US1944997A - Game of skill - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 30, 1934. c. L. PHILLIPS ET AL GAME OF SKILL Filed June 25. 1931 INI/EN ToRs ,PH/M095 ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 30, 1934 UNITED STATES PATEN FFICE GAME OF SKILL Application June 25, 1931. Serial No. 546,725

5 Claims.

The present invention relates generally to new and useful improvements in games and more specifically to a novel game requiring a certain amount of skill in the manipulation of a spheri- 5 cal element around a helical path or guiding means which is provided with openings or pockets of diierent numerical value.

The embodiment herein disclosed and claimed constitutes an improvement over that shown in 10 our Patent No. 1,798,900 of March 31st, 1931.

An object of this invention is to provide a game similar to the one described in the above mentioned patent in which the helical guiding means is now so formed as to permit at least two players to utilize the same board or table and also the same helical guiding means without interfering with the play of one another.

A further object is to provide a game of the type mentioned in which a helicoid, is so arranged l290 that two players may simultaneously play in competition on the same table so that each may endeavor to maintain the higher score as the play proceeds.

With the present arrangement and construc- 25 tion as shown in the drawing, one or two players may engage in a game either individually or in competition, but it is obvious that with only slight modication the game may be so arranged as to provide for three or four players.

Various other objects and advantages will be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawing and a careful consideration of the following particular description and claims of one form of mechanism embodying our invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of Figure 1 taken approximately at the center.

With reference to the drawing l0 designates a substantially horizontal table slightly higher at the center 11 so as to provide an inclined panel 12 the upper `surface of which slopes towards both ends of the table, or, the inclined Vsurface may if Y4.6 preferred extend from the center 11 and terminate at 13 from which point the panel may extend perfectly level towards the ends as shown by the dotted lines 14 (Fig. 2).

Upon the upper face of the panel l2 there is "i mounted a helicoid or spiral having upstanding walls15 forming the convolutions of the spiral and it will be seen that although the walls in this preferred embodiment are continuous and uninterrupted, a double helicoid is formed hav- 355 ing alternating convolutions of which the two portions thereof remain separate and vdistinct from one another as far as the operation of the device is concerned. The walls l5 as shown, provide the circular channels or paths 17, 18 of which the path 17 extends in a straight line formed 89 by the side walls 19 and 20, towards one end of the table while the path 18 extends in the other direction as provided by the side walls 21 and 22 towards the opposed end of the table.

Numbered openings 30 and 3l are formed in 65 the upper panel 12 preferably closely adjacent the outer walls of the spirals which would place them at the lower part of the sloping upper panel so that should the ball 16 come to rest at that point of the spiral it will readily drop through '7. the adjacent opening, from which point it will be conducted by means of the channels 32 and 33 respectively to the pockets 34 and 35.

The operation of the device is as follows.

Assuming that two persons are about to engage in a competitive game, balls 16 are positioned at 50 and 51 and simultaneously set into motion by a means such as a cue which will tend to propel the balls guided by the walls 15 towards the inner terminations of the respective spirals at such 80 speeds as may be induced or eifected by the respective players, dependent upon their skill, in an endeavor to maintain the higher running score as the game proceeds. The balls will by virtue of their inertia pass over any of the openings 30 "85 and 31 if moving at any appreciable speed, but there will be a tendency for the ball to roll back and forth across an opening at slowly diminishing speed if the ball has not suiiicient momentum to carry it over the high portion at the center 11 9'0 of the sloping panel l2 while making the turns. When the ball has almost come to rest it will drop through whatever opening it happens to be at and fall into a channel or suitable guiding means 32 and 33 by which it will be conducted to the 95 respective pockets 34 and 35.

It will be readily seen and understood that the arrangement just described provides a spiral within a spiral thus forming, so to speak, a whirlpool which comprises the rolling elements whose direction is effected by the helically arranged walls 15.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention and portions of the improvements may be used without the others, whilst not departing from the spirit of the invention. Y

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a panel, a spiral guide having upstandj ing Walls mounted on said panel; said panel pro- 1.10

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vided with a row of exit openings adjacent said walls, said spiral guide having at least two entrance openings and so formed as to provide an individual helical passage connection with each entrance opening; said panel sloping downwardly in opposite directions from a transverse line thru the center of the spiral, said row of exit openings being perpendicular to said line and passing thru the center of the spiral.

2. In apparatus of the class described in cornbination, a panel, a spiral guide having walls mounted on said panel, said walls being so arranged as to provide at least two adjacent spiral passages, and a relativelyT straight runway one for each passage which runway-s extend in opposite directions.

3. In a game of skill, in combination, a panel, upstanding walls mounted upon said panel providing a spiral passageway terminating at one end into a straight runway, and a further spiral pas- -sageway formed by the same walls and also terminating at one end into a straight runway which `extends in a direction opposite to that of the rst said runway, both of said passages being provided with individual exit openings.

4. A game of skill comprising a flat spiral passageway having exit openings in radial alignment and terminating at one end into a relatively straight runway, and a further spiral passageway alternating with the rst said passageway and also terminating at one end into a relatively straight runway which extends in a direction opposite to that of the first said runway.

5. A game of skill comprising in combination a table-board having a substantially horizontal upper surface, a double spiral guide one within the other mounted on said surface intermediate the ends of the table-board, a relatively straight runway connecting with each guide and extending in opposite directions, and an upper surface within said spiral guides disposed at an inclination to the horizontal surface of the table-board; each guide being provided with individual exit openings. 4

CHARLES L. PHILLIPS. INGLIS M. UPPERCU.

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