US3612529A

US3612529A - Play apparatus including a movable striking surface

Info

Publication number: US3612529A
Application number: US9212A
Authority: US
Inventors: William E Witting
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-02-06
Filing date: 1970-02-06
Publication date: 1971-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 1988-10-12

Abstract

Handheld play apparatus for use with a playing piece such as a ball. A receptacle with an opening for entry of the piece is fixedly attached to a handheld framework. A striking surface for striking the piece is movably suspended from the framework partially covering the opening of the fixed receptacle to provide a variable target area and a variable position of the striking surface. The striking surface has a central aperture opening into a second receptacle to provide a second movable target area. The playing piece may be placed in a recess on the striking surface. The framework is set in motion to impart motion to the playing piece. Points may be scored by catching the playing piece in either of the receptacles.

Description

United States Patent Inventor William E. Witting 4218 North Darnen Ave., Chicago, 111. 60618 Appl. No. 9,212 *7 Filed Feb. 6, 1970 Patented Oct. 12, 1971 v PLAY APPARATUS INCLUDING A MOVABLE STRIKING SURFACE 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 273/96 R, I 273/105 A Int. Cl A631) 67/00 Field Of Search 273/96, 97, 98

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1909 Hartnell 273/96 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Marvin Siskind Attorney-Anderson, Luedeka, Fitch, Even and Tabin ABSTRACT: Handheld play apparatus for use with a playing piece such as a ball. A receptacle with an opening for entry of the piece is fixedly attached to a handheld framework. A striking surface for striking the piece is movably suspended from the framework partially covering the opening of the fixed receptacle to provide a variable target area and a variable position of the striking surface. The striking surface has a central aperture opening into a second receptacle to provide a second movable target area. The playing piece may be placed in a recess on the striking surface. The framework is set in motion to impart motion to the playing piece. Points may be scored by catching the playing piece in either of the receptacles.

PATENTEDHET 12 Ian 3,612,529

lNveuTOR- Mu/wf Mfr/ma PLAY APPARATUS INCLUDING A MOVABLE STRIKING SURFACE This invention relates generally to play apparatus and, more particularly, to hand held apparatus to be used in playing with a ball or other playing piece.

' An important object of the invention is to provide play apparatus which contributes to muscular and visual coordination and increases dexterity.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for use with a playing piece which may function as a toy for individual amusement or in a competitive game.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive hand held playing apparatus which is safe in operation, easily constructed and provides a plurality of targets.

Still another object of the invention is to provide play apparatus in which components thereof move relative to one another in such a manner as to require skillful control to strike and catch the playing piece..' I

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of apparatus embodying various features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and I FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are cross-sectional views of the apparatus taken along line A-A of FIG. 3 showing the trapping and removal of the playing piece.

Very generally, as shown in the drawings, play apparatus 10 is provided for use with a ball or other playing piece 11 which includes a framework 12 with a handle 14 by which the apparatus is grasped and manipulated and a ball or playing piece receptacle 16 which is fixedly attached to the framework 12 and has an opening 18 through which the playing piece or ball 11 may enter the receptacle. A striking surface 20 is provided which is movably suspended from the framework 12 and partial ly covers the target opening 18 of the fixed receptacle 16. I Since the striking surface 20 and the framework 12 are movable relative to one another, movement of the framework ordinarily causes movement of the striking surface 20 which is different in velocity and direction from that of the framework 12. This causes the position of the striking surface 20 to vary relative to the framework 12 and makes it difiicult to strike a playing piece 11 in a desired manner. Concomitantly the portion of the target opening 18 of the receptacle 16 is not covered by the striking surface 20, which constitutes a target area through which the piece can enter the fixed receptacle 16, is variable in shape and position relation to the framework 12. This makes it difficult for a player to catch a playing piece in the air with the fixed receptacle.

As a further feature a movable receptacle 22 is movably suspended from the framework with a target opening or area 24 through which the piece may enter the fixed receptacle. The movement of this target opening 24 relative to the framework 12 makes it difficult for a player to catch a playing piece in the air with the movable receptacle 22.

More specifically, the illustrated apparatus includes the framework 12 in the form of a circular ring or rim 26 made of a suitable hard plastic, wood or light metal such as aluminum. The rim is provided with an outwardly extending handle 14 by which the apparatus is grasped and manipulated and which may, if desired, be shaped to conform to that of a closed hand.

Fixedly attached to the framework 12 is the fixed receptacle 16 in the fonn of a net or basket 28 with the edge of its upper open end attached to the rim thus providing an opening 18 through which a ball or other playing piece can enter the basket. The basket as illustrated is relatively rigid, being made of interwoven spaced strands of material such as wire or plastic. As illustrated, the side of the basket tapers inwardly and downwardly at an angle of about 48 to 52 with the plane of the rim so that a playing piece entering the basket will descend into the basket rather than immediately bouncing out as might be the case if the angle were smaller. The lower end of the basket is provided with an open trapping area 30 which is so sized relative to the playing piece 11 as to engage and trap the playing piece if it descends to the bottom of the basket, as shown in FIG. 4.

Optionally, the basket could be closed at its lower end. However, the open trapping area 30 not only aids in holding a moving piece which might fly out of the basket due to its entering momentum but also facilitates removal of the piece which has been caught in the basket by upward force exerted on the piece through the open area 30. Also optionally, the playing piece could be attached to the bottom of the basket by an elastic string.

The striking surface 20 for striking orbouncing the playing piece 11, as illustrated, is in the form of an annular disk 32 of wood, plastic or other hard material providing a centrally located target opening or area 24 through which the playing piece 11 can pass. The disk 32 is movably suspended from the rim 26 by elastic members 34 in the form of stretchable cloth tapes with rubber centers. Other spring members such as metallic springs could be used; however,,for safety, cloth tapes are preferred which can do little damage if breaking thereof occurs. As illustrated four such tapes arepositioned symmetrically around the disk, although other arrangements and numbers of tapes could be used. The disk 32 is also provided with a recess 36 in its upper surface in which the ball or playing piece can rest before play is begun by bouncing the piece on the disk. The outer diameter of the disk 32 relative to that of the rim 26 is such that a reasonable possibility of a moving piece entering the basket exists and such thata player must tip the disk to be able to reach into the basket 28 and remove a piece trapped therein, as shown in FIG. 5.

Extending downwardly from the target opening in the disk 32 is a truncated conically shaped tube 38 forming the movable receptacle which tapers inwardly to a cross-sectional area such as to engage and trap a playing piece 11 which enters the target opening 24 in the movable disk as shown in FIG. 6. The lower end of the tube may be closed, but preferably is open so that a trapped playing piece may easily be released by upward force exerted on the piece, as by a pencil inserted through the lower opening 30 of the basket.

The tube 38 extends downward into the basket 28 such a distance and with such a diameter at its lower end or rim that a playing piece entering the basket 28 must displace the tube slightly from its normal central position to reach the trapping area 30. This requires an upward force to be exerted on the framework and basket after the piece enters the basket to cause the piece to displace the tube. Concomitantly once the piece has passed the lower end of the tube it cannot rebound out of the trapping area without hitting the tube thus providing an additional trapping effect in the piece in addition to that provided by the trapping area.

In a specific embodiment of the apparatus an elastic ball employed as the playing piece 11 measures 1% inch in diameter. The outer diameter of the disk 32 is 5 inches and the diameter of the framework is 9 inches to provide about a 2 inch clearance for entry of the ball into the basket. The open trapping area 30 measures 1 inch in diameter so as to prevent the ball from passing through the area after it enters the basket. The angle between the plane of the rim and the side of the basket is 50 so that the ball upon entering the basket is sure to travel downward toward the open trapping area. The bottom of the conical tube 38 extends downwardly into the basket so that its lower rim is between l-l/l6 inch and 1-3/32 inch from the nearest sidewall point of the basket. These relative dimensions make necessary the application of upward force on the framework by the player after the ball enters the basket to insure the ball reaches the trapping area. At the same time if the ball is trapped in the trapping area, it is impossible for it to rebound out of the basket, since such motion will be prevented by engagement with the lower rim of the conical tube.

In operation, play ordinarily begins by placing the ball or playing piece in the recess 36 on the disk 32 with the rim 16 held horizontally and the disk held stationary. The handle 14 is moved vertically to start the playing piece 11 bouncing on the disk. Points are scored by catching the piece in the air, either in the tube 38 or the basket 28, the fonner being more difficult due to the smaller target area of the tube. Points are deducted if the piece merely rolls off the disk or is missed entirely.

It may be seen that a play apparatus is thus provided which develops muscular and visual coordination, and also provides unexpected results in play, yet is inexpensive and simple to construct. Various changes and modifications could be made in the apparatus without departing from the invention, features of which are set forth in the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

l. A hand held play apparatus for use with a playing piece, comprising a framework with a handle, a receptacle with an opening for entry of the playing piece thereinto fixedly attached to said framework, a striking surface for striking the playing piece movably suspended from said framework and partially covering the opening of said fixed receptacle so that the motion of the opening of said fixed receptacle caused by movement of the framework differs from the concomitant motion of said striking surface, and a receptacle movably suspended from said framework to provide a target opening for entry of the playing piece into said movable receptacle which is variable in position relative to said framework.

2. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 including spring members attaching said striking surface to said framework.

3. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said fixed receptacle includes means for trapping the playing piece therein after it has entered the receptacle.

4. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said movable receptacle is attached to said striking surface.

5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said striking surface comprises a generally annular platform with an inner wall defining the target opening of said movable receptacle.

6. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein both of said receptacles are tapered and said movable receptacle extends into said fixed receptacle terminating in a lower end of such size and at such a distance from the bottom of said fixed receptacle that movement of said movable receptacle is required for the playing piece to reach the bottom of said fixed receptacle and to be removed from the bottom of said fixed receptacle so that said movable receptacle and said fixed receptacle cooperate to trap the playing piece.

7. Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said movable receptacle includes means for trapping the playing piece therein.

8. A hand held play apparatus for use with a playing piece, comprising a framework with a handle, a receptacle with an opening for entry of the playing piece thereinto fixedly attached to said framework, a striking surface for striking the playing piece movably suspended from said framework and partially covering the opening of said fixed receptacle so that the motion of the opening of said fixed receptacle caused by movement of the framework differs from the concomitant motion of said striking surface, and a recess in said striking surface for retaining the playing piece before beginning play.

9. Hand held play apparatus for use with a playing piece comprising a ring with a handle extending outwardly therefrom, a net with a large opening at one end thereof for entry of the playing piece thereinto and a small opening at the other end thereof adapted to engage and trap the playing piece, said net being affixed to said ring around said large opening, an annular striking surface defining a target opening through which the playing piece can pass, a truncated conically shaped tube open at both ends, extending from said opening in said striking surface into said net and tapering to a cross-sectional area such as to engage and trap the playing piece after entry therein, s rings movably sus ending said striking surface and tube wit in said ring so that e motion of said striking surface and target opening therein differs from the motion of said large opening in said net, to provide a variable position of said striking surface and opening therein relative to said ring and a variable target area for said net through which the playing piece may enter therein.

10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein the outer diameter of said striking surface relative to the diameter of said ring is such that the surface may be moved to provide room for entry of a player's hand to remove the playing piece from the net.

Claims

1. A hand held play apparatus for use with a playing piece, comprising a framework with a handle, a receptacle with an opening for entry of the playing piece thereinto fixedly attached to said framework, a striking surface for striking the playing piece movably suspended from said framework and partially covering the opening of said fixed receptacle so that the motion of the opening of said fixed receptacle caused by movement of the framework differs from the concomitant motion of said striking surface, and a receptacle movably suspended from said framework to provide a target opening for entry of the playing piece into said movable receptacle which is variable in position relative to said framework.

9. Hand held play apparatus for use with a playing piece comprising a ring with a handle extending outwardly therefrom, a net with a large opening at one end thereof for entry of the playing piece thereinto and a small opening at the other end thereof adapted to engage and trap the playing piece, said net being affixed to said ring around said large opening, an annular striking surface defining a target opening through which the playing piece can pass, a truncated conically shaped tube open at both ends, extending from said opening in said striking surface into said net and tapering to a cross-sectional area such as to engage and trap the playing piece after entry therein, springs movably suspending said striking surface and tube within said ring so that the motion of said striking surface and target opening therein differs from the motion of said large opening in said net, to provide a variable position of said striking surface and opening therein relative to said ring and a variable target area for said net through which the playing piece may enter therein.

10. Apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein the outer diameter of said striking surface relative to the diameter of said ring is such that the surface may be moved to provide room for entry of a player''s hand to remove the playing piece from the net.