# US 4,394,016 A · Game using the helical movement of a ball or vehicle

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- Number: US 4,394,016 A
- Document ID: US4394016A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/216,977
- Filed: 1980-12-16
- Granted: 1983-07-19
- Earliest claimed: 1980-02-23
- Inventors: Pavlos Manos
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4394016A

## CPC

- A63F 7/044: {Hand-held boxes with balls rolled, e.g. towards holes, by tilting the box (A63F7/382, A63F7/041 take precedence; tiltable on a support A63F7/386)}
- A63F 7/382: {held by the user, e.g. spinning hoops, whirling amusement devices, orbiting toys}
- A63G 31/00: Amusement arrangements
- A63F 2250/485: using a handle
- A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63G: MERRY-GO-ROUNDS; SWINGS; ROCKING-HORSES; CHUTES; SWITCHBACKS; SIMILAR DEVICES FOR PUBLIC AMUSEMENT

## Abstract

A game having a first cylinder with an inner helical path and a second cylinder concentric with the first cylinder having a second helical path continuous with the first path. In one embodiment the paths are grooves in the cylinder walls. A ball having a smaller diameter than the groove is attempted to be rolled in the groove using centrifugal force. A hollow handle is attached at the bottom of the cylinder to catch the ball should it fall. In another embodiment the paths are tracks over which passenger vehicles move. The tracks are housed in enlarged cylinders driven by a parabolic lever.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An amusement device comprising:
a first cylinder having a helicoidal passageway formed therein;
a second cylinder having a helicoidal passageway formed therein and surrounded by said first cylinder;
wherein said helicoidal passageway from said first cylinder intersects with said helicoidal passageway of said second cylinder forming a continuous passageway in said first and second cylinders, said continuous passageway comprising channels in the walls of said first and second cylinders,
a hollow handle mounted beneath said first and second cylinders, and
a movable member arranged for free movement within said continuous passageway, and said hollow handle,
wherein said movable member comprises a ball.