Non-rolling game ball

Abstract

A soft non-rolling bean bag type of ball adapted for use in lawn bowling by being lobbed against pins set up on a platform. The ball or bag has a relatively soft covering filled with particulate material which may be of various types, including styrofoam pellets, gravel, tissue paper, and the like. The ball bag has a predetermined segment of its surface made more rigid or stiffer, the segment having in it configurations providing finger holes corresponding to the typical finger holes in a bowling ball.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The field of the invention is that of games and more particularly lawn bowling. The particular improvement of the invention is a bean bag type of ball adapted for use in the game. The nature of the ball or bag is summarized in the abstract.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Bowling balls as used in the typical game of bowling are of course well known. Such balls ordinarily having finger holes in which the fingers are inserted during delivery of the ball. Bean bags also are of course well known in the prior art. Typically, a bean bag as originally known was simply a container or bag made from pieces of fabric sewn together and containing beans or some other type of similar particulate material. The herein invention departs from the known prior art in the respects described in detail hereinafter.

In the preferred exemplary form of the invention as described in detail herein, the bag or ball is formed typically of flexible material and having a segment or sector of more rigid material having depressions or recesses forming holes corresponding to the holes in a standard bowling ball.

The flexible material and the more rigid segment are secured together in a generally spherical shape the enclosure formed then containing the particulate material.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a pliable and unique form of bag ball particularly adapted for use in a lawn bowling game.

A further object is to realize a bag type ball particularly adapted for use in lawn bowling having the capability that it can be lobbed against standing pins which will not roll, requiring moving after it to recover it.

A further object is to realize a ball having the characteristics as stated but yet being provided with finger holes enabling it to be held and delivered in a manner similar to that of a conventional bowling ball.

A further object is to provide a bag ball as described of generally spherical shape having a partial exterior covering made of a flexible material secured to a segmental portion which is rigid or stiff finger hole means in it.

A further object is to provide a kind of ball of the type described which may have various shapes other than spherical but being provided with the segmental portion which is more rigid having the finger holes in it.

Further objects and additional advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a preferred form of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view partially in section of a form of the invention shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a further view of the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrating the finger holes;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a modified form of the invention;

FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 are views of modified forms of the invention wherein the bag forms other shapes.

Referring mre particularly to FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings in the form of the invention shown as a generally spherical shape, part of its surface is formed by a covering or skin 10 which may be various types of flexible material such as cloth, plastic, or otherwise. The bag ball has segmental portion 12 which is a sector or part of a sphere, this portion being molded plastic. On the inside of the sector 12 is a circular molded rib 14 which is adjacent to the peripheral edge of sector 12 which provides a retaining lip. The edge parts of the flexible material 10, which may be a fabric as pointed out are inserted into the space between the rib 14 and the extending lip 16 as illustrated in FIG. 2. The material 10 is then secured to the sector 12 in any suitable manner, a preferred manner of achieving this being by way of flexible wire that encircles the rib 14 between the edge parts of the flexible material against the rib and the ends of the wire member then being secured to each other and under the lip 16.

The interior of the bag ball is filled with a particulate material. This filler material might by way of example be styrofoam pellets, gravel, along with tissue paper. These materials are intermixed to produce a synergistic property for the resulting bag ball. The skin or covering which is spherical shaped is shape retaining and the filler material provides the appropriate characteristics. These are such as to prevent rolling but yet the article is strong and safe, highly adaptable, and inviting for children and adults to use.

FIG. 3 illustrates more clearly the partial spherical sector 12 having in it the finger holes 20, 21, and 22. They may be formed by way of depressed portions as illustrated at 24 in FIG. 2. The finger holes aid in holding the ball and produce spinning or "English" to the bag ball when released. Depending upon the degree of spin the bag ball when released it will cause a greater number of pins to fall, that is, more mixing action than would occur from a bean bag thrown without spin. The characteristic or consistency of the ball is that the bottom will deform as illustrated in FIG. 2 when set on a level surface.

A second desirable type of construction is illustrated in FIG. 4 wherein the bag ball is essentially formed as a one-piece rotocast vinyl article and the cast vinyl covering is designated at 30 forming a major part of the skin of the ball. A further sector of the ball as designated at 32 is similarly fabricated of a stiffer material having the finger holes formed in it as illustrated. Preferably the stiffening in the finger hole is realized by way of either ribs between the finger holes or simply by way of thicker material having a stiffer characteristic.

The filler of the ball in FIG. 4 may be the same as in the previous embodiment, a removable and reinsertable plug 34 being provided for insertion of the filler material.

FIG. 5 shows a desired form of construction which is like previous embodiments except that the shape may be generally hemi-spherical as designated at 40, having conformed upper part 41 as shown, this part having an insert of more rigid formed plastic material as designated at 42, having the finger holes formed in it as illustrated.

FIG. 6 shows a modified construction which is like that of the previous embodiments having a part as designated at 44 formed of the flexible skin material having a segmental portion 46 of stiffer or more rigid material of curved configuration as illustrated and having the finger holes formed in it.

FIG. 7 illustrates a further modification wherein the flexible section or segment of the ball is designated at 50 in more or less rectangular configuration with formed plastic insert 52 of triangular configuration and of more rigid material having the finger holes in it.

From the foregoing, those skilled in the art will readily understand the nature and construction of the invention and the manner in which all of the objectives as set forth in the foregoing are realized.

The foregoing disclosure is a representative form of the invention and is to be interpreted in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense, the invention to be accorded the full scope of the claims appended hereto.

Claims

We claim:

1. An article adapted for throwing, or lobbing, against objects comprising a skin covering formed to provide part of a generally spherical shape, a member formed of more rigid material configurated to provide the remainder of the generally spherical shape having securement to the flexible material, the interior of the article being filled with a particulate material whereby the article has the characteristics of un-rigid, generally spherical resilient shape.

2. An article as in claim 1 wherein said more rigid member has formed in it finger holes corresponding to that of a typical bowling ball.

3. An article as in claim 1 wherein it contains filler material including one of styrofoam pellets, gravel, and tissue paper.

4. An article as in claim 1 wherein said relatively more rigid member has a rib formed thereon adjacent to an edge part of the member forming a lip, the flexible material being secured to the said member positioned between the rib and lip.

5. An article as in claim 1 wherein the flexible skin portion and more rigid portion of the article are formed unitarily as a rotocast, single piece of plastic material.

6. An article as in claim 5 wherein the skin part has an aperture having a removable and reinsertable plug in it.

7. An article as in claim 1 wherein the more rigid part is formed as an insert secured to the first part.