US961239A - Amusement device. - Google Patents

Description

r M. KERN. AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLIOATIOH PIIED AUG. 19, 1908.

Patented June 14,1910.

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AMUSEMENT DEVICE. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 19, 1908;

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M. KERN.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.19,-190B.

Patented June 14, 1910.

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ANDREW B GRAHAM LIYNDGRAPHERS, NASMINGRJN u u MICHAEL KERN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 19, 1908.

Patented June 14, 1910. Serial No. 449,288.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MICHAEL KERN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in amusement devices, and more particularly to game devices suitable for use in hotels, restaurants, saloons and the like.

The object of my invention is to provide in a device of the class described, a miniature pictorial and mechanical representation of a base-ball game in operation, and suitable operating means therefor.

A further object of my invention is to provide means whereby the device may be self-contained and not dependent on an out side source for operating means as in a coin-controlled machine.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

With these objects in view, my invention consists in a casing with an illustration of a base-ball diamond and players on the front portion of said casing, apertures in the casing to represent the four bases of a diamond, and suitable operating mechanism in the casing adapted to revolve an arm pivoted in the mechanism in the rear of the center of the diamond, whereby a player shown at the outer extremity of the arm and adapted to register with the apertures, may be seen when the arm in its revolution stops at one of the apertures or bases of the diamond.

My invention further consists in means for giving the revolving arm an interrupted rotation, whereby the player at the extremity of the arm may be concealed or in view through one of the apertures when the arm stops revolving.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my complete device, Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the device with the front portion removed, and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing the novel movement in the operating mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates the casing and 2 the front portion of the casing which is secured by means of the screws 3. 4 indicates the screw-holes after the front the rotatably mounted arbor 9, which arbor is contained in the operating mechanism in the casing 1. At the outer extremity of the arm 8, a figure of a ball-player 10 is shown. As the arm 8 revolves on its axis, the player 10 is adapted to register with the apertures 6, so that if the arm 8 is stopped at an aperture 6, the player 10 is plainly visible.

An opening 11 in the top of the casing 1- is adapted to receive a ball 12, and a tube 13 forms a guide for the downward movement of the ball 12. A receptacle 1 1 is provided to receive and retain the ball 12 until the device is again operated. A slot 15 in the tube 13 is provided to make clearance for a lever 16 rigidly secured to the rotatable arbor 17. The lever 18 is a vertically disposed extension of the arbor 17 and integral therewith. A hook 19 at the upper extremity of the lever 18 is adapted to engage stops 20 in the periphery 22 of the wheel 21. A spring 23 makes a turn around the arbor 17 and is provided with a hook 2 1 to engage the lever 18 and a hook 25 to engage the member 26. The spring 23 thus tends to maintain the hook 19 in constant contact with the wheel 21 either in frictional contact with the periphery 22 or in engagement with the stops 20. The lever 18 assumes the position as indicated by dotted lines when the lever 16 is depressed by the impact of the ball 12, thus releasing the wheel 21 which instantly moves by the action of the train of wheelwork provided in the mechanism. After the ball has passed the lever 16, the hook 19 engages another stop 20 by the action of the spring 23. The wheel 21 is thus stopped rota-ting after having moved the distance between the two stops. The driving pinion of the arm 8 being connected with the wheel 21 by means of a gear 27 is adapted to move simultaneously with the wheel 21.

The stops 20 are irregularly spaced as shown, and it is therefore obvious that the distance that the figure 10 will travel in its revolution at a single operation of the machine will vary according to said spacmg.

The gear 27 and the pinion 28 are securely fixed to the arbors 29 and 9 respectively. The gear 29 is mounted on the key-winding arbor 30 and meshes with and is adapted to drive the pinion 31, the pinion 31 being mounted on the arbor 29. 32 is the main spring connected in the usual manner. Screws 33 are adapted to secure the member 26 to the casing l, and the screws 34 to secure the member 35 to the member 26.

The game is designed to be played by two players or by two parties or sides of players, and the ordinary game of base ball imitated as closely as possible. The first side to play drops the ball into race 13 so that said ball will strike the lever 16 and release wheel 21. This causes arm 8 to be revolved upon its axis until hook 19 enters the next stop in the periphery of wheel 21 which stops farther rotation of arm 8. Should the figure on the end of arm 8 stop under one of the apertures 6, it is counted as a base hit for that side, it being a one base hit, two base hit, three base hit or home run in accordance with under which aperture said figure stops. Should the figure stop between said bases so as to be concealed it is construed as an out for that side. Each side continues to drop the ball until three outs have been made when the other side takes its turn with the ball. Scores are made for each side every time a player is supposed to reach the home base either through a home run or by being advanced around bases by subsequent plays, a preceding runner or player being entitled to advance the same number of bases as the player supposed to have made a hit. This process is continued until each side has had nine turns with the ball or nine innings. The winner is the one having the greatest number of runs or scores.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a face plate having apertures indicative of a base ball diamond, a rotatable arm behind said face plate and provided with a representation of a ball player adapted to register with said openings, means for rotating said arm, and variable means for interrupting the rotation of said arm, substantially as described.

2. In adevice of the class described, the combination of a face plate having apertures indicative of a base ball diamond, a rotatable arm behind said face plate and provided with a representation of a ball player adapted to register with said openings, spring operated means for rotating said arm, a spring catch for locking said arm against rotation, a ball race, trigger mechanism projecting into said race and adapted to release said catch when contacted with by a ball in said race, and variable means for stopping the rotation of said arm, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, in combination with a casing having front and rear portions, four perforations in said front portion equally spaced and arranged equidistant from the axis of an arm suitably mounted and adapted to revolve in the rear of said-front portion, means for revolving said arm, a figure on said arm being adapted to register with said apertures in a revolution of said arm about said axis, a ball receptacle provided at one side of said casing, a tubular guide extending from the top of said casing tosaid ball receptacle, a ball adapted to pass through said guide by gravity, a slot on the side of said guide, an arbor provided in the operating mechanism, a lever adapted to extend through said slot and to be operated by contact with said ball, said lever being fixed to said arbor, a second lever fixed to said arbor extending upwardly and provided with a hook at its upper extremity, said wheel provided with a series of peripheral stops irregularly spaced, a spring adapted to press said hook into frictional engagement with the periphery of said wheel, and said hook being adapted to register with and to engage one of said stops at each operation of the device, whereby said wheel and said arm which is positively connected with said wheel are stopped simultaneously, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MICHAEL KERN.

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