US2023676A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

D@ w E935 o. K. FISCHER 2,023,676

GAME APPARATUS Y Filed Jan. 25, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 1 52 INVENTOR.

05cm" ff. E56/Lef 7 M706 i 47 Y l? m M5 ATTORNEY5.

Dem M), 935.. V O. K F|5CHER 2,023,676

GAME APFARATUS Filed Jan. 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. soa/ K Escher BY//mfj my (DM /f/s ATTORNEY5.

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Patented Dec. l0, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME APPARATUS Application January 25, 1935, Serial No. 3,377

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a game apparatus.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved game apparatus which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and efficient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a game apparatus of the so-called pin and marble game or bagatelle type in which there is provided an inclined playing field or ball raceway and means for automatically and simultaneously propelling a plurality or group of balls down said raceway toward the lower end thereof and against pins or other obstructions arranged thereon whereby the balls are caused to race down the raceway and against the pins arranged thereon.

A further object of the present invention is to provide in a game apparatus, the combination of a game apparatus comprising a cabinet, including an inclined playing board having ball exit openings therein; means for propelling balls one at a time onto the upper portion of said playing board so that they may gravitate thereover and enter into said exit openings; runways below said playing board and each having communication with a predetermined number of said exit openings; an inclined ball raceway below said playing board and having communication at its upper end with the lower ends of said runways; a barrier movably mounted in said cabinet between the upper end of said raceway and the lower ends of said runways and adapted to stop balls traveling down the latter toward said raceway; and means including an electromagnetic device actuated by balls entering said runways and coacting with said barrier to propel balls out of said runways down the saidraceway.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form oi construction and in which:

Fig. l is a top plan View of a preferred form of the new game apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on line 2--2 in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional detail View on line 3--3 in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan View on line 4-6 vin Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective detail view, partly in section .showing part of the resetting device for a ball-releasing trap door which is embodied in the presentA apparatus A preferred form of the new game apparatus 1 l is shown in the drawings, is therein generally indicated at IB, and comprises a cabinet II which includes an inclined playing board I2 having ball exit openings I3 formed therein.

Arranged at one side of the playing board I2 'is 15r a ramp or runway I4 and arranged at the lower end of the ramp I4 is a ball propelling device or plunger I5 by means of which balls may be propelled one at a time up the ramp I4 onto the upper portion of the inclined playing board I2 so 20 that they may enter into the ball exit openings I3.

Pivotally mounted upon the playing board I2 in each ball exit opening I3, as at I6, is a trap door II. Each of these trap doors or closure members I l includes an arm I3 which projects into the cor- 25 responding exit opening I3 when the trap door is in open position, as in position A, Fig. 3, and each of these trap doors il includes a closure plate i9 which is disposed in position to close the corresponding exit opening I3 when in closed po- 30 sition, as in position B, Fig. 3.

Arranged in the cabinet II below the inclined playing board I2 is an inclined floor 20 and provided upon the upper portion of this inclined floor 2E! are a plurality of parallel ball runways ZI each 35 having communication with a preselected number of the ball eXit openings I3.

The major portion of the upper surface of the inclined floor 2t provides a ball raceway 22 which is disposed below the inclined floor I2 but is visi- 40 ble from above the same by reason of the fact that the inclined board I2 is provided with a cutout portion 23 which is coincidental with the area of the raceway 22.

Provided upon the raceway 22 are a plurality 45 of pins 24 and arranged at the lower end of each runway ZI is a circuit-closing device in the form of an 'electrical contact 25, each of these contacts 25 providing a seat for a ball 25; spaced parallel rails 2l being provided on the inclined iioor 50 2G at the mouths or lower ends of the runways 2l to separate or isolate the balls when the same are disposed upon the ball seats or contacts 25.

Extending transversely across the lower ends or mouths Vof the runways 2l is a ball-stopping 55 member or barrier 28 which is pivotally mounted at its ends, as at 29, in suitable supports 39 which, in turn, are mounted upon the inclined floor 20 as shown in Fig. 6.

The barrier or ball-stopping member 28 includes spaced parallel rails 3i and 32, and this barrier 28 is normally urged by a spring 33 into position, as shown in Fig. 6, to Vdispose the rail 32 in engagement with the upper surfaces of the side rails 21 of the runways 2I while at the same time positioning the rail 3i sufficiently high above the upper surface of the inclined floor 29 so that balls traveling down the runways 2| .may pass under the rail 3| and engage against the rail 32 of the barrier 28 and be held thereby upon the contacts or circuit-closing devices 25.

Eachof the circuit-'closing devicesY or movable contacts 25 is engageable, as shown in Fig. 3, with a relatively stationary contact 34, and these circuit-closing devices 25--34 are arranged in an electric circuit 35, shown in Fig. 8. This circuit 35 includesl an electromagnetic device 39V and a suitable source of electric current, such as a battery of dry cellsk 31, which maybe arranged at convenient points in the cabinet I I.

Carried by the ball-stopping member or barrier 28 is an arm 38 (Fig. 6), and engageable with this arm 38 is the plunger or armature 39 of the eletromagnetic device 36.

Balls may be propelled one at a time, by the plunger I5, up the runway or ramp I4 onto the upper portion of the inclined playing board I2 so that they may enter into the ball exit openings I3, and upon passing through the latter pivot the trap doors I1 into closed position, as in positionY B, Fig. 3, whereupon the balls drop down into their respective runways 2I and are guided by the latter tothe lower end portions of the runways 2| where they pass under the rail 3l of the barrier 28 and engage Vagainst the rail 32 of the said barrier 28 by which they are thus stopped and held in position upon the ball seats or contacts 25.

The ball seats or contacts 25 are arrangedin a series circuit as shown in Fig. 8, so that in order to close this circuit it is necessary that a ball 26 be disposed in each of the runways 2I and upon each of the several ball seats or circuit-closing contacts 25. Y

When the foregoing condition is brought about bythe player, that is, when there is a ball disposed upon each of the ball seats or contacts 25,

which may be effected through the exercise of skill in directing the balls into the exit openings I3, then the electric circuit 35 is closed; whereupon the arm 39 of the solenoid'ib` is projected into engagement with the arm 38 of the ball stop or barrier 28, thereby pivoting the barrier 28 in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 6, or in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig-.78. This movement ofthe barrier Y2li-causes the rail 3| thereof to'engage the balls 25 which are disposed on the contacts or ball seats 25, and at the same time raises the rail 32 of the barrier 23'up above the side rails 21. of the runways 2 i, thereby propelling the balls 26 out of the runways Yiii-and off the contacts orY circuit-closing members or ball seats 25- and down over the inclined raceway 22, whereuponlthe balls may engage with the pin 24 and be deflected thereby from point toipoint as they travel down the raceway. The group of balls V26 in this Way are caused to race down the raceway 22and the players interest is maintained in watching the' relative Vor competitive movement of the balls26 down theraceway 22 tothe lower end thereof, whereupon the balls are directed by the angled side walls 48 of the raceway 22 into a relatively restricted runway 4I which is provided with a plurality of ball exit openings 42. These ball exit openings 42 are formed in the inclined playing board 29 and arranged below the exit openings 42, but normally disposed out of registration with the same, and a plurality of ball exit openings 43 which are formed in a panel or gate 44 which is slidably mounted in the cabinet l I below the inclined oor 2 I.

The ball releasing member or slide panel 44 carries a depending bracket 45 and the inner end of the coin slide 46 is engageable with the bracket 45 so as to move the slide panel 44 and dispose the exit openings 43 therein in registration with the exit openings 42 at the start of each game, whereupon the balls disposed in the ball seats or exit openings 42 are discharged through the latter and the exit openings 43 onto the inclined runway 41 by which the balls are conducted to a transverse runway 48 and are, inl turn, guided by the latter into an elevating device (not shown) by which they may be elevated one at a time up into the ramp I4 in front of the propelling device or plunger I5.

The circuit closing devices or contacts 25 are mounted upon a supporting base or gate 49 which is pivotally mounted at its ends, as at 59, (Fig. 5) in a cut-out opening 53 which is provided in the inclined iioor 29. Attached to and depending from the pivotal support or gate 49 is an arm 5I which is normally urged by a spring 52, into full line position, Fig. 3, so as to dispose the gate or support 49 in raised position in the cut-out opening 53`in the inclined floor 29 in which this gate or support 49 is pivotally mounted.

Attached to the slidable member 44 is an arm 54 which is adapted to engage with the depending arm 5I when the member 44 is shifted (left to right, Fig. 3) by action of the coin slide 46, thereby pivoting the contact support or gate 49 into lowered or dotted line position, as in Fig. 3, so as to discharge from the support or gate 49 onto the inclined runway 41 any balls which may be disposed upon the ball seats 25 at the start of the playing operation. When the coin slide is released the slidable member 44 is returned to its initial position v(right to left, Fig. 3) by means of r an arm 51 which is attached to and depends from a'slide plate-55 which is slidably mounted upon Yand below the inclined playing board I2 (Fig. 3);

this arm 51 being engageable with a lateral eX- tension 58 of the slidable member 44, and as the Y engagement ofthe arm 51 with the extension 58 returns the slidable member 44 to its initial position (right to left, Fig. 3) the spring 52 acts upon the arm 5I to pivot the gate 49 into closed positierrasY in full lines, Fig. 3, the gate 49 being `,stopped in raised position by means of a .stop 69 Yso that its upper surface is substantially flush with the surface of the inclined oor 20.

The slide plate 55 is provided with tongues Y5 9 which are adapted to engage the arms I8 ofthe trap Vdoors i1 when the latter are in closed position, and the slide plate 55 is shifted (leit to right,

Fig. 3) by engagement of the lateral extension 58 of theslidable member 44 with the depending arm 51 of the sli-de plate 55, so as to pivot the trap doors I1 into open or upright position, as

in position AV inFig. 3. i

No claim is made in the present application to any invention in the trap doors I1 or slide plate 55 by which the same are reset into closed position since these parts are not the invention of the present applicant.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modication, without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a game apparatus, the combination of: a cabinet including a member providing a ballplaying surface; a plurality of ball runways having communication with said ball playing surface; a member movably mounted in the said cabinet including a ball-propelling portion and including a ball-stopping or barrier portion normally disposed in the path of balls traveling along said runways toward said playing surface; and means actuate-d by balls held in the said ball runways by the said barrier portion of said secondnamed member for moving the said barrier portion of the latter out of engagement with the balls held thereby in said runways while atthe same time moving the said ball-propelling por.

tion of said .second-named member into engagement with the said balls so as to propel the latter out of said runways onto the sai-d playing surface.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination of acabinet including a member providing a ballplaying surface; a plurality of ball runways having communication with said ball playing surface; a member movably mounted in the said cabinet including a ball-propelling portion and including a ball-stopping or barrier portion normally disposed in the path of balls traveling along said runways toward said playing surface; and means including an electromagnetic device actuated by balls held in the said ball runways by the said barrier portion of said second-named member for moving the said barrier portion of the latter out of engagement with the balls held thereby in said runways while at the same time moving the said ball-propelling portion of said second-named member into engagement with the said balls so as to propel the latter out of said runways onto the said playing surface.

3. In a game apparatus, the combination of a cabinet including a member providing a ballplaying surface having an opening formed therein; a member pivotally mounted in said opening; a plurality of ball runways arranged upon said playing surface and each having a portion eX- tending over said pivotally mounted member; a member pivotally mounted in the said cabinet including a ball-propelling portion and including a barrier or ball-stopping portion normally disposed in the path of balls traveling along said runways; means normally urging the said second-named member into raised position against the attraction of gravity; means actuated by balls disposed upon said second-named member for moving the said third-named member in a direction to move the said barrier or ball-stopping portion thereof` out of engagement with the balls held thereby in the said runways while at the same time moving the said ball-propelling portion of the same into engagement with the said balls so as topropel the latter out of said runways; and means for moving the said second-named member into lowered position against the action of said urging means so as to discharge balls held thereby in said runways to a point below said playing surface.

4. In a game apparatus, the combination of: a cabinet including a member providing a ballplaying surface having an opening formed therein; a member pivotally mounted in said opening; I

a plurality of ball runways arranged upon said playing surface and each having a portion extending over said pivotally mounted member; a member pivotally mounted in the sai-d cabinet including a ball-propelling portion and including a barrier or ball-stopping portion normally disposed in the path of balls traveling along said runways; means normally urging the said second-named member into raised position against the attraction of gravity; means including an electromagnetic device actuated by balls disposed upon said second-named member for moving the said thirdnamed member in a direction to move the said barrier or ball-stopping portion thereof out of engagement with the said balls held thereby in the said runways while at the same time moving the said ball-propelling portion thereof into engagement with the said balls so as to propel the same out of said runways; and means for moving the said sec-ond-named member into lowered position against the action of said urging means so as to discharge balls held thereby in said runways to a point below said playing surface.

5. In a game apparatus, the combination of: a cabinet; a plurality of inclined ball runways in said cabinet; a barrier movably mounted in said cabinet and normally disposed in the path of balls traveling along said runways, and means including a device actuated by the conjoint action of a plurality of balls held by said barrier, one in each of said runways, for moving said barrier out of engagement with the said balls held thereby so as to release the said balls simultaneously and thus permit them t-o travel by gravity past said barrier along said runways.

6. In a game apparatus, the combination of: a cabinet including a member providing a ballplaying surface; a member movably mounted in said cabinet and including a barrier portion normally disposed in the path of balls traveling over said playing surface; said member including a ball-propelling portion movable into engagement with the said balls upon said playing surface by the said barrier portion of said member; and means including a device actuated by the conjoint action of a plurality of balls held or stopped upon the said playing surface by the said barrier portion of said member for moving the said member in such a manner as to move the said barrier portion thereof out of engagement with the said balls held thereby, while at the same time moving the said ball-propelling portion of the said member int-o engagement with the said balls thus released from engagement with the said barrier portion of said member, and thus propel the same over said playing surface.

OSCAR K. FISCHER.

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