Pro-skill basketball game

Claim 2

A ball throwing game comprising a cabinet having a game floor therein, a back wall and a basket mounted thereon, a throwing lever supported intermediate its ends for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis beneath said game floor, said throwing lever having means defining a pocket at one end of a size and shape to receive and confine a ball prior to throwing thereof, a manually operated lever pivotally supported within said cabinet, said pivot axis of said manually operated lever being disposed adjacent said back wall, said manually operated lever having an integral, perpendicularly disposed operating handle at one end thereof exposed outwardly of said cabinet and sized to be grasped within the hand of a player for pivotally moving said manually operated lever by a player positioned adjacent said cabinet at the end opposite said back wall, and motion transmitting means including means providing a pivotal connection to the other end of said throwing lever for pivoting said throwing lever upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever for permitting a player to throw a ball from said throwing lever pocket upwardly from said floor toward said basket upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever.

Claim 3

A ball throwing game as set forth in claim 1 further including resilient bumper stop means carried by said cabinet and juxtaposed to be engaged by a portion of said throwing lever upon its pivotal movement in the throwing direction.

Claim 4

A ball throwing game as set forth in claim 1 wherein the game floor has an opening formed therein above the throwing lever pocket, said opening being substantially larger than the ball to be thrown, and means defining a funnel-shaped portion extending from said opening to said throwing lever pocket when said throwing lever is in its normal position for delivering a ball from said floor opening to said throwing lever pocket.

Claim 5

A ball throwing game comprising a cabinet having a game floor therein, a throwing lever supported intermediate its ends for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis beneath said game floor, said throwing lever having means defining a pocket at one end thereof adapted to receive a ball, a manually operated lever pivotally supported at one end thereof within said cabinet, said manually operated lever having an operating handle at the other end thereof exposed outwardly of said cabinet for pivotally moving said manually operated lever by a player positioned adjacent said cabinet, and motion transmitting means including an arm rigidly connected to said manually operated lever intermediate its ends and means pivotally connecting said arm to the other end of said throwing lever for pivoting said lever upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever for permitting a player to throw a ball from said throwing lever pocket upwardly from said floor upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever.

Claim 6

A ball throwing game comprising a cabinet having a game floor therein, a throwing lever supported intermediate its ends for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis beneath said game floor, said throwing lever having means defining a pocket at one end thereof adapted to receive a ball, a manually operated lever pivotally supported at one end thereof within said cabinet, said manually operated lever having an operating handle at the other end thereof exposed outwardly of said cabinet for pivotally moving said manually operated lever by a player positioned adjacent said cabinet, and motion transmitting means including an arm rigidly connected to said manually operated lever intermediate its ends and means pivotally connecting said arm to the other end of said throwing lever for pivoting said lever upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever for permitting a player to throw a ball from said throwing lever pocket upwardly from said floor upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever.

Claim 7

A ball throwing game as set forth in claim 4 further including spring means biasing said manually operated lever to a normal position and resiliently opposing pivotal movement thereof in its throwing direction.

Claim 8

A ball throwing game comprising a cabinet having a game floor therein, a throwing lever supported for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis beneath said game floor from a normal position to a throwing position, said throwing lever having means defining a pocket at one end thereof adapted to receive a ball, a manually operated lever pivotally supported within said cabinet, said manually operated lever having an operating handle at one end thereof exposed outwardly of said cabinet for pivotally moving said manually operated lever by a player positioned adjacent said cabinet, motion transmitting means for pivoting said throwing lever upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever for permitting a player to throw a ball from said throwing lever pocket upwardly from said floor upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever and a ball ejector positioned beneath said throwing lever pocket when said throwing lever is in its normal position for ejecting a ball trapped beneath said throwing lever pocket.

Claim 9

A ball throwing game comprising a cabinet having a game floor therein, a throwing lever supported for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis beneath said game floor from a normal position to a throwing position, said throwing lever having means defining a pocket at one end thereof adapted to receive a ball, a manually operated lever pivotally supported within said cabinet, said manually operated lever having an operating handle at one end thereof exposed outwardly of said cabinet for pivotally moving said manually operated lever by a player positioned adjacent said cabinet, motion transmitting means for pivoting said throwing lever upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever for permitting a player to throw a ball from said throwing lever pocket upwardly from said floor upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever and a ball ejector positioned beneath said throwing lever pocket when said throwing lever is in its normal position for ejecting a ball trapped beneath said throwing lever pocket.

Claim 10

A ball throwing game comprising a cabinet having a game floor therein terminating in an upstanding wall, a basket supported upon said upstanding wall, a throwing lever supported for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis beneath said game floor, said throwing lever having means defining a pocket at one end thereof adapted to receive a ball, a manually operated lever pivotally supported within said cabinet, said manually operated lever having an operated handle at one end thereof exposed outwardly of said cabinet for pivotally moving said manually operated lever by a player positioned adjacent said cabinet, motion transmitting means for pivoting said throwing lever upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever for permitting a player to throw a ball from said throwing lever pocket upwardly from said floor upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever, said game floor having an opening formed therein above said throwing lever pocket, said opening being substantially larger than the ball to be thrown, means defining a funnel-shaped portion extending from said opening to said throwing lever pocket when said throwing lever is in its normal position for delivering a ball from said floor opening to said throwing lever pocket, and a ball ejector disposed at the base of said funnel and beneath said throwing lever pocket when said throwing lever is in its normal position for ejecting a ball from said funnel if entrapped beneath said throwing lever.

Claim 11

A ball throwing game comprising a cabinet having a game floor therein terminating in an upstanding wall, a basket supported upon said upstanding wall, a throwing lever supported for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis beneath said game floor, said throwing lever having means defining a pocket at one end thereof adapted to receive a ball, a manually operated lever pivotally supported within said cabinet, said manually operated lever having an operated handle at one end thereof exposed outwardly of said cabinet for pivotally moving said manually operated lever by a player positioned adjacent said cabinet, motion transmitting means for pivoting said throwing lever upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever for permitting a player to throw a ball from said throwing lever pocket upwardly from said floor upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever, said game floor having an opening formed therein above said throwing lever pocket, said opening being substantially larger than the ball to be thrown, means defining a funnel-shaped portion extending from said opening to said throwing lever pocket when said throwing lever is in its normal position for delivering a ball from said floor opening to said throwing lever pocket, and a ball ejector disposed at the base of said funnel and beneath said throwing lever pocket when said throwing lever is in its normal position for ejecting a ball from said funnel if entrapped beneath said throwing lever.

Claim 12

A basketball type ball throwing game comprising a cabinet having a game floor therein, a throwing lever supported for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis beneath said game floor, between a normal position and a throwing position, said throwing lever having means defining a pocket at one end thereof adapted to receive a ball, a manually operated lever pivotally supported within said cabinet, said manually operated lever having an operating handle at one end thereof exposed outwardly of said cabinet for pivotally moving said manually operated lever by a player positioned adjacent said cabinet, motion transmitting means for pivoting said throwing lever upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever for permitting a player to throw a ball from said throwing lever pocket upwardly from said floor upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever, said game floor having an opening formed therein above said throwing lever pocket, said opening being substantially larger than the ball to be thrown, means defining a funnel-shaped portion extending from said opening to said throwing lever pocket when said throwing lever is in its normal position for delivering a ball from said floor opening to said throwing lever pocket, and means defining a ball receiving channel supported by said upstanding wall and juxtaposed to the discharge of said basket for receiving a ball passing through said basket and returning said ball to floor, said floor being inclined from said wall to said opening for gravity return of a ball from said ball receiving channel to said throwing arm pocket.

Claim 13

A basketball type ball throwing game comprising a cabinet having a game floor therein, a throwing lever supported for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis beneath said game floor, between a normal position and a throwing position, said throwing lever having means defining a pocket at one end thereof adapted to receive a ball, a manually operated lever pivotally supported within said cabinet, said manually operated lever having an operating handle at one end thereof exposed outwardly of said cabinet for pivotally moving said manually operated lever by a player positioned adjacent said cabinet, motion transmitting means for pivoting said throwing lever upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever for permitting a player to throw a ball from said throwing lever pocket upwardly from said floor upon pivotal movement of said manually operated lever, said game floor having an opening formed therein above said throwing lever pocket, said opening being substantially larger than the ball to be thrown, means defining a funnel-shaped portion extending from said opening to said throwing lever pocket when said throwing lever is in its normal position for delivering a ball from said floor opening to said throwing lever pocket, and means defining a ball receiving channel supported by said upstanding wall and juxtaposed to the discharge of said basket for receiving a ball passing through said basket and returning said ball to floor, said floor being inclined from said wall to said opening for gravity return of a ball from said ball receiving channel to said throwing arm pocket.

Claim 14

A ball throwing game as set forth in claim 8 further including counter means for counting the number of balls passing through said ball receiving channel.

Claim 15

A ball throwing game as set forth in claim 9 further including a ball lock disposed in said ball channel for precluding the return of a ball through said game floor opening.

Claim 16

A ball throwing game as set forth in claim 10 further including timer means for operating the ball lock to its locking position after a predetermined time interval and means interrelating said counter means with said ball lock for permitting return movement of a ball when a predetermined score of baskets has been counted within the time interval set by said timer means.