PENDULUM GAME
United States Patent 3743285
A pendulum game that includes a plurality of obstruction sticks that extend upwardly of a base and are mounted for movement longitudinally of the base. The obstruction sticks are in intersecting relation with and movable past a plurality of spaced pendulums that oscillate in planes that are transverse to the path of movement of the obstruction sticks.
US Patent References:
Pendulum game
Ames - April 1967 - 3312470
/3606324.html
Welbourn et al. - August 1971 - 3606324
BLOCK ASSEMBLY GAME
Beam - March 1972 - 3649018
/3702699.html
Smith - November 1972 - 3702699
Pendulum game
Ames - April 1967 - 3312470
/3606324.html
Welbourn et al. - August 1971 - 3606324
BLOCK ASSEMBLY GAME
Beam - March 1972 - 3649018
/3702699.html
Smith - November 1972 - 3702699
Application Number:
05/270629
Publication Date:
07/03/1973
Filing Date:
07/11/1972
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
273/440
International Classes:
A63F9/00; A63F9/06
Field of Search:
273/1R,1E,1M,95R,95A,98 35/22R,19R
Primary Examiner:
Pinkham, Richard C.
Assistant Examiner:
Shaprio, Paul E.
Claims:
I claim
1. A pendulum game comprising: a base; at least one obstruction stick upstanding from the base mounted for movement in a path that extends longitudinally of the base; a plurality of spaced pendulums located above the base; and means pivotally mounting each pendulum for oscillating movement in a plane that is transverse to said path, the pendulums being so dimensioned that the arc of movement of the bottoms of the pendulums are lower than the top of the obstruction stick.
2. The game according to claim 1 further comprisng: a rod mounted above the base over said path to which said pendulums are pivoted.
3. The game according to claim 1 further comprising: a longitudinally extending slot in said base; and a slide mounted in the slot for movement longitudinally of the slot, said obstruction stick being mounted to said slide so as to extend upwardly thereof.
4. The game according to claim 3 further comprising: a rod mounted above the base on a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of said slide, said pendulums being pivoted to said rod.
5. The game according to claim 4 further comprising: a pair of posts extending upwardly from the opposite longitudinal ends of the base, the ends of said rod extending between and being mounted to said posts.
6. The game according to claim 5 further comprising: a plurality of pairs of spaced stop blocks affixed to said rod between each of which a pendulum is pivoted to said rod.
7. The game according to claim 6 wherein said pendulums extend upwardly of said rod and said stop blocks and further comprising: a dowel that is threadable between the tops of the pendulums so that it may be moved downwardly against the tops of the stop blocks and then quickly raised to effect oscillation of the pendulums.
8. The game according to claim 1 further comprising: a pair of posts extending upwardly from the opposite longitudinal ends of the base; a mounting block mounted to the top of each post; a rod extending between and mounted to said mounting blocks; a plurality of pairs of spaced stop blocks affixed to said rod between each of which a pendulum is pivoted to said rod, the tops of said pendulums extending upwardly of said rod above the tops of said stop blocks; and a dowel that is threadable between the tops of the pendulums so that it may be moved downwardly against the tops of the stop blocks and then quickly raised to effect oscillation of the pendulums.
1. A pendulum game comprising: a base; at least one obstruction stick upstanding from the base mounted for movement in a path that extends longitudinally of the base; a plurality of spaced pendulums located above the base; and means pivotally mounting each pendulum for oscillating movement in a plane that is transverse to said path, the pendulums being so dimensioned that the arc of movement of the bottoms of the pendulums are lower than the top of the obstruction stick.
2. The game according to claim 1 further comprisng: a rod mounted above the base over said path to which said pendulums are pivoted.
3. The game according to claim 1 further comprising: a longitudinally extending slot in said base; and a slide mounted in the slot for movement longitudinally of the slot, said obstruction stick being mounted to said slide so as to extend upwardly thereof.
4. The game according to claim 3 further comprising: a rod mounted above the base on a longitudinal axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of said slide, said pendulums being pivoted to said rod.
5. The game according to claim 4 further comprising: a pair of posts extending upwardly from the opposite longitudinal ends of the base, the ends of said rod extending between and being mounted to said posts.
6. The game according to claim 5 further comprising: a plurality of pairs of spaced stop blocks affixed to said rod between each of which a pendulum is pivoted to said rod.
7. The game according to claim 6 wherein said pendulums extend upwardly of said rod and said stop blocks and further comprising: a dowel that is threadable between the tops of the pendulums so that it may be moved downwardly against the tops of the stop blocks and then quickly raised to effect oscillation of the pendulums.
8. The game according to claim 1 further comprising: a pair of posts extending upwardly from the opposite longitudinal ends of the base; a mounting block mounted to the top of each post; a rod extending between and mounted to said mounting blocks; a plurality of pairs of spaced stop blocks affixed to said rod between each of which a pendulum is pivoted to said rod, the tops of said pendulums extending upwardly of said rod above the tops of said stop blocks; and a dowel that is threadable between the tops of the pendulums so that it may be moved downwardly against the tops of the stop blocks and then quickly raised to effect oscillation of the pendulums.
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat. No. 3,312,470 shows a pendulum game which is played by moving objects past a moving pendulum without hitting the pendulum.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of this invention is to provide a pendulum game, which also relies on the principle of moving an object past a moving pendulum, which is simple in construction and yet provides a game that is stimulating to the player and requires the development of skills and quick reflexes on the part of the player.
The game includes an obstruction stick movably mounted on a base for movement past a plurality of osciallating pendulums. The obstruction stick is in intersecting relation with the pendulums, and the game is played by trying to move the obstruction stick past the pendulums without hitting the pendulums. Unlike the game of U.S. Pat. No. 3,312,470, in this invention, the obstruction stick is guided for movement in a prescribed path past the pendulums; and there are a plurality of spaced pendulums, thus requireing the player to exercise skill in guiding the obstruction stick so that it pauses between pendulums and yet move past the pendulums without hitting the pendulums.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the game; and
FIG. 2 is a front isometric view of the game.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A base 10 has a longitudinally extending slot 12 extending therethrough that intersects its top. A pair of posts 14 extend upwardly of the opposite longitudinal ends of the base 10 adjacent the slot 12. A mounting block 16 is mounted to the top of each post 14, and a rod 18 is mounted at its ends to the blocks 16 so as to extend between the blocks over the slot 12. A plurality of pendulums 20, herein illustrated as four pendulums, are pivotally mounted to the rod 18 at spaced intervals to depend therefrom, each pendulum being located between a pair of stop blocks 22 that are affixed to the rod 18. The stop blocks thus serve to constrain the pendulums 20 against movement longitudinally of the rod 18 while permitting the pendulums to swing about the axis of the rod 18 in planes that are transverse to the longitudinal axes of the rod 18 and the slot 12. A knob 24 is located at the bottom of each pendulum 20. A slide 26, having a desired number of obstruction sticks 28 (herein illustrated as two) upstanding from one end thereof, is slidably mounted in the slot 12 for movement longitudinally of the slot. The pendulums 20 are so dimensioned that the arcs of movement defined by their lowermost portions are at a lower level than the tops of the obstruction sticks 28 and at a higher level than the top of the slide 26 so that the pendulums may intersect the obstruction sticks, but cannot intersect the slide 26 or the base 10. The longitudinal axes of the rod 18 and the path of movement of the slide 26, and thus the obstruction sticks 28, are substantially parallel.
In the operation of the game, the slide 26 is initially so located in the slot 12 that the obstruction sticks are located outwardly of all of the pendulums 20. The pendulums 20 are then caused to oscillate about the axis of the rod 18 in any desired manner.
A preferred manner of causing oscillation of the pendulums is to thread a dowel 30 between the pendulum tops that extend upwardly of the rod 18 and the tops of the stop blocks 22 so that certain of the pendulums are on one side of the dowel and the remaining pendulums are on the other side of the dowel. The dowel may then be forced down against the blocks 22 to cause the pendulums to swing about the rod 18 and then be quickly raised so that the pendulums will commence to oscillate.
The object of the game is to move the slide 26 in the slot 12 so that the obstruction sticks 28 can move past the oscillating pendulums 20 without striking any of the pendulums. The game may incorporate a scoring system that is based on the number of oscillating pendulums cleared by the obstruction sticks 28 during the movement of the obstruction sticks 28 past the oscillating pendulums. Since the arc of oscillation of the pendulums diminish with the passage of time, the player's score will depend on his ability to move the obstruction sticks 28 quickly past each of the oscillating pendulums.
If the game is being played by a plurality of players, the scoring system may incorporate a score for each try by each player that is proportional to the number of pendulums cleared by the obstruction sticks. The first player to reach a predetermined score after an equal number of tries by each of the players would win the game.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,312,470 shows a pendulum game which is played by moving objects past a moving pendulum without hitting the pendulum.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of this invention is to provide a pendulum game, which also relies on the principle of moving an object past a moving pendulum, which is simple in construction and yet provides a game that is stimulating to the player and requires the development of skills and quick reflexes on the part of the player.
The game includes an obstruction stick movably mounted on a base for movement past a plurality of osciallating pendulums. The obstruction stick is in intersecting relation with the pendulums, and the game is played by trying to move the obstruction stick past the pendulums without hitting the pendulums. Unlike the game of U.S. Pat. No. 3,312,470, in this invention, the obstruction stick is guided for movement in a prescribed path past the pendulums; and there are a plurality of spaced pendulums, thus requireing the player to exercise skill in guiding the obstruction stick so that it pauses between pendulums and yet move past the pendulums without hitting the pendulums.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the game; and
FIG. 2 is a front isometric view of the game.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A base 10 has a longitudinally extending slot 12 extending therethrough that intersects its top. A pair of posts 14 extend upwardly of the opposite longitudinal ends of the base 10 adjacent the slot 12. A mounting block 16 is mounted to the top of each post 14, and a rod 18 is mounted at its ends to the blocks 16 so as to extend between the blocks over the slot 12. A plurality of pendulums 20, herein illustrated as four pendulums, are pivotally mounted to the rod 18 at spaced intervals to depend therefrom, each pendulum being located between a pair of stop blocks 22 that are affixed to the rod 18. The stop blocks thus serve to constrain the pendulums 20 against movement longitudinally of the rod 18 while permitting the pendulums to swing about the axis of the rod 18 in planes that are transverse to the longitudinal axes of the rod 18 and the slot 12. A knob 24 is located at the bottom of each pendulum 20. A slide 26, having a desired number of obstruction sticks 28 (herein illustrated as two) upstanding from one end thereof, is slidably mounted in the slot 12 for movement longitudinally of the slot. The pendulums 20 are so dimensioned that the arcs of movement defined by their lowermost portions are at a lower level than the tops of the obstruction sticks 28 and at a higher level than the top of the slide 26 so that the pendulums may intersect the obstruction sticks, but cannot intersect the slide 26 or the base 10. The longitudinal axes of the rod 18 and the path of movement of the slide 26, and thus the obstruction sticks 28, are substantially parallel.
In the operation of the game, the slide 26 is initially so located in the slot 12 that the obstruction sticks are located outwardly of all of the pendulums 20. The pendulums 20 are then caused to oscillate about the axis of the rod 18 in any desired manner.
A preferred manner of causing oscillation of the pendulums is to thread a dowel 30 between the pendulum tops that extend upwardly of the rod 18 and the tops of the stop blocks 22 so that certain of the pendulums are on one side of the dowel and the remaining pendulums are on the other side of the dowel. The dowel may then be forced down against the blocks 22 to cause the pendulums to swing about the rod 18 and then be quickly raised so that the pendulums will commence to oscillate.
The object of the game is to move the slide 26 in the slot 12 so that the obstruction sticks 28 can move past the oscillating pendulums 20 without striking any of the pendulums. The game may incorporate a scoring system that is based on the number of oscillating pendulums cleared by the obstruction sticks 28 during the movement of the obstruction sticks 28 past the oscillating pendulums. Since the arc of oscillation of the pendulums diminish with the passage of time, the player's score will depend on his ability to move the obstruction sticks 28 quickly past each of the oscillating pendulums.
If the game is being played by a plurality of players, the scoring system may incorporate a score for each try by each player that is proportional to the number of pendulums cleared by the obstruction sticks. The first player to reach a predetermined score after an equal number of tries by each of the players would win the game.