US720533A - Game apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

PATBNTED FEB.10, 1903. G. E. MBLLBN. GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 30, 1902.

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GEORGE E. MELLEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAME AP'PARATUS.

SPECIFICATION formng'part of Letters Patent No. 720,533, dated February 10, 1903.

Application tiled June 30, 1902. Serial No. 113,837.` (No model.) Y

fo @ZZ whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE E. MELLEN, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new, useful, and Improved Game Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this speciiicatiomin Which- Figure l is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a game apparatus embodying the features of my invention, and Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof.

Corresponding letters of reference in the different figures indicate Alike parts.r

The object of my invention is to provide a portable game apparatus to be played with balls and other elements, and more especially adapted for use in bowling, said apparatus being intended to be placed upon a door or other level surface upon which the balls may be rolled to the apparatus, all of which is hereinafter more Vparticularly described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings,` a represents generally a framework of wood or other suitable material having side pieces or walls h b, a back c, preferably vertical, or substantially so, and a flange or overhanging portion d, extending forwardly from the back c. Theinner wall of the back c is lined with a padding e to form a cushion for cushioning the balls, as hereinafter stated. A portion f of the bottom is raised, as shown, above the level of the respective ends, and upon said level portion are placed spots g, arranged substantially in the order indicated in Fig. 2. At or near the rear end of the raised portion f I attach to the Walls l) b by means of pivot-pins or screws h supports e', which are intended to stand normally in a Vertical position, as shown, and are connected by means of a suitable cross-piecej. Stretched between the uprights t' 'i are parallel wires 7c 7c, directly beneath the cross-piece j. Loosely suspended from or hinged to each of said wires by means of loops Z lare a series of hanging gates m m, which are free to swing rearwardly upon said wires independently of each other; but the forward gates are prevented from forward movement by means of a common stop n, Fig. 1. A portion o, preferably made of sheet metal, forms an inclined plane at the front, up which the balls are rolled to the dat portion f, upon which the spots g are located. Upon the latter may be placed a number of pins or .other elements p to be played upon by means of balls no, projected up the incline o, the impact serving to carry the ball and one or more pins beneath the gates, where they are stopped by contact with the cushion e.

I have found in practice that where a single gate is used instead of two, one behind the other, the ball, if projected with considerable force, will rebound beneath the -gate while the latter is yet raised and before it has time to resume its normal-position. This objectionable tendency is, however, entirely overcome by the use of two sets of gates, as the impact of the bottom of the forward gate upon the rear one acts like a blow upon the former to force it forward instantly upon the passage of the ball, thereby forcing it to its normal position in advance of the rebound of the latter. Moreover, the advantage of using a series of gates in alinement is equally important. vWere a single gate extended between the walls h b, it would be liable to be obstructed by one or more pins orballs lodging behind the gate before all the balls of a given inning were played; but with a series of adjacent gates this cannot occur, inasmuch as they are independent of each other and each is wide enough to admit the passage of a ball.

In order to prevent the balls or other elements after having passed the gates Yfrom rolling forward and obstructing the gates, so as to prevent or interfere with the passage of other balls, I cause the bottom portion w behind the gates to be lowered, so as to form a q, said edge part w being inclined rearwardly, shown, which causes the balls to roll back and rest normally against the rear wall.

As stated, the uprights 'L' t' are pivoted at the bottom. The object of this is to enable said uprights to be knocked down or moved to a horizontal position, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thus rendering the device more compact and less liable to injury when not in use or when packed for shipment.

Springs r, having inwardly-bent ends s, are secured to the outer Walls of the structure, the parts s being arranged to pass IOO through the openings in said walls and into bores t, formed in the uprights t', thereby serving to normally lock said uprights in a vertical position.

A stop n serves to prevent the forward movement of the front row of gates, while leaving them free to swing back, and a similar stop i; is provided to limit the backward movement of the rear gates, thereby preventing the balls from being thrown out above the rear wall.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. In a game apparatus, a structure having back and side walls but open at the front, a raised iiat surface between the front and rear, an inclined planeleading from the front upwardly thereto and a series of independently-swinging gates arranged side by side across said device interposed between the front and rear.

2. A game apparatus consisting of a structure open at the front and provided with back and side walls, abottom having a raised portion between the front and rear, an inclined plane leading from the front to said flat portion, and a series of independent gates arranged to swing upon horizontal axes between the front and rear. I

3. A game apparatus consisting of a structure open at the front and provided with rear and side walls, a bottom havinga raised level portion between the front and rear adapted as a support for movable elements, an inclined plane leading upwardly from said open front to said level portion, a series of independent gates suspended from the tops upon horizontal axes, said gates being located between the front and rear of said structure and means for preventing the forward movement of said gates.

4. A game apparatus consisting of a structure open at the front and provided with rear and side walls, a bottom having a raised level portion between the front and rear adapted as a support for movable elements, an inclined plane leading upwardly from said open front to said level portion, and a plurality of independent gates arranged parallel to each other across said structure between front and and rear, said gates being arranged to swing upon horizontal axes.

5. A game apparatus adapted to be utilized in the playing of games with balls and other elements, consisting of a structure open at the front and provided with rear and side walls, a bottom having a raised level portion between the front and rear adapted as a support for movable elements, an inclined plane leading from said open front to said level portion, and two rows of independent gates arranged parallel to each other across said structure between front and rear, said gates being suspended upon horizontal axes, the bottom of said structure behind said gates being inclined rearwardly.

6. A game apparatus adapted to be used in the playing of games with balls and other elements, consisting of an open-fronted structure having side and rear walls, a bottom having a raised level portion between the front and rear, an inclined plane leading from said front to said level portion, a pivoted gatesupport located between the front and rear of said structure, means for normally locking the same in a vertical position, and a plurality of independent gates suspended from said support upon horizontal axes.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 28th day of June, 1902.

GEORGE E. MELLEN.

Witnesses:

D. H. FLETCHER, A. C. ODELL.

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