US3689069A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Amusement device
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-10-21
•
Granted: 1972-09-05
•
Expires: 1990-10-21
Abstract
Abstract An amusement device for providing entertainment and testing one''s skill in tossing a ball through a basket. The device has a smooth, hard, playing board with markings resembling a miniature basketball court and baskets are provided at each end of the court. The playing board is surrounded on all sides by walls which slope downwardly from each end of the playing board to a minimum height at the middle of the playing board so that a player standing outside the walls and executing a toss from behind selected limit marks which marks entered over the top edges of the walls, may toss the ball for the basket and bounce the ball at prescribed areas on the playing board and through the basket. The ball remains on the playing board if the player has exercised the necessary skill.
Inventors
- 👤 Benjamin W Rogers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 13:24
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F7/00; A63F7/06; A63F7/0604; A63F7/0612
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
187 words
An amusement device comprising: a playing board having a smooth, hard, uninterrupted playing surface with a first set of markings thereon resembling a miniature basketball court and a second set of markings defining a plurality of areas located near the middle of the court; end walls extending perpendicularly from the playing board at each end of the playing board; hoops mounted respectively to each end wall, the hoops projecting inwardly over the miniature court at substantially right angles to the end walls; side walls extending perpendicularly from the playing board at each lateral side of the board and between the end walls thereby enclosing the miniature court on all sides, the side walls having a third set of markings at preselected locations along the playing board; said markings extending over the top edges of said side walls; and the side walls being the same height from the playing board as the end walls at the junction with the end walls and continuously inclining downwardly from said junction to the middle of the court, said walls at said middle being at a minimum height above said playing surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
187 words
An amusement device comprising: a playing board having a smooth, hard, uninterrupted playing surface with a first set of markings thereon resembling a miniature basketball court and a second set of markings defining a plurality of areas located near the middle of the court; end walls extending perpendicularly from the playing board at each end of the playing board; hoops mounted respectively to each end wall, the hoops projecting inwardly over the miniature court at substantially right angles to the end walls; side walls extending perpendicularly from the playing board at each lateral side of the board and between the end walls thereby enclosing the miniature court on all sides, the side walls having a third set of markings at preselected locations along the playing board; said markings extending over the top edges of said side walls; and the side walls being the same height from the playing board as the end walls at the junction with the end walls and continuously inclining downwardly from said junction to the middle of the court, said walls at said middle being at a minimum height above said playing surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
67 words
The amusement device of claim 1 wherein: backboards are mounted respectively to each end wall on the inwardly facing side of the end wall at an elevated position above the playing board and centrally located with respect to the side walls; and the hoops are mounted to the respective backboards on the end walls at a position centrally located on the lower portion of the respective backboard.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
The amusement device of claim 1 wherein: the hoops on each end wall are substantially oversized with respect to the first set of markings resembling the miniature basketball court; and a resilient ball is included, the ball also being oversized with respect to the first set of markings and proportional in size to the hoop whereby the ball may pass freely through the hoop.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
The amusement device of claim 3 wherein: the second set of markings is comprised of a plurality of areas located at fixed stations on opposite sides of the midcourt mark; and the third set of markings on the side walls are limit marks spaced along the side walls in preselected relationship to the fixed stations and the first set of markings.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The amusement device of claim 4 wherein: at least one of the limit marks of the third set of markings is laterally opposite one of the fixed stations on the court.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The amusement device of claim 5 wherein: the second set of markings additionally includes an area at the center of the court; and another of the limit marks of the third set of markings is at the midcourt point on at least one of the side walls.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The amusement device of claim 5 wherein: another of the limit marks of the third set of markings is intermediate the one limit mark and the adjacent end of the court.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The amusement device of claim 1 wherein: a net material is suspended from each of the inwardly projecting hoops.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The amusement device of claim 1 wherein: a plurality of removable legs are fastened to the playing board on the surface opposite the playing surface.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
CA632798A
Cited
US735995A
Cited
US829947A
Cited
US1612699A
Cited
US2201560A
Cited
US2261448A
Cited
US2893734A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-09-05 | 1976-03-06 | 1976-09-05 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-09-05 | 1980-03-06 | 1980-09-05 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-09-05 | 1984-03-06 | 1984-09-05 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |