US2586121A - Electrically actuated target game device - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 19, 1952 l. TILSON 2,586,121

ELECTRICALLY ACTUATED TARGET GAME DEVICE Filed July 31, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet l Hir- 24 L m mg il WTU7 U[?% mil; J IQ! FEAT (@118 SS {J INVENTOR.

IRVING TILSON,

ATTORNEY Feb. 19, 1952 TILSQN 2,586,121

ELECTRICALLY ACTUATED TARGET GAME DEVICE Filed July 31, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

IRVING TILSON,

ATTORNEY Feb. 19, 1952 T|L$QN 2,586,121

\ ELECTRICALLY ACTUATED TARGET GAME DEVICE Filed July 51, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 [NVENT IRVING TIL ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 19, 1952 Irving Tilson, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application July 31, 1946, Serial No. 687,495

1 Claim.

This invention .relates to improvements in electrically operated game devices wherein tokens may be thrown toward target elements upon the apparatus and has particular reference to a game device of the character set forth which is adaptable for adjustments to permit various games to be played thereon.

This invention is in the nature of an improvepluralityv of vertically movable target element s,

ment over the device disclosed in a co-pending application, Serial No. 658,062 filed on March 29, 1946, now abandoned.

One object of this invention is to provide a game device of the character described which includes a transparent spinning disk, variously marked with characters and numbers which are employed in the various games to be played, and which disk is motivated by means of a motor and an electrical circuit, normally open, but closed when a vertically movable member is depressed.

Another object of this invention is to provide algame device of the character described wherein the said transparent spinning disk is adapted to rotate on a horizontal axis, and in which a character upon the disk will come to rest before a perforation in a shutter which is aligned with a lens covered observation opening in a housing to present to view, through the said lens, one of the characters employed in playing a game.

A further object of this invention is the provision therein of an illuminating means to project a ray of light through the said transparent spinning disk, when same is at rest, to illuminate the character displayed at the aforesaid observation opening.

A still further object of this invention is the inclusion therein of a transparent disk having several annularly arranged bands with character markings therein, each band of said markings representing the characters employed'in a ular game.

A further object of this invention is the inclusion of an adjustable means to bring to view before the said lens a single character of any of the said series. I

A further object of this invention is the inclusion therein of selector means to stop the spinning disk at a particular point in its revolution.

Another object of this invention is the pro vision in a game device of the character described and which includes a multiplicity of electrical circuits, each having normally open terminals and connecting an electrical current source with various units in the device. of a particattached to theframe of the device and having depending circuit closing elements arranged in line with the said openterminals; the said targets with their depending circuit closing ele-- ments, being adapted when weighted to bridge and close the said normally open terminals in said circuits.

Another object of this invention is the in-,

clusion therein of traps to catch a pitched token when the same does not strike or land upon a,

ufactured at reasonable cost, may be easily assembled and which will be efficient in operation with minimum wear to the parts.

This invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description and in the claims wherein parts will be identified byspecific names for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application ,to similar parts as the art will permit. In the accompanying drawings there has been illustrated the best embodiment of the in'- vention known tome, but such embodiment is to be regarded as typical only of many possible embodiments, and the invention is not to be limited thereto.

The novel features considered characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself,

however, both .as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is an elevational front view of my device showing parts broken away.

Figure 2 is a partial top view.

Figure 31s a sectional view taken along th line 3-3 of Figure 1 e Figure 4 is a'partial sectional view, in elevation, taken alon the line 44 of Figure 3, and shows the rear surface of a revolving disk.

Figure 5 is a partial plan view and section taken along the line 55 of Figure 3, and looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view showing the face of a spinning wheel with characters and numbers marked thereon.

Figure 7 is a detail view, in section, of a part of the spinning disk with a part of selector finger in engagement therewith, and

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a shutter employed in the device, and which will be hereinafter fully described.

Referring in detail to the parts, represents a housing having a forwardly extending portion I2, with stepped platforms l3 and I4, a top portion IS, a base portion IS, a front wall IT, a rear wall l8, and a cover plate l9, hinged to the said rear wall at 20. Extending through the lower portion 2, is a drawer or tray 2|, slideable within the aforesaid forwardly extending portion |2, upon side rails 22. The said tray is provided with a hand-pull 23, attached to the front end of the said drawer or tray.

A disk 24, is mounted upon a shaft 25, and adapted to be held within conical bearings 26 and 21. The said conical bearing 25, is secured tothe said front wall I! of the housing while the conical bearing 21, is secured to a cross bar 28, slidably attached to the side walls 29 and 38 of the aforesaid housing Screws 3|, engaging in slots 32, provide the means for attaching the said cross bar to the said side walls. A motor 33, is-secured within the said housing By means of a pulley 34, upon the motor shaft; a pulley 35, upon the shaft 25; and belt 36; rotation is given to the said disk 24.

The front wall H, has an elongated perforation 31, which is closed by means of a lens 38. A masking member or shutter 39, havin perforations 40, 4| 42 and 43, is slidably mounted upon the inner side of the said front wall of the housing H, and rides within the grooves 44 and 45. Referring now to Figure 8, the said shutter is provided with a fingerhold 46, formed upon a neck 41, by means of which it is securely attached to the shutter 39. The said neck portion moves within a slot 48, formed within the front wall I! of the said housing II. The said fingerhold 46, provides a means for sliding the shutter 39, within the grooves 44 and 45, to bring the aforesaid perforations 48, 4|, 42 and 43 in line with the said elongated perforation 31; and to assure the proper positioning of the said perforations in the said shutter 39, a light spring member 49, secured at one end to a lip 50, extending from the front wall of the housing, is formed with an offset 5|, which engages in notches 52, 53, 54 or 55. Extending upwardly from and at one end of the shutter 39, is a U- shaped bracket 56, to which there is attached a light spring 51, having a ball contact member 58, at its outer end. The said ball contact mem-- within said perforations 61 and 68, upon the.

platforms l3 and I4, and are provided with. de pending shafts 18, which engage through a block ll, of suitable insulating material. To the lower 4 end of the said shafts 10, there are attached metallic circuit closing disks I2, which are adapted to close an electric circuit at the open contact points 13 and 14. The said points 13 and 14, are mounted upon blocks 15, of suitable insulating material which are, in turn, secured to the wall I! of the housin II in the one case and to the depending wall '|6 in the second case (see Figure 3), formed below the said platform l3. Light hair-spring elements 11, engage between the said depressible disks 69, and the said insulating blocks II, to keep the said disks 69. normally level with the upper surface of the said platforms l3 and I4. Guards or shields 18, are provided upon the ends of the said block 75. to prevent any accidental short circuiting at the open circuit points 13 and 14.

Inside the housing II, and attached to the said cover plate or access door I9, is an electric light bulb 19, which is provided with a reflector 80, which is adapted to throw a beam or ray of light directly in line with the lens 38. The aforementioned disk 24, is made of a transparent material such as Lucite or similar plastic substance, and is divided on its face with four annular rings or portions 8|, 62, 83 and 84. In the outer 8|, there are imprinted the numerals 1 to 24 inclusive which are arranged in irregular order, and the markings 0 and 00, as indicated in Figure 6. The inner ring 82, has depicted thereon twenty-one dice combinations. Thering 83, has depicted thereon initials and numbers indicating the ace, king, queen, jack, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two and two Jos. The inner ring 84, has depicted thereon a series of stars, which may be variously colored but transparent enough for light to penetrate. Referring back to the ring 8|, the spaces or blocks enclosing all even numbers are to be colored red, the odd numbersare .to be colored black tint but light enough to allow the light to penetrate so that the numbers are clearly outlined, while the space showing the 0 and the 00 are to be colored green.

Electric current may be supplied to the device through a conductor 85, which leads to a transformer T, and a triple switch S and thence, when the switch S is properly set, to a reduced secondary current which flows through the conductor 85' to one side of the open circuit points which, when closed, allow the current to flow through the conductor 86, to the motor M, to the light bulb 19, and to a bell or other sounding device 81 (shown in Figure 5). The current then flows through the motor, through the light bulb, and the sound device 81, and out of these units through the conductor 88 to the switch S, and secondary coil of the transformer T, thereby completing the circuit when the open circuit points are closed by the circuit-closing disks 12.

In lieu of the current supplied through the conductor 85, a low voltage, dry battery current may be supplied. For this purpose, the dry batteries BB may be supplied (Figure 5), and mounted within the housing The switch S is set to cut out the current from the conductor 85, and the electrical flow from the batteries through the conductor 89, to the switch S, to the conductor 90, to the conductor '85 on one side. The opposite side of the battery current leads through the conductor 9| to the conductor 88,-

to the motor, light bulb and sounding device, and thence through the conductor 88, from the sounding device, light bulb and the motor, to the conductors 85 and 86, which lead to the aforesaid open circuit points.

Operation When the circuit is closed by depressing the depressible disks 09, the motor is activated to rotate and spin the transparent disk 24, the light bulb is illuminated and the sounding device energized. When the depressible disk is released and the current cut ofi the said units will cease operation.

Various games may be played with this device such as roulette, dice, cards, or any game that may be devised by the use of the star. If, for instance, it is desired to manipulate the roulette feature, the fingerhold 46, is moved so that it lines up with the indication R shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. The positioning of the fingerhold 46, as stated, will bring the perforation 49' on the shutter 39, in line with the lens 38. By depressing the disk 69, the disk 72, will close the circuit to start the motor, ring the bell, and light the bulb, and the transparent disk 24, will begin to spin, revolving until the circuit is opened.

The disk will gradually slow down and when its of the numbers is in alignment with the lens 38, as shown in Figure 1. A manually operated switch 92, may be provided to light the bulb when the motor is out of action. When it is desired to play a game with the dice indications shown upon the disk 24, the fingerhold 46, is moved to line up with the indication D, to bring the perforation 4|, in line with the lens 38. In a similar manner, the fingerhold 45, may be moved to the indication C for cards, and the star for any game that the user may devise.

In Figure 4, the shutter is shown in its outermost position or with the ball contact point lined with the depressions 59, which correspond to the markings in ring BI, and by dot-dash line the shutter is shown in its extreme innermost position, and with the ball contact point engaging the depression 62, which corresponds to the stars indicated in ring 84. The depressions B and GI, correspond to the markings in the rings 82 and 83 respectively.

In the drawings there is shown a number of depressible disks 69, whereas this device may be made with a single depressible member to operate a single set of open circuit points.

I claim:

An electrically operated game device, comprising a housing" having a low front platform portion and an upstanding rear portion, depressible target elements in said low front platform portion of the housing, a rotatable transparent disk having a multiple series of annularly arranged game indicia thereon, mounted in said rear portion of the housing, an elongated window in the front wall of the said rear portion of the housing embracing the said annularly arranged game indicia upon the said transparent disk, 3 slidable shutter having staggered orifices therein alignable with the game indicia upon the said rotatable disk and mounted within the said rear portion of the housing, the said shutter being slidable in grooves upon the front wall of the said rear portion of the housing, a finger-hold member attached to the shutter and extending through a slot upon the front wall of the said rear portion of the housing, said finger-hold member adapted to align with markings upon the front wall of the rear housing corresponding to each series of annular indicia upon the said transparent disk and adapted to co-act with the finger hold to align one of the staggered orifices in the shutter with corresponding indicia upon the transparent disk, a spring pawl element upon the housing, the face end of which engages notches upon the sliding shutter to fix and hold the shutter in position, a motor within the housing having pulley and belt connection with the said transparent disk, a current source to the motor, branch circuits having normally open sections disposed in the current supply line, the said open sections being aligned with said depressible target elements, circuit closing members attached to the said depressible target elements and adapted to close a normally open section in a branch circuit when its coacting depressible target element is depressed, and a light bulb in the rear portion of said housing having electrical connection with the said branch circuits.

IRVING TILSON REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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