Ball and ladder game

• US 6,308,956 B1
• Filed: 11/18/1999
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ladder Golf, LLC
• Original Assignee: Robert G. Reid
• Inventors: Reid, Robert G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Application Number:
  US09/442,608
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 273/343, 273/401, 473/514
• US Class Current: 273/343
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2067/063 tossing, e.g. rings or horseshoes around or on, e.g. posts, hooks
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/007 Arrangements on balls for connecting lines or cords
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/002 Games using balls, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/06 Ring or disc tossing games , e.g. quoits; Throwing or tossing games, e.g. using balls; Games for manually rolling balls, e.g. marbles

Abstract

A tethered ball toss game is described in which a number of tethered balls arranged at both ends of a series of cords and secured to the ends of the cords by knots are tossed from a prescribed distance toward a number of horizontal bars positioned between upright supports which are retained in perpendicular angularity to the underlying support surface by bottom supports. Each of the horizontal bars are relocatable in a vertical direction along the side supports to other pre-determined points for engagement with the side supports by engaging a retractable latching member into a cooperating hole so that the bar is secured in the desired position. In this fashion the distance between the bars can be altered to vary the difficulty and skill levels of the game. Alternative embodiments of the game are also contemplated where the length of the bars is varied by changing the shape of the side supports to accommodate shortened horizontal bars. This different array of bars can be progressively shorter from bottom to top, or vice versa, or have shorter bars at the middle of the vertical distance.

Claims

1. A ball toss game for throwing tethered balls at a target comprising:

a. a pair of upright side support members retained in perpendicularity to an underlying support surface by respective bottom support members;

b. a plurality of bar tossing members positioned between said upright support members which are removeably engaged at pre-determined points in a vertical direction along said side support members, said bar tossing members being releasably engaged by one or more retractable latching members in like dimensioned latching member receiving apertures located at said pre-determined points along the side support members; and

c. a pair of spheroids arranged at each of the ends of a plurality of elongated flexible cords and secured to said ends of the respective cords by passing the cords through a centrally located aperture in each spheroid and knotting the cords on either side of each spheroid tethering the pair of spheroids to each other with a pre-determined length of cord therebetween,

whereby the plurality of tethered spheroids are tossed from one or more prescribed distances at the bar tossing members in order to temporarily secure the tethered spheroids over said bar tossing members scoring points for those tethered spheroids remaining temporarily secured over said bar tossing members at the end of a series of tosses by a number of players.

2. The ball toss game of claim 1, wherein the length of the bar tossing members between the side support members is varied to increase or decrease the level of difficulty and skill in temporarily securing the tethered spheroids over the bar tossing members.

3. The ball toss game of claim 2, wherein the bar tossing members are arranged in progressively shorter lengths from bottom to top.

4. The ball toss game of claim 2, wherein the bar tossing members are arranged in progressively longer lengths from bottom to top.

5. The ball toss game of claim 2, wherein the bar tossing members are arranged with shorter lengths at the middle of the vertical direction along said side support members.

6. The ball toss game of claim 2, wherein the bar tossing members are arranged with longer lengths at the middle of the vertical direction along said side support members.

7. The ball toss game of claim 1, wherein the distance between the bar tossing members may be varied to increase or decrease the level of difficulty and skill in temporarily securing the tethered spheroids over the bar tossing members.