Disc Game Apparatus

Abstract

A game apparatus which includes a playing surface having a generally centrally disposed horizontal flat portion and a plurality of ramp portions extending radially outwardly and inclined upwardly from the horizontal central portion. A plurality of circular shaped recesses are formed in the central horizontal playing surface portion for receiving in a flat condition circular disc shaped chips which are rolled on edge down the ramps toward the recesses. The recesses are sufficiently deep to receive a plurality of chips stacked on top of each other within the recesses, the depth of the recesses relative to the thickness of the chips being such that the top surface of a top chip received in a recess when the recess is full of chips is flush with the playing surface surrounding the recess. Slotted chutes are disposed at the upper, outer ends of the ramps for receiving chips on edge in condition for rolling down the ramps toward the recesses when released from the chute.

Description

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to game devices, and more particularly to a new and improved target type game which utilizes disc shaped chips.

There are numerous target type games in the art. Typically these include games having a bulls-eye type target area and an object which is to be thrown thereat. Other games have a face with apertures therein through which a ball or other missile is to be thrown. Some such target games utilize the concept of a ball or the like which is to be rolled along a generally horizontal surface in a bowling type fashion. In bowling type games, the ball or missile is usually intended to strike and displace other elements such as pins or the like, but the occupation of a finite area by the rolled ball is not part of the concept of the game.

Games which utilize a thrown or rolled ball are generally popular in the art in that the play of the games is easy to execute and easily understood by participants. Thus, there is a desire generally present in the art to provide a new form of a game which utilizes the concept of a thrown or rolled ball or other missile. Improvements of these types of games are also generally well received in the art. Thus, it is an object of this invention to meet the continuing desire in the art for improvements in such games, embodying the well known and well received principles of target games and rolled or thrown missiles, particularly for occupying defined target areas or positions.

This invention is directed, in brief, to the provision of an improved target type game, or the like, wherein generally flat disc shaped circular chips are rolled on edge toward a target or receiving means wherein the chips are intended to occupy a finite area, or the like, in a flat condition to provide for scoring and/or winning of the game.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the chips are rolled on edge down a plurality of inclined ramp like spokes extending radially outwardly from a central target area or playing surface portion, with one ramp for each player of the game. The central target area or playing surface portion is generally flat and horizontal and is provided with a plurality or cluster of recesses in the form of wells which are designed for receiving a plurality of chips stacked one on top of the other within the wells. One manner of playing the game would be to provide "bingo" or "tic-tac-toe" type rules whereby a player would win the game when a particular player's chips (e.g., color-coded) occupy a given number of recesses in a row or other pattern. The depth of the recesses or wells relative to the thickness of the chips is such that the top surface of the top chip received in any one well, when the well is full of chips stacked on top of each other, is flush with the playing surface around the well. Thus, a top chip in a well completely full of chips will indicate which player of the game captured or occupies that particular well during that game round, and other chips simply can roll over the upper surface of the top chip in the filled well.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a game apparatus embodying the concepts of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a broken away vertical section, on an enlarged scale, taken generally along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the chutes which define the starting positions for the chips at the outer ends of the ramp like spokes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, the game apparatus of the present invention includes a three-dimensional supporting base having a raised playing surface. The playing surface includes a generally flat, horizontal central portion 12 and a plurality of ramp portions 14 extending radially outwardly and inclined upwardly from the central horizontal surface portion 12. The ramp surface portions 14 of the playing surface are defined by the top of a plurality of spoke-like portions, generally designated 16, of the supporting base, one spoke or ramp for each player of the game.

A plurality of generally circular shaped recesses 18 are formed in the central playing surface portion 12 for receiving circular disc shaped chips 20, or the like, in a flat condition within the recesses. As best seen in FIG. 2, the circular recesses 18 actually are formed by the tops of a plurality of wells 22 disposed beneath the central playing surface portion 12. The wells 22 are sufficiently deep to receive a plurality of chips 20 stacked on top of each other as seen in FIG. 2. The diameter of the recesses 18 (i.e., wells 22) and the chips 20 are such that the chips are received freely within the wells so that they come to rest on top of each other in the flat condition shown in FIG. 2.

A chute member, generally designated 24 and best shown in FIG. 3, is mounted at the upper outer end of each of the ramp surfaces 14 by means of bolts, screws, brads, or the like, as at 26. The chutes 24 have vertical slots 25 for receiving chips 20 on edge, as seen in FIG. 2, in condition for rolling down the ramp surfaces 14 toward the recesses 18 when released from the chutes. The chutes may be pivoted about the brad 26 to aim the chips at particular ones of the recesses 18. The chutes thereby define starting positions from which the chips may be rolled by players of the game on edge down the playing surface ramp portions 14 toward the recesses 18 defined in the horizontal playing surface portion 12.

With a plurality of the recesses 18 (wells 22) defined in the playing surface portion 12, various schemes for playing the game can be devised. For instance, a "bingo" or "tic-tac-toe" scheme may be used whereby a player attempts to be the first to have his chips occupy or capture a plurality of the wells 22 in a given row and number, such as a lateral, diagonal or like rows or recesses or wells. For this purpose, the chips 20 may be coded with colors or other indicia in sets thereof, one set for each player of the game.

As mentioned above, and as seen in FIG. 2, the wells 22 which define the recesses 18 are sufficiently deep to receive a plurality of chips 20 stacked on top of each other within the wells. The depth of the wells 22 relative to the thickness of the chips should be such that the top surface of a top chip received in a well when the well is full of chips is flush with the horizontal playing surface portion 12 surrounding the recess 18. In this manner, when one or more of the wells 22 are full of chips, while other wells are not, players still may roll chips down the ramp portions 14 of the playing surface, the chips simply rolling over the filled wells toward other unfilled wells. Obviously, once a player's chip is disposed on the top of a stack thereof within a filled well, that player has captured that well or target area for the duration of that particular round of the game. When the wells are unfilled, the occupation of that well may be changed by one player rolling one of his respective chips into the unfilled well on top of another player's chips.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

Claims

I claim:

1. A target game apparatus comprising:

a plurality of sets of generally circular disc-shaped chips, one set for each player of the game, said chips having indicia thereon distinguishing one set thereof from another set;

means defining a central, generally flat, horizontal playing surface;

a plurality of ramps angularly spaced about and projecting radially outwardly from the playing surface, each ramp having an inclined surface extending upwardly from said playing surface for rollably supporting a chip and defining a chip path of travel toward said playing surface, said inclined surface having a starting position located at the upper end thereof whereat a chip may be positioned preparatory to rolling down the ramp toward the playing surface;

means defining a chute at the starting position of each ramp for receiving at least one of the chips on the edge in condition for rolling down said inclined surface when released from said chute, said chute being manually movable whereby a chip may be aimed toward different areas on the playing surface; and

a plurality of generally tubular shaped recesses formed in said playing surface, each recess being of a sufficient depth to receive a plurality of chips stacked on top of each other in a flat condition, said recesses being in a predetermined pattern of a plurality of rows and columns of equally spaced recesses, the number of recesses in each row and column being the same wherein the object of the game is to launch a plurality of chips down said ramps into said recesses by the players of the game in an attempt to have the chips of his respective set, when they are the top chips in said recesses, form a particular relative orientation across said pattern of rows.

2. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said chutes are pivotally mounted to provide means for varying the direction which a chip rolls down said inclined surface.

3. The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein the depth of said recesses relative to the thickness of said chips is such that the top surface of the uppermost chip received in a recess when the recess is full of chips is generally flush with the playing surface surrounding the respective recess.

4. A target game apparatus comprising:

a plurality of sets of generally circular disc-shaped chips, one set for each player of the game, said chips having indicia thereon distinguishing one set thereof from another set;

means defining a central, generally flat, horizontal playing surface;

a plurality of ramps angularly spaced about and projecting radially outwardly from the playing surface, each ramp having an inclined surface extending upwardly from said playing surface for rollably supporting a chip and defining a chip path of travel toward said playing surface, said inclined surface having a starting position located at the upper end thereof whereat a chip may be positioned preparatory to rolling down the ramp toward the playing surface; and

a plurality of generally tubular shaped recesses formed in said playing surface, each recess being of a sufficient depth to receive a plurality of chips stacked on top of each other in a flat condition, said recesses being in a predetermined pattern of a plurality of rows and columns of equally spaced recesses, the number of recesses in each row and column being the same, wherein the object of the game is to launch a plurality of chips down said ramps into said recesses by the players of the game in an attempt to have the chips of his respective set, when they are the top chips in said recesses, form a particular relative orientation across said pattern of rows.

5. The game apparatus of claim 4 wherein the depth of said recesses relative to the thickness of said chips is such that the top surface of the uppermost chip received in a recess when the recess is full of chips is generally flush with the playing surface surrounding the respective recess.

6. The game apparatus of claim 4 wherein said pattern of rows of recesses are arranged in three rows of three recesses uniformly spaced for utilizing the game apparatus for playing the game of tic-tac-toe.