US4006899A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device simulating play action game
Assignee: Louis Marx and Co Inc
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Filing: 1976-03-03
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Granted: 1977-02-08
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Expires: 1996-03-03
Abstract
Abstract A game device is provided which has a high degree of sustained recreational and entertainment value. The game includes a housing fitted with a removable screen. The screen includes indicia which simulate a field of play, for instance a tennis court, hockey field, soccer field or the like. Screens with different fields of play may be interchangeably mounted on the housing. A boom is mounted in the housing for universal movement in a plan substantially parallel to the screen. A signal means is mounted in the universally movable end of the boom for projecting a signal on the screen simulating a play action game piece, for instance, a tennis ball or hockey puck in play on the simulated field. The signal end of the boom is reciprocable with the housing across the screen. Deflectors are movably mounted in the housing for buffeting the signal end of the boom across the screen at random verticals to the reciprocal horizontal. Each deflector is movable along a corresponding end line or goal of the field of play provided on the screen for thereby keeping the game piece in play in a manner corresponding, for instance, to tennis match play or to a hockey match, as observed on the screen. Each cross field buffet of the signal end of the boom by a respective deflector corresponds to a successful return of the game piece and each concomitant misregistration of a deflector and the signal end of the boom corresponds to a missed game piece which may, for instance, conclude a match play point or signify that a goal has been made.
Inventors
- 👤 Raymond J. Lohr
- 👤 Richard N. Carver
- 👤 Charles M. Kienholz
- 👤 Calvin S. Cook
- 👤 Maxmillian P. Rogers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 18:19
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F9/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
213 words
A game device comprising a housing, a screen associated with said housing, indicia on the screen simulating a playing field, a boom having opposed ends, means mounting said boom for universal movement of an end thereof within said housing in a plane substantially parallel to the screen, actuable signal means mounted in said end of said boom for projecting a signal on said screen simulating a game piece in play on the simulated field, drive means mounted in said housing for reciprocating the signal end of said boom across said screen, a pair of movable deflectors movably mounted in said housing for buffeting the signal end of said boom across said screen at random verticals to the reciprocal horizontal, and means for independently moving each said deflector along a corresponding scoring position of the simulated playing field provided on the screen for thereby striking and returning the simulated game piece across the playing field in the manner corresponding to game play, as observed on the screen, each cross buffet of the signal end of the boom by a respective deflector corresponding to a successful game piece return, and each concomitant misregistration of a deflector and the signal end of the boom corresponding to a missed game piece which concludes a match play point.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
213 words
A game device comprising a housing, a screen associated with said housing, indicia on the screen simulating a playing field, a boom having opposed ends, means mounting said boom for universal movement of an end thereof within said housing in a plane substantially parallel to the screen, actuable signal means mounted in said end of said boom for projecting a signal on said screen simulating a game piece in play on the simulated field, drive means mounted in said housing for reciprocating the signal end of said boom across said screen, a pair of movable deflectors movably mounted in said housing for buffeting the signal end of said boom across said screen at random verticals to the reciprocal horizontal, and means for independently moving each said deflector along a corresponding scoring position of the simulated playing field provided on the screen for thereby striking and returning the simulated game piece across the playing field in the manner corresponding to game play, as observed on the screen, each cross buffet of the signal end of the boom by a respective deflector corresponding to a successful game piece return, and each concomitant misregistration of a deflector and the signal end of the boom corresponding to a missed game piece which concludes a match play point.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
29 words
A game device as claimed in claim 1 including detector means mounted in the housing for detecting a misregistration of a deflector and the signal end of the boom.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A game device as claimed in claim 2, including a scorekeeper mounted on said housing, said scorekeeper being operatively connected to said detector means, and including recording means for recording each misregister of a respective deflector and the signal end of the boom.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A game device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said screen is removably mounted on said housing and is parabolic having respective convex and concave surfaces, the concave surface thereof facing inwardly towards the end wall of said housing.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
A game device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means mounting said boom comprises a lug mounted rearwardly on said housing, said lug having an upwardly opening socket therein, a yoke rotatably mounted in said lug socket and including a pair of upstanding vertical webs, and a journal mounted in the webs of said yoke on which said boom is vertically pivotable.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A game device as claimed in claim 5, including a counterweight mounted on said boom for balancing same.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
65 words
A game device as claimed in claim 1, including resilient bias means surrounding said signal end of said boom, said bias means dampening an impact of said signal end of the boom against a movable deflector and being responsive to a buffeting impact of a movable deflector for promoting an angular cross field movement of said signal end of said boom relative to said screen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
62 words
A game device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said signal means comprises a light bulb removably mounted in said end of said boom for projecting a concentrated beam on said screen corresponding to the simulated game piece, a power supply for illuminating said light bulb and operating said drive means, and switch means for controlling the operation of said power supply.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
50 words
A game device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive means for reciprocating said signal end of the boom comprises a cam rotatably mounted in said housing, means operatively connecting said cam and boom mounting for translating rotation thereof into reciprocal movement, and means for selectively rotating said cam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
124 words
A game device as claimed in claim 9, including a pair of detectors pivotably mounted in said housing for detecting a misregistration of movable deflector and said signal end of said boom, each detector being pivotable between a respective first and second position, said first position of each movable detector being correspondingly aligned with a respective scoring position of the simulated playing field provided on the screen, each detector including a cam follower associated with said cam translating rotation of a detector from its first to second position into linear reciprocal movement, said cam follower including means for alternately pivoting each detector from its second position to its first position after it has been pivoted from the first to second positions by the boom.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
127 words
A game device as claimed in claim 10, including a scorekeeper mounted on said housing, said scorekeeper comprising a front panel having a pair of slots therein, a pair of number wheels, each number wheel being rotatably journalled behind the front panel so as to permit the slot therein to frame a number on the wheel, a ratchet wheel fixedly connected to each number wheel and a pawl cooperatively spaced from each ratchet wheel so as to permit an engagement therewith for thereby rotating the ratchet wheel and affixed number wheel, each pawl being operatively connected to a detector in the housing and each pawl being driven into engagement with a respective ratchet wheel as its corresponding detector is pivoted from said first to second position thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
A game device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said device is electrically operated through a power supply and electric circuit and including circuit-breaking means associated with each said number wheels for breaking said circuit when a number wheel attains a preselected position corresponding to a "game over" condition.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
184 words
A game device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said means for independently moving each movable deflector along a corresponding scoring position of the simulated playing field provided on the screen comprises a pair of supports, each being mounted in said housing in a plane substantially normal to a corresponding scoring position of the simulated playing field, a spur gear rotatably mounted in each support, a pair of rods having opposed ends, one end of each rod being journalled through a respective support and axially connected to a corresponding spur gear, the other end of each rod extending beyond said screen, a pair of legs having opposed ends, an end of each leg being respectively pivotably connected to a respective support, a movable deflector being connected to each corresponding other end thereof, and a rack depending from each leg meshing with a respective spur gear mounted in each corresponding support, each rod being rotatable in first and second directions for rotating a corresponding spur gear for concomitantly raising and lowering a respective rack for thereby respectively raising and lowering a leg and connected deflector.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A game device as claimed in claim 1 and including fixed deflectors associated with said screen for intercepting and guiding said signal end of said boom.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
A game device as claimed in claim 14 wherein said fixed deflectors include goal-defining means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
A game device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device comprises a tennis game.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
A game device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said device comprises a hockey game.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A game device as claimed in claim 1 and including bumpers associated with said screen for intercepting and rebounding said signal end of said boom.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2665133A
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US2644884A
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US3326552A
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US3583538A
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US3778058A
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US3857564A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-02-08 | 1980-08-09 | 1981-02-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-02-08 | 1984-08-09 | 1985-02-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-02-08 | 1988-08-09 | 1989-02-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |