U.S. patent number 3,768,810 [Application Number 05/212,599] was granted by the patent office on 1973-10-30 for game board for play of collision game.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Adolph E. Goldfarb. Invention is credited to Adolph E. Goldfarb, Rene Soriano.
United States Patent |
3,768,810 |
Goldfarb , et al. |
October 30, 1973 |
GAME BOARD FOR PLAY OF COLLISION GAME
Abstract
A board game comprising a board with a pair of tracks or
pathways thereon which intersect one another at speced intervals.
One track which may take a curved or circuitous route is longer
than the other. A target playpiece, such as a marble, is caused to
move along one track; then the other shooter playpiece is caused to
travel along the other track. The shooter playpiece is moved at a
speed and in timed relation to the movement of the target playpiece
so as to attempt to collide with the target at a selected one of
the intersections.
Inventors: |
Goldfarb; Adolph E. (Tarzana,
CA), Soriano; Rene (Los Angeles, CA) |
Assignee: |
Goldfarb; Adolph E. (Tarzana,
CA)
|
Family
ID: |
22791691 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/212,599 |
Filed: |
December 27, 1971 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/120R;
446/168 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F
7/04 (20130101); A63F 7/3622 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
7/00 (20060101); A63F 7/04 (20060101); A63f
007/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/11R,11C,108,113,115,118-127,134GP ;46/43,216 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,299,660 |
|
Jun 1962 |
|
FR |
|
130,817 |
|
Mar 1959 |
|
SU |
|
473,859 |
|
Nov 1926 |
|
DD |
|
Primary Examiner: Pinkham; Richard C.
Assistant Examiner: Apley; Richard J.
Claims
We claim:
1. A game board having a starting end and a finishing end, means on
the board defining a first pathway and a second pathway, each of
said pathways extending from the starting end toward the finishing
end, said first pathway being longer than said second pathway, said
first pathway being a generally reversing curve having a plurality
of transverse portions, said second pathway intersecting said
reversing curve at two or more of said transverse portions, said
pathways each being provided by a spaced apart pair of upright
parallel rails for receiving a ball for rolling therealong, the
rails for the first pathway being spaced for receiving a greater
portion of a ball than received by the rails for the second
pathway.
2. A game board as defined in claim 1 wherein said reversing curve
has a generally decreasing amplitude progressing from the starting
end to the finish end of the board.
3. A game board as defined in claim 1 wherein said rails join where
the pathways intersect, the corners where the rails intersect being
rounded off.
4. A game board as defined in claim 1 wherein said starting end is
elevated above said finishing end.
Description
The present game combines quick movement, skill and excitement with
relative low cost and simplicity. Causing objects or playpieces to
meet and collide in a toy or game is, of course, not itself new;
however applicant is not aware of any prior device where multiple
intersecting locations are provided so that the player can select
the desired intersecting location for the collison to take place.
Neither is applicant aware of a comparable game board which is
inclined and provides a pair of intersecting paths of different
lengths along which objects may move solely under the force of
gravity. The presently preferred form of game of the invention,
which is illustrated in the drawings, comprises generally a game
board having a starting end and a finish end. A pair of tracks or
pathways extend from the starting end toward the finish end of the
board. The first or longer track may be curved and is shown in the
form of a sine wave of diminishing amplitude toward the finish end
of the board. The illustrated second pathway is a generally
straight line, extending end-to-end down the center of the game
board, and intersecting the curved pathway each time the latter
changes direction to provide a criss-cross pattern. A target
playpiece, illustrated as a steel ball or marble, is caused to roll
along the curved track and then a shooter playpiece is rolled along
the straight second track in timed relation to the movement of the
target playpiece in an effort to meet and collide with the target
playpiece at an intersection of the two tracks selected by the
player. When a collison occurs the target playpiece is knocked from
the board into a receptacle formed adjacent the various
intersections. Point total for knocking the target playpiece into
receptacles increase as the distance of the intersection and the
associated receptacles from the starting point increases. Thus, the
player may elect to try to create an easier collison at an
intersection closer to him or he may wait and attempt to create a
more difficult collison at an intersection further away from him.
If he fails to cause a collison, the other player may get a number
of points. The difficulty of more remote intersection collisons may
be controlled by various factors including the amplitude of the
curve. In one form the board may be inclined downwardly from start
to finish so that the balls will roll toward the finish end under
the force of gravity.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the presently preferred form of game board
of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the game board of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an end view taken generally along line 3--3 of FIG.
1.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line
4--4 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line
5--5 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of an intersection of the board of
FIG. 1.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken generally along line 7--7 of FIG.
6.
FIG. 8 is a plan view of a modified form of game board.
In broad terms, the illustrated game 10 is comprised of an inclined
game board 12 having a pair of tracks 14 and 16 which meet at
intersections 18 as well as a pair of playpieces in the form of a
target ball 20 and a shooter ball 22.
The inclined game board 12 is generally elongated, having an upper
end 26 and a lower end 28. It may be formed of any suitable
material such as a rigid plastic, wood, metal or fiberboard. The
illustrated game board 12 is molded rigid plastic for low cost and
light weight. The illutstrated board 12 has generally upright side
walls 30 and a top or upper wall 32 on which the tracks or pathways
14 and 16 are formed. The illustrated board is a single integral
molded plastic part, although of course, it could be formed of
separate parts secured together to form the desired board.
The first and longer curve track or pathway 14 is in the general
shape of a sine wave and has the greatest amplitude at the upper
end 26 of the board, with its amplitude progressively reduced as it
progresses toward the lower end 28 of the board. The illustrated
track 14 formed by portions of the upper surface of the top wall 32
and by a parallel set of side walls or rails 34 (FIG. 5). The side
rails 34 are spaced apart so as to receive the target marble 20
therebetween and guide and contain it as it rolls down along the
track 14. In particular, the slope of the track is selected and the
track and rails 34 are so proportioned relative to the size of the
target marble 20 to control the speed of travel of the marble 20.
This is especially important in ensuring that the target marble 20
will negotiate the curves of track 14 without jumping the rail and
leaving the track. In other words, the target marble 20 sits deeply
in the track 14, compared to the seating of the shooter marble 22
in its track 16 as will be explained below. For example, the marble
20 may ride on the rails 34 as shown in FIG. 5. The surface of
track 14 slopes downwardly in the direction from upper end 26 of
the board to lower end 28 of the board (FIG. 2), and it also slopes
downwardly from side to side as shown best in FIG. 3.
The second shorter straight track 16 of the illustrated board
extends the length of the board from its upper end to its lower
end, thereby intersecting the curved track 14 along its
longitudinal center at each transversely extending portion of that
first curved track. The straight track 16 is of similar
configuration to the curved track 14, being formed by a portion of
the upper surface of the top wall 32 and by a pair of parallel side
rails 36. Track 16 has a downward slope as it progresses from the
upper end 26 of the board to the lower end of the board. The
illustrated straight track 16 may be somewhat narrower, however,
then the illustrated curved track 14 since the shooter marble 22
follows a straight path and can be permitted to achieve greater
speed than the target marble 20 without fear of the shooter marble
22 jumping the track as noted above. The shooter marble 22 rides
higher then the target marble 20. FIG. 4 shows the shooter marble
22 riding in the illustrated device high up upon the rails 36.
Where the tracks 14 and 16 intersect at locations marked 18, the
side rails 34 and 36 also intersect. At these intersections of the
rails 34 and 36, instead of sharp corners at generally right
angles, such corners have in effect been cut off by a small angled
wall section 38 (FIGS. 6 and 7) which might alternatively be
rounded or otherwise relieve these sharp corners. The removal of
these corners virtually eliminates the possibility of either marble
20 or 22 being diverted from its own track and further eliminates
the sharp corner which may momentarily stop or deflect one of the
marbles in its travel.
The game board 12 is formed with sections adjacent each of the
intersections that provide receptacles 40 slightly below and
outwardly of each intersection of side rails. Thus, for each
intersection of the tracks 14 and 16 there are provided four
receptacles 40. As seen best in FIGS. 1 and 4, each receptacle 40
is formed by a depressed bottom wall portion 41, inner vertical
walls 43 extending down from the tracks 14 and 16, and outer
vertical walls 45 which surround the receptacles 40 and are
provided by arcuate, receptacle defining board sections 47.
As noted above, the receptacle 40 closest to the upper end 26 of
the board carries the lower point values with these point values
increasing for receptacles positioned at intersections closer and
closer to the lower end 28 of the board. Illustrative value numbers
are shown on FIG. 1. At the lower end 28 of the board, a final
receptacle 49 is provided to catch the target 20 if it is missed.
In such event, the player of the target marble 20 may receive a
certain number of points.
The illustrated game board is provided with an extension 42 which
is releasably connected to the upper end 26 of the board. The
extension 42 provides an additional length of the straight track 16
which extends upwardly and outwardly at the upper end of the board.
This extension permits greater length of the straight track 16 for
a given package or box size for the game and permits greater speed
to be imparted to the shooter marble 22. Extension 42 may be
releasably secured in place as by means of screws, clamps or a
snap-fit friction connection, all of which are well known in the
art.
To provide good stability to the game board, it may be supported as
shown in the drawings, on a pair of legs 44 at opposite sides of
the larger upper end 26 and a single adjustable leg 46 which is
provided centrally of the lower end 28 of the board. In the
illustrated board, the leg 46 is threaded in the board for vertical
movement so that it may be adjustably positioned relative to the
lower end of the board to raise or lower that end of the board
relative to a supporting surface 47'.
The playpieces shown in the drawings are in the form of spherical
balls or marbles; however, other suitable playpieces may be
substituted if desired. For example, a toy wheeled vehicle could be
utilized as one or both of these playpieces rolling down the track.
The playpiece which moves down the generally straight track 16 is
particularly susceptible of substitution since it need not
transverse curved track sections. Thus, while a rolling object
entails a minimum of friction resistance, a low friction sliding
playpiece might be utilized, particularly for a straight or only
slightly curved track, with the parts being of suitable materials
and with there being an adequate incline to the board. It would be
possible if desired to provide drive means (not shown) for
effecting movement of the target playpiece, although the
illustrated form of game is much simpler and less expensive then
such a device. If a driven target were utilized it could, of
course, travel on a flat or level surface or it could even move up
an incline. The shooter playpiece 22 could still be gravity
operated. In general, it would be possible for one or both of the
playpieces to be rolled (or possibly slid) along a level or up and
down, or even up an ascending incline. Thus, if desired, the board
need not be inclined but could be flat. Also, while a particular
curved pathway, and a generally straight intersecting pathway are
shown, the shapes of the pathways could be varied as desired. For
example, the straight pathway could describe a reversing curve.
Lesser or no variation in length of the pathways could be
compensated for by the speed at which the pieces are caused to move
so long as the shooter is able to catch up with and collide with
the target. Further, mechanical starting means (not shown) might be
provided, and a timer (not shown) could also be provided to assist
the players.
Another variation is shown in FIG. 8 where a target vehicle 20a is
moved along a circuitous track 14a which is intersected at a number
of locations along its length by a plurality of tracks 16a which
are adjacent at their upper ends so that the player may select
which of the tracks 16a he will propel his shooter playpiece along
so as to achieve a collison with the target playpiece 20a.
* * * * *