patent 1992659
The following is patent 1992659, issued on February 26, 1935, explaining the ball gates used in the Genco Official Baseball. The patent was issued to Meyer Gensburg, one of the three brothers involved with Genco.
It is interesting to note that the patent did not reflect the actual construction of the gates. The patent suggests the pass lanes, those for home run and additional bases, have a clear hinged door. The wire frame of the gate will have an arm that rests on top of the clear door and will be raised when a ball raises the door as it passes. During the final implementation, the game just extended the wire frame, which is raised up as the ball passes.
I was unable to find the serial number 727,032 patent referenced in the text. Meyer was issued a patent number 2003356 which is for an anticheat device that prevents multiple balls from being played at the same time.
The present application is a continuation in part of my co-pending application.on an amusement game accessory filed May 7, 1934,, Serial No. 727,032.
This invention relates to a game. apparatus.
It is an object of this invention to provide an improved game apparatus, which is relatively simple and inexpensive in construction and efficient in use.
Another object of this invention is: to provide an accessory for a game apparatus of the type played with marbles or balls, and particularly for, that type of game apparatuses known as baseball games, the present invention being particularly concerned with providing a novel device by means of which the played balls may be trapped or stopped in positions corresponding to first, second and third bases as they roll down a, series of parallel ball runways, and released by balls rolling down the adjacent runways and thus advanced successively from positions corresponding to first base, second base, third base, and "home."
Other objects will appear hereinafter.
The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, showing the preferred form of construction and in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, showing a preferred form of the invention associated with a game apparatus, cabinet and playing board of which only a fragment is shown;
Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on line 2-2 in Fig. 1; and
Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view, partly in section, of one of the new devices.
A preferred form of the present invention is shown in the drawing and is shown in association with an inclined playing board 10 at the lower end of which is a transverse ball-receiving runway or trough in which the balls are received from the runways or alleys arranged upon the playing board.
Arranged upon the inclined playing board10 are groups of ball runways or alleys (Fig. 1) and associated ball stopping and releasing devices. However, since these groups of runways and associated ball stopping and releasing devices are duplicates of each other, only one group of suchrunways and associated devices will be described, it being understood that the following description is applicable to the other and corresponding group.
Each group of ball runways includes a continuous "home run" runway or alley 12 which opens at its upper end onto the upper portion of the playing board 10 and at its lower end into the transverse trough 11. Each group of runways also includes a three base "hit" runway or alley 13 arranged adjacent the "home run" alley 12, a one base "hit" alley 14 arranged adjacent the three base "hit" alley 13 and a two base "hit" alley 15 arranged adjacent the one base "hit" alley 14 but on the opposite side of the latter from the three base "hit" alley 13, these alleys or runways opening at their upper ends, out upon the playing board 11 at the upper end thereof in a fan-shaped formation. The three base "hit" alley 13 like the "home run" alley 12 is continuous from its upper to its lower end when it opens into the trough 11, whereas the single "hit" and two base "hit" alleys merge together between their ends (Mg. 1); and in turn these two alleys merge into the three base "hit" alley 13 adjacent the lower end of the latter.
Arranged upon the playing surface 10 at preselected intervals along the one base "hit", two base "hit'.', and three base "hit',' alleys, 14, 15 and 13, respectively, are swinging or pivotal ball stopping members 16, each of which includes parallel arms 17 that are pivotally or swingingly mounted at their upper ends upon upright supporting parts 18 each ball stop 16 having a transverse ball stopping and gate portion 19 at its lower end and adapted to engage a ball and hold the same from running down that particular alley when the corresponding stop member 16 is in lowered position wherein its arms 17 rest upon the side rails 20 which define that particular alley.
The arms 17 of the stop member 16 are bent back upon themselves to. provide, and each stop member 16 includes two parallel lifting arms 21 (Mg. 3), each of which has at its lower end a right angularly extending lift portion 22. These angled end and lift portions 22 extend laterally over and above swinging or pivoting ballreleasing or lift -members 23 which are in the form of flat sheets 23 that are pivotally or swingingly mounted at their upper ends upon upright supporting parts 24.
Each of the ball releasing members.23 is preferably in the form of a fiat sheet of transparent material such, for example - as celluloid, mica or other -suitable material, in the form of the invention shown, three of these lifts 23 arranged at intervals along the ball runways; the uppermost ball-releasing member 23 spanning all four runways, the middle ball-releasing member 23 spanning only the "home run" and three base "hit" alleys 12 and 13, respectively, and the lowermost ball-releasing member 23 spanning only the "home run" alley 12.
Operation
When, for example, a ball enters the single "hit" alley 14, it engages the transverse portion 19 of the uppermost ball stop 16 and is held thereby against further movement down that alley until another ball is scored into one of the other three alleys whereupon the latter ball engages the corresponding ball-releasing member 23 which is thereby pivoted upwardly against the corresponding angled end portion 22 of the adjacent stop 16 and the latter is thus lifted upwardly allowing the ball stopped thereby in the alley 14 to advance or roll down the same into the two base "hit" alley 15, wherein it is stopped and held by the middle ball stop 16 arranged in the alley 15, the ball thus advanced being held by the middle stop. 16 until a ball enters either the "home run" alley 12 or the three base "hit" alley 13 and engages the middle ball-releasing member 23 to release the ball stopped by the middle stop 16. The ball thus released then advances into the three base "hit" alley 13, wherein it is stopped and held by the lowermost stop 16 until a ball enters the "home run" alley 12, whereupon the lowermost ball-releasing member 23 is lifted and the ball held in the alley 13 by the lowermost stop 16 is thus allowed to run into the transverse trough 11 for return to the ball elevating and projecting devices (not shown).
It is to be noted that the angled end or lift portions 22 of the ball stops 16 and the overlying portions of the ball release members 23 (Mg. 3) terminate above or at a distance removed from the transverse stop portion 19 of the ball stops 16 so that when a ball is held or trapped by one of the stop portions 19 and another ball passes down one of the other runways the ball release member 2.3 in the latter runway is lifted to release the ball stopped by the transverse portion 19 of the corresponding stop 16 before the ball passes from under the ball release member 23, thereby allowing the stopped ball to advance downwardly toward the trough 11 before the later played and releasing ball passed from under the corresponding ball release member 23. In this manner the balls advance down the runways in the order in which they are played onto the board 10 and are kept in their proper sequence and a later played ball is prevented from catching up or getting ahead of an earlier played ball.
It is to be noted that the ball releasing member 23, being transparent, enables the player at all times to.see the movement of the balls as they pass under the ball release member 23 to release the ball stopped and held by the stops 16, which adds to the interest of the player and the. fascination of the game.
While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification, without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precised details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and. modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.
Having thus described my invention what I claim. as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:
1. In a game apparatus, the combination of: an inclined playing board having at least two substantially parallel inclined ball runways extending thereover; a pivotal ball-stopping member in one of said runways; and a, pivotal ballreleasing member in the other of said runways; said ball-stopping member having a portion extending over and above said ball releas,in- member and the latter terminating at a point disposed upwardly from the lower end and ball stopping portion of said stop member, relative to the inclination of said board, so that said ball release member will engage and lift said ball-stopping member upwardly to release a ball stopped thereby when a ball passes along the said second-named runway and engages said ball release member and before the said releasing ball passes by the said ball releasing member.
2. In a game apparatus, the combination of: an inclined playing board having at least two substantially parallel inclined ball runways extending thereover; a pivotally ball-stopping member in one of said runways; and a pivotal ball-releasing member in the other of said runways; said ball stGpping member having a portion extending over and above said ball releasing member and the latter terminating at a point disposed upwardly from the lower end and ball stopping portion of said stop member, relative to the inclination of said board, so that said ball release member will engage and lift said ball-stopping member upwardly to release a ball stopped thereby when a ball passes along the said second named runway and engages said ball release member and before the said releasing ball passes by the said ball-releasing member; said ball release member having the form of a sheet of transparent material to permit balls passing thereunder to be seen by the player.
3. In a game apparatus, the combination of: a playing board having at least two substantially parallel inclined ball runways thereon; a ballstopping member pivotally mounted at its upper end above one of said runways and project-Ing at its lower end into the other of said runways so as to be engaged by and to stop, a ball traveling therealong; a ball-releasing member pivotally mounted at its upper end above said playing board and projecting at its lower end into the other of said runways so as -to be engaged by and to be pivotally lifted by a ball passing along said last-mentioned runway; and means coacting with said ball-stopping member and with said ball-releasing member to lift the said ball-stopping member to release the ball stopped thereby as a ball passes under, but prior to the time that it emerges from below the said lower end portion of sadd ball-releasing member.
4. In a game appaxatus, the combination of: a playing board having at least two substantially parallel inclined ball runways thereon; a ballstopping member pivotally mounted at its upper end above one of said runways and projecting at its lower end into the other of said runways so as to be engaged by and to stop a ball traveling therealong; a ball-releasing member pivotally mounted at its upper end above said playing board and projecting at its lower end into the other of said runways so as to be engaged by and to be pivotally lifted by a ball passing along said last-mentioned runway; and means coacting with said ball-stopping member and with said ball-releasing member to lift the said ball-stopping member to. release the ball stopped thereby as a ball passes under, but prior to the time that it emerges from below the said lower end portion of said ball-releasing member; said ball-releasing member having the form of a sheet of transparent material so! that the player may readily see a ball passing thereunder.
5. In a game apparatus, the combination of: a playing board having at least two substantially parallel inclined ball runways thereon; a ball-stopping member pivotally mounted at its upper end above one of said runways and projecting at its lower end into the other of said runways so as to be engaged by and to stop a ball traveling there along; a ball-releasing member pivotally mounted at its upper end above said playing board and projecting at its lower end into the other of said runways so. as to be engaged by and to be pivotally lifted by a ball passing along said last mentioned runway; and means coacting with said ball stopping member and with said ball-releasing member to lift the said ball-stopping member to release the ball stopped thereby as a ball passes under, but prior to the time that it emerges from below the said lower end portion of said ball releazing member; said ball-releasing member having the form of a sheet of transparent material so that the player may readily see a ball passing thereunder; said means having the form of an arm projecting laterally from said ball-stopping member over and above said ball-releasing member so as to be engaged thereby upon upward movement of the latter.
6. In a game apparatus, the combination of: an inclined playing board having at least two substantially parallel inclined ball runways ,thereon; a ball-stopping member pivotally mounted at its upper end above one of said runways and projecting at its lower end into the other of said runways so as to be engaged by and to stop a ball traveling there along; a ball-releasing member pivotally mounted at its upper end above said playing board and projecting at its lower end into the other of said runways so as to be engaged by and to be pivotally lifted by a ball passing along the lastmentioned runway; and means coacting with said ball stopping member and with said ballreleasing member to lift the said ball-stopping member to release the ball stopped thereby as a ball passes under, but prior to the time that it emerges from below the said lower end portion of said ball releasing member; said ball'releasing member having the form of a flat sheet terminating at its lower end at a point disposed above the stopping portion of said ball-stopping member, relative to the direction of inclination of said runways, so that a ball held by said ball stopping member will be released therefrom for movement down the corresponding runway prior to the time that the releasing ball passes by or emerges from under the said ball-releasing member.
7. In a game apparatus, the combination of: am inclined playing board having at least two substantially parallel inclined ball runways thereon; a ball-stopping member pivotally mounted at its upper end above one of said runways and projecting at its lower end into the other of said runways so as to be engaged by and to stop a ball traveling there along; a ballreleasing member pivotally mounted at its upper end above said playing board and projecting at its lower end into the other of said runways so as to be engaged by and to be pivotally lifted by a ball passing aong the last mentioned runway; and means coacting with said ball stopping member and with said ball releasing member to lift the said ball-stopping member to release the ball stopped thereby as a ball passes under, but prior to, the time that it emerges from below the said lower end portion of said ball-releasing member; said ball-releasing member having the form of a flat sheet terminating at its lower end at a point disposed above the stopping portion of said ball-stopping member, relative to the direction of inclination of said runways, so, that a ball held by said ballstopping member will be released therefrom for movement down the corresponding runway prior to the time that the releasing ball passes by or emerges from under the said ball releasing member; said means having the form of an arm projecting laterally from said ball-stopping member above said sheet so as to be engaged by and pivotally lifted by the latter upon upward movement of the same.
MEYER GENSBURG.