GB418912A - Apparatus for playing a ball game of skill - Google Patents

Abstract

418,912. Table games. SCHLUMBOHM, A., Neuenkirchen, Soltau, Hanover, Germany. May 20, 1933, No. 14679. [Class 132 (ii).] In a bagatelle-type game apparatus balls are projected by means of cues along inclined tracks in each of which a plurality of " catching bows " are located one behind another. The catching bows comprise suspended pivotal flaps and allow balls to pass up a track but prevent their return, the object being to project the balls so that they come to rest between bows according to scoring values associated therewith. The apparatus may be controlled by coin-freed clockwork mechanism. In one embodiment, balls n are projected along tracks c, Fig. 2, on the playing surface b, k, Figs. 1, 3 by cues or spring plungers, and either come to rest between two of the pivoted flaps g, or pass to the end of the tracks where they fall through an aperture d on to an inclined track e along which they roll to a stop bow p. The flaps g, are pivoted on bars h, Fig. 4, mounted in a common frame, and stop bars h<1> prevent an entrapped ball from returning along a track c. To release balls held by the flaps g or by the stop bow p, the part k of the ball tracks is retracted to the position shown in Fig. 3, by pulling a knob o<1>, Fig. 1, connected by a rod o and cord m (guided by pulleys) to the part k, whereupon the balls held by the catches g roll down the surface k on to the return track e, and balls held by the stop bow p are released as the stop bow rides up a fixed inclined surface q during retraction of part k, the released balls rolling to an aperture f. The member k is normally locked in its forward position, Fig. 1, by a lever, t, pivoted to the wall engaging in the notch in a lever r, Fig. 3, rigid with member k and is released for retraction, by a coin-freed mechanism. In another embodiment, the parts b, k, Fig. 8, of the ball tracks are immovable, and balls entrapped by the catches g, are released to return along the tracks k, b, by pulling a knob o<1> to raise the frame u carrying the catches g about its pivot v, through links w. This action may be coin-freed. In a further embodiment, the balls n in each track, Figs. 10 and 11, are projected by spring plungers y<1>, y<2> and the balls entrapped by the catches g are released by pulling a knob o<1> to rock the sprung portion k of the ball tracks about its pivot v<1> to the position shown dotted, when the balls run along their respective return tracks e as far as spring arms e<1> pivoted at y<6>. At the commencement of the playing surface b, each track c is replaced by two resilient wires y<5> and played balls n are forced up between these wires into playing position by rocking the arms e<1> to the " dotted position by means of an external handle. Coin-freed stopping means 4 may be provided for the balls in the return tracks e.