U.S. patent number 3,554,550 [Application Number 04/728,934] was granted by the patent office on 1971-01-12 for bean bag toss target game.
Invention is credited to Douglas J. Schram.
United States Patent |
3,554,550 |
Schram |
January 12, 1971 |
BEAN BAG TOSS TARGET GAME
Abstract
A bean bag toss target game is disclosed comprising, in
combination, bean bags, a freestanding frame, and hollow
equilateral triangular prism target pieces supported for individual
360.degree. bidirectional rotation on same frame; the frame
supports the target pieces in equally spaced parallel rows each
having the same number of target pieces therein; the frame and the
target pieces are constructed in relation to the bean bags so that
the bean bags are capable of passing completely through the frame
from one side to the other thereof when tossed at the target pieces
and so that no bean bag can pass through the frame without causing
rotation of a target piece on the frame; each target piece when
struck by a bean bag passing through said frame is rotatable
between three target positions to present to view of the user of
the game any one of three target faces but only one thereof at any
one time, whereby scoring is effected by observing when
corresponding target faces first fill any parallel or diagonal row
from rotation of target pieces caused by bean bags tossed thereat
passing through said frame.
Inventors: |
Schram; Douglas J. (Warren,
MI) |
Family
ID: |
24928867 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/728,934 |
Filed: |
May 14, 1968 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/388;
273/392 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B
67/06 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63B
67/06 (20060101); A63b 063/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/102(AB),102.1(F),102.1(E),102.1(C),127,100 for/ known/ ref./
;273/102 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
|
|
|
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137,170 |
|
Jan 1920 |
|
GB |
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445,134 |
|
Apr 1936 |
|
GB |
|
Primary Examiner: Pinkham; Richard C.
Assistant Examiner: Siskind; Marvin
Claims
I claim:
1. A bean bag toss target game comprising, in combination, a
plurality of bean bags, freestanding frame means, and a plurality
of hollow target pieces supported for individual 360.degree.
bidirectional rotation on said frame means, each target piece being
an equilateral triangular prism having two equilateral triangular
end walls and three square front walls defining three target faces,
said frame means supporting said target pieces in equally spaced
parallel rows each having the same number of target pieces therein,
said frame means having axle means, each target piece having
axially aligned triangular apertures centrally formed in its
respective end walls, said target pieces rotatably supported on
said axle means via their respective triangular apertures, said
frame means and said target pieces constructed in relation to said
bean bags so that said bean bags are capable of passing completely
through said frame means from one side to the other thereof when
tossed at said target pieces and so that no bean bag can pass
through said frame means without causing rotation of a target piece
on said axle means, each target piece when struck by a bean bag
passing through said frame means rotatable on said axle means
between three target positions to present to view of the user of
the game any one of said three target faces but only one thereof at
any one time, each target piece in each of its respective three
target positions being suspended on said axle means via apexes of
its respective triangular apertures, each target piece both
rotatable and slidable on its respective axle means and settling by
gravity into one of its respective three target positions after
being struck by a bean bag passing through said frame means,
whereby scoring is effected by observing when corresponding target
faces first fill any parallel or diagonal row from rotation of
target pieces caused by bean bags tossed thereat passing through
said frame means.
2. A beam bag toss target game as claimed in claim 1 in which said
frame means has a portion thereof disposed at an inclined plane
when said frame means is resting on a horizontal surface, said
portion encompassing said target pieces.
Description
My invention relates to games.
The principal object of my invention is the provision of a
fascinating and entertaining bean bag toss target game which is
played by two competing persons or groups thereof. The foregoing
object of my invention and its advantages will become apparent
during the course of the following description, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which :
FIGS. 1 and 4 are, respectively, front perspective and side
elevational views of a target game embodying my invention;
FIGS. 2 and 3 are fragmentary perspective views of parts of said
game; and
FIG. 5 is a combination of several views of parts of said game.
Referring to the drawings in greater detail, 10 generally
designates said game which comprises a freestanding frame
consisting of an inverted U-shaped tubular frame member 12 and
another U-shaped solid rod frame member 16, the free ends of which
project through apertures in the outside walls of the frame member
12 so that the two frame members 12 and 16 are pivotally connected
together. The two frame members 12 and 16 have an operative
position shown determined by the length of a chain 18 connected to
the horizontal run of the frame member 16 and to a horizontal solid
rod frame brace member 14 in which they mutually support each other
so that the frame member 12 is disposed at a 60.degree. angle to
the horizontal when said frame is supported on a horizontal
surface. Antislip means are provided for said frame in the form of
caps 13 on the free ends of the frame member 12 and spaced bushings
19 on the horizontal run of the frame member 16. The frame members
12 and 16 also have a stored position (not shown) in which the
frame member 16 is disposed in the plane of the frame member 12
with the horizontal run of the frame member 16 adjacent but beyond
the caps 13.
Said game also comprises a plurality of multifaced targets 22 which
are multipositionable in respect to a supporting axle 20 by virtue
of a multisided axial through aperture means which is oversize in
respect to the diameter of said axle 20 so that said targets 22 are
bidirectionally 360.degree. rotatably and slidably supported on
said axle 20. In the instance there are five vertically spaced
horizontal axles 20 supported between the sides of the frame 12 by
projecting through apertures in the inside walls thereof. Each axle
20 rotatably and slidably supports five targets 22 which are
horizontally spaced from each other by spools 30 and from the frame
slides by longer spools 32. The spools 30 and 32 are rotatably
supported on said axle 20. The targets 22 and the spools 30 and 32
and the axles 20 are assembled on the frame 12 prior to fastening
of the brace frame member 14 thereto. The five horizontal and
vertical rows of targets 22 define the target area of the game 10
at which two differently colored pillow type bean bags are tossed
as shown and indicated at 37 and 39 in FIG. 5. In the instance each
target 22 is a hollow pentahedron or equilateral triangular prism
having a pair of equilaterally triangular parallel and walls and
three 60.degree. angularly disposed square front walls. The three
front walls are differently colored as shown and indicated at 25,
27 and 29 in FIG. 5 for reasons which will appear. The axial
through aperture means with which each target 22 is provided
comprises, in the instance, a pair of equilaterally triangular
apertures formed one in each of said triangular end walls. Each
such triangular aperture 23 has straight sides of length of about
three times the diameter of the axle 20 and has semicircular apexes
of the same radius as the axle 20 so that, as mentioned, the target
22 is capable of both rotating and sliding in either direction in
respect to the corresponding axle 20 to one of three rest positions
in which the target 22 settles by gravity on the axle 20. One of
the three square front walls is horizontal and the other two are at
60.degree. to the horizontal in each of said three rest positions
of each target 22.
Said game 10 is played by two competing persons or groups thereof
who alternately throw their own set of colored bean bags at the
target area to position the targets 22 so as to score a "bingo."
The bean bags 37 are of the same color as the front wall 27 of each
target and the bean bags 39 are of the same color as the front wall
29. The game 10 is commenced by first positioning all of the
targets 22 so that the neutral colored front walls (25 in FIG. 5)
face forwardly, i.e. toward the players. The color of the bean bags
which a player tosses determines the color of the front walls of
the targets 22 which he endeavors to face forward. For example, the
player tossing bean bags of the color indicated in FIG. 5 for the
bean bag 37 would endeavor to face forward target front walls of
the same color to wit: That indicated in FIG. 5 for the front wall
27. Conversely the player tossing bean bags of the color indicated
in FIG. 5 for the bean bag 39 would endeavor to face forward target
front walls of that color, to wit: that indicated in FIG. 5 for the
front wall 29. A bingo is scored by the winner who is first to
position the targets so that all of the targets in a horizontal,
vertical or diagonal row have the same color front walls facing
forward, i.e. the color of his bean bags. As the different bean
bags strike one or more targets 22 they cause said targets 22 to
rotate and slide in respect to the corresponding axle 20 through
one or more of said rest positions causing the front walls of the
targets to continually change color. A faster game likened to
tic-tac-toe can be played by utilizing nine in lieu of 25 targets.
The target area can be reduced to the center nine targets by
employing a shield (not shown) which can be suspended from the
frame 12 and masks off the remaining targets.
It will thus be seen that there has been provided by my invention a
target game in which the object hereinabove set forth together with
many other thoroughly practical advantages has been successfully
achieved. While preferred embodiments of my invention have been
shown and described it is to be understood that variations and
changes may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the
invention as defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *