Basketball Game

Abstract

A basketball game including a stand bearing a backboard and a net, a basketball, and a catapult. The ball fits in a cup at one end of the catapult lever. The lever pivots on a pin so that when one end of the lever is depressed the other end of the lever bearing the cup is elevated imparting upward and outward motion to the ball. An adjustable stop arm regulates the upward motion of the cup and hence the angle and height of motion of the ball, and the upward and downward position of the stop arm is adjusted by moving the arm so that a hole in a downward extending portion of the adjustable stop arm is aligned with the desired one of a series of holes in an upward extending portion of the catapult base, enabling a pin to be inserted through the aligned holes for interlocking.

Description

This invention relates to a novel simulated real basketball game. Although basketball games exist in the prior art as shown by a number of issued patents, none of these prior art games have proved satisfactory because of inadequate catapults or projectors. The present invention utilizes a novel catapult or projector which overcomes the inadequacies of prior art devices thus providing a simple, exciting, and engrossing game allowing the participant to acquire and demonstrate his skill and proficiency. The game of the subject invention is also a useful pacifier distracting the participants from their usual cares and anxieties and providing much desired relaxation from nervous tension.

The game includes a stand bearing a backboard and a net, a basketball which may be a conventional table tennis or ping pong ball, and a novel catapult or projector.

The ball is placed in a cup at one end of the catapult lever which lever pivots on a pin so that when a finger press or key at the other end of the catapult lever is depressed the cup is elevated to impart upward and outward motion to the ball.

An adjustable stop arm or limiter which pivots on the catapult lever pin regulates the height to which the cup may be raised and hence the angle and height of motion of the ball.

The position of the stop arm or limiter is adjusted by moving the arm to the desired position while aligning a hole in a downward extending portion of the limiter with one of a series of holes in an upward extending portion of the catapult base, and a pin is inserted through the aligned holes to lock the limiter in position.

Accordingly it is an object of the subject invention to provide an improved basketball game.

Another object of the subject invention is to provide a basketball game with an improved catapult or projector.

Still another object of the subject invention is to provide a basketball game with a catapult having means for adjusting the height and angle of projection of the ball.

Yet another object of the subject invention is to provide an improved basketball game in which proficiency may be developed and skill exercised.

A further object of the subject invention is to provide an improved basketball game which may be utilized to effect enjoyment and distraction from normal cares and anxieties.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the basketball game of the subject invention showing the catapult, ball, and net with stand.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the catapult of the subject invention showing how the height of the limiter is adjusted.

Turning to the drawings the invention will be described in detail.

In FIG. 1 the basketball goal or net 4 is shown wherein base or stand 1 supports uprights or vertical supports 2 which sustain or hold up the backboard 3 to which the goal or net 4 is fixed. Screws 5 are shown for anchoring the base 1 to suitable means such as a playboard; however any suitable anchoring means may be used such as nuts and bolts, magnetic base, nails, or clamps. The net is normally of an appropriate diameter to accommodate a ball such as the conventional ping pong or table tennis ball shown at 15.

The catapult or projector for activating the ball includes base 6 having upwardly extending portion or projection 12. The lever 7 having the cup or groove 8 at one of its ends and the limiter or regulator 9 both pivot on the pin 10 which extends through and is supported by the projection 12 near its upper extremity.

The projection 12 has holes 11 arranged along the pivotal arc of a downward extending portion of the limiter or regulator 9.

The extent of the upward motion of the cup 8 at one end of the lever 7 is limited or regulated by the stop arm 14 of the limiter or regulator 9.

As shown in FIG. 2, the position of the stop arm 14 is adjusted by pivoting the limiter or regulator 9 to the desired position while aligning a hole in the downward extending portion of the limiter or regulator 9 with one of the holes 11 in the projection 12 and then inserting pin 13 through the aligned holes to effect an interlocking relationship.

To change the position of the stop arm 14 the pin 13 is removed and the hole in the downward extending portion of the limiter or regulator 9 is aligned with another one of the holes 11 in the projection 12, and then the pin 13 is reinserted to effect an interlocking relationship.

The cup 8 of the lever 7 is raised to effect propulsion of the ball 15 by placing a finger such as shown at 16 on the key 17 of the lever 7, which key is located at the end of the lever 7 opposite the cup 8, and depressing the key 7.

The extent of depression of the key 7, the speed, and the force of the depression along with the position of the stop arm 14 determines the angle, the height, and the speed of propulsion of the ball 15. The propulsion angle can be effectively changed by changing the position of the stop arm 14.

In playing the game the catapult which is free moving takes the place of the basketball player. As the player, the catapult is free moving and can be moved in any direction thus simulating a basketball player in a real basketball game. The catapult allows for varying the shooting power and distance form the goal 4. The push power in depressing key 17 is very important because this controls the distance the ball 15 will travel. Each time the distance of the catapult from the goal 4 is changed the position of the limiter 9 should be adjusted to effect the correct geometrical running distance for long shot, high shot, or short shot.

Keep in mind that the catapult of the subject invention allows for adjustment of the angle and height of propulsion of the ball 15.

Suitable pins other than pin 13 may be utilized in the subject invention.

It is thought that this invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

Claims

What I Claim As my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A basketball game comprising basketball goal means, a ball, and movable actuator means for projecting the ball towards the basketball goal means, said actuator means including limiter means for adjustably regulating the angle and height of projection of the ball, in which the actuator means includes a pivotally mounted lever having a ball receiving cup at one of its ends and a finger actuated key at its other end so that on depression of the key the cup is elevated to project the ball towards the goal and in which the limiter means includes a stop arm and an approximately L-shaped pivotally mounted lever having one component from which the stop arm protrudes at right angles and another component extending in a generally downward direction said stop arm limiting the upward movement of the ball receiving cup by acting against the portion of the pivotally mounted lever adjacent the ball receiving cup to prevent upward movement of that portion of the pivotally mounted lever and in which the generally downward extending component of the pivotally mounted limiter lever includes means for adjustably locking the downward extending component of the pivotally mounted limiter lever to the actuator means to provide for adjustably changing and fixing the position of the limiter means to regulate the angle and height of projection of the ball and said adjustable locking means includes structure defining a hole in the downward extending component of the pivotally mounted limiter lever.

2. A basketball game as described in claim 1 in which the actuator means includes a base having an upward projecting portion and a pivot pin extending through the upward extending portion of the base near its upper extremity, the pivotally mounted ball cup bearing lever and the pivotally mounted limiter lever each being mounted on the pivot pin on opposite sides of the upward projecting portion of the actuator means base.

3. A basketball game as described in claim 2 including said hole being near the bottom extremity of the generally downward extending component of the pivotally mounted limiter lever, structure defining a series of holes in the upward extending portion of the base near its lower extremity and along the pivotal arc of the downward extending component of the pivotally mounted limiter lever, and a lock pin in which the position of the limiter means is adjustable changed to regulate the angle and height of projection of the ball by moving the stop arm to its desired position while lining up the hole in the generally downward extending component of the pivotally mounted limiter lever with the desired one of the series of holes in the upward extending portion of the base and then inserting the lock pin through the aligned holes to lock the stop arm in position.