US973488A - Shooting game. - Google Patents

Description

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SHOOTING GAMB.

APPLIUATION FILED M'AY Z, 1910.

Patented Oct'. 25, 1910.

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JOSEPH WILLIAM nAvEs, or BLAcKPooL, ENGLAND.

SHOOTING GAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1910.

Application filed May 2, 1910. Serial No. 558,898.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH WILLIAM EAvEs, subject of the King of England, residing at Blackpool, in Lancashire, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ShootingV Games, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a game of the kind in which a missile in the form of a ball is projected from a gun at a target. According to this invention the target is provided with an aperture leading through a conduit to an inclined table which may be of the type used in playing French or Flemish billiardsthat is to say, it may have pins, pegs or other obstructions on its surface to impede to a greater or less eX- tent the progress of the ball from the raised to the lower end of the table.

The apparatus conveniently comprises a backboard supported at the raised end of the inclined table and carrying any suitable number, for example eight, targets, which may conveniently be in the form, say, of animals heads. Each of these targets has an aperture, which may be the mouth of the animal, opening into the upper end of a conduit formed in the backboard, this conduit leading at its lower end into a channel or guide-way in the upper end of the table. The channelsv or guide-ways are soy constructed and arranged that there is no tendency for the balls to jam if they pass on to the upper end of the table simultaneously. For example, a small balile or deiecting projection may be arranged where necessary. Behind each aperture and in line with it is another aperture leading to a chamber containing the bulls eye, which is preferably connected with a gong so that an audible signal is given when the bulls eye is struck. This chamber and the bulls eye it contains are illuminated in some suitable manner, say, by an incandescent electric lamp contained in a chamber formed behind the upper part of the target. Leading from the chamber containing the bulls eye is a conduit terminating 1n a sloping channel or tube beneath the surface of the inclined .table before mentioned `and serving to return any balls which strike the bulls eye to a spot near to the hand of the marksman. Thus, if the aim be true the ball asses through both apertures, hits the bul s eye giving an audible signal, and then 1s returned to the marksman. If, on the other hand, the aim is not suiiciently true for the ball to pass through the second aperture it may pass through the first one and then fall down the first conduit on to the surface of the inclined table, whence it makes its way with more or less rapidity to the bottom.

The game is intended for several competitors, each aiming at his own target, and rests or stands are preferably provided for the gun to rest on while aim is being taken. Each rest and gun and the balls to be fired from it are colored in some distinctive manner. The guns may beshaped like ordinary rifles and are provided with trigger-released springs by means of which the balls are ejected.

If neither of the competing marksmen hits the bulls eye the winner is the one whose ball succeeds in reaching the lower end of the inclined table first.

At the lower end of the table is a channel or tube leading to a delivery outlet for the balls, and if desired this outlet may be controlled in any well known manner by coinoperated mechanism so that the marksman cannot regain his ball without inserting a com.

As there is preferably only one delivery tube and the balls are colored with distinctive colors the winner is easily determined by the order of the balls.

Although separate conduits may be formed from the aperture in each target to the top of the inclined table this is not necessarily the case, for the conduit may be common to all the targets and may simply be a space between the front of the backboard and a second board placed behind it.

The inclined table may be open and eX- posed to view or may be covered in.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional elevation of one construction of shooting game according to this invention, showing a marksman in position for firing at one of the targets. Fig. 2 is a plan partly in section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, and with portions removed, and Fig. 3 is a front elevation also having portions removed for the sake of clearness.

- Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

- Supported upon astand A is an inclined table B. provided'at its raised end with a board B carrying a series of targets in the form of animals7 heads C. The open mouths C of these targets form apertures which lead into the upper end of conduits D, these conduits terminating at their lower extremities in channels E on the inclined table B. Behind each target is a second smaller aperture F in line with the aperture C and leading to a chamber G containing a gong H and a striker H. This striker forms the bulls eye and when hit by the ball causes the gongto sound. The face of the striker H and the aperture F are illuminated by light coming from a chamber J and containing an incandescent lamp J.

Each chamber G leads to a conduit K through which the ball after striking the bulls eye H can pass downward and then along under the table B to a cup K, the arrangement preferably being such that the ball is returned to the marksman after the bulls eye has been struck.

The table B is provided with a number of pins L which form obstacles or obstructions in the path of the balls rolling down its surface. These pins may be disposed in any convenient way regularly or irregularly, spaces being left between the pins so that the balls may pass through on their way to the lower end of the table. A raised barrier or edging B2 is provided on the table the lower end of which may be closed in any convenient way to prevent the balls rolling out until required.

In the example shown there are eight targets, and the conduits D are constituted by the space between the board B carrying the anima-ls heads and a second board B4 behind it. The channels E with which the conduits D communicate are formed so that four of them converge to a space E on the upper end of the table, and the other four converge to a similar space E2. In these spaces other pins L may be placed with the same object as those on the lower part of the table, and projections E3 may be formed or placed in suitable positions to prevent the balls jamming supposing two pass simultaneously along the channels E to the space E or E2.

At the lower end of the table supports or rests for the guns are provided, one of which is shown at M in Fig. 1, but it will be understood that these need not necessarily be present, in which case the marksman will have to hold his gun quite unaided-thus increasing the difficulty of the game.

In order that balls which miss the apertures C in the targets shall not fall down in front of the board B on to the table B a tray or ledge N is fixed beneath the targets on the board B so that such balls may fall into it. This tray is preferably inclined slightly as shown in Fig. 3 so that the balls falling into it may pass to one end and enter a pocket or receptacle N whence they can be removed by the attendant.

In the example illustrated the targets are shown as animals heads standing in relief on the board B, but it will be understood that the targets may take any form and may be merelypainted representations of various objects.

When a shot has been fired if the aim be true the ball passes through both apertures C and F and hitting the striker H rings the gong H. The ball then passes down through the chamber G and conduit K to one of the cups K, whence it can be removed and used again by the marlsman. If, on the other hand, the aim be not true enough for the ball to pass through the second aperture F although it may enter the first aperture C the ball falls down the conduit D, passes through on-e of the channels E and thence rolls down the inclined table B between the pins L, finally finding its way through the channel or tube B3 to the outlet.

It is preferred to illuminate the strikers H from the chamber J above them in the manner illustrated, but obviously other means may be employed-for instance, they might be illuminated from the side.

What I claim as my invention and desire l l to secure by Letters Patent is leadmg to an inclined channel or tube B3,

1. In a shooting game the combination of a target having two apertures, one behind the other through which a missile in the form of a ball can pass, a bulls eye behind the rear aperture, an inclined table below the target, and a conduit leading from the chamber between said apertures to the inclined table.

2. In a shooting game the combination of a target having two apertures one behind the other through which a missile in the form of a ball can pass, an inclined table below the target, a conduit leading from the front aperture to the upper end of the inclined table, a second conduit leading from the rear aperture, and a bulls eye behind the rear aperture.

3. In a shooting game the combination of a target having two apertures one behind the other through which a missile in the form of a ball can pass, an inclined table below the target., obstructions on the surface of said table, a conduit leading from the front aperture to the upper end of the inclined table, a chamber behind the rear aperture, a bulls eye in said chamber, and a conduit leading from the chamber.

4. In a shooting game the combination of an inclined table, pins upstanding upon the surface of the table, a baclrboard supported upon the upper end of the table, a plurality of targets mounted upon the board each target having two apertures one behind the other through which a missile in the form of a ball can pass, a conduit leading from the front aperture in each target to the upper end of the inclined table,a chamber behind each rear aperture, a bulls eye in each of said chambers, and a conduit lead ing from each of the chambers.

5. In a shooting game the combination of an inclined table, ins upstanding upon the surface of the tab e, guides or barriers on the table, a common outlet conduit for missiles which have passed down over the surface of the table, a backboard supported upon the upper end of the table, a plurality of targets mounted upon the board each target having two apertures one behind the other through which a missile in the form of a ball can pass, a conduit leading from the front aperture in each target to the upper end of the inclined table, a chamber behind each rear aperture, a bulls eye in each of said chambers, and a conduit leading from each of the chambers.

6. In a shooting game the combination of an inclined table, pins upstanding upon the surface of the table, guides or barriers on the table, a common outlet conduit for missiles which have passed down over the surface of the table, a backboard supported upon the upper end of the table, a plurality oi targets mounted upon the board each target having two apertures one behind the other through which a missile in the form of a ball can pass, a conduit leading from the front aperture in each target to the upper end of the inclined table, a chamber behind each rear aperture, a bulls eye in each of said chambers, means for illuminating the bulls eye, and a conduit leading from each of the chambers.

7. In a shooting game the combination of an inclined table, ins upstanding upon the surface of the tablle, guides or barriers on the table, a common outlet conduit for missiles'which have passed down over the surface of the table, a backboard supported upon the upper end of the table, a plurality of targets mounted upon the board each target having two apertures one behind the other through which a missile in the form of a'ball can pass, a conduit leading from the front aperture in each target to the upper end of the inclined table, a chamber behind each rear aperture, a bulls eye in each of said chambers, means for illuminating the bulls eye, a conduit leading from each of the chambers, and a tray to catch missiles which have fallen in front of the backboard without passing through the apertures.

8. In a shooting game, the combination of a target having an aperture through which a missile in the form of a ball can pass, a bulls eye in rear of said aperture, an inclined table below the target, a conduit adapted to receive missiles which strike the bulls eye and conduct them to the lower end of said table, and a second conduit adapted to receive missiles which pass through the aperture Without striking the bulls eye and to conduct such missiles to the upper end of the table.

9. In a shooting game, the combination of a target having an aperture through which a missile in the form of a ball can pass, a bulls eye in rear of said aperture, an inclined table below the target, -a conduit adapted to receive missiles which pass through the aperture without striking the bulls eye and conduct the same to the upper end of the table, and independent means adapted to receive the-missiles which strike the bulls eye.

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

JOSEPH vWILLIAM EAVES.

Witnesses:

W. T. HOUGHTIN, WM. BUmRwoRTH.

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