US1650029A - Bowling game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

R H MORTON 'BOWLING GAME APPARATUS Flled Dec. 22. 1926 jaw@ PaternalV Nov. 22, 1927.v

' narran. Mon'ron, or 'wnYMoU'rmjiunsshcnusnrrs.

Y Ynownnm GAME APPARATUS.

, nppucationaiea December 22,1926; serial No; 156,454.

lo vention to provide an apparatus of the char'- CII acter described which may be used within the parlor or other room of av house withn out injury tothe walls of the room or to the furniture within the latter. i, f

To these ends l have provided anY improved bowling game apparatus having the peculiar features of construction set forth in the following description, the novel features of the invention being particularlyv pointed out and definedin the claimsfat the close thereof. In the accompanying drawings: 'Figure' 1 is a plan view of the' target structureof my improved bowling game apparatus. j

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the targetl structure shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is aside elevation Vof the' target structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2. f Figures 4 and 5 illustrate 'one form of projectile constituting a part of my imy proved apparatus.

My improved game apparatus includes a target structure comprising two vertical side walls 1, 1. To each of these side walls 1 is secured, by means of screws 2, an upright post 3, said postbeing disposed adjacent the forward or ,front ends of the upright walls 1. At their upper ends the Vposts 3 are provided with holes through which eX- tend the opposite threaded end portion of a crossbar 4 herein shown as a round metal rod having mounted thereon twonuts 5,V 5, one near each end of said rod. Thumb nuts 6 mounted upon'the outer. end portions of the rod 4 clamp the upper ends of the posts 3 against the nuts 5. Pivo-ted-loosely on the cross-bar or rod 4 is a row or series of targets 7 yieldingly held in vertical posi# tions with provision for rotary movement on theV `rod 4 by any suitable means. As herein shown these targets 7 are strips o-f wood each formed with a transverse hole through it to receive the rod 4, said hole being nearer one end of the strip than the other so that gravity actingupon theV heavierl end holds the target in'its normal vertical position.

Thetargets 7 are maintained spaced apart relativelyand positioned properly with rela- 1 *y tion to the side walls 1, 1 by means of sleeves coV 8 arranged between the Vtargets .7 and at each end of the series. kcross-1mi' 4 serves'twopurposes,viz, as the pivotal support for the targets 7 and` also as lmcans for connecting the forward ends of the two side walls andfsupporting the. latter in vertical positions. I Y Near their rear endsI the side walls 1, 1 are formed with sockets or holes to receive 'trunf nions 9 provided at theopposite vendsof a cross-bar 10. This crossbar serves as 'a con- ,Anec'tor for the rear ends fof the side walls 1,

1 andassists the pivot bar'4 in'maintaining the side wallsin vertical positions. function, however, is to effect theY re-bound of the rprojectile constituting part of the apparatus.One form of projectile is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 and thisI form consists-of a disk 11V of 'wood or the like made with an annular peripheral groovewithin which is seated an annular rubber tire 12.

The .game apparatus is used by placing the target structure shown in Fig. 1 upon the floor near one side of the room,v or at the yend of a hallway, with the targets facing the Its mainy It willbe seen'that the i opposite side. of the room, or the opposite" end of thel hallway. The player then rolls the disk 11 toward the target structure so as to enter between the side walls 1.V The disk thus thrown or rolledtoward the'target structure eitherl passes between or strikesV one or more ofthe targets 7 beyond which yit passes tothe cross-bar 10. This cross-bar l0 vis positioned vertically from the floor a v distance approximately equal to one-half the diameter of the disk 11 so that said cross-bar serves asa sto-p to prevent the diskfrom passing beyondthe side walls and striking the wall of the room.` The main function of the cross-barges stated, yis to cause the disk projectile. to re-bound Vand the game is played with-the object in view.v not only of scoring a hit on the direct throw ofthe lUUV projectile but with the object in view of causingthe proj ectileto re-bound and again strike one or more of the targets so that a los skillful player canscore two hits on a throw.

In practice I prefere to make the cross-bar 10 as a resilient` strip of wood which is flexed by the impact of the projectile so that it will throw the latter back against the targets ithe projectile is skillfully handled.

The targets may be numbered upon both sides, front and rear, so that the score is computed by the number7 or .numbers on the target, or targets; struck bythe projectile as it passes into the target structure and upon its re-bound. l

The bottom edge 0f each side wall, which is constituted by a shoe 13 of rubber or the like; serves the double purpose of protecting the floor of the room in which the apparatus is'used and also to provide a friotional engagement between the side walls and the floorA serving to hold the target ap# paratus against accidental displacement.

TVhat- Iclaim is:

LA bowling game apparatus comprising a. target structure consisting of two upstanding side walls; a cross-bar adjacent the for- Y ward ends ofsaid side walls supported at its ends by the latter in an elevated position; a seriesole separate targets'rotatably mounted on said cross-bar and held in vertica-l position by gravity; a projectile adapted to be propelled over the floor or ground in a direction to enter between said side walls so as to pass under or adjacent said targets, and a rear spring cross-bar supported at its ends in a horizontal position by said side walls negar the rear ends of the latter, said `springcross- Abar occupying a position in the path of thel projectile after the latter passes the targets and operating, when'r struck byl 'a projectile, to throw the latter back against the targets.

2. A bowling game apparatus constructed in accordance with claim l and wherein the front cross-bar is around rod having target spacing and positioning members mounted Ythereon between the targets and at each end through the latter; means separably fasten-Y ing said side walls tosaid Cross-bar whereby they are held against movement on said bar toward and from each other; a series ol' .separate targets pivotally V'mounted onfsaid cross-bar and held in. vertical positions by gravity but freely rotatable on said rbar in either direction; sleeves mounted on `said cross-bar for holding said targets in spaced relationship; a disk projectile adapted to be rolled over the floor or ground in a direction to enter between said side walls so as to pass under or adjacent saidA targets, and a resilient cross-bar adjacent the rear ends of said side walls having endtrunnions removably fitted in sockets provided `in said side walls, said resilient cross-bar being in the path o't the projectile after it passes the targets and when struck by vthe projectile being flexed b-y the latter so4 as to throw the projectile back against the targets.

RALPH H. MORTON.

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