US3172664A

US3172664A - Table tapping aerial projectile game apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3172664A
Application number: US162701A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raymond J Lohr; Martin J Condry
Original assignee: Louis Marx and Co Inc
Current assignee: Louis Marx and Co Inc
Priority date: 1961-12-28
Filing date: 1961-12-28
Publication date: 1965-03-09
Anticipated expiration: 1982-03-09
Also published as: GB947444A

Description

March 9, 1965 R. J. LoHR ETAL 3,172,664

TABLE TAPPING AERIAL PRoJEcTILE GAME APPARATUS Filed nec. 28, 1961 .5' 5 INVENTORS United States Patent O 3,172,664 TABLE TAPPING AERIAL PROEECTILE GAME APPARATUS Raymond J. Lohr and Martin J. Condry, Erie, Pa., assignors to Louis Marx 8a Company, Inc., New York, NX., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 28, 1961, Ser. No. 162,701 10 Claims. (Cl. 273-95) This invention relates to games, and mare particularly to an apparatus for playing a table tapping game.

The general object of the invention is to provide a novel gaine apparatus for a game which may be played indoors within limited space. The game is remotely related to others, such as table tennis, but the playing board is very small and may be placed on any available table. The game requires very little room because it employs a hat puck rather than a ball, and the puck is hit only indirectly from beneath the board, and therefore has a very limited flight.

A more particular object ofthe invention is to add interest to the game by the provision of markings on the game board for a variety of diferent ways to score the game.

Still another object is to so design the game apparatus that it may be shipped and stored compactly, and for this purpose the net and the legs used with the game board are made readily detachable.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, our invention resides in the game apparatus elements and their relation one to another, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by a drawing in which:

HG. l is a plan View of a game apparatus embodying features of the invention;

FG. 2 is a vertical section taken approximately in the plane of the line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section taken approximately in the plane of the line 3 3 of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section drawn to enlarged scale, and taken approximately in the plane of the line 4 4 of FIG. l; and l FIG. 5 is a fragmentary end view explanatory of a detail.

Referring to the drawing, the game apparatus con-- prises a rectangular playing board generally designated 12. There are four legs 14 located at the corners to elevate the board above a conventional table on which the assembly is rested, the top of said tabie being suggested in FlG. 2 by the lines 16. A net 18 is secured in upright position across the board half way between its ends. Mallets 20 are provided for striking the bottom of the board. A puck 22 is adapted to be propelled from one side of the net to the other by an upward blow of the mallet. The mallet stroke is indicated in PEG. 2 by the change from the solid line position 2) to the broken line position 2n', and the flight of the puclr is indicated by the

successive positions

22, 22', 22", etc.

Considering the apparatus in greater detail, the playing board 12 slopes downward from the ends to the center, as indicated at 24 and 26 in FiG. 2. The entire board may be an integrally molded piece of plastics material. it includes an inverted trough shaped flange around the periphery of the board, to help confine the puck to the board, and to stiften the board. This flange is of substantial depth at the sides, as indicated at 28, but not at the ends, where the depth preferably is substantially reduced, as indicated at 30. This elimination of the deep iange at the ends facilitates use of the mailets beneath the board, the opposing players being positioned at the ends lice of the board, and the mallets being held in a direction lengthwise of the board. At the sides the iange 28 is made deep enough to fully enclose the sloping bottom walls 24 and 25.

The board also has an inverted trough shaped bead 32 extending from side to side at the middle of the board beneath the net t3. This bead is shown in section in FIG. 2, and it is useful not only for stiffening the board, but also for limiting the sliding ofthe puck so that it will remain on one side or the other.

At its corners the board is provided with sockets 31% to receive the legs 14. In the present case these sockets are cylindrical and have a depth corresponding to the height of the flange 28. The sockets are concealed within the flange. They detachably receive the legs 14's, and in the present case the legs are circular in section and made of wood. The upper ends are longitudinally slotted, as by means of a saw cut, so as to make the same somewhat compressible, and the parts are so dimensioned that the legs are received with a frictional or resilient lit in the sockets. The lower ends of the legs are preferably provided with feet indicated at 35, and these may be made of a soft material in order not to mar a furniture table top, or they may be made of a harder plastics ma terial, but in such case with a very smooth bottom surface. In the latter case the lower ends as well as the upper ends of the legs may be slotted, for a yieldable fit in the feet 36. The inner ends of the slots are indicated at 33 in FlG. 2.

The 1nallet 29 may take other forms, but in the preferred form shown the handle 4t? is a metal rod, and the head 42 is a sphere of rubber. This is preferred for noise reduction, as well as its damping action on the flight of the puck.

The puck 22 is preferably a disc made of a plastics material. One is shown on the left side in FIG. l. The body portion 44 of the disc within its periphery 46 may be thinned to lighten the puck and to reduce the amount of plastics material required. One side of the puck may be marked tails as indicated at 48, and the other side, while not shown, is conversely marked heads This marking is optional and is intended for a special purpose described later.

The net 1S is most simply made by molding it integrally out of a plastics material, and the piece as molded may include a widened top edge Sii, and two end posts 52. The remainder of the net is a grid or mesh of any desired type, that shown in FIG. 3 being made up of simple rectangles.

The playing board has sockets `to receive the lower ends of the posts 52, as shown at 54 in FIG. 3. ln the present case the top has rectangular holes to receive the rectangular posts, and inside the iiange the board is molded with a pair of guides or webs 56 which extend transverseriy across the trough at each edge of the board. The spacing between the webs 56 corresponds to the Width of the posts, so that the net is held in the desired upright position. if desired, small detent projections 5S may be molded on the post ends 54, to help hold them in position. ln such case the rectangular holes have clearance inside the posts, so that the latter can be biassed toward one another slightly when the net is` being removed from the board.

With this construction the net preferably is cut away just inside the posts, as indicated at 53 in FlG. 3. This permits the net to clear the peripheral flange, so that the lower edge of the net comes down close to the transverse dividing bead 32 previously described.

Reverting to FIG. l, each half of the board is preferably marked with a serving circle indicated at 60. In

addition, each half of the board may be divided into areas marked with numbers corresponding to score values. In vvthe present case there are two side areas marked 2, two Iside areas marked 3, a center area marked "1, and an 'outer area marked 5, Some of the dividing lines between these areas are indicated on the drawing by the reference numeral 62.

Finally, one half of the board is marked heads, as indicated at 64, and the other half is marked tails, as indicated at 66. These markings are optional, and enter into the rules and the scoring of certain games which are described later.

A further structural feature is the provision of a scoring peg to help indicate and remember the current score. For this purpose the top of the ange is provided with two rows of holes indicated at 68 and '70 in FIG. 1. The scoring peg is drawn to enlarged scale in FIG. 4, and may include a handle portion 72 surmounting a stud or pin 74. This is dimensioned to be received in the holes. Reverting to FIG. 1, it will be seen that there are four groups of ve holes each, with an additional hole at each end. The first hole corresponds to zero, and the remaining holes permit scoring up to the winning score of 21.

Some games which may be played with the foregoing apparatus may be described as follows:

Game #l The object is to hit the puck back and forth over the net until someone misses and loses a point. The first player to reach 21 points wins the game.

To play, the players are at opposite ends of the playing board. Either player can start the game by placing the puck in the serving circle designated on the board. He then strikes the base under the board, and the puck will fly over the net. The other player then hits it back, and the play continues back and forth until one of the players misses and loses a point.

The serve is then started again. Each player gets tive serves at a time, alternating with one another, as in table tennis.

Game #2 The object is to hit the puck back and forth over the net and to land in the various numbered places on the opposite side of the board. The first player scoring 21 points wins the game.

To play, either player may start the game. However, each player will get an equal number of shots. This means that if the player who started the game is the one who reaches 2l first, the other player will then get one more shot. The first player places the puck on the starting circle designated on the playing board, and strikes the board underneath. The .puck will then fly over the net onto the other side, and is scored according to the place where it lands. If the game ends tied, it will go into a sudden death play, with the players taking one shot each until one scores more than the other. The game is then over.

Each players may score 1, 2, 3, or 5 points per shot. If the puck comes to rest on a line so that a portion of the puck is in two or more 4scoring places, the lower or lowest score counts. However, if the puck is on a line and touching only one scoring section, that score counts.

Game #3 This game is played like game #2, with the exception that a puck marked heads on one side and tails on the other is used. The scoring is the same also, except that to score, the puck must land on the heads side of the board with its heads marking up. The same applies to the tails side. The players alternate shots. If the puck lands on the tails side of the board with the heads side up, that shot iS 105i, and vice versa.

Game #4 The object again is to hit the puck over the net and to score as many as possible. The first player reaching 21 wins. However, there is a penalty for missing.

rEhe players alternate the iirst shot of each game. The first player places the puck in the designated starting circle, and hits the puck over the net and scores either l, 2, 3, or 5, as in game #2. However, he may keep on shooting as long as he wishes, or he may stop and take his score at any time. If, for example, the player scored 3 on his first shot and decides to keep on shooting and then misses a following shot, he forfeits all points he scored in that turn. On the other hand, he may quit at any time and accept his score. The second player then shoots.

To make this even more exacting, one can play until a player reaches exactly 21 points. For example, if he has 18 and scores 5 on his next shot, he stays at 18 until he scores 3.

Game #5 This game is played with two pucks. Either player can start the game. The first player places both pucks beside the starting circle. Each player gets two strokes on each turn, and if he hits both pucks over simultaneously in one stroke, he receives the score designed where the pucks land, plus a 5 point bonus. If he fails to get both over in one shot, he gets the score where the pucks land, with no bonus. ri`he pucks must be played from where they land. rl`his game is scored the same as game #2.

For younger children and beginners, all of the games may be made easier as by first playing without using the net.

ln the particular assembly here shown the board is about twelve inches wide and twenty inches long, and is supported on legs about twelve inches long. The marginal flange has a depth of about one and one-half inches. The mallets are about twelve inches long and have a rubber head about three-quarters of an inch in diameter. The puck has a diameter of 1% inches and a thickness of l/s inch.

It is believed that the construction and method ot playing our improved game apparatus, as well as the advantages thereof, will be apparent from the foregoing detailed description. It will also be apparent that while we have shown and described the game apparatus in a preferred form, changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as sought to be defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. A table tapping game apparatus comprising a stiff rectangular playing board having a continuous intact surface, legs at the corners for elevating the same, a net secured in upright position across the board half way between its ends, mallets for striking the bottom of the board, a puck adapted to be propelled from one side over the net to the other side by an upward blow of the mallet beneath the board, said playing board sloping downward from the ends to the center and having an inverted trough shaped flange around the periphery of board to help conne the puck to board and to stiften the board, said board also having an inverted trough shaped bead extending from side to side at the middle beneath the net, said board and flange and bead being integrally molded out of a single body of material, said net being integrally molded out of a plastics material and as molded including posts at the ends, said board having sockets dimensioned to detachably receive the lower ends of said posts, said net being cut away just inside the posts to clear the peripheral flange of the board, said board hav- -ing sockets at the corners inside the flange to detachably receive the upper ends of the legs.

2. A table tapping game apparatus comprising a stiff rectangular playing board having a continuous intact surface, legs at the corners for elevating the same, a net secured in upright position across the board half way between its ends, mallets for striking the bottom of the board, a puck adapt-ed to be propelled from one side over the net to the other side by an upward blow of the mallet beneath the board, said playing board sloping downward from the ends to the center and having a flange around the periphery of 4the board to help confine the puck to the board and to stiien the board, said anges at the sides being relatively deep and of suiiicient depth so that the sloping board lies wholly between the upper and lower edges of the side anges, said anges at the ends being relatively narrow to permit free access to the underside of the game board for striking the same with the mallets, said board and flanges being integrally molded out of a single body of material.

3. A game apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which each half of the board is marked with a serving circle.

4. A game apparatus asdened in claim 2 in which the entire area of each half of the board is divided into smaller areas marked with numbers corresponding to score values.

5. A game apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which one half of the board is marked heads and the other half is marked tails, and in which the puck is marked heads on the side and tails on the other.

6. A game apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which each half of the board is marked with a serving circle, and in which one half ofthe board is marked heads and the other half is marked tails, and in which the puck is marked heads on one side and tails on the other, and in which each half of the board is divided into areas marked with numbers corresponding to score values.

7. A table tapping game apparatus comprising a stiff rectangular playing board having a continuous intact surface, legs at the corners for elevating the same, mallets for striking the bottom of the board, a puck adapted to be propelled from one side to the other side by an upward blow of the mallet beneath the board, said playing board sloping downward from the ends to the center and having a flange around the periphery of the board to help confine the puck to the board and to stiften the board, said iianges at the sides being relatively deep and of suicient depth so that the sloping board lies wholly between the upper and lower edges of the side flanges, said flanges at the ends being relatively narrow to permit free access to the underside of the game board for striking the same with the mallets.

8. A table tapping game apparatus comprising a stitf rectangular playing board having a continuous intact surface, legs at the corners for elevating the same, a net secured in upright position across the board half way between its ends, mallets for striking the ybottom of the board, a puck adapted to be propelled from one side over the net to the other side by an upward blow of the mallet beneath the board, said playing board sloping downward from the ends to the center and having a ange around the periphery of the board to help coniine the puck to the board and to stiien the board, said flanges at the sides being relatively deep and of sufficient depth so that the sloping board lies wholly between the upper and lower edges of the side iianges, said flanges at the ends being relatively narrow to permit free access to the underside of the game board for striking the same with the mallets, said board and flange being integrally molded out of a single body of material, said net being integrally molded out of a plastics material and as molded including posts at the ends, said board having socket dimensioned to detachably receive the lower ends of said posts.

9. A table tapping game apparatus comprising a stift rectangular playing board having a continuous intact surface, legs at the corners for elevating the same, a net secured in upright position across the board half way between its ends, mallets for striking the bottom of the board, a puck adapted to be propelled from one side over the net to the other side by an upward blow of the mallet beneath the board, said playing board sloping downward from the ends to the center and having an inverted trough shaped flange around the periphery of the board to help confine the puck to the board and to stiften the board, said anges at the sides being relatively deep and of sutilcient depth so that the sloping board lies wholly between the upper and lower edges of the side flanges, said flanges at the ends being relatively narrow to permit free access to the underside of the game board for striking the same with the mallets, said board also having an inverted trough shaped bead extending from side to side at the middie beneath the net, said board and flange and bead being integrally molded out of a single body of material, said board having sockets at the corners inside the flange to detachably receive the upper ends of the legs.

l0. A table tapping game apparatus comprising a stiti rectangular playing board having a continuous intact surface, legs at the corners for elevating the same, a net secured in upright position across the board half way between its ends, mallets for striking the bottom of the board, a puck adapted to be propelled from one side over the net to Ithe other side by an upward blow of the mallet beneath the board, said playing board sloping downward from the ends -to the center and having an inverted trough shaped iiange around the periphery of the board to help coniine the puck to the board and to stiften the board, said iianges at the sides being relatively deep and ot suiiicient depth so that the sloping board lies wholly between the upper and lower edges of the side flanges, said flanges at the ends being relatively narrow to permit free access to the underside of the game board for striking the same with the mallets, said board also having an inverted trough shaped bead extending from side to side at the middle beneath the net, said board and ange and bead being integrally molded out of a single body of material, said net being integrally molded out of a plastics material and as molded inciuding posts at the ends, said board having sockets dimensioned to detachably receive the lower ends of said posts, said net being cut away just inside the posts to clear the peripheral iiange of the board, said board having sockets at the corners inside the ange to detachably receive the upper ends of the legs.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 481,548 8/92 Buck 273-95 488,762 12/92 Gist 273-95 1,276,015 8/18 Belknap. 2,160,299 5/39 Zinngrabe 273-85 3,059,927 10/62 Kamp 273-85 FOREIGN PATENTS 21,586 1898 Great Britain. 864,998 4/61 Great Britain. 383,657 10/23 Germany.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

Claims

7. A TABLE TAPPING GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING A STIFF RECTANGULAR PLAYING BOARD HAVING A CONTINUOUS INTACT SURFACE, LEGS AT THE CORNERS FOR ELEVATING THE SAME, MALLETS FOR STRIKING THE BOTTOM OF THE BOARD, A PUCK ADAPTED TO BE PROPELLED FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER SIDE BY AN UPWARD BLOW OF THE MALLET BENEATH THE BOARD, SAID PLAYING BOARD SLOPING DOWNWARD FROM THE ENDS TO THE CENTER AND HAVING A FLANGE AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE BOARD TO HELP CONFINE THE PUCK TO THE BOARD AND TO STIFFEN THE BOARD, SAID FLANGES AT THE SIDES BEING RELATIVELY DEEP AND OF SUFFICIENT DEPTH SO THAT THE SLOPING BOARD LIES WHOLLY BETWEEN THE UPPER AND LOWER EDGES OF THE SIDE FLANGES, SAID FLANGES AT THE ENDS BEING RELATIVELY NARROW TO PERMIT FREE ACCESS TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE GAME BOARD FOR STRIKING THE SAME WITH THE MALLETS.