Friction adaptor for competitive games

The invention covers a friction adaptor enabling a simulated player in a table game such as soccer or hockey to strike a ball or the like independently with one foot or extension member, and to make a full turn on the other foot or member.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention is concerned with table games simulating soccer or hockey or 
the like preferably comprising a playing field board over which simulated 
game players move and propel a ball or puck or similar object. Bodily 
movement of the players is individually controlled by linearly movable and 
rotatable rods underneath the board and communicating with the players 
through slots in the board. 
The invention is particularly concerned with means for enabling the 
simulated players to both independently strike the ball or other object 
used in the game and to turn, in addition to moving backward and forward 
upon the playing field. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
In known football games in which the persons playing the game sit in chairs 
and propel an object resembling a football into the opponent's goal by 
means of mechanical devices, there is the disadvantage that the game is 
far removed from a true game event inasmuch as the simulated players each 
consist of a rigid object which moves only forwards or backwards in its 
slot, or only revolves. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is characteristic of the simulated player introduced herein that the 
right foot of the simulated player performs a specific kicking motion, 
while the simulated player can make a full turn (380 degrees) and can also 
be moved forwards and backwards. The controlling of the foot through the 
field is effected by means of turning knobs located at the ends of the 
board, of which there is one knob for each simulated player. 
It is characteristic of the design of the present simulated player that it 
is assembled from plastic components and finished by conventional methods, 
as is the friction adaptor itself with its footing. 
The invention contemplates a friction adaptor for table games simulating 
soccer, hockey or the like and preferably comprises a playing field 
surface of a rectangular board whereon, at play, a ball or puck or similar 
missile is propelled by teams of simulated players which can be moved 
along slots in the playing field board and which can also be rotated by 
means of linearly movable and rotatable operating rods which are each 
connected through a pair of conical gears to a pivot rigged through a 
connecting piece in the form of a shaft perpendicularly extending through 
the respective slot in the playing field board, above which, and affixed 
to the top of the shaft is a lever attached to the kicking foot of the 
simulated player. The other foot of the simulated player is affixed to a 
recess in the base while the leg connected to the lever is articulated 
with the body of the simulated player. As a separate part, a base is 
joined to the connecting piece through slots in the connecting piece, so 
that the connecting piece and the base constitute between themselves a 
friction adaptor. 
An advantage of the invention described herein is that all the motions of 
the simulated player, by reason of the friction adaptor, can be controlled 
by turning a single knob. Thanks also to the friction adaptor the 
structure is moreover the simplest possible and is thus more economical 
than other known applications. On account of the simplicity of its 
construction, the invention is dependable.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
In FIG. 1 the playing field board, which is preferably rectangular, bears 
the number 13. The playing field is surrounded by a rim 14 which gives the 
playing field its shape and corresponds to the field of the desired game. 
The rim 14 joins with the frame 15 which supports the playing surface 13. 
The playing field board 13 is equipped, in the longitudinal direction at 
least, with slots 12 through which the shafts 8, vertically located, have 
been arranged to run. The shafts 8 are above the playing field board 13 
and are designed for attachment to levers 3. 
The operating levers 9 are mounted in bearings on the frame 15 and are 
equipped with knobs 7 at their ends which extend beyond the frame 15. The 
inner end of each operating rod 9 is attached underneath the playing field 
board 13 to a corner piece 5 which is movable by means of the rod 9. 
Shaft 8 is mounted on bearings to the cornerpiece 5 and, as it is connected 
with the rod 9 through a pair of conical gears, it can be made to obey the 
turning of the operating rod 9. 
Both the shaft 8 and the rod 9 are fastened to the cornerpiece 5 through 
bearings allowing rotary motion, and are otherwise fixed relative to the 
cornerpiece 5. 
As best seen in FIG. 1, the left leg 18 of the simulated player 1 is 
fastened to the footing 2 via extension 16. The right leg 11 has a ball 
joint 10 and is bearing-mounted to lever 3 at point 17. 
As best seen in FIG. 3 the footing 2 is equipped with a friction arch 20 
which is fixed to the lower part of the footing 2. 
Circumscribing the upper part of connecting piece 4 is a groove 21 into 
which the friction arch 20 is pushed in the direction of lever 3 whereby 
the footing 2 is locked as by clamping to connecting piece 4 together with 
which comprises the friction adaptor. 
At the farmost pivoted positions of the lever (FIG. 3), relative to the 
footing 2, the lever 3 touches the edges 19 of the arch 20 of the footing 
2; while the lever 3 and the footing 2 are not in contact at intermediate 
points with the result that the footing 2 does not turn when lever 3 is 
moved until lever 3 is turned so as to be in the farmost positions into 
contact with either edge 19 of footing 2; and when lever 3 is turned 
farther in the same direction the footing 2 turns with lever 3 as does the 
simulated player 1 on footing 2. 
In light of the foregoing, it will be appreciated that the present 
invention proposes a friction adaptor for table games which are intended 
to simulate hockey, soccer or the like and which preferably comprise a 
playing field consisting preferably of a rectangular board (13) on which 
during play with a puck, a ball or the like, this play object is propelled 
by means of a number of simulated players which are arranged so as to be 
moved by the persons playing the game along slots (12) in the playing 
field board (13) and to be rotated by means of operating rods (9) that are 
linearly movable and are also rotatable and are mounted underneath the 
board (13) wherein every operating rod (9) is connected by means of a pair 
of conical gears (6) to a shaft (8) arranged through a connecting piece 
(4) and disposed in a position primarily perpendicular to the playing 
field, and extending through the respective slot (12) in the playing field 
board (13) above which a lever (3) is attached to the upper part of the 
shaft (8), to which lever the kicking foot (17) of the simulated player 
(1) is affixed. The other leg (18) of the simulated player (1) is affixed 
to the extrusion (16) in the footing (2) while the leg (11) attached to 
the lever (3) is connected to the rest of the body of the simulated player 
(1). The footing (2) is joined as a separate part to the connecting piece 
(4) by a groove (21) in the connecting piece such that the connecting 
piece (4) and the footing (2) together constitute a friction adaptor 
characterized in that the footing (2) is equipped with a friction arch 
(20) that in turn is arranged so as to function in conjunction with a 
matching groove (21) in the connecting piece (4), whereby the footing (2) 
is locked to the connecting piece (4) constituting in combination the 
friction adaptor. 
In the foremost or outermost pivoted positions of the lever 3 relative to 
the footing 2, the lever and footing are in contact with each other. In 
the intermediate positions of the lever, the lever and footing are not in 
contact; and consequently the lever may be moved freely between said 
foremost positions; and during such free movement the footing 2 will not 
turn when the operating rod 9 is rotated. But the footing 2 has an arch 
edge 19 which is touched or contacted by the lever 3 when the operating 
rod 9 is rotated sufficiently to move the lever 3 into either of is 
furthest or outermost positions as seen in phantom lines in FIG. 3. When 
that occurs, and if the lever 3 is moved even further in the same 
direction by continued rotation of the operating rod 9, the friction is 
overcome, and the footing 2 turns with the lever 3; and so does the 
simulated player 1 mounted on the footing 2.