US3550942A - Multitiered ball game board with paddles - Google Patents

Description

United States atent Nathaniel F. Hawthorne 855 Cedar St., Alameda, Calif. 94501 793,517

Jan. 23, 1969 Dec. 29, 1970 Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented MULTITIERED BALL GAME BOARD WITH I PADDLES 8, 119, 85, 85(C), 85(D), 94(C), 94(D), 113, 123

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,237,486 4/1941 Henderson 273/85A 3,399,894 9/1968 Smith 273/115 FOREIGN PATENTS 870,130 6/1961 England 273/85D OTHER REFERENCES Sidney A. Tarrson Co. March 10, P965 (273/1 13) Primary ExaminerAnton O. Oechsle Assistant ExaminerTheatrice Brown Attorney-Robyn Wilcox ABSTRACT: A transparent multitiered table, each tier having enclosing walls and a floor sloping to the longitudinal axis thereof. in each tier there is provided for opposing players a longitudinally extending paddle shaft, slightly offset from the longitudinal axis of the floor, and a transverse paddle shaft located near the end of each box; whereby opposing players can stand at opposite corners and one hand can control the transverse paddle shaft and the other can control the longitudinal paddle shaft. The transverse paddle shafts carry a pair of paddles whereas the longitudinal paddle shafts carry three paddles, which are in alternaterelationship with the paddles of the opposing player. A plurality of holes in each floor are airran'gd'on e'itfier'sideof the longitudinal axis. A single ball is dropped through a hole in the top tier and opposing players try to control the ball to cause it to drop through the holes in successive tiers and finally fall into a pocket below the lower tier.

MULTITIERED BALL GAME BOARD WITH PADDLES It is an object of the present invention to provide a stimulating and exciting game in which the opposing players must rapidly pass from one tier, or field of activity, to another.

It is another object of the invention to provide a propelled ball game board in which each player must constantly be on the alert to take defensive and offensive action to control the progress of the ball into his own scoring pocket.

It is another object of the invention to provide an exciting game which requires considerable skill on the part of participants, but in which chance plays a very important part.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the game board taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tiered game board of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view of one tier, or story, of the game board, taken along a transverse plane indicated by the line 2-2 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of one tier, suchas a view taken along the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of one tier of the game board, such as a view taken along the vertical plane through one row of longitudinal holes,.as indicated by the line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

At the outset it should be understood that in its preferred form each tier, or story, will be identical with the others, so that a description of one such tier will be sufficient. It should also be understood that the game board in its entirety should be made of transparent material, such as Lucite, or other clear plastic material, in order to permit the players to follow the progress of the ball from story to story until it drops through the floor of the lowermost tier, or chamber, and falls into the pocket, or drawer, of one or the other of the players. In its preferred form, the game board will be constructed of boxes or chambers which can readily be superimposed one over another so that the board can be made to any complexity or height desired by the players. I have shown in FIG. 1 a board comprising'three such tiers, or chambers, superimposed over the collecting box, or base. While the game board is substantially square in cross-sectional area, it will be more convenient to refer to the dimension which parallels the centrally located paddle bars and the centrally located apertures through which the balls may fall, and which, incidentally, therefore, parallels the valley which is formed in the floor of each tier, as the "longitudinal axis, or dimension; and to speak'of the other dimension as the transverse. When this is considered, it will be seen from FIG. 3 that each tier, or chamber, comprises end walls 11 and 12 and sidewalls I3 and 14. Each chamber is provided with a ceiling 15 (FIGS. 2 and 4) 'which slopes from sidewalls l3 and 14 to the longitudinal axis of the chamber, thereby forming a valley l6 midway between the two sidewalls. A row of paired relatively large apertures 17 are arranged close to the valley 16. Preferably, there will be a pair of such apertures 17 for each of the staggered paddles to be described in the next paragraph, six pairs of apertures 17 being showin FIG. 3. It will be understood that the ceiling 15 of each chamber forms the floor of the chamber above. Preferably, the diaphragm 15 which forms the ceiling of the lower chamber and the floor of the one above is affixed to the lower chamber, it being dished as shown in FIG. 2 and as herein described, as that construction is less subject to damage for it is formed as a concave member within the lower chamber rather than a convex one depending from the upper chamber. The respective tiers, or chambers, are held in perfect alignment by flange members 18 affixed to each corner of the chamber. These flanges 18 can be affixedeither at the top of the respectivechambers or at thelower edges thereof, it being necessary only that the adjacent chamber nests firmly and securely within the rectangle formedby the four flanges l8.

Each chamber 10 is provided with a pair of parallel paddle bars 25, 26 (best shown in FIG. 3) which are journaled in the end walls 11 and 12 in suitable bearings, not shown, and preferably located above the center of the sections, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. These paddle bars are positioned closely adjacent the longitudinal valley l6, and preferably just inside the center line of the row of apertures 17 previously described. Each of the paddle bars 25 and 26 is provided with a plurality of paddles 27 and 28, respectively. The paddles 27, 28 are spaced alternatively, being separated on their respective shafts by spacers 29, 30, respectively. The spacers are longer than the paddles, as shown in FIGS. 3 and '4, so that the operation of the paddles will not permit any paddle to hit, or interfere, with the operation of the opposing set of paddles. Axial shifting of the paddle bars 25, 26 can be readily prevented by any suitable means, such as washers, not identified, at both ends of the bars, It will be noted that the one bar 25 projects from one end wall 11 and the other bar 26 projects from the other end wall 12 to provide a suitable mounting for handles 31, 32 whereby the bars can be properly operated by the opposing players.

Each section, or chamber, I0 is also provided with a pair of transverse paddle bars 35, 36, both of which are journaled in the sidewalls 13 and 14 (best shown in FIG. 3). These paddle bars are likewise journaled in bearings which permit rotational movement of the bars, but prevent longitudinal displacement thereof by some suitable means, such as the washers, not identified. One of the paddle bars, for example bar 35, is extended beyond the side wall 14 to form a mounting for a handle 37 and the other paddle bar 36 is extended beyond the sidewall 13 to provide a handle 38. Obviously, the two handles are utilized by opposing players to control operation of the paddle bars 35, 36. Each of the paddle bars 35, 36 is provided with a pair of paddles 39, 40, respectively. Each of the paddle bars 35, 36 is journaled close to one end of the chamber and the two are, therefore, removed some distance from the other. Therefore, the paddles 39, 40 will not interfere with each other, so that these paddles 39, 40 preferably are located in alignment with that of the opposing paddles, as shown in FIG. 3.

It is obvious that operation of the longitudinal paddle bars 25, 26 will bat a ball transversely in the chamber, and the transverse bars 35,36 will bat a ball longitudinally therein. By controlling operation of one longitudinal and one transverse paddle bar, a contestant will seek to drive the ball through an aperture 17 on his side of the valley 116 and hence prevent it from falling through the aperture 17 of his opponent. Preferably, I locate a number of apertures 18 adjacent the respective side 13 and 14 of the chamber. I have so shown six such apertures 18 along each side I3, 14 of the chamber shown in FIG. 3, but greater or lesser number can be utilized. Once a player has been able to get a ball to drop through an aperture 18 on his side ofthe board, he is in a position to more readily control its progress in the chamber below.

In addition to the plurality of playing chambers abovedescribed, the complete board preferably is provided with a top section 45 (shown in FIG. 1) which contains no paddles. To start the game, a ball is dropped through a hole, or aperture, 46 in the top and thus permitted to drop unhindered to the cross membrane 15 which forms the ceiling of the topmost chamber. The complete board also has a base section 47 which preferably is divided longitudinally along the longitudinal center line by a curtain wall 48, thereby dividing the base into two longitudinally extending chambers. A pair of collecting pockets, or drawers, 49 and 50 are located below the curtain wall 48 and preferably of a size to completely fill the respective side of the base 47. Therefore, any ball dropping through the apertures 17 of the lowermost chamber must fall into either the drawer 49 or 50 as controlled by the contestants, and at the end of the game can be readily counted by opening the drawers by suitable handles 51, 52, respectively.

It is believed that the operation of the game will be readily understood. A ball is dropped through the top aperture 46 in the top section 45 and immediately falls into the topmost chamber 10. The opposing players try to control the progress of the ball through the respective sections by operation of one longitudinal paddle shaft and one transverse paddle shaft in each superimposed section 10. For example, one opponent will control the longitudinal paddle shaft 25 (handle 3ll) with his right hand and the transverse paddle shaft 35 (handle 31) with his left, while his opponent controls operation of the longitudinal paddle shaft 26 and the transverse shaft 36 by using their respective handles 32, 38. The object of the game is, in each section, to try to drop the ball through an aperture 17 or 18 on his side of the playing board, so as to ultimately drop it into his pocket 49 or 50 in the base. At the end of the game the score can be counted by counting the number of balls in each of the two drawers d9, 50.

It will be understood that the drawings and the above disclosure show a preferred embodiment of my invention and that many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art which do not depart from the inventive concept herein disclosed. For example, I have shown three playing chambers in addition to the top 45 and base sections 47. It is obvious that either more or less could be used, depending upon the complexity desired. Also, while I have shown a single longitudinal and a single transverse paddle bar for each player, that more could be provided if desired so that the game could be played by teams of two or more players, or a single person would be responsible for operating one or more longitudinal shaft and one or more transverse bar. Accordingly, it is intended that the appended claims cover such modifications as fall within the true spirit and concept of the invention.

lclaim:

l. A propelled ball game board comprising a chamber having sidewalls and a floor sloping to a valley along a major axis within the chamber, a plurality of longitudinal paddle shafts located close to and parallel to said valley and a plurality of transverse paddle shafts, at least one paddle mounted on each shaft, apertures in said sloping floor of such chamber located close to but not on said major axis, means mounting each shaft for rotation about its longitudinal axis, and collecting means for separating balls dropping through apertures on one side of said major axis from those from the other side thereof.

2. The device of clainrl wherein said paddles on the longitudinally extending paddle shafts are located alternately with respect to each other.

3. The device of claim 1 comprising also a plurality of apertures located adjacent the sidewalls of the chamber.

4. The device of claim 1 comprising also a second chamber similar to said first mentioned chamber and superimposed thereabove.

5. A multistoried, propelled ball game board comprising a plurality of superimposed playing chambers, a base section below the lowermost such playing chamber and a cover above the topmost such playing chamber, a pair of longitudinally extending paddle shafts in each playing chamber, a handle for one shaft at one end of the chamber and a handle for the other shaft at the opposite end, a pair of transverse paddle shafts in each playing chamber, a handle for one such transverse paddle shaft at one side and a handle for such other transverse paddle shaft at the other side, a floor below each playing chamber sloping to a valley extending along the longitudinal axis of each chamber, apertures through such floors spaced from but adjacent to such longitudinal axis, a single aperture in said cover of said game board, and means for dividing the base section into two longitudinally extending chambers, whereby balls used in the device will be collected from one or the other side of the valley in the lowermost playing chamber.

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