Game apparatus.

(Application filed Mar. 10, 1902.) fNn MnriaL)

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THE NORRIS PETERS CO. PHOTO-UTHO., WASHINGTON. D. C,

United States Patent Office.

AUGUST VOEGE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 712,159, dated October 28,1902.

Application filed March 10, 1902. Serial Ko. 97,656. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatl, August Voege,a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, 5 have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which io it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to games of the class in which pieces are tossed through the air at a mark, the latter being a receptacle into which it is the object to direct the pieces. To 15 add to the interest of the game, a clip is located within the receptacle, and the pieces caught thereby count more for the player than those entering the receptacle.

The appurtenances of the game consist of 20 a receptacle, a clip therein, pieces, and a pickup, the latter enabling the pieces to be lifted without requiring the player to stoop.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowl25 edge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and drawings hereto attached.

While the essential and characteristic fea30 tures of the invention are susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which—

Figure 1 is a detail view showing the man35 ner of playing the game. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the receptacle, a portion being broken away to show the clip. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the receptacle. Fig. 4 is a detail view of some of the pieces. Fig. 5 is 40 a perspective view of the lower portion of a pick-up. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a modification.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated 45 in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The receptacle 1 may be of any size and form and may be constructed of any desired material, and within the. same is located a 50 clip 2 for catching the piece passing between the gripping members. This clip, as shown, is formed of a spring-metal strip doubled upon itself, the end portions of the folded members coming together and the terminal portions flaring, so as to receive and directa 55 piece between thespring members of the clip. This clip is secured to the receptacle in any desired way and in any determinate position, and in the preferred form it is attached to the bottom and near one side, preferably the side 60 remote from the player, so as to receive a well-directed piece.

The pieces 3 are disks of metal and maybe numbered or provided with any appropriate design. While the nature of material enter- 65 ing into the formation of the pieces is unimportant, yet by reason of the character of the game it is preferred to have the pieces formed of metal, which gives the necessary weight to enable the pieces to be tossed through the air, 70 so as to insure their landing in the receptacle when well aimed or directed. While the disk form is preferred, the pieces may have any desired shape and be constructed of any selected material suitable for the purpose. 75

When playing the game, the receptacle 1 is located any desired distance from the player, whois provided with a given number of pieces, which are thrown through the air with the intent of landing them in the receptacle. Those 80 remaining in the receptacle count, whereas those outside of the receptacle are lost to the player. Any piece caught by the clip counts double or any determinate number of points for the player. The players take turns in 85 throwing the pieces, and each tosses a like amount and the one making the highest number of points wins.

To avoid stooping to pick up the pieces, a device, designated as a “pick-up,” is provided 90 and consists of a staff 4 and a catch at the lower end of the staff. This catch may consist of a series of spring-arms 5, as shown in Fig. 5, or of a suction-cup 6, as shown in Fig. 6. The suction-cup acts by atmospheric pres- 95 sure and is spread when pressed upon a piece, thereby expelling the air, and when pressure is removed from the staff the cup tending to regain its normal shape creates a vacuum, with the result that the piece adheres to the too cup and is lifted thereby. In the form shown in Fig. 5 the spring-arms 5 terminate in hooks 7, which engage over the edge of the piece and hold it fast until disengaged from the

712,159 catch by the player. This form of pick-up can be used to advantage only when playing upon carpet or a yielding surface, which will admit of the hooks 7 springing over the 5 edge of the piece when pressing down upon the staff 4. The pick-up is intended for use only to lift the pieces not received in the receptacle, as those on the receptacle are elevated by lifting the said receptacle and tiltio ing it to discharge the pieces in the hand or at any desired point, after which the receptacle is placed in position for the next player.