Simulated Pool Game Apparatus

Abstract

A simulated pool game apparatus comprising a table having a playing surface with resilient upstanding sidewalls extending therefrom and surrounding the playing surface, and also including a single cue-actuated generally disc-shaped playing piece having a resilient band surrounding its periphery and spaced from the upper and lower surfaces of the cue-actuated playing piece; a central bearing supporting the bottom of the cue-actuated playing piece generally above the surface of the table; and the plurality of second disc-shaped playing pieces having central bearings supporting the bottom surfaces thereof slightly above the playing surface of the board, and a cue stick provided with a hollow resilient tip adapted to impinge upon the cue-actuated playing piece to cause its resilient band to impinge upon the peripheries of any one of the plurality of second disc-shaped playing pieces.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The game of pool utilizing spherical playing pieces has been very popular and has required expensive apparatus, particularly the apparatus of the conventional pool table itself.

With the advent of public pool emporiums, the game of pool has become increasingly popular, however, pool tables which provide good playing action are quite expensive.

In conventional pool tables, the surface of the table, as well as the rail bumpers, and various mechanical features of the pool table must be very precise for the purpose of obtaining accurate action with spherical playing pieces, and due to the necessity of maintaining such accuracy, conventional pool table apparatus is not only expensive, but oftentimes difficult to maintain.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a simulated pool game apparatus involving a very inexpensive table having a playing surface with integral or generally resilient surrounding sidewalls, and simple disc-shaped playing pieces, one of which is a cue-actuated playing piece having a central bearing holding the lower surface of said playing piece slightly spaced from the playing surface of the table, said cue-actuated playing piece having a peripheral resilient band to provide for action relative to the sidewalls of the table and relative to second playing pieces which are relatively light and/or small in diameter compared to the disc-shaped cue-actuated playing piece, said second playing pieces being provided with a central bearing supporting them at their lower surfaces in slight spaced relation with the upper surface of the game board or table; the table having a relatively coefficient of friction compared to the peripheries of the playing pieces and the surface of the board is provided with granules of low coefficient or antifriction material so that the playing pieces may slide and rotate on the surface of the table about their central bearings and at their peripheral portions, all of which provides very good playing action simulating the game of pool without the use of expensive apparatus.

A novel cue stick is provided with a hollow cylindrical resilient tip adapted to be impinged against a resilient band surrounding the cue-actuated playing piece so as to provide resilient action of the cue-actuated playing piece relative to the cue, and also resilient action of the cue-actuated playing piece relative to the second playing pieces, and to the resilient sidewalls of the table structure which surrounds. the playing surface thereof; the table is provided with pockets in and below the upstanding sidewalls of the table which surround the playing surface so that the second playing pieces may be propelled into the pockets by the cue-actuated playing piece which is in turn, impinged upon and propelled by the hollow tubular resilient tip of the cut stick of the invention.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a very simple and economical simulated pool game apparatus which provides extremely good playing action of the cue, the table and the playing pieces involved.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simulated pool game apparatus which is sufficiently economical so that it may greatly enhance the public interest in the playing of a game similar to conventional pool.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simulated pool game apparatus which is very simple and easy to use, and which will be very durable and reliable in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel combination of cue-actuated and second playing pieces, together with a resilient band around the cue-actuated playing piece, and the resilient tubular tip on the cue stick, and further resilient sidewalls surrounding the playing surface of the game board, as well as antifriction granules on the board to permit resilient action and movement of the playing pieces relative to the cue stick and to each other, and to permit the playing pieces to tilt about central bearings on the bottom portions thereof so that they may rotate, as well as slide, on the surface of the table, all of which affords extremely good action in the playing of the simulated game.

Other objects and advantages of the invention may be apparent from the following specification, appended claims, and accompanying drawings:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an upper portion of a game table forming part of a simulated pool game apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 2--2 of FIG. 1, showing in elevation a pair of game-playing pieces on the playing surface of the table, and showing antifriction granules thereon;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken from the line 3--3 of FIG. 1, showing structure of the pool table and playing piece receiving structure of the table;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the same plane as that shown in FIG. 2, showing structural details of the cue-actuated playing piece of the invention relative to one of a plurality of second playing pieces of the apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a plan view taken from the line 5--5 of FIG. 4, showing the playing surface of the table fragmentarily, and showing the cue-actuated playing piece relative to one of a plurality of second playing pieces of the apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the cue stick of the invention, showing portions thereof broken away and in section to amplify the illustration; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the tip of the cue stick, shown in FIG. 6, and taken from the line 7--7 of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the apparatus of the invention comprises a table 10 having a playing surface 12 on which a cue-actuated playing piece 14 and several secondary playing pieces 16 may be activated to simulate a game of pool.

The playing top or surface 12 is an upper surface of a top plate 18 of the table 10, and this plate 18 is integral with and surrounding sidewalls 20 which are disposed in upstanding and integral relationship with the plate portion 18. These sidewalls 20 for the purposes of definition herein, are to be construed as side and end walls surrounding the plate 18, and the upper surface 12 thereof. The integral sidewalls 20 are flexible and resilient, and function relative to the playing pieces 14 and 16, as will be hereinafter described in detail.

Integral with upper portions of the sidewalls portions 20 are horizontal ledge portions 22 which in turn, are integral with downwardly extending skirt portions 24 supported by legs 26, shown best in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings. The entire table top, including the plate 18, upstanding sidewalls 20, horizontal ledges 22, and skirts 24 may be molded of a single piece of resilient plastic, or other suitable resilient material, as desired.

The plate 18 may be substantially more rigid than the sidewalls 20 to maintain a substantially flat surface 12 on which the playing pieces 14 and 16 may be activated, as will be hereinafter described in detail. Disposed in the sidewalls 20 and extending therebelow are integral pockets 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 and 43, all as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

As shown in detail in FIG. 3, each of the pockets 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 and 43 is similar to the pocket 40, shown in section in FIG. 3, and which is recessed below the playing surface 12 of the plate 18.

The cue-activated playing piece 14 is generally a disc-shaped structure, as shown best in FIGS. 4 and 5 of the drawings, and this cue-activated playing piece 14 is generally circular and provided with a periphery 42 surrounded by a resilient band 46 which is adhered or otherwise fixed to the periphery 42 of the playing piece 14.

The cue-activated playing piece 14 is provided with an upper surface 48 and a lower surface 50. The lower surface 50 is generally maintained in slightly spaced relationship from the upper surface 12 of the plate 18 by means of a central bearing 52 centrally disposed and connected or molded integral with the playing piece 14 at its middle portion and projecting from the lower side 50 so as to maintain said lower surface normally and slightly spaced from the playing surface 12.

The resilient ring 46 may be made of rubberlike material and is provided with an upper edge 54 spaced from the upper edge 48 of the playing piece 14, and the resilient ring 46 is provided with a lower edge 56 spaced from the lower surface 50 of the playing piece 14 so that the periphery of the playing piece 14 at its lower annular edge 58 may slidably and rotatably contact the upper playing surface 12 of the table top plate 18. The upper surface 12 has a low coefficient of friction relative to the lower surface 50 of the playing piece 14, and particularly at the peripheral edge 58.

The spaced relation of the lower edge 56 of the resilient member or resilient ring 46 is such that when the peripheral edge 58 at the lower portion of the playing piece 14 slidably and/or rotatably contacts the playing surface 12, that the resilient ring 46 at its lower portion 56 cannot touch the playing surface 12 to create friction.

It will be understood that the cue-activated playing piece 14 may thus be propelled in a sliding and/or rotary sliding motion about the axis of the central bearing 52 which has a generally convex surface 59 in contact with the playing surface 12.

On the playing surface 12, the apparatus includes movable antifriction granules 60 which may be small particles of wax or any other small particles which will roll and/or reduce frictional contact between the playing pieces 14 and 16 and the playing surface 12 of the top plate 18 of the table 10.

A plurality of second playing pieces 16 are generally disc shaped and somewhat smaller and/or lighter than the playing piece 14. These second playing pieces 16 are circular, as shown in FIGS. 5, and of material which is relatively harder than the resilient ring 46 of the cue-actuated playing piece 14.

Each disc 16 is provided with an upper surface 62 and a lower surface 64 normally held in slight spaced relation with the upper surface 12 of the plate 18 by means of a bearing member 66 which is centrally disposed and connected to or molded integral with the playing piece 16 and which projects from the lower surface 64 so as to permit rotary and/or sliding action of the playing piece 16 on the upper surface 12 of the top plate 18 of the table 10.

A peripheral lower edge 68 of each playing piece 16 may rotate and/or slide in contact with the surface 12 during action of the various playing pieces 16 on the playing surface 12 and the coefficient of friction between the surface 12 and said peripheral edge 68 is low.

It will be seen that each of the secondary playing pieces 16 is smaller in diameter and preferably of lesser weight than that of the cue-activated playing piece 14.

The antifriction granules 60 are also capable of serving as movable low coefficient of friction bearings under the bearings 66 and peripheral edge 68 of each of the second playing pieces 16.

A cue stick 70, as shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings, is provided with a substantially rigid elongated handle 72 having resilient hollow tubular sleeve 74 secured to one end thereof, such that the hollow tubular resilient sleeve 74 has a hollow tubular projecting resilient end 76 adapted to be impinged against the periphery of the resilient ring 46 of the cue-activated playing piece 14. The cue stick 70 is provided with a handle portion 78 at the opposite end thereof from the hollow resilient tubular end portion 76 and the handle portion 78 may be manually grasped to activate the cue stick longitudinally of its axis and to impinge the hollow tubular resilient end structure 76 against the resilient peripheral ring 46 of the cue-activated playing piece 14 so as to cause it to impinge the periphery of said resilient ring 46 against a peripheral portion 80 of one or more of the second playing pieces, as will be hereinafter described.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the circular playing pieces having central bearings supporting central portions of the bodies of the playing pieces slightly above the playing surface 12 provides for tilting and/or rotary sliding action of the playing pieces relative to each other and the surface 12 of the table and that the cue-activated playing piece 14 may simulate the action of a cue ball of pool, while the second playing pieces 16 may simulate the action of the remaining balls of a pool game apparatus.

When peripheral portions 80 of the secondary playing pieces 16 impinge upon the sidewall portions 20, the resilient character of these sidewall portions 20 causes bouncing reaction of the playing pieces 16 and they may bounce, rotate, and/or slide on the upper playing surface 12 and the antifriction granules 60 and may tiltably move over the central bearings 16 thereof and cause the peripheral edge 68, as shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, to slidingly and rotatingly contact the granules 60, as well as the low friction surface 12 of the table top 18.

The resilient action of the hollow tubular end 76 of the cue stick 72, when impinged against the periphery of the resilient ring 46 causes resilient propulsion of the cue-activated playing piece 14, and this playing piece 14 due to its additional weight, drives the second playing pieces at substantial reactive velocity due to the compressive and resilient action of the resilient ring 46 as it strikes any one or several of the second playing pieces at their peripheries 80.

The resilient sidewalls 20, the resilient band 46, and tiltable and/or rotary slidable action of the playing pieces on the low friction surface 12 and with the antifriction granules 60 affords considerable and very exciting action of the playing pieces, when initiated by impingement of the resilient hollow tubular end 76 of the cue stick 72, as hereinbefore described, which is used to propel the cue-activated playing piece 14.

It will be understood that only one cue-activated playing piece 14 is used for the game of the invention, and that ten second playing pieces 16 are used, there being two sets of five, so that five of the second playing pieces 16 may be colored red and five of them may be colored black. Extra black and red playing pieces 16 may be provided for use according to the rules of the game, as hereinafter set forth.

The object of the game is for a player to clear the board of all of the second playing pieces 16 of one color which are assigned to him before his opponent clears the board of all of the playing pieces 16 of the other color assigned to said opponent.

RULES OF THE GAME

1. Five of the second playing pieces 16 which are colored red may be numbered with respect to four of the pockets 28, 30, 32 and 34, and one of the red playing pieces may be numbered so that it may be located in one of a pair of triangles designed 90 and 92 printed on the upper surface 12 of the table 10. Thus, each player will have four playing pieces located adjacent four respective pockets in the sidewalls of the table, and one playing piece in one of the triangles 90 or 92. Thus, the red colored playing pieces 16 will be placed adjacent respective pockets 28, 32, 43 and 38, and the four black playing pieces will be placed adjacent four respective pockets 30, 34, 40 and 36, and one of each of the red and black pieces will be placed in the triangular locations 90 or 92, as hereinbefore described.

2. Players each select the playing pieces 16 of one color and the cue-actuated playing piece 14 is located on the surface 12 between lines running across the surface 12 at the apices of the triangles 90 and 92.

It being understood that these triangles are merely in color and do not project above the smooth playing surface. Each player plays in turn by projecting the cue stick 72 to cause impingement of the hollow tubular resilient portion 76 on a cue-actuated playing piece 14 and to project it against one of the playing pieces 16 for the purpose of forcing or propelling the respective playing piece 16 into its respective numbered pocket. As long as one or more discs or playing pieces 16 is projected or propelled into the correct pocket without making any penalty, the active player continues to impinge the cue-activated playing piece 14 upon the respectively colored playing pieces 16, as hereinbefore described.

3. If at any time, a player moves his secondary disc 16 from its respective triangle 90 or 92, the disc must be replaced on the triangle and any disc which has been impinged into a pocket during the concurrent play must be respotted in front of the pocket it was impinged into. Additionally, a penalty of spotting another disc of the player's color adjacent a side pocket on the table or at an end pocket if the side pockets are full.

4. The red discs are always related to four of the pockets correspondingly numbered and the black discs are always related to correspondingly numbered pockets. If all the pockets are full, the disc to be spotted as a penalty may be located behind the secondary disc in the respective triangle 90 or 92 depending upon the color of the player's playing pieces. In the event the player does not impinge a disc into a pocket, he is only required to spot one disc as a penalty in front of a respective pocket.

5. If the cue-activated playing piece 14 is impinged into a pocket, this is called a scratch shot, and if the cue-activated playing piece 14 is knocked off the table, any secondary playing piece 16 is impinged into a pocket on that shot plus one more playing piece 16 of the player's color, must be respotted as a penalty at the respective location adjacent respective pockets. The player's turn in this event is lost and the competing player places the cue-activated playing piece 14 in the middle of the playing surface 12, as hereinbefore described, and proceeds.

6. Any secondary playing piece 16 that is flipped over and lands upside down must be spotted in front of a respective pocket, however, there is not penalty for this condition.

7. If the cue-actuated playing piece 14 should land upside down, it must be placed in the middle of the table playing surface 12 and the player may continue shooting with no penalty.

8. If a secondary playing piece 16 is impinged into the wrong numbered pocket, said secondary playing piece 16 must be spotted adjacent its respective pocket, and an additional one of the player's secondary playing pieces 16 must be spotted adjacent its respective pocket.

9. When all four side and corner playing pieces 16 of a player's particular color are impinged into their respective pockets, the player's secondary playing piece 16 may be impinged into any pocket, however, the player must before shooting at the playing piece in the respective triangle 90 or 92 call the number of the pocket into which he intends to impinge the respective playing piece 16 from the respective triangle 90 or 92, and if the player thus fails to call the number of the pocket, he looses the game. However, if the player does impinge the playing piece from the triangular area 90 or 92 into a wrong pocket, he also looses the game.

10. If the player succeeds in impinging the secondary disc 16 from its respective triangle 90 or 92 after calling the number of the pocket into which he intends to impinge it, he is the winner of the game. However, if he fails to drive the last playing piece 16 from the triangle into the called pocket, play continues until one of the players impinges his respective playing piece 16 from the respective triangle 90 or 92 into the one of the pockets he has called.

11. As hereinbefore noted, all of the shots are made by impinging the resilient hollow tubular end 76 of the cue stick 72 against the resilient ring 46 on the periphery of the cue-activated playing piece which in turn, impinges upon the periphery of the respective secondary playing piece which is being impinged into a respective pocket.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications of the apparatus and game of the invention may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention.

Claims

We claim:

1. In a simulated pool game apparatus, the combination of:

a table provided with a recessed top plate having a horizontal playing surface; resilient upstanding sidewalls surrounding said top plate; pockets in and below said sidewalls of said table; a cue-actuated playing piece having a body of circular disc shape, said body provided with upper and lower surfaces; a central bearing projecting below said lower surface of said body and disposed at the center thereof, said bearing adapted to tiltably and rotatably support said cue-actuated playing piece on said playing surface, said actuated playing piece having a peripheral portion; a resilient band secured to and surrounding said peripheral portion of said cue-actuated playing piece, said resilient band having upper and lower edges spaced respectively from said upper and lower surfaces of said cue-actuated playing piece so that when said cue-actuated playing piece tilts over said central bearing that a peripheral edge of said playing piece body may slide on said playing surface without permitting said resilient band to touch said playing surface, said body of said playing piece being of relatively nonresilient material as compared to said resilient band; a second playing piece provided with a body of circular disc shape having upper and lower surfaces; said second playing piece smaller in diameter than said cue-actuated playing piece; a second central bearing disposed at a central portion of said second playing piece and projecting below the lower surface thereof for tiltably and rotatably supporting said body of said second playing piece above said playing surface, said second playing piece being of material which is relatively nonresilient as compared to said resilient band of said cue-actuated playing piece, the exposed side edge surface of said piece being comprised entirely of said relatively nonresilient material, said playing surface having a low coefficient of friction relative to said cue-actuated playing piece and said second playing piece.

2. In a simulated pool game apparatus, the combination of:

a table provided with a recessed top plate having a horizontal playing surface; upstanding sidewalls surrounding said top plate; pockets in and below said sidewalls of said table; a cue-actuated playing piece having a body of circular disc shape and having upper and lower surfaces; a central bearing projecting below said lower surface and disposed at the center of said cue-actuated playing piece, said bearing disposed to tiltably and rotatably support said cue-actuated playing piece on said playing surface; said cue-actuated playing piece having a peripheral portion; a resilient band secured to and surrounding said peripheral portion of said cue-actuated playing piece; said resilient band having upper and lower edges spaced respectively from said upper and lower surfaces of said cue-actuated playing piece so that when said cue-actuated playing piece tilts over said central bearing that a peripheral edge of said playing piece body may slide on said playing surface without permitting said resilient band to touch said playing surface; said body of said playing piece being of relatively nonresilient material as compared to said resilient band; a second playing piece provided with a body of circular disc shape having upper and lower surfaces; said second playing piece of lesser weight than said cue-actuated playing piece; a second central bearing disposed at a central portion of said second playing piece and projecting below said lower surface thereof for tiltably and rotatably supporting said body of said second playing piece above said playing surface; said second playing piece being of material which is relatively nonresilient as compared to said resilient band of said cue-actuated playing piece; the exposed side edge surface of said piece being comprised entirely of said relatively nonresilient material, said playing surface of said table having a low coefficient of friction relative to said cue-actuated playing piece and said second playing piece.

3. The invention, as defined in claim 2, wherein: small granules of antifriction material are disposed on said playing surface to reduce friction between said cue-actuated and said second playing pieces, and the playing surface of said table.

4. The invention, as defined in claim 2, wherein: structure of said horizontal playing surface is integral with said upstanding sidewalls, and wherein horizontal ledge structure is integral with said upstanding sidewalls and extending in an opposite direction from said sidewalls relative to said playing surface; and skirt structure integral with said ledge structure; said skirt structure extending downwardly from said ledge structure and generally surrounding said table; and supporting legs coupled to said skirt structure.

5. The invention, as defined in claim 2, wherein: a cue stick is adapted to propel said cue-actuated playing piece; said cue stick having a hollow resilient tubular tip adapted to be impinged upon and to thereby propel said cue-actuated playing piece which in turn is adapted to impinge said resilient band thereof upon the periphery of any one of a plurality of said second playing pieces.

6. The invention, as defined in claim 1, wherein: small granules of antifriction material are disposed on said playing surface to reduce friction between said cue-actuated and said second playing pieces, and said playing surface.

7. The invention, as defined in claim 1, wherein: said playing surface structure of said table is integral with said upstanding sidewalls, and wherein ledge structure is integral with said wall structure at the upper portions thereof, said ledge structure extending outwardly in an opposite direction from said wall structures relative to said playing surface; and skirt structure integral with said ledge structure and extending downwardly therefrom in surrounding relation with said ledge structure; and legs secured to said skirt structure for supporting said table.

8. The invention, as defined in claim 1, wherein: a cue stick is provided with a hollow resilient tubular tip adapted to be impinged upon and to thereby propel said cue-actuated playing piece which in turn, is adapted to impinge said resilient band thereof upon the periphery of any one of a plurality of said second playing pieces.