US612198A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

R. L. EHMER.

GAME APPARATUS.

(Application filed Aug. 18,1897.)

Patented Oct. ll, I898.

, m/ VENTOI? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RUDOLPH L. EHHER, OF MONSEY, NEtV YORK.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 612,198, dated October 11, 1898.

Application filed August 18, 1897. Serial No. 648,612. (No model.)

To'ctZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH L. EHMER, a citizen of the Unit-ed States, residing at Monsey, in the county of Rockland and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a game apparatus; and the object of the same is to provide means for the amusement and education of children and adults alike, this being attained by an apparatus which is simple, inexpensive, and durable.

A further object is to provide an apparatus which can be taken apart and packed in small compass.

The invention consists of certain details and combinations of parts to be hereinafter fully described, and then claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figurel is a front elevation of my game apparatus, showing one of the levers turned over. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, showing the actuating-piece. Fig. 3 is a sectional side view showing in dotted lines one of the levers inverted or turned over.

Referring to the drawings, A indicates end supports or standards of suitable shape, which are connected by means of a shaft or rod B, fixed thereto by means of nuts I), screwed onto the screw-threaded ends of the rods. Fulcrumed or hinged on this rod 13 are a series of levers D, preferably of sheet metal, although they may be of other suitable material.

O are metallic strips, which are bent to conform to the rod B, so as to form hinges, and the ends of which are riveted or otherwise suitably fastened to the levers. The lower ends at of the levers are longer than the upper ends, so as to hang a considerable dis tance below the rod B. The portions d of the levers just in front of the rod B are widened, so as to bear suitable numbers, preferably the digits 1 to 9, corresponding to the nine levers, although I do not limit myself to that number nor to the arrangement of said numbers. These widened portions of the levers provide ample room for the numbers, and the washers or collars D, strung upon and secured by set-screws to the rod B, form spaces separating or spacing the levers a suitable distance apart, so that theywill not interfere with one another.

Above the fulcrum-rod B the upper ends of the levers abut against a stop-rod E, which is arranged parallel with the fulcrum-rod and is secured at its ends to the supports A, while the said upper ends are backwardly bent at a suitable angle above the stop-rod E, so as to form rearwardlyextending portions d from-which extend upright plates or heads D which counterbalance the lower ends (Z of the levers and hold the upper ends of the same against the stop-rod E, so that in the normal position of the levers the plates or heads D extend upwardly. Numbers are arranged on the backs of the heads or plates D these numbers corresponding to the numbers on the parts cl of the levers. When the levers are in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, the numbers on the front of the cult to strike a lever, for if the lever is notlevers are disclosed, and when the levers are inverted into the position shown in dotted lines the numbers on the backs of theheads or plates D are seen.

In order to turn the levers over and cause them to move through an arc of one hundred and eighty degrees, their lower ends are forcibly struck by a suitable projectile or missile, and in order to assure that a lever be inverted when squarely and forcibly struck and at the same time to render the striking of the levers more difficult weights or disks F are used, the same being provided with central vertical strike-pins f.

The actuating pieces or disks F are slid along a table or smooth floor, the object be ing to cause the strike-pin to hit the lower end of a selected lever. If the force of the blow is hard enough and the lever be struck,the countel-balancing head or plate D is overbalanced and the lever inverted, so as to disclose the number on the back of the head D An inclined lip g is arranged at the back of each lever, it being preferably formed by turning out the lower end of the metallic hinge-strap C, said lip serving to frictionally engage the stop-rod E and by reason of its resiliency prevent the sudden jar of the lever against the stop-rod, which jar would tend to throw the lever back to its former position. spaces between the levers render it more diffi- Thev struck the pin will simply pass through the space without inverting the lever, While the disk can never strike the levers of the actuating-piece if properly manipulated.

By reason of the peculiar bending of the headed and counterbalanced end of each lever the same is made shorter than the lower end of the lever, so that when the lever is reversed the actuating-piece can never strike the head.

For facilitating packing, so that the device will take up the smallest area possible, the standards can be moved from the rods by loosening the nuts, and also the levers can be slipped off the rods and all the said parts bunched together in small compass.

The apparatus affords training for the eye and at the same time is interesting. It can also be employed for teaching numbers to children.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a game apparatus, the combination with a suitably-supported rod, of a series of reversible or invertible levers pivoted on said rod and free to swing through an arc of one hundred and eighty degrees, said levers havin gheaded and counterbalanced ends, shorter than the lower ends, and an actuating-piece adapted to be projected against the lower ends of the levers, but clearing the headed end when a lever is reversed, with its lower end projecting upwardly, substantially as set forth.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination with a series of pivoted and reversible levers provided at the back with catch-lips extending at an angle to the bodies of the levers and arranged below the pivotal points of the levers, and above their lower extremities, of a stop-bar adapted to be engaged by said lips when the levers are reversed, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

RUDOLPH L. EHMER.

Witnesses:

GEO. S. WHEELOCK, PAUL GoEPEL.

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