diameter of the balls 16 so that passage of a ball through the spring clip is precluded. It is noted that the structure of the gun of the present invention corresponds substantially to the gun structure described and claimed in US. Pat. application Ser. No. 33 l ,l49, filed Feb. 9, I973, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. That application also describes in greater detail the configuration and construction of this spring clip arrangement.

The forward or leg portion 108 of lever 78 includes a protrusion 110 which is located to contact a ball 16 supported on spring clip 104 above opening 102. Leg 108 extends from the trigger mounting area in housing 64 to the discharge area adjacent ramp 76 through an opening 112 formed by a cooperating pair of ribs 112 in the housing sections forming the pistol which ribs segregate the trigger mounting area from the magazine area within the housing. The enlarged lower portions of the ribs are in abutting engagement and form a shoulder 114, seen in section in FIG. 2, which acts as a stop to prevent balls from rolling into the trigger area of the housing and also to limit the pivotal movement of lever 78 in a clockwise direction.

By this construction, when a ball 16 is placed within housing 64 and rolls onto spring clip 104 over the discharge opening 102, trigger 78 can be actuated to pivot the projection 110 thereof in a clockwise direction to move it into contact with the ball 16. Continued application of pressure imparts a downward force on the ball which acts on the legs of the spring clip forcing the latter apart because of the geometry involved. That is, the spherically shaped ball is in point contact with the cylindrical legs of the spring clip, so that the downward force on the ball produces a reactive force acting downwardly and outwardly on the legs to force the latter apart. As the legs of the spring clip move outwardly in this manner the ball 16, due to the force imparted on it by the trigger mechanism, moves downwardly between and in contact with the spring legs. When the point of contact between the spring clip legs and the ball passes the point of maximum diameter of the ball the spring clip leg segments, due to their inherent resiliency, return to their at rest state. In doing so the legs, under the spring force, ride up the surface of the upper portion of the ball to impart an ejecting force by a squeezing action on the ball which propels the ball out of the eject opening 102 onto chute 100 and along the latter to the forward end 36 of the gun wherein the ball moves through the opening 98 at the end of the chute onto the playing surface 14 at a relatively high velocity.

Because the guide chute 94 is in longitudinal vertical alignment with the nozzle portion 74 of the pistol, the players may aim their respective pistols with relative ease, to achieve a high degree of accuracy in firing balls from their guns. Thus, by the mounting arrangement of the pistol, the players can move their pistols about pivot points 42, 54, in order to aim their shots at the target member 22 mounted on their opponents pistol and accurately project a ball 16 towards that target.

In order to enhance the play of the gunfight game of the present invention and to produce more realistic effects, target members 22 are removably mounted on gun housings 64 between an abutment member 118 formed integrally with the housing and the actuating mechanism 24. The latter includes a lever 120 pivotally mounted on a post 122 within housing 64 immediately below the free end 124 of discharge chute 100. This lever is spring biased upwardly, and in a counterclockwise direction, by a coiled compression spring 126 having one end contained within a pocket 128 formed in housing 64 and the other end received in a projection 130 formed within the lever. The free end 132 of lever 120 extends outwardly of the discharge opening 98 of the gun and is substantially wider than the remainder of the lever to provide a relatively broad based support for the bottom edge 133 of the target member 22. The

latter has a recess 133 formed therein which receives or straddles the forward end 132 of the lever. Lever 132 also includes an upwardly extending flange portion 134 which prevents the target member 22 from inadvertently sliding off of the lever by forward movement of its lower edge 133. In addition, gun housings 64 have downwardly extending flanges 135 located below discharge opening 98 which rest on and ride along the base of wells 32 to hold target members 22 and discharge openings 98 at their proper elevations with respect to playing surface 14. By this construction the legs 23 of the target straddle opening 98 of chute 94 so that balls 16 can be projected through the legs 23, as seen in FIG. 4.

As mentioned, target members 22 in the illustrative embodiment of the invention are in the configuration of a genfighter or cowboy, and they are formed of a relatively flat sheet of plastic material having the various features of the cowboy impressed therein. Each target member is engaged with its associated abutment member 118 through an opening (see FIG. 4) 138 formed in one of the legs of the cowboy. In this manner, the lower edge 140 of aperture 138 is held in engagement against the lower edge 142 of abutment member 118 when the target is positioned with its lower edge 133 engaged with and straddling the forward end 132 of lever 120. It is noted that the lower edge 142 of abutment 118 is formed generally as a cam surface with a downwardly extending inclination, so as to capture the target member on the abutment and prevent inadvertent removal therefrom.

By this arrangement, when a projectile 16 hits the target member 22 of an opponents gun with sufficient force the target member will be dislodged from engagement with the surface 142 of abutment member 118, thereby permitting spring 126 to move lever 120 about pivot point 122 in a counterclockwise direction and thus expel the target member from the gun. It is noted that engagement of the lever 120 against the bottom of ramp 100 provides a stop, limiting the movement of the lever in response to spring 126.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 of the drawing, target members 22 and their cooperating guns 18, are constructed to permit a preferential discharge of the target from the gun in response to an impact at a predetermined point on the target. This is achieved by forming the target members with a projecting fulcrum member 143 on their rear surfaces 144. These fulcrum members are eachof a generally conical configuration with their pointed tip portions 146 located to engage the bearing surface 148 of a pad 150 secured to or integrally formed with its associated gun housing. The fulcrum member 143 and pad 150 of each gun are located adjacent one side of the target member, as seen in FIG. 5, in the lower portion thereof. By this arrangement, when a ball 16 impacts against the lower portion of the the other side or edge of the target, the target will be caused to pivot in a generally clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 5, moving the aperture 138 away from abutment member 118. As a result, the target member will be freed from engagement with the aperture and lever 120 will be pivoted by spring 126 to expel the target from the gun. Thus, the players will aim for the lower right foot of the target member, as seen in FIG. 4, in order to hit the spot on the target which will most readily release the target from the gun.

It is noted that slot 133' in the lower edge of the target member is formed in a predetermined position with respect to fulcrum member 143 and lever 120, thereby to properly locate member 143 against pad 150 when the target straddles lever end 132.

in accordance with another feature of the present invention, actuating mechanism 24 in effect disables its associated gun, when its target member 22 is expelled by an impact. This is effected by the projection 130 on the lever, as seen in FIG. 3. That is, when target member 22 is expelled from the game by an impact, as previously described, enlargement 130 is moved into chute 94, in front of the forward edge 124 of the ramp 100. As a result, the chute is blocked by the enlargement. Accordingly, once target 22 is expelled, any further operation of trigger mechanism 72 by the player using that gun, will eject balls through opening 102 down ramp 100, but the balls will not be discharged from the discharge opening 98 in the chute because of the restriction in the chute as a result of the abutment 130.

Accordingly, it is seen that in the play of the game the players shoot projectiles or balls at one anothers targets in an attempt to knock off their opponents target member from their gun. When a players target is hit in the proper location and with sufficient force to knock his target off the gun, i.e. off of lever 120, not only is a physical indication of the correct hit provided by the ejecting of the target, but his gun is, in effect, disabled since he can no longer project his own balls towards his opponents gun.

To furhter enhance the play of the game, playing surface 14 is provided with a plurality of obstacles 152 removably mounted thereon in any convenient manner. These obstacles may take any variety of shapes as desired. In the illustrative embodiment of the present invention since the game is intended as a cowboy game, wherein the target members are in the configuration of cowboys and the guns are in the configuration of Old West style pistols, the obstacle members 152 are in the form of cacti and trees. In any case, obstacles 152 are located on playing surface 14 forwardly of the nozzle 74 of their adjacent guns. Thus, the players, in the play of the game, can move their

pistols

18, 20 respectively into position behind one of the obstacles by pivoting the gun about pivot point 54 on lever 40 or by pivoting the lever 40 with the gun thereon about pivot 42, so as to hide their target member or cowboy behind one of the obstacles and prevent its being hit by a ball from an opponents gun. This arrangement increases the action in the game and produces greater excitement in the play thereof.

As mentioned, obstacle members 152 may be secured to playing surface 14 in any convenient manner. However, in the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, playing surface 14 is provided with a plurality of apertures 154 formed therein respectivey associated with each of the obstacle members 152. The latter have bayonette type cruciform bosses 158 formed on their lower ends which are adapted to be received in the apertures 154. As seen in FIG. 6, the apertures 154 have diametrically opposed extensions 156 formed therein through which laterally projecting extensions 158 on the bayonette type boss 158 can be inserted when the boss is inserted in the opening. The projections 158 are longer than the diameter of the openings 154, so that when the obstacle is rotated after insertion in the opening 154, projections 158 will be engaged against the lower portion of playing surface 154 to prevent removal of the obstacles from the game.

Finally, the game may also be provided with removable plaque members 160 along the sides 162 of board 12 and in slots 164 formed in side walls 26 to provide scenery accompanying the game. Thus, in the illustative embodiment of the invention, the plaques 160, which are fomed of embossed plastic sheets, provide simulated western town type structures.

Accordingly, it is seen that the present invention provides a gunfight type game in which the players can safely project balls or projectiles at an opponents target member. Since the target members are engaged with the opponents gun, by the apparatus described above, when a target member is hit it is ejected from the gun and thus from the game to indicate that a proper hit has been made. Moreover, such a hit disables the players gun so that he can no longer fire projectiles at the opponent who hit him. Moreover, by the provision of obstacles 152 on the playing surface and the movable mounting of the guns on the playing board, the players can hide behind the obstacles to avoid shots by their opponents, and take advantage of opponents errors to come from behind an obstacle and hit their opponent and immediately return to a safe position behind an obstacle. Thus, a highly realistic gunfight game is provided which requires the players to use physical dexterity in properly moving and aiming their guns to hit an opponents target in the proper position while simultaneously avoiding hits against their own targets by their opponent.

Although an illustrative embodiment of the present invention has been described herein in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to that precise embodiment, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A game comprising a frame having a playing surface formed thereon and at least two toy guns operatively associated with said frame for movement with respect thereto, said guns each including a housing, means in said housing for discharging a projectile onto said playing surface and across said surface towards the other of said toy guns, a target member operatively engaged with said housing, and means in said housing responsive to an impact against its associated target member by a projectile discharged from the other toy gun for indicating that said target member has been hit.

2. The game as defined in claim 1 further including means responsive to an impact against said target member for preventing discharge of a projectile from said gun.

3. The game as defined in claim 2 wherein the target member on each of said toy guns is removably mounted on its associated gun housing and said discharge preventing means is operative in response to removal of said target member from said housing as a result of an impact from a projectile hitting said target member.

4. The game as defined in claim 3 wherein each of said gun housings has a projectile discharge opening formed therein located to be on substantially the same plane as said playing surface and through which said projectiles are discharged into said playing surface, said discharge preventing means in said toy guns each including means for blocking passage of a projectile through its associated discharge opening when its associated target member is removed from its associated housing.

5. The toy game as defined in claim 4 wherein said means for indicating that said target member has been hit each include means for disengaging its associated target member from its associated housing and projecting the target member away from the housing in response to an impact against said target member.

6. The toy game as defined in claim 2 wherein said playing surface has a pair of opposed sides and said toy guns are respectively mounted on said frame adjacent said opposed sides, said playing surface including 0bstacle means adjacent said opposed sides and located in front of said toy guns whereby said players may move their respective guns behind said obstacles to prevent impact against their respective target members by an opponents projectile.

7. The toy game as defined in claim 6 wherein said toy guns are pivotally mounted on said frame for lateral pivotal movement in a plane corresponding substantially to the plane of said playing surface.

8. The game as defined in claim 1, wherein said indicating means includes means for disengaging said target member from said housing in response to an impact against said target member.

9. A game comprising an elongated playing board having a relatively fiat playing surface, including at least one pair of opposed end portions, at least one pair of toy guns pivotally mounted on said playing board for movement with respect thereto, said toy guns each including a housing in the general configuration of a pistol, means for discharging individual balls from said housing onto said playing surface and towards the other of the toy guns, means for preventing discharge of projectiles from said housing, and a target member operatively engaged between said discharge preventing means and said housing; said discharge preventing means each being responsive to an impact against its associated target member by a ball discharged from the other toy gun to prevent discharge of balls from its associated gun housing after the impact.

10. The game as defined in claim 9 including a pair of pivot arms pivotally mounted on said playing board below said playing surface for pivotal movment in a plane parallel to said playing surface, said toy guns being respectively mounted on said pivot arms adjacent said opposed end portions of the playing surface whereby said toy guns may be moved along said opposed ends of the playing surface.

11. The game as defined in claim 10 including means for pivotally mounting said toy guns on their associated pivot arms along axes extending perpendicularly to the arms.

12. The game as defined in claim 11 including a plurality of obstacle means on said playing surface adjacent said opposed ends thereof and located to be in front of portions of the paths of movement of said guns with said levers to permit the players to locate their respective guns behind said obstacles and prevent an impact against their target members by a ball projected from an opponents gun.

13. The game as defined in claim 12 wherein said playing board has a pair of wells formed therein located respectively at said opposed ends of said playing surface, said toy gun housings including ball discharge chutes located within their associated wells and having open ball discharge ends located in substantially the same plane as said playing surface, and means extending downwardly from said chutes for engaging the base of their associated wells to guidingly support said toy guns during pivotal movement thereof.

14. The game as defined in claim 9 wherein said means for preventing discharge of balls from said guns each include means for propelling said target member away from said housing in response to an impact against the target member.

15. The game as defined in claim 14 wherein each of said toy gun housings includes a target abutment member formed thereon and said target member propelling means comprises a lever pivotally mounted in said housing and a spring operatively connected between said housing and said lever for biasing said lever in a first direction, said target member being operatively engaged between said target abutment member and said lever to hold said lever in a first position against the bias of said spring, said target abutment member and said target member having normally engaged and cooperating cam surfaces for holding said target member in operative engagement between said lever and said target abutment member and for disengaging said target member from said target abutment member in response to an impact against said target member whereby said lever is moved by said spring in said first direction to a second position thereby to propel said target member away from said housing.

16. The game as defined in claim 15 wherein each of said toy gun housings includes a discharge opening therein adjacent said lever through which said projectiles are discharged; said discharge preventing means including a stop member formed on said lever for blocking said discharge opening when said lever is moved to said second position thereof, thereby to prevent discharge of projectiles through said discharge opening.

17. The game as defined in claim 16, wherein each of said toy gun housings and said target members have cooperating bearing and pivot point surfaces formed thereon located to be in engagement with each other when said target member is engaged between said lever and said target abutment member whereby an impact against said target member causes the target member to pivot about said pivot point surface thereby to disengage said cooperating cam surfaces.

18. The game as defined in claim 17 wherein each of said target members has a recess formed in one edge thereof which straddles said lever when the target member is engaged between the lever and said target abutment member thereby to locate said target member with respect to the target abutment member.

19. The game as defined in claim 18 wherein each of said toy gun housings includes magazine means formed in said housing for storing a plurality of balls therein and for feeding one ball at a time adjacent to a ball eject opening formed in the housing and wherein said means for discharging individual balls from the housing onto the playing surface includes an actuating mechanism including a second lever pivotally mounted within said housing and having a first segment extending out of said housing through an access opening therein and a second segment disposed within said housing, whereby said first segment moves in response to the application of a force thereon to pivot said second segment from a first position spaced from said one ball fed from said magazine to a second position in force applying contact with said one ball fed from said housing, resilient retaining means mounted in said housing adjacent said ball eject opening for receiving and retaining said one ball fed from said magazine, said retaining means resiliently yielding when said second segment I applies a force on said one ball held therein to permit passage of said one ball therethrough and resiliently returning to its initial unstressed position to impart an ejecting force on said one ball to eject said one ball through said eject opening toward said discharge opening in said housing.

20. The toy game as defined in claim 19 including a discharge chute integral with and extending from said housing between said ball eject opening and said discharge opening for receiving said one ball ejected from said eject opening in said housing, said chute being inclined to direct said one ball from said discharge opening onto said game playing surface.

21. The game as defined in claim 20 including a pair of pivot arms pivotally mounted on said playing board below said playing surface for pivotal movement in a plane parallel to said playing surface, said toy guns being respectively mounted on said pivot arms adjacent said opposed end portions of the playing surface whereby said toy guns may be moved along said opposed ends of the playing surface, including means for pivotally mounting said toy guns on their associated pivot arms along axes extending perpendicularly to the arms, and including a plurality of obstacle means on said playing surface adjacent said opposed ends thereof and located to be in front of portions of the paths of movement of said guns on said pivot arms to permit the players to locate their respective guns behind said obstacles and prevent an impact against their target member by a ball projected from an opponent's gun.

22. The game as defined in claim 21 wherein said playing board has a pair of wells formed therein located respectively at said opposed ends of said playing surface, said ball discharge chutes being located within their associated wells with their ball discharge ends located in substantially the same plane as said playing surface, and means extending downwardly from said chutes for engaging the base of their associated wells to guidingly support said toy guns during pivotal movement thereof.

Claims

6. The toy game as defined in claim 2 wherein said playing surface has a pair of opposed sides and said toy guns are respectively mounted on said frame adjacent said opposed sides, said playing surface including obstacle means adjacent said opposed sides and located in front of said toy guns whereby said players may move their respective guns behind said obstacles to prevent impact against their respective target members by an opponent''s projectile.

9. A game comprising an elongated playing board having a relatively flat playing surface, including at least one pair of opposed end portions, at least one pair of toy guns pivotally mounted on said playing board for movement with respect thereto, said toy guns each including a housing in the general configuration of a pistol, means for discharging individual balls from said housing onto said playing surface and towards the other of the toy guns, means for preventing discharge of projectiles from said housing, and a target member operatively eNgaged between said discharge preventing means and said housing; said discharge preventing means each being responsive to an impact against its associated target member by a ball discharged from the other toy gun to prevent discharge of balls from its associated gun housing after the impact.

12. The game as defined in claim 11 including a plurality of obstacle means on said playing surface adjacent said opposed ends thereof and located to be in front of portions of the paths of movement of said guns with said levers to permit the players to locate their respective guns behind said obstacles and prevent an impact against their target members by a ball projected from an opponent''s gun.

19. The game as defined in claim 18 wherein each of said toy gun housings includes magazine means formed in said housing for storing a plurality of balls therein and for feeding one ball at a time adjacent to a ball eject opening formed in the housing and wherein said means for discharging individual balls from the housing onto the playing surface includes an actuating mechanism including a second lever pivotally mounted within said housing and having a first segment extending out of said housing through an access opening therein and a second segment disposed within said housing, whereby said first segment moves in response to the application of a force thereon to pivot said second segment from a first position spaced from said one ball fed from said magazine to a second position in force applying contact with said one ball fed from said housing, resilient retaining means mounted in said housing adjacent said ball eject opening for receiving and retaining said one ball fed from said magazine, said retaining means resiliently yielding when said second segment applies a force on said one ball held therein to permit passage of said one ball therethrough and resiliently returning to its initial unstressed position to impart an ejecting force on said one ball to eject said one ball through said eject opening toward said discharge opening in said housing.

21. The game as defined in claim 20 including a pair of pivot arms pivotally mounted on said playing board below said playing surface for pivotal movement in a plane parallel to said playing surface, said toy guns being respectively mounted on said pivot arms adjacent said opposed end portions of the playing surface whereby said toy guns may be moved along said opposed ends of the playing surface, including means for pivotally mounting said toy guns on their associated pivot arms along axes extending perpendicularly to the arms, and including a plurality of obstacle means on said playing surface adjacent said opposed ends thereof and located to be in front of portions of the paths of movement of said guns on said pivot arms to permit the players to locate their respective guns behind said obstacles and prevent an impact against their target member by a ball projected from an opponent''s gun.