Round-about game apparatus

Claim 2

A game apparatus comprising: a housing having a platform; track means associated with the platform defining a target path of travel; a target removably mounted on said track means an extending upwardly therefrom; drive means associated with the target for moving the target relative to said platform; and scoring means mounted on the housing including an inverted generally L-shaped member having a horizontal leg extending over the platform at the same height as the target perpendicular to the track means and a downwardly extending vertical leg, said L-shaped member being mounted on the housing so that the horizontal leg is movable between a normally retracted position away from the target path of travel and a striking position intersecting the target path of travel, said scoring means further including selectively operable control means operably connected to the L-shaped member for moving said horizontal leg from a retracted position to a striking position whereby a moving target is knocked off the track means.

Claim 3

The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein the platform has an elongated slot formed therein and the track means is mounted in said slot for movement therein, said drive means moving the track means in the slot.

Claim 4

The game apparatus of claim 2 wherein said slot and track means define a closed endless path. 4 The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive means is selectively variable to move the target at different rates of speed.

Claim 5

The game apparatus of claim 4 wherein the track means has gear teeth formed on the bottom thereof and said drive means includes a horizontal shaft mounted for rotation inside the housing below the track means and a pinion gear secured to the horizontal shaft for rotation therewith and being disposed for meshing engagement with the gear teeth formed on the bottom of the track means, said horizontal shaft having a crank portion extending out of the housing to rotate the pinion gear whereby the track means and the target are moved relative to the platform.

Claim 6

The game apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control means includes an elongated horizontal control member pivotally mounted in the housing having one end extending outside the housing and the other end supporting the L-shaped member at the free end of the vertical member whereby pivoting of the control member causes pivoting of the L-shaped member from a retracted to a striking position.

Claim 7

The game apparatus of claim 6 wherein the vertical leg has a downwardly canted portion extending therefrom resting on the end of the control member, whereby the horizontal leg is allowed to remain in a striking position a short period of time after actuation.

Claim 8

The game apparatus of claim 1 including stop means mounted adjacent said track for stopping the movement of a moving target after a given amount of time.

Claim 9

The game apparatus of claim 8 wherein said stop means includes a vertical shaft rotatably mounted on said platform and a blocking element extending horizontally from the vertical shaft a distance sufficient to intersect the target path of travel, said stop means being movable between normally neutral position when the blocking element is away from the target path of traveL and a blocking position when the blocking element is rotated from the neutral position to intersect the target path of travel, said stop means being capable of blocking the progress of travel of a moving target when in a blocking position.

Claim 10

The game apparatus of claim 9 wherein said stop means includes a spring wound timer mechanism beneath said platform associated with the vertical shaft to rotate the stop means from a neutral to a blocking position after a given passage of time.

Claim 11

The game apparatus of claim 10 wherein said timer mechanism includes: a frame below the platform rotatably supporting the vertical shaft; a coil spring encircling the vertical shaft and disposed relative to the shaft and said frame to yieldingly resist turning of the shaft in a given direction; a segmented gear fixed to said vertical shaft for rotation therewith; a speed reduction gear train carried by the frame including a first gear disposed for meshing engagement with said segmented gear; a star gear rotatable with said gear train; and a bifurcated element pivotally mounted on the frame in position for alternating engagement of its end portions with spaced apart teeth on aid star wheel.

Claim 12

A game apparatus comprising: a housing having a platform with a circular slot formed therein; circular track means mounted in said slot for rotation therein and having an upstanding support member; a target removably mounted on said upstanding support member; selectively variable drive means associated with the track means for rotating the track means and moving the target relative to said platform at different rates of speed; scoring means mounted on the housing including a horizontal elongated member mounted over the platform at the same height as the target perpendicular to the track means being movable between a normally retracted position away from the target path of travel and a striking position intersecting the target path of travel and selectively operable control means operably connected to the horizontal member for moving said horizontal member from a retracted position to a striking position whereby a moving target is knocked off the support member; and stop means for stopping the movement of a moving target including a vertical shaft rotatably mounted on said platform and a blocking element extending horizontally from the vertical shaft a distance sufficient to intersect the target path of travel and being movable between a normally neutral position when the blocking element is away from the target path of travel and a blocking position when the blocking element is intersecting the target path of travel, said stop means further including a spring wound timer mechanism beneath said platform associated with the vertical shaft to rotate the stop means from a neutral to a blocking position after a given amount of time.

Claim 13

A game apparatus comprising: a housing having a platform with a circular slot formed therein; circular track means mounted in said slot for rotation therein and having an upstanding support member; a target removably mounted on said upstanding support member; selectively variable drive means associated with the track means for rotating the track means and moving the target relative to said platform at different rates of speed; scoring means mounted on the housing including a horizontal elongated member mounted over the platform at the same height as the target perpendicular to the track means being movable between a normally retracted position away from the target path of travel and a striking position intersecting the target path of travel and selectively operable control means operably connected to the horizontal member for moving said horizontal member from a retracted position to a striking position whereby a moving target is knocked off the support member; and stop means for stopping the movement of a moving target including a vertical shaft rotatably mounted on said platform and a blocking element extending horizontally from the vertical shaft a distance sufficient to intersect the target path of travel and being movable between a normally neutral position when the blocking element is away from the target path of travel and a blocking position when the blocking element is intersecting the target path of travel, said stop means further including a spring wound timer mechanism beneath said platform associated with the vertical shaft to rotate the stop means from a neutral to a blocking position after a given amount of time.

Claim 14

The game apparatus of claim 12 wherein the track means has gear teeth formed on the bottom thereof and said drive means includes a horizontal shaft mounted for rotation inside the housing below the track means and a pinion gear secured to the horizontal shaft for rotation therewith and being disposed for meshing engagement with the gear teeth formed on the bottom of the track means, said horizontal shaft having a crank portion extending out of the housing to rotate the pinion gear whereby the track means and the target are moved relative to the platform.

Claim 15

The game apparatus of claim 12 wherein said scoring means further includes a vertical elongated member joining the horizontal member at the end opposite the contact end and extending downwardly therefrom, said vertical member forming with the horizontal member an inverted L-shaped member, said L-shaped member being pivotally mounted on said housing whereby movement of the control means pivots the horizontal member from a retracted to a striking position.

Claim 16

The game apparatus of claim 14 wherein said control means includes an elongated hOrizontal control member pivotally mounted in the housing having one end extending outside the housing and the other end supporting the L-shaped member at the free end of the vertical member whereby pivoting of the control member causes pivoting of the L-shaped member from a retracted to a striking position.

Claim 17

The game apparatus of claim 15 wherein the vertical member has a downwardly canted portion extending therefrom resting on the end of the control member, whereby the horizontal member is allowed to remain in a striking position a short period of time after actuation.

Claim 18

The game apparatus of claim 12 wherein said timer mechanism includes: a frame below the platform rotatably supporting the vertical shaft; a coil spring encircling the vertical shaft and disposed relative to the shaft and said frame to yieldingly resist turning of the shaft in a given direction; a segmented gear fixed to said vertical shaft for rotation therewith; a speed reduction gear train carried by the frame including a first gear disposed for meshing engagement with said segmented gear; a star gear rotatable with said gear train; and a bifurcated element pivotally mounted on the frame in position for alternating engagement of its end portions with spaced apart teeth on said star wheel.