Abstract:
A swing ball game has a top support frame member. A swing hangs from the top support frame member. The swing has a swing seat configured to swing in a front and rear direction. At least one vertical support frame member is connected to the top support frame member and supports the top support frame member. A rocker support frame member has a rocker bottom profile. The vertical support frame member is connected to the rocker support frame member. The rocker support frame member is oriented sideways so that the top support frame member can rock in a left and right direction.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a nonprovisional application claiming priority from inventor Samuel Chen&#39;s U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/566,459 filed Dec. 2, 2011 entitled Swing Game, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is in the field of swing games. 
       DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
       [0003]    A variety of different swing ball games have been discussed in prior art such as Publicover publication 2005/0049055 entitled Play Swing Systems and Methods Of Play published Mar. 3, 2005, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. A bag or net holding a reservoir of water balloons can be attached to a swing seat so that a user can grab them one at a time and throw them at targets. To keep the player from falling out while the player is swinging arms and legs while throwing objects, it is suggested to have a harness strap connecting the user to the swing seat. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    A swing ball game has a top support frame member. A swing hangs from the top support frame member. The swing has a swing seat configured to swing in a front and rear direction. At least one vertical support frame member is connected to the top support frame member and supports the top support frame member. A rocker support frame member has a rocker bottom profile. The vertical support frame member is connected to the rocker support frame member. The rocker support frame member is oriented sideways so that the top support frame member can rock in a left and right direction. 
         [0005]    The one or more vertical support frame members may comprise four vertical supports, namely a right front vertical support frame member, a left front vertical support frame member, a right rear vertical support frame member, and a left rear vertical support frame member. The rocker support frame member can be formed as a rear rocker support frame member and a front rocker support frame member. If the one or more vertical support frame members comprise four vertical supports, namely a right front vertical support frame member, a left front vertical support frame member, a right rear vertical support frame member, and a left rear vertical support frame member; then the rocker support frame member can be formed as a rear rocker support frame member and a front rocker support frame member so that the right front vertical support frame member and the left front vertical support frame member are connected to and supported by the front rocker support frame, and the right rear vertical support frame member and the left rear vertical support frame member are connected to and supported by the rear rocker support frame. 
         [0006]    The swing seat may also have a ball release mechanism and a trigger assembly. In the trigger assembly has a trigger handle configured to actuate the ball release mechanism when the trigger handle is manipulated. The swing seat may also have a plurality of balls held within a projectile hollow. The projectile hollow can be formed as a projectile channel allowing stacking of the plurality of balls in linear orientation. A pair of bomb bay doors can be pivotally mounted to a bottom portion of the swing seat and open to release one or more of the plurality of balls when the trigger handle is manipulated. A projectile loading opening can be formed on a surface of the swing seat, so that the projectile loading opening is configured to receive a plurality of balls. The release finger can be mounted to the swing seat acting as a gate for controlling ball release. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the swing apparatus. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a close-up perspective view of a swing seat. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a cross-section view of a swing seat having a horizontal release. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a cross-section view of a ball. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a cross-section view of a loaded ball. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a diagram of a low angle ball release finger. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a diagram of a high angle ball release finger. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a cross-section view of a swing seat having a vertical release. 
       
    
    
       [0015]    The following call out list of elements can be a useful guide in referencing the element numbers of the drawings. 
         [0016]      12  Top Support Frame Member 
         [0017]      14  Rear Vertical Support Frame Member 
         [0018]      15  Front Vertical Support Frame Member 
         [0019]      16  Intermediate Support Frame Member 
         [0020]      18  Rear Rocker Support Frame Member 
         [0021]      19  Front Rocker Support Frame Member 
         [0022]      21  Right Chain 
         [0023]      22  Left Chain 
         [0024]      23  Left Chain Sleeve 
         [0025]      24  Right Chain Sleeve 
         [0026]      25  Trigger Assembly 
         [0027]      26  Crosshairs Sight 
         [0028]      27  Pillar 
         [0029]      28  Swing Seat Body 
         [0030]      29  Bomb Bay Door 
         [0031]      31  Cross Hairs Post 
         [0032]      32  Projectile Opening 
         [0033]      33  Trigger Handle 
         [0034]      34  Trigger Mount 
         [0035]      35  Pull Cable Terminal 
         [0036]      36  Pull Cable Sheath 
         [0037]      39  Projectile Loading Opening 
         [0038]      41  Loading Plug 
         [0039]      42  Bottom Plug 
         [0040]      43  Front Plug 
         [0041]      44  Projectile Front Opening 
         [0042]      45  Projectile Channel 
         [0043]      46  Outside Body Portion 
         [0044]      47  Inside Body Portion 
         [0045]      48  Tip Body Portion 
         [0046]      49  Spring Retainer Plug 
         [0047]      51  Release Pivot 
         [0048]      52  Inside Spring Connection 
         [0049]      53  Coil Spring 
         [0050]      54  Spring Retainer Plug Connection 
         [0051]      55  Sheath Grabber 
         [0052]      56  Pull Cable 
         [0053]      57  Outside Cable Connection 
         [0054]      58  Release Finger 
         [0055]      61  Outside Tip 
         [0056]      62  Inside Tip 
         [0057]      63  Concave 
         [0058]      70  Ball 
         [0059]      71  Ball Shell 
         [0060]      72  Ball Hollow 
         [0061]      73  Ball Internal Beads 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0062]    The present invention shows a swing set having a top support frame member  12 ,  FIG. 1  formed as a tube of metal and preferably welded to a pair of rear vertical support frame members  14  and a pair of front vertical support frame members  15 . The frame welding is the most secure connection, but the top connection can also be by bolts. The rear vertical support frame member  14  and the front vertical support frame member  15  can be connected with an intermediate support frame member  16 . The intermediate support frame member  16  is preferably generally horizontal and at a midpoint between the front vertical support frame member  15  and the rear vertical support frame member  14 . The rear vertical support frame member  14  and the front vertical support frame member  15  are preferably angled to form an apex supporting the top support frame member  12 . The bottom ends of the vertical support frame members are preferably rigidly connected to a pair of rocking members including a rear rocker support frame member  18  and a front rocker support frame member  19 . The rocker support frame members allow the user to rock sideways as well as swing forward and backward. Optionally, the intermediate frame support member  16  can be attached to the rear rocker support frame member  18  and front rocker support frame member  19 . 
         [0063]    The top support frame member  12  has a pair of chain connections extending downward from a bottom surface of the top support frame member  12 . The first chain connection connects to a right chain  21  and the second chain connection connects to a left chain  22 . The right chain  21  is encapsulated within a right chain sleeve  24  at a lower end of the right chain  21 . The left chain  22  is encapsulated within a left chain sleeve  23  at a lower end of the left chain  22 . The right chain  21  is connected to a pillar  27  on the right side that extends from the swing seat body  28  on the right side. The left chain is connected to a pillar  27  on the left side that extends from the swing seat body  28  on the left side. The chain sleeve pair can be formed of a transparent plastic tube that is rigid or flexible. 
         [0064]    The swing seat body  28  has a crosshairs post  31 . The crosshairs post  31  can be tapered from a wide base to a narrow tip upon which the crosshairs sight  26  is mounted. The crosshairs sight  26  mounted on a crosshairs post  31 . The crosshairs post  31  can be made removable by connection to a socket on the swing seat body  28  which retains the crosshairs post  31 . The crosshairs post  31  when made removable can be detached and reattached to the swing seat body  28 . The crosshairs can also be made as a sight without crosshairs and attached to a sight post. A wide variety of different reticle designs can be provided, but it is preferred that no glass is used, although a glass or plastic lens with or without magnification could be provided. 
         [0065]    The swing seat body  28  also has a projectile opening  32  which can be located on an underside of the swing seat body  28 . The first and second bomb bay door  29  can be attached to the bottom of the swing seat body  28 . The trigger assembly  25  can be held by a right or left hand and mounted on the right or left chain so that a user can activate the trigger assembly while the user is gripping on the chain sleeves. The chain sleeves preferably have an external surface that is grippy. The chain sleeves may also receive a trigger assembly  25  mounting to the chain sleeves. 
         [0066]    During play, a user may shift weight to the left or right and drop balls or other projectiles from the projectile opening  32  by actuating the trigger assembly  25 . Targets such as boxes can be positioned to the front or back or underneath the swing so that the user can hit the targets with the projectiles. Games can be also be made where the projectiles are launched into an opening of a box so that the projectiles are retained within the box. Different scores can be assigned for putting a projectile inside a target or knocking over boxes or targets. 
         [0067]    The swing seat body  28  optionally has a pair of pillars  27 , and the pillars can be of varying height. The trigger assembly  25  preferably includes a trigger handle  33  extending upward from a trigger mount  34 . The trigger handle  33 ,  FIG. 2  is mounted to a swivel that is mounted to a swivel base. The swivel base is connected to the right chain sleeve  24  or left chain sleeve  23 . The pull cord or pull cable preferably has a pull cable terminal  35  formed as a terminal connection. The terminal connection can be a plug attached to an end of the cable. The plug can be extended through an aperture located on a surface of the trigger handle  33 . The pull cable is held within a pull cable sheath  36  for much of its length. The sheath is semi rigid and inflexible and extends from the swivel base into the sleeve and then downward through the pillar and into the swing seat body  28 . 
         [0068]    The sheath can be retained by a plurality of sheath grabber  55 ,  FIG. 3  which are formed in a blow molded side wall of the inside body portion  47  of the seat body. The sheath grabber  55  can be formed as a continuous channel or as small protrusions to the left and right of a sheath channel. The seat body is generally hollow blow molded plastic having a projectile channel  45  for retaining a plurality of projectiles such as balls  70 . 
         [0069]    The projectiles are loaded through a projectile loading opening  39  preferably located on a top or side surface of the seat body. The projectiles are released in a controlled fashion by a release finger  58  the release finger is a curved member that receives a ball or projectile in its concave angled portion. The concave portion preferably retains a single projectile, but could be sized to retain more than one. The concave portion of the release finger is located preferably between the inside spring connection  52  and the outside cable connection  57 . 
         [0070]    When a user moves the trigger handle  33  by squeezing it, the handle pulls on the pull cord that is retained in the sheath. The sheath is held in place by one or more sheath grabber  55  but can also be held by grommets. The pull cord  56  retracts the outside cable connection  57  and pulls the release finger  58  so that the release finger rotates on the release pivot  51 . The inside spring connection  52  is connected to a coil spring  53  and the coil spring has a screen retainer plug connection  54  so that the pull cord pulls against the spring. The spring biases the pull cord back to a released position from an engaged position. The spring can be formed as multiple springs or the spring constant can be adjusted according to the friction to be overcome and force required. It is preferred that the coil spring  53  is mounted to a removable spring retainer plug  49  which can be used as a hatch for assembling the release finger apparatus as well as for servicing the spring in case the spring  53  breaks. 
         [0071]    The spring retainer plug  49  inserts into an outside surface of an inside body portion  47 . The spring retainer plug  49  preferably has a threaded connection to the seat body. Other plugs can be implemented for controlling the direction of the balls. For example, a front plug  43  can be inserted into a projectile front opening  44  and a bottom plug  42  can be inserted into a bottom opening of an outside body portion  46 . The front plug  43  and the bottom plug  42  can both have threaded connection to the seat body. The projectile channel  45  can therefore be directed downward for a downward projectile release by removing the bottom plug and inserting the front plug  43  so that the balls are flying out from the bottom. Alternatively, the front plug  43  can be removed and the bottom plug  42  inserted so that the front plug  43  is not used and the balls are thus flying out from the front. 
         [0072]    The loading plug  41  can be inserted in a side or top surface of the seat body. When the loading plug is inserted in a top surface of the seat body, the loading plug may provide a smooth top surface for the user seat. 
         [0073]    The projectile can be a ball  70  and the ball can be hollow. The ball is preferably made to have a shell  71  and a ball hollow  72 . Optionally, articles can be inserted within the ball such as ball internal beads  73  to provide varying projectile properties. 
         [0074]    The shallow concave seen in  FIG. 6  may allow for multiple ball launching. The release finger can be made as a shallow concave  63  with a low angle so that the front tip  61  retains the ball to be launched in trigger released position but not in trigger pulled position. The low angle release finger can have the back tip  62  not retain the line of balls in both the trigger pulled position and in the trigger released position. By having the back tip  62  out of the way, a user can launch multiple balls in a single pull. 
         [0075]    The deeper concave seen in  FIG. 7  can allow single ball release with the potential for using the inside tip to provide an additional launching velocity. If a user yanks the trigger quickly, the inside tip  62  can kick the ball to provide more launch velocity. 
         [0076]    The release finger can be made as a deep concave  63 ,  FIG. 7  with a high angle so that the front tip  61  retains the ball to be released in trigger released position but not in trigger pulled position. The high angle release finger can have the back tip  62  retain the line of balls in trigger pulled position so that the back tip  62  only launches out a single ball. The back tip  62  could also be made to launch a finite number of balls such as one, two or three. 
         [0077]    The orientation of the projectile channel  45  can be vertical as seen in  FIG. 8 . A vertical projectile channel may allow balls to be retained in a lined up linear orientation or have an enlarged portion to retain balls in a pile or bunch as opposed to a linear orientation. The spring retainer plug  49  can be put on a side of a seat and the pull cable sheath can enter the swing seat body from a side of the swing seat body. The inside body portion  47  can be located on a bottom side as well as a top side of the swing seat body. The outside body portion  46  can be located on a top side as well as a bottom side of the swing seat body. The tip body portion  48  can be located on a bottom side of the swing seat body.