US561916A - Base-ball-game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

. S N I B 0 R H BASE BALL GAME APPARATUS.

No. 561,916. Patented June 9, 1896.

Inventor.

Witnesses:

% /Attorne v.

(No Model.) 2 SlieetsSheet 2.

w. H. ROBINSON.

BASE BALL GAME APPARATUS.

No. 561,916. Patented J1me 9, 1896.

Witnesses: Inventor.

Attorney.

UNITED STATES PATENT rricn WVILLIAM II. ROBINSON, OF YVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE W. ROBINSON, OF XVILLIAMSPORT, MARYLAND.

BASE-BALL-GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,916, dated June 9, 1896.

Application filed March 26, 1895. Serial No. 543,214. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HAMILTON ROBINSON, a citizen of the United States, re

siding at lvashington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Indoor or Parlor Base-Ball Erame Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an indoor or parlor base-ball game in miniature to the wellknown field game of base-ball.

The object of my invention is to provide an indoor game which more closely approximates the outdoor game of base-ball than any other indoor game heretofore known or used, and in. which counts maybe made substantially as in the outdoor game.

A further object of my invention is to util ize'a ball in connection with certain improved mechanism for manipulating the game in accordance with the existing rules now in vogue in the outdoor or field game.

The foregoing, together with such other objects as may occur from the ensuing description, are attained by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure l is a plan view of my improved game-board, illustrating in dotted lines my improved mechanism in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a rear plan view of my improved board, illustrating in full lines the operating mechanism attached to the under side of the same and utilized in connection therewith. Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line so 93, Fig. 1. Fig. 4; is a detail View of the batsman or batting device used in connection with my improved device. Fig. 5 is a view in detail of the pitcher or pitching device, showing the pin for pivoting the same to the upper surface of the game-board; and Fig. 6 is a view of the pitcher or pitching device, illustrating the position of the same in respect to the board when about to deliver or pitch the ball.

A represents the field, which may be made from a board of any suitable material, upon which are laid out the various positions of the players, as in a base-ball game, which positions are indicated by black dots in Fig. 1 of the drawings and at these positions, if desired, figures may be arranged and suitably secured to the board to represent the catcher, basemen, and fielders.

A designates a depending flange secured to .or forming a part of the board and constituting a support therefor.

B represents the batsman and C the pitcher or device for delivering the ball. The batsman or batting device and the pitcher may be removably secured to the board, and the other figures representing the players may be entirely omitted, if desired.

The pitcher G is preferably made of a single piece of suitable material, and is pivoted to the upper surface of the board by a pin 0', and consists of a member extending down ward through a slot in the board, said memher having a niche or recess 0 and a portion of the pitcher projects upward from the board and is provided with a semicircular recess at 0 adapted to receive a soft rubber ball, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and G of the drawings. The lower end of the pitcher is provided with a hole or perforation adapted to receive one end of a coiled spring 4, the other end of the spring being suitably secured at 4.

For securing the pitcher in an inclined position or in the position assumed when about to deliver the ball, I utilize a lever B, suitably pivoted at 3, and to which lever is secured one end of a coiled spring 5, the other end being secured to the board. At or near the end of the lever 2 is a projection or nose 3 adapted to enter the recess 0 in the lower portion of the pitcher, and thus hold the latter until released through the medium of a cord orrod 8, one end of which is connected to the said lever 22, the other end running to the outside of the board and provided at if outer end with a ring 8. Secured to the in. der side of the board in any suitable manner is a stop 7, which projects downward from the under surface of the board and serves to limit the forward movement of both the lever 2 and the lower end a of the pitching device or pitcher.

B indicates the batsman or device by which the ball is batted, and consists of an upright post projected through the board to a suitable distance above the same, and having an arm 9, constituting the bat, said post being suit- IOO ably supported through the medium of and adapted to rest in a block E, attached at or near the base of the board-support A. Near the base of the batting device and below the board is a lug or projection 11, and slightly below said lug is a staple or eye 11, to which is attached one end of a coiled spring 10, the other end of the spring being secured to the under side of the board at 11 1 indicates a lever pivoted at e, one end of which lever is cut away at c to form a camsurface. At the point e of said lever is secured one end of a spring 1, the other end of the spring being fastened to a block 2, to

which is adapted a set-screw for regulating the tension of the spring 1, which latter controls the swinging movement of the lever 1 on its pivot e, as shown in Fig. 2. The spring 10, connected to the bat-ting device, being much stronger than the spring 1, it will readily overcome the slight resistance exercised on the batting device by the said spring 1 through the medium of the lever 1, thus causing the batting operation simultaneously with the release of the outer end of lever 1, which release is caused by the forward movement of the pitching device or pitching operation.

When the batting device is in position to bat the ball, the spring 1, secured to the lever 1, is exercising more or less tension on the batting device through the medium of the inner end or cam-surface of said lever. Hence it will be perceived that the regulating of the tension of said spring governs the rapidity of the partial rotation of the batter or force of the batting blow.

7 7 indicate stops suitably secured to the under surface of. the board, serving to limit the play or swinging movement of the levers 1 and 2, respectively.

The upper surface of the board at D is provided with a square or diamond, inclined in opposite directions between the base-plates 16 16 16 16, respectively, which base-plates are suitably pivoted in the cut-out portions of the diamond, and each of said base-plates is adapted to be operated through the medium of levers 1'7 17 17 17, respectively, suitably supported to the under side of the board. By depressing the outer end of each of said levers the inner projecting end of each is lifted and serves to cause the base-plate to assume the position shown in dotted lines,

3, thereby forcing the baseman (represented in dotted lines, Fig. 3) to travel to the next base or destination.

Vhen it is desired to bat the ball, it is only necessary to take hold of the bat and partially rotate the same, together with the batsman or batting device B, around to the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, and in full lines, Fig. 2, at the same time pressing rearwardly the pitcher C, so that the lower portion of the latter will rest in front of the lever 2, the nose of which rests in the niche or recess 0 of the pitcher, and thus secures the same in a position to deliver the ball. The partial rotation of the batsman causes the outer end of the lever 1, which is in the path of the lug 11, to assume the position shown in Fig. 2, the outer end of the said lever being held in such position by the depending forward portion of the pitching de vice until released by the rearward movement of said depending portion. The depending portion of the pitching device is held in its forward position bya nose or pro jection 3 forming a part of the lever 2, and when held in such position it is under tension or pull of the spring 4.

When the parts shall have assumed the position shown in Fig. 2, to bat the ball it is then only necessary to exert a slight pull on the cord or wire 8, which releases the nose of the lever 2, thus releasing almost simultaneously both-the pitcher and batsman. The release of the batsman thus causes the bat to swing into contact with the ball as delivered through the medium of the pitching device.

Assuming the player or operator to represent the batsman, by manipulating the lever 17 he forces the glass ball, representing in this instance the base-runner, down the dia mond to first base. Then by manipulating the lever 17 the base-runner or ball is forced down to the second base, from thence to the third base by manipulating the lever 17, and from thence to the home-plate by operating lever 17, provided the batted ball is not returned by one of the players before the runner reaches the home-plate or before the runner is touched by the fielded ball during the circuit of the bases.

It will be observed, owing to the inclines of the diamond, that if the runner is not properly coached through the medium of the proper manipulation of the levers the ball may return on the inclined portion, and it is also liable to be caught between the bases, since one of the fielders or players in the game may return the bal in time to catch the base-runner during his circuit of the bases.

It will be understood that any desirable material may be used in the construction of a my improved game, and that the board or field may be of any suitable or required di mensions.

A slight departure from the exact details described may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is- 1. An indoor or parlor base -ball game, comprising a board, a pitching device pivoted to the upper portion or. surface of the board, a batting device removably journaled to said board, and a lever pivoted to the board be tween the pitching and batting devices for holding the batting device in position to bat the ball, both the pitching and batting devices being operated through the medium of a single connecting cord or wire, substantially as described.

2. A game board, comprising a pivoted pitching device removably secured to the up- .per surface of the board, a batting device reincvably journaled to said board, and a lever pivoted to the board between the pitching and batting devices its inner end having a camsurface for holding the batting device in a position to bat the ball, said pitching and batting devices being operated through the medium of a single connecting cord or wire to release the same and simultaneously pitch and bat the ball, substantially as described.

3. An indoor game, comprising a board, the upper surface of which is recessed to form a square or diamond, each side of the diamond having a raised portion and inclined in opposite directions, and pivoted base-plates secured at each angle or corner of the diamond, substantially as shown and described.

4. An indoor game, comprising a board, the upper surface of which is recessed to form a square or diamond, each side of the diamond having a raised portion and inclined in opposite directions, cut-out portions at each angle or corner of the diamond, and pivoted base-plates secured to the said cut-out portions of the diamond, substantially as shown and described.

5. In an indoor base -ball game, a gameboard, a batting device suitably journaled thereto, a pitching device pivotally secured to the upper surface of the board, alever pivoted to the board near its inner end and intermediate ot the pitching and batting devices, said lever securing the batting device in a position to batthe ball and the outer end of said lever being held by the lower end of the pitchto secure the pitcher in position to deliver the ball, the lower end of the pitcher securing the batter in a locked position until it is desired to release the same, and means for simultaneously releasing both the pitcher and the batter, substantially as shown and described.

7. In an indoor base-ball game, a gameboard, a batting device suitably journaled thereto, a pitching device pivotally secured to the upper portion of the board, a lever pivoted to the board near its inner end and be tween the pitching and batting devices, one end resting against the batting device and the other end against the pitching device, a lever adapted to secure the pitcher in position to bat the ball, means connected to the last-named lever for releasing the pitcher and batter substantially simultaneously, and springs for returning the levers to their normal positions, all substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

W'ILLIAM H. ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

HARRY XV. WALLIS, J. FRED. KELLEY.

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