Surface projectile amusement device

Abstract

An amusement game device which has a substantially level surface over which a playing object may be propelled, with a bumper rail substantially surrounding the playing surface. A ball propelling device is pivotally mounted at one end of the playing surface for propelling balls or other playing objects over the surface in various aimed directions from the propelling device toward an opposite end of the playing surface. A plurality of upstanding target members are mounted on a rotatable disc-shaped portion of the playing surface so as to randomly change the positions of the target members relative to the propelling device. Each target member has an actuatable elements which can be actuated by a propelled object only when the target member is struck by the object at a predetermined angle of approach, the bumper rail being capable of facilitating the striking of a target member by an object at different angles of approach. When the actuatable elements of a target member is struck by a propelled object, the upstanding target member drops to a lowermost position. A circular band of scoring indicia is provided on the playing surface adjacent the periphery of the disc which mounts the target members, the upper surface of the disc being generally flush with the surrounding playing surface.

Parent Case Text

CROSS REFERENCE TO OTHER APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 297,291, filed Oct. 13, 1972, now abandoned.

Description

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a skill type game designed for the entertainment of the player, and for developing dexterity and coordination for the individual player, as well as competition between a plurality of players. The invention relates more particularly to gameboards of the surface projectile type which require skill both in aiming and in manipulating the propulsion force of a playing object propelling device, and specifically to such a gameboard having a playing surface bounded by bumper rail means.

As is known, surface projectile type games normally include a playing surface over which balls or other playing objects may be propelled toward various target means or toward one or more pockets disposed at selected positions on or about the playing surface, particularly at the corners thereof in pool type games. Cushion or resilient type bumber rail means substantially surround the playing surface and against which balls or other playing objects are bounced toward other balls, toward the pockets, or toward target type means. Typically, elongated shafts, commonly called cue sticks, are utilized by players of the game as propulsion means for manual movement longitudinally thereof to strike a ball with one end of the cue stick. In other such games, mechanized ball or object propelling devices are utilized. In still other games, target type devices are employed rather than pockets as means for scoring the game. There is a constant need for new and improved games of the character described which are readily understood by most individuals, particularly children.

It is an object, therefore, of the present invention, to provide a new and improved amusement game device of the character described.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, a ball propelling device is pivotally mounted for 360.degree. rotation on the playing surface and is spaced from the bumper rails for propelling balls over the playing surface in various aimed directions away from the propelling device into contact with one of a plurality of target members. The target members are mounted on the playing surface for movement in a defined path to any one of a plurality of rest positions where they may be struck by a playing object propelled by the propelling device.

As shown herein, the ball propelling device includes an elongated plunger member in the form of a ratchet bar which defines an impact member spring biased toward an extended position for engaging or striking the ball to propel the ball over the playing surface. Cocking means in the form of a pawl member is provided engageable with the teeth on the ratchet bar, or impact member, to selectively cock the impact member in one of a plurality of retracted positions to vary the propulsion force of the device. Means is provided to selectively release the impact member by disengaging the pawl from the ratchet bar and permitting the bar, or impact member, to be biased to its extended position for striking a ball and propelling it toward the target member.

The target members are mounted on a disc which is rotatably mounted within an aperture in the playing surface, the top surface of the disc being flush with the surrounding playing surface. Detent means is provided to define a plurality of rest positions for the disc and thereby for the target members. A circular band of scoring indicia is formed on the playing surface about the aperture for the disc so that the disc may be rotated to randomly bring the target members into alignment with various of the scoring indicia about the disc.

Each target member comprises an upstanding device which is held in its upstanding position by a cocking and releasing means which comprises actuatable means on one side of the target member and which may be struck by a ball propelled either directly from the propelling device or off of the bumper rail means. Should the actuatable cocking and releasing means for a target member be struck by a ball, it will drop to a lowermost position under the force of gravity and supplemental spring biasing means.

Thus, each individual target member can be actuated (i.e., dropped to its lowermost position) only when the actuatable cocking and releasing means therefor is struck by a ball. The position of the cocking and releasing means on the target member determines the angle of approach by a propelled ball necessary to drop the target member. Rotation of the disc which, in turn, moves the target members therewith not only aligns the target members with different scoring indicia on the playing surface about the discs, but determines the actuatable angle of approach for the target members.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an amusement game device made in accordance with the concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view, partially broken away and on an enlarged scale, of the device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken generally along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken generally along the line 4--4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken generally along the line 5--5 of FIG. 2, and with the target member in its lowermost position; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the various components of one of the target members.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and first to FIG. 1, the amusement game device of the present invention includes a box-like structure, generally designated 8, which defines a substantially level rectangular playing surface 10 which is surrounded by bumper rail means 2. A ball propelling device, generally designated 14, is pivotally mounted by means (to be described in greater detail hereinafter) for 360.degree. rotation on the playing surface 10. The ball propelling device is spaced from the bumper rails 12 for propelling balls 18, or other playing objects, over the playing surface 10 in various angular aimed directions away from the propelling device 14 toward one or more of a plurality of target members, generally designated 20, depending on the rules of playing of the game. The target members 20 preferably are disposed at an opposite end of the playing surface 10.

As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the bumper rails 12 are formed by a flexible resilient band, fabricated of rubber or other appropriate elastic material, which is wrapped around four supporting posts 22 at each corner of the rectangular playing surface 10. The supporting posts 22 are generally triangularly shaped and the bumper rail band is held between a pair of supplementary posts 24 adjacent the inner apex of each of the triangularly shaped posts 22 to form the corners of the playing surface.

The playing surface 10, in the exemplary embodiment of the invention, is fabricated of a thin, rigid supporting plate portion 26 of the base structure 8 which is held in a raised position as shown in FIG. 3 by surrounding supporting wall portions 28 of the base structure 8. The supporting plate portion 26 is covered with a sheet 30 of felt or like material.

The ball propelling device 14 is shown best in FIGS. 1 through 4 and includes a housing portion 32 within which an impact member 34 is mounted for longitudinal reciprocation in the direction of double-headed arrow A (FIG. 4), the front or outer end 34a of the impact member protruding through an aperture 36 in the housing 32. The impact member 34 is biased by a coil spring 38 toward an extended position for engaging or striking a ball 18 and propelling the ball over the playing surface 10. The impact member 34 comprises a ratchet bar having ratchet teeth 40 which are engageable by a tooth portion 42 of a pawl member 44. The pawl member 44 is pivoted by a pin 46 to the sides of the housing 32 and wing-like handle portions 48 are connected to the opposite ends of the pin 46 on the outside of the housing 32. The wings 48 are manually manipulatable by users of the game to release the impact member 34, as described hereinafter. A leaf spring 50 is mounted on the inside bottom wall of the housing 32 and engages the underside of the pawl member 44 to bias the tooth portion 42 thereof upwardly into engagement with the ratchet teeth 40 of the impact member 34.

Thus, it can be seen that the impact member 34 may be selectively cocked by pushing the outer end 34a inwardly of the housing 32 to a retracted or cocked position as shown in FIG. 3 where the pawl member 44 holds the impact member 34 in its cocked position against the biasing of spring 38. To selectively release the impact member 34, the tooth portion 42 of the pawl member 44 is lowered away from the ratchet teeth 40 of the impact member against the biasing of the spring 50, whereby the coil spring 38 biases the impact member toward its extended position for propelling a ball 18 or other playing object over the playing surface 10. The pawl member 44 is lowered by a player of the game depressing the handle forming wings 48 to release the energy stored in coil spring 38.

The housing portion 32 of the ball propelling device 14 is mounted on a disc portion 50 which is pivotally mounted on the playing surface by means of a depending boss portion 52 which extends downwardly through an aperture 54 in the supporting plate portion 26 of the base structure 8. A threaded or press fit nut-like member 56 is secured to the lower end of the boss portion 52 and a spring washer 58 is sandwiched between the member 56 and the underside of the supporting plate portion 26 of the base structure 8.

The target members 20 are mounted at spaced angular positions on a supporting disc member 60. The top surface of the disc is generally flush with the top of the playing surface 10, as best seen in FIG. 3. The disc 60 may be covered with a sheet of felt, as with the playing surface 10. A circular band of scoring indicia 62 is formed on the playing surface 10 about the periphery of the disc 60. The supporting disc 60 is pivotally mounted on the base structure 8 for rotation within an aperture 64 in the playing surface 10 by means of a supporting cross brace 66 which extends between the side walls 28 of the base structure 8 beneath the playing surface. An upstanding pivot shaft 68 is press fit within an aperture 70 (FIG. 3) in the cross brace 66 and extends upwardly and is received within a cylindrical boss 72 depending from the underside of the supporting disc 60. A ball bearing 74 is positioned in a recess in the top of the upstanding pivot shaft 68 within the cylindrical boss 72 of the support disc 60 to provide for ease of rotation of the supporting disc. The disc is stabilized by a plurality of supporting flaps 76 fixed to the underside of the support disc 60. The flaps protrude outwardly from the disc for abutment against the underside of the playing surface formed by the support plate 26.

Detent means is provided in the form of a plurality of stub-like rods 78 about the peripheral underside of the supporting disc 60 for engagement with a spring rod 80 on the underside of the support plate 26. The detent means provide for discreet rest positions of the supporting disc 60 after it is rotated and comes to a stop. Thus, the various positions of the target members 20, as well as their registry with the scoring indicia 62 may be changed randomly by spinning the supporting disc 60.

The structure of each of the individual target members 20 is best shown in FIGS. 3, 5 and 6 and includes an upstanding cylindrical portion 82 which extends upwardly through an aperture 84 in the supporting disc 60. The cylindrical portion 82 extends downwardly through the aperture 84 into an outer cylindrical member 86 depending from the underside of the supporting disc 60. An annular flange 88 is formed on the lower end of the cylindrical portion 82 of the target member to stabilize the cylinder. A coil spring 90 is sandwiched between the flange 88 and the underside of the disc with the coil spring 90 being disposed on the outside of the cylindrical portion 82 of the target member but within the cylindrical member 86.

A mushroom-type cap 92 is snap-fit onto the top of the cylindrical portion 82 of each target member by means of a pair of flanges 94 on the underside of the cap portion 92, with hook portions 94a of the flanges 94 snapped into a pair of apertures 96 through the sidewalls of the cylindrical portion 82. Each target member 20 thus is reciprocably mounted on the supporting disc 60 for movement between an uppermost position shown by the lefthand target member in FIG. 3 and a lowermost position shown in FIG. 5.

Actuatable cocking and releasing means is provided to independently hold each of the target members 20 in its uppermost position and which may be actuated or released by the impact of a propelled ball 18 to cause the target member to drop to its lowermost position shown in FIG. 5.

More particularly, a cocking member, generally designated 98, is pivotally mounted within the cap portion 92 of the target member 20 by means of a pair of laterally protruding pivot bosses 98a which rest on top of the hook portions 94a of the flanges 94 and which are held in position by positioning bosses 100 on the underside of the cap portion 92. As best seen in FIG. 6, the actuatable cocking means 98 is formed so as to have a weighted side portion 98b which serves to normally urge the cocking member to a position of protrusion through a vertical slot 102 in the cylindrical portion 82 of the target member.

As best seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the protruding position of the cocking member 98 is such that it protrudes outwardly of the cylindrical portion 82 sufficiently that the underside 98c of the cocking member 98 seats on top of the supporting disc 60 beyond the bounds of the aperture 84 to thereby hold the target member in its raised position as shown best by the lefthand target member in FIG. 3.

Thus, when a ball is propelled from the propelling device 14, or out of one of the surrounding bumper rails 12, at the proper angle of approach toward a target member 20 such that the ball impacts with the cocking member 28, the cocking member will be forced inwardly to a position where it can by-pass the edge of the respective aperture 84 and the coil spring 90 of the respective target member will cause the same to drop to its lowermost position shown in FIG. 5.

Preferably, the cocking member 98 of the target members 20 should face outwardly relative to the supporting disc 60 so that the target members furthest away from the propelling device 14 have their cocking member 98 facing outwardly toward the bumper rails 12 to require that a ball 18 be propelled off of the bumper rails in order to drop the target member.

Various scoring indicia may be provided. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the indicia comprises numerical indicia to provide for numerical scoring, obviously the smaller numbers being closer to the propelling device 14 due to the "shot" at the adjacent target members being easier than the "shot" at the target members at the opposite side of the supporting disc 60.

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

Claims

I claim:

1. An amusement game device, comprising: means defining a playing surface upon which a playing object may be propelled, with bumper rail means bounding the playing surface substantially thereabout; a playing object to be propelled upon said playing surface; a playing object propelling device located in proximity to said playing surface so as to be capable of propelling a playing object upon said playing surface, said propelling device being pivotable about a predetermined arc whereby said propelling device can effect propelling of said playing object in various directions upon said playing surface; a cluster of individual upstanding target members vertically movably mounted on said playing surface spaced at varying distances from said propelling device, and including individually operable actuatable means operatively mounted on one side of each of said target members for individually moving the respective target members from a raised target position to a lowered inoperative position and which can be actuated by a playing object only when struck by the playing object at an angle of approach from said propelling device or off of said bumper rail means toward said one side of the target members, at least some of the target members being disposed on the playing surface with said one sides and actuatable means facing outwardly at varying angles relative to each other from said cluster, said playing surface being unobstructed between said propelling device and said actuatable means to provide clear passage of approach of the playing object to the actuatable means; and scoring indicia about said cluster of target members for registry therewith to indicate the specific score when the actuatable means on the respective target means is struck by the playing object, said scoring means including indicia which increases in value from the side of said cluster of target members nearest said propelling device to the opposite side of said cluster of target members furthest away from said propelling device so that the indicia value for an individual target member generally is commensurate with the degree of difficulty in striking the actuatable means on the respective target members.

2. An amusement game device, comprising: means defining a playing surface upon which a playing object may be propelled, with bumper rail means bounding the playing surface substantially thereabout; a playing object to be propelled upon said playing surface; a playing object propelling device located in proximity to said playing surface so as to be capable of propelling a playing object upon said playing surface, said propelling device being pivotable about a predetermined arc whereby said propelling device can effect propelling of said playing object in various directions upon said playing surface; a cluster of target members mounted on a rotatable member pivotally mounted on said playing surface for selective rotation about a generally vertical axis spaced from the target member; scoring means extending in an arcuate pattern adjacent the path of movement of said target members for registry with the target members when said rotatable member comes to rest; and means for randomly stopping said rotatable member after rotation is initiated, including detent means so as to bring the target members to discrete rest, target positions in registry with discrete portions of said scoring means.

3. An amusement device, comprising: means defining a playing surface upon which a playing object may be propelled, with bumper rail means bounding the playing surface substantially thereabout; a playing object to be propelled upon said playing surface; a playing object propelling device located in proximity to said playing surface so as to be capable of propelling a playing object upon said playing surface, said propelling device being pivotable about a predetermined arc to effect propelling of said playing object at various angles upon the playing surface and against the bumper rail means; and a cluster of individual upstanding target members mounted on said playing surface spaced at varying distances from said propelling device, and including individually operable actuatable means on one side of each of said target members for individually moving the respective target members from a raised target position to a lowered inoperative position and which can be actuated by a playing object only when the actuatable means is struck by the object at an angle of approach toward said one side of the target members, at least some of the target members being disposed on the playing surface with the one sides thereof and the actuatable means thereat facing outwardly at varying angles relative to each other from said cluster so as to require at least certain of said target members to be struck by rebounding the playing object off of said bumper rail means at different angles, said playing surface being unobstructed between said propelling device and said actuatable means to provide clear passage of approach of the playing object to the actuatable means.

4. The game device of claim 3 including actuatable cocking-release means mounted on each of the target members for movement relative thereto as well as movable therewith between said raised and lowered positions, said cocking-release means holding the respective target member in a cocked raised position with the cocking-release means adjacent the playing surface for actuation by an object propelled by the propelling device over the playing surface for releasing the respective target member and causing the target member to drop to its lowered position.

5. The game device of claim 4 including means to automatically reset said cocking-release means on the respective target member when said target member is raised from said lowered position.

6. An amusement game device, comprising: means defining a playing surface upon which a playing object may be propelled, with bumper rail means bounding the playing surface substantially thereabout; a playing object to be propelled upon said playing surface; a playing object propelling device located in proximity to said playing surface so as to be capable of propelling a playing object upon said playing surface, said propelling device being pivotable about a predetermined arc whereby said propelling device can effect propelling of said playing object in various directions upon said playing surface; a cluster of individual upstanding target members mounted on said playing surface spaced from said playing object and including individually operable actuatable means on each of said target members which can be actuated by a playing object only when the target member is struck by the playing object at at least one predetermined angle of approach from said propelling device or off of said bumper rail means, said cluster of target members being mounted on a rotatable member pivotally mounted on said playing surface for selective rotation about a generally vertical axis spaced from the target members; scoring means about said cluster of target members for registry therewith to indicate the specific score when the actuatable means on the respective target means is struck by the playing object, said scoring means including indicia which extends in an arcuate pattern about the rotatable member and which increases in value from the side of said cluster of target members nearest said propelling device to the opposite side of said cluster of target members furthest away from said propelling device so that the indicia value for an individual target member generally is commensurate with the degree of difficulty in striking the actuatable means on the respective target members; and means to randomly stop said rotatable member after rotation is initiated so that said target members are in discrete rest, target positions in registry with indicia of said scoring means there being more rest positions and associated indicia than there are target members.