US2779597A - Simulated basketball game - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 29, 1957 L. BARBOLLA 2,779,597

SIMULATED BASKETBALL GAME Filed June 11, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. I. 11/5 5/1 RBOLL A A TTORNE) Jan. 29, L, BARBQLLA SIMULATED BASKETBALL GAME Filed June 11, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. A 0/5 5/4 fiBfiLLA BY ATTORNEY Jan. 29, 1957 L. BARBOLLA SIMULATED BASKETBALL GAME Filed June 11, 1954 3 Sheetsfiheet 5 SIMULATED BASKETBALL GAME Luis Barbolla, Mendoza, Argentina ApplicationJune 11, 1954, Serial No. 436,144

1 Claim. (Cl. 273-85) The present invention refers to a parlor game of the basketball type.

Specifically it refers to a game in which the ball is directed to the basket through the articulate puppets representing the active players and handled by opposing persons playing the game, with the particularity that each basket, instead of having an opening below the net work of same, has a receptacle with a conduit leading to a ball return chamber, in such a manner that all balls falling Within the basket remain out of reach of the user until the end of'the game. This means that without need of a counting device, the game may be regulated according to the number of balls allowed and the aim and ability of the contending persons in inserting the ball in the net, with the mechanical puppet means provided in the system.

Each basket has an entrance ring and a net piece; as in the usual game, the admission of the ball in same will result in the usual manner, but with a deviation toward the mentioned descending conduit, in such a manner that each goal means the loss of a ball, which is accumulated in the ball return chamber in order to render them available for the subsequent game.

For greater clearness and comprehension of this invention reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the field near one of the basket posts and illustrating how the ball is delivered to the ball return chamber from the basket.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view of the field looking in elevation upon one of the baskets and a portion of the post broken away to show the interior thereof and the ball passing then through.

Fig. 3 is a general plan view of the game.

In the diiferent figures, the same reference numerals and letters indicate corresponding parts.

As may be seen in the drawings a is the playing field or floor which is housed within side and end walls 1 having openings 2 in which bars 3 are slidingly and rotatively operated by handles 4 grasped by the person operating same.

Each bar 3 possesses one or more puppets or playing elements b which are formed so that, with the movement of bar 3, they can take hold of and impel the ball 5 in catapult manner, so that, as graphically shown in Fig. 1, the object of inserting the ball in a basket assembly c may be accomplished. Such a playing element is described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 436,143, filed June ll, 1954.

The field a has declivities forming depressions 6 in such a manner that the ball may be within reach of pup pets b. Depressions 6 are made between the bars 3 of opposing parties.

The basket assembly c comprises a ring, a net-piece 7 and a backing wall 8, all of which are held by a hollow post d rising from the floor.

nited States Patent ice As all balls that have passed through the basket must be removed therefrom, the basket 0 has under its ring 7 and in the net-piece 7, a receptacle 9 formed in the upper end of the post end through an opening made in the backing wall 8, and communicates with the passes of the descending conduit 10 formed within post d.

Conduit 14 leads into a ball return chamber 2 situated below field a, hidden from above and may be held normally out of reach of the persons playing the game. As may be seen in Fig. 2, the chamber e is inclined toward a tray 11 where the balls may be seen, so that the persons may reach them with the hand. The return chamber e has a retaining element or gate 12 which swings on axis 13.

The retaining element 12 is released from the coinbox 14 in the usual manner through a transmission diagrammatically indicated by dot and dash line 15.

When the game is over, all the balls 5, which may be of any determined number, are maintained within chamber e by the gate 12 as shown in Fig. 2.

When starting the game one of the persons must deposit a coin 16 in a coin box 14, and through transmission 15, the lifting of gate 12 is effected, allowing the passing of balls 5 towards tray 11, the gate returning to its former position as shown in full lines in Fig. 2, to again act as a retaining means for all the balls which may pass through the basket. The halls are taken one by one from tray 11 in order to play the game.

As each rival person must handle the puppets of his equipment by means of the respective handles 4, each must be located on an opposite side of the field after letting one ball drop in the center of same. The ball will run, due to the declivity of the field, to one or another depression 5. By means or puppets b, the rivals try to catch hold of the ball and, in catapult manner, direct same towards basket c at his end of the field.

If the ball 5 falls within the basket c, it passes to the receptacle 9 of conduit 1% and from this to the chamber e where it is retained by gate 12. After one ball is played, another is taken out of tray 11 in order to continue the game as if the same ball were in use in the middle of the field.

With this new ball the same is done until one of the rivals manages to make a goal, and as each ball 5 is played through conduit 1t) and retained in chamber e, when there are no more balls in tray 11, the game is ended, as all the balls are retained by gate 12.

Under these conditions, if the rival persons wan-t to play a second game, or a second period, they must introduce another coin 16 in the coin box 14 by means of which, by elevation of gate 12, the balls 5 are freed and presented in tray 11.

It is obvious that in carrying out this invention, modifications of detail and structure of the specified device may be introduced, without this implying a departure from the scope of said invention, as clearly stated in the following claim.

What is claimed is:

In a parlor game of the basketball type a floor simulating a basketball area in shape, side and end walls sur rounding the fioor, small baskets respectively located at the opposite ends of the fioor, a backboard associated with each basket, bracket means for supporting the backboard and basket above the floor extending upwardly from each end wall, parallel operating bars slidable through and rotatably connected to the opposite side walls, said parallel bars being arranged in pairs, the bars of one pair lying in confronting relationship to one another and in front of one basket at one end of the floor and the bars of the other pair lying in confronting relationship to one another and in front of the other basket at the other end of the floor, each end of the floor having inclined Patented Jan. 29, 195.7

surfaces converging toward one another and providing an intermediate depression extending across the floor into which a playing ball may gravitate, articulate playing men elements mounted in spaced relationship on said bars, two said playing men elements being mountedon the bar of each pair located immediately in front of each basket and representing the guards or backs of a team, three said playing men elements mounted on the bar of each pair more removed from the basket and representing the center and forwards of a team, handles from the guard bar and the forward bar of each pair extending outwardly from the opposite side walls to manipulate the articulate playing elements forming the different teams, said bracket means being in the form of a hollow post extending through the backboard and providing a receptacle immediately under the basket opening, an inclined ball return chamber means lying under said 4 floor, said post having a conduit leading to said chamber, a ball delivery tray extending from one side of the floor for receiving the playing balls from the return chamber and coin operated gate means in the return chamber controlling the passage of the balls from the return chamber to the tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,433,335 Bensch Oct. 24, 1922 1,915,452 Sheffier et al. June 27, 1933 1,924,757 Shisotf Aug. 29, 1933 1,982,491 Barnum Nov. 27, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS 991,570 France June 20, 1951

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