Target type scoring device

[57] ABSTRACT

A target type scoring device which includes a target formed of resilient material such as a net supported by elastic members and a frame, there being a plate positioned in spaced relationship behind the target and having indicia thereon to define a scoring area on the target, there being a rotatable member carried by the plate and having markings to indicate a score as a result of the scoring area of the target being struck by an object, there being means coupling the rotatable member with the scoring area of the target so that when the target of resilient material rebounds as a result of being struck by an object the means is actuated to rotate the rotatable member and thus indicate a score.

Claims, 5 Drawing Figures

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£0 '£0

PATENTED «EC 19 1972

3.706,451

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3,706,451

TARGET TYPE SCORING DEVICE

It is the most important object of this invention to provide a target type scoring device which includes a target of resilient material, there being a plate positioned behind the target and having a rotatable member coupled with the target, there being indicia on the rotatable member whereby, as the target and, more particularly, a scoring area thereof rebounds, due to its resiliency after being struck by a thrown object, the rotatable member will be actuated to indicate that the target has been struck in the scoring area and therefore a score achieved.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a target type scoring device particularly intended, in the embodiment chosen for illustration, to permit the user thereof to determine whether or not an object thrown at the target has fallen within a particular scoring area such as, for example, a baseball strike zone, the device being of such a nature that when the target is struck in the scoring area the resilient target, as it rebounds to its initial position, will actuate means coupling the target with a rotatable member which is supported by a plate positioned behind the target, the rotatable member having markings thereon visible through a passage in the plate, whereby the user of the device may determine if the target has been struck in said scoring area.

Other objects of this invention include details of construction of the rotatable member and the means for causing the same to rotate, these taking the form of a length of material having one end thereof connected to the scoring area of the target, the other end being connected to one end of a swingable arm, which arm has a loop formed therein which is engageable in apertures formed in the rotatable member and is urged thereinto by a spring coupled with the axis of rotation, the arm serving to urge the rotatable member through one cycle when the scoring area of the target is struck to thereby expose a selected marking.

Other objects of this invention include yet further details of construction which will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view Of the target type scoring device;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the plate and rotatable member which constitute the scoring unit;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the plate and rotatable member which constitute the scoring unit;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, rear elevational view of the plate and rotatable member showing the manner in which the member is rotated by the arm as the resilient target rebounds; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5—5 of FIG. 4.

The target type scoring device is broadly designated by the numeral 10 and is intended to incorporate recreational apparatus of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,944,816. Thus, there is provided a tubular frame 12 of desired configuration, which frame supports a target 14 of resilient material, the target constituting a net 16 and a plurality of elastic members 18 affixed to the periphery of the net and connecting the same to the frame 12 whereby the net is supported in a substantially vertical plane, although it will be appreciated that the target 14 can be inclined to any desired position. The frame 12 is suitably supported by means of normally rearwardly extending legs 26.

A scoring unit, broadly designated by the numeral 22 is positioned behind the target 14, the scoring unit 22 including as its major components, a plate 24 and a rotatable member 26, the rotatable member 26 in the embodiment chosen for illustration being circular in plan configuration and rotating about an axis of rotation 28 disposed centrally thereof and defined by a pin 30 which extends through plate 24 and rotatable member 26 whereby to mount the member 26 on the plate 24 rearwardly thereof and in position to rotate about pin 30, there being a spacer block 32 positioned between the rear face 34 of the plate 24 and the front face 36 of rotatable member 26, the plate 24 having a front face 38 and the rotatable member 26 having a rear face 40.

The scoring unit 22 is positioned rearwardly of the target 14 and is maintained in said position by means of a plurality of cords coupled with said unit 22 and the frame 12 and supporting legs 20 of target 10. Specifically, a first length of cord 42 is connected to the normally uppermost portion of frame 12 and extends through a pair of spaced holes 44 adjacent the upper edge of plate 24 and is then again attached to the normally uppermost portion of frame 12 whereby to suspend the plate 24 from the uppermost frame, all as is clearly illustrated for instance, in FIG. 1 of the drawing. In order to space the scoring unit 22 the desired distance from the target 14, a second cord 46 is threaded through holes 48 in the plate 24 and the free ends of cord 46 stretched tautly and connected, as by suitable hooks 50, to the lower ends of supporting legs 20. In this manner the scoring unit 22 is positioned in a generally vertical condition rearwardly of the target 14 and a distance spaced sufficiently therefrom so that the scoring unit itself will not be struck by an object thrown at the target 14.

The front face 38 of plate 24 is provided with suitable indicia 52 in the form of a catcher’s mitt for instance in the embodiment chosen for illustration. This indicia 52 defines on target 14, a scoring area 54 of approximately the same size as the indicia 52, it being contemplated that in the embodiment of the invention chosen for illustration, the indicia 52 will define a scoring area of approximately the size of a baseball strike zone whereby an object striking the target 14 in the scoring area 54 would be considered a strike in baseball.

The scoring unit 22 is coupled with the target 14 and, more particularly, scoring area 54 thereof by means of a length of material 56, as for instance a cord, which cord is first tied to the target 14 at a point normally directly in front of the indicia 52, it being desirable that the cord 56 be so utilized to place the plate 24 approximately 12 inches behind the scoring area 54 of target 14. It will be appreciated that the scoring area 54 is in a general area surrounding the point of attachment of the length of material 56 to the target 14 and coincides approximately with the area of indicia 52.

As described above, the scoring unit 22 is suspended behind the target 14 by means of a harness consisting of cords 42 and 46 and also by means of length of material 56 which has one end thereof secured to the target 14. The other end of length of material 56 is connected to a swingable arm 58 which is carried by plate 24. Arm 58 is in the nature of a length of relatively rigid wire, there being a loop 60, offset in the direction of the member

2161

106011

0142

3,706,451 as best seen in FIG. 5, formed intermediate the ends thereof and more nearly adjacent one end 62, said one end 62 defining an eye 64 which receives the said other end of length of material 56 whereby to couple the scoring unit 22 and, more particularly, rotatable member 26, with the target 14. The other end 66 of arm 58 extends through an opening 68 formed in the plate 24 and has a loose or sloppy fit within said opening whereby to permit the arm 58 to swing about said other end 66 thereof. As is evident from FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the other end 66 of arm 58 has a laterally offset stretch 70 which extends through the opening 68 and a turned end 72 which extends beyond the opening 68 and lies in parallel relationship with the surface 38 of plate 24, all to the end that said other end 66 of the arm 58 is retained within the opening 68 for swinging movement under the urging of cord 56 which is connected to eye 64 at the other end 62 of the arm 58.

A coil spring 74 is also connected to the eye 64 and spans the distance between eye 64 and the rearmost end of pivot pin 30, the other end of spring 74 being connected to said pivot pin 30 as illustrated, for instance, in FIG. 5 of the drawing.

The rotatable member 26 is provided with a plurality of apertures 76, which apertures circumscribe the axis of rotation 28, said apertures extending through the rotatable member 26. A plurality of markings 78 are on the front face 36 of the rotatable member 26, there being a marking corresponding to each of the apertures 76, the markings 78 being visible to a user of the device by means of a passage 80 which is formed through the plate 24. In the embodiment chosen for illustration, the markings are in the form of numerals zero through nine, said markings being disposed circumferentially about the face 36 of rotatable member 26.

As is apparent from the foregoing, the coil spring 74 urges the offset loop 60 of arm 58 into a selected aperture 76 and retains the same therewithin until such time as an object strikes the scoring area 54 of target 14. When this occurs, the coil spring 74 serves to urge the arm 58 in a downward direction viewing FIGS. 3 and 4 for instance, this urging causing the loop 60 to fall into the next succeeding aperture; that is the aperture 76 corresponding to the next following marking on the face 36 of the rotatable member 26. As the resilient material constituting the target 14 rebounds from its indented condition to its initial planar condition, the cord 56 is pulled outwardly by virtue of such rebounding action of the target 14, this pulling action serving to swing the arm 58 about its end 66 in an upward direction viewing FIG. 4 for instance, whereby to rotate member 26 about its axis of rotation 28 by virtue of the loop 60 now being in the next succeeding aperture, thereby moving the next succeeding marking on the face 36 of said member into a position behind passage 80 whereby the user of the device may view said marking and thus determine that a score has been achieved. It is to be noted that the loose fit of the other end 66 in the opening 68 allows the arm 58 with its loop 60 to move rearwardly a slight bit as the latter falls into the next aperture. Thus, only the point of the loop 60 is in contact with the member 26 during the time that the loop 60 is falling into the next aperture, such contact normally not being sufficient to cause undesirable rotation of the member 26 at this time.

Thus, it will be appreciated that by utilizing the above mentioned target type scoring device an area comparable to a baseball strike zone may be created, this area constituting the scoring area 54 of the target 14 of resilient material whereby, when the target 14 is struck by an object thrown thereat, the rebounding action of the target 14 will cause length of material 56 to be drawn tight and thereby swing the arm 58 in the manner hereinabove described to rotate member 26 to a position placing the next succeeding marking 78 within the passage 80 whereby it is visible to the user of the device, thus indicating that a score, strike or the like has been achieved. Notwithstanding the fact that the embodiment illustrated has been shown in the form of a baseball type scoring apparatus, it will be readily appreciated that this same type of device may be utilized for a plurality of scoring functions and can be placed in various positions; various markings and indicia utilized, all depending upon the specific function for which the device is to be used.