US2812946A - Wall ball game - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 12, 1957 j 1A, HUGHES I 2,812,946

WALL BALL GAME I Filed March 31, 1954 THROWERS BASE UNE STRlKE ZONE ONE. BASE AREA TWO BASE AREA 4 i THREE BASEAREA' HOME RUN A REA Thoma A12 es ATTORNEY United States P o WALLiBALL Thomas A. Hughes, New York, N. Y. Application March 31, 1954, Serial No. 420,011

2 Claims. 01. 273-88) "The present invention relates to a wall ball game and it particularly relates to a game by which in relatively small space a base-ball game may be played.

inmany'cities, and particularly in the older residential districts, there are rows of houses with steps which are attractive to the young, particularly boys and children, for playing various ball games in which the ball is batted against thestep and is picked up by other players standing out in the street where they are likely to not only interfei'e with trafiic but are subjected to danger because of passing automobiles, trucks and other vehicles.

Moreover, the inclination of the steps and position thereof does not enable any particular development of skill or accuracy and the game, although still attractive to children, doesnot'result in development of sharpness of eye and a proficiency which would result if certain predetermined rules and constructions were employed.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a small, compact space consumption for the ball game which can be substituted for the step games of the character described and which will remove the children or boy-S from the middle of the street, and eliminate interference with danger from trafiic and at the same time enable a proficiency and development of skill and training.

Another object is to provide a small, lightweight, compact ball-type game in which the ball, depending upon the skill .ofthe thrower or batter, will describe certain paths or channels and in which an accurate score may be readily kept.

Another object is to provide a simple, lightweight, inexpensive wall-ball game which may be readily scored and which will develop the skill and accuracy of the players and greatly enhancetheir interest, and which may be readily placed in a back yard, open space or other place where there is only a limited space available.

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only and notby way of limitation, since various changes therein may bemade by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.

In accomplishing the above objects, it has been found most satisfactory, according to one embodiment of the present invention, to provide a wall with a forwardly projecting ridge or bar member which will give a predetermined direction to the rebounding ball and which will require a high degree of skill and accuracy upon the part of the thrower of the ball upon the wall.

Desirably, the wall will be supported upon a standard or frame structure so that it may be adjusted to vertical position and to proper height, and the rebounding ridge element or projecting block will extend the full width of the wall and be of curved controur at the top thereof and of oblique, fiat contour at the bottom thereof.

The area in front of the wall may be marked out in a wedge-shape or trapezoidal shape so that it has a plurality of sections or sectors with division lines parallel to the 2,812,946 Patented Nov. 12, 1957 position of the wall, so as to form a playing field of a series of widening, trapezoidal sectors each of which may be scored or provided with a definite value, such as strike zone, one-base area, two-base area, three-base area, and home run area.

The scoring lines may be readily marked upon the ground or on a gymnasiumfioor and the device is particularly suitable for playgrounds, school yards, summer camps, beaches, gymnasiums and auditoriums, and it will teach and permit competitive sportsmanship, co-ordination, altertness andrelaxation.

The game may beplayed by two players or by teams of players, and it may be scored and have a count the same or similar to base-ball.

No bats or gloves are required and a hollow, rubber ball may be employed, no smaller or larger than four inches in circumference, which may be thrown up against the wall.

The ball is more desirably thrown rather then batted against the wall, and depending upon where it hits or caroms, a score system may be set up.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention,but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Fig. l is a front perspective view showing a typical wall and court laid out for the'board game.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational View of the wall which forms the basic element of the game.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view upon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, there is shown the wall A, the frame Band the playing field C.

The wall A has a standard or support. structure D with an adjustable means E and it also has the rebound ridge or protuberance F.

The wall structure 10 itself may be of wood, thin sheet metal or laminated plywood, the last being preferred. It isdesirably held in the frame consisting of the side members 11,' the top member 12 and the base member 13. If desired the frame may be omitted.

This frame or board 10 itself is supported by a rear bracket arrangement which may have the adjustable connections14 and 15 to enable the height of the wall A to be adjusted upon the screw jack E.

The screw jack E has a screw adjustment portion 16 which fits into the tapped recess or socket 17 in the board 10.

This screw member 16 is locked in position by the nut 18. The foot 19 may be of rubber or metal to rest upon the ground. 7

These telescoping members 21 and 22 together with the ground contact member 24 and the horizontal bracket 25' provide an adjustable support for the board and enable its position in respect to the ground to be readily varied.

' Instead of telescoping pipe brackets 21 and 22, it is possible to use sheet metal which is suitably slotted in its.

connections to the wall.

The wall 10 may be formed of Masonite panel or other material which will give suitable resiliency or bounce to the ball.

The projecting ridge has a front, flat face 35, an inwardly directed, oblique lower face 36, and a quartercircular top face 37. These will respectively direct the ball into the plane areas 38, 39, 40, 41 and 42.

Although the scoring arrangement may widely vary,

3. the area 38 may consist of the throwers position or box as well as the strike zone.

The area 39 may consist of a one-base area, the area 40 may consist ofa two-base area, the area 41 may consistof a three-base area, andthe area 42 may consist of the home run area. 7 v V The side lines or bands 43 and 44 may form a fair-play boundary line.

The horizontal members may be anchored to the ground G so that the player B will not dislodge the wall by vigorously throwing the ball against the wall 10.

The fiat face 35 will normally propel the ball straightforwardly into the play area C, whereas the curved area 37 will cause a flay effect and the oblique area 36 will give a downward bounce effect over the area C.

The height of the board may be 50 inches to 70 inches with the projection F about half way up the board.

The-projection F may have a height of about 2 /2 inches, a depth of about 2 /2 inches, and a width of about 32 inches substantially extending across the entire width of the board.

The player normally will stand closely adjacent to the board as indicated in Fig. 1.

In playing the game the thrower B will throw the ball up against the wall A and desirably against the surfaces 35, 36 or 37. If the ball strikes the area inside of the line 43 and 44, it is within the fair-play area and will score one, two or three bases or a home run, unless caught by the defensive player.

If the ball strikes the ground after touching the defensive player, this also counts as a hit.

No actual running or gloves are required andthe scoring depends upon the area in which the ball strikes the ground or is caught.

Ordinarily, the bases acquired by the thrower will be added to give the score and each four bases will equal a run and the total of runs for each side will determine the winner.

The areas 60 and 61 above and below the forwardly extending bar or ridge F are designated fair play areas. If the ball strikes the areas 60 and 61 it will count a base or toward a run if the caroming ball hits within areas 39, 40, 41 and 42.

' If any ball hits within area 38, it counts as a strike, which is an automatic out, with three outs putting out the playing side.

For the thrower to keep the ball out of the strike zone 38 he preferably tries to hit the curved area 37 or the flat area 35. This will result in the ball most likely striking in the one, two or three base or home run areas 39 to 42.

When the ball strikes the fair-play areas 60 and 61, it will bounce outwardly in a straight-line movement of the ball which will enable the player to more readily catch the ball. This will count an out, causing a change of teams.

To hit the sloping face 36 requires skill on the part of the thrower, who should control the ball so that it will drop precipitately into the base area 39 before it may be caught and this will count as one base.

If the ball is thrown to hit the wall A above or below the areas 60 and 61, it will count as an out in areas 62 and 63. These areas 62 and 63 at the upper and lower ends of the board A may be roughened or ridged laterally or vertically so as to give a destructive off-bounce to the ball, which will indicate the rebounding ball counts as an out.

The fair-play areas and 61 should be between 1% to 2 times the height or width of the bar F.

Instead of mounting the bar F on a transportable wall, it may also be mounted directly on a wall of a gymnasium or room or fence or partition.

If desired, two bars F might also be mounted on the board or wall A, one directly above the other with an intervening fair-play space equal to the height of the bar F or twice the height of the bar F.

If desired, to make the higher scoring areas 41 and 42 tore diflicult of access, they may be made less wide than the areas 39 and 40, or the boundary lines 43 and 44 may be made parallel or convergent outwardly instead of divergent as shown.

The thrower B should be on the other side of the base line so that he must throw the ball a substantial distance toward the board or wall A. The thrower B will be debited with an out if he steps between the throwers base line 65 and the wall or board A.

The boards or walls A may be placed back-to-back to provide for a plurality of teams on opposite sides of the wall A.

While there has been herein [described a preferred form of the invention, it should be understood that the same may be altered in details and in relative arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

1. A wall ball game comprising a vertical wall, means to adjust and support said wall in vertical position, a cross bar positioned midway the height of said wall and extending the full width of said wall and projecting a substantial distance toward the player in front of said Wall and being permanently mounted on the front of said wall, said wall being devoid of side wings and said bar having varying ball-deflecting surfaces and a trapezoidal-shaped playing field in front of said wall divided into different value scoring zones, said bar having a curved top surface and a fiat front and bottom surface.

2. A wall ball game comprising a vertical wall, means to adjust and support said wall in vertical position, a cross bar positioned midway the height of said wall and extending the full width of said wall and projecting a substantial distance toward the player in front of said wall and being permanently mounted on the front of said wall, said wall being devoid of side wings and said bar having varying ball-deflecting surfaces and a trapezoidalshaped playing field in front of said wall divided into different value scoring zones, said bar having a top curved surface, a vertical front surface and a downwardly and inwandly inclined lower surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,188,646 Greenslit et al June 27, 1916 1,384,280 Sterling July 12, 1921 1,741,086 Zarse Dec. 24, 1929 2,174,884 Kachel Oct. 3, 1939 2,333,098 Forsyth Nov. 2, 1943 2,372,111 Norberg Mar. 20, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 362,121 Germany Oct. 24, 1922

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