US1102948A - Lawn game. - Google Patents

Description

J. NORTON. LAWN GAMB. APPLIOATION FILED NOV.14, 1913.

Patented July 7, 1914.v

WITN SES mb. E N M n A THE NoRRls PETER'S col.' PH01DLITHO.. WASHINGTUN. D4 C.

JOHN NORTON, OE NEW YORK, N. Y.

LAWN GAME.

nica-eas.

Application filed November 14, 1913.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 7, 1914i.

Serial No. 800,98l.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, JOHN NORTON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of the Bronx, in the county of the Bronx and State of New York, have invented a new and `Improved Lawn Game, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

rlhe present invention 'comprehends a novel and simple fascinating lawn game.

The primary object of the linvention is accomplished in the provision of a lawn game which will be commonly known as Lawnette and the same consists of a projecting apparatus having improved means for anchoring the same in the ground, such projecting apparatus being pivotally mounted so as to be adjusted at dierent inclinations whereby balls designed for use with the apparatus may be projected at dierent elevations and distances therefrom.

A. further object of the invention is to provide an improved projecting apparatus which embodies a barrel having a plunger movable therein, the plunger being held resiliently extended from the inner end of the barrel whereby, when a quick forcive action is. exerted `against the inner end of the plunger as by means of a'mallet, a'ball positioned in front of the plunger will be projected from the outer or discharge end of the barrel and, due to the particular shaping of the latter, will be deflected upwardly,

the object being to deposit the balls into.

pockets suitably spaced from the projecting apparatus, preferably in longitudinal alinement so as to prove a test for skill and en.-`

durance as well as providing an exercising device.

With the above and other objects in view,

the invention resides more particularly in the peculiar combination and arrangement of the parts which will be illustrated as a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings and described in the specification.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the projecting apparatus of the improved lawn game;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view through the barrel portion of the apparatus, the plunger being normally retracted or projected from the inner end of the barrel with a ball in position to be projected therefrom; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the projecting apparatus, part of the barrel being broken away; and Fig. 4L is a perspective view of one of the pockets into which balls are to be deposited.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the improved game apparatus is t0 be embedded in the ground and consists of a pair of spaced parallel metallic strips 10 disposed in horizontal alinement with the ground surface and having depending extremities or leg portions 1l inclined slightly outwardly with their lower ends bent horizontally outwardly as shown at 12 to provide removal restraining feet. These portions 12 are connected by a transverse anchoring strip 13, the whole operating to prevent displacement of the anchor. rlhe anchor is designed for securing the projecting apparatus thereto and to hold the latter rigid during the projecting operation.

The projecting apparatus embodies the base 14E removably secured to each strip of the anchor as by means of bolts l5 fixed to the anchor strips adjacent each end of the horizontal portions thereof in line with the ground surface, the base having apertures through which the bolts engage, while winged nuts 16 are engaged on the bolts to secure the base to the anchor and permit the convenient removal thereof for the purpose of storing the projecting apparatus` after use or overnight as will be apparent. The base 14 is provided with a pair of spaced vertical bearings 17 in which a two-piece clamp or carriage 18 is pivotally supported by means of a depending extension 19 having a pivot 20 engaged through apertures of the bearings and held from displacement as by means of keys 21. The sections of the clamp are removably secured together as by means of bolts 22 engaged through opposed extensions thereof, and this clamp is adapted to removably and rigidly secure a barrel section 23 to the bearing portions of the base against longitudinal movement independent of the clamp or carriage.

The projecting apparatus further comprises a section 24, both of the sections 23 and 24tbeing of tubular construction, and the section 24 at its outer end being curved upwardly as shown at 25 and being beveled at its top as shown at 26, so that as a ball 27 forming one of a series to be used in the lgame is projected therefrom, such ball will be deiected upwardly. The sections 23 and 24 are coupled together as by vmeans of `a threaded ring 28, such ring having interiorly threaded portions of differenti vdiameters to engage the threaded ends of the barrel sections23 and 24 respectively, A washerr29 is disposed in contact with a shoulder produced by the adjacent section '23v and'by reducing the inner portion of the bore of the ring, 'and vbetween this `washer yand -the washer 30 disposed in con-tact with the in nei end off the barrel' section 24 isa cushioning ring 31,'y all ofl these parts being apertured to movably receive a plunger 32 therethrough. c v

"The plunger 32-is`passed through the inner endet the barrel section 23 and has a plunger head 33 'removably secured at its outer end, while also mounted lon the plunger is an expansible coil Vspring* 34, the same beingmountedlbetween the washer 29 and a collar. 35 removably fixed, tol the plunger adjacent the? inner end' of the barrel ysection23. When the parts are thus "assembled, an aperturedy cap 36 isy removably secured on thev inner end of the section 23 so thaty the spring will at alltimes normally hold theA plunger headinwar'dlyy displaced in the barrel section 24 and the rubber or cushion 31 willv take up the impact due to its quick returny and disengagement from the' ball; projected, A* heaid 3T is removably secured to the, inner 'end oftlieplunger and is enlarged relative` to the plunger so as noty tovmutilate asuitable mallet which mayibe used forV stri-king they plunger' toA cause aquick outward movement of4v the` latter against the action of the coily spring'to project the ball. The force exerted against the-spring `being absorbed in its 'coijl'sto some extent and the final impact being directed againstV theI cushioning ring; through the medium ,of the washer 29will` preventmutilation thereof. :The return impactA of the plunger heaid 33I against the cushioning ring-3l is exerted'by' contact of they plunger head with the washer 3.0 sothat va greater portion of the jar tending to displacev the 'supporting iframe` of' the apparatus will'be obviated.

-In playing the game aY plurality of basketsV or pockets 38 will be emloyed, such pockets being preferablyfou-r, in number and positionedxat suitable ydistances in ,longitudinal alinement vwith the barrel'ofthe projecting apparatus, preferably `at twenty ifive, fifty,

apparatus. Vllachpocket' consist-sof `a circular ring 39 from which the interwoven pocket is suspended, while at fourl points; the

spaced distances from' the latterqand to permit them to be conveniently stored with theV has a foot plate 42 secured thereto.

projecting shown'in Fig. l of the drawings, and in 1 order to so support it and permit it to be adjusted at various inclinations for projecting the balls lat diiiferent heights and distances,

the barrelsection is provided with a pair of 'depending apertured ears4l, and the base The 'foot plate is in turn provided with upwardly extending spaced apertured ears 43, and said ears 4l and 43 each pivotally' carry threaded Shanksl 44 which are oppositely threaded, and engaged by a turn buckle 45 whereby when the turnfbuckle is rotated the j threaded shanks are oppositelyA shifted relav` tive to the'same to cause the barrel to be raised or lowered. Ars,A the poclrets'maytbe disposed in any relative positiomythough preferably as i'leSCribed, but a sli-glit'adjustment or inclination ofthe'barreh'will be necessary to deposit4 the `balls intherespective pockets, and by .giving a harder or lighter-blow to the4 plunger the balls-may; be" l projected a greater or, lesser.y distance. y As vbefore mentioned, yfour `pockets are employed and twelve oftheballs 27 the latv ter being `constructed lofrubbeiso 'as to lbe* projected from the barrehwith less. impact than would be required witha non-resilient member.` With one ofthe* ballsy in position in the barrel section 24 andincontact with the plunger-head 23, the plunger is struck with a mallet whichis offsuitable weight and size, the 4object being'to depositithe balls intothe pockets.. Whenitwelveballs are used by each player, if agplayer'depositl the iirst four. balls, `one in ea'chof'the respective pockets, the yhighest score'possible ismade, and one method of kcountingfwould be to countl the ballsremaining so that the person first retaining a number of. :balls making atotal sum of twenty ive orrfifty, would win the game. Another'methodfof scoring Awould beto number eachl pocket ing apparatus andv count the 'numbers to obtain a sum totalv for' the twelve ballsor otherwise, or the highest score fori the least willnotonly prove a test for theyskill `otthe player, but which will also prove interesting and,v beneficial as an exercising dei p I vice. seventyf'ive an'done -hundred-feet fromthe I'Havin'g thus described -my inveiiti'on, ".I

`claim as new and desireto secure by Let` .ters-Patent: l l l 1.In a lawn game apparatus,- theflcom? lbination with an anchor embedded in the,

ground, ofI 'a projectingfapparatus mounted i l n according to its distance'from the'project` by the carriage and having a spring plunger therein adapted to project an object by forcive action thereagainst, and means within the barrel to cushion the movements of `the plunger.

2. In a lawn game apparatus, the com- ;bination with an anchor embedded in the ground, of a projecting apparatus mounted therein, said projecting apparatus including a base removably secured to the anchor and having spaced vertical bearings, a carriage pivoted in the bearings, a barrel supported by the carriage and having a spring plunger therein adapted to project an object by forcive action thereagainst, and means connecting the base and barrel to adjust the latter at various inclinations.

3. A lawn game comprising a ground anchor, a pivotally supported carriage secured thereto against displacement, a barrel embodying a pair of sections coupled together, an apertured cushioning member between the sections, a plunger movable through said cushioning member, a coil spring on the plunger between the cushioning member and the inner end of the inner section of the barrel, the spring being held from movement inwardly of the plunger and the plunger being normally projected from said end, the outer end of the barrel being directed upwardly and beveled at its top portion, and an adjustable connection between the outer barrel section and the support.

4. A lawn game comprising a ground anchor, a pivotally supported carriage secured thereto against displacement, a barrel embodying a pair of sections coupled together, an apertured cushioning member between the sections, a plunger movable through said cushioning member, a coil spring on the plunger between the cushioning member and the inner end of the inner section of the barrel, the spring being held from movement inwardly of the plunger and the plunger being normally projected from said end, a plunger head on the free end of the plunger, said plunger head and the outer end of the spring being designed to contact with the cushioning member at the opposite limits of the movements of the plunger in moving outward against the action of the spring and in retracting and balls designed to be positioned in the barrel to be projected.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN NORTON.

Witnesses:

OHAS. W. SPIKINS, ANDREW J. FLYNN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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