A game of skill using the manipulation of an inclined duel-rod track to propel a ball along the track and drop the ball into a target receptacle. Each of the receptacles are assigned a number or letter such that certain quantities may be achieved, or certain words produced using multiple balls.
It is said that the game “Shoot the Moon” dates back to the 1940s. However, the originator of the game may have been Rufus E. Bean, as disclosed in U. S. Pat. No. 145,385, issued Dec. 9, 1873. Over the years, the game has been produced and marketed without significant alteration by different companies under such names as “Shoot the Moon,” “Hit the Spot,” “Space Shot,” “Anti-gravity Game,” “Space Force,” “Frustration,” and “Shoot-a-Shot.” A search of the internet reveals additional variations of the game without attribution. The following U.S. patents have also disclosed additional variations of the game: U.S. Pat. No. 570,105, 1896, to Ryan et al., entitled Game Apparatus; U.S. Pat. No. 699,490, 1902, to Buxton et al., entitled Toy or Game Apparatus; U.S. Pat. No. 1,595,071, 1926, to Carlson et al., entitled Game; U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,360, 1976, to Meyer, entitled Game Apparatus; U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,727, 1987, to David, entitled Double-Bar Riding Wheel and Method of Using Same; U.S. Pat. No. 4,746,121, 1988, to David, entitled Three-Bar and Ball Game apparatus and Method of Using Same, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,045, 1989, to Shoemaker, Jr. entitled Rolling Ball Game.
Basically, the game consists of placing a ball on two adjacent rods, forming a dual-rod track, that are hinged at one end and urging the ball to travel on the track by opening and closing the distance between the two rods. In some cases, the rods are inclined so that the ball appears to roll up hill defying gravity. Most of time the dual-rod track is disposed over a narrow field comprising a single column of receptacles denominated as some of the planets in earth's solar system. There is disclosed on the Pinterest website a child's game variation depicting a narrow column of planets offset from one another. (See: Https://www.pinterest.com/pin/6403624453600951) The goal is to land the ball in the planet or other designated receptacle having the highest points, usually the receptacle furthest along the track from the hinged end.
At least one scientific paper has been published describing the physical dynamics of the game. Xu P. 2011: Dynamics and Control of the Table-Top Game Shoot the Moon. [partial dissertation]. Clemson University.
Although the game requires skill in mastering the physical dynamics of urging the ball along the inclined dual-rod track, once the technique is mastered, a player may be able to move the ball consistently with little effort. The sole object of every iteration of the game is to move the ball all the way along the track and score the highest points available from the limited number of receptacles—the number of receptacles being limited by the number of planets in the Earth's solar system. Once the game is mastered, interest in the game often wanes and the game is set aside in favor of more challenging games.
Therefore, what is needed is an iteration of the game that presents a wider variety of challenges so that it is not enough just to be able to cause the ball to travel the length of the dual-rod track and drop the ball into a desired planet receptacle. By increasing the difficulty of the game and broadening the scope of the ways the game is played, interest in the game may be renewed and the future of the game for generations to come may be assured.
This invention presents a game of skill in which a one or more balls are dropped from an over-playing-field track into selected receptacles below. The track being comprised of two rods attached to a pivot or hinge at one end and operable by increasing or decreasing the distance between the rods by a player at the other ends of the rods. The game may be played as a lap game or scaled up to be played standing or sitting at a suitable table or adapted to be played in a large format outdoors as a lawn game. The game includes a game board that may be enclosed by perimeter walls. The game board may comprise a playing field tapered outward and downward from the center of the field to the respective perimeter walls. The walls rise from the perimeter of the game board. Opposing walls may be of varying heights. The walls may also include openings required to play the game.
The playing field within the enclosure may comprise multiple rows and columns of open receptacles arranged in a triangular pattern extending the length of the enclosure and centered on the playing field. The receptacles may be lined up in rows and columns or the receptacles may be scattered around or randomly arranged within the triangular pattern. Each receptacle is assigned a number or letter to be used in scoring the game. Numbers may be used to determine which player scores the most points or is first to reach a desired quantity. Letters may be used to spell words or messages used in scoring the game. The receptacles are usually round but could be of a non-round shape having a depth sufficient to capture or hold a game ball dropped or deposited from the overhead dual-rod track into the receptacle. The receptacles may have varying diameters and depths to accommodate the various sizes of balls that may be used in the game. Game balls may fit completely into the receptacles or may only partially fit into the receptacles. In some instances, the game ball may be balanced on the receptacle such that only a small portion of its circumference engages the receptacle. The less likely the game ball may be captured in or on the receptacle, the greater the value attributable to that receptacle in scoring the game.
The game may also have ball holding cups having diameters and depths suitable for capturing playing balls. The cups may be placed in some or all the receptacles. As with the receptacles, the playing ball may fit entirely or partially within one or more cups. The cups may be reversible so that they can be turned upside down within the receptacles. When a cup is reversed, the receptacle is blocked or closed off so that a ball cannot be deposited or dropped into the closed receptacle. In this manner, the difficulty of the game may be increased by decreasing the number of receptacles available to achieve a desired quantity or word. By blocking or closing off receptacles and cups, the playing field may be programed with easier or more difficult patterns of available receptacles. Other means may be used to block the receptacles and thereby program the field. Coins, disks, or caps may be used to cover the cups and receptacles. A strategy of the game may be to block all the receptacles representing vowels, or to close off receptacles representing numerals essential for reaching a selected amount—for example by closing off all the numeral 3s, a player could be precluded from a total score including the numeral 3 or a multiple of 3. In playing the game each player may be allowed to block or close off a certain number of receptacles or cups. Likewise, certain letters may be blocked to preclude the formation of words and phrases.
Although arranging the receptacles in a triangular pattern may be preferred on the playing field, other patterns may be selected by the players. Additionally, the playing field may not be constrained by any pattern. The receptacles may be spaced apart in rows, columns or randomly covering the entire playing field. Spacing between the receptacles should be sufficient to accommodate the various sizes of balls used in the game. However, it may add to the difficulty to arrange some receptacles so close to one another that only a certain size ball may be captured in the respective receptacle or cup.
When the playing field exhibits a triangular pattern of receptacles, the pattern may extend from a triangular apex adjacent to a first wall to a triangular base adjacent to a second wall. The receptacles on the playing field may be spaced apart at least the diameter of the smallest ball used in the game. Spacing between the receptacles should be sufficient to accommodate the various sizes of balls used in the game. However, spacing between the receptacles may vary such that some balls may not be placed adjacent one another.
The playing field may comprise a punch-out board. The punch-out board may be exchanged for the triangular playing field, or it may overlay the playing field with any configuration of playing fields. A player may punch out any number of receptacles in any number or pattern desired by the player. In this manner the game board becomes programmable by one or more players adding variety and difficulty to the game beyond the previous iterations of the game. Each of the punch out receptacles may be given a numerical value or letter that could be used in scoring the game.
The game balls are distributed over the playing field by means of a laterally movable dual-rod track comprising a pair of rods comprising first and second ends disposed above the playing field so as not to interfere with the balls below. The rods may be composed of a metal such as steel, stainless steel, copper, brass, aluminum, or combination thereof. The rods may be solid or tubular. The rods may be wooden or plastic or some other material such as glass, fiberglass, Teflon, rubber, nylon, rock, bone, ivory, bamboo, or reed. The surface finish on the rods may be smooth, polished, rough, or interrupted.
The rods comprise first and second ends. The first ends are attached to a pivot disposed on or in relation to the first wall of the enclosure and the second ends are mounted on a surface of the second wall. The rods may be inserted through an elongate opening in the second wall to control the movement of the dual-rod track. The tack may be inclined from the pivot end to the second wall by providing that the second wall is higher than the pivot or by providing that the elongate opening in the second wall is higher than the pivot. The playing field may be tilted to achieve the desired inclination of the dual-rod track or to bias loose balls toward one side or the other of the playing field. Also, the track's inclination may be controlled by providing adjustable elevation blocks or jacks attached to the enclosure proximate the second wall. Screw or lever jacks for lifting the second wall end of the playing field may be useful in providing the desired inclination for the dual-rod track.
The game is played when a ball is placed on the track at the pivot end and the rods are manipulated by increasing and decreasing the distance between the rods to move the ball uphill along the track. The track is oriented so that it does not interfere with balls previously dropped onto the playing field. The track may be swung laterally to direct the track over a desired receptacle on the playing field. Once the ball is moved to a desired location, the distance between the rods is increased to allow the ball to fall into the desired receptacle. This process is repeated until the desired numerical score is reached or a word or phrase is spelled out. A player's turn may be timed or limited by the number attempts to reach a desired quantity or spell a word or phrase, or by the number balls assigned to the player are captured on the playing field. Opposing players may not know a player's desired numerical total or word, or combination thereof.
The present invention is further disclosed with reference to the various drawing figures submitted in connection with this invention.
A pivot or hinge (19), that may also serve as a ball stop preventing ball (15) from rolling off dual-rod track (11A), may be mounted on first wall (18) adjacent an apex (16) of the triangular playing field (13). The location of the pivot (19) may vary by providing more than one pivot (19A) being mounted on first wall (16) as shown in
A pair of rods (11) comprising first ends (8) and second ends (9) comprise a dual-rod track (11A). First ends (8) may be inserted into pivot (19) located on first wall (18) and the rods (11) being extended across and above the playing field (13) and second ends (9) extending over or through second wall (21) adjacent a base (17) of the triangular playing field (13). The pair of rods (11) may rotate and swing side to side together or individually in pivot (19). The pair of rods (11) may be inclined from a lower position on first wall (18) to a higher position on or through second wall (22) adjacent the base (17) of the triangular playing field (13). The rods (11) may be inserted through an elongate opening in second wall (21) and extended beyond wall (21) and comprise handles (12) attached to second ends (9) to aid in manipulation of the rods (11). The rods (11) may be solid or hollow, and composed of wood or metal, bone, ivory, glass, fiberglass, plastic, Teflon, or another carbon-based compound. The track (11A) may be disposed at a sufficient height above the playing field (13) to allow the track (11A) to pass freely over one or more balls (15) deposited into the receptacles (14) on the playing field (13).
In playing the game, a ball (15) is placed onto track (11A) near the pivot (19). Using the handles (12), the player manipulates the rods (11) to cause the ball (15) to travel uphill toward the base (17) by increasing and decreasing the distance between the respective rods (11). The player may swing the track (11) side to side or laterally to direct the ball to a desired receptacle (14) on the playing field (13). In playing the game, a player may be assigned a certain number of balls (15), or tries, to reach a desired score. Scoring may be in terms of a numerical sum or a word or phrase. Each of the receptacles (14) may have an assigned numerical value as shown in exploded view (30) or one or more alphabetical letters (30) that may be used to spell out words or phrases. Some receptacles may have one or more symbols, such as mathematical symbols or terms, or an emoji assigned to them that may be used in playing and scoring the game. Players may be assigned a time limit or a certain number of tries or balls to reach a designated score.
The receptacles (14) may be of sufficient depth and diameter to capture a ball (15) dropped from the track (11). Balls (15) used in the game may have varying diameters. Balls (15) used in the game may not fit entirely into the receptacles (14). The less likely a ball (15) may be captured in a receptacle (14) the higher the score that may be assigned to that ball or receptacle.
An additional element on the game board (10) shown in
A tensioner (25) may be attached to the rods (11) adjacent second ends (9). The tensioner (25) may comprise an elastic band, a spring, a coil, or a piston and cylinder. By adding tension to the dual-rod track (11A), more precise manipulation of the rods may be achieved in urging the game ball (15) along the track by opening and closing the distance between the rods (11). One rod (11) may be held stationary while the other rod (11) in moved laterally as a means for moving the ball (15) along the track (11A).
An interior side of second wall (21, 42) may be adjacent game board (10) as shown in