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Marble race game

  • US 4,713,038 A
  • Filed: 07/05/1985
  • Issued: 12/15/1987
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1985
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A modular marble race game made of a number of marble race toys comprising:

  • entrance columns each having upper and lower ends, a top entrance at the entrance column upper end and a side exit;

    exit columns each having upper and lower ends, a side entrance and a bottom exit at the exit column lower end, the side exit positioned at a higher elevation than the side entrance;

    the upper ends of the entrance and exit columns of one of said toys sized for mating engagement with the respective lower ends of the exit and entrance column of another of said toys;

    a zig-zag channel connecting the side exit of a first entrance column with the side entrance of a first exit column to constitute a zig-zag toy, the channel including a number of channel segments positioned at angles to adjacent channel segments to define a zig-zag marble path;

    a J-channel connecting the side exit of a second entrance column with the side entrance of a second exit column to constitute a J-channel toy, the J-channel including a first, elongate portion extending from the second entrance column side exit and a second, spiral portion circumscribing a substantial portion of the second exit column and opening into its side entrance;

    a paddle wheel channel connecting the side exit of a third entrance column with the side entrance of a third exit column;

    a rotatable paddle wheel mounted to the paddle wheel channel to constitute a paddle wheel toy, the paddle wheel having an outer surface positioned adjacent a portion of the paddle wheel channel to engage the marble as the marble rolls along the paddle wheel channel to rotate the paddle wheel, the outer paddle wheel surface having a scalloped shape;

    a serpentine channel connecting the side exit of a fourth entrance column and the side entrance of a fourth exit column to constitute a serpentine channel toy, the serpentine channel including a plurality of alternating right and left helical segments defining arcs of substantially greater than 180°

    while maintaining a generally constant downward slope;

    a wide, pin-deflect channel connecting the side exit of a fifth entrance column and the side entrance of a fifth exit column constituting a pin-deflect toy, the pin-deflect channel having a bottom, a sidewall and a plurality of upwardly extending pins mounted to the bottom, a first bottom portion at the fifth entrance column side exit and a second, laterally contracting bottom portion at the fifth exit colunn side entrance, at least a portion of the sidewall having an irregular inner sidewall surface to deflect the marble away from the sidewall as the marble rolls along the channel;

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