U.S. patent number 3,655,193 [Application Number 05/053,558] was granted by the patent office on 1972-04-11 for vacuum cup-held game device.
Invention is credited to Darrell R. Jones.
United States Patent |
3,655,193 |
Jones |
April 11, 1972 |
VACUUM CUP-HELD GAME DEVICE
Abstract
A game device having a hollow elongated body and resilient
vacuum cups mounted at ends of the body. A partition in the body
spaced from the vacuum cups forms air columns inside the body in
communication with the interiors of the vacuum cups. Each of the
vacuum cups can hold the device on a surface engaged thereby, and
air from one of the air columns permits the engaged vacuum cup to
partially expand after engagement of the device with the surface to
permit ready release thereof.
Inventors: |
Jones; Darrell R. (Hamilton,
OH) |
Family
ID: |
21985097 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/053,558 |
Filed: |
July 9, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
473/572; 248/363;
273/DIG.25 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F
9/02 (20130101); Y10S 273/25 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
9/02 (20060101); A63h 033/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/16R,16.5A
;298/26R,363 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Oechsle; Anton O.
Assistant Examiner: Shapiro; Paul E.
Claims
Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to
secure by letters patent is:
1. A game device which comprises a hollow elongated body, a
resilient vacuum cup mounted at one end of the body and closing
said end of the body, there being an opening in the vacuum cup
communicating with the interior of the body, a second resilient
vacuum cup mounted at an opposite end of the body and closing said
opposite end of the body, there being an opening in the second
vacuum cup communicating with the interior of the body, a partition
in the body spaced from the vacuum cups to form an air column
inside the body in communication with the interior of each of the
vacuum cups, each of the vacuum cups being adapted to hold the
device on a surface engaged thereby, air from the air columns
permitting each of the vacuum cups to partially expand after
engagement of the device with the surface to permit release
thereof.
2. A game device as in claim 1 wherein walls of the vacuum cups
extend outwardly from the body forming resilient bumpers at
opposite ends of the body.
3. A game device as in claim 1 wherein the diameter of each of the
openings is sufficiently small to choke passage of air
therethrough.
4. A game device as in claim 1 wherein the diameter of each of the
openings is approximately one-sixteenth inch.
5. A game device as in claim 1 wherein the diameter of each of the
openings is sufficiently small to choke passage of air therethrough
and volume of the air column communicating with the interior of
each vacuum cup is substantially equal to the volume of said vacuum
cup.
Description
This invention relates to a game device. More particularly, this
invention relates to a game device which is provided with vacuum
cups at ends thereof which can be caused to engage a flat
surface.
An object of this invention is to provide a game device having
resilient vacuum cups at ends thereof which hold the device in
upright position on the flat surface when in engagement
therewith.
A further object of this invention is to provide such a device in
which the vacuum cups are carried at opposite ends of an elongated
tubular body and in which a column of air inside the body is in
communication with the interior of each vacuum cup so that the
device can readily be released from the surface.
The above and other objects and features of the invention will be
apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention
pertains from the following detailed description and the drawing,
in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a device constructed in
accordance with an embodiment of this invention in position for
throwing and in position held by one of a pair of vacuum cups
thereof, the position of the device after improper throwing thereof
being indicated in dashed lines;
FIG. 2 is a view in side elevation of the device shown in FIG. 1 on
an enlarged scale, partly broken away and in section to reveal
details of interior construction;
FIG. 3 is a view in bottom plan of the device shown in FIG. 2;
and
FIG. 4 is a view in section taken on an enlarged scale on the line
4--4 in FIG. 2.
In the following detailed description and the drawing, like
reference characters indicate like parts.
In FIG. 1, a game device 10 constructed in accordance with this
invention is shown in position for throwing from a knee 12 of a
player 13 in accordance with one type of game played therewith.
Details of construction of the game device 10 are shown in FIGS.
2-4 inclusive. The game device 10 includes an elongated tubular
body 14, which can be formed of rigid plastic material or the like.
The interior of the body is divided into air column sections 17 and
17' by a resilient ball partition 16 which is centrally disposed
therein and wedged in place. The ball 16 can be formed of rubber or
other rubber-like material. Vacuum cups 18 and 19 are mounted at
opposite ends of the tubular body. The vacuum cups 18 and 19 are
similar in construction and in the manner of mounting in the
tubular body 14, and only details of construction of the vacuum cup
18 will be described in detail.
The vacuum cup 18 is formed of rubber or other rubber-like material
and, as shown in FIG. 4, includes a hollow cup-shaped main portion
21 and a cylindrical boss 22. The boss 22 fits tightly inside an
end portion 23 of the body 14. Set screws 24 mounted in radial
threaded openings 26 in the body 14 can engage the boss to hold the
boss in position inside the end portion 23 of the body 14, or the
boss can be held in position by an adhesive or the like. An axial
opening 27 in the boss 22 provides communication between the
interior of the main portion 21 of the vacuum cup and the air
column 17 inside the body 14. A metering or choke portion 28 of the
axial opening is very small with relation to the space inside the
main portion 21 of the vacuum cup so that air from the air column
can move into the space inside the main portion. In a vacuum cup
having a diameter D (FIG. 3) of 31/4 inches, the diameter of the
choke portion 28 of the axial opening can be approximately
one-sixteenth of an inch. The volume of the air column 17 and the
volume of the space inside the main portion of the vacuum cup when
in normal or released position are preferably approximately
equal.
In use, the device 10 can be thrown or tossed from the position in
which the device 10 in FIG. 1 is shown held by hand 29 of the
player 13 to a position 10A in which the vacuum cup 18 engages a
floor 30 having a flat upper face. If the device is properly
thrown, the main portion of the vacuum cup engages the floor and is
spread to hold on the floor with the device in upright position. If
the game device is improperly thrown, it fails to be held in
upright position and falls to the position shown in dashed lines at
10B. As shown in FIG. 4, resilient walls of the main portion 21 of
the vacuum cup 18 arch and taper outwardly from the rigid body 14
so that the vacuum cups form resilient bumpers when the device is
improperly thrown to prevent injury to the floor 30.
Resilience of the walls of the main portion of the vacuum cup 18
urges the device upwardly when held on the floor in upright
position, and the air column 17 permits partial raising of the
tubular body with the vacuum cup 18 gripping the floor but with
some air from the air column 17 in the main portion of the vacuum
cup 18 so that the cup 18 can readily be caused to release the
floor when the tubular body is tilted to one side to cause the cup
to be released preparatory to a next throwing of the game
device.
The outside wall of the tubular body 14 of the game device 10 can
be painted to provide sections 32, 33, and 34, which can be of
contrasting colors to permit ready following of the device as it is
thrown.
The game device illustrated in the drawing and described above is
subject to structural modification without departing from the
spirit and scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *