US810299A - Game apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

No. 810,299. PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906. O. B. PETTEE.

GAME APPARATU$.

APPLICATION FILED 111:0. 9. 1904.

2 sums-sum 1.

PATENTED JAN. 16, 1906.

0. E. PETTEE. GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED D30. 9, 1904.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFIOE.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 16, 1906.

Application filed December 9,1904. Serial No. 236,121.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER E. PETTEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rockland, in the county of Knox, State of Maine,

Fig. 5, the runway moves upon its pivotal have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus; and I do ereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to games, and more particularly to those known as surface-proj ectile games, and has for its object to provide a game apparatus which will be so constructed as to register the number of points made and which will require considerable skill on the part of the player to win the game.

Another object is to provide a game apparatus which will be foldable to occupy little space when not in use.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, and it will be understood that modifications of the specific construction shown may be made and any suitable materials may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming a portion of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the present apparatus in use. Fig. 2 is a front view. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the ointer-actuating mechanism and the detent.

ig. 5 is a side elevation of the apparatus folded. Fig. 6 is a view of a modified form of the releasing mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings, the present invention comprises a table 5, including a top 6 and supporting- legs 7 and 8, which are located at the forward and rearward ends of the table, respectively. The legs 8 are hinged to the top at their upper ends and are foldable to lie against the under face of the top, these legs being connected by a crossbrace 8.

Pivoted between the legs 8, adjacent to their upper ends, there is a runway 9, which lies normally with its forward end resting upon a transverse brace 7, secured at its ends to and extending between the legs 7, the runway being thus given a forward and downward slant and secured to the forward end of the runway. Beyond the legs, there is a tray 10. When the runway is in its normal position, hooks 11, carried by the legs 7, are engaged in staples 12, carried by the runway, so that pivotal movement of the legs is prevented.

When the apparatus is folded, as shown at connection with the legs 8 and when the folding operation is completed lies against the under face of the top 6 and between the legs 8. The legs 7 are also hinged to the top and when the apparatus is in its folded position lie with the runway therebetween. Adjacent to its rearward end the top 6 is pro vided with a transverse slot 12, so disposed that a ball or balls may pass therethrough and fall upon the runway, and forwardly of this slot the top is provided with a longitudinal slot 13, in which there is slidably engaged the upwardly-turned end 14 of a rod 15, which is slidably mounted in depending brackets 16, secured to the under face of the top. This rod extends rearwardly from the slot 13 and projects beyond the rearward end of the table for a short distance, as illustrated, and at its rearward end it is provided with a vertically-extending longitudinal rib 17, the upper face of which slants downwardly and rearwardly, as illustrated.

Hinged to the rearward end of the top 6 and foldable to lie thereupon there is a board 18, which in its normal position extends vertically and at right angles to the top. This board is provided with a dial-face upon its forward side adjacent to its upper end, which dial-face being marked with numerals at regular intervals or in any other suitable manner, and formed through the board centrally of the dial there is a passage 19, in which there is j ournaled a shaft 20, carrying at its forward end an indicator 21. The indicator is revolubly mounted upon the shaft, and adjacent to the indicator the shaft carries a ratchet-wheel 22, the indicator carrying a spring-pawl 23 for engagement by the teeth of the ratchet-wheel to revolve the indicator with the shaft in one direction, it being understood that the indicator is thereby free to revolve in the same direction independently of the shaft. The shaft 20 extends beyond the rearward face of the board and projects into a framework 24, secured to the rearward face of the board, and this framework contains a spring-actuated motor 25, which is connected with the shaft 20 by means of suitable gearing. The arrangement is such that the shaft is operated by the motor to revolve the indicator 21 therewith. The spring-motor also includes a shaft 26 connected there with for rotation when the motor is operated, and this shaft carries a laterally-extending finger 27, which is fixed thereto. A shaft 28 is ournaled in frame 24, and this shaft has a wire connected therewith, this wire being indicated at 29. Adjacent to its free end the wire is turned laterally, and the shaft 28 is movable to bring this laterally-turned portion into and out of the path of movement of the finger 27. The wire 29 has a convolution 30 therein which extends laterally therefrom and when the wire lies with its laterallyturned end portion in the path of movement of the finger 27 this convolution 30 rests against one side of the frame to limit the movement of the shaft 28 in one direction, the shaft being thusheld against movement in a direction other than that which would bring it out of the path of movement of the finger 27.

. Projecting laterally from the shaft 28 there is a rod 31 by means of Which the shaft may be moved to bring the laterally-turned end portion of the wire 29 out of path of the movement of the finger 27. As shown, the shaft 28 lies above the shaft 26, and the wire 29 extends downwardly from the shaft 28. This arrangement is such that the wire 30 is held by gravity, with its laterally-turned end portion in the path of movement of the finger 27 ,and this finger lies normally in engagement with the laterally-turned portion, so that the shaft and the motor are held against operation.

Screw-eyes or other suitable guides 32 are engaged in the board 18 and project beyond the rearward face thereof, and in these guides there is slidably mounted a vertically-extending rod 34. The upper end of this rod is turned laterallyand extends beneath the rod 31, and the arrangement is such that if the rod 34 be moved upwardly its laterallyturned portion will come into engagement with the rod 31, raising this rod and moving the laterally-turned end portion of the wire 30 out of engagement with the finger 27 to permit of operation of the motor.

When the board 18 is in its normal position, the lower end of the rod 34 rests upon the slanting face of the rib 17, adjacent to the rearward end thereof, and it will be apparent that if the .rod 1.5 be moved rearwardlythe rod 34 will be raised to release the finger 27, as mentioned above. To hold the rod 15 yieldably at the forward limit of its movement, a helical spring 15 is secured thereto and to the under face of the top, as shown.

In playing the game a ball 30 is rolled over the surface of the table-top from the forward end thereof, the object being to cause this ball to strike the upwardly-turned end of the rod 15, thus moving this rod rearwardly and raising the rod 34, as will be readily under stood. This raising of the rod moves the laterally-turned end of the wire 30 out of engagement with the finger 27, thus permit ting the motor to operate, as mentioned above. The spring 15 returns the rods 15 and 84 to their original positions almost immediately, so that by the time the shaft 26 has made one revolution the laterally-turned end of the wire 30 has come again into the path of the movement of the finger 27 and is engaged by this finger, thus stopping the motor. The momentum which has been imparted to the indicator 21 by the rotation of the shaft 20 causes the indicator to continue to revolve independentlyof the shaft after the motor has stopped. to revolve, as will be readily understood, and will when it finally stops indicate a character on the dial-face, thus showing the number of points made by the player. 7

The board 18 is provided with an opening 18 therethrough, which when the board is folded to lie upon the top 6 receives therein the upwardly-turned end 14 of the rod 15, this upwardly-turned end extending above the board 18 and having a transverse opening 14 formed therethrough for the reception of a pin to hold the board in its folded position.

In Fig. 6 there is shown a modified form in which the rod 15*, which corresponds to the rod 15, is provided at its forward end with a lever a, pivoted thereto, this lever being pivoted in the slot 13 and extending above the The indicator will slowly cease upper surface of the top at its forward end.

The rod 15 is pivoted at its opposite'end to one of the arms of a bell-crank lever 12, u on the remaining arm of which the lower en of the rod 34 rests. A spring A is provided which is arranged to hold the upper portion of the lever a at the forward limit of its movement.

The spring-motor is provided with a windin '-stem by which it may be energized.

at is claimed is 1. In an apparatus of the class described the combination with a board adapted for the passage of projectiles thereover, of an upwardly-extending pin carried by the board and disposed to be struck by the projectiles, a stop-board hinged to the first-named board for movement to lie thereagainst or to extend at right angles thereto, said stop-board hav ing an opening therethrough for the reception of the pin when the stop-board is in its firstnamed position, means for holding the sto board with its perforations engaged by t e pin, 0 erative mechanism carried by the stopboar and connections between the mechanism and the pin for operation of the mechanism when the pin is struck.

2. An apparatus of the class described, comprising a dial, a shaft revolubly mounted centrally of the dial, an indicator revolubly mounted upon the shaft for movement over the dial, connections between the shaft and the indicator for movement of the latter with the former in one direction, said indicator being arranged for movement independently of the shaft in the same direction, a motor connected with the shaft for operation thereof to rotate the indicator therewith, means for holding the motor against operation, said means lying normally yieldably in operative position, and means for moving the holding means out of operative position.

3. An apparatusof the class described comprising a board adapted for the passage of projectiles thereover, a dial, a shaft revolubly mounted in the dial, an indicator revolubly mounted upon the shaft for movement over the dial, connections between the shaft and the indicator constructed and arranged for movement of the indicator with the former in one direction, said indicator being movable independently of the shaft in the same direction, a motor connected with the shaft for rotation thereof to rotate the indicator therewith, a second revolubly-mounted shaft, connections between the second shaft and the motor for operation thereby, a finger carried by the second shaft, a stop arranged for movement into and out of the path of movement of the finger, said stop when in its firstnamed position being arranged for engagement by the finger to hold the motor against operation, said stop lying normally in such position, and-means for moving the stop out ,of its normal position, said means being adapted for operation by projectiles moving over the surface of the board.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 3 5 in presence of two witnesses.

OLIVER E. PETTEE.

Witnesses:

ORLANDO S. TRUSSELL, CHARLES M. Coon.

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