US1617243A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Feng, i927. 1,617,243

AAAAAAAAAAA US 1926 2 SiS-Sh 1 Illumina y 1617243 Feb. 8,1927.l TFLANAGAN GAME APBARATUS Filed Maron 10. 192e 2 sheets-suena INVENTOR WIT SsEs a@ /arqgarz,

:gv/MM] ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 8, 1927,

UNITED STATES THOMAS FLANAGAN, 0F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

yGranma APPARATUS.

Application led March 10, 1926. Serial No. 93,687.

The present invention is concerned with the provision of novel apparatus for playing the game of battledore and shuttlecock, and with a novel type of field upon which the game may be played in a unique manner.

An object of the invention is to provide a playing field upon which the game of battledore andl shuttlecock may be played in accordance with an interesting series of rules which I have devised. A

A further object is to provide a novel type of shuttlecock, the ball portion of which will be light and resilient, and the feather portions of which are attached to the ball in a unique manner and are well suited forretarding and guiding the. movement of the ball portion.

A further object is to provide a novel type of battledore which will be much more effective than the usual string covered racquets, and with which the shuttlecock may' be driven fora considerablel distance, or to a considerable height.

Further objects of the invention are to 25, provide game apparatus of this character of simple, practical construction ,which will serve vto amuse both old and young alike, as

" well as afford themA healthful exercise, andwhich may be manufactured with comparative economy. i

With the above noted and other object s in `view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will be more 'fully hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims. The invention may be more fully understood from the following n description in connection with the accompanying drawings, whereinf Fig. 1 is a plan view of the playing field. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the shuttlecock.

Fig. 3` is a transverse sectional view there- -through.

-Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation of the battledore, parts being broken away and in section for clearness.

Fig. '5 Iis a transverse sectional view on the line 5--5' ofFig. 4.v 50 Fig. ,6 is an enlarged transverse, sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

The game of battledre and shuttlecock maybe played either indoors or outdoors. The playing fields may be in the nature of As shown, the field consists of a suitable surface 10 which may represent a grass plot, 65

a floor, or a sheet of material s uch as canvas or the like. Upon the field I provide four bases 11 of approximately circular shape, these bases being identified a's by the use of identifying characters 1, 2, Band 4. The i bases are at the four corners of a rectangle or square, and are connected by relatively narrow base lines 12. Centrally of the square is a fifth base 13 ,which preferably y carries its identifying indicia such for instance as the `numeral 5.. The portion of the playing field not covered by the bases or the base lines is known as the neutral zone. The manner of playing the game and the rules for playing the game upon the playing field shown in Fig. 1 will be more fully hereinafter set forth. Y

In Figs. 2 and 3, I have illustrated a shutvtlecock which in its general appearance is rather similar to the shuttlecocks which 854 have been previously used. The device is of unusual simple construction however, and y has proven highly resilient and' edecti've in use. l It consists merely of a ball portion 14 of sponge rubber, into which are inserted the pointed ends of a number of quills 15, the feathered ends 16 of which are cut off to vprovide fiat ends 17.A All of the quills are of the same length and they are arranged in a circular series upon the surface i ofthe ball so that they co-operatively define` a tapering air pocket between them, and accurately guide the ball in its flight.

My novel type of battledore indicated in Figures 4, 5 and -represents a departure 100 l from the usual construction of such devices.

It includes a handle 18 and a head frame 19, the ends of which are reinforced at 19a and received in grooves or recesses 20 in the y upper end of the' handle 18, and lretained in 105 place by a binding strip 21. The head of the battledore instead of being strung with gut or lacing in the usual manner, lscovered by drum-like head of sheet rubber, or equivalent material 22, the material 22 beingstretched over the head and conforming to the shape of the frame 19 by its own inherent resiliency.

When the shuttlecock is struck bythe battledore", the former will be driven to a considerable distance due to the combined resilient action of the ball 14 and the tautly stretched rubber striking surface 22.

Obviously the battledore and shuttlecock may be used in the usual manner Without requiring any special playing field. I have found however, that by using the iield which is shown in Fig. l, a very interesting and amusing game may be played. The game may be played by two or morep'layers, each player preferably guarding one of the bases 1, 2, 3 or 4. An object of the game is to cause the shuttlecock to drop upon one of the bases which the opponents are guarding, and to avoid stepping either upon the bases or upon thebase lines when defending the bases. Preferably the players are arranged inside of the square defined by the base lines, each one in front of his own base. The player winning the service delivers across the base 5 to his opponent, endeavoring to land the shuttlecock on the opponentsbase. The opponent striking the shuttlecock with the battledore directs it toward one of the other players, and the shuttlecock is knocked back and forth either until it lands upon one of the bases, or until one of the players steps upon the bases or the base lines While the shuttlecock is in the air.

T he particular penalty involved for having the shuttlecock land upon the base which a ,playery is depending, may be previously agreed upon, and the particular penalty for Lamai@ stepping upon the base or base line is also agreed upon.

Obviously the particular method of scoring and the arrangement of rules forms no part of the present invention, but is merely mentioned here to indicate the possibilities of the playing field laid out as shown.

Various changes and alterations might be made in the general form and arrangement of parts described Without departing from the invention. Hence I do not Wish to limit myself to the details set forth, but shall consider myself at libertyto make such changes and alterations as fairly fall Within' the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 1 1. A battledore including a handle. \a head frame secured to the handleand a bag-like rubber'case stretched'over the frame and.-

constituting a head.

2. A battledore including a handle, ahead frame secured to the handle and a bag-like rubber case stretched over the framel and constituting a head, said rubber conforming `bv its own resiliency to the shape of the sheets.

THOMAS FLANAGAN.

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