DE20101819U1 - Bowling device with billboards - Google Patents

Description

Utility model application

Rudolf Zifcak 01.02.2001

Rostocker Weg 5
68309 Mannheim

Bowling alley with advertising boards.

The invention relates to a cone device in which some components are designed to enable the attachment of advertising boards.

Skittle games of this type, such as the old Russian pendulum skittle game, are known as small table skittle games in various designs. They are used as entertainment games for leisure activities. They can be dismantled and stored or transported in boxes or similar. They can be made in different sizes. The usual design has a gallows-like support attached to the game board, to which a pendulum-shaped skittle ball is attached by means of a cord or similar, which is used to knock over the skittles. For example, there is the DE 34 07 448 Al or the GM 75 35 737.

The disadvantages of the well-known pendulum skittle games are mainly that they are only intended as entertainment games and cannot be used for "real" skittles, as they cannot meet the expectations of sporting/competitive skittles with regular game results due to their small size and different designs, or due to the inconsistent sizes of the skittles and the bowling ball, as well as the inconsistent distances between the skittles' locations. For example, comparable game results cannot be expected in organized skittle tournaments at different locations with different equipment.

In addition, the disadvantages of the well-known pendulum skittle games are that, due to their design, they are not very suitable for commercial purposes in the industrial sector, so that they can only be used to a limited extent at public events.

Although bowling is one of the most popular leisure sports, it is almost impossible to own a conventional bowling alley for your own use, let alone make one portable, due to the high costs, the great technical effort required for construction and the large amount of space required by the long lane.

The present invention is based on the object of developing a skittle game which, as an alternative to conventional lane bowling alleys, does not require a long lane, is transportable and can be set up in small areas, is suitable for commercial purposes in the industrial sector and with which sporting/competitive skittles are made possible.

This problem is solved according to the invention by a mobile skittle game with a pendulum bowling ball, which, despite the use of standardized skittles, standardized bowling balls and compliance with the prescribed distances between the skittles set-up locations in accordance with the guidelines of the German Bowling Association, does not require a long lane, but forms a skittle facility with all the components required for the game that only requires a maximum of 4x4 meters of space. The skittle facility can be used for both fun recreational skittles and sporty/competitive skittles. The skittle facility is also equipped with advertising boards, which means it can also be used as an advertising medium for commercial enterprises.

The present invention has developed a bowling facility with the advantages that, unlike conventional bowling alleys, it is available to everyone, can be easily set up and dismantled in small areas and can be used in various commercial areas as well as for private purposes. The game developed on the basis of the technical calculations enables sophisticated bowling with high demands on precision, which essentially corresponds to the rules of the German Bowling Association for asphalt bowling alleys and thus meets the requirements for sporty/competitive bowling.

In a preferred embodiment of the bowling alley according to the invention, its components are, on the one hand, dismantable and provided with practical plug connections, which enables rapid assembly and disassembly, easy transport, problem-free relocation and space-saving storage of the entire bowling alley, and, on the other hand, adjustable, which means that the bowling alley can be easily assembled on flat and slightly undulating terrain, such as on a meadow, without negative effects on the game.

In addition, the bowling device according to the invention can be designed in another variant, namely in such a way that it is installed firmly on the ground, i.e. cannot be dismantled or is not mobile. This arrangement has the advantage that no erection of the components or their positioning is necessary before the game begins. The bowling is ready to play after the bowling ball has been hung up and the pins have been set up.

The range of applications is very broad. To name a few, the bowling alley according to the invention can be set up commercially for public use, e.g. in sports halls, on sports facilities, in outdoor swimming pools, in leisure parks, as well as at folk festivals, fairs or similar. It can also be set up for private use, e.g. on house terraces, in gardens or in larger rooms, and can be used as sporting entertainment for the whole family during leisure activities.

It is particularly advantageous that the bowling alley according to the invention is designed in such a way that it is provided with advertising boards. As a result, it can be used not only for sporting or entertainment purposes but also as an advertising medium, for example for companies, clubs or the like. The advertising boards are arranged on the gallows-like pendulum support and on the border, whereby the border can conveniently be designed in two variations.

This results in the advantages that, depending on the location of the playing venue, the more suitable variant of the border can be used as required for both the mobile and the permanently installed variant of the skittle device according to the invention.

The invention is explained in more detail below using several embodiments shown in the drawings. They show:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the entire bowling pin assembly, with one pin shown as overturned to more clearly show the position of the hanging bowling ball,

Fig. 2 an exploded view of the gallows-like pendulum carrier with stand including the partially shown cone mounting surface below the cone ball,

Fig. 3 is a front view of the pendulum support showing an element for fastening the advertising panels,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the cone mounting surface, and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the bowling pin device and the border, also showing schematically the way of playing.

The bowling device according to the invention shown in Fig. 1 consists of a gallows-like pendulum carrier, which is referred to here as gallows 1, for the support of which a stand 2 is arranged and on whose horizontal beam 3 a hanging device 4 shaped as a hook or the like is attached, on which a freely swinging standardized bowling ball 6 is attached by means of a rope 5 or the like; a bowling surface 7; a set of nine standardized bowling pins 8; a border 9 and a floor covering 10 covering the entire playing field.

The gallows 1 shown in Fig. 2 is bent into a curve 11 and supported by a strut 12. This arrangement provides better stability and a more attractive shape for the gallows 1, and the resulting space 13 can also be used as a space for advertising. Hollow profiles made of steel or aluminum are used to manufacture the gallows 1.

The square stand 2, made of angle profiles 21, is reinforced on the inside with welded T-profiles 22, in the middle of which a pin 23 is arranged to hold the gallows 1. To improve the stability of the stand 2, weight plates 25 (see Fig. 1), e.g. paving stones, cast iron plates or the like, are inserted into the four gaps 24 formed. The stand 2 is also provided with adjustable feet 26, which make it possible to align the gallows 1 vertically on uneven ground.

In order to facilitate transport and storage of the gallows 1, it can be separated from the stand 2 and divided into two parts at a height of approx. 140 cm, which are referred to here as the upper part 15 and the lower part 16.

The lower part 16 is provided at the upper separation point with a firmly pressed-in pin 17 which serves to receive the upper part 15 and on which a spring 18 is attached. The upper part 15 is provided at the separation point with a groove 19 which corresponds to the size of the spring 18. In addition, the lower part 16 is provided with four recesses 20 at the lower separation point from the stand 2.

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After placing the lower part 16 on the pin 23, the T-profiles 22 snap into the recesses 20. After placing the upper part 15 on the pin 17, the spring 18 snaps into the groove 19. These measures enable the gallows 1 to be assembled or disassembled quickly and easily and also prevent unwanted twisting of the gallows 1 on the stand 2 or between the parts 15 and 16, thus ensuring that the gallows 1 is in a stable position.

To ensure that the hanging cone ball 6 does not interfere with the setting up of the cones 8, a hook 14 is provided on the upper boom part 15 for hanging the rope 5.

In order to make the atmosphere during bowling more entertaining, a holder 27 is arranged on the lower boom part 16, from which hangs a bell 28 or the like, which is activated when a particularly successful throw is made. In a variant not shown, the holder 27 can be made, for example, as an angle frame to which a battery-powered electronic device is attached, which produces acoustic sounds (e.g. similar to a bell).

In a further embodiment of the gallows 1, the upper part 15 is provided with panels 29 which serve to attach advertising by writing on and/or sticking on. They are preferably made of plastic or similar and have a thickness of approximately 3-10 mm.

The advertising boards 29 are fastened by means of several fastening elements 30 which are attached to different places on the upper boom part 15 as required, whereby these can differ from one another due to the differently shaped advertising boards 29.

A fastening element 30 shown as an example in Fig. 3 has a receiving platform 31 firmly fixed to the horizontal beam 3 of the gallows 1, onto which the advertising board 29 is placed and pressed with a loose pressure plate 32 after the parts 32, 29, 31 have been tightened by means of screws 34 inserted into the holes 33. In this way, advertising boards 29 of different thicknesses can advantageously be attached easily and securely.

The fastening elements 30' (see Fig. 2) are each designed as two loose connecting plates, which ensure the stability of the advertising panels 29 in the upper area.

The cone support surface 7 shown in Fig. 4 is divisible and consists of a base plate 35 and a frame 36.

The setting plate 35 is made of hard-pressed rubber or plastic. It has recesses on the surface into which flat, round plastic filling bodies are inserted and secured in a plane with the surface. They serve as pin placement locations 37 for setting up the pins 8, with their respective distances C corresponding exactly to those specified by the German Bowling Association.

In addition, the setting plate 35 is provided with a marked point P, which is located on the longitudinal center line L between the right pin setting location 37 and the right corner of the setting plate 35. The marked point P marks the exact point over which the vertical center of the pin ball 6 is placed when the gallows 1 is set up.

The frame 36 serves to hold the base plate 35 in the case of uneven terrain. It has a frame 38 and a base 39 and is provided with adjustable feet 40. Material made of steel, aluminum or plastic is used for its manufacture.

Thanks to the possibility of dividing the cone support surface 7, on the one hand only the setting plate 35 can be used to set up the cones 8 in the case of a flat floor or, on the other hand, the setting plate 35 is inserted into the frame 36 and any unevenness is compensated with the adjusting feet 40, thus bringing the cone support surface 7 into a horizontal position.

It is also possible (see Fig. 2) for the frame 36 and the stand 2 to be firmly fixed to the ground, in which case the adjusting feet 40 and 26 are dismantled and screws, pins or the like are inserted into the openings created, with which the fastening to the ground can be carried out. With these measures it is achieved that if the skittle facility is used for several days or continuously in the same place after dismantling and during reassembly, the position of the gallows 1 or the skittle support surface 7 no longer has to be adjusted, but rather only the setting plate 35 is inserted into the frame 36 or the parts 15 and 16 are put together and put on the stand 2.

The border 9 shown in Fig. 1 is approximately 50 cm high and can be dismantled. It consists of plastic panels 41 or similar, which are attached to trapezoidal substructures (not shown). The border 9 encloses the playing field at a distance from the playing action,

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whereby a passage remains free for bowling or for setting up the pins 8. It serves as a barrier to protect spectators from the swinging bowling ball 6, as well as to catch pins 8 that are knocked over too violently. In addition, the panels 41 of the border 9 are intended for the attachment of advertising.

In order to achieve comparable game results when bowling, a throwing point 42 is marked opposite the bowling pin setting area 7, which the player may not cross when throwing the bowling ball 6.

The floor covering 10 consists of artificial turf or the like and covers the entire playing field within the border 9. It serves to cushion the falling pins 8 and to make walking on the playing field comfortable, while at the same time making the general appearance of the entire bowling facility more aesthetic.

In Fig. 5, an alternative embodiment of the border is shown with the reference number 9a. In addition, Fig. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the cone device according to the invention, which is not dismantable or mobile, but is intended for permanent installation.

In this design variant, the gallows la cannot be dismantled, but is made from one piece. Its vertical beam 16a is extended by approx. 60 cm in the lower section (not shown) in order to be concreted into the ground. All other details correspond to the design features of the gallows 1 already described.

The cone support surface 7a consists exclusively of the support plate 35 which is firmly fixed to the ground at the corresponding point below the cone ball 6.

The entire playing field within the border 9a is covered with a floor covering 10a , which consists of stable, weatherproof, non-slip rubber fall protection panels or the like and which is laid in the same plane as the cone installation surface 7a and firmly fixed to the ground.

The border 9a consists of four folding trestles 43, which are set up on all sides of the game at a sufficient distance from the reach of the swinging bowling ball 6, and two posts 44, which are located to the left and right of the throwing point 42. The trestles 43 and the posts 44 are connected to one another with chains 45 or the like, whereby a passage to the game remains free between the posts 44. The chains 45 and the trestles 43 are provided with panels 41a made of plastic or the like, which are used for attaching advertising.

The arrangements described below are intended for both embodiments of the cone device according to the invention, whereby for the sake of clarity reference is predominantly made to the collapsible cone device shown in Fig. 1.

Before the game begins, the components are set up so that the gallows 1 is on the right-hand side from the player's perspective, with its horizontal bar 3 pointing to the left. The skittles setting area 7 is positioned diagonally in relation to the gallows 1 or the throwing point 42 so that the horizontal beam 3 of the gallows 1 and the longitudinal center line L of the skittles setting area 7 form a line. The skittle ball 6 or its vertical center is placed exactly above the marked point P of the skittles setting area 7. The skittles 8 can now be set up.

The actual game is played in such a way that the player takes the bowling ball 6 in his hand and stands in front of the marked drop point 42. The bowling ball 6 is first swung in a targeted circular path between the gallows 1 and the pin 8 without touching them, and then hits the pin 8 from behind in the backswing. It is then caught by the player before it swings back again. If the bowling ball 6 touches the gallows 1 or hits the pin 8 from the front and not in the backswing, the round of play is annulled in accordance with the rules laid down.

In order to enable a regular and demanding style of play with the skittle device according to the invention, it was necessary to carry out some technical calculations, which related in particular to the requirements of precisely coordinating the dimensions of the gallows 1 or the position of the suspension 4, as well as the length of the rope 5 and the dimensions and position of the skittle support surface 7.

The gallows 1 is 240 cm high, with its horizontal beam 3 being 120 cm long. The length of the rope 5 is adjusted so that the distance between the lower point of the cone ball 6 and the surface of the cone support surface 7 corresponds to the height of a lying standard cone 8 in its thickest area, whereby the distance can be precisely adjusted by means of the height-adjustable suspension 4 (see Fig. 3).

The suspension 4 on the horizontal beam 3 of the gallows 1 is placed (see Fig. 1) in such a way that the distance A between the rope 5 and the lower gallows part 16 is 10% greater than the distance B between the centers of the outer cone placement positions 37 (see Fig. 4).

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As shown schematically in Fig. 5, this means that when attempting to hit the left pin 8', the bowling ball 6 cannot be thrown over arbitrarily large radiuses as in the previously known pendulum bowling games, as the lower boom part 16a prevents this; i.e. the bowling ball 6' (shown with a dashed line) must be swung very close to the lower boom part 16a with a precise throw. Otherwise, the bowling ball will not hit the pin 8' or it will touch the lower boom part 16a, which will result in the game round being cancelled.

The cone mounting surface 7, partially shown in Fig. 2, is placed under the cone ball 6 in such a way that the vertical center of the cone ball 6 hanging in the resting position is located above the marked point P. The dimension D between the point P and the center of the right cone mounting surface 37 corresponds to 1/3 of the diameter of a standardized cone 8 in its thickest area.

As shown schematically in Fig. 5, this means that when trying to hit the right pin 8", the bowling ball 6 has to swing past it so close that the distance between the bowling ball 6" (shown with a dashed line) and the pin 8" is less than 1/3 of the diameter of the pin. If the distance is greater, the bowling ball will not hit the pin 8" during its backswing but will swing around.

The dimensions and positions of the components specified in this description have already proven in the applicant's practice that the bowling facility according to the invention enables sophisticated bowling with regular game results that can be played with a claim to sporting comparability. Bowling therefore essentially complies with the rules of the German Bowling Association for asphalt bowling alleys due to the use of standardized pins and standardized bowling balls and thanks to compliance with the prescribed distances between the pins' placement locations. However, the pins are cleared by a pendulum bowling ball instead of a bowling ball rolling on a lane.

Of course, it is also possible to manufacture the bowling device according to the invention in relatively smaller dimensions, or to equip it in such a way that bowling can be played with it.

Claims (23)

1. Cone device, some of the components of which are designed to allow the attachment of advertising panels, characterised by - a gallows ( 1 , 1 a), - a bowling ball ( 6 ) hanging from the gallows ( 1 , 1 a) on a rope ( 5 ) or the like, - a stand ( 2 ) arranged to support the gallows ( 1 ), - a cone support surface ( 7 , 7 a), - a set of nine pins ( 8 ), - a border ( 9 , 9 a), - a floor covering the entire playing field ( 10 , 10 a). 2. Bowling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the gallows ( 1 , 1a ) is provided with panels ( 29 ) which are fastened by means of the binding elements ( 30 ) and which serve to attach the advertising. 3. Cone device according to claim 2, characterized in that the gallows ( 1 , 1a ) is bent into a curve ( 11 ) and is provided with a strut ( 12 ) for supporting the horizontal bar ( 3 ). 4. Cone device according to claim 3, characterized in that the gallows ( 1 , 1a ) is provided with a hook ( 14 ) for hanging the rope ( 5 ). 5. Bowling device according to claim 4, characterized in that the gallows ( 1 , 1a ) is provided with a holder ( 27 ) from which a bell ( 28 ) or the like hangs. 6. Cone device according to claim 5, characterized in that a height-adjustable suspension ( 4 ) is attached to the horizontal bar ( 3 ) of the gallows ( 1 , 1a ). 7. Bowling device according to claim 6, characterized in that the suspension ( 4 ) is positioned such that the distance (A) between the rope ( 5 ) and the lower boom part ( 16 , 16a ) is 10% greater than the distance (B) between the centers of the outer bowling pin locations ( 37 ) on the diagonal bowling pin location surface ( 7 , 7a ). 8. Cone device according to claim 1, characterized in that the gallows ( 1 a) is made of one piece, with its vertical beam ( 16 a) being extended in the lower region. 9. Bowling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the gallows ( 1 ) can be separated from the stand ( 2 ) and divided into two parts at a height of approximately 140 cm. 10. Cone device according to claim 9, characterized in that the upper gallows part ( 15 ) is provided with a groove ( 19 ) at the separation point. 11. Cone device according to claim 9, characterized in that the lower boom part ( 16 ) has a pin ( 17 ) at the upper separation point for receiving the upper boom part ( 15 ), on which a spring ( 18 ) is attached, and that it is provided with four recesses ( 20 ) at the lower separation point from the stand ( 2 ). 12. Cone device according to claim 9, characterized in that the stand ( 2 ) is made of angle profiles ( 21 ) and has a square shape, and that it is reinforced internally with T-profiles ( 22 ), in the middle of which there is a pin ( 23 ) for receiving the lower boom part ( 16 ). 13. Bowling device according to claim 12, characterized in that the stand ( 2 ) is equipped with removable adjusting feet ( 26 ) and that it is provided with weight plates ( 25 ) inserted in the intermediate spaces ( 24 ). 14. Bowling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the bowling pin support surface ( 7 ) is divisible, consisting of a support plate ( 35 ) and a frame ( 36 ). 15. Cone device according to claim 14, characterized in that the frame ( 36 ) has a frame ( 38 ) with a base ( 39 ) and is provided with removable adjusting feet ( 40 ). 16. Bowling device according to claim 14, characterized in that the setting plate ( 35 ) is provided with bowling pin placement positions ( 37 ) whose respective distances (C) correspond exactly to the specifications of the German Bowling Association. 17. Bowling device according to claim 16, characterized in that the setting plate ( 35 ) has a marked point (P) on its longitudinal center line (L), the distance of which from the center of the right bowling pin setting location ( 37 ) forms a dimension (D) which corresponds to 1/3 of the diameter of a standardized bowling pin ( 8 ) in its thickest region. 18. Bowling device according to claim 17, characterized in that the bowling pin support surface ( 7 , 7a ) is placed under the bowling pin ball ( 6 ) hanging in the rest position in such a way that the vertical center of the bowling pin ball ( 6 ) is located above the marked point (P). 19. Bowling alley according to claim 1, characterized in that the border ( 9 ) consists of panels ( 41 ) which serve to attach the advertising and which are mounted on trapezoidal substructures. 20. Bowling alley according to claim 1, characterized in that the border ( 9a ) consists of foldable trestles ( 43 ) and posts ( 44 ) which are connected to one another by chains ( 45 ) or the like, the trestles ( 43 ) and the chains ( 45 ) being provided with panels ( 41a ) which serve for attaching the advertising. 21. Bowling facility according to claim 1, characterized in that the floor covering ( 10 ) consists of artificial turf or the like and is laid on the entire playing field within the border ( 9 , 9a ). 22. Bowling alley according to claim 1, characterized in that the floor covering ( 10a ) consists of rubber fall protection plates or the like, which are laid within the border ( 9 , 9a ) in a plane with the setting plate ( 35 ). 23. Bowling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the bowling ball ( 6 ) and the bowling pins ( 8 ) used are standardized and correspond exactly to the guidelines of the German Bowling Association.