Patent Publication Number: US-4253669-A

Title: Game apparatus with object receiving receptacles and object engaging member

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A. Field of the Invention 
     The device of the present invention is a new and improved game apparatus and in particular to a game having a rotatable platform onto which playing pieces are deposited. 
     B. Description of the Prior Art 
     Games that are presently popular are those that involve competition between two or more players and require a certain skill for playing the game such as eye-hand coordination. Many games of this type are fast moving and require eye-hand coordination and therefore help develop the player&#39;s coordination and serve both as a source of amusement and to assist in the development of the player&#39;s skill. 
     It is desirable that a game of this type be simple in operation requiring a minimum of moving parts but be sufficiently difficult to play so as to require or develop a degree of skill such that the game does not become boring to the player and yet present a challenge to the player or players. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved game apparatus that requires eye and hand coordination and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture but is challenging to the players of the game. 
     A game apparatus mode in accordance with the present invention includes includes a housing and a playing surface rotatably mounted on a stationary base portion. The playing surface includes a first central portion of a hemispherical configuration and a circular flange portion secured to the outer peripheral edge thereof. A motor such as a spring type drive is mounted on the base for rotating the playing surface at a desired rate of speed. 
     The object of the game apparatus is to drop a round ball or playing object onto the central hemispherical portion such that it randomly falls along the hemispherical surface and into one of many receptacles defined in the outer peripheral playing flange. The receptacles are grouped into a preselected number of one type that are of a configuration to capture the ball and allow a portion of the ball to extend beneath the peripheral flange and a predetermined number of a second type of receptacles of a configuration which will allow the ball to pass therethrough. 
     The game apparatus further includes one or more player operated levers, pivotally mounted on the base, each including a first end that is to be engaged by the hand or finger of a player of the game to pivot the lever and a second end, which rises to a position slightly beneath the circular flange to engage the exposed portion of the ball retained in one of the first group of receptacles. If a player pivots the lever at the precise moment a ball and receptacle are passing, the second end of the lever will engage the ball forcing it out of the receptacle and into an adjacent or other receptacle. If this adjacent or other receptacle is of the configuration of the second type of receptacle, the ball will pass through and out of the housing thus indicating a score for that particular player. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other objects and advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game apparatus and a scoring board constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged, partially fragmented top plan view of the game apparatus of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 3 is a partial, vertical cross-sectional view of the game apparatus of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to the drawing and initially to FIG. 1 there is illustrated a game apparatus 10 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The game apparatus 10 includes a central rotatable element and requires the players to exercise hand and eye coordination in order to score points. The scoring of points may be tallied by a board such as the score board 12 illustrated in FIG. 1 wherein individual pegs 14 may be inserted in holes 16 that correspond to the points scored by the individual player. 
     The game apparatus 10 includes a circular dish-shaped, concave housing 18 that may be mounted on a platform or base 20 for supporting the game on a table or other flat surface. Defined within the housing 18 is a playing surface generally designated by the reference numeral 24. The playing surface 24 is supported above the base 20 and is rotated in one direction by a spring motor 26 such as one of the many commercially available types. In the present embodiment, the motor is cocked or wound by rotating the playing surface 24 in an opposite direction. The motor 26 includes a spindle or shaft 28 extending vertically from the base and motor 26 which is secured to a central portion 30 of the playing surface 24. 
     The central portion 30 of the playing surface 24 is hemispherical in configuration sloping downwardly to an outer peripheral, generally circular flange 32 and integrally formed with the dish-shaped housing 18. Consequently, the housing 18, the central portion 30 and the flange 32 of the playing surface 24 are mounted and rotated as a unit by the motor 26 through the connection to the spindle 28. 
     A chute or dropping device 34 is mounted above the central portion 30 of the playing surface 24 and is employed for drop playing objects, such as a ball 36, onto the central portion 30 of the playing surface 24 at the beginning of play. The chute 34 includes a circular ring portion 33 mounted by a pair of struts 35 which also serve to facilitate winding of the motor 26. A circular enlargment or cap 38 is provided to strengthen the structure and will be engaged by the ball 36 when it is dropped through the ring 33. 
     The flange 32 includes a plurality of receptacles of two different configurations or types. A first group of receptacles 40 are circular in configuration and of a size such that the ball 36 once landing in one of these receptacles 40 is captured and prevented from passing therethrough. To assure that the ball 36 is captured in one of the receptacles 40, they are separated from one another by a plurality of flanges or ribs 44. As best illustrated in FIG. 3, the receptacles 40 are of a sufficient size relative to the size of the ball 36 such that a portion of the ball extends below the bottom surface of the flange 32. 
     The flange 32 also includes a subsequent or second type of receptacles 42 that are of a sufficient size to allow the ball 36 to pass therethrough and out of the housing 18, thus indicating a score for a particular player as described below. The plurality of flanges or dividers 44 between the various receptacles 40 and 42 that extend upwardly from the bottom of the flange 32 and also to prevent the ball 36 from rolling along the flange 32 between receptacles 40 and 42. 
     In one scheme of play, balls 36 are randomly deposited in the chute 34 and the object of the game apparatus 10 is for the players to attempt to move a ball 36 from any one of the receptacles 40 to a receptacle 42 to score a point of carrying the ball to be released. In order to move the ball 36 from the receptacles 40 to the receptacles 42, there are one or more player actuated levers generally designated by the reference numeral 46 mounted on the base as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3. Each player actuated lever 46 is mounted on a platform 48 extending outwardly from the base 20 in a radial direction. Each platform 48 includes a pair of vertically extending supports 50 which are provided with generally C-shaped apertures 51 at the top thereof. A pair of pins 52 defined on pivot shafts 53 of the individual levers 54 so that the pins 52 snap into the apertures 51 to support the lever 54. This mounting of the levers 54 on the supports 50 allows the levers 54 to be pivoted by a player. 
     Each lever 54 includes a first player end 56 adapted to be engaged by the player to pivot the lever 54 about the pins 52 to move a second ball contact end 58 of the lever upwardly to engage the portion of a ball 36 extending below the flange 32. Stop means are provided to prevent contact between the end 58 and the lower portion of the flange 32. The limited upward movement of the end 58 is accomplished by a stop member 60 defined on the lower side of the end 56 such that it will engage the platform 48 after the lever 54 pivots a predetermined amount. 
     If a player actuates the lever 54 when one of the balls 36 in a receptacle 40 is directly over the end 58, it will be struck causing the ball to move upwardly and out of the receptacle 40 and randomly into an adjacent or other receptacle. If the adjacent receptacle is one of the second group of receptacles 42, the ball will fall out and the player will be awarded a score. Play continues until one player attains the score selected as the winning score for the game or according to many other scenes of play. 
     While only a single embodiment of the present invention has been shown, it will be understood that various changes and modifications may appear to those skilled in the art and it is contemplated by the appended claims to cover all such changes and mofidications as fall within the true spirit of the scope of the present invention.