US544208A - chage - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) 2 Shets-Sheet 2. E. CHACE.

GAME APPARATUS.

Z T 5 1m 1 Patented Aug. 6, 1895.

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U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD OHAOE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ANDREW J. SANFORD AND GEORGE W. SANFORD, JR., OF

SAME PLACE.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,208, dated August 6, 1895.

Application filed January 31, 1895. Serial No. 536,838. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD OHAcE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington city,District of Columbia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mechanical ballgames; audit consists in certain novel fearo tures and combinations in a game apparatus especially designed for the playing of a miniature game of base-ball in a manner that will substantially accord with the ordinary rules of the field game.

1n the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure l is a perspective of a game apparatus constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is an under plan view of the gameboard shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail View of one form of mechanical automatically-actuated batter and the portion of the board to which it is attached. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a portion of a gameboard provided with a self-setting and auto- 2 5 matically-actuated batter. Fig. 5 is a perspective of a base-ball game-board illustrating modified devices for controlling and releasing the balls, marbles, or rolling objects that are to represent the batting team or side. Fig. 6 is a plan of the under side of the gameboard shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7is a detail view of a portion of a lever mechanism for controlling a movable guard device to retain or release one of the balls or marbles comprised 5 in the batting-team.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a rectangular frame supporting a game-board 2, arranged to represent the infield or diamond of a base-ball ground.

In the preferred form of construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a series of tilting troughs or ways 3, 4, 5, and 6 are pivotally attached to the outer sides of the game-board frame 1 in such manner that when at rest each trough 5 will normally incline rearward or from a farther or following base to the one that immediately precedes it. .Thus the tilting trough 3 is normally inclined from the point F.13., designating the first base, to the point H. 13., which may designate the home base in the miniature and mechanical game of base- 7 ratus and may be used to represent the batting and running team. The normally-rear ward inclination of each tilting trough serves to retain a ball, marble, or other spherical object thereon in a position of rest at the base where it belongs until an opportunity offers for making a run.

To that end of each tilting trough or way which is lowest when the trough is in its normally-rearward inclined position may be attached one or more stationary stops or guards 8 projecting above the end and a portion of the outer side of the trough in such manner as to retain a ball or marble 7 thereon until it is time for it to make a run, as hereinafter explained. This stop or guard 8 may be formed on each trough by attaching an an-.

gular piece of metal thereto in such manner that it will project above the end and a portion ofthe outer side of the trough, as shown, or the said guard may be integral with the trough and be formed thereon in any suitable and convenient manner. The stop or guard 8 does not project above the inner side of a trough, because a passage must be afforded for a ball or marble to roll from one trough onto the next succeeding trough when the preceding one is properly operated, so as to cause it to be tilted forward and thereby inclined in the required direction.

As before observed, the several tilting troughs or ways are normally inclined rearward or from a farther base toward onenext preceding. Any suitable mechanism may be provided for operating any particular trough separately, or several troughs simultaneously, in such manner as to cause a trough or troughs to be tilted or inclined forward, and thereby cause one or more balls or marbles to makea run along a portion or the whole of the baseline or course. If only one trough is operated at a time so as to be tilted forward, the guard or guards 8 on the lower end of the next normally-rearward inclined trough will arrest the running ball or marble at the required base on the field or course. When, however, two immediately-adjacent troughs are simultaneously operated, the ball or marble running on the rearward trough cannot pass at once onto the one next succeeding, and some means must therefore be provided to prevent it from running off the temporarily-depressed forward end of the trough or way along which it has just traveled and to retain it at that point in readiness to pass at once to the required base as soon as the next succeeding trough is allowed to resume its normally-rearward inclination. This may be accomplished by providing a depending stop or guard 9, Fig. 1, on the inner side of a trough end,at a right angle to its angular guard 8, to occupy a working position immediately across the temporarily-depressed forward end of the preceding trough.

For the purpose of operating the tilting troughs or runways 3, i, 5, and 6 I prefer to provide a series of pivotally-supported fingerkeys 3, 4:, and (5, Figs. 1 and 2,-of varying lengths and arranged to project from one side of the game-board frame in such proximity to each other that they can be conveniently manipulated either separately or simultaneously, as may be required. These fingerkeys may project through slots 10 formed in one side of the frame 1 at convenient points below the highest portion of one of the normally-rearward inclined tilting troughs.

Beneath the game-board is a rod or shaft 11, Fig. 2, on which the several keys are fulcrumed. The key 3 is directly connected by short links 12, Fig. 1, to the under side of the normally-highest end portion of the trough 3, so that by depressing the key the trough will be tilted forward and permit a ball or marble to roll thereon from the home base to the first base, at which point, if only the trough 3 has been operated, the ball or marble will roll at once onto and remain on the lower end of the normally-rearward inclined trough 4 until that trough is tilted forward by depressing its finger-key. The key 4: of the tilting trough 4 is arranged to bear upward at its inner end upon a rod or lever 13, Fig. 2, extended at right angles to the key and having one end pivoted or hinged at 1t to one side of the frame and its other end passed through a slot in the opposite side of the frame and connected to the trough 4 at a snitablepoint. The finger-key 5 has a lever-extension 16 that is carried across the under side of the game-board and through a slot 17, Fig. 2, in one side of the frame, to connect with the tiltingtrough 5 at a proper point for effecting its required operation. At its inner end the finger-key 6 bears on or may connect with a rod or lever 18, Fig. 2, one end of which is hinged or pivotally connected at 19 to one side of the frame and the other end is passed through a slot 20 in the opposite side of the frame and connected to the tilting trough 6 at an appropriate point. Each tilting trough 3, 4, 5, and (i has a fulcrum 21 arranged nearer one end than the other, and the several finger-keys are each connected with a trough at such point with relation to the trough-fulcrum as will best provide for the required operation of the troughs either separately or two or more at a time.

On the top of the game-board, preferably adjacent to the home base, is hinged or pivotally supported a vertically-swingingbatter 22, which consists of a bar that is normally held in an erect position. This batter is so arranged thatuponreceivingtheimpact ofaball or marble shot or projected against its front face or side it will immediately be released from its erect position and caused to react on the ball or marble in such manner as to quickly deliver a blow that will throw the said ball or marble outward from the game-board and onto the floor or table, unless it can be caught on the fly by the player who projected it against the batter.

In Figs. 1, 3, and 5 I have shown the mechanical batter 22 as connected to the top of the game-board by means of a hinge 23 so arranged as to permit the batter to swing sharply forward when released. This hinged batter has secured to its lower end a bent arm 24:,extcnded downward through a slot 25 in the game-board and connected to one end of a preferably spirally-coiled spring 26, the other end of which is fastened tothe under side of the game-board.

In slots 27 and 28 of the game-board is arranged a movable segmental rack 29, that is adapted to interlock with and hold the batter 22 in an erect or set position. The rear end portion of the segmental rack 29 is pivoted in or immediately below the slot 27, and the forward end of the rack works in the slot 28, through which it may be raised and lowered. In the top of the rack 29 is anotch 30, adapted to engage and become locked with a pin 31, Fig. 13, mounted in a slot 32, with which the batter 22 is provided and through which the segmental rack 29 is extended. (hen the batter 22 is set in an erect position and the rack 29 raised for its notch 30 to engage the pin 31, the tension to which the spring 26 is thus subjected will cause it to hold the batter and its locking-rack in firm engagement. The batter 22 will remain set or erect until it receives a slight rearward impulse, as by the impact of a ball or marble thrown, shot, or otherwise projected against its forward face, which will be sufficient to disengage the pin 31 from the notch 30 and allow the forward end portion of the segmental rack to drop at the same instant that the batter will be swung sharply forward by the contraction of its spring.

In this miniature game of base-ball there may be two or more players and the rules of the game may correspond as nearly as possible with the usage of the field game. One player or one side will take charge of the balls or marbles that are to represent the movements of the batting and running team. Another player or side will take charge of the ball or marble that is to be batted. If desired the balls or marbles may have distinguishing colors or numbers, .though this is not essential. At the beginning of the game the batter 22 will be set in its erect position and one of the balls or marbles of the batting and running team will be placed in the lower or home-base end of the tilting trough 3, all the said troughs being at rest in normallyrearward inclined positions. The player who has the ball or marble to be batted, and who may represent the pitcher, will toss or shoot the ball or marble in proper direction to strike on the face of the mechanical batter 22, and this, when hit, will yield slightly to base and onto the depressed end of the trough- 4 at that point; but in the meantime if the pitcher, or one of his side, can catch the batted ball or pick it up and place it on first base before the running ballor marble on the trough or way 3 gets to that base the latter ball or marble will be put out. On resetting the mechanical batter 22 and repeating its operation by impact of a ball thereon the keys 3 and 4 may be depressed, either separately or simultaneously, to cause the running of a ball or marble from home base to first base and from first base to second base, and so on, if there is time for those runs before the batted ball can be caught and carried to the destined base of one of the running balls or marbles. So, also, the keys 5 and 6'" may be depressed, either separately or simultaneously, to cause the rolling of balls or marbles farther along the course. In this manner the play may be continued by repeated resetting of the mechanical batter and proceed only part way toward the desired' base and.then be quickly returned to the base just passed, if the exigencies of the game should require such movements in order to prevent a ball or marble, from being put out while on a run. When three of the marbles in the running team have been: put out, the

other side, or the other one of two opposing players, may take charge of the team and the game may proceed in accordance with any suitable rules approximating those followed thereby effect its automatic resetting after the batting of a ball. Below the slot 35 is mounted a rotary shaft or spindle 37, having a series of radial arms 38, adapted to project in turn through the slot 35 a sufficient distance to be caused to strike against the weighted lower end of the batter in such manner as 'to force it backward and thereby throw the upper end of the batter forcibly forward in batting the ball. A coiled spring 39, connected with the shaft or spindle 37, may furnish the motive power for rotating said shaft. A stop-lever 40, Fig. 4, is fulcrumed at its lower end and carries a stop-lug or shoulder 41 adapted to engage overone of the horizontally-extended arms 38, and thereby arrest the rotation of the shaft to which the arms 38 are attached. The upper end of the stop-lever '40 is connected with the lower end of the batter 22 by a rod 42, and a light spring 43 is-arranged adjacent to said lever in such position as to aid in restoring engagement of the stop 41 with one of the arms 38 and arrest the oscillation of the batter after it has rebounded against the impact of a ball.

Instead of havingv the base-line or course composed of a series of tilting troughs or ways, I may provide runways .or troughs 44, Fig. 5, that communicate with each other and are permanently inclined in proper direction and in a spiral manner to cause a ball or marble to roll from one base to another. As a means for controlling the release of balls or marbles placed at the higher end of each permanentlyinclined trough or way 44, I provide in each trough or runway, near its upper end, an adj ustable guard device that may conveniently take the form of a vertically-movable pin or series of pins 45, respectively operated from one of the finger-keys 3, 4 5, or 6 hereinbefore described. These keys may be fulcrumed on a rod or bar 11*, Fig. 6, substantially as before. The key 3 will carry near its outer end the guard or vertically-movable pin 45 for retaining and releasing a ball or marble placed on the higher end portion of the spirally-inclined runway 44 adjacent to home base. The key 4 when depressed will bear down on a lever 46, Fig. 6, having one end fulcrumed at 47 and its other end carrying the guard or pin for controlling release of the ball or marble at first base. The key 5 may be arranged to actuate a lever 48 ful-. crumed at 49 intermediate its ends and connected at one end with the guard or pin for retaining and releasing the ball or marble at second base. In like manner the key 6 will control a lever 50, Figs. 6 and 7, fulcrumed at 51 and carrying the guard or pin for arresting and releasing a ball or marble at third base.

It will be readily understood that the several finger-keys may be depressed, either separately or any two or more simultaneously, according to the requirements of the game at different stages of its progress, as hereinbefore explained. At the angles or turning-points of the spirally-inclined runway 44 there may be placed suitable fixed guards 52 to prevent the rolling balls or marbles from leaving the course or base-line.

The same kind of ball-game can be played with both forms of game-board'illustrated, which are alike in all essential particulars, and any appropriate rules maybe adopted for governing the manner of conducting agame.

hat I claim as my invention is- 1. A game apparatus comprising a board or surface representing the infield of a baseball ground, a series of inclined ways constituting a base line or course for rolling objects, a normally erect and vertically swinging batter mounted on the said board adjacent to home base, and means forlocking the batter in an erect position until released by the impact of a ball thereon, substantially as described.

2. A game apparatus comprising a board having thereon positions representing the bases of a base-ball ground, a mechanical and automatically actuated batter pivotally supported on the upper side of the board, mechanism for holding the batter in a normally erect position until released by the impactof a ball or other object, spring mechanism for causing the batter to rebound forcibly and thereby drive the ball, and tilting ways constituting a base-line or course from base to base and over which rolling objects may be caused to pass either forward or back between the bases, substantially as described.

3. A game apparatus comprising a board representing the infield of abase-ball ground, an automatically actuated and rebounding batter supported on the said board in posit-ion to receive and respond to the impact of a ball,.-

marble or other suitable object, tilting ways constituting a base line or course over which rolling objects may be caused to pass either forward or back between the several bases of the infield, and mechanism for operating said tilting ways to cause them to incline either forward or backward, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD CHACE.

\Vitnesses:

J. FRED. KELLEY, T. A. GREEN.

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