Claims
- 1.
- (i) An game apparatus comprising of a housing structure, said structure having an outside surface, said surface having at least one entry opening, said opening being adaptable to afford passage of a ball into the interior of the housing.
- (ii) At least one ball support member, said ball support member being adapted to receive said ball as a result of said ball entering said entry opening, said ball support being so constructed that said ball being deposited on said ball support will be contained thereon, until it is dislodged from said support
- (iii) An electric motor
- (iv) A rotor device, said rotor device being coupled to said motor, and to rotate when said motor is activated
- (v) A source of electrical current
- (vi) An electrical wiring connecting said current source to an electrical contact means, said contact means being adaptable to connect said current feed to said electrical motor by the presence of said ball on said ball support and said contact means being adapted to open said current feed to said electrical motor, in the absence of said ball on said ball support, said ball support being so constructed, that said ball being deposited on said ball support, will remain thereon for a period of time, sufficient for said current feed to said motor to cause said motor to reach a speed of rotation, and means responsive to said speed of rotation for dislodging said ball from said ball support, thereby opening said current feed.
- 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ball support being so constructed that said ball being deposited on said ball support will be contained thereon for a period of time, that will cause said electrical circuit to be completed for over one second and less than sixty seconds.
- 3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rotor device in conjunction with said motor rotation provides the means to cause said ball to become dislodged from said ball support.
- 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor-rotor rotation generates an airflow force, said force providing the means to dislodge said ball off said ball support.
- 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor-rotor rotation generates vibrational tremors in said ball support member, said tremors providing the means to dislodge said ball off said ball support.
- 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor-rotor rotation generates vibrational tremors in said ball support member, said tremors providing the means to dislodge said ball off said ball support, wherein said motor is mounted on a motor mounting platform, said platform resting on and held captive to a platform support means, said platform support means being adapted to allow said motor mounting platform to vibrate in sympathy with said motor, said rotor rotation, and said platform transmitting said vibrations to said ball support and to said ball, said vibrations acting to dislodge said ball from said ball support.
- 7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor-rotor rotation causing at least one disk to spin, said disk having angular sector portions marked thereon, each sector having a symbolic designation associated with it, an indicating means, said indicating means designating an alignment with one angular sector portion, when said disk has stopped spinning.
- 8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor-rotor rotation causes a plurality of disks to spin, said disks being marked off in sectors, each sector having a symbolic designation associated with it, an indicating disk, said indicating disk having an indicating means, said indicating means designating said sectors symbolic markings that are in alignment when said disks cease spinning.
- 9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor, rotation causes a dice tumbler device to shake and tumble a dice set, so that the dice read out when the tumbler ceases tumbling and is stationary, is unforecastable.
- 10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said motor rotor rotation causes a roulette wheel assembly to spin, said roulette value read out, being unforecastable when roulette wheel assembly ceases to spin.
- 11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ball support means includes an elongated strip, said strip being mounted onto a raised support means, said strip having an extended portion, said extended portion, being movable with respect to said raised support means, said movable portion carrying one of a pair of cooperating electrical contacts, arranged in said current feed circuit, said movable portion of said strip having an unconstrained rest condition, in said rest condition said electrical contacts are open, said movable portion of said strip being adapted to receive said ball, the weight of said ball, causing said movable portion of said strip to move to its downward position, in said downward position, said electrical contacts are closed, thereby completing the electrical current source circuit to said motor, and after said ball is off of said strip, said strip is restored to its unconstrained rest position, opening said electrical contacts, thereby breaking the current source to said motor.
- 12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ball support means includes an elongated strip, said strip being mounted onto a raised support means, said strip having an extended portion, said extended portion being movable with respect to said raised support means, said movable portion carrying one of a pair of co-operating electrical contacts, arranged in said current feed circuit, said movable portion of said strip having an unconstrained rest condition, in said rest condition said electrical contacts are open, said movable portion of said strip being adapted to receive said ball, the weight of said ball, causing said movable portion of said strip to move to its downward position, in said downward position, said electrical contacts are closed, thereby completing the electrical current source circuit to said motor, and after said ball is off of said strip, said strip is restored to its unconstrained rest position, opening said electrical contacts, thereby breaking the current source to said motor, said ball support means being equipped with containing walls, said walls having a ball egress opening, said walls acting to keep said ball on said strip, until said ball is forced through said egress opening and off said strip, said force being a result of said motor, said rotor rotation,
- 13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ball support consists of a pair of spaced adjacent electrical conductor rails, said conductive rails being adapted upon receiving an electrically conductive metal ball, to bridge said current feed circuit to said electric motor, and to open said current feed circuit, in the absence of said electrically conductive ball.
- 14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ball support consists of a pair of spaced adjacent electrical conductor rails, said conductive rails being adapted upon receiving an electrically conductive metal ball, to bridge said current feed circuit to said electric motor, and to open said current feed circuit, in the absence of said electrically conductive ball, said conductive rails being so configured that a ball being deposited on said rails will remain thereon until being acted upon by an external force, said force being a result of said motor, said rotor rotation.
- 15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rotor device consists of a stepped drive shaft collar, said stepped collar consisting of cylinders of successively decreasing diameters, the cylinder with the largest diameter being the lowermost, and the cylinder with the smallest diameter being the uppermost, said cylinders having a common axis and being rigidly coupled to the motor drive shaft, said collar being adapted to receive a number of disks according to the number of stepped cylindrical portions on said collar, said disks being arranged one above the other, each disk having an axial circular opening of successively decreasing diameters, the disk with the largest axial opening being the lowermost and the disk with the smallest axial being the uppermost, each disk axial opening diameter being such, that each disk when assembled on said collar, will rest on a specific horizontal cylinder surface and no other, each disk being rotational about the vertical cylinder walls, which acts as a free wheeling axel means, each disk being raised above the disk beneath it, by the height of the cylinder step, said rotor device topmost portion being equipped with a disk retaining means, said retaining means acting to prevent said disks from coming off of said collar, said disks having angular spaced markings imprinted thereon, when said motor causes said collar to spin, said disks receive a frictionally slipping rotation force imparted to them by the rotation of said collar and upon the deactivation of said motor, said disks coast to a stopped position, said markings on each disk being in random alignment with each other.
- 16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rotor device consists of a stepped drive shaft collar, said stepped collar consisting of cylinders of successively decreasing diameters, the cylinder with the largest diameter being the lowermost, and the cylinder with the smallest diameter being the uppermost, said cylinders having a common axis and being rigidly coupled to the motor drive shaft, said collar being adapted to receive a number of disks according to the number of stepped cylindrical portions on said collar, said disks being arranged one above the other, each disk having an axial circular opening of successively decreasing diameters, the disk with the largest axial opening being the lowermost and the disk with the smallest axial being the uppermost, each disk axial opening diameter being such, that each disk, when assembled on said collar, will rest on a specific horizontal cylinder surface and no other, each disk being rotational about the vertical cylinder walls, which acts as a free wheeling axle means, each disk being raised above the disk beneath it, by the height of the cylinder step, said driveshaft topmost portion being equipped with a disk retaining means, said retaining means acting to prevent said disk from coming off of said collar, said disks having angular spaced markings imprinted thereon, when said motor causes said collar to spin, said disks receive a frictionally slipping rotation force imparted to them by the rotation of said collar and upon the deactivation of said motor, said disks coast to a stopped position, said marking on each disk being in random alignment with each other, said disk retaining means carrying an index pointer, said pointer being fixed to topmost portion of said motor drive shaft, and rotating with said shaft, said pointer being adapted to designate said disk markings in alignment with each other.
- 17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rotor device consists of a stepped drive shaft collar, said stepped collar consisting of cylinders of successively decreasing diameters, the cylinder with the largest diameter being the lowermost, and the cylinder with the smallest diameter being the uppermost, said cylinders having a common axis and being rigidly coupled to the motor drive shaft, said collar being adapted to receive a number of disks according to the number of stepped cylindrical portions on said collar, said disks being arranged one above the other, each disk having an axial circular opening of successively decreasing diameters, the disk with the largest axial opening being the lowermost and the disk with the smallest axial being the uppermost, each disk axial opening diameter being such, that each disk when assembled on said collar, will rest on a specific horizontal cylinder surface and no other, each disk being rotational about the vertical cylinder walls, which acts as a free wheeling axel means, each disk being raised above the disk beneath it, by the height of the cylinder step, said drive shaft topmost portion being equipped with a disk retaining means, said retaining means acting to prevent said disk from coming off of said collar, said disks having angular spaced markings imprinted thereon, when said motor causes said collar to spin, said disks receive a frictionally slipping rotation force imparted to them by the rotation of said collar and upon the deactivation of said motor, said disks coast to a stopped position, said markings on each disk being in random alignment with each other, said disk being of successive decreasing diameters, the disk with the largest diameter being the lowermost and the disk with the smallest diameter being the uppermost, and means for said angular spaced markings to be visible when said disks coast to a stop.
- 18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rotor device consists of a stepped drive shaft collar, said stepped collar consisting of cylinders of successively decreasing diameters, the cylinder with the largest diameter being the lowermost, and the cylinder with the smallest diameter being the uppermost, said cylinders having a common axis and being rigidly coupled to the motor drive shaft, said collar being adapted to receive a number of disks according to the number of stepped cylindrical portions on said collar, said disks being arranged one above the other, each disk having an axial circular opening of successively decreasing diameters, the disk with the largest axial opening being the lowermost and the disk with the smallest axial being the uppermost, each disk axial opening diameter being such, that each disk, when assembled on said collar, will rest on a specific horizontal cylinder surface and no other, each disk being rotational about the vertical cylinder walls, which acts as a free wheeling axel means, each disk being raised above the disk beneath it, by the height of the cylinder step, said driveshaft topmost portion being equipped with a disk retaining means, said retaining means acting to prevent said disk from coming off of said collar, said disks having angular spaced markings imprinted thereon, when said motor causes said collar to spin, said disks receive a frictionally slipping rotation force imparted to them by the rotation of said collar and upon the deactivation of said motor, said disks coast to a stopped position, said markings on each disk being in random alignment with each other, said lowermost cylinder being equipped with air vanes, said air vanes being adapted to create an airflow force, when said stepped collar is rotating, said force being adapted to dislodge said ball from said ball support.
- 19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing structure has a generally rectangular top outside playing surface, said playing surface having a player's playing position at each far end, each playing position being equipped with a ball propelling means, said playing surface having two sets of ball entry openings, each set of said openings being associated as a target opening for one of the ball propelling means, each set of entry openings affording passage to said ball into the interior of said housing, and onto said ball support, said housing interior being equipped with two ball support being associated with one set of entry openings, said apparatus having two ball exist openings, each exit opening being associated with one set of entry openings, said exit openings allowing passage of said ball to exist from said housing interior, said top playing surface having side walls, to prevent said ball from rolling off of said playing surface.
- 20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said ball support construction, in conjunction with said rotor device rotation, determines the time duration that the ball remains on the ball support.
- 21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the motor driven device is adapted to provide a designation of at least two numerical values when the device is at rest, each value being one of a set, these numerical values to be acted upon when the motor driven device is being spun, so that the readout of the values when the device is at rest is unpredictable, a coordinate board having at least two axes, each axis being associated with one set of said numerical values, each axis being divided into divisions, each division representing one value of said set, and establishing a coordinate position associated with each numerical value of said set, the coordinate board having the means to indicate the result of an arithmetic function of the two numerical values on the axes, the result of the arithmetic function being indicated at the position of the intersection of the two coordinates.
- 22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing structure top playing surface has a plurality of entry openings, said entry openings affording passage to said ball into the interior of said housing and onto said ball support.
- 23. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is equipped with a ball propelling means, said ball propelling means being adapted to cause a ball to travel to and to enter said entry opening.
- 24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is equipped with a ball propelling means, said ball propelling means being adapted to cause a ball to travel to and to enter said entry opening, wherein said ball propelling means is adapted to be aimable, enabling a player to aim said ball propelling means, so that if said propelling means is aimed correctly said ball will enter said entry
- 25. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is equipped with a ball propelling means, said ball propelling means being adapted to cause a ball to travel to and to enter said entry opening, said ball propelling means being in the shape of a cannon.
- 26. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is equipped with a ball propelling means, said ball propelling means being adapted to cause a ball to travel to and to enter said entry opening, said ball propelling means being a downward sloping ball chute.
- 27. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said entry opening is equipped with a ball rebound means, said rebound means being adapted to allow a ball that has overshot said opening to bounce back into said opening.
- 28. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outside surface is equipped with a transparent window portion, said window portion providing the means for observing said disk readout values.
- 29. A game apparatus having the means of completing an electrical circuit to a motor, said motor upon activation, causing a rotor device to spin, said rotor consisting of a stepped drive shaft collar, said stepped collar consisting of cylinders of successively decreasing diameters, the cylinder with the largest diameter being the lowermost, and the cylinder with the smallest diameter being the uppermost, said cylinders having a common axis and being rigidly coupled to the motor drive shaft, said collar being adapted to receive a number of disks according to the number of stepped cylindrical portions on said collar, said disks being arranged one above the other, each disk having an axial circular opening of successively decreasing diameters, the disk with the largest axial opening being the lowermost and the disk with the smallest axial being the uppermost, each disk when assembled on said collar, will rest on a specific horizontal cylinder surface and no other, each disk being rotational about the vertical cylinder walls, which acts as a free wheeling axle means, each disk being raised above the disk beneath it, by the height of the cylinder step, said drive shaft topmost portion being equipped with a disk retaining means, said retaining means acting to prevent said disk from coming off of said collar, said disks having angular spaced markings imprinted thereon, when said motor causes said collar to spin, said disks receive a frictionally slipping rotation force imparted to them by the rotation of said collar and upon the deactivation of said motor, said disks coast to a stopped position, said markings on each disk being in random alignment with each other, said apparatus being equipped with a means of designating said markings on each disk in alignment with each other.
- 30. A game apparatus device consisting of
- (i) An electric motor
- (ii) A rotor device, said rotor device being coupled to said motor, and to rotate when said motor is activated
- (iii) A source of electrical current
- (iv) An electrical wiring connecting said current source to an electrical contact means, said contact means being adapted to connect said current feed to said electrical motor, said contact means being adapted to open said current feed to said electrical motor, said rotor device consisting of a stepped drive shaft collar, said stepped collar consisting of cylinders of successively decreasing diameters, the cylinder with the largest diameter being the lowermost, and the cylinder with the smallest diameter being the uppermost, said cylinders having a common axis and being rigidly coupled to the motor drive shaft, said collar being adapted to receive a number of disks according to the number of stepped cylindrical portions on said collar, said disks being arranged one above the other, each disk having an axial circular opening of successively decreasing diameters, the disk with the largest axial opening being the lowermost and the disk with the smallest axial being the uppermost, each disk axial opening diameter being such, that each disk when assembled on said collar, will rest on a specific horizontal cylinder surface and no other, each disk being rotational about the vertical cylinder walls, which acts as a free wheeling axle means, each disk being raised above the disk beneath it, by the height of the cylinder step, said rotor device topmost portion being equipped with a disk retaining means, said retaining means acting to prevent said disk from coming off of said collar, said disks having angular spaced markings imprinted thereon, when said motor causes said collar to spin, said disks receive a frictionally slipping rotation force imparted to them by the rotation of said collar and upon the deactivation of said motor, said disks coast to a stopped position, said markings on each disk being in random alignment with each other, said disks being of successive decreasing diameters, the disk with the largest diameter being the lowermost and the disk with the smallest diameter being the uppermost, said angular spaced markings being printed on the peripheral portion of said disk surfaces, said markings on said disk surfaces being visible, said apparatus being equipped with a means of designating said markings on each disk in alignment with each other.
- 31. An apparatus as claimed in claim 29 wherein said markings on said disks being numerical values, said numerical values providing two unpredictable number values when the device comes to rest, each numerical value being one of a set, a coordinate board having at least two axes, each axis being associated with one set of said numerical values, each axis being divided into divisions, each division representing one value of said set, and establishing a coordinate position associated with each numerical value of said set, the coordinate board having the means to indicate the result of an arithmetic function of the two numerical values on the axes, the result of the arithmetic function being indicated at the position of the intersection of the two coordinates.
- 32. An apparatus as claimed in claim 30, wherein said markings on said disks being numerical values, said numerical values providing two unpredictable number values when the device comes to rest, each numerical value being one of a set, a coordinate board having at least two axes, each axis being associated with one set of said numerical values, each axis being divided into divisions, each division representing one value of said set, and establishing a coordinate position associated with each numerical value of said set, the coordinate board having the means to indicate the result of an arithmetic function of the two numerical values on the axes, the result of the arithmetic function being indicated at the position of the intersection of the two coordinates.
- 33. A game appartus, said game apparatus, having a means of electrically activating and deactivating an electrical motor, said motor upon activation, causing a coupling device to spin, said coupling device imparting a slipping frictional rotational force to a plurality of disks, causing said disks to rotate around a common axle shaft, said disks having angular spaced markings printed thereon, and upon the deactivation of said motor, said disks coast to a random stopped position, said markings stopping in an unforecastable configuration with each other, an index means said index means designating a set of said markings in alignment.
- 34. A game apparatus, said game apparatus, having a means of electrically activating and deactivating an electrical motor, said motor upon activation, causing a coupling device to spin, said coupling device imparting a slipping frictional rotational force to a plurality of disks, causing said disks to rotate around a common axle shaft, said disks having angular spaced markings printed thereon, and upon the deactivation of said motor, said disks coast to a random stopped position, said markings stopping in an unforecastable configuration with each other, an index means said index means designation a set of said markings in alignment, wherein said markings include at least two sets of numerical values.
- 35. A game apparatus, said game apparatus, having a means of electrically activating and deactivating an electrical motor, said motor upon activation, causing a coupling device to spin, said coupling device imparting a slipping frictional rotational force to a plurality of disks, causing said disks to rotate around a common axle shaft, said disks having angular spaced markings printed thereon, and upon the deactivation of said motor, said disks coast to a random stopped position, said markings stopping in an unforecastable configuration with each other, an index means said index means designating a set of said markings in alignment, wherein said markings include at least two sets of numerical values, a coordinate axes board, said board having at least two axes, each axis being divided into divisions, each division having marked thereon, a numerical value corresponding to one of said angular spaced numerical values, said coordinate board axes divisions locating an axes coordinate intersection position on said coordinate axes board, said axes coordinate intersection position having marked thereon, the result of an arithmetic function, acting on said coordinate axes division values.
- 36. A game apparatus, said game apparatus, having a means of electrically activating and deactivating an electrical motor, said motor upon activation, causing a coupling device to spin, said coupling device imparting a slipping frictional rotational force to a plurality of disks causing, said disks to rotate around a common axle shaft, said disks having angular spaced markings printed thereon, and upon the deactivation of said motor, said disks coast to a random stopped position, said markings stopping in an unforecastable configuration with each other, an index means said index means designating a set of said markings in alignment, wherein said markings include at least two sets of numerical values, a coordinate axes board, said board having at least two axes, each axis being divided into divisions, each division having marked there on a numerical value corresponding to one of said angular spaced numerical value, said coordinate board axes divisions locating an axes coordinate intersection position on said coordinate axes board, said axes coordinate intersection position having marked thereon the result of an arithmetic function, acting on said coordinate axes division values, said apparatus including marker pieces, said marker pieces providing the means to mark said axis coordinate intersection position.
- 37. A game apparatus, said game apparatus, having a means of electrically activating and deactivating an electrical motor, said motor upon activation, causing a coupling device to spin, said coupling device imparting a slipping frictional rotational force to a plurality of disks causing, said disks to rotate, said disks having angular spaced markings printed thereon, and upon the deactivation of said motor, said disks coast to a random stopped position, said markings stopping in an unforecastable configuration with each other, an index means, said index means designating a set of said markings in alignment.
- 38. A game apparatus, said game apparatus, having a means of electrically activating and deactivating an electrical motor, said motor upon activation, causing a coupling device to spin, said coupling device imparting a slipping frictional rotational force to a plurality of disks, causing said disks to rotate, said disks having angular spaced markings printed thereon, and upon deactivation of said motor, said disks coast to a random stopped position, said markings stopping in unforecastable configuration with each other, an index means said index means designating a set of said markings in alignment, wherein said markings include at least two sets of numerical values.
- 39. A game apparatus, said game apparatus, having a means of electrically activating and deactivating an electrical motor, said motor upon activation, causing a coupling device to spin, said coupling device imparting a slipping frictional rotational force to a plurality of disks, causing said disks to rotate, said disks having angular spaced markings printed thereon, and upon the deactivation of said motor, said disks coast to a random stopped position, said markings stopping in an unforecastable configuration with each other, an index means said index means designating a set of said markings in alignment, wherein said markings include at least two sets of numerical values, a coordinate axes board, said board having at least two axes, each axis being divided into divisions, each division having marked there on a numerical value corresponding to one of said angular spaced numerical values, said coordinate board axes divisions locating an axes coordinate intersection position on said coordinate axes board, said axes coordinate intersection position having marked thereon the result of an arithmetic function, acting on said coordinate axes division values.
- 40. A game apparatus, said game apparatus, having a means of electrically activating and deactivating an electrical motor, said motor upon activation, causing a coupling device to spin, said coupling device imparting a slipping frictional rotational force to a plurality of disks, causing said disks to rotate, said disks having angular spaced markings printed thereon, and upon the deactivation of said motor, said disks coast to a random stopped position, said markings stopping in an unforecastable configuration with each other, an index means said index means designating a set of said markings in alignment, wherein said markings include at least two sets of numerical values, a coordinate axes board, said board having at least two axes, each axis being divided into divisions, each division having marked thereon a numerical value corresponding to one of said angular spaced numerical values, said coordinate board axes divisions locating an axes coordinate intersection position on said coordinate axes board, said axes coordinate intersection position having marked thereon the result of an arithmetic function, acting on said coordinate axes division values, said apparatus including marker pieces, said marker pieces, providing the means to mark said axis coordinate intersection position.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application, Ser. No. 06/621,513, filing date June, 18, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,595,202, which in turn is a continuation of application Ser. No. 222,667, filed Jan. 2, 1981, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,078 granted Oct. 16, 1984, which in turn is a continuation of application Ser. No. 023,730, filed Mar. 26, 1979, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,264,073 granted on Apr. 28, 1981.
US Referenced Citations (13)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
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2063077 |
Jun 1981 |
GBX |
Continuation in Parts (3)
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Date |
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621513 |
Jun 1984 |
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222667 |
Jan 1981 |
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23730 |
Mar 1979 |
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