Patent US4220330A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4220330A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Arm wrestling referee device
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1978-06-28
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Granted: 1980-09-02
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Expires: 1998-06-28
Abstract
Abstract An electronic device for refereeing an arm wrestling match is provided which includes a housing within which an electronic circuit is disposed including appropriate sensors, indicator devices, a power supply, and other electronic components with the upper surface of the housing forming a playing surface. Several light and sound emitting devices, a digital clock, and a digital scoreboard are provided for regulating play. Sensors are provided for detecting one player's hand being forced to the playing surface as well as the premature lifting of one player's elbow. The device automatically starts the match shortly after both player's elbows are set, detects infractions committed by a player as well as successful endeavors on the part of one player to force the other player's hand to the surface and attributes points accordingly. In addition, it maintains the score of each player as well as the elapsed time, and provides numerous audio and visual indications during and after the match.
Inventors
- 👤 Theophalus S. Montgomery
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 23:15
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63B; A63B71/00; A63B71/06; A63B71/0605; A63B21/00; A63B21/28; A63B23/00; A63B23/035; A63B23/12; A63B23/129; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S273/00; Y10S273/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
Apparatus for facilitating and refereeing an arm wrestling match between a plurality of participants comprising: a housing defining a playing surface for at least two participants; two sensor means spaced apart in said housing each including an elbow supporting surface supported by said housing to accommodate the elbows of two participants whereby said sensor means sense the presence of at least one player's elbow on said elbow supporting surface; electrical switch means, indicator means and circuit means for each of said sensor means, said switch means being actuated by said sensor means and disposed within said housing, said indicator means suitably located in said housing, and said circuit means operatively interconnecting said switch means, said indicator means, and means for supplying power, whereby the presence of an elbow on said sensor means actuates said switch means to cause said indicator to provide a discernible indication thereof; and means actuated by the conditions of both sensor means to provide a further indication of which of the two elbows is raised from its respective sensor means first.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
175 words
Apparatus for facilitating and refereeing an arm wrestling match between a plurality of participants comprising: a housing defining a playing surface for at least two participants; two sensor means spaced apart in said housing each including an elbow supporting surface supported by said housing to accommodate the elbows of two participants whereby said sensor means sense the presence of at least one player's elbow on said elbow supporting surface; electrical switch means, indicator means and circuit means for each of said sensor means, said switch means being actuated by said sensor means and disposed within said housing, said indicator means suitably located in said housing, and said circuit means operatively interconnecting said switch means, said indicator means, and means for supplying power, whereby the presence of an elbow on said sensor means actuates said switch means to cause said indicator to provide a discernible indication thereof; and means actuated by the conditions of both sensor means to provide a further indication of which of the two elbows is raised from its respective sensor means first.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including hand sensing means supported by said housing and spaced from each of said sensor means for sensing the presence of the respective participant's hand on said hand sensing means and switch means, indicator means and circuit means associated with each hand sensing means to indicate the presence of a hand thereupon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said sensor means and said hand sensing means includes padded independently movable platforms mounted on resilient support means located between said platforms and said housing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said electrical switch means includes nonlocking contact switches located between said platform and said housing whereby said switch is activated when a force is applied to or removed from said platform.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said circuit means includes switching means including a manually operable switch for selecting the desired mode of operation, electrical switching means activated by said manually operable switch and indication means for indicating the selected mode of operation for alternating the relationship between said electrical switches and the respective indication means whereby said apparatus device can accommodate left as well as right-handed play.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
88 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said indicator means includes a plurality of light and sound emitting devices to audibly and visually indicate the presence or absence of a player's elbow on a predetermined surface area and the presence or absence of a player's hand on a predetermined surface area and the termination of the match by virtue of one player accumulating a prescribed number of points within a prescribed time period and the termination of the match by virtue of the expiration of a prescribed time period.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensor means, circuit means and indicator means cooperate to provide a signal that the match is set to begin after the simultaneous application of forces to said sensor means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said circuit means includes timing means whereby said circuit means and said indication means cooperate to provide an indication that the match has begun a prescribed time period after the match is set to begin.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including means for energizing said indicator means when said apparatus is not being operated.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
190 words
An apparatus for facilitating and refereeing an arm wrestling match between a plurality of participants comprising: a housing defining a playing surface for at least two participants; first sensor means supported by said housing for sensing the presence of at least one participant's elbow thereupon, said sensor means including padded independently movable platforms mounted on resilient support means located between said platforms and said housing; second sensor means supported by said housing and spaced from each of said first sensor means for sensing the presence of the respective participant's hand on said second sensor means, said second sensor means including padded independently movable platforms mounted on resilient support means located between said platforms and said housing; electrical switch means actuated by said sensor means and disposed within said housing; indicator means suitably located in said housing and including a plurality of light and sound emitting devices; means for supplying power; and circuit means operatively interconnecting said switch means, said power supply means and said indicator means whereby the presence of an elbow on said sensor means actuates said switch means to cause said indicator to provide a discernible indication thereof.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
190 words
An apparatus for facilitating and refereeing an arm wrestling match between a plurality of participants comprising: a housing defining a playing surface for at least two participants; first sensor means supported by said housing for sensing the presence of at least one participant's elbow thereupon, said sensor means including padded independently movable platforms mounted on resilient support means located between said platforms and said housing; second sensor means supported by said housing and spaced from each of said first sensor means for sensing the presence of the respective participant's hand on said second sensor means, said second sensor means including padded independently movable platforms mounted on resilient support means located between said platforms and said housing; electrical switch means actuated by said sensor means and disposed within said housing; indicator means suitably located in said housing and including a plurality of light and sound emitting devices; means for supplying power; and circuit means operatively interconnecting said switch means, said power supply means and said indicator means whereby the presence of an elbow on said sensor means actuates said switch means to cause said indicator to provide a discernible indication thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said sensor means, circuit means and indicator means cooperate to provide an indication that the match is set to begin after the simultaneous application of forces to said first sensor means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said circuit means includes timing means whereby said circuit means and said indication means cooperate to provide an indication that the match has begun a prescribed time period after the match is set to begin.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said circuit means includes electronic switching means, which cooperates with a manual switching means and an indication means whereby the relationship between said electrical switches and the respective indication means may be altered whereby said apparatus can accommodate left as well as right-handed play and provide an indication of the mode therein selected.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 10 including an electronic clock and indication means associated therewith whereby the time remaining in the match may be displayed.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 10 including means for displaying the point total of each player.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claims 2 or 10 wherein said circuit means includes means for storing electronic signals representing the number of times a participant lifts an elbow from said sensor means or allows a hand to be forced to the said sensor means which detects the presence of a hand.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said circuit means includes the means for comparing said electronic signals to a prescribed electronic signal.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said circuit means includes means for comparing the electronic signals corresponding to the score on each participant.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said circuit means includes means for displaying the electronic signals corresponding to each participant.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
161 words
An arm wrestling referee device adapted to indicate electronically the winner of an arm wrestling match, which comprises: (a) a housing having a base, a pair of upwardly extending end walls, an upwardly extending front wall, an upwardly extending rear wall, a top, and a chamber therein; (b) switching means disposed in said top, one of said switching means disposed at each end of said top, each said switching means adapted to receive an elbow of one of the players, causing said switching means to be closed upon a placement of said elbow; (c) sound emitting means disposed in said housing; (d) light emitting means disposed in said housing; (e) power supply means disposed in said chamber; (f) and circuit means interconnecting said battery means, said switching means, said sound emitting means, and said light emitting means whereby the presence of an elbow on said switch means actuates said switch means to cause said indicator to provide a discernible indication thereof.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
161 words
An arm wrestling referee device adapted to indicate electronically the winner of an arm wrestling match, which comprises: (a) a housing having a base, a pair of upwardly extending end walls, an upwardly extending front wall, an upwardly extending rear wall, a top, and a chamber therein; (b) switching means disposed in said top, one of said switching means disposed at each end of said top, each said switching means adapted to receive an elbow of one of the players, causing said switching means to be closed upon a placement of said elbow; (c) sound emitting means disposed in said housing; (d) light emitting means disposed in said housing; (e) power supply means disposed in said chamber; (f) and circuit means interconnecting said battery means, said switching means, said sound emitting means, and said light emitting means whereby the presence of an elbow on said switch means actuates said switch means to cause said indicator to provide a discernible indication thereof.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
180 words
An arm wrestling referee device adapted to indicate electronically the winner of an arm wrestling match, which comprises: (a) a housing having a base, a pair of upwardly extending end walls, an upwardly extending front wall, an upwardly extending rear wall, a top, and a chamber therein; (b) a pair of first electrical pushbutton switch members disposed in said top, one electrical switch member disposed at each end of said top, each said first member adapted to receive an elbow of one of the players, causing each said first switch member to be closed upon a removal of said elbow; (c) a pair of bell members disposed in said housing; (d) a pair of light sockets with bulbs disposed in said housing; (e) a battery means disposed in said chamber; (f) a first series circuit of said battery means, one of said first switch members, one of said bell members, and one of said light sockets; and (g) a second series circuit of said battery means, said other bell member, said other light socket, and said other first switch member.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
180 words
An arm wrestling referee device adapted to indicate electronically the winner of an arm wrestling match, which comprises: (a) a housing having a base, a pair of upwardly extending end walls, an upwardly extending front wall, an upwardly extending rear wall, a top, and a chamber therein; (b) a pair of first electrical pushbutton switch members disposed in said top, one electrical switch member disposed at each end of said top, each said first member adapted to receive an elbow of one of the players, causing each said first switch member to be closed upon a removal of said elbow; (c) a pair of bell members disposed in said housing; (d) a pair of light sockets with bulbs disposed in said housing; (e) a battery means disposed in said chamber; (f) a first series circuit of said battery means, one of said first switch members, one of said bell members, and one of said light sockets; and (g) a second series circuit of said battery means, said other bell member, said other light socket, and said other first switch member.
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) | 1983-09-02 | 1984-03-03 | 1984-09-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-09-02 | 1988-03-03 | 1988-09-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-09-02 | 1992-03-03 | 1992-09-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |