US3185479A - Ring-type ball throwing and catching toy - Google Patents

Description

y 25, 17955 c. c. ORTEGA RING-TYPE BALL THROWING AND CATCHING TOY Filed Dec. 18, 1962 Char/offs 6. Orfegm INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,185,479 I RING-TYPE BALL THROWING AND CATCHING TOY Charlotte C. Ortega, Nestor, Calif. (221 National Ave., SantYsidro, Calif.) Filed Dec. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 245,453 2 Claims. (Cl. 273-96) This invention generally relates to a game device and more particularly, a toy which can be used to catch and throw a ball.

In brief, the invention comprises a basket like ring of considerable diameter but small enough to be held in ones hands. The ring has a hinged gate formed as a part thereof and also comprises a circular track for the reception of a ball. Upon twirling or imparting an undulating motion to the ring the ball will be caused to roll in the track and at a predetermined movement in the balls travel around the track, the gate may be opened causing the ball to leave the track and ring and be thrown into the air. Another player in the game may catch the ball with a similar basket ring and by twirling or imparting an undulating motion to the ring cause the ball to roll therein. The series of events just described The device comprising the present invention may include in lieu of a hinged gate, means disposed in the path of travel of the ball around the ring to flip the ball out of its path of movement and into the air.

Accordingly, the primary object of this invention is to provide a toy or game device which will provide entertainment for a series of players.

A further object of this invention, is to provide a toy or device comprising a basket-like ring having a track disposed thereon for controlling the path of movement of a ball used in conjunction with the toy or game It is still a further object of this invention, to provide a a device of the character indicated which may be used in a team eflort and may provide entertainment for grownups, as well as for children.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the toy or game device of the present invention and illustrates the use of the device when causing a ball to deviate from its intended path of movement.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along I line 2--2 ofFIGURE 1 and illustrating certain details of the track of the instant invention.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIGURE 1 and illustrating certain details of the hinge mechanism for allowing a portion of the periphery of the ring to swing out to discharge the ball.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary top plan. view of another embodiment of the invention comprising a flipper mechanism for deviating the intended path of movement of the ball.

Patented May 25, 1965 FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 4 and illustrating certain details of the flipper mechanism.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 6-6 of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1 and illustrates means for holding the hinged gate portion of the ring in operative relationship with the.ring.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, and more particularly to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGURES 1 to 3 and 6, a basketlike ring 10 formed from any suitable material such as plastic is shown. The ring 10 has an arcuate track 12 formed of a basket-like network 14 disposed about the circumferential extent of the ring. The basket-like network may be utilized by the player to grasp the ring. The track 12 opens upwardly and is formed with a vertically extending circular flange 16 joined to an arcuate circular flange 18. A ball of rubber or other suitable material 20 may be caused to revolve about the track 12 of the ring by twirling the ring or imparting an undulating motion to the ring by the hands of the player. It should also be noted that the flange 18 is of greater vertical extent than flange 16 thus preventing the ball from lbouncing out of the track when received from another player.

A portion of the periphery of the ring such as indicated generally at 22 is adapted to swing out so that the ball may be deviated from its path of movement in the track 12 to be discharged to another player. The section 22 has three ears 24 formed integral therewith. These ears are in mating engagement with ears 26 extending laterally from the stationary portion of the ring 10. Suitable pivot means such as rivets 28 extend through the mating ears so that the discharge portion of the ring may pivot about the stationary portion thereof but yet remain integral with the stationary portion so that it can be quickly returned to place. It will be noted from the illustration of FIGURE 1 that the discharge portion of the ring may be quickly pivoted to and from a discharge position by merely grasping a knob or lever 30 and pulling the ring portion 22 so as to pivot it about rivets 28. The knob 30 also serves the purpose of enabling the player to firmly hold the device in his hand if he desires while revolving the ball 20 in the track 12. Another knob 32 is also formed integrally with the stationary portion of the ring for use with the other hand.

The discharge portion 22 of the ring 10 may be held in place to complete the track 12 by means of a cooperating notch and detent. A small detent 34 is formed on the tip of an integral lug 36 disposed at one end of the hinged gate or discharge portion of the ring 22. Cooperating therewith is a notch 38 formed on a mating lug 40 formed integral with the stationary part of the ring.

Referring more specifically to that embodiment of the invention depicted in FIGURES 4 and 5 the structure and object of the game device or toy remain the same, but in lieu of the hinged gate or discharge portion of the ring 10 a flipper mechanism generally designated at 42 is provided for deviating the ball from its revolving path on a onepiece annular ring 14'. The flipper mechanism comprises a knob 44 aflixed to a pin 46 which extends through arcuate flange 18' and vertical flange 16' and is formed with an enlarged head 48 which abuts the inner surface of the vertically extending flange 16. The knob 44 abuts against a laterally extending flange 50 formed integral with the arcuate flange 18'. Knob 44 is disposed so that it may rotate with respect to said lateral flange or extension 50 about a horizontal axis. Rigidly attached to the pin 46 is a flipper 52. It should be apparent that the path of the ball may be deviated from the track by merely rotating the flipper to an angle relative to the path of in movement of the ball. The flipper acts as a runway and the ball will take off into the air. It should also be noted that knob 44 may be grasped in one hand and knob 32' grasped in the other to impart the requisite motion to the ball.

To summarize the operation of the game device or toy, a ball is manually disposed or caught on the track formed on the annular ring and an undulating motion is imparted thereto. The ball runs around the track a few times and then the player unexpectedly discharges the ball to another player by means of a hinged gate or discharge portion of the ring which is hingedly connected to a stationary portion or by means of a flipper runway. Another player must then catch the ball in his basket-like ring and this action is subsequently repeated until the ball is dropped. It should be noted that one person may play the game alone as long as there is some surface upon which the ball may be thrown and it may rebound to the player so that he may pick it up in his basket again.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A ball throwing and catching toy comprising a ring having a continuous track of arcuate cross-sectional configuration opening upwardly throughout its extent upon which a ball may be caught and rolled therein, handle means on the ring for enabling the ring to be grasped for imparting an undulating motion in a generally horizontal plane to the ring for moving the ball around the track, and means for deviating the ball from its path of movement and discharging it from the track, said last named means comprising a peripheral portion of the ring and track having one end thereof pivotally connected to the remaining portion at the outer peripheral edge, the other end of said pivotal portion having releasable locking means thereon for selectively locking the pivotal portion in circumferential alignment with the remaining portion of the ring and track when in non-discharging position and enabling the pivotal portion to swing outwardly into generally tangential relation to the track at the point of pivotal connection therewith when in discharging position.

2. A ball throwing and catching toy comprising a ring having a continuous track of arcuate cross-sectional configuration opening upwardly throughout its extent upon which a ball may be caught and rolled therein, handle means on the ring for enabling the ring to be grasped for imparting an undulating motion in a generally horizontal plane to the ring for moving the ball around the track, and

means for deviating the ball from its path of movement and discharging it from the track, said last named means comprising a flipper normally disposed in horizontal position in the bottom of the track and not interfering with the movement of the ball along the track, handle means disposed externally of the ring and connected to the flipper to pivot the flipper about one end thereof to form an inclined runway extending towards the top of the track for engagement by the ball as it moves around the track whereby the ball will be elevated above the track and discharged from the ring.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 956,244 4/ 10 Westerberg. 2,644,270 7/53 Marong 46-43 3,080,675 3/63 Licitis 273-109 X 3,092,928 6/63 Geiser 46-43 3,108,810 10/63 Wiley 273 FOREIGN PATENTS 188,266 11/22 Great Britain.

517,990 12/20 France. 1,179,168 12/58 France.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A BALL THROWING AND CATCHING TOY COMPRISING A RING HAVING A CONTINUOUS TRACK OF ARCUATE CROSS-SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION OPENING UPWARDLY THROUGHOUT ITS EXTENT UPON WHICH A BALL MAY BE CAUGHT AND ROLLED THEREIN, HANDLE MEANS ON THE RING FOR ENABLING THE RING TO BE GRASPED FOR IMPARTING AN UNDULATING MOTION IN A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL PLANE TO THE RING FOR MOVING THE BALL AROUND THE TRACK, AND MEANS FOR DEVIATING THE BALL FROM ITS PATH OF MOVEMENT AND DISCHARGING IT FROM THE TRACK, SAID LAST NAMED MEANS COMPRISING A PERIPHERAL PORTION OF THE RING AND TRACK HAVING ONE END THEREOF PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE REMAINING PORTION AT THE OUTER PERIPHERAL EDGE, THE OTHER END OF SAID PIVOTAL PORTION HAVING RELEASABLE LOCKING MEANS THEREON FOR SELECTIVELY LOCKING THE PIVOTAL PORTION IN CIRCUMFERENTIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE RING AND TRACK WHEN IN NON-DISCHARGING POSITION AND ENABLING THE PIVOTAL PORTION TO SWING OUTWARDLY INTO GENERALLY TANGENTIAL RELATION TO THE TRACK AT THE POINT OF PIVOTAL CONNECTION THEREWITH WHEN IN DISCHARGING POSITION.

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