Launcher and targets having overload mechanism

[57] ABSTRACT

A game apparatus of the type in which an object, such as a disc, is projected into one of a plurality of different areas or spaces. The game apparatus includes a plurality of discs, a housing, a scoring area in the housing in the form of a plurality of vertical slotted compartments open at the top and bottom. A launching station is spaced from the scoring area and a launcher is provided at the launching station to project the disc toward the scoring area. Each compartment has means associated therewith for holding one disc therein at a time and for automatically releasing the disc whenever a second disc is received in that compartment. By providing indicia on the discs, a game such as a slot machine may be simulated, with the launcher having a manipulatable lever on the outside of the housing.

Claims, 6 Drawing Figures

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PATENTED MAR 19 1974

3J97.828

SHEET 1 OF 2

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PATENTED HAR191974 3^797.828

SHEET 2 OF 2

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122

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LAUNCHER AND TARGETS HAVING OVERLOAD MECHANISM

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a game apparatus of the type in which a disc is inserted in a machine and then projected by means of a suitable projecting device to cause the disc to enter one of a plurality of predetermined areas or spaces, the results of such projections being controlled or determined by the skill of the operator.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art

Amusement devices wherein an object, such as a disc, is inserted in the device and then projected toward predetermined areas or spaces are well known in the art. An example of such a device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,801,308.

Games of the type referred to usually accumulate discs in the predetermined areas or spaces after they have been launched therein. There has been no game of this type wherein the area or space holds a given number of discs at a time and wherein at least one disc is released from the area or space when the given number is exceeded. Accordingly, one could not simulate a slot machine with the devices of the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The principal object of this invention is to provide a game apparatus or amusement device of the type in which a projectile or object is projected toward one or more predetermined areas or spaces wherein each area or space holds but a given number of projectiles at a time and does not accumulate them. A further object of this invention is to provide each area or space with means to hold a projectile therein and then release said projectile when another enters the area or space.

These and other objects of the invention are accomplished in an exemplary form of the invention by providing a plurality of launchable projectiles, means defining a scoring area including a plurality of spaces to receive said projectiles, a projectile launching station spaced from the scoring area, and a launcher adjacent the launching station for launching a projectile therefrom toward the scoring area. Each area or space has means capable of receiving a given number of projectiles therein and each area or space has overload means for automatically releasing the first received of said given number of projectiles from said area or space whenever the number of projectiles received therein is greater than said given number.

In the exemplary embodiment of the invention the projectiles are in the form of discs which have different indicia imprinted thereon. The scoring area, launching station and launcher are assembled within a substantially vertical housing which has vertical walls and a horizontal ground engaging base joining the walls at the bottom thereof. The front wall of the housing is transparent for visual observation into the housing. The transparent wall also has an opening for the introduction of discs therein. Within the housing is mounted a vertically canted support sheet. The scoring area is formed between the support sheet and the transparent wall and the individual areas or spaces are formed by vertical slotted compartments which are open at the top and bottom. Each compartment is capable of re ceiving a plurality of discs therein wherein the overload means holds only one disc in the compartment but automatically releases that disc downwardly whenever a second disc is received in that particular compartment.

The launcher includes a spring means which is operatively connected to the launching station and crank means which is operatively connected to the spring means. The crank means cocks and releases the spring means whereby a disc is launched into one of the compartments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the game apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged front elevation of the game apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the game apparatus taken generally along the line 3—3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the game apparatus taken generally along the line 4—4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the game apparatus taken generally along the line 5—5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the overload means shown in phantom in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring first to FIG. 1, the game apparatus of the present invention, generally designated 10, is seen to generally comprise a plurality of discs 12, and a housing, generally designated 14. The housing has associated therein a scoring area, generally designated 16, a launching station, generally designated 18, from which a disc 12 may be launched, and a launcher, generally designated 20, for launching a disc 12 toward the scoring area 16.

The housing 14 is substantially vertical and has a generally vertical back wall 22, a canted front wall 24 joining the back wall 22 at the top thereof, a generally flat ground engaging base 26 joining the bottoms of the front and back walls, and two triangularly shaped side walls 28α and 28b. The front wall 24 of the housing is transparent and preferably is fabricated of clear plastic to allow a player to observe what is happening inside of the housing 14. A circular opening 30 is provided in the transparent front wall 24 of the housing 14 above the launching station 18 for the introduction of discs 12 into the housing for placing a disc at the launching station 18.

Mounted within the housing 14 is a support sheet, generally designated 32. The support sheet has a portion 34 substantially parallel to the front wall 24, a portion 36 extending rearwardly from the lower edge of the portion 34 at right angles thereto, and a portion 38 extending downwardly from portion 36. Side wall portions 39 protrude forwardly of portion 38 beneath portion 36.

Formed between portion 34 of the support sheet 32 and the front wall 24 of the housing are four vertical, parallel spaced ribs 40, 42, 44 and 46. These four ribs form three vertical slotted compartments 48α, 48b and 48c. All of the compartments are of the same size. Each compartment is open at both its top and bottom and has a width greater than the diameter of the disc 12 allowing for a disc to freely drop through each compart

3,797,828 ment. The compartments 48α, 48b and 48c comprise the scoring area 16 toward which the discs 12 are to be projected.

Adjacent the scoring area 16, and formed on the support sheet 32 between the portion 34 thereof and the housing front wall 24 is the launching station 18 formed from a generally vertical U-shaped rib 50. The Ushaped rib 50 is positioned with respect to the opening 30 so that a disc inserted therethrough falls to the bottom of the U-shaped rib and rests on the bight portion 52 thereof prior to launching.

Joining one leg of the U-shaped rib 50 and the upper end of rib 40 is a guide rib 54 formed on support sheet portion 34 extending between the support sheet and the front wall 24. The purpose of rib 54 is to provide guide means for a disc 12 launched from the launching station 18 insuring that the disc 12 so launched will fall into one of the three compartments 48α, 486 or 48c.

The launcher 20 is situated immediately below the launching station 18 and generally comprises spring means in the form of a leaf spring 64, a vertically slidable launching member 66 mounted for sliding movement in a slot 68 formed in the support sheet 32 and crank means, generally designated 70. The launcher 20 is designed to propel a disc 12 from the launching station 18 upwardly therefrom along rib 54 to the scoring area 16.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, in greater detail, the leaf spring 64 is secured at its lower end to the lower right side of an extension of rib 46 by suitable means 72. The other end of the spring 64 is free to move in the space between the support sheet 32 and the front wall 24. A stop pin 74 is formed on the support sheet 32 and extends outwardly to stop the movement of spring 64 beyond that point. Accordingly, the spring 64 is always on the downward side of stop pin 74 so that it is partially biased at all times.

The launching member 66 is an integral member of molded plastic or other suitable material having formed on the front side thereof an upper launching protrusion 76 and a lower stop protrusion 78 both captured for sliding movement within the slot 68. In the normal position of the launcher wherein the spring 64 is partially biased and contacts stop pin 74, the launching protrusion 76 rests by gravity in the top portion of the spring.

The back side of the launching member 66 has formed thereon a contact protrusion 80 which contacts the crank means 70 in a manner which will be discussed in greater detail hereinafter. The spring 64 is biased by pressure applied to the contact protrusion 80 in a downward direction.

The crank means 70 is an L-shaped member having a handle grasping leg 82 outside the housing 14 and a horizontally disposed leg 84 rotatably mounted inside the housing about its longitudinal axis on a pair of ears 86 and 88 which extend inwardly from the inner surface of the front wall 24 of the housing 14. The horizontal leg 84 has formed thereon cam means 90 which contacts the contact protrusion 80 of the slidable member 66.

The horizontal leg 84 as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, is in an initial position wherein the cam means 90 merely rests against the contact protrusion 80 so that the spring 64 is not biased and is in contact with stop pin 74. In this position, the handle 82 is substantially vertical.

When the handle 82 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction (not shown), the force exerted by the cam means 90 against the contact protrusion 80 forces the launching member 66 downwardly thereby biasing the spring 64 to a cocked position. The further the handle 82 is rotated the more spring 64 is biased until the cam means 90 loses contact with the contact protrusion 80 whereupon the cocked spring 64 is released causing member 66 to rapidly move upward. Accordingly, a disc 12 supported at the launching station 18 is propelled due to the force provided by the launching protrusion 76 of the member 66 as it moves upwardly by rotating the handle 82 as described above.

The amount of force applied to a disc 12 at the launching station 18 can be varied depending upon the force or speed in which the handle 82 is rotated in the manner above described. The faster the handle is rotated, the more momentum is imparted to member 66 and the more the spring 64 is biased, and, therefore, the more energy is supplied to a disc 12 at the launching station 18 thereby causing a harder “shot”. Conversely, the slower the handle 82 is rotated, the softer the “shot” of the disc. In this manner, one can attempt to direct a disc at the launching station toward a particular compartment by the use of skill.

A return means in the form of a rubber band 92 is provided on the horizontal leg 84 so that after a “shot” is completed the handle or crank means will be returned to its original position.

An overload means, generally designated 93 (See FIGS. 2 and 6) is provided in association with each of the compartments 48α, 48b and 48c to hold a launched disc 12 therein. The overload means 93 also serves the purpose of releasing a previously held disc from a compartment whenever a second disc is introduced into that compartment. In short, the overload means assures that there is no more than one disc held in one compartment at one time.

The overload means 93 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 6 and includes two members 94 and 96 which are mounted behind the portion 34 of the support sheet 32. Member 94 is a disc holding member. Member 96 acts upon member 94 and is a disc releasing member. There are two members 94 and 96 for each compartment 48α, 48b and 48c. A member 94 is mounted on the lefthand side of each compartment and a member 96 is mounted on the righthand side of each compartment.

The righthand side of each compartment has an upper opening 98 and a lower opening 100 which receive an upper pin 102 and a lower pin 104 formed on overload member 96. An opening 106 is provided in the support sheet 32 at the lower lefthand side of each compartment to receive pin 108 which is formed on the overload member 94. Each of the openings 98,100 and 106 are of a greater diameter than the diameter of pins 102, 104 and 108, respectively. This allows for free movement of each pin within its respective opening.

Also formed on members 94 and 96 are pivot pins 112 and 114 respectively about which the members 94 and 96 rotate against the support sheet 32. The pins 112 and 114 are received in depressions (not shown) formed on the back surface of portion 34 of the support sheet 32. Each member 94 and 96 is rotatable about its respective pivot pin 112 and 114, respectively, until pins 102, 104 and 108 contact openings 98, 100 and 106, respectively.

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Turning now to FIG. 2, and particularly the righthand compartment 48c, the members 94 and 96 are shown in phantom in their normal position. Both members 94 and 96 are supported by their respective pins 102,104, 108, 112 and 114.

When a disc 12 is received in a compartment, as shown in the center compartment 48h (FIG. 2), the disc 12 is held in the compartment and not allowed to drop downwardly therethrough, because of the lateral force exerted on the disc by the pin 108. When a second disc is dropped into a compartment which is already holding a disc, as shown in the lefthand compartment 48α (FIG. 2), it exerts a lateral force against upper pin 102 which in turn causes overload member 96 to rotate clockwise about pin 114. When overload member 96 rotates clockwise, a bottom extremity 116 thereof contacts an upper extremity 118 of overload member 94 causing overload member 94 to rotate counterclockwise about pin 112. When overload member 94 rotates counterclockwise pin 108 which was holding the disc against rib 42 is moved slightly to the left thereby eliminating the force that was holding the disc in the compartment. Accordingly, the disc is allowed to drop downwardly out of the compartment. Thus, when a compartment has a disc held in the manner above described and a second disc is introduced into that compartment the first disc will be released.

By the time the first disc is released, overload members 94 and 96 rotate back to their original position by gravity, thereby capturing the second disc before it falls out of the compartment in the manner described above. Therefore, only one disc can be held in each compartment at one time. Any “over-load” disc entering a compartment will replace the previous one.

Formed in the housing 14 below the scoring area 16 is a space, generally designated 120 (FIG. 3). Immediately below space 120 is a trough 122. The space 120 is bounded at the top thereof by portion 36 of the support sheet 32 and at the rear thereof by portion 38 of the support sheet. Received in space 120 is a receptacle 124. The receptacle receives discs 12 which have been released from the scoring area 16.

The receptacle generally includes a rectangular wall 126 having two triangular side walls 128 and 130. Each of the side walls have a pin 132 formed thereon which is pivoted to one of the walls 39 of support sheet 32. The top part of the receptacle wall 126 is secured to a leaf spring 134. The leaf spring 134 is attached to portion 38 of the support sheet 32 through a slot 136 formed in portion 34 by suitable fastening means 138. When the receptacle is mounted, within the space 120 the spring 134 biases the receptacle against the front wall 24 of the housing which provides a closure for the receptacle.

Side wall 128 of the receptacle has a lever 142 which extends through a slot 144 formed in the front wall 24 of the housing. When the lever 142 is pressed downwardly, the receptacle 124 pivots about pins 132 until rectangular wall 126 contacts the trough 122. When the receptacle 124 is pivoted in this manner, any discs which may be received therein fall out of the receptacle and down the trough to the ground in front of the housing. By releasing the lever 142 the receptacle 124 springs back to a closed position so that it may receive discs therein.

The lever 142 may be pressed downwardly only when a successful combination of discs have been received in &lt;5 the scoring area. The discs which have been accumulated in the receptacle would represent the “jack pot” or prize.

Part of the jack pot may include the discs held in the scoring area 16 at the time that the jack pot has been won. Accordingly, it is desirable to actuate the overload means 93 to release those discs in the scoring area 16 so that they will form part of the jack pot. To this end, a bar-like release member, generally designated 146, is operatively associated with the lever 142 and with the overload means 93.

Release member 146 generally includes a vertical portion 148 having an opening 150 formed in the bottom thereof to receive the lever 142 therethrough and a horizontal portion 152 overlying each of the overload members 94 and 96 inside the housing and behind the support sheet 32. The vertical portion 148 is connected with the horizontal portion 152 through another opening 154 formed in the housing 14. When the lever 142 is pressed downwardly as above described, in addition to opening the receptacle 124 to the trough 122, it also causes the release member 146 to move downwardly causing the horizontal portion 152 to simultaneously press downwardly on overload members 96. By pressing down on overload members 96, one can move the overload members 94 to release any discs 12 held in the compartments. In short, by pressing down the lever, the overload members 94 and 96 pivot and rotate in response to the downward pressure of the horizontal portion 152 of the release member 146 in the same manner described above when a disc enters a compartment.

The amusement device which has been described can be used to play or simulate a number of different games. One such game is to simulate the playing of a slot machine. This can be accomplished by providing each of the discs 12 with appropriate indicia such as cherries, bells, oranges, etc. With this setup, 48 discs are provided having three different indicia imprinted thereon, that is 16 discs have cherries, 16 discs have bells and 16 discs have oranges.

A score chart or the like is provided to designate certain values accorded to any combination of discs received within three compartments 48α, 48h and 48c. For example, a winning combination may be either three cherries, three bells or three oranges. If a player is able to get a winning combination he is entitled to open the receptacle 124 and collect the prize in the form of previous discs which have fallen through the compartments.

In order to play a simulated slot machine game as described above, a player chooses three discs out of the 48 discs provided. For example, a player may choose three bell discs. The player then places one disc into the housing 14 through an opening 26 so that that disc will rest in the launching station 18. The player then activates the launcher 20 by rotating the handle 82. In this manner, the selected disc will be launched into one of the three compartments 48α, 48i&gt; or 48c. The player then attempts to get his remaining two discs into the other two compartments employing his skill regarding the force applied to the launcher 20.

If the player is able to successfully launch three discs having the same indicia into each of the compartments, he wins. However, if the player launches one of his discs into a compartment already occupied by a disc, the first disc in that compartment will be released by the overload means 93 downwardly into the receptacle

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124. Therefore, it is possible that a player at the end of his “turn” may have one of three situations:

1. He may have successfully launched three discs and won the prize; or

2. He may end up with two discs in two compartments and one disc in the receptacle; or

3. He may end up with one disc in a compartment and two discs in the receptacle.

Assuming that the first player ended up with either of the second or third possible situations described above, the second player selects his three discs in an attempt to launch those discs so that a winning combination may result. In other words, the second player has to adjust his strategy in accordance to what the first player has presented him regarding the discs in the different compartments. The game is played in this manner alternating players or having more than two players until a winning combination results and the prize is awarded.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom as some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.