Game apparatus

• US 5,288,071 A
• Filed: 12/04/1992
• Issued: 02/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Allen C. Solomon
• Original Assignee: Allen C. Solomon
• Inventors: Solomon, Allen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Passaniti, Sebastiano
• Application Number:
  US07/985,335
• Time in Patent Office: 445 Days
• Field of Search: 273/85 C, 273/85 F, 273/85 H, 273/317, 273/324, 273/336, 273/337, 273/340, 273/343, 273/357, 273/119 R, 273/127 R, 273/129 R, 273/129 AP, 273/129 T , 273/355, 273/356, 273/118 A, 273/126 A, 273/460, 273/85 A, 446/178, 446/179
• US Class Current: 273/317.3
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/0087 with means for producing an air current
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/0273 Catapults
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 7/249 projecting the playing bodies through the air, e.g. with a jump
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0079 Games using compressed air, e.g. with air blowers, balloons, vacuum A63F7/066 and A63F7/3603 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/02 Shooting or hurling games throwing-implements for sports or recreational use A63B65/00; throwing or projecting toys per se A63H33/18; gun simulators F41A33/00, e.g. light- or radiation-emitting guns F41A33/02; practice apparatus for gun-aiming F41G3/26, e.g. using a light-emitting device F41G3/2616; targets, target ranges, bullet catchers F41J, photo-electric hit-detector systems F41J5/02

Abstract

A game apparatus which consists of a substantially rectangular base having a flat surface. A vertical plate is suspended over an end of the base by a support and has a hoop horizontally attached to the plate. A catapult is pivotally mounted to the opposite end of the base and has a receptacle for holding a ball which can be projected toward the hoop. An air nozzle, which is connected to a pressurized air supply, can be used by an opponent for deflecting the path of the ball after it has been projected from the catapult.

Claims

1. A game apparatus comprising:

a base having two spaced apart side edges and two spaced apart ends;

a target mounted to one end of the base;

a catapult mounted to the other end of the base for projecting a playing element along a path through the air toward the target;

deflection means located adjacent to one of the side edges of the base for directing a stream of air across the base toward the other side edge into the path of the element as it is projected toward the target.

2. The game apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the catapult is pivotally mounted to the base, and has a receptacle for holding the element in place before it is projected.

3. The game apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a stand mounted at a stationary point to the base, and wherein:

the deflection means comprises at least one air nozzle pivotally mounted to the stand, the air nozzle being pivotal about more than one axis.

4. The game apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

a manual squeeze bulb connected to the air nozzle for supplying pressurized air to the nozzle.

5. The game apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

electrically actuated means for supplying pressurized air to the nozzle.

6. The game apparatus of claim 3, further comprising:

an electrically operated blower;

duct means connected between the blower and the nozzle for delivering air to the nozzle from the blower; and

switch means for selectively energizing the blower.

7. A game apparatus comprising:

a substantially flat base having a forward end and a rearward end spaced longitudinally apart from each other and two side edges spaced laterally apart from each other;

a goal supported above the rearward end of the base;

at least one projection means comprising a catapult pivotally mounted to the forward end for projecting a playing element along a path towards the goal;

a stand mounted to the base at a stationary point adjacent one f the side edges of the base, extending vertically from the base and having an upper end spaced above the base; and

at least one air nozzle means pivotally mounted to the upper end of the stand for horizontal and vertical movement relative to the base for directing a stream of air laterally into the path of the playing element after it has been projected from the projection means.

8. The game apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

the air nozzle means comprises a squeeze bulb connected to an air nozzle.

9. The game apparatus of claim 7, wherein the air nozzle means comprises:

a nozzle;

an electrically operated blower;

duct means connected between the blower and the nozzle for delivering air to the nozzle from the blower; and

switch means for selectively energizing the blower.

10. The game apparatus of claim 7, wherein the goal comprises a hoop mounted horizontally.

11. The game apparatus of claim 7, wherein:

there are two air nozzle means, one mounted on either side of the base; and

there are two of the projection means.

12. A game apparatus comprising:

a base having a substantially flat surface, a forward end and a rearward end longitudinally spaced apart from each other and two side edges laterally spaced apart from each other;

a vertically oriented plate suspended over the rearward end of the base by a support, wherein a surface of the plate is facing the forward end of the base;

a horizontal hoop attached to the plate surface;

at least one catapult pivotally mounted to the forward end of the base opposite the hoop and having a receptacle for holding a ball in place for projecting the ball along a path towards the hoop;

a stand mounted to the base at a stationary point adjacent one of the side edges;

at least one air nozzle pivotally mounted to the stand; and

a squeeze bulb mounted to the nozzle for supplying an air stream through the nozzle laterally relative to the path of the ball for deflecting the ball after it has been projected from the catapult.

13. The game apparatus of claim 12, wherein

there are two of the air nozzles, one mounted on either side of the base;

and

there are two of the catapults.

14. A game apparatus comprising:

a base having a substantially flat surface, a forward end and a rearward end longitudinally spaced apart from each other and two side edges laterally spaced apart from each other;

a vertically oriented plate suspended over the rearward end of the base by a support, wherein a surface of the plate is facing the forward end of the base;

a horizontal hoop attached to the plate surface;

at least one catapult pivotally mounted to the forward end of the base opposite the hoop and having a receptacle for holding a ball in place for projecting the ball along a path towards the hoop;

a stand mounted to the base at a stationary point adjacent one of the side edges;

at least one air nozzle pivotally mounted to the stand;

an electrically operated blower having duct means connected between the blower and the nozzle for delivering air to the nozzle from the blower for directing air laterally relative to the path of the ball to deflect the ball; and

a switch means for selectively energizing the blower.

15. The game apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

there are two of the air nozzles, one mounted on either side of the base; and

there are two of the catapults.

16. A method for playing a game, which comprises:

providing a base having two spaced apart side edges and two ends;

providing a target mounted to an end of the base;

projecting a playing element through the air toward the target by means of a catapult mounted to the base; and

directing a stream of air from a side edge of the base transverse to and into the path of the element as it is projected toward the target.

17. The method for playing the game of claim 16, wherein the step for projecting the playing element consists of:

placing the playing element into a receptacle of the catapult;

orienting the catapult so that it is oriented in the direction of the target;

deflecting the catapult to a deflected position; and

releasing the catapult from the deflected position.

18. The method for playing the game of claim 16, wherein the step for directing the stream of air consists of:

providing at least one air nozzle pivotally mounted along a side of the base;

attaching a squeeze bulb to the air nozzle;

directing the air nozzle toward the playing element as it is projected toward the target; and

squeezing the bulb so that air is forced through the nozzle.

19. The method for playing the game of claim 16, wherein the step for directing the stream of air consists of:

providing an electrically operated blower;

providing at least one air nozzle pivotally mounted along a side of the base, and having a switch which can be depressed to energize the blower;

attaching a duct between the blower and the air nozzle for delivering air to the nozzle from the blower;

directing the air nozzle toward the playing element as it is projected toward the target; and

depressing the switch so that the blower is energized.