Patent GB-483073-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to game apparatus
IPC: A63F9/14
Filed: 1936-07-06
Abstract: 483,073. Game apparatus. HUBERTIA-APPARATE GES. July 6, 1936, No. 18781. Void. Convention date, July 5, 1935. [Class 132 (ii)] The invention relates to game apparatus wherein a racing body preferably a model car, is controlled through a Bowden cable by a player to rim round an endless track, and consists in providing a single controlling member for laterally steering and for regulating the speed and direction of travel of the car. By providing two cars the apparatus may be used for racing. The track is formed on a plate 4 hinged at 5 to the casing 2 between a rim 6 and a plate 8 detachably secured at 7 to the casing closed by a glass sheet 1. The car 27 has an electric motor with two windings for forward and reverse running and is steered by a Bowden cable 25 connected to the bogie thereof, the flexible covering 26 of the Bowden cable being secured to the body of the car and serving for leading the three conductors to the motor, current being fed to these leads by brushes engaging slip rings 16, 17, 18 on fixed shaft 14, Fig. 3. The Bowden cable is connected to and operated by a bell-crank 24 pivoted to a sleeve 19 rotatable on a shaft 14. A sleeve 20 rotatable and axially slidable on shaft 14 relative to sleeve 19, is moved axially to actuate the bell-crank 24 through a pin 23 by a cam 47 on a shaft 41 rotated by an external handle 38<1> by the player. The sleeve 38 carrying the handle 38<1> is splined to the shaft 41 so that the sleeve may also be moved axially by the operator relative to shaft 41 against the action of a spring 43, such axial movement of sleeve 38 rocking a contact arm 44 about pivot 45 over resistances 46<1> or 46<11> connected respectively in the opposed windings of the motor. Axial movement of the handle 38<1> thus controls the direction of motion of the car 27 and its speed while rotary movement thereof steers the car. Operation. The player inserts a coin in a time switch 48 which releases the apparatus for a predetermined time. A lamp 15 on shaft 14 visible through an aperture 10 in plate 8, lights up and the motor is energized. The player by actuating the handle 38<1> endeavours to traverse the car around the course as many times as possible. At each forward circuit of the car a projection 32 on sleeve 19 which rotates with the car. operates a rod 33 to advance a ratchet wheel 34 one tooth, a scale on a disc 35 rigid with the ratchet wheel being visible at 9. If the player succeeds in traversing a predetermined number of circuits a contact 36 on disc 35 engages a fixed contact 37 to energize a device for delivering a prize, coin, token or article, at 52. A further lamp 58 visible at 11 is maintained alight when the apparatus is out of play to attract further players. Modifications. Several contacts such as 36 may be provided on the disc 35 so that several prizes may be paid out according to the number of forward circuits made by the car during the period allowed by the time switch. Several driving elements for the disc 35 may be provided on sleeve 19 so that the indication at 9 shows equal portions of the track traversed by the car. Two or more such arrangements may be mounted adjacently and the prize delivery mechanism so connected that the prize is delivered to the player whose car has covered the greatest distance. The two arrangements could be mounted one within the other, the maximum speed of the inner car being less than that of the outer car to take account of the difference in the lengths of the tracks.