US3761085A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Table tennis practice and game equipment
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1971-08-23
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Granted: 1973-09-25
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Expires: 1991-08-23
Abstract
Abstract Table tennis practice and game equipment comprising a quick knock-down, quick-reassembly ball receiving and projecting unit, including tripod-mounted net, frame, and projector, the whole adapted for free standing deployment at one end of a table tennis table when in use, and for compact folding for shipment or storage when not in use; ball projection elevation angle adjustment is by tipping the ball receiving and ball projecting units together.
Inventors
- 👤 J Cook
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 09:52
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B69/00; A63B69/40; A63B69/406; A63B2102/00; A63B2102/16; A63B47/00; A63B47/02; A63B47/025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
223 words
Table tennis practice and game apparatus adapted for ready deployment and use proximate a table tennis table and for quick disassembly into a compact bundle, comprising: means for receiving balls passing the end of a said table tennis table, including first and second collapsible wall means; means for supporting all said collapsible wall means, including horizontal support means and vertical support means for supporting the horizontal support means; means for collecting balls from the receiving means, including folding trough means below and movably connected with said vertical support means; means for serving balls collected by the collecting means; and means for positioning the serving means and the folding trough means for co-action with a said table tennis table; said folding trough means comprising a central member having spaced upright first and second flanges connected by a bottom, the first flange being affixed adjacent the means for serving balls and having a hole for passage of balls and the bottom being sloped toward the hole for gravitational delivery of balls therethrough to the means for serving balls, and a pair of inwardly downsloping wing troughs, the wing troughs having open ends pivoted in spaced proximity inside the central member, thereby providing for balls collected to be delivered to said central member bottom through the spacing between the ends of the wing troughs, without oscillation.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
223 words
Table tennis practice and game apparatus adapted for ready deployment and use proximate a table tennis table and for quick disassembly into a compact bundle, comprising: means for receiving balls passing the end of a said table tennis table, including first and second collapsible wall means; means for supporting all said collapsible wall means, including horizontal support means and vertical support means for supporting the horizontal support means; means for collecting balls from the receiving means, including folding trough means below and movably connected with said vertical support means; means for serving balls collected by the collecting means; and means for positioning the serving means and the folding trough means for co-action with a said table tennis table; said folding trough means comprising a central member having spaced upright first and second flanges connected by a bottom, the first flange being affixed adjacent the means for serving balls and having a hole for passage of balls and the bottom being sloped toward the hole for gravitational delivery of balls therethrough to the means for serving balls, and a pair of inwardly downsloping wing troughs, the wing troughs having open ends pivoted in spaced proximity inside the central member, thereby providing for balls collected to be delivered to said central member bottom through the spacing between the ends of the wing troughs, without oscillation.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
Table tennis practice and game apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein a wing trough is adapted to rest on an upturned portion of the central member bottom, thereby establishing the degree of said downsloping.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
104 words
Table tennis practice and game apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein: one of said vertical support means is pivotally attached to the end away from said central member of each wing trough, the horizontal support means extends between the tops of the vertical support means, the first collapsible wall means depends freely from the horizontal support means to a position adjacent the folding trough means, and the second collapsible wall means extends down rearwardly from the horizontal support means and then forwardly to the folding trough means thereby adapting the receiving means further to deter balls from bouncing free of the receiving means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
69 words
Table tennis practice and game apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the pivotal attachment of the vertical support means includes a vertically slotted pivot, and wherein a stop is provided adjacent the vertically slotted pivot for holding it in a vertical direction, whereby the vertically slotted pivot is adapted to be lifted free of the adjacent stop, allowing the vertical support means to be folded inboard for storage.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
74 words
Table tennis practice and game apparatus as recited in claim 3, said apparatus having additionally a vertical end-panel at each vertical support means extending rearwardly to an apex, and a flexible member inside the second collapsible wall means connecting the apices of the end panels whereby the second collapsible wall means is maintained in the conFiguration of said extension down rearwardly from the horizontal support means and then forwardly to the folding trough means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
Table tennis practice and game apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the horizontal support means comprises a tubular member adapted to engage the tops of the vertical support means, and wherein the tubular member has a collapsible joint intermediate the length thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
Table tennis practice and game apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the first collapsible wall means comprises a length of flexible sheet material divided from the bottom up into parallel streamers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
Table tennis practice and game apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the streamers are of plural lengths and have differing widths corresponding to the lengths.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
Table tennis practice and game apparatus as recited in claim 7 wherein the top border of the flexible sheet material is substantially continuous and has an aperture therethrough for passage of a portion of the means for serving balls, and wherein the second collapsible wall means comprises flexible reticulate material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
68 words
Table tennis practice and game apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the means for serving balls comprises a ball run extending from a position proximate the hole in the central member first flange in an arc rearwardly, upwardly, and forwardly, through the first collapsible wall means; and wherein means is provided for urging balls received from said hole around said arc for projection as table tennis serves.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
40 words
Table tennis practice and game apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the ball projection elevation angle is adjusted by adjusting the vertical angle of the means for receiving balls and the means for serving balls together as a unit.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
78 words
Table tennis practice and game apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the means for positioning comprises a table member having plural downwardly protruding spuds, plural respective legs adapted to engage said spuds, at least one of said engagements of leg and spud having a pin and plural transverse holes associated therewith, whereby the effective length of said leg is adjustable by selective engagement between the pin and one of said holes thereby adjusting the ball projection angle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
Table tennis practice and game apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein at least one of said legs is angled outwardly intermediate the length thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
Table tennis practice and game apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein the table member has parallel flange means for releasibly gripping the bottom of the serving means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-09-24 | 1977-03-26 | 1977-09-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-09-24 | 1981-03-26 | 1981-09-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-09-24 | 1985-03-26 | 1985-09-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |