US2109638A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

W. G. HAWLEY.

GAME APPARATUS March 1, 1938.

Filed Jan. 21, 1956 2 Sheets-Shea?I SWBY TTDRNEY w G. HAWLEY 2,109,638

March l, 1938.l

GAME APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 2l, 1956 TTURNET Patented Mar. l, 19382- UNITiED .STATES ear-e Nr vefr-Fiee 4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements l`in a game apparatus and pertains moreparticularly to a Vportable or-miniature bowling game adapted to be used in the home, `.the club :and variousplaces 'of amusement.

An object of'the invention is itoprovide a game of .the above mentioned class with an improved mechanical means *for :actuating or 'propelling a missile constituting a portion of the apparatus.

.Another lobject ofthe invention is to provide novel means for bringing the missile into operative relation with the actuating or propelling means.

VIn certain bowling games ofthe above men- :tioned class, a mechanical means 'has been provided whereby the knocked down `bowling pins may be reset'by a person-as the player, positioned at a distance from thebowling pins. 'Such mechanical reset devices -have usually employed flexible cords or strings secured to the bowling pins and passed'through apertures in the alley bed in such a manner that when a downward pull is eX- erted on the cords, the bowling pins will be drawn to .their operative playing position. Such devices, insofar as I am aware, have been imprac- 'tical for the reason that the cords or strings often become wound around or entangled with each other as the pins are knocked over to such an extent that the reset apparatus will not effect the setting up of the p-ins without the necessity of rst untangling the cords by manual manipulation of the pins. This inability to separate the cords 'from each other by use of the reset mechanism alone has been primarily dueto the relatively broad, nat construction of the bottom or base ends of the pins which, when tension is applied to 'the strings or cords attached to the pins, are brought into abutting relation with each other and thereby prevent the pins from swinging past each other so as to fpermit the strings orfcords to untangle.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a bowling alley with improved mechanical means for setting up the bowling pins which may `be-oontrolled by the player of the game in a simple land efficient manner from the bowling position.

Other-objects and advantages pertaining to the structure 'of the device and to the form and relation of the parts thereof will more fully appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a top Aplan view of a game embodying `my invention and illustrating intermediate portions thereof broken away.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view 'partly in elevation taken substantially in the plane ofithe 'line 2 2, Figure `1. l

wFigure 3 -is a transverse sectional view taken -on lined-3, -Figure ii f5 Figure 4 is a detail vertical sectional View of the forward end portion of the game board or table taken lin the plane of the lined-4, Figure v3i Figure v5 is a vertical central'sectio'nal view-'of a bowling pin comprising a portion of the-apparatus l0 and a portion of the'bowling alleybed taken on line 5 5; Figure l. A

'Figure 6 is a -fragmentary side rel-evationof'the bottom `or lower end portions vofeia Apair 'of 'my novel bovyling pins illustrating the -'manner in 35 which they function to .permit the operating-.cords therefor to be readily l-disentangled -during the loperation of my novel setting-up apparatus.

The device as illustrated in Vthe-drawingsi iconiprises a portable game board `or table I yoi the o rectangular shape-of. a bowling alley and which is supported upon suitable legs l2 reinforced by braces 3. The board or ta'ble f! comprises :a l10ngitudinally extending centrally located alley bed .5 and side gutters 6 which are inclined fromopd vposite endsof the boardortable l downwardly to a positionfa relatively shortdistance from the 'for- `ward end of the table, as illustrated in Figure 2 where 'eachgutter is provided with a Vertical aperture 6 in `communication with .a runway 'l arranged at -the forward end of the table ibeneath the alley bed 5. The runway 1, as shown in Figure '1, is provid-ed with atapered :portion 'l'V communicating with the gutter Yapertures 6 anda relatively narrow channel portion Tl" which ex- 35 tends forwardly from the tapered portion l to `the Vforward end of the Vtable l! Sin a plane substantially midway `between the sidesrof the Aalley bed The bottom or floor 8 of the runway 1 is inclined downwardly from the lrear end thereof to the forward end of the tabl-e for guiding the missile, as a bowling ball 9, `fromlthegutter a-pertures i5 to `the forward end of the table.

A carriage l0, positioned at the forward end offthe ytable 1, is slidably mounted upon a :pair of .45 angle guide bars H arranged in'vertical parallel spaced relation transversely of .the table .and which have the ends thereof secured in :any suitable manner to corresponding end brackets .l2 secured to the end of the table I, one Aat either side thereof. lThe carriage -'U is of less width than the distance between 'the brackets ill-'2 'so-fas to permit a predetermined amount of movement of the carriage laterally of the table. The car- Plage l-B is provided lwith a centralbpening lf3 which extends transversely therethrough for the reception of a projector I4.

The projector I4 comprises a tubular case i5 of less diameter than the opening I3 and which extends beyond opposite sides of the carriage Iii. The inner end of the case I5 terminates over the alley bed 5 and is secured to a pivotal spindle I5 which extends upwardly therefrom through aligned apertures provided in a U-shaped bracket I| secured to the upper portion of the carriage I0. The opposite end of the case I5 is provided with a cap I8 which may be removably secured in any suitable manner as by one or more set screws I9 to the case i5 to prevent relative axial and rotary movement of the case and cap. The interior of the tubular case i5 is of sufficient diameter to readily receive the missile 9i therein and has mounted therein a plunger 2D having a plunger rod 2| mounted for axial and rotary movement in a guide sleeve 22 xedly secured in any suitable manner as by spot welding, soldering or the like, to the cap IB and which projects some distance from the cap i3 into the case I5. The rod 2| extends outwardly beyond the cap i8 an-d sleeve 22 and has -secured thereto in any suitable manner a finger knob 24 by which the plunger may be manually operated.

A coil spring 25 is mounted upon the plunger rod 2| and guide sleeve 22 intermediate the plunger 2B and cap I8 for actuating the plunger axially in one direction. This spring has one end thereof secured to the plunger 2| and the other Aend secured to the cap i8 in the manner illus- 4trated in Figure 4 for yieldingly maintaining the plunger against rotary movement. That is, the spring 25 functions to yieldingly maintain the plunger against rotation relative to the housing I5, and if the plunger is thus rotated as by hand against the action of the spring, the spring will return the plunger to its initial position by rotating the same upon the plunger being released in the reverse direction to that produced by hand irrespective of the direction in which the plunger was initially rotated. The plunger rod 2| is provided with a pin 25 which extends outwardly from one side of the rod into an elongated slot 22 formed in one side of the guide sleeve 22 intermediate the ends thereof as shown in Figures 3 and 4 for limiting the rotary movement of the rod and the plunger 2S, The inner end of the plunger 20 is recessed and has secured in said recess an end tip 29 composed preferably of rubber or other resilient material. The exposed end of the tip 29 is slightly concave as at- 29 to correspond to the curvature of the peripheral surface of the ball 9 for frictionally engaging said surface for the purpose of transmitting any rotary movement of the plunger produced by the spring 25 to the missile or ball 9 during the projection of the ball for a purpose presently described.

At the forward end of the table I is provided a vertically disposed cylindrical opening 3) of slightly greater diameter than the ball 9 and which extends downwardly from the upper surface of the alley bed 5 to some distance below the table I as illustrated in Figures 2 and 4. This opening 3Q is arranged in substantially co axial alignment with the pivotal spindle l when the carriage if! is in its normal position and is in communication with the forward end of the channel portion i of the runway 1. In the opening 35 is slidably mounted a lifting or feeding plunger 3| which is of sufficient length to extend from the upper face of the bed 5 downwardly to a position beneath the channel l" and has secured to the lower end portion thereof a pair of pins 32 spaced axially of the plunger 3| and which extend laterally from the plunger through an elongated slot 33 provided in the side wall 34 of the opening 36 as shown in Figures 2 and 4.

The pins 32 project some distance beyond the wall 34 and receive therebetween an actuating spring 35.

The spring 35, in this instance is a fiat bar shaped member arranged beneath the table I and has the inner end thereof secured to a block 36 secrued to the lower face of the alley bed 5 some distance from the forward end of the table I as shown in Figure 2. The forward end of the spring extends a short distance beyond the pins 32 and end of the table I in convenient position to be engaged by the player for moving the plunger 3| downwardly against the action of said spring to align the upper end of the plunger with the bottom 8 of the channel 1" to permit the missile or ball 9 to roll upon the upper end of the plunger so that as said plunger is returned to its normal uppermost position, the missile or ball will be elevated thereby into operative alignment with the alley bed 5 and projector I4.

The alley bed 5 is designed to be maintained in substantially a level or horizontal position while the case I5 of the projector I4 is mounted on the carriage I in slightly inclined relation to the upper surface of the bed 5 as illustrated in Figure 4. The forward end portion of the case I5 has the lower side wall thereof cut away as at 31 to receive the ball 9 carried by the plunger 3| into the interior thereof. While the plunger 2i) is so mounted in the housing I5 that the tip 29 will be maintained in slightly outward spaced relation to the plane of movement of the plunger 3| so that as the ball or missile 9 is elevated by the plunger 3| into alignment with the bed 5, said ball or missile may roll into contact with the tip 29. This movement of the ball toward the plunger is effected by the upper end 3| of the plunger 3i which is slightly inclined relative to the horizontal so as to provide a smooth, substantially continuous surface over the opening 38 from the interior of the case I5 to the upper surface of the alley bed 5 when the plunger 3| is in its normal uppermost position. Furthermore, the inclined end 3| of the plunger assists in maintaining the ball 9 in engagement with the plunger during the elevation of the ball due to the fact that the ball is caused to roll thereby into contact with the front wall 39 of the opening 36 and maintained in such position until the plunger is returned to its normal position.

It will now be observed that when the spindle i6 is in co-axial alignment with the plunger 3|, the ball or missile 9 will always be brought by said plunger to a position within the case I5 irrespective of any angular position the case I5 may assume about the spindle I5 as a pivot. In order to normally maintain the spindle |6 in co-axial alignment with the plunger 3|, I have provided a spring member 4G which, like the spring member 35, is a substantially flat bar member and is arranged edgewise beneath the game board The spring 40 is secured at its inner end as at 42 to one side of the game board while the outer end of the spring extends beneath the guide bars iI and rides in a slot 42 provided in a pendant arm 43 secured at its upper end to the carriage iii. The relation of the arm 43 and spring 42 is such that when the spring is in its normal position, the carriage l0 will be maintained sub,

i .portion 6' .ebore 45 :for

:extending uthrough 'the apertures zare constructed similar :tothe :conventional bowl- Aing pin .but on .a reduced scale with `the .exceprtion ithat 'fthe vpins .are .each provided with atapered -or conical extension v'4.5' at the baseend 'thereof arranged co-,axia'lly :with the .pin and fa y:central bore 46 extending from 'the-:upper `Lend fof the pin .downwardly through `said extension. Each of the :extensions 45 has the base V,portion thereof of less diameter than the adjacent fend .of :the vpin ias illustrated .in Figures .5 .fand '6.so that `:the pin :is `:provided with aat surface surrounding the projection of ample size .to support :the '.-pin :in the upright playing position in a imanner which will tbe presently described.

.The lower end :portion as 4.6 of `the :bore .is

lsmaller in diameter than' the .remaining :portion thereof ffor .the reception :of a cord kL1 which has the upperlend thereof provided with an enlarged portion or knot d3 adapted to engage lthe shoulder :formed 'between `the aupper endof .the reduced .and the remaining portion rof the limiting the downward movement `of .the cord through the pin.

The pinsare mounted .upon a positioning plate '4B which, in this instance, is triangular in plan `view and vis set into :a recess formed in the upper surface of the alley Abed 5 .in spaced rrelation l.to

tthe rear end thereofso that the upper surface 4of the vplate is :Hush Vwith the upper surface of the alley hed. The plate 49 is provided with a plurality of,in this instance ten, orices 50, one for each pin, of substantially 'the same .diameter as the base'portion of the .pinprojections 4'5" for receiving said projections. Ihe orices 59 are .arranged in accordance with the desired arrangement of the pins when they are set inthe operative or playing position upon .the alley bed and each orifice is in registration with a corresponding aperture 5' in the alley bed-5. VThe cords `ll'l 5 a'lso pass formed kin a the alley `bed through corresponding orifices -5.I reset plate `52 positioned beneath and which are lin alignment with corresponding orices 5B in the plate 4'9. The lower ends of the cords 4l each have mounted thereon a coil spring 53 adapted to be lengaged by the reset plate 52 for yieldingly connecting said plate with the cords.

The plate 52 is of suflicient weight to readily -actuate all the pins 45, and in this instance vis a Vtriangular .member similar to the plate 49 Iand Ahas secured at each apex thereofa cable v54 which extends upwardly over a corresponding sheave or `pulley 55 secured in any suitable manner to the undersurface of the alley bed i5. From the sheaves 55 the cables extend forwardly vand are connected at `their ends as at -56 to a common cable 51 which extends over a sheave15'8 also secured `to vthe under side of the bed `5 `and. has the vforward end thereof secured Vto an actuating member 59 which, in this instance is a weight `that preponderates the reset plate 52 vfor normally maintaining the .reset plate in its upper-` most position out of engagement with 'the springs .53. The actuating member 59 Iis also connected with a second cable 60 which extends upwardly therefrom voverasheave 6| secured to the game board I and thence forwardly through an openin T provided in a guide block 62 secured to the adjacent side member of the table l. 'I'he forward end of the cable 60 has secured thereto av .bars `l l .against .the

Adue to the 'inclination of leased, .the :plunger lplunger "taining an effect similar to finger lknob ft3by which the cable may be manually `pulled forwardly for elevating the weight .59. The length .ofthe cable B is such that when the knob 63 is in engagement Vwith the `guide block 62, the weight will be maintained in such fa position that the plate 52 connected therewith will be maintained :in its normal uppermost position.

It 'will now "be observed from the foregoing descrip-tion that rthe missile or ball '9 lmay be actuated in much thersame `manner as on the large, regulation size Vbowling alley. 'Ihis is primarily .due to the :universal positioning of the projector V:i4 which may be obtained. AFor instance, the projector may be lswung about the axis of the spindle IlSfto obtain any desired angular relation thereof vto the bowling .alley bed andthe pins '45 .mounted thereon. ,'Furthermore, the vprojector may be .moved laterally of the alley fbed 5 by sliding 'the carriage other `from the normal position along 'the guide action ofthe spring 42. As soon, however, as the carriage |.0 is Areleased `by the operator the spring 42 ywill function to return the :carriage and, therefore, the projector l'I-ll, to# I the normal positionrina .plane substantially midway between 'the sides of .the bowling alleyrbed 5 with the A'spindle l5 in co-axial alignment with the plunger 3l.

.After :a ball 9 has been propelled bythe proi2 jector plunger 29, another ball may be brought into operative relation with -the projector by the operator simply ypressing :downwardly upon-.the forward or Yfree rend of the spring 35 until the upper end 3| the lupper 'surface of :the bottom 8 whereuponfthe ball :9 iwill .roll @upc-n the upper end vof the :plunger the bottom 8 .andfend :31' As the spring 35 is thenfreof .the plunger.

.the spring until 4.the -uppermost pin 3.2 'engages .the-wall attire upper end of'thefslot3'3 whereupon :the upper rend 3fl of the `plunger will align .the upper surface of the )bed 5 andthe Vball .will

be maintained fin operative .alignment with the.:

plunger '25). As the A.plunger 29 is moved axially outwardly by the operator against the action :of .the spring T25, Ythe spring maybe .also tensioned circumferentially `by the operator .rotating Athe iplunger'through the medium ofthe fingerknob-ld;

Iin one direction or'the other. that when the .spring :35 has that 'as the plunger is released, the spring will produce a corresponding rotary movement `of the which will Ibe .transmitted It Ywill be obvious land thereby produce'a spinningof'the ballfaround the 'horizontal axis thereof .simultaneously with the projection of the ball whereby the ballrwill `have a greater `degree of lateral movement than .may .be reset in vproper relation with the lbowling alley .bed and with each vother 'bythe operator :merely pulling outwardly on the nger -knobw63f :to elevate the weight 159.

As v'the weight i59isthus elevated, the plate 52 will descend into engagement with the springs 53 associated with the knocked down pins and thereby return the pins to their proper upright position upon the plate Il! in one direction or thery of 'the :plunger .3| registers with@ will roe .raised fby the action fofvl `been so vtensioned 49. It will be obvious that all of the pins will be properly positioned irrespective of any inequality occurring in the length of the cords 41 due to the resiliency of the springs 53.

Furthermore, it will be observed that if the cords associated with the pins become entangled or wrapped around each other as the pins are knocked down by the ball 9, said cords will be readily unwound or disentangled as they are drawn downwardly by the action of the reset plate 52 due to the fact that as illustrated in Figure 6, the corresponding pins will be maintained out of co-axial alignment with each other by the cords attached thereto. That is, the axes of the pins when the pins are in substantial alignment with each other will be maintained spaced apart as the pins are drawn toward each other by the cords a distance not less than the diameter of a cord and inasmuch as the lower or apex end of the projections is substantially equal to or only slightly greater in diameter than that of the cord, the free ends of said projections will readily slide past each other as the pins approach each other. Then these tapered portions, as they slide along each other, form a fulcrum about which the pins easily swing in a direction to unwind or disentangle the operating cords or strings after which the pins may be drawn by the cords to the upright playing position with the projection of each pin extending into a corresponding oriiice 50 in the plate 49 as illustrated in Figure 5.

Although the construction and operation of the device shown and described, are particularly simple, practical and efficient, it is evident that various changes may be made in the detailed construction without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

1. In combination, a perforated bowling alley bed, a set of bowling pins adapted to be disposed in an upright position upon said bed, means for setting up said pins comprising a perforated weight member positioned beneath the alley bed at one end thereof, cords connected with the pins and extending through the perforations in said alley bed and the weight member, springs mounted on the cords beneath the weight member adapted to be engaged by said weight member for yieldingly actuating said cords, a second weight member mounted beneath the alley bed intermediate the ends thereof and connected with the first weight member adapted to move said rst weight member to and maintain the same in an elevated inoperative position, and control means including a ringer knob positioned at the other end of the alley bed operatively connected with the second weight member by which the same may be manually rendered ineffective for maintaining the rst weight member in the inoperative position.

2. In a bowling game comprising, in combination, an alley bed having perforations extending therethrough, a set of bowling pins adapted to be knocked over from an upright position on said alley bed, each of said bowling pins having a tapered portion associated with the base end thereof in substantially coaxial relation therewith, each of said tapered portions being adapted to extend into a respective one of said perforations and having an oriiice arranged substantially coaxial therewith, a plurality of flexible cords, one cord for each pin, each of said cords being extended outwardly through the orice of the tapered portion of a respective pin and downwardly through a corresponding alley bed perforation to a position some distance beneath said alley bed, and means positioned beneath the alley bed engageable with the lower end portions of the cords for substantially simultaneously operating said cords to return the pins from the knockedover position to the upright position on the alley bed, said cords and orifices being of substantially the same diameter and each tapered portion having opposite sides thereof extending from the outer end of the orifice toward the base of the bowling pin in substantially straight diverging planes to form a relatively sharp point at the outer or lower end of the tapered portion of substantially the same diameter as the cord so that said outer or lower ends of the tapered portions of two or more pins having the cords thereof entangled or wound around each other as the pins are knocked over will readily move past each other and the sides of said tapered portions subsequently engage each other with a sliding cam action to move the pins into angular relation with each other as the cords are drawn downwardly through the bed apertures and thereby readily effect separation of such pins and cords during the resetting of the pins.

3. In combination, a perforated bowling alley bed, a set of bowling pins adapted to be disposed in an upright position on said bed, means for Setting up said pins comprising a perfo-rated weight member positioned beneath the alley bed at one end thereof, flexible cords connected with the pins and extending through the perforations in said alley bed and the Weight member, springs mounted on the cords beneath the weight member adapted to yieldingly transmit motion from the weight member to the cords for drawing said cords downwardly through the alley bed apertures, actuating means mounted beneath the alley bed intermediate theends thereof and operatively connected with the weight member for yieldingly urging the weight member to and maintaining the same in an elevated inoperative position, and control means including a fingerpiece positioned at the other end of the alley bed operatively connected with the actuating means by which the same may be manually rendered ineffective for maintaining the Weight member in said inoperative position.

4. A device as in claim; 3 wherein the lower base end of each pin is provided with a guide cone adapted to extend into a corresponding aperture of the alley bed, each of said guide cones having a corresponding cord extending outwardly from its lower or apex end substantially coaxially therewith, said apex end of each cone being of substantially the same diameter as the cord so that said apex ends of cones of two or more pins having the cords thereof entangled or wound around each other as the pins are knocked down will readily move past each other and the sides of said cones subsequently engage each other with a sliding cam action to move the pins into angular relation with each other as the cords are drawn downwardly through the alley bed apertures and thereby readily effect separation of such pins and cords during the resetting of the pins.

WILLIAM G. HAWLEY;

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