US2634129A - Ball control game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Apnl 7, 1953 R. J. LOHR ET AL BALL CONTROL GAME APPARATUS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed July 21, 1952 4 INVENTORS. eAy/walvo .z 1.0/42 RICH/4E0 N. CARVER- TI'E Z April 7, 1953 R. J. LOHR ET AL BALL CONTROL GAME APPARATUS Filed July '21, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR. eAYMo/vo .7. 40/12 2/0/4120 cnevse Affoeusw M Fig. 3 is a vertical Patented Apr. 7, 1953 Raymond J. 1.0115 and Richard N. Carver, Erie, Pa, assignors to Louis Marx & Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New. York 7 Application July 21, 1952, Serial No. 300,066

This invention relates to games, and more particularly to ball control games.

. The primary object of the present invention is to generally improve such games. A more particular object is to so simplify the construction of the game that it may be made under quantity production conditions atlow cost, while at the same time strengthening the game structure and giving it a smooth, finished, lustrous appearance superior to prior games made at far greater cost. With these objects inview we have originated agamestructure in which we use a clear transparent plastic as the transparent top wall of the game, and we further mold the top wall integrally with side and end walls, and ball intercepting elements. The latter'here shown include partition walls, scoring pockets and stalls, and obstacle pins, all molded integrally with the top wall in a single molding operation. To'complete the toy it is merely necessary to add a bottom wall, and this may be inexpensively madeof thin sheet metal appropriately lithographed to add color to the toy, and to provide scoring targets and numbers. Moreover, the bottom may be attached to the main body of the. toy inexpensively by using projections on the molded body of the toy. as rivets, and the edges of the:sheet metal bottom may be housed within aperipheral plastic ledge, thus protecting the user against contactwith the sharp edge of the sheet metal, and also avoiding any cheapening of the appearance of the toy which .might result from exposure of the sheet'metal. To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appeanour invention resides in the ball control game elements and their relation one to another, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specifications The specification is accompanied by drawings, in which: I j V l Fig. 1 is a plan view of a toy embodying features of our invention; Fig. 2 is an end view lookingat the near end thet y; 1. section taken approximately in the planeof the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, with ,the projector omitted;

Figs. 4 and 5 -are sections taken approximately in the plane ofthe line 5-5 of Fig. 1 ,but one before and the other after a rivetingoperation; ----Fig. 6 is a section showing a detail and is taken approximately in the plane of the line 6-4} of Fig. 1, with the bottom-wall omitted;

.5; .-F s.-; i i e me rr hor z nta s t on 7 Claims. (01. 273-421) 2 taken. approximately inthe plane of the line l-| of Fig.2; Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the toy; v7 Fig. 9 is a side elevation showing thetoy in inclined playing position; I

Fig. 10 is a side elevation of areferred form of firing projector used in the toy, in the direction viewed in Fig. 9, or looking from right to left in Fig. 7; and a Fig. 11 is a fragmentary section taken approximately in the plane of the line Il--I| of Fig. 1.

Referring to-thedrawing, and more particularlyto Figs. ,1 and 2 thereof, the game comprises a transparent top wall l2 with which there is integrally molded aremote end wall 14, a near end wall [S and side walls [8. The terms remote? and near are relative to the player, who is located at the lower endto operate theprojector knob 30. The one-piece molded structure is closed at the bottom by means of abottom plate 20 best shown in Figs. 3 and 8. In the present case the bottom is made of a single piece, of sheet metal stamped to desired configuration. The top face of the sheet metal may be lithographed to provide score indications, not shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, although in practice they are clearly visible through the glasslikev transparent, molded body [2. It will be noted that the peripheraledge of the molded body is appropriately. offset, as shown at .22 (Fig. 3), and recessed toreceive themetal bottom 20, the edges of the latter being housed within and concealed by the plastic.

.Reverting to Fig. 1. the top wall I2 has molded integrally therewith a partition wall 24 (Fig. 1). This separates the left sideof the game which acts as a scoring compartment, and the right side of the game which acts as a ball storage and ball projecting compartment. At itsnear end the partition 24 curves leftward, as shown at 26 (Fig. l), and has a branch extending rightward,

here asprojector 30.

The top wall also has molded integrally therewith a seriesof scoringpockets 32. In the present case there are-eight such pockets, seven of which are semi-cylindrical in shape, while the eighth; indicated at 34, has an additional wall or extension 36 extending upwardly therefrom.

There are additional partition walls formed :integrally with both thetop wall l2 and the'nearer end walll 6, these being shown at 38. They act to divide the near end of the game into a series of scoring stalls, inlwhich the balls may be resentially frustoconical in shape, as is best shown in Figs. 4 and 5. If desired the pin may be hollowed and molded with a conicallyshaped opening 42 which passes right through the top wall l2 of the toy. This helps insure complete accurate filling of the molding cavity which forms the pin, and incidentally helps save material,

although that is not the main reason for using the same. A small fragment of the top wall is shown broken away at 4-5 in Fig. 1, thereby exposing a part of one of the hollow pins 4!! section at 40'.

The pins, and also the partitions andpockets 24, 32, and 38, extend downwardly from the top wall l2 toward the bottom 29, and preferably all the way down to the bottom, for in that case they help support and stiffen the bottom against upward movement. Moreover, rivets for holding the bottom may be formed at the lower ends of selected ones of the pins, and also at selected points on the partitions. Thus referring to Fig.

'4, it will be seen that the pin $13, as molded, in-

cludesacylindrical stud 44. This passes through a mating hole in thebottom 26 and by application of a heated tool the projecting end may be spread or riveted, as shown at 48 in Fig. 5, thereby anchoring the bottom as well as spacing it properly from the top wall l2. These rivets are most readily formed at the lower ends of the pins, and referring to Fig. 8, which shows the bottom of the toy, such rivets are shown at 46. Four additional rivets 58 are formed on the partitions, and the corresponding locations will be seen at 50in Fig. 1. Anotherrivet 52 is formed in one corner, the corresponding location being shown in Fig. 8 and in Fig. 1. The unnumbered rivets in Fig. 8 are on pins 40 (Fig.1) like rivets Mi (Fig. 8). In Fig. 8 it will be seen that in addition to the rivets, some marginal tabs may be riveted over the edge of the sheet metal bottom,

plest form is semi-circular, in order to guide a projected ball smoothly around after it has been fired by theball projector 30. Despite the curved configuration of the wall Hi, the one-piece molded body is extended outward beyond thecurved wall 14, as is indicated by the areas -68, which are at a lower level immediately adjacent thebottom wall 20, as is best shown in Fig. 11. These extensions provide room in which to form inverted sockets '62 which detachably receivelegs 64, as is best shown in Fig. 9. The metal bottom 20'is cut away at the socket holes, as shown at 62 in Fig. 8. When the legs are inserted in the sockets the game is supported at an angle to the horizontal, as shown in Fig. 9. However, in shipping the toy or when storing it away the legs considered approximately square in cross-section andhol'low. but with two adjacent longitudinal "bar of balls, in this case five.

3 walls removed, leaving only the remaining two walls, avertical wall 66, and ahorizontal wall 68, so that for all of its length except at theends 14 and 18 (Fig. 10) it is L-shaped in section. Thus the projector is adapted to be received in an L- shaped slot shown at 10 in Fig. 3. Theactuating spring 72 is received in the hollow projector, as is best shown in Fig. 7, and is disposed between the front wall M of the projector, and theend wall 16 of the molded main body of the toy. Thenearer end wall 18 of the projector is disposed outside the body of the toy, and carries the operating knob, which is integral with the projector.

It will be evident that in assembling the toy it is merely necessary to drop the projector into the L-shapedslot 10, with thespring 12 in position, following which the addition of the bottom 28 holds the projector in place. The projector is guided on bottom by thebottom wall 20; on top by the top wall I2; on the right by the adjacent side wall [8; and on the left by theadjacent parts marked 50 in Fig. 1. When the projector :is drawn back the spring is compressed. If desired the rearward motion may be limited by the introduction of appropriate stop means, here molded in the corner of the main body, as shown at 19 in Figs. 1, 6 and 9.. The top wall l2 may be provided with a series of raised scale indications, shown at 88 in Figs. 1 and 9. These help guide the operator of the toy so that he may repeat a length of stroke which he has found to be successful, or changealength of stroke found to. be unsuccessful.

Before leaving the description of the projector, attention is directed to'the fact that the near end wall N5 of the main body of the game is displaced or offset inwardly at the projector, to provide room for the operatingknob 38, without having the knob project beyond the said wall 5. This is convenient in boxing, shipping, or storing the toy, for it will fit in afiat rectangular cardboard box dimensioned to just receive the main body of the game.

.As so far described it has been assumed that the bottom 20 :is a flat surface. However, one of the advantages of using sheet metal is that .it .may be shaped somewhat to improve the operation ofithe game. Thus referring :to Fig. 8, attention "is directed to the parts 82., 84 and 86.

These :are shallow channels or trough-like parts which are depressed downward as viewed in Fig. 1 (or upwardas viewed In Fig. 8). Thepart 84 acts as a guide to receive and .hold a line of balls waiting to be fired. The sloping part 86 (Fig. 8) helps guide the lowermost ball toa position .in front of the projector when the projector is fully retracted. Thechannel 82 helps guide the ball being fired so that it moves on a straight liine up to the narrowed guide passage 88 (Fig. 1

Reverting to Fig. 8, the bottom 20 may have some sloping ridges at appropriate points, here marked 90. These are 3 eon-vex downward as viewed in Fig. 8, and convex upward as viewed in Fig. 1. They serve slightly to prevent the ball from being trapped completely dead by an obstacle in front of which theguide is provided.

The game may be provided with a desired num- They are all permanently sealed inside the game, and therefore inaccessible, and cannot be lost, 'yet all of them are readily restored to initial firing position by first'tilting the board toward the upper right hand corner, and then tilting it toward the near end and then toward the left until the balls are aligned along the partition wall 24. Each time the projector is retracted and let go, one ball is fired."

The pockets 32 may be given suitable score values. Similarly the stalls between thepartitions 38 may be given suitable score values. A

different score value, say three times as high, may

be provided for a'second ball gotten int-o thesame 'stall'as a first balls A premium score value, perhaps ten times the sum of the score values of the five stalls, may be provided in the event that the five balls are landed into all five stalls, with one case the firing channel above the plunger is drawn to resembleabazooka, and the pockets 32 are each formed at an'illustration of a piece of :armament, such as a heavy tank, a medium tank,

jeep, a heavy truck, a machine gun, an antiaircraftgun, r.or-an;anti-tank gun. These are each giyen an appropriate score value. The game-'isthus made into a kind of war game, but it is obvious that the bottom may be lithographed to adopt some other motif. The lithography and scorevalues have therefore been omitted from 'theydrawing. r I It is believedthat the construction, method of assembly, and method of operation of our improved ball control game, as well as the advan ftages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing; detailed description. Thegame has a rich,

lustrous, finished appearance, because almost all of the game structure is made of glass-like transproduced at low. costbecause' substantially all of the game structure is molded in a single piece, in

a single molding operation. The bottom. i'sj'in'- expensively stamped out of sheet metal, appropriately lithographed to add everything that is needed in the way of color, illustration, and score markings. To assemble the toy the balls and the ball projectorwith its spring are dropped in position, and the bottom added and riveted in place by means of rivets formed integrally with the main molded body. The game is'characterized by a smooth, dependable operation which is intriguing and challenging to the user. The halls cannot be lost.

It will be apparent that while we have shown and described the invention in a preferred form, changes may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the scope of the invention, as sought to be defined in the following claims. In the claims the term ball intercepting element is intended to be generic to the pins, pockets, stalls, and partitions.

We claim: 7

l. A ball control-type game device comprising integrally molded top, end, and side walls closed by a bottom and a ball projecting projector, said projector being approximately square in section and hollow but with at least one side missing, a vertical side of said projector being received in a slot in the near end wall, a compression spring disposed in the hollow space of the projector for normally pushing the projector forward, and a parent plastic.- However, the game may be mass handle formed at the rear end of the projector.

2. A game device comprising top and end and side walls molded out of transparent moldable plastic to form a single body which is generally enclosed except at the bottom, a generally opaque bottom made of relatively thin sheet material and having apertures for the reception of rivets, the periphery of said molded plastic body surrounding the bottom to protect the edge of the bottom, and a ball, a plurality of ball interceptving elements molded integrally with said top wall and projecting downwardly from said top wall toward the bottom, the lower ends of some of said ball intercepting elements being shaped to form spacer surfaces and rivets, which rivets project further in the direction away from the top and which rivets pass through said apertures and are headed beneath the sheet material bottom to hold said bottom against said spacer surfaces, said elements which have rivets thereby acting as spacers between the top wall and the bottom of the game device.

3. A game device comprising top and end and side walls molded out of transparent moldable plastic to form a single body which is generally enclosed except at the bottom, a generally opaque bottom made of sheet metal, and a ball, said sheet metal bottom being'indented and thereby shaped to cooperate with the ball to help control the same during its passage over said bottom, the periphery of said molded plastic body surrounding the bottom and being appropriately stepped outwardly to receive the bottom within its periphery and upwardly against its step in order to properly space the bottom from the top wall and in order to protect the edge of the sheet metal forming the bottom, at least one ball intercepting element molded integrally with said top wall and projecting downwardly from said top wall toward the bottom, the lower end of at least one ball intercepting element reaching said bottom to "support the same and to supplement the spacer action of the stepped periphery, said molded body being shaped to form integral rivets which rivets project in the direction away from the top and which rivets pass through mating parts of the sheet metal bottom and are headed beneath the bottom in order to hold the same inassembled ments molded integrally with said top wall and projecting downwardly from said top wall toward the bottom, the lower ends of some of said ball intercepting elements being shaped to form spacer surfaces and rivets which rivets project further in the direction away from the top and which rivets pass through said apertures and are headed beneath the sheet material bottom to hold said bottom against said spacer surfaces, said elements which have rivets thereby acting as spacers between the top wall and the bottom of the game device, said ball projector being received upwardly into a part of said molded body and being positioned thereby against upward movement, the part of said molded body receiving said ball projector also bearing sidewards against the projector and thereby-serving to position thewsame against 1mdesired lateral movement while permitting the stepped outwardly to receive the bottom within its periphery and upwardly against its step in order to properly space the bottom from the top wall and in order to protect the edge of the thin sheet material forming the bottom, a plurality of ball intercepting elements molded integrally with said top wall and projecting downwardly from said top wall toward the bottom, said molded body being shaped to form integral rivets which rivets project in the direction away from the top and which rivets pass through mating parts of the sheet material bottom and are headed beneath the bottom in order to hold the same in assembled relation with the body, said ball projector being positioned by a mating part of said molded body against undesired movement while permitting the desired ball projecting movement, one of said ball intercepting elements being a wall disposed immediately adjacent to and at an angle leading rearwardly and sidewards to the ball projector in order to guide and return a ball to the hall projector.

6. Agame device comprising top and end and side walls molded out of transparent moldable plastic to form a single body which is generally enclosed except at the bottom, a generally opaque bottom made of sheet metal, at least one ball, and a resiliently movable ball projector, said sheet metal bottom being indented and thereby shaped to cooperate withthe ball to help control the same during its passage over said bottom, the periphery of said molded plastic body surrounding the bottom to protect the edge of the sheet metal forming the bottom, said molded body beingshaped totform integral rivets which rivets project in the direction away from the top and which rivets pass through mating parts of the sheet metal bottom and are, headed beneath the bottom in order to hold the same. in assembled relation with the body, at least one ball intercepting element molded integrally with said top wall and projecting downwardly from said top wall toward the bottom and disposed immediately adjacent to and at an angle leading rearwardly and -sidewards. to the ball projector-in order to guide and return a ballto the ball projector. 1

2. A game device as defined in claim 4, in which the ball intercepting elements comprise pins in the form of inverted frustocones, -pookets extending downwardly from the top wall, scoring stalls at the near .end of the game, and a partition wall extending generally longitudinally of the game and-separating one side of the game device to. form a ball storage and ball projecting compartment at the resilient ball projection RAYMOND J. LOI-IR. RICHARD N. CARVER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references. are of record :in th file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 427,486 7 Great Britain Apr. 2 1, 1935

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