US822558A - Game apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

No. 822,558. PATENTED JUNE 5, 1906.

A. L. SMITH. GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 28, 1902.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

lratented June 5, 1906.

Application filed August 28.1902. Serial No. 121,289.

To 00% whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM LINCOLN SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to game apparatus, and more particularly to a class of such employing a receptacle and a plurality of missiles to be tossed at or into the same.

The object of my invention is to provide a game ap aratus which is suitable for use in a public p ace or in a parlor and which may be employed in a number of distinct games, so as to afford varied entertainment.

A further object is to provide a game apparatus of this class wherein the missiles will appear to be capable of being readily tossed into the receptacle, while, in fact, being so constructed as to render it difficult to toss them accurately.

A still further object is to provide a game apparatus which will be simple in construction, neat and attractive in appearance, and which may be used without liability of in jury to the players or to the furniture or other surrounding articles.

The invention consists, primarily, in a game apparatus comprising a receptacle having a backing of pliable material having an exposed opening therein, a frame for supporting and shaping same, and means whereby it may be suspended from a carrier, and also in such other novel features of construction and arrangement of parts as are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my game apparatus set up in a s ecial gallery. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the main receptacle. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation thereof, and Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a front and a side elevation of one of the missiles.

All of the views as above are on a reduced scale, that of Figs. 4 and 5 being on a larger scale than the other views.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The game apparatus comprises a receptatacle a, preferably heart-shaped, which has in one side thereof a heart-shaped opening,

as b. This receptacle is of cloth or other pliable material and is shaped and held distended by means of a rigid frame in the upper portion thereof and stiffening-Wires (1 around the apex of the heart-shaped opening I). This frame comprises the top rods 0 and a back-brace c and is provided with a ring, as 0 integral therewith, by means of which it may be suspended from a hook or carrier 6. The apex of the heart-shaped receptacle a is provided with a flap a, so that the missiles may either be confined therein when closed or permitted to escape according to the connection in which the apparatus is used.

Arranged beneath the receptacle a is a table the sides ff of which are provided with ways 9 g for a frame g, which carries a pliable receiver g upon which those hearts which do not enter the rece tacle fall. Beneath the table and in vertica alinement with the open ing in the lower apex of the receptacle a, formed when the flap a is released, is a chute h, which is so constructed as to catch each missile Which leaves the heart and project it forward, so as to keep it separate from those which did not so enter the receptacle and also render more convenient the collection of these missiles to determine the success of the player. This chute forms a sort of basin h in the forward portion thereof, with a concaved incline leading from beneath the opening in the receptacle thereto.

The missiles themselves are preferably of the same configuration as the main receptacle. Thus when that receptacle is heartshaped each missile will constitute a heart of dimensions considerably smaller than the opening therein. In Figs. 4 and 5 and designated by the letter 'L I have shown a front and side elevation of one of these missiles. It comprises a small sack filled with fluffy cotton-batting or other material of very light weight and yet bulky. This missile is irregular in contour, so as to be subject to unequal atmospheric resistance when tossed. By irregular I mean so constructed as to present faces of different areas according to the ositions assumed while in the air as contra istinguished from a sphere.

The object of each player is to toss a number of small missiles successively into the receptacle a, and the one successful in getting the greatest number in is the winner of the game. To add interest to the game, a system of prizes or forfeits may be made a feature thereof, and certain restrictions as to the he is required to the said basin,

order of throwing the missiles and the necessity for getting definite missiles in the receptacle in succession may also be included in the rules. By thus varying the effects of different plays and combinations of plays a number of interesting games may be played with the one apparatus.

The player must stand distant from six to ten feet from the receptacle (1 and is given a numb er of missilessay a round dozen. These toss into the receptacle.

his appears to be a simple matter; but as thesemissiles '11 are very light and bulky and also irregularly shaped many conditions in terfere with their progress, which makes it a somewhat difiicult task. The atmospheric resistance tends to deflect them from a straight course,'the amount of such deflection varying with the area of surface exposed thereto. It is-difiicult, if not impossible, to speed them, owing to their lack of weight, and their bulk prevents their being scaled. The peculiar action of the missile furnishes conslderable amusement to the other players. These difliculties may only be surmounted by acquired skill in the game, and even then a variance in the air-currents or the distance from which they are tossed render a certain degree of uncertaintyeven when skilled in the play.

For indoor purposes, if desired, the flap a may be kept closed, and the missiles 71 thus temporarily retained in the receptacle a. Ordinarily, however, this flap will be left open, so that each missile as it enters will drop therethrough upon the incline 7L and thence to the basin it near the forward end of the table which carries it. Such missiles as strike about the receptacle (1 or the opening I) therein will drop upon the receiver 9 where they will rest.

The main receptacle (1 being made of pliable material there will be a dead impact when it is struck with a missile, so that the latter will not rebound to any extent. The missiles themselves being soft, however, little danger of such rebound exists, even if less pliable materials are used.

To determine the success of the player, the receiver g by meansof the frame g and ways 9 g with the missed missiles is first shoved back, thus exposing the basin h with those missiles which entered the receptacle a therein. These having been removed, which is readily done, owing to'the arrangement of the receiver g is drawn forward to its former position and the remaining missiles collected therefrom. This leaves clear the space between the opening in the receptacle and the chute h and prepares the apparatus for the next player.

It will be observed that the heretofore-described apparatus is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture, while capable of affording muchentertainment to the player. The missiles i being soft and also ight in weight, it is impossible to toss them with sufficient force to injure anything, even to light bric-a-brac.

If desired, the diflerentmissiles in a set may vary'in contour.

While I have shown and described the invention as embodying certain details of construction as to the configuration of the main receptacle and various elements, it is to be understood that these need not be strictly adhered to, although I have found such attractive and successful in actual use.

Having described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to haveprotected'by Letters Patent, is

1. In a game apparatus, the combination of a receptacle having a backing of pliable material and having an o ening therein, a frame for supporting and s aping same, and means whereby it may be suspended'from a carrier.

2. In a game apparatus, the combination of a rece tacle having a backing of pliable material l faving an opening therein and-a flap in the lower part thereof whereby missiles may be retained therein or permitted to-pass therefrom, a frame for supporting and shaping same, and means whereby it may be suspended from a carrier.

3. In a game apparatus, thecombination of a receptacle having a backing of pliable material having an opening on one side thereof and an opening in the bottom thereof, a chute disposed beneath said last-mentioned opening, and a basin connected therewith.

4. In a game apparatus, the combination of a receptacle having a backing of pliable material having an opening on one side thereof and an opening in the bottom thereof, a chute disposed beneath said last-mentioned opening, a basin connected therewith, and-a receiving-table above said chute and in front of said receptacle.

5. In a game apparatus, .thecombination of a receptaclehaving an opening on one side thereof and an opening in the bottom thereof, a chute disposed beneath said last-mentioned opening, a basin connected therewith, a receiver mounted on ways above said chute whereby it may be moved so as to 'be-either beneath or in front of said last-mentioned opening.

In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature, this 27th-day of August, 1902, in the presence of two witnesses.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN SMITH.

l/Vitnesses:

WILLIAM Z. GOLD, F. T. WENTWORTH.

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