Amusement devices: toys – Rolling or tumbling – Vehicle and means for freeing or launching object therefrom
Patent
1998-05-06
2000-05-30
Muir, D. Neal
Amusement devices: toys
Rolling or tumbling
Vehicle and means for freeing or launching object therefrom
446424, 446456, 414462, 180215, A63H 1700, A63H 3330, B62D 6106, B60P 900
Patent
active
060685379
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to a game apparatus and method, and provides a particularly novel form of game not heretofore conceived.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The basis of the apparatus of the present invention is to provide a new vehicle or an attachment for a vehicle to convert it to a new vehicle, typically for occupation by a single occupant or player, although there may be two or more players in modified forms of the vehicle, and the vehicle is equipped in order to receive a playing ball or equivalent member such as a puck, to hold the ball, and to propel it from the vehicle. In some respects therefore the game can be compared to a game such as football or hockey except that the player's skills are transferred through a vehicle which in turn is equipped for receipt and propelling of the ball. The vehicle preferably is motorised, but it may be manually driven.
It is already known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,790 and German Patent Document DE-A-1578628 to provide a vehicle for the playing of a soccer like game, wherein the vehicle has a carrier member by which the ball is held and by which the ball can be propelled by reciprocation of the carrier member. Such a vehicle is however limited in that it requires the ball to be propelled from the carrier in the same direction in which it is received in the carrier, which limits its utility.
The U.S. Pat. No. 3,264,782 describes on the other hand a toy steam train into the tender of which balls are loaded, and from the funnel of which the balls can be propelled upwards, like puffs of steam, and a child playing with the toy can try to catch the balls. The device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,917 is somewhat similar in that a motorised bucket has an opening in its wall and balls are loaded into the top of the bucket, and are propelled out of the opening.
As in some of the prior arrangements indicated above, it is envisaged in the present invention that in one form of play of the game, there will be several motorised vehicles of the type to which the invention relates, controllable by respective players, and the vehicles will be arranged in teams, the respective teams playing on the playing field or pitch, provided with goals or goal areas or point scoring systems so that the objective of the game is to propel the ball into the goal or goal area, so that teams can score goals during periods of play, and, similar to soccer and hockey, and the winning team is the team which scores the more goals. Players will be required to exercise considerable skill in using the vehicles.
It is envisaged that in any one team there may be two types of vehicle, one for use by a player who will be designated to operate similar to a goal keeper, and a second type of which there may be several for use by the respective outfield players.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention there is provided a vehicle or an attachment for a vehicle for playing a game on a surface over which the vehicle or vehicle and attachment moves or move, comprising an inlet at the front of the vehicle or attachment for collecting a ball which rolls on the surface, a holding zone for holding the ball, and a propulsion means for propelling the ball from the side of the vehicle or attachment across the surface in a different direction from that in which it was received in the inlet.
Preferably, the vehicle is motorised, and the holding zone is preferably at the centre or the rear of the vehicle, and the ball is adapted to be propelled from the vehicle to either side of the vehicle at the option of the driver.
The propulsions means may comprise striking arms means whereby the ball can be propelled sideways from either side of the vehicle.
Preferably, the striking arm means comprises right and left arms, arranged so that when one arm strikes the ball the other is raised clear of the holding zone, and there may be resilient holding means for resiliently holding the ball in the holding zone, which resilient holding is overcome when the ball is propelled by the arms from the holding zone. In another preferred featu
REFERENCES:
patent: 3201898 (1965-08-01), Lahr et al.
patent: 3240201 (1966-03-01), Shelton
patent: 3303821 (1967-02-01), Harris
patent: 3324964 (1967-06-01), Davis
patent: 3348713 (1967-10-01), Will
patent: 4031659 (1977-06-01), Keller et al.
patent: 4213269 (1980-07-01), Grogg, Sr.
patent: 4274505 (1981-06-01), Maust
patent: 4516648 (1985-05-01), Berger et al.
patent: 4938483 (1990-07-01), Yavetz
patent: 5378191 (1995-01-01), Ryaa
Go Sport Ltd
Muir D. Neal
LandOfFree
Game apparatus and method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Game apparatus and method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Game apparatus and method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-1906618