US2048275A - Table shuffleboard - Google Patents

Description

July 2l, 1936. H. B. LusE TABLE SHUFFLEBOARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 -i-N FiledfNov. 9, 1953 July 21,1936- I H. B. LusE 2,048,275

Y yTABLE sHUFFLEBoARD Filed Nov. 9, 193s z sheets-sheet 2 a A7 90 92 93 if f7 www Patented July 2l, 1936 TABLE SHUFFLEBOARD Harry B. Luse, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner of one-half to William H. Dunson, Inglewood,

Calif.

Application November 9, 1933, Serial No. 697,256

9 Claims.

My invention relates to a coin control game simulating the game of shuffle-board and is designed as a game of skill in which the game can only be initiated on the deposit of a coin.

An object and feature of my invention is the construction of a table structure on which the game of shule-board may be played, together with a device for returning the weights or playing pieces to the starting line or position from which the weights are shot or impelled. A further feature of my invention is making the returning device for the weights dependent for its operation on the use of a coin, thus requiring a player to use and manipulate the coin before the player can play the game after positioning the playing .pieces at the starting end of the board.

A further object and feature of my invention las regards the device for returning the weights to the starting line is theuse of a lazy tong type of extension arm which may be used to move the weights from the end of the board which has the score marking to the initial or starting point. A further detail feature is in requiring the use of a coin before theweight-returning device may be extended to the rear end of the board to allow playing the game after shifting the weights` towards the starting line for the game.

A further object and feature of my invention is the use of a slidable impeller or cue which may be used to impel the weights from the starting point or line towards the scoring end of the board, these weights sliding on the board. The cue may be adjusted laterally and also pivoted on a vertical `axis so that the weights may be shot from any.

position transversely of the starting line and impelled either directly longitudinally of the board or at an angle to the sides.

A further feature of my invention employs a setting device by which the weights, after being returned to av position adjacent to the starting line may be manipulated or adjusted to the places desired by the player on this starting line.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section on the line I-I of Fig. 2 taken in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 2 is a substantially horizontal section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 taken in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3'3 in Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a vertical' section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. l in the direction of the arrows,4

, manner:

In constructing my invention I employ acabinet structure II which is illustrated as having a iloor or bottom I2 and is supported on legs I3.

The cabinet has opposite side walls I4, a back wall I5, front wall I6 and has a glass' or transparent 5 cover I 1. Extending longitudinally of the cabinet there is the game board I8 on which the game of shuflie-board is played. This extends end to end between the iront and back walls but is spaced from the side walls by the space or slots 10 I9, one adjacent each side wall except adjacent the front wall there are'closure strips 20 at the end of the slots. The game board has a transverse recessed section 2|, adjacent the front wall and the shoulder 22 (note Fig. 4) forms the 15, starting line for the game and adjacent the starting line there are a series of pins 23 against which the weights or playing pieces 24 may be adjusted. These playing pieces are illustrated as being constructed of at discs with a recessed center por- 2o tion 25 leaving a peripheral rim 26. vThe game board is laid out with score markings 21 which isV illustrated as bounded by the triangular rulings 28 in `which there is a back line 29, transverse lines 30 and 3l and a longitudinal line 32. The 25 apex 33 of the triangular ruled space is towards the front or the starting or playing line of the board. The spaces 34 thus ruled off on the board for numerals 35 indicating the scores for each space.

When the weights or playing pieces are positioned adjacent the starting line or pins 23 in a manner hereinafter described they may be adjusted into positionsfor playing in the following The front wall I6 is provided with an upper transverse slot 31 through which extends an adjusting or positioning handle 38 (note Figs. 1, 2, and 3). This adjusting handle has a hand grip end 39, a shank 40 extending therefrom, a hooked end 4I which latter is provided with a prong 42. A circular section 43 adjacent the prong prevents this manipulating handle from being entirely withdrawn or retracted from the slot 31. In the normal or inoperative position of this setting implement it may be suspended in the front and at one side of the game board in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. However,f when it is desired to position the weights in contact with the pins the hook end may be thrust inwardly by raising the hand grip end and `the recess 25 in the desired weight engaged by Y the prong, the prong catching on the rim 26, thus moving the weight into contact with a pair of the which square may slide in recess 2| Vof the game board. A coil spring 52 surrounds part of the rod and contacts a partly spherical'washer 53 which washer is designed to engage the inside cover plate 35 at the slot M. A nger manipulating end 543 is on the other end of the cue opposite the headV 5 l. slot in the front wall l5 the cue maybe moved vfromoneside to the other of the game board and due to theV partly spherical washer .53 may be inclined Yat an'angle tothe board. By the finger grip 54 the rod'50 may be pulled outwardly sothat the spring 5,2 is compressed. Then when thenger-grip end 54 isreleased theV spring pro- 'jects the head 5l. inwardly into Contact with the desired weight positioned at the starting line and in contact with apair .of pins. The impulse then .causesthe weight or-playing piece Vtoslide on the gameboard into the desired position on the Yscoring chart or torebound from the sides or from'the rear end of the cabinet.

TheV device `for returning the playing pieces from'the scoring end of the board to the starting position is constructed as follows: This employs alazy tongs type of arm 55 which lemploys links 55. YThese links at their intersection'are pivotally connected as indicated at 57 and at their ends Vas indicated at 55. A simple Way'to constructr the links is to have single rods overlapping Vand pivoted to double rods. Y At the inner end: of the lazy tongs arm each of the last "links 59 isprovided with a pin 50 (note Fig. 5)

which'v pinmay slide inV a transverse slot 5l in a bracket 52',- this having Y.upper and lower horizontal portions 53. and 55 and a vertical web 65. 4The"vertical `webs Yof the brackets extend up- 'wardly through the slotsk i9 fromloelow the game board and betweenrthese ns is a shifting strip 56- which slides on'. top.Y ofthe game board transvcrsely and 'is usedfto return the playing pieces `irom" the` scoring end tothe initial or starting end of' the gameboard.

Adjacent the front wall I 6 and on the inside VVthere is-locateda channel or similar structure 5l,

'thisl extending transversely across the game Yboard and preferably being secured at its'ends to theclosureforller Astrips 25 (note Figs. 3 and 94)'. This channel is illustrated as having a web `68 and upper and lower flanges 59 and 'I5 and through Athese flanges at the-end there are ver- "tical 'slots lvl. The outer-end linksrlZ of the lazy i to VVtong are provided with pins'3 operating in these "slots 'As thesefend links are one single and the other a double link'it-is'necessary to use ller I'pices 'ld tohave aproper t in the channel b etween the flanges. f

" 'f The device fori retracting the lazy tong arms to #move the shifting strip- 6G. from the scoringA end Yto-the starting vend of thegame'boardemploys anoperating rod"15 which mayY 'slide 'through a vbushing 161 infthefr'ontwall 'l-G (note Figs. 1 to 4) 51A? bea-ring plate 7J- rests on a false Vbottom or iioor 18, this latter extending from the rearfwall t box 85. projection head 5l on its inner end, one side of On account of the transverse i5 of the cabinet to a position indicated at 19 substantially below the shoulder 22 of the game board. This bearing plate ll is provided with a longitudinal slot 8B, a circular opening 8| in the slot for discharge of pennies or slugs, a second circular opening 82 for the discharge of genuine coins such as nickels. The slugs and. pennies fall through a slug chute 83 into a slug or penny receiving box 85. The coins such as nickels drop through a coin chute 85 into a coin These boxes rest on the floor or bottom i12' of the cabinet.

' The operating rod 'l5 is provided with a longitudinal slot 57, this having a stop end 88. The outer end of the rod is provided with a handle end 89 which extends downwardly outside of the front wall or" the cabinet. A circular coin pocket S10-is provided in the operating rod 'i5 intersecting the slot Si. A projecting end 9| of the bearing plate 'i extends beyond the front wall I6 of the cabinet to engage the under side of coinsdeposited in the coin pocket Si] outside of the front wall ofthe cabinet.

A main actuating pin 9i.V forms the center pivot of the intersecting end .links T2' of the lazy tong adjacent the front end of the cabinet. The lower end 93 of this pin extends downwardly into the longitudinal slot 8l of the operating rodA "l5 and may also extendv into the slot Bil of the `bearing plate l1. The parallel wear strips 94 are placed on the upper side of the false bottom 'E31 to engage the links of the lazy tong should these sag or to form aisupport for the intersecting. portions of the links.

Presuming the shifting strip G6 is in the position illustrated in Figs.. 1 and 2, that is, at the rear end i5. of the cabinet beyond the score markings and also presuming a game has been played and the Weights are adjacent to this end thena person vdesiring to play a game ofV shuffle-board may pull outwardly on the handle end 89 of the shifting rod T5. This causesthe rod to slide until Ythe endv 93 of the pin 52 engagesthe stop rend 88 at the end of the longitudinal slot 8l in this rod. Further pulling out of the rod 'i5 folds the links of the lazy tong and thus slides the shifting bar 65 from the position illustrated in full lines in Fig..l to the dotted line position 66',v the limit of movement being by the web 65 contacting with Ythe'iller piece 2l) at each end of the slots I9. In this folding action of the lazy tong links the ends of the end links slide in the slots 6l at the rear end and 'llat the front end thus allowing for the `transverse spreading of the links. This Ymovement of the shifting strip moves the playing pieces or Weights to position substantially shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

Before a player can return the shifting strip 66 from the position adjacent the front end of the cabinet to that adjacent the rear end it is necessary Ato'A place a coin in the coin pocket S0 of the operating rod 75. VThis coin' then engages the Vpin 92 and shove-s this pin and hence extends the links of the lazy tong until the shifting strip 66 againfoccupies its remote position when the coin drops'through the circular coin slot opening 82 into-'the coin chute 85 and hence into the coin box. V A proper sized coin passes the smaller opening 8l. but if a penny or an under-sized slug is used such penny or slug willtdrop through the penny or slug .slot 8i intothe. slug: chute 83. and hence into the slug 'box 8d andthereiwill beeno. reacting eleme'nt to cause a longitudinal movement of the fet pin 92Land hencert-he. extending of. theilazy tong. -75

Various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shuffle-board game comprising in combination a game board, side walls extending longitudinally at the sides of said board, means indicating a starting position for weights or playing pieces, markings on the board indicating scoring positions, a front Wall having a guide slot extending transversely across the board adjacent the starting position, a cue mounted in said guide slot, said cue having means for swiveling on a vertical axis at said slot to project the weights at variable angles to the side walls of the board and a spring operating with the cue to give a projecting impulse to the weights, a retraction means comprising a shifting strip mounted above the surface of the board, and a lazy tong connected between the strip and to the board adjacent the starting position to move said shifting strip from a position beyond the scoring markings on the board to a position adjacent the starting position to return the projected weights from their projected position to a place adjacent the starting position.

2. A shuflie-board game comprising in combination a game board having a starting position with pins to align the playing pieces at one end and score markings adjacent the opposite end, a guide slot extending transversely of the board adjacent the starting position, a cue comprising a rod slidably mounted in said guide slot, said rod having a projection head to engage a weight adjacent the starting position, a compressible spring on the rod compressible between the head and the said guide means and a finger grip device to compress the said spring, a retraction means consisting of a shifting strip extending transversely across the game board and slidable thereon, means to initially position the said shifting strip at the end of the board remote from the starting position, the said positioning means being operative to slide the shifting strip on the surface of the board towards the starting position to retract the projected weights.

3. A shuile-board game comprising in combination a flatgame board having markings indicating a starting position, lat weights resting on said board and a projection means operative substantially parallel tov the surface of the board to forcibly strike the weights at the starting position and slide said weights longitudinally of the board, a guide structure at the end of the game board adjacent the startingV position and a positioning handle operating in said guide means and having a hook to engage the weights and locate said weights adjacent the starting position on the board.

4. A shuiiie-board game comprising in combination a game board having a means forming a starting position, a plurality of discs forming weights and resting on said board to slide thereon, a projection instrument to engage a weight at the starting position and to project the said weight by sliding the same longitudinally of the board, a retraction strip extending transversely across the board, a lazy tong type of arm operatively connected to said strip, means to retract said lazy tong arm to slide said stripfor returning projected weights to a location adjacent the starting position, the means for retracting the lazy tong arm having a coin holding structure and means mounted on the lazy tong cooperative with the coin therein for extending the lazy tong and moving the shifting strip from adjacent the starting position to the opposite end of the board, said means on the lazy tong being operative for retracting the lazy tong. I

5. A shuiiie-board game comprising, in combination, a game board having a flat surface for supporting playing weights, means to project said weights longitudinally of the board, a shifting strip extending transversely across the top of the board, a retraction and extending means connected to said shifting strip, a shifting rod slidably mounted, means to interengage the shifting rod and the retraction and extension means to collapse the extension means and shift the shifting strip from the rear to the front end of the board, said shifting rod having a coin receiving pocket,- the coin in said pocket being adapted to 2G form an interengagement with the retracting and extension means to extend the extension means and move the shifting strip from the front to the rear end of the board.

6. A shuflie-board game comprising, in combination, a game board having a flat surface for sliding playing weights thereon from a front to a rear end of the board, a shiftable strip mounted on the top of the board, a lazy tong arm operatively connected to said shiftable strip, a shifting 3 rod, means for an interengagement between the shifting rod and the lazy tong arm to collapse said arm and move the shifting strip from the rear towards the front end of the bo-ard.

7. A shuiiie-board game comprising, in combination, a game board having a flat` surface for sliding of playing weights from the front to the rear end of the board, a shifting strip extending transversely of the board on the upper surface thereof, a lazy tong arm positioned below the board and having a connection at the sides of the board with the shifting strip, a pin on the lazy tong arm, a shifting rod having a slot with a pin engaging therein, said pin when engaged by one end of the slot and by an outward movement of the shifting rod collapses the lazy tong arm and moving the shifting strip from the rear towards the front end of the board, said shifting rod having 'a coin pocket and the coin in said pocket being adapted to engage the said pin whereby on inward movement of the shifting rod the lazy tong arm is extended and the shifting strip moved from the front towards the rear end of the board.

8. A shuiiie-board game as claimed in claim 7,

a front wall positioned at the front end of the 5 board and having a transverse slot, a cue having a rod extending through said slot withA a projection head on the inner end, a washer with a spherical bearing engaging the inside of the end wall, a compression spring between the head and the washer and a nger grip end on the end of the rod remote from the head.

9. A shuiile-board game as claimed in claim 7, the front wall having a transverse slot, a positioning handle having a hand grip end on the outside of the end wall, said handle extending through the saidlatter slot and having a prong on its inner end adapted to engage a playing weight for the positioning of said weight adjacent the front end of the board.

HARRY B. LUSE.

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