US3009702A - Wall mounted ring and hook game - Google Patents

Description

1961 G. A. LYON 3,009,702

WALL MOUNTED RING AND HOOK GAME Filed Aug. 18, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l @M @arM 9 Nov. 21, 1961 G. A. LYON WALL MOUNTED RING AND HOOK GAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 18, 1958 [27 FE]? [427? 615mm: A'LBERT A raw figs.

United States Patent 3,009,702 WALL MOUNTED RING AND HOOK GAME George Albert Lyon, 13881 W. Chicago Blvd., Detroit 28, Mich. Filed Aug. 18, 1958, Ser. No. 755,476 7 Claims. (Cl. 273-99) The present invention relates to improvements in action games and more particularly concerns a novel wall mounted ring and hook game.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an improved compact ring and hook game which is constructed and arranged to be mounted upon a supporting wall relative to which the game is adapted to be compactly collapsed when not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved ring and hook game of simple construction including improved means for quickly and positively erecting the same from a collapsed condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ring and hook type game including an improved supporting arm and bracket construction for quick collapsing or erecting of the arm relative to the bracket.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved wall mounted game structure embodying members that must project a substantial distance from the wall for playing purposes but which are cooperatively related for compact collapsed, non-operating relation close to the wall.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a'more or less schematic illustration of a wall having mounted thereon a game embodying features of the invention and with the game erected for P y;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the wall and the game in collapsed position relative to the wall;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevational view of the upper portion of the supporting bracket and the base, connecting end of the ring supporting arm;

FIGURE 4 is an isometric view of the upper portion of the supporting bracket;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmental sectional elevational view taken substantially on the line V-V of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmental vertical sectional elevational view taken substantially on the line VI--VI of FIG- URE 5.

A game device according to the present invention includes a cantilever arm 10 supported by a bracket 11 operatively carried by a vertical wall 12 or equivalent vertical supporting surface. At the free end of the arm 10 is supported a preferably flexible swingable tether 13 carrying at its free end a ring 14 or its equivalent engageable scoringly with a hook member 15 also supported by the bracket 11.

In a desirable form, the boom-like cantilever arm 10 is formed from suitable sheet metal and is of inverted U-shape cross-section (FIG. 5) provided with coextensive parallel side flanges 17 providing a substantially rigid structure of hollow channel shape, with the channel opening downwardly when the arm projects away from the wall 12. In order to reduce the weight of the arm 10 from its base or bracket connected end to its free end, the arm is preferably of gradually diminishing width from the base end to the free end tip as best seen in FIGURE 2, with the side arms 17 converging toward one another.

Patented Nov. 21, 1961 At its base end, the arm 10 is preferably of slightly greater width than the width of the bracket 11 so that in the collapsed condition of the arm as shown in FIG- URE 2 the bracket is concealed behind the arm, thus affording a neat, trim collapsed arrangement and appearance.

On its upper end portion, the bracket 11 is provided with means for supporting the arm 10 in both its erected and its collapsed, non-operating positions as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, respectively. To this end, the bracket 11 comprises a vertically elongated plate, preferably tapering from its upper end to its lower end (FIG. 5) generally conformable to the tapering, gradually diminishing width of the cantilever arm 10 which overlaps and conceals the bracket in the collapsed position of the arm. While the bracket 11 may comprise a casting of aluminum or other suitable metal, it may also be made from moldable material such as synthetic plastic, or it may be formed up from sheet metal of suitable gauge.

At its upper or head end the bracket 11 has means for quick-releasably supporting the arm in either of its erected or collapsed position, desirably comprising a pair of forwardly projecting ear-like supporting flanges 18 disposed in coextensive, parallel relation along the respective opposite vertical margins of the body plate of the bracket and with the outer sides of the flanges spaced apart slightly less than the inside spacing between the side flanges 17 of the arm 10 so as to be received between the arm side flanges. Horizontally aligned in upper forward portions of the supporting ear flanges 18 are respective journal apertures 19 receptive of pin type bearing and connecting means, herein in the form of headed screw or bolt-like members 20 pivotally supportingly extending through suitable matching apertures 21 (FIGS. 3 and 6) in the side flanges 17 of the arm 10.

For supporting the cantilever arm 10 in a forwardly and upwardly oblique operative, playing position as shown in FIGURES 1, 3 and 6, the ear flanges 18 of the bracket are provided with socket-like structure within which the attached lower base or butt end of the arm is engaged; For this purpose, the respective ear flanges 18 are provided in their head end portions with identical oblique upwardly and forwardly-opening transversely aligned socket slots 22 of a width which will reasonably snugly but freely slidably receive therein the butt end extremity marginal portion of the body of the arm 10 along the side margins adjacent juncture 'with the end portions of the side flanges 17 of the arm, as best vvisualized in FIGURE 5. The socket slots 22 have the mouth ends thereof set back relative to the arm journals sulficiently to enable free swinging of the butt end portion of the arm 10 relative to the socket slot mouths. Guiding of the arm end into the socket slots 22 is facilitated by the provision of upwardly offset lead-in cam or entry lips 23 on the upper entrance sides of the socket slots. Forwardly of the months into the socket slots 22 the upper edges of the flanges 18 above the journal apertures 19 are downwardly inset as at 24 in order to clear the body butt end portion of the arm 10in swinging the same about the pivotal, supporting connection into and out of the socket slots 22.

In order to permit not only pivotal swinging movement of the arm 10 but also a limited range of longitudinal reciprocal movement for inserting of the butt end portion of the arm into the socket slots 22 and withdrawal from the socket slots, the arm side flange journal apertures 21 are longitudinally elongated as best seen in FIG- URES 3 and 6. Through this arrangement, the arm 10 is adapted to be swung up from its collapsed position about the pivot provided by the pin structure 20 and by a longitudinal movement rearwardly of the arm the buttend portion of the arm body is engaged retainingly in the socket slots 22, the pivotal axis of the arm and the plane through the slots being oriented to accomplish this smoothly and efficiently, with the arm pivot structure serving to guide the butt end of the arm into general alignment with the slots incident to swinging the arm upwardly and the lead-in lips 23 coacting with the arm pivot structure to assure reception of the arm end portion incident to rearward and downward movement of the arm as the upward swinging of the arm is completed. Gravitational cantilever force on the major extent of the arm projecting from the supporting bracket assures a strong frictional interengagement of the supporting structure and the arm to resist strongly accidental dislodgment of the arm from its socketed supported forwardly projecting position.

Release and collapsing of the arm are readily effected by the simple expedient of pulling the arm 10 forwardly and upwardly to shift it as permitted by the extent of the longitudinally elongated journal slots 21 in the side flanges of the arm until the butt end portion of the arm body is released from the socket slots 22 and the arm then gravitationally swung down into the collapsed position relative to the bracket 11.

Means are provided for supporting the scoring hook 15 on the lower portion of the bracket 11 and preferably in a manner to enable collapsing of the hook into a compact out of the way position with and relative to the arm 10 in the collapsed non-operating position thereof. To this end, the hook member 15 includes a shank portion 25 projecting away from the open hook head and provided with -a terminal loop ,27 preferably lying in the plane of the hook head and affording a bearing engaged about a journal pin 28 supported between a pair of suitbly spaced parallel ear flanges 29 projecting forwardly from the lower portion of the bracket 11, preferably on the longitudinal median plane of the bracket. For holding the hook member 15 in its extended playing position, a rigid stop bar 30 extends transversely across and is secured against the undersurfaces of the edges of the supporting cars 29 for engagement by the hook shank 25. In this position of the hook, its head portion opens generally upwardly and rearwardly relative to the bracket 11 in proper playing position.

From the extended position shown in full line in FIG- URE 6, the hook member 15 is adapted to be collapsed into the position shown in dotted line by swinging the same about its pivot 28 upwardly and rearwardly toward the bracket 11. In the collapsed position the hook is adapted to be held by the arm 10 as shown in dash outline in FIGURE 6.

In order to enable the arm 10 to hang straight down parallel to the wall 12 in the collapsed condition, and closer to the wall than would be permitted by the diameter of the head of the hook 15, a clearance slot 31 is preferably provided longitudinally centered in the body of the arm 10 and in that portion which directly opposes the bight portion of the hook in collapsed position so that such bight portion may project through the slot substantially as indicated in FIGURES 2 and 6. Thus the arm 10 in the collapsed position thereof retains the hook member 15 in its collapsed position.

Through the arrangement shown, the device comprises a compact substantially unitary structure, with both the arm 10 and the hook 15 supported by the common bracket 11. This bracket is adapted to be attached to the wall 12 in permanent fashion and at a suitable playing height which is also calculated to have the free end of the arm 10 clear of the base or floor from which the wall rises. Suitable means for attaching the bracket 11 to the wall 12 may comprise screws or bolts 32, a pair of such bolts adjacent respectively the upper end and the lower end of the bracket (FIGS. and 6) and having the shanks thereof extending through suitable apertures 33 in the body of the bracket (FIG. 4) and suitably anchored to or into the wall 12.

When it is desired to play the game, the cantilever arm 10 is swung up from the collapsed depending position shown in dash outline in FIGURE 6 and in full outline in FIGURE 2 into the position shown in heavy dash outline in FIGURE 6 wherein the butt end of the arm is just clear of the mouth ends of the socket slots 22. Then by slidably pushing the arm toward the full line position shown in FIGURE 6, the butt end portion of the body of the arm engages within the slots and the arm is held in forwardly projecting cantilever playing position. At the same time that the arm is swung up, the hook 15 gravitationally drops from the dash outline position in FIG- URE 6 into the playing position shown in full outline. Play then proceeds by swinging of the ring member 14 on its flexible tether toward the hook 15 in order to score by ringing the hook as shown in FIGURE 1.

After a period of play has been completed and it is desired to collapse the game device, the arm 10 is pulled outwardly to release the butt end portion thereof from the socket slots 22 and the arm is then swung down, while the hook member 15 is swung up and the collapsed condition of the arm and hook as shown in full outline in FIGURE 2 and in dash outline in FIGURE 6 prevails wherein the device is compactly adjacent to the wall 12 in a satisfactory out of the way position. In the collapsed position, the ring member 14 will conveniently be accommodated upon the bracket ears 14 behind the upswung shank 25 of the hook member as shown in dash outline in FIGURES 2 and 6, substantially concealed behind the overlying depending arm member 10. The tether 13 may be looped over and behind the hook shank 25 to be out of the way and concealed similarly as the ring 14, thus avoiding any necessity for detaching the tether from the arm 10, but having it in ready position for resumption of play when the arm 10 and the hook 15 are repositioned in their extended playing relationship.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a game apparatus of the character described, a cantilever arm having a tether on its free end swingably supporting a play-ing member, a supporting structure, the arm having a butt end portion, means pivotally securing said butt end portion to said supporting structure for movement of the arm between a collapsed position and an extended cantilever position, said pivotal securing means and the arm butt end portion affording in addition to pivotal connection to the supporting structure a limited range of longitudinal reciprocal movement of the arm relative to the supporting structure, socket means carried by the supporting structure and positioned relative to the pivotal supporting means to receive the butt end of the arm by relative reciprocal movement of the arm for holding the arm in said extended cantilever position, and a scoring member carried by the supporting structure below the socket means and in position to be scoringly engaged by the playing member sw-ingably manipulated on its tether from the cantilever supported arm.

2. In game apparatus of the character described, supporting structure, a cantilever playing arm pivotally mounted on said supporting structure for movement swingabl-y between erected forwardly extending and collapsed downwardly hanging positions relative to the supporting structure, means on the supporting structure for releasably retaining the arm in the erected position, a scoring member pivotally mounted on said supporting structure for movement between forwardly projecting erected and upwardly swung collapsed positions below said arm, and means on said arm for holding the scoring member in said collapsed position thereof when the arm is in the downwardly hanging collapsed position relative to the supporting structure.

3. In apparatus of the character described, a wall mounted bracket having an upper end portion provided with pivotal supporting means, a playing arm pivotally supported by said supporting means, means on the bracket for retaining the arm in erected forwardly projecting position and from which the arm is releasable for pivotal downswinging into substantially concealing relation to the bracket, a scoring hook member, and a pivotal support carried by the lower portion of the bracket and supporting the hook member for swinging in a generally vertical plane between a forwardly projecting playing position and a collapsed position generally behind the collapsed playing arm.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the collapsed position of the hook member is generally upwardly and a portion of the hook member is engaged by the arm whereby the hook member is held in such collapsed position by the arm but gravitationally swings down into its projecting position when the arm is swung up toward its erected position.

5. In game apparatus of the character described, a vertically elongated wall mounted bracket, a pair of forwardly projecting spaced flange ears on the upper portion of the bracket, a cantilever arm, means pivotally mounting one end portion of the arm upon said ears, said ears having socket structure releasably engageable with the adjacent end of the arm and thereby supporting the arm to project forwardly from the bracket, the arm being releasable from the socket for swinging down relative to said ears into a downwardly extending collapsed position alongside the bracket, a pair of supporting ears projecting from the lower portion of the bracket, a scoring hook member pivotally carried by said lower ears, means coactive between the hook member and the lower ears for holding the hook member projected forwardly in playing position and releasable relative to the lower ears for swinging upwardly of the hook member toward the bracket, and means on the arm for engaging and holding the hook member in its upwardly swung collapsed position when the arm is in its downwardly extending collapsed position.

6. In a game apparatus of the character described, a vertically elongated bracket constructed and arranged to be applied at a suitable elevation to a wall, said bracket having on the upper end portion thereof spaced transversely aligned ear flanges provided in the upper portion thereof with forwardly opening aligned socket slots, 21 generally channel shaped cantilever arm having a body portion and angular side flanges with an end edge of the body portion between said side flanges, means pivotally connecting said side flanges to said ear flanges and affording a limited range of reciprocal longitudinal relative movement of the arm and ear flanges enabling pivotal swinging of the arm between collapsed downwardly hanging and erected forwardly projecting positions and engagement and disengagement of the adjacent end edge of the arm body with respect to said socket slots by said reciprocal longitudinal relative movement, the outer end portion of the arm carrying a swingable playing device including a ring on its lower end, a pair of supporting ears on the lower portion of the bracket under the arm and substantially closer together than and centered with respect to said ear flanges on the upper end portion of the bracket, and a scoring hook member pivotally attached between said lower ears and swingably collapsible toward the bracket, the channel of the arm opening downwardly in the forwardly projecting position thereof and opening toward the bracket in the collapsed position of the arm whereby the collapsed scoring hook member is received within the arm channel in the collapsed position of the arm.

7. In a game apparatus, a vertical wall mounted bracket, a cantilever arm, means on one end of the arm and on the upper end portion of the bracket pivotally and releasably supporting the arm for cantilever projection from the bracket and enabling release of the arm for pivotal movement into a downwardly projecting collapsed position along the forward face of the bracket, a tether carried by the free end of the arm and having a playing ring on its free end, a supporting projection extending a limited distance forwardly on the lower end portion of the bracket below the arm supporting means, a playing hook member, means pivotally connecting the playing hook member on said projection for movement of the hook member between a forwardly projecting playing position and an upwardly and rearwarclly pivoted collapsed position toward the bracket, said arm in its downwardly extending collapsed position engaging and holding the hook member in its upwardly pivoted collapsed position and said projection providing a support for the ring member between the collapsed hook member and the bracket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 292,899 Davies Feb. 5, 1884 437,036 McGann Sept. 23, 1890 848,168 Grandchamp Mar. 26, 1907 1,052,907 Fergusson Feb. 11, 1913 2,095,390 Lange Oct. 12, 1937 2,147,176 Ronzone Feb. 14, 1939 2,705,122 Whitehead Mar. 29, 1955

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