Games using tangible projectile – Billiards or pool – Table or gameboard
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-10
2004-03-30
Sewell, Paul T. (Department: 3711)
Games using tangible projectile
Billiards or pool
Table or gameboard
Reexamination Certificate
active
06712710
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The field of the invention is pool games.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Single level pool and billiard games are a staple form of game entertainment. Applicant is not aware, however, of any prior art pool games that utilize multiple level pool tables.
Other games do exist in the prior art that operate at multiple levels. For example, we are all familiar with miniature golf courses where the ball must reverse multiple levels to reach the hole. Similarly, there are amusement park type games where balls are rolled or tossed and there are receptacles or holes at different levels, providing different scores, redirection of the balls, etc.
Applicant is also aware of multi-level games such as three-dimensional tick-tack-toe where play pieces are positioned by the players at multiple levels of the device. However in such games there is no movement of pieces from one level to another.
As noted above, applicant is not aware of any multilevel pool tables or similar structures where balls are propelled, not only over a single surface with the objective of being received in pockets at the periphery or other locations on the playing surface, but where the balls are able to travel from pockets at one surface at one level to one or more surfaces at another level for additional play at those surfaces.
SUMMARY OF THE ILLUSTRATED DISCLOSURE
The illustrated multi-level pool game apparatus
20
incorporates a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention. The pool game apparatus
20
includes a multi-level pool table
21
and a plurality of balls
30
. The illustrated table
21
comprises three generally level playing surfaces
22
that are generally rectangular and have upright peripheral retaining rails or walls
26
. The surfaces
22
are supported in stacked relationship with sufficient space between adjacent surfaces to provide the players with access to the intermediate and lower surfaces for striking the balls in accordance with the play of the game.
Each player may be provided with a plurality or set
31
a
of the balls
30
which are visually distinguishable from the sets of balls
31
b
of the other players. Means may be provided for striking or shooting the balls to propel them along the surfaces. In this connection striker or cue balls
32
and cue sticks
34
may be provided. Alternatively, the balls may be marble size, and one may be held and “shot” by the user as in other games of marbles.
Ball receiving pockets
28
in the form of entrance/exits are formed at each of the four corners of each of the illustrated playing surfaces
22
. In the illustrated pool table
21
, these pockets
28
are provided by a generally semicircular cut
29
a
,
29
b
and
29
c
in each corner of the play surface
22
. The pockets
28
lead to and are in communication with conduits
40
. In the illustrated apparatus, the conduits
40
extend between pockets
28
at adjacent playing surfaces
22
. Thus each conduit
40
provides a pathway for the balls between adjacent playing surfaces
22
.
The illustrated pool game table
21
is provided with a base in the form of four base sections
50
. Each base section
50
is disposed at corner of the lowest playing surface
22
a
to support that surface and also to provide a collecting compartment
52
for the balls. Each of the illustrated compartments
52
has a retrieval opening
54
to allow balls to be recovered by the players.
The illustrated pool table
21
is provided with guide means
60
at some of the pockets
28
to direct a ball entering such a pocket either upwardly or downwardly. In the illustrated apparatus
20
this is determined by the speed of a ball: a rapidly moving ball is carried upwardly to the next higher playing surface while a slower moving ball is allowed to drop down to the next lower playing surface (or in the case of the lowest playing surface
22
a
, into a collecting compartment
52
).
In one preferred form of play, each player may be provided with a group or set
31
of balls of a single color (or other distinctive visual appearance), with a cue ball
32
, and with a cue stick
34
for striking the cue ball. Play starts with the balls of all players at the uppermost surface
22
c
. The players may then take turns striking their cue balls
32
with their cue sticks
34
with a dual objective: 1) to propel their own balls progressively downwardly to the intermediate surface
22
b
, then to the lowest surface
22
a
, and ultimately to the collecting compartments
52
, and/or 2) to propel their opponents' balls to higher surfaces so as to negate their opponents' efforts to have their balls reach the collecting compartments.
REFERENCES:
patent: 250948 (1881-12-01), Murphy
patent: 449140 (1891-03-01), Scott et al.
patent: 476324 (1892-06-01), Starks
patent: 504347 (1893-09-01), Groves
patent: 854581 (1907-05-01), Kohler
patent: 931470 (1909-08-01), Patton
patent: 1167655 (1916-01-01), Passig
patent: 1694691 (1928-12-01), Rentz
patent: 3064978 (1962-11-01), Burch
patent: 3550942 (1970-12-01), Hawthorne
patent: 3596911 (1971-08-01), Kessler
patent: 5316307 (1994-05-01), Kersh
Aryanpour Mitra
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Sewell Paul T.
LandOfFree
Multi-level pool 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 Multi-level pool game apparatus and method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Multi-level pool game apparatus and method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3189887