US3949990A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rotating disk toy
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-07-11
•
Granted: 1976-04-13
•
Expires: 1994-07-11
Abstract
Abstract A game for simulating launching and landing of spacecraft. An elongated channel attached to an upright stand defines a predetermined path for a moving game piece. A notched rotating disk mounted on the stand transversely above the channel prevents passage of the game piece except when the notch coincides with the channel. The effective circumferential extent of the notch can be selectively varied by a movable shutter for simulating approach corridors of varying widths. Alternatively, a target plaque pivotally mounted in the notch rotates from a first to a second position if struck by a simulated missile. Game pieces that fail to pass the rotating disk are prevented from bouncing back into the approach channel by a one-way barrier and are then removed from the channel by flanges protruding from the face of the disk. The disk may be rotated with constant angular velocity or with continuously varying velocity by means of off-center gears.
Inventors
- 👤 Joseph Polonyi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 00:39
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F7/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
A game comprising an upright stand; a guideway attached to the stand; a game piece which is guided along a predetermined linear path when moving on said guideway; a circular disc having a notch in the edge of the disk, the circumferential extent of the notch being greater than the width of the moving game piece; means for mounting the disk on the stand for rotation about its center in a plane transverse to the predetermined path at a location such that the edge of the disk prevents passage of the game piece along the path except when the notch coincides with the path of the game piece; means for rotating the disk about its center to periodically permit passage of the game piece through the notch opening; a shutter for covering a portion of the notch; and means for movably mounting the shutter on the disk to allow selective variation of the effective circumferential extent of the notch available for permitting passage of the moving game piece along the predetermined path.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
A game comprising an upright stand; a guideway attached to the stand; a game piece which is guided along a predetermined linear path when moving on said guideway; a circular disc having a notch in the edge of the disk, the circumferential extent of the notch being greater than the width of the moving game piece; means for mounting the disk on the stand for rotation about its center in a plane transverse to the predetermined path at a location such that the edge of the disk prevents passage of the game piece along the path except when the notch coincides with the path of the game piece; means for rotating the disk about its center to periodically permit passage of the game piece through the notch opening; a shutter for covering a portion of the notch; and means for movably mounting the shutter on the disk to allow selective variation of the effective circumferential extent of the notch available for permitting passage of the moving game piece along the predetermined path.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
A game according to claim 1 wherein the shutter comprises a sector plate having a radius equal to the radius of the disk; and the shutter mounting means comprises a threaded shaft attached to the center of the disk, the shutter being rotatably mounted on the shaft, and a nut threaded on the shaft for holding the shutter in overlapping relation against the disk.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
72 words
A game according to claim 2 further comprising a protrusion on one of the shutter and disk and a plurality of mating angularly spaced indentations on the other of the shutter and disk to permit engagement of the protrusion and a selected one of the indentations to hold the shutter in any of a plurality of graduated angular positions relative to the disk for covering a selected circumferential portion of the notch.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
A game according to claim 3 further comprising a spring between the nut and the sector plate for urging the sector plate into contact with the disk yet for permitting the sector plate to be disengaged from the disk to rotate the sector plate with respect to the disk to a different relative angular position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
157 words
A game comprising a flat panel having a cut out opening therethrough; means for supporting the panel in an upright position; an elongated guideway attached to the panel for conducting a moving game piece through the opening along a predetermined path transverse to the panel; a circular disk having a notch in a portion of the edge of the disk; means for mounting the disk on the panel for rotation about the center of the disk, the axis of rotation being located with respect to the opening in the panel such that the disk prevents passage of the moving game piece through the opening except when the notch coincides with the path of the game piece; means for rotating the disk about said axis to periodically permit passage of the game piece through the notch; and a target plaque mounted in the notch for pivotal movement when struck by a game piece moving along the predetermined path.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
157 words
A game comprising a flat panel having a cut out opening therethrough; means for supporting the panel in an upright position; an elongated guideway attached to the panel for conducting a moving game piece through the opening along a predetermined path transverse to the panel; a circular disk having a notch in a portion of the edge of the disk; means for mounting the disk on the panel for rotation about the center of the disk, the axis of rotation being located with respect to the opening in the panel such that the disk prevents passage of the moving game piece through the opening except when the notch coincides with the path of the game piece; means for rotating the disk about said axis to periodically permit passage of the game piece through the notch; and a target plaque mounted in the notch for pivotal movement when struck by a game piece moving along the predetermined path.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
A game according to claim 5 wherein the target plaque is mounted for pivoting motion from a first position presenting one face to the moving game piece to a second position presenting the reverse face of the plaque to the game piece.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
A game according to claim 5 wherein the target plaque is mounted in the notch for pivotal movement about an axis intersecting the sides of the notch at approximately their midpoints between a first position presenting one face of the plaque to the moving game piece and a second position presenting the reverse face of the plaque to the game piece.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
A game according to claim 7 comprising means for releasably holding the target plaque in first position, said holding means releasing the plaque for rotation to the second position when the plaque is struck by a moving game piece having at least a predetermined minimum momentum.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
157 words
A game comprising an upright stand; a channel supported by the stand; a ball which is guided along a predetermined path by said channel when moving thereon; a disk having a portion cut out from the circumference thereof, the circumferential extent of the cut out portion being larger than the diameter of the moving ball but smaller than the uninterrupted extent of the disk circumference; means for mounting the disk on the stand for rotation about its center in a plane transverse to the predetermined path, the disk being positioned above the channel such that the edge of the disk clears the surface of the channel but blocks passage of the moving ball except when the cut out portion is alined with the channel; and means for rotating the disk, whereby passage of the moving ball along the channel is alternately prevented by the disk edge and permitted by the cut out portion as the disk revolves.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
157 words
A game comprising an upright stand; a channel supported by the stand; a ball which is guided along a predetermined path by said channel when moving thereon; a disk having a portion cut out from the circumference thereof, the circumferential extent of the cut out portion being larger than the diameter of the moving ball but smaller than the uninterrupted extent of the disk circumference; means for mounting the disk on the stand for rotation about its center in a plane transverse to the predetermined path, the disk being positioned above the channel such that the edge of the disk clears the surface of the channel but blocks passage of the moving ball except when the cut out portion is alined with the channel; and means for rotating the disk, whereby passage of the moving ball along the channel is alternately prevented by the disk edge and permitted by the cut out portion as the disk revolves.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
183 words
A game comprising an upright stand; a channel supported by the stand; a ball which is guided along a predetermined path by said channel when moving thereon; a disk having a portion cut out from the circumference thereof, the dimensions of the cut out portion being larger than the diameter of the moving ball; means for mounting the disk on the stand for rotation about its center in a plane transverse to the predetermined path, the disk being positioned above the channel such that the edge of the disk clears the surface of the channel but blocks passage of the moving ball except when the cut out portion is aligned with the channel; means for rotating the disk, whereby passage of the moving ball along the channel is alternately prevented by the disk edge and permitted by the cut out portion as the disk revolves; and a one-way barrier located in front of the rotating disk in the path of the moving ball for preventing a ball that has failed to pass through the cut out portion from returning backward along the channel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
183 words
A game comprising an upright stand; a channel supported by the stand; a ball which is guided along a predetermined path by said channel when moving thereon; a disk having a portion cut out from the circumference thereof, the dimensions of the cut out portion being larger than the diameter of the moving ball; means for mounting the disk on the stand for rotation about its center in a plane transverse to the predetermined path, the disk being positioned above the channel such that the edge of the disk clears the surface of the channel but blocks passage of the moving ball except when the cut out portion is aligned with the channel; means for rotating the disk, whereby passage of the moving ball along the channel is alternately prevented by the disk edge and permitted by the cut out portion as the disk revolves; and a one-way barrier located in front of the rotating disk in the path of the moving ball for preventing a ball that has failed to pass through the cut out portion from returning backward along the channel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
A game according to claim 10 further comprising a protrusion from the front of the disk near the edge for contacting any ball trapped between the one-way barrier and the disk and sweeping the contacted ball laterally from the channel as the disk rotates.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
A game according to claim 9 wherein the means for rotating the disk comprises means for driving the disk at continuously varying angular velocity.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1979-04-13 | 1979-10-13 | 1980-04-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-04-13 | 1983-10-13 | 1984-04-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-04-13 | 1987-10-13 | 1988-04-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |