US776293A - Game apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED, Nov; 29, 1904.

l W. BURBANK. GAMB APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 31,1904' es /g Mfg No. 776.293. PATENTED NOVZQ, 1904.

I W. BURBANK.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLIoATIoN HLBD MAR. s1. 1904.

no Maman. z sums-SHEET 2.

@ummm Patented November 29, 190e.

FFICF.

WILLARD BURBANK, OF BLACKROCK, UTAH.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 776,293, dated November 29, 1904.

Application filed March 31, 1904. Serial No. 200,969. (No model.)

To all whom, it party concern:

Be it known that I. VVILLARD BURBANK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Blackrock, in the county of Millard and State of Utah, have invented new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in game apparatus; and its object is to provide a device of this character having means whereby balls or other articles may be projected'from one portion of the apparatus so as to fall or be depositedV within any one of a series of pockets provided'within the apparatus.

vide a novel projecting device for throwing the balls.

With the above andy other objects in view the invention consists of a projecting' device which is located at one end of the apparatus and is adapted to throw balls or other gamepieces into any one of a series of pockets located at the other end of the apparatus. Arranged between these pockets and the projecting device are parallel series of pockets, which are located at opposite sides of a track which extends from a point under one of the end series of pockets to a pocket located adjacent the projecting device.

The invention also consists in the further novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, showing' the preferred form of my invention, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the game apparatus, a portion of one side thereof being.

broken away. Fig. 2 is a central transverse section through the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section therethrough, a portion of the casing of the slides and one of the elastic holding' devices being shown in elevation; and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the slides and their casing, the top of the casing being partly removed.

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, 1 is a base having an end board 2 extending upward therefrom and provided with a vertically-arranged series of pockets 3, 4,

Another object of the invention is to pro-- and 5 upon the inner facesthereof, the lastmentioned or lower pocket 5 being bottomless and located above an inclined groovcd strip 6, which extends longitudinally above the base 1. Oppositely-inclined strips 7 are arranged below the strip 6 and form the bottoms of pockets 8, these vpockets being separated by partitions 9, which extend from the sides of strip ddownward to thev base 1. Side walls 1() extend upward from the sides of the base and overlap the ends of partitions 9, and removable covers 11 are arranged upon these side strips and bear on the partitions. Angular side' strips 12 are secured 'on the partitions 9. adjacent their upper ends and are parallel with the strip 6. lhesc guide-strips 12 form a hopper-shaped inlet to the pockets 8. An end plate 13 is secured to the end of base 1 farthest removed from the'end board 2, and secured to the inner face of this end plate 13 and between the guide-strips 12 is a crossstrip 14, forming a compartment 15 thereunder, which is directly above pockets 16, which are formed between the end plate 13 and the adjoining partitions 9. The grooved strip 6, before referred to, projects into the compartment 15, and any game-piece deposited upon this strip will tend to roll by gravity into the compartment 15 and one of the pockets 16. Extending 4downward from the cross-strip 14 is a casing 17, in which is pivoted a lever 18, having a recessed head 19 at its upper end. The lower end of the lever projects through the inclined strips 7 and in rear of a slide 20, which is mounted upon a'longitudinally-extending partition 21, located within a casing This casing is detachably mounted bctween guide-cleats 23, arranged upon the base 1, and is in alinement with an opening 24, which is formed in the end plate 13 and is normally closed by a slide 25. A plunger 26 is slidably mounted in the casing 22 and below the partition 21, and this plunger is connected. to the slide 20 by means of a cord 27, which extends around a pulley 28, journaled within the casing 22 adjacent one end of the partition 21. A head 29 is secured to one end of plunger 26 and projects through a slot 30, formed in slide 25. Forked plates 31 are secured to opposite sides of the casing 22 at IOO 26 outward by means of head 29.

points adjacent the opening 24, and the ends of a rubber band 32 are secured to these forked plates. This rubber band extends around one end of the side walls of casing 22 and through the slide 20, and it will be understood that whenever said slide is moved inwardly toward the pulley 28 the rubber' band is tensioned.

In using the apparatus herein described any number of game-pieces in the form of marbles or other spherical objects may be employed. Any number of players can participate in each game, and each of these players places all of the game-pieces in the head 19 successively and projects them toward the end board 2 and the pockets 3, 4, and 5. These gaine-pieces are projected by drawing plunger The cord 27 will, as is obvious, draw the slide 2O inward and tension the rubber band 32. By releasing the plunger 26 the band will quickly return all of the parts to their normal positions and will throw the end of slide 2O into violent contact with the lower end of lever 18. The game-piece within the head 19 will thus be thrown forward. By exercising extreme care and skill the game-pieces can be directed into any one of the three pockets 3, 4, and 5 desired. If the game-piece falls into the lowest pocket, it will drop upon the grooved strip 6 and will be guided thereby into compartment 15 and one of the pockets 16. As this result is the most difhcult one to obtain by means of the game apparatus, the deposit of a gamepiece within a pocket 16 will count more than any other result obtained. Should the gamepiece fall short of the pockets 3, 4, and 5, it will drop either upon the strip 6 and be directed into one of the pockets 16 or else will fall into one of the pockets 8. Each of these pockets has a different value, as well as the pockets 3, 4, and 5, and where a game-piece is first discharged into the pocket 5 and then into one of the pockets 16 the result is equal to the sum of the values of the two pockets. As before stated, each player projects all of the gamepieces successively, and subsequent to this procedure the total value of the pockets into which the game-pieces have been discharged represents the score made by the player. The movable covers 11 prevent the game-pieces from jumping from pockets 8 and 16. Should one of the game-pieces fall outside of the apparatus after it has been projected from the head 19, it cannot be counted by the player during the game. An elastic strip 33 may be connected to lever 18 for the purpose of normally holding it in position to receive a game-piece. It will be seen that the apparatus is very simple in construction and requires the exercise of considerable skill in its manipulation in order to produce a high score.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of my invention; but I do not limit myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or sacriiicing any of the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a game apparatus, the combination with oppositely-arranged parallel series of pockets, and a longitudinally extending grooved strip therebetween; of a vertical series of pockets adjacent one end of the strip,

one of said pockets opening upon the strip, and a projecting device at one end of the apparatus.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination with oppositely disposed parallel series of pockets, and an inclined grooved strip therebetween and adapted to direct a game-piece into one of the pockets; of a vertical series of pockets adjacent one end of the strip, one of said pockets opening upon the strip, and a projecting device at one end of the apparatus.

3. In a game apparatus, the combination with a lever pivoted between its ends and having a recessed head; of a-slide normally contacting with the lever, a plunger for imparting longitudinal movement to the slide, and means for throwing the slide into Violent contact with the lever.

4. In a game apparatus, the combination with a lever fulcrumed at a point between its ends and having a recessed head; of a casing, a slide therein and normally contacting with the lever, a plunger slidably mounted within the casing and projecting therefrom, a pulley within the casing, and a flexible connection between the plunger and slide and mounted on the pulley, and an elastic strip for automatically projecting the slide into contact with the lever.

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

WILLARD BURBANK.

lVitnesses:

WALTER JAMES, E. IV. CLAY.

IDO

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