US2601985A - Enclosed game with rollable game piece - Google Patents

Description

July 1, 1952 .1. A. YERKES 2,601,985

ENCLOSED GAME WITH ROLLABLE GAME PIECE Filed Sept. 20, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A 7:3? i i l IIIHIIIIIIIIH mirlmunifli.

C 50 ATTORNEYS y 1, 1952 J. A. YERKES 2,601,985

ENCLOSED GAME WITH ROLLABLE GAME PIECE Filed Sept. 20, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 ju /A. (OD/22 I INVENTOR.

JOH N A. YE RK E5 A TTOPNEYS July 1, 1 J. A. YERKES ENCLOSED GAME WITH ROLLABLE GAME PIECE Filed Sept. 20, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 35 M E N Wm Q T M H. A O J E wnk\ Patented July 1 1952 PAT-EN F F-ICE'.

9 Claims.

This invention relates to'games or game apparatus and "particularly to game "of convenient pocket size, 'although, it is suitable for larger sizes.

-One of the "object's of the invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive and novel game device.

One of thefeatures o'f the invention is that it can "be economically constructed and adapted to simulate numerous card games, 'dice, roulette, number "combinations, color combinations, etc.

'One of the .featureso'f the invention is a fully enclosed construction arranged so jthat'the balls or playing pieces cannot be lost. in addition to preventing loss, a'further advantage of a fully enclosed game "of this type is that the balls may be of relatively sma'n size. Wh'en a ball playing piece must be grasped by the hand to play the game, the ball'mnstbe of substantial size and the size oi the device'increa'sed accordingly. Upon such an increasein size, the construction becomes more expensive and frequently is not co'rn'lenie'r-it for carrying in the pocket.

Another advantage of the invention is that the simple 'act'of inverting or tilting the device will restore the ball 01' balls to aplay=starting position. Thereafter, the act of returning the de- "vice to a substantially upright'position automatiindicia associated therewith. There is an opening between the starting chamber and the playing chamber throughwhich the ball or balls can pass. When the device is turned upside down,

the balls will pass from the playing chamber through said aperture into the starting chamber. Upon againtum'ing theggamefto its upright position, theball or iballs will roll out of the starting chamber through the opening into the .playing chamber and will roll into 'one of the pockets. Means are. provided in the structure tomake the game controlled alone lby'chance and to facilitate chamber'in'to the starting chamber.

Another feature oI-the invention is found in a movement of the ball or -ballsufromthe playing oneembqdiment usefulin the game of at poker or the like. In such an arrangement, means can be provided so that selected b'alls may be retained in their pockets after the first ti-me the game 'has been played and the discards replayed as in draw poker. Such can he accomplished without manually touching *the balls. In

an'alternative form, a valve arrangement can be employed 'to put into playa'single ball at a time so that games such-as stud 'po'kermay be played.

In card games in which several players simultaneously play, as in various hands of poker, and in which each player-conceals his hand, the present device is particularly suited to such concealment because of its small size, each player using his own device and displaying his hand after completion of play.

In'one form-of the invention, as in a simulated poker game type wherein "5 balls are used, 1 ball can be colored differently than the other 4 so that games can be played 'requi-ring only 1 ball. -Examples of such games are 'hi'gh c'ard, cut, showdown, or establishing a trump or 'point as in gin-rummyetc.

Another advantage of the invention is that the present device enables convenient play in windy outdoor places and cnsma'll-surfaces. Also, rapid play is facilitated because a ball in play promptly seeksand rests in the pocket in contrast to the spinning disc type, such as roulette, or other long rolling or agitating device's.

Transparent plastic "or similar material may be used for the casing "sothait there is run visibility from all angles. Also, suitable advertising or printing may be placed on the device. The various surfaces in "the device can be given suitable angles so as to produce the desired results as will "appear hereafter.

These and other advantages, ob j ec-t's, and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings which are merely exemplary.

Figurel is a plan'v'iew of; *one' form of the de- I vice especiallyadapted for the playing of certain card games, aportion of 'the transparent cover being broken away.

Figure 2 is fav section'taken along the'line"22 of Figure 1. V

Figure 3 is a plan view of another form of. the device adapted for use in simulating play with nice, there being 12 pockets "and 12 balls.

Figuree is :a "sectional view takena'long the line '44 or Figure'3 with a portion of the base unbroken. H

Figure 5 is "a planfview, of another rorm or dice 3 game having 2 joined devices of 6 pockets each and 1 ball for each.

Figure 6 is a section taken along the line 6-5 of Figure 5.

Figure '7 shows balls, one of which is colored differently from the other e, which can be used in a device constructed according to Figures 1 and 2. g

FigureS shows atapered pin which may be used in the device of Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 8A is a top View of Figure 8.

Figure 9 is a plan view of another form of dice game or the like, having 6 pockets capable of accommodating 2 balls each, 2 balls being used in the game.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary plan view of still another form of dice game or the like, in which a single ball is used and there are 36 pockets, one for each possible combination of the dice.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary viewof a so-called bar-bell gamein which 3 balls preferably are used and the object is to obtain pairs or threes of similar pockets.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view of a roulette type game in which there are 38 pockets and a single ball is used. 7

Figure 13 is an inverted sectional view diagrammatically showing the device illustrated in Figure 4 and depicting the path of the balls returning to the starting chamber.

Figures 14, l5, l6, l7 and are diagrammatic views which by omitting, displacing, or modifying important elements in the construction, serve to illustrate the value of various features relating to the construction described herein. V

Figure 18 is a diagrammaticsectional view of a modified form of the invention wherein a valve arrangement is employed.

Figure 19 is a sectional view taken along the line l d-l9 of Figure 18.

For purposes of simplification and clarity, similar parts will be identified by the same numerals in each of the figures, using appended letters with the numerals to distinguish parts in one figure from similar parts in another.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 specifically, and generally to the other figures, a preferably opaque, plastic base i is provided with a multiplicity of pockets}; near its outer periphery. Dividing walls 8 preferably are rounded or beveled on their top surfaces so that a ball will not lodge on top of the wall but will-be induced to fall into said pockets. Where it is convenient to space the pockets relatively widely apart, such as in Figures 3 and 4, for examplapockets 6A are separated by substantial dividing elements having an upper ridge [EA and sloping surfaces 9A. Referring again specifically to Figures 1 and 2, the upper surface of said base preferably is formed to provide a sloping conical raceway 3, thus giving a surface on which a ball will nottarry but will roll toward and into one of said pockets 6. Near the apex of said raceway, another cone d is formed, having a more acute angle, extending substantially upward and culminating in an apex 5 which is slightly rounded at its tip for a reason described hereafter.

Where better visibility or convenience requires it, base i may be provided with an annular inwardly sloping surface H (Figs. 1 and 2). For maximum economy of size, surface H may be omitted as shown in the other figures.

A transparent cover 2 preferably is molded of clear plastic. It may be secured to said base in any suitable manner such as by cementing at 1, said cover being preferably genearlly conical in form with cylindrical portions at the top and bottom as shown. The inside conical surfaces of said cover provide a return course for a playing ball l9 when the device is inverted so that the ball will return to a starting chamber 25 through a hole It near the upper end of said cover 2.

A transparent plastic cap l6 may be secured to said cover by any suitable means such as by cementing at IT. The upper end of said cover 2 may serve as the fioor [-5 of said chamber and is preferably obtusely conical in form with the angle of slope of said fioor very small for reasons which will beexplained later. The upper wall 18 of said cap it may be conical in form as will be explained later.

, Near the upper end of the cover are a number of ribs I3 which are preferably arrangedin a pattern as shown in Figure 1. The important purpose of these ribs is to prevent time-consuming whirling of the ball or balls, when the device is inverted and the balls are to be returned to the starting chamber 25. Models of the present device without said ribs 13 or equivalent were found to be unsatisfactory because of the time lost as the balls whirled in generally circular paths near hole [4 or'in a rocking fashion, jumping repeatedly over said hole. While said ribs may be of the form shown in the left side of Figures 5. and 6 and which p vent the whirling action mentioned, the latter form is not as satisfactory as that shown in Figures 1 and 2 in which, besides arresting the whirling action, the rocking is also prevented because a ball which jumps hole 14 strikes another rib on the other side of the hole and is promptly returned. The configuration and arrangement of the latter ribs also are of advantage in that no matter from which direction a ball strikesa rib, it will be deflected toward hole 14., In practice, the balls enter chamber 25 almost instantly, and even when inversion is not complete. It will of course be understood that depressed grooves may be substituted for the raised ribs I3. 1 3 V For purposes of clarity alone, ribs 13 have been omitted from many of the figures but it is to be understood that their use is preferred.-

On the upper surface of conical raceway 3 and adjacent pockets 6, indicia 24, one foreach pocket are provided. These may be inscribed in any suitable manner as by integral molding, by printing, etc. These indicia may be of many forms and shapes, a number of which are shown in the various figures, such 'depending on the particular game.

Referring especially to Figures 1, 2, '7, and 8, transparent coverz may be'provided with a multiplicity of small, slightly conical holes 21, one

for each pocket 6 in base l. To assure that said holes 2! will be alignedperfe'ctly above the centers of said pockets 6, a depending lip 20 in cover 2 (Fig. 2) is arranged to fit into a mating slot in base I, so that, in assembly,'said cover is correctly oriented with saidbaseland with said holes 2| centrally aligned with said pockets 6. Small tapered pins 22*areformed so that they will fit tightly into holes?! andfw iltnot come loose unless manuallyi'loosened. As shown. at the left in Figure 2, the lower end of said pins "extends nearly to a ball is in a pocket 6 so that 'a-ecigest :pins such as the one illustrated in Figure B, such games may be simulated. Thus, after playing the '5 balls, initially, barring a pat hand in which no further draw is made, up to four of said balls may be pinned-down'so to speak and the remainder replayed or drawn. For convenience in shipping or safe carrying in the pocket four holes '23 "(Fig. 2) may be provided, preferablynear the shelter o'fcap "f6.

As shown in Figure 7, in'games :such as poker inwhich five balls are used, or in any game using a multiplicity of balls, one of the balls tQN may be colored differently than the other balls. For example, four balls 19 may be white or natural steel color while one ball I'SN may be gold plated or "red. Thus, while thegame normally requires a multiplicity of balls, itmay also be used for purposesrequiring one ball, by simply disregarding 'all but the red ball I9N.

stated above in the objects, such a ball may be usedto simulate cutting th -deck'ingames such as high-card, show-down, or to cut for trump or point in gin rummy and other games.

Referring specifically to Figure 1, attention is particularly directed to indicia 24, it being noted that playing cards are simulated and a full deck of 52 cards shown, although more 'or less cards may be used as desired. The novel arrangement of the cards merits note; as "in a perfect shuffle (never attained in actual playing cards), the cards are distributed in accordance with their frequency of occurrence in the deck. Thus cards of the same suit, .i. e. hearts, diamonds, spades, clubs, are exactly four pockets apart; cards of like numerical values, i. e. aces, deuces, treys etc., are exactly thirteen pockets apart; sequences, i; e. consecutive cards (such as 3, '4, 5, 6 etc., are broken up with the components 4 pockets apart. Such distribution is essential in a game of chance. Numerous other arrangements are, of course, possible.

Referring particularly to Figures "3 and 4, these figures illustrate a novel application of the invention in which the play is based on the sum of the values of any two pockets in a duplicated joined as by web 25. In this form of the device,

the odds in such games as dice, illustrated, are in no way modified from the actual game and it is felt to be an attractive and novel embodiment. Being separated, two balls never seek the same pocket and pile up.

Figure 9 is a plan view of a novel game in which, by using multiple pockets and multiple balls with a single series of indicia, the playing of a game normally requiring multiple indicia is enabled. In the form illustrated, two balls higher arbitrary awards.

6. are used and the pockets are capable of receiving'both balls. A dice game is thus simulated, with a single dice (or indicia) series, the sum of the pocket values being added for scoring, the odds of ordinary dice not being changed. Minimum size is one of the advantages of this arrangement.

Figure l0 is a fragmentary plan view of a novel game in which all the possible combinations of two or more series of indicia are used, one combination per pocket. A single ball thus serves to yield all the scores attainable. In the specific form shown, for dice, the two series normally on a pair of dice are combined in the 35 possible combinations, one for each pocket. Such a single ball game has the obvious advantage of enabling the players attention to be focused on one ball only.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a novel game in which multiple balls are used (as in the card game illustrated in Figure 1). In this instance, three balls are used to simulate a game in which the familiar indicia 2 3K including bars, bells, and other shapes are used and in which pairs and threes determine the value of the score. Thus, in the illustration a pair of bars is shown scored. It should be obvious from this illustration that any arrangement of indicia is possible; with less frequent inclusion of the symbols which merit Thus, as in the actual machine game involved, bars occur least frequently, then come bells, plums, oranges, cherries and lemons in ascending order of frequency. .This figure illustrates how large a variety of games may be adapted to the present device in which colors, denominations or any other arbitrary values may be used. It should also be understood that any practical number of balls may be used, and said balls may be in a variety of colors to suit the requirements of the ame.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary plan view of a novel single-ball game in which the well-known game of roulette is simulated. Pockets 6L, identified by indicia 24L marked 0, 00 and 1 to 36, are used. Thus is produced a most convenient inexpensive and compact game simulating roulette, not requiring skillful manipulation of the ball, with no danger of loss of the ball and without the tedious delays caused by a whirling ball or spinning disc.

Operation The discussion which follows relates generally to all the figures with the exception of Figure 19 which will be discussed later.

Play is started with the ball or balls in starting chamber 25 with the device positioned substantially level and upright as in Figure 2, 4 or 6. The ball or balls drop through hole M, strike apex 5 of cone 4, roll down raceway 3 and into a pocket or pockets 6. To return the 'ball or balls to chamber 25, the device is at least partially inverted. The ball or balls will drop out of pockets 6 and onto the conical surface of transparent cover '2, then roll downwardly to and through hole as and into chamber 25.

This extremely simple operation was not, however, easily achieved in practice in numerous models, as the following will fully explain, keeping in mind that it is an important object of this invention to avoid unduly influencing the course of the balls either by skill or manipulation by the player or by structural defects i-n design." ,7

Considering first the structure of chamber 25,

it should be noted that the floor S of said chamber is slightly conical in form with a gentle slope toward hole M. The value of this construction will be evident by inspection of Figure 14. In that figure, chamber 25E has no floor. Assume that a ball has been deposited in said chamber by inverting the device and the player starts to turn the device toward erect position. Long before this can be done, as clearly shown in the figure, the ball will roll out of the chamber and will then invariably roll to one side as shown in dotted outlie and by arrows, and if several balls are used, all will pile up to one side so that such a game would be worthless. The necessity for a floor 15, was thus clearly established.

As to the gentle slope of floor 15, it should be In practice, it has been found desirable to slope said floor a matter of only two or three degrees. Thus, when the device is held or set erect on any substantially level surface, the balls will gravitate to hole H3, but not normally until then. In practice, the balls tend to nestle against the side walls of cap it and await turning to erect position of the device before gravitating toward hole Hi. To encourage the balls to move promptly toward said side walls when chamber is being recharged, the upper surfaces iii of cap 16 are substantially conically sloped. When reloading a multiplicity of balls, this construction is especially useful (Fig. 13), as the balls in the chamber move laterally and leave the area of hole M unobstructed.

Considering further the construction and purpose of hole It, it should be carefully noted that said hole is preferably only slightly larger than the ball because as Figure 15 shows, even though the other elements of construction are present. a hole MF which is too large will permit the balls to drop to one side and even the slightest tendenoy of the ball to fall to one side of center causes repeated seeking of one side and defeats the objects of the game. for impartial, or chance distribution, hole NF is preferably located centrally with respect to the pockets and other elements and should also be only slightly larger than the ball.

It should be noted that hole i4 is preferably cylindrical in form. the tubular side walls serving to kill any lateral momentum which the ball acquires in rolling down the slope of floor l5. As shown in Figure 1'7 if an otherwise properly designed game were equipped with a hole [5H having the form of a knife-edge orifice with sharp edges 29, the ball would be more likely to repeatedly roll as shown in dotted outline, i. e. to one side. Since there must be at least some clearance between hole and ball, the bail may miss striking knife edge 29 entirely.

This is much less likely to happen in the preferred cylindrical orifice 4.

When the ball is put into play, it will drop a short distance and will strike apex 5 of cone 3 after it emerges from hole M. It is important to note that said apex 5 is located very close to hole I l, and this distance should be so close that there is little more room than that needed for the ball to clear. The reasons for this construc- It is thus clear that,

tion will be clear from inspection of Figure 16. In early models made of the present device with the cone apex 5G located a substantial distance below hole MG, the balls tended strongly to roll to one side unless the game was positioned perfectly level with great accuracy. The figure illustrates what occurred with great frequency on a surface sloping at an angle of only one degree. As shown in dotted outline, gravity influenced the balls to strike apex 5G slightly off-center, so as to cause the undesirable results mentioned.

By positioning the apex 5 of cone 4 close to hole M as described, the influence of gravity is not sufiicient to affect the course of the balls even when the game is not held perfectly level. The balls strike apex 5 after falling at minimum distance, rebound and fall in any direction with equal probability.

Of course, it is possible for the player to defeat the purpose of gently sloping floor I5 of chamber 25, by violently agitating the device if all players agree, when not nearly level. and cause the balls to drop through hole I4, or when a fairly level surface is not available, as on the beach sands. Even in these cases, it will be found that chance alone controls the course of the balls and manual control is substantially not possible.

The path of the played ball after leaving cone i is generally radially down the slopes of conical raceway 3 to pockets 6. Obviously, to preserve an equal chance for all pockets, cone 4 is centrally located, as is hole i l, pockets 6 being equi distant from hole M.

It should be noted that conical raceway 3 preferably is slightly sloped so that the rolling of the balls will be slowed only slightly and may easily be followed by the eye. Printing on such a surface is also more practical than on a steeper slope. It should be noted that an alternate construction, such as shown in dotted lines in the right half of Figure 6, may be used, in which apex 5C is formed more directly by more-steeply sloped raceway 36.

The apex 5 of cone 4 is rounded slightly, this form of target for the balls being found to give excellent distribution, whereas fiat, large round, and many other forms of surfaces failed to give consistently good results.

When a play has been made and it is desired to return one or more balls to the starting chamber, the game may be inverted (Fig. 13) and the balls permitted to roll into chamber 25D, antiwhirl ribs I 3 or the like '(Fig. 1) having been fully explained. It is of importance to note that it is unnecessary to completely invert the device to restore the balls to said starting chamber. The conically sloping walls of cover 2 are relatively steeply sloped. Obviously, complete inversion is unnecessary and it is deemed within the scope of the invention to design the device so that it may be tilted any convenient amount to facilitate reentry of the balls into the starting chamber. I have found in the present embodiment that around twelve to fourteen degrees is a convenient slope for the walls of cover 2 to insure speedy return of the balls without inordinately great height, so that the device may conveniently be carried in the pocket, although the angle may be varied therefrom.

Since a relatively inexpensive device such as this lends itself for use for advertising gifts, means enabling an advertising imprint can be provided. While such advertising matter may be imprinted, for example, on raceway 3 near cone l, the space is not large and, often, advertisers prefer to imprint an inconspicuous area, not normally visible, yet hoping'thatthe advertisement will be seen occasionally. Referring, to the left half ofv Figure. 6, .aconvenient place is provided for' pasting-on a circular cardboard label. t2. Not only is such. alabel amply large and normally hidden but there is assurance that the label will beexposed and readable with every play.

A novel modification is shown diagrammatically in Figures 18 and 19. It should be understood that structurallyfrom hole l liM'downward, this modification embodies all the features discussed above and pertaining tothe other figures; Chamber 25M is essentially aspreviously; described, however the iloor l.5M.may be relatively steeply sloped. An elongatedneck tiiAon top of cover 2M is provided withasuitable "valve structure whose purpose is to; enable the; player to put one ball at a time into play, playing successively any number of balls. Su-ch a structure will be found useful in certain games such as simulated stud poker in which one card at a time may be played.

The valve structure shown consists of 2 flat plates 30 and 32 which may be separate or a single plate bent back on itself as shown and with the open ends secured together by any suitable means such as plate 3! and rivets 33. Said plates fit snugly in a pair of spaced slots in neck 36A which intersect hole MM. A hole 34 in upper plate 35} and a hole 35 in lower plate 32 are relatively staggered laterally so that only one or the other hole may be placed in register with hole MM. Thus, when the valve plates are moved to the right as shown in the figure, a single ball will drop through hole 34 and stop on plate 32. When the plates are shifted to the left until hole 35 in lower plate 32 is in register with hole MM, the ball will drop through and into play. Repeating the above operation will feed one ball at a time into the playing area. With the valve as shown, when it is desired to return the balls to chamber 25M, the game is inverted as usual, and the valve slides are rapidly reciprocated admitting a ball to said chamber with each reciprocation cycle. It is understood that slide plates 30 and 32 may be equipped with an additional aligned pair of holes, which, when registered with hole [AM as by shifting the valve structure an unusually large distance, will permit rapid play of all the balls and/or unhampered return of the played balls. Various other types of valve structures can be used, such as a rotary valve.

While the preferred embodiment is a game of chance, it is deemed within the scope of this invention to employ the above-described device for games requiring some elements of skill, as in games where it is permissible to attempt to influence the course of the game piece toward certain pockets, by til-ting or jarring the device.

It is to be understood that variations can be made in the described details of construction without departing from the spirit of the invention except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a fully enclosed game, the combination including an enclosed ball reservoir having a floor, a playing chamber having sloping playing surfaces, there being a hole in said floor connecting said reservoir and playing chamber, a playing ball, a plurality of pockets in said playing chamber, said playing surface sloping generally toward said pockets, playing indicia adjacent said pockets, and a non-playing sloping surface in said chamber sloping generally toward said hole 10 when the game is in inverted position for guiding said playing ball toward said hole and-reservoir.

2". In an enclosed: game having a plurality ofp k ts,. the com i ati n. in l d an" upp rn. closed ball reservoir having an approximately level. flor, a lower playing chambenhaving' a playing floor. sloping toward; said plurality of pockets, there being 'aball passage insaid; reservoir floor. connecting said reservoir with said p r;..a p in .ba l;v andja ha ite turn surface in said, chamber. IDCdUfidLabove said playing floor and sloping, towardsaidballi pas sage when the game is, in inverted position.

3. In. an. encl'osedgame, the. combination including. an upper. enclosed ball reservoir having an approximately level; fioonga. lower. playing chamber having a playingfloor-slopi"gtowardia plurality ofzaockets,therelbeing;- all passage in said reservoir fi'oor connecting. said reservoir with said playingchamber andklecated; substantially equidistantv from said pockets, a. playing ball, anda: ball, return surface-in, said chamber located above said. playing. noes. and, sloping toward said ball passage when said game is inverted for guiding a ball to said reservoir upon inversion of said game.

l. In an enclosed game device, the combination including a game piece, an enclosed reservoir adapted to receive said game piece before the game piece is put into play, slopin surfaces adjacent to and converging toward said reservoir for returning the game piece by gravity to said reservoir when the device is inverted from its normal upright position, an enclosed chamber having game piece receiving pockets therein, there being a game piece passage between said reservoir and said chamber receiving said game piece from said sloping surfaces converging toward said reservoir, and sloping surfaces leadin toward said pockets so as to guide said game piece thereto after the game piece passes from said reservoir to said playing chamber.

5. In an enclosed game device, the combination including an enclosed starting chamber, a playing chamber having a plurality of pockets with playing indicia adjacent thereto, said playing chamber and starting chamber having a connecting opening therebetween, a rollable game piece, said game piece being transferable between said chambers through said opening, and a central pointed portion extending upwardly in said playing chamber under said connecting opening and closely spaced thereto, said spacing being a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the game piece.

6. In an enclosed game device, the combination including a rollable game piece, a reservoir adapted to receive said game piece before the game piece is put into play, sloping surfaces ad- J'acent to and converging toward said reservoir for returning the game piece by gravity when the device is inverted from its normal upright position, said sloping surface having game piece antiwhirl means thereon restricting circular motion of said game piece about the axis of said device, a playing chamber having game piece receiving pockets therein, there being a connecting passage between said reservoir and chamber through which said game piece can pass, said sloping surfaces leading to said connecting passage and sloping surfaces leading toward said pockets to guide said game piece thereto after the game piece passes from said reservoir, through said passage and into said chamber.

'7. In an enclosed game device, a playing cham- 11 her having a floor and a roof, a plurality of pockets around the periphery of the floor, said floor having a sloping surface leading to said pockets, said roof having a centrally located aperture therein, an enclosed starting chamber above said playing chamber roof connected to said aperture, said starting chamber having a sloping floor leading to said aperture, said playing chamber roof having a sloping surface converging and leading to said aperture, a ball, a conically shaped pointextending upwardly from said playing chamber floor, said point being centrally located under said aperture so that a ball moving from said starting chamber through said aperture will contact said point and be rollably guided toward said sloping playing chamber floor to any one of said pockets.

8. An enclosed game device of claim 1 having a plurality of playing balls and including means selectively retaining playing balls in said pockets so that the game can be replayed with less than the original number of playing balls taking part.

9. An enclosed game device of claim 1 having 12 a plurality of playing balls and including a valve means controlling said hole admitting one ball at a time from said reservoir to said playing chamber.

JOHN A. YERKES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 26,186 Schwartz Oct. 13, 1896 201,398 Eusten Mar. 19, 1878 294,491 Mestier Mar. 4, 1884 424,260 Bender Mar. 25, 1890 452,194 Prendergast May 12, 1891 474,310 Sterick May 3, 1892 497,906 Bettini May 23, 1893 801,427 Wilson Oct. 10, 1905 931,470 Patton Aug. 17, 1909 983,592 Wood Feb. 7, 1911 2,207,638 Rose July 9, 1949

Images