U.S. patent number 3,643,947 [Application Number 05/000,149] was granted by the patent office on 1972-02-22 for rope flipping racing game.
Invention is credited to Ronald B. Collins.
United States Patent |
3,643,947 |
Collins |
February 22, 1972 |
ROPE FLIPPING RACING GAME
Abstract
A game to be played in or out of doors by one person against
time or by a number of people in competition, the articles used in
play comprising a removable but firmly upstanding center post, a
length of rope for each player and tethered to the said post at
substantially shoulder height, a handgrip at the outer end of the
rope, a plurality of obstacles attached to the rope in spaced
relation and, for each player, a play piece in this instance a
wigged head linked to his respective rope and slidable thereon
between successive ones of said obstacles and, according to rules
of the game, hopped or flipped over the obstacles, one at a time,
by up, down and sidewise manipulations of the rope.
Inventors: |
Collins; Ronald B. (Memphis,
TN) |
Family
ID: |
21690150 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/000,149 |
Filed: |
January 2, 1970 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
463/58; 273/109;
273/441; 446/361; 473/576 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F
9/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
9/00 (20060101); A63f 009/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/1R,109,110,95A,86E |
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
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510,638 |
|
Mar 1955 |
|
CA |
|
768,703 |
|
May 1934 |
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FR |
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Primary Examiner: Oechsle; Anton O.
Assistant Examiner: Brown; Theatrice
Claims
What I claim is:
1. In a fun and competitive game of the character described, an
upstanding post, supporting means to prevent tipping and axial
rotation of said post, a plurality of ropes tethered to the upper
end of said post, a plurality of fixed obstacles attached to each
of said ropes in spaced relation to each other, a handgrip at the
outer end of each said rope, and a play piece having slideable
linked connection with said rope, said post-supporting means
including a base in which said post is removably supported, and
characterized by the tethering of said ropes to the said post
through the medium of a screw eye threaded into said post and a
snaphook on the inner end of each rope, said play piece being the
simulation of a human head with a wig attached thereto.
2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the said obstacles
on each said rope comprises corks, the said link connection between
said head and rope permitting the play piece slide by gravity along
said rope between adjacent corks and of a size permitting the play
piece to hop over the said corks in succession by manipulation of
said rope by the player.
3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said post is
four-sided and includes a rope with its assembly of parts extending
from each side of said post.
Description
Flip Your Wig, as herein shown and described, is a game played by
one, two, three or four people. When played alone it can be played
against time. More than one play against each other or four may
play as a team pair (picking the fastest time of the two as in
paired golf) or, all four may compete individually and at the same
time.
The game operates on three principles of science, viz, wave motion
of the rope, gravity and eye-hand coordination. It has been played
by people ranging in age from four to 80 years with enjoyment to
all and has for its main objective to provide a new and novel game
that can be played in or out of doors and which requires but few
parts all of which are simple, durable and inexpensive to
manufacture.
Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the
accompanying drawings and a perusal of the following detailed
description.
It is understood that the drawings are for the purpose of
illustration only. Like reference numerals indicate like parts
throughout the two views.
In the drawing:
FIG. 1 is a side view of the invention with the manually
manipulated ropes pulled radially outward as in use;
FIG. 2 is a plan view as seen from the top of FIG. 1.
Numeral 1 represents a standard in the form of a square-sided
vertically extending post of wood or hollow tubing and which in
this instance, at its lower end extends through and is anchored
against tipping and axial rotation in a base member 4 substantially
similar to and for the like purpose of a Christmas tree stand. For
outdoor use and as an additional means for anchoring the post 1 its
lower end may be extended and pointed as at 10, thus making such
extension a stake to be driven into the ground as shown in FIG.
1.
The post 1, it may be stated, from ground level to its top is
preferably about four feet in length and into each side face
adjacent the top a screw eye 2 is threaded. At a lower level on the
pole, for use when a child or short person is playing, there is
provided a like set of screw eyes 2. Tethered to the post through
the medium of a snaphook 3 in releasable engagement with a
respective one of the screw eyes 2 (upper or lower level) is the
inner end of a rope 7, or cord of like flexible material, on the
outer end of which is a handgrip 6. And, attached to each rope 7,
at spaced intervals are a plurality of obstacles such as a
medium-sized fishing cork 5, or plastic balls. Suspended from each
rope by means of an elongated closed link 8 in a plastic play piece
9 which in form and decoration simulates a human head, a top of
which is attached a yarn wig 9' having long hanks of hair.
In playing this game, Flip Your Wig, it is the objective of each
player to advance his respective play piece (wigged head) as
rapidly as possible along its respective rope 7 from a starting
position at handle 6 of the post 1 and return to the handle, the
link 8 and its suspended head sliding by gravity between adjacent
obstacles (corks 5) functioning as stops, and, by manipulation of
the rope, hopping or flipping the head over the corks one at a time
and in succession.
According to the rules of the game the players must remain behind a
line or mark on the floor a distance from center post 1, so that
the ropes, each about eight feet in length, are stretched out
substantially in a horizontal plane. At the "go" signal the
player(s) may raise and lower his arm as he snaps the rope to allow
gravity to aid his progress along the rope. Although the relative
sizes of links 8 attached to the heads 9 and those of the corks 5
are such that the head must be hopped rather than slid over each
cork.
The players may not reach forward from the line above referred to
to touch the rope to the floor or take up the rope to shorten its
length.
As the game is played the wigged head 9', attached only to the top
of the head 9, flips up and down giving the appearance of a
"flipped wig", with each snap or jingle of the rope. This is an
added amusement to the player since the face of the head is facing
them. The game does require a little determination and the wigged
head does not always act in the manner anticipated which creates a
certain amount of frustration thereby giving the player a sense of
"flipping his own wig" in the colloquial sense.
Advantages in playing the game are that two principles of wave
motion and gravity can be discovered; experiences of a basic
scientific principle and the practice of eye-hand coordination are
excellent for children. The game is competitive and fun.
* * * * *