Electromagnetic hockey game

Dec, 13, 1960

2,964,320

R. LEBRUN

ELECTROMAGNETIC HOCKEY GAME

Filed Dec. 22, 1958

Sheets-Sheet 1

<img file="US2964320A_D0001.tif" />

ATTORNEYS

Dec, 13, 1960 r. lebrun 2,964,320

ELECTROMAGNETIC HOCKEY GAME

Filed Dec. 22, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2

A2 A4- 23

<img file="US2964320A_D0002.tif" />

ztT-VtMAOS

R. LEBRUN

ELECTROMAGNETIC HOCKEY GAME

2,964,320

Dec. 13, 1960

Filed Dec. 22, 1958

Sheets-Sheet 3

<img file="US2964320A_D0003.tif" />

ATTORNEY»

R. LEBRUN

ELECTROMAGNETIC HOCKEY GAME

2,964,320

Dec. 13, 1960

Filed Dec. 22, 1958

Sheets-Sheet 4

<img file="US2964320A_D0004.tif" />

<img file="US2964320A_D0005.tif" />

ATTORNEYS

R. LEBRUN

ELECTROMAGNETIC HOCKEY GAME

Dec. 13, 1960

Filed Dec. 22, 1958

2,964,320

Sheets-Sheet 5

<img file="US2964320A_D0006.tif" />

ATTORNEYS

United States Patent Office

2,964,320

Patented Dec. 13, I960

2,964,320

ELECTROMAGNETIC HOCKEY GAME

Robert Lebrun, 5573 Basile-Patenaude, Apt. 14, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Filed Dec. 22,1958, Ser. No. 782,006

Claims. (Cl. 273—85)

The present invention relates to a novel toy construction which is particularly adapted for a hockey game, but may also be used for other toy games of a similar nature.

The invention, by making use of a new combination of simple mechanical, electrical and magnestic means, makes it possible to remotely control the players, which are disposed on a field, so as to displace these players each independently in any desired direction, and on any point of the field, and to actuate them so that they shoot a puck with their stick.

., According to the invention each player is controlled by a separate control knob, and there is no mechanical connection between the players and the field, and the system is so designed that the actuation of one player has no influence on the movement of any other player. Furthermore the control means are simple and direct, consisting merely in knobs which are turned exactly in the direction of movement of the player, and in push buttons wh.ch may be actuated to stop the player. Therefore after a short period of practice the operator of the game will perform the control motions automatically, and will be able to concentrate entirely on the game.

The mechanism in accordance with the invention generally comprises the following structure: the field on which the players are disposed may be given a sudden impulse in a given direction, and its return movement is slow, so that a particular one of the players receives an impulse in said direction, which impulse is not counterbalanced by the slow return movement. Each of the players has a breaking device in its base, and means are provided to release the braking devices of the players in a predetermined cycle. The releasing means is synchronized with the means for moving the field, so that during the portion of cycle in which a particular player is released and capable of moving, the field may be moved in the direction in which it is desired to move the player. During the cycle of each player, all the other players have their brake on, so that said movement of the field does not affect them.

In particular the brake releasing means consists of a magnetic plate, disposed under the field, and whose distance from the field varies regularly according to a cycle, and the brake of each player comprises a magnet and a spring so calibrated that the magnet is attracted by the magnetic plate.

In view of the novelty of the invention, the functioning, and the various structural features thereof are easier to explain with reference to the accompanying drawings, illustrating one embodiment of the invention, and wherein like reference characters indicate like elements throughout. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a general view in perspective of a toy hockey game according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the components of the toy game of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a wiring diagram of the electro-magnetic circuit;

Fig. 4 is schematic diagram of the mechanical connections;

Fig. 5 is a cross section of the field moving means;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the base of a player;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a player;

Fig. 8 is a cross section of the puck;

Figs. 9 to 13 are diagrams showing the releasing cycle as related to the position of the magnetic plate;

Fig. 14 is a diagram snowing the various open and 1q closed pos.tions oi the players on the eccentric wheel; and

Figs. 15 and 16 are schematical top views of a player shooting the puck.

Vvith reference to Fig. 1, the toy game is housed in a 15 rectangular box 20 open at the top, and having end boards 21 to which are attached piayer control knobs Al, a2, A3 and A4, and a general switch 23. Numeral 24 mdica.es the field, on wmeh are located the players Bl, Bz, B3 and B4, and the puck 25. or the purposes 2Q of tne present description, the number of players has been limited to four, but it is understood that any number of players and corresponding knobs may be provided.

As shown in Mg. 2, on tne bottom panel z6 of the box, are located four radically resilient support rods 27 having 25 ^t0P P^{ins 28 in} which are inserted holes 29 of field 24. Each hole 29 is surrounded by a rubber washer 30 which rests on a shoulder plate 31 of each support 27.

. Two boards 32 located on the panel 26 support two transverse snafts 33, 34, which are rotatably mounted in 30 bearings 35; each shaft 33, 34 comprises at each end tnereor a wheel 36, having an eccentric pin 37. A motor-38 also located on panel 26 drives shaft 33 by means of a pully 39 on the output shaft of motor 38, a belt 40, and a second pulley 41 on shaft 33. Shaft 33 35 in turn drives shaft 34 by means of pulleys 42 and 43, and belt 44. The two shafts 33 and 34 are thus rotated in umson by motor 38.

Two iron discs 45, 46 disposed horizontally on vertical shafts at either end of the panel 26, are continuously 40 driven by motor 38 through the intermediary of a belt 47, on a pulley 43 of the output shaft of the motor 38, which drives disc 45, and a belt 49, which is passed over pulleys 50 and 51, and thus drives disc 46 in unison with disc 45.

Directly underneath the held 24 is disposed a magnetic 45 plate 52, having four brackets 53, eacn comprising a hole 54 which is inserted on a corresponding pm 37 of Wheels 36. Thus when the motor 38 is operated the plate 52 is moved up and down in a continuous motion.

Shafts 33 and 34 comprise counterweights 60 to coun50 terbalance the weight of plate 52 so as to avoid vibration.

The held 24 comprises at each end thereof a bracket 55 spanning a round hole 56 (see also Fig. 5); to the cemre of bracket 55 is bolted a hanger 57 to the bottom of which are attached a number (eight in the embodi55 ment illustrated) of electromagnets 5» the cores of which are slightly spaced from discs 45, 46. Electromagnets 58 are located on the circumference of a circle substantially concentric with discs 45, 46. It will be seen that, when corresponding magnets 58 at both ends of 60 the field 24 are excited for a short period of time, they will exert a force of attraction on discs 45, 46 so as to be entrained thereby in a tangential direction and the field 24 will thus receive an impulse the direction of which is determined by the position of the magnets 65 which are excited. As soon as the magnet is deenergized, the field 24 returns to its normal position due to the resilience of supports 27, however the return movement is much slower than the movement given by the impulse of discs 45, 46 on the magnets.

To one edge of plate 52 (Fig. 2) is attached a distributor 59 which in turn touches each of four contacts

Cl, C2, C3 and C4 supported on the bottom panel 26,

2,064,320 so as to indicate the position of plate 52, as will be explained hereinafter.

The mechanical connections are summarized in the diagram of Fig. 4: motor 38 drives on the one hand the eccentric wheels 36 which drive the magnetic plate. 52,. which in turn determines the position of the distributor 59; on the other hand motor 38 drives the discs 45, 46, which produce impulses on the field 24.

The electrical circuit (Fig. 3) comprises a plug 61 which is inserted in a normal household outlet 62. The circuit of plug 61 comprises a transformer 63 (also shown in Fig. 2) and the switch 23; the circuit is branched off to supply current to the motor 38.

One terminal of the secondary circuit of the transformer 63 is grounded, and the other terminal is connected to the distributor 59. Each of the four distributor contacts Cl to C4 is connected to one of- four selector switches operated by buttons Al to A4 (Fig. 1). Four push button switches 64, which may mechanically be combined with buttons Al to A4, or which may include separate push buttons, are interposed between each selector switch and each distributor contact Cl to C4.

Each selector switch Al to A4 may selectively close any one of eight contacts 65, each of which is connected to two correspondingly located electromagnets 58 at both ends of field 24, the other terminals of electromagnets 58 being grounded.

It will be seen that the distributor 59 which reciprocates together with the magnetic plate 52, closes only one of contacts Cl to C4 at a time, so that current is fed successively exclusively to-each one of selector switches Al to A4. Due to the reciprocation of'distributor 59, each of the selector-switches is fed twice during each cycle of wheels 36, as follows:

. .,. Al, A2..A3, A4, A4, A3, A2,.A1, Al, A2 ......

Each player (Fig.. 7) comprises, a. heavy base 66 in order to give it stability. The stick 67 is slightly spaced from the ground, so as not to interfere with the movement of the player.

The base 66 of each player Bl to B4 (Fig. 6) comprises a casting 68 in which are journalled three or four castors 69, which enable the player to roll freely over the field 24. The central portion of the base comprises a cap attached to the casting 68; a.large castor arm .71 has its shaft 72 journalled in the cap 70. Shaft 72 extends outside of cap 70, and has fixedly mounted thereon a bushing 73 which is secured to the player.

The wheel 74 of castor arm 71 is.of frictional matcrial, such as soft rubber, and is secured on an axle 75 journalled in the arm 71. Also secured on. axle 75 is a smaller wheel 76 which is also made of a relatively soft material.

Rigidly connected to the castor arm 71 is an L-shaped bracket 77, to the free end of which is pivotally mounted a lever 78, terminating in a prong 79, the inturned points 80 of which are adapted to engage the wheel 76, and prevent the rotation of shaft 75, whereby wheel 74 acts as a brake. The lower one of points 80 is normally urged against the wheel 76 by a spring 81, which is. connected to the prong 79 and to the bracket 77. The bracket. 77 comprises in its vertical leg four holes DI, D2, D3 and D4, and spring 81 may be attached to any one of these holes so as to selectively adjust its tension, A permanent magnet 82 is fastened to lever 78.

It will be seen from the above construction, that during its up and down movement the magnetic plate 52. may reach a position in which its attraction on magnet 82. is. strong enough to overcome the resistance of spring 81.. Thus the lever 78 will be pivoted downwardly until, the. upper point 80 of prong 79 engages the wheel 76. Ih. the time interval during which this..pivotal movement, takes place, the rubber wheel. 74 is free to rotate, and the player is free to move.

Each of the players Bl to B4 has its.spring 81 attached to a correspondingly numbered hole DI to D4, so that the required distance of magnetic plate 52, to release the wheel 74, is different for each player.

The tensions of springs 81, and the field strengths of magnets 82 and of plate 52 are mutually adjusted in such a way that movement of each lever 78 will take place successively at the positions shown in Fig. 14, namely starting from the lowest position of the plate, during the first eighth.of'a cycle; the prong of-'player Bl will open and close again, during the second eighth of cycle, that of player B2, and so: on, in the following succession:

. . . Bl, B2, B3, B4, B4, B3, B2, Bl, Bl, B2 . . .

It will be seen that this cycle corresponds exactly to the cycle of operation of’the selector switches, described above. The two cycles are furthermore exactly synchronized by the fact that they have the controlling member in common, namely the plate 52. Thus during the interval in which each player is’free' to move, the field 24 receives- an impulse the direction of which is determined by the selector switch pertaining'to the particular player, whereas the other players are unable to move.

The operation is'clearly illustrated in Figures 9 to 13.

In Fig. 9 plate 52 is at its lowest point, and is too remote from any of the magnets 82 to move any of prongs 79, while the distributor 59 is out of contact with any of contacts Cl to C4. In Fig. 10 the wheel 36 has rotated through about %e of a turn, and plate 52 has reached a position in which it overcomes spring 81 of player Bl, and’ liberates wheel 76; at the same time the distributor touches contact Cl, and closes the circuit of selector switch Al. In Frg-. 11 player BT is braked by contact ofits tipper point 80 with its wheel 76, and all the other players are also braked, and the distributor does not touch any of the contacts. The'same operation isthen repeated for each player (Fig; 12), and-is then repeated inversely during the next half cycle as shown in Fig; 13.

The angular velocity of wheels 36' should be about 15-20 r.p.s., which gives each player 30-40 impulses per second, so as to create the impression of continuous motion; each individual movement of the players is of the order of’ Via inch, so that the players move over the field at a speed of about 2 in. per second; which makes for a lively, but easily controlled game.

The push button switches 64 (Fig. 3) may be either normally open or normally closed.' If they are normally o.pen,'they must be-pressed'continuously, in order to keep thu ’corresponding player’ moving, and as Tsopn aS they arc released; the player stops, due ’ to the fact that the field 24 does not undergo any impulse during the movable interval,=ofdhe'player. Ifron the Other 'hand the switches 64. are normally closed, they must be pressed to stop the corresponding player.

Besides the movement and'the direction of the players; it is also possible to control shooting of the puck. It has been mentioned that each player is fixedly mounted on shaft 72 (Fig. 6) of-castor 74. It is evident that, due to inertia and friction, the castor 74 will tend to trail the direction of movement of· the player so. that the players advance stick first. If the direction of movement of the base- 66 is suddenly altered, a pull is exerted on axis 72, and the body of the player will swing in the direction of the pull; This effect is used to obtain shooting of the puck, as shown in Figures 15 and 16. To obtain the effect of Fig. 15, the player is first brought to position I, and is then 'stopped,' by opening switch 64. The selector switch is then turned-about 90°, and switch 64 is closed. This will give the player a sudden impulse to position II in the direction of arrow K; . and will cause the. player, to rotate rapidly, whereby stick 67 will strike 'the puck 25- with substantial force; and shoot; it in; the direction of arrow. M.. ....

’ To obtain a slower shot, according to Fig., 16; the switch,. .64, is. kept closed,:; while, the? selector switch is rapidly rotated,'so that the player will progressively.a&amp;

064,820 . ⁵

Stirtie positions Ϊ to TV; in this case the shot has less force, because the angular acceleration of the player is smaller.

It is obvious that the procedure of Figures 15 and 16 may be carried out either towards the right or towards the left.

With reference to Fig. 1, a goal keeper 83 is disposed in front of each goal 84. Each goal keeper 83 is fixed to a shaft 85 (Fig. 2) journalled in the field 24, and having a pulley 90 which is connected by means of an elastic belt 86 (Fig. 5) to a pulley 87 connected to a shaft 88 of knob 89 (Fig. 1). The shaft 88 extends externally of field 24 (Fig. 2). Due to its elasticity, belt 86 does not interfere with the movement of field 24. The goal keeper 83 may thus be rotated by turning knob 89.

The field 24 is preferably made of “Plexiglas” or a similar transparent plastic material, and the field lines are drawn on the plate 52, as shown in Fig. 2.

Plate 52 may be made of a rigid iron sheet, preferably perforated, so as to decrease air resistance, and to prevent said air resistance from bending the plate. Plate 52 may also be made of a thin sheet of metal attached to a rigid lightweight support, such as a panel of plastic foam.

Each player is made of a rigid yet light material, in order to improve its stability, and may be made of sheet material, or it may be molded.

The puck 25 (Fig. 8) is pill shaped, and may be made hollow and in two sections, 91, 92, and may contain a steel ball 93 in order to give it a certain inertia, which helps to prevent its being moved by the movements of the field 24.

The invention is not of course limited to the preferred embodiment which has been illustrated and described, and encompasses all the modifications which are within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.