United States Patent 3643946
Abstract:
A ball game amusement device for two contestants comprises a playing field beneath a transparent cover and a ball that is sent back and forth across the field by a projector for each player. The central portion of the ball field can be raised to catch and retain the ball between the ball field and the underside of the transparent panel, and a power-driven rotating cam raises the central portion of the ball field at the end of play.
Application Number:
04/879368
Publication Date:
02/22/1972
Other Classes:
273/108.56, 273/109, 273/119A
International Classes:
A63F7/22; A63F7/34; A63F7/00; (IPC1-7): A63B71/06
Field of Search:
273/19R,95G,119R,12R,85
US Patent References:
| 1572069 | Game | February 1926 | Kline | |
Primary Examiner:
Pinkham, Richard C.
Assistant Examiner:
Siskind, Marvin
Claims:
Having described my invention, I claim
1. Ball game amusement apparatus comprising a panel defining a playing field, a ball that rolls on the playing field, means for propelling the ball about the playing field, a transparent cover that overlies the playing field and the ball, means for moving at least a central portion of the playing field toward the cover releasably to retain the ball between the playing field and the cover, said moving means comprising a rotatable cam, and means driving said rotatable cam through one revolution from a position in which said cam raises said central portion of the panel, through a position in which said cam lowers said central portion of the panel, and back to a final position in which said cam raises said central portion of the panel.
Description:
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 is a side cross sectional view of an amusement device according to the present invention; and
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the novel structure of the device of FIG. 1.
Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, there is shown an amusement device of the ball game type, comprising a horizontal table on the underside of which is fixedly mounted a flat box 1 by which the table is supported on a pedestal 2. The interior of box 1 is covered by a horizontal panel 3 of glass or other transparent material flush with the table top. The lower side of box 1 is closed by a horizontal bottom 4.
Between the panel 3 and bottom 4 of box 1 is disposed a thin flexible panel 5 whose upper surface is marked as a playing field for the particular ball game in question, for example, a game of football. A ball 6 of plastic or the like, which in any event will be of a material softer than panel 3 so as not to scratch the under surface of panel 3, rolls on the upper surface of panel 5, beneath panel 3. Panel 5 may be of any suitable plastic material and is flexible at least in the sense that it is flexible about at least one bend line which is perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1 and that is disposed midway between the ends of panel 3 as seen in FIG. 1. Thus the entire extent of panel 5 may be flexible as by making panel 5 from a material that is flexible throughout; or panel 5 may be flexible along only the one line indicated immediately above. In any event, panel 5 is capable of flexure between the full-line and phantom-line positions thereof shown in FIG. 1.
The ball 6 is propelled by the contestants back and forth across the upper surface of the panel 5, that is, about the playing field, by means of conventional spring pistols 7,7 which can be aimed in various directions and by means of which the ball 6 can be shot toward goal cages (not shown) disposed at the same ends of box 1 as the spring pistols. For example, conventional electrical switches 8 can be disposed at the same ends as spring pistols 7, so as to actuate electrical signals which will actuate a goal counter and/or indicator. Such devices are of course very well known as such in amusement devices of this kind and accordingly need not be further described.
Mechanism is provided for periodically raising the midportion of panel 5, from the phantom-line to the full-line position in FIG. 1. This mechanism is perhaps best seen in FIG. 2, and comprises a rotary cam 9 that rotates slowly to swing a pivoted lever 10 counterclockwise as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The lever 10 carries a pin 11 that supports the underside of panel 5 adjacent the central bend line thereof. Cam 9 has a raised portion 12 thereon which in contact with lever 10 causes panel 5 to be raised to such a height that it is spaced from the underside of panel 3 a distance less than the diameter of the ball 6, thereby to catch and stop the ball 6 with a wedging action when cam 9 is in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A motor 13 with gear reduction is provided for slowly rotating cam 9 one rotation upon the insertion of a coin in a conventional coin box (not shown). Motor 13 is provided with conventional controls such that cam 9 performs one rotation during the predetermined playing period, and then stops in the position of FIGS. 1 and 2. Insertion of a further coin recommences the slow rotation of cam 9 through one turn back to the position of FIGS. 1 and 2.
While cam 9 is undergoing all but the first and last portions of its rotative movement, panel 5 will be sufficiently lowered that the ball 6 can move all over its upper surface without becoming wedged against the underside of panel 3. During this period of time, the two players can push the ball back and forth by use of the spring pistols and register goals in the well-known manner. However, when cam 9 is at the end of its rotation and back in the position shown in the drawing, then the central portion of panel 3 that the next shot of the ball causes the ball to wedge in that midportion shown in the drawing. Of course, even in its lowered position, panel 5 need not be precisely flat, thereby to insure that the ball will move toward one end of the game table or the other whenever the ball is in play.
From a consideration of the foregoing disclosure, therefore, it will be evident that all of the initially recited objects of the present invention have been achieved.
Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, as those skilled in this art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.