Simultaneous Launching Game

Abstract

A skill-type launching game including a game board divided into opposing zones, by means of a medial barrier having an opening therein with a gate for closing the opening in the medial barrier. Each opposing zone is further divided into launching zones, by means of transverse barriers having interruptions therein for permitting a playing piece to travel therethrough and a plurality of disc-like playing pieces for propelling from one end of the game board into the opposite end in an effort to place all of the playing pieces in an opponent's scoring zone.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to skill-type launching games of the type including a game board having barriers and interruptions through which playing pieces are to be launched.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

Skill-type games wherein a playing piece is to be flipped or snapped into a scoring position, are well-received in the art in that the execution of play is relatively simple. Generally, such games occupy only a confined space as defined by the usually portable game board. Examples of such games are shown in the Riper U.S. Pat. No. 2,069,487 and Bronson U.S. Pat. No. 2,627,412. Generally speaking, each of these patents shows a game featuring a board and launchable playing pieces which must traverse barriers across the board for successful occupation in opposing scoring zone.

It is the object of this invention to provide an improved form of such type launching games, featuring a game board with barriers thereacross, through which playing pieces must pass.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed, in brief, to the provision of an improved skill-type launching game featuring a game board with barriers having interruptions through which playing pieces must pass responsive to the manual manipulation of the playing pieces.

The best mode currently contemplated for carrying out the invention includes the provision of a generally planar game board bounded by peripheral barriers and intersected by a normally open medial barrier dividing the game board into opposing scoring zones. Each opposing scoring zone is further divided into a launching zone by a transverse fence having a vertically offset medial portions providing a path of travel beneath the underside of the offset portion and the game board through which disc-like playing pieces, may be fed. The medial barrier has a movable gate means, normally biased to a closed position, but having an offset shoulder for holding it in a retracted position. When a player has successfully positioned all of the disc-like playing pieces into the opponent's scoring zone, he then attempts to close the gate across the medial barrier by releasing it from its retracted position before the opponent can launch a playing piece back into his scoring zone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a section view taken generally along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged section view taken generally along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a specific embodiment therefor, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The game 10 of this invention includes a plurality of disc-like game pieces 11 for use with a game board, generally designated 12. Game board 12 has a planar bottom 14 and is surrounded by upstanding side walls 16 and 18 and end walls 20 and 22 to define a shallow tray-like enclosure.

A pair of transverse ribs 24a and 24b extend inwardly in opposition to each other, from the opposite side walls 16 and 18, respectively, generally across the midportion of the game board 12. Each of the ribs 24a and 24b terminates short of each other leaving a space 24c therebetween. The ribs define a medial partition or medial barrier with the space 24c affording a playing piece barrier passage therethrough and the medial barrier divides the game board into opposing scoring zones, 26 and 28.

Each opposing scoring zone includes a launching section 30 and 32 which is defined by a fence means 33 that extends across each scoring zone. For example, scoring zone 30 is provided with a transverse fence defined by inwardly extending ribs 34a and 34b, separated by space 34c. A raised bar 36 spans space 34c, but is vertically offset relative to the bottom 14 so that the space 34c between the ribs 34a and 34b, and below the bar 36, defines a playing piece fence passage in the scoring zone 30. Similarly, the same structure is afforded by ribs 38a and 38b, space 38c and raised bar 40, which spans ribs 38a and 38b to define the launching zone 32 in scoring zone 28.

The game of this invention is further provided with a gate means 42 associated with the medial barrier defined by ribs 24a and 24b with the gate means 42 being movable between a retracted position, wherein the playing piece barrier passage 24c is unobstructed, to an extended position, wherein the playing piece barrier passage 24c is obstructed by the closure thereof. More specifically, to provide the gate means 42, rib 24a has a hollow interior 44 with an open end 44a, facing to the passage 24c. A plunger 46 occupies the interior 44 of rib 24a and extends laterally outwardly from the side 16 of the game board 12. A pin 48 is provided on the underside of plunger 46 and a suitable elastic or biasing means, such as a rubberband 50, is connected to the pin 48 and also to brackets 52a and 52b on the side walls 16 of the game board 12. Plunger 46 is provided with a small upstanding shoulder 54 which abuts side wall 16 just above the opening defined by the hollow interior passage 44 to normally hold the plunger 46 in a retracted position against the urging of the biasing means 50. A platform-like member 56 is mounted on the end of plunger 46 for receiving a vertical blow from the hand of a participant. When this occurs, the shoulder 54 will be moved downwardly, free of its abutting engagement with the side wall 16 to a position wherein the plunger 46 may extend forwardly through the rib space 44 responsive to the urging of the biasing means 50. This will cause the plunger 46 to move across the space 24c until the plunger 46 abuts the opposite rib 24b, thereby obstructing the barrier passage 24c.

To play the game, contesting participants seek to place all of the game pieces 11 in the opponent's scoring zone. This must be done by launching the playing pieces 11 from the launching zones 30 and 32. It is intended that launching would be accomplished by striking the discs with a finger-flipping movement which causes the discs to slide under the bar 36 through the space 34c, or under bar 40 through the space 38c in each of the fence means 33 which defines each of the launching zones 30 and 32. The playing piece would then have to pass through the barrier passage 24c to occupy the opponent's scoring zone. At the same time, an opposing player attempts to clear his zone of playing pieces by flipping the playing pieces 11 in reverse fashion from behind fence means 33. To successfully complete the game, one participant must have flipped all of his playing pieces 11 into the other participant's defending zone 26 or 28 by launching them from his own launching zone, either 30 or 32, following which the participant must strike the platform 56 to cause movement of the gate means 42 to the blocking position, closing the space 24c before the opposing participant is able to clear at least one of the playing pieces 11 out of the zone he is defending and into the other participant's zone.

Thus, it can be seen that the game of this invention provides a game which is basically simple in structure and execution, and which requires rapid competitive action by the participants to successfully play the game. The unique arrangement afforded by the closable gate, as an element which must be successfully executed in order to successfully win the game, adds to the excitement and competitive activity of the game.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in the art.

Claims

I claim:

1. A skill-type launching game comprising: a plurality of launchable playing pieces; means defining a game board including a generally medial barrier having an opening therein affording a playing piece barrier passage therethrough, said medial barrier dividing the game board into opposing scoring zones; fence means in each scoring zone defining a launching zone therein, each fence means having an interruption therein defining a playing piece fence passage therethrough; and a gate means associated with said barrier for movement between a retracted position, wherein said playing piece barrier passage is relatively unobstructed, to an extended position, wherein said playing piece barrier passage is obstructed said gate means being normally urged to the closed position and being provided with releasable retaining means for holding the gate means in the retracted position.

2. The game of claim 1 wherein said playing pieces are provided with at least one surface capable of sliding engagement with a generally planar surface and wherein the game board has a generally planar base along which said playing pieces may slide.

3. The game device of claim 2 wherein the fence passage in each fence means is between the planar base of the game board and a vertically offset portion of the fence.