Ball type game apparatus with laterally movable ball striking mechanism and control therefor
AssigneeBally Manufacturing Corporation
InventorDonald E. Hooker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ball striking mechanism for use in an amusement game machine of the type which has an inclined playfield and at least one ball that moves on the playfield. The striking mechanism is mounted for lateral movement relative to the inclined playfield and is adapted to strike the ball and propel it along the playfield when properly laterally positioned to intercept the ball. In the preferred embodiment, the striking mechanism is activated by the ball. The mechanism is laterally positioned by operator manipulation and the mechanism includes a shock absorbing mechanism which prevents excessive energy applied to the handle from being transmitted to the internal mechanism to thereby protect the same from damage.
Claims21
In a ball type game apparatus having a sloping playfield adapted to receive a ball thereon such that the ball gravitates toward a lower end of the playfield, the combination therewith comprising:
- a carriage mechanism supported for lateral movement between predetermined limit positions relative to the playfield,
- means biasing said carriage mechanism toward a selected one of said limit positions,
- a ball striking mechanism carried by said carriage mechanism for lateral movement therewith and extending above said playfield so as to enable engagement with a ball,
- and control means operatively associated with said carriage mechanism in a manner to enable selective lateral movement thereof, said control means including a player manipulatable actuator, and connecting means interconnecting said player actuator to said carriage mechanisn including a connecting linkage normally engageable with said carriage mechanism so as to effect lateral movement thereof responsive to manipulation of said player actuator, said connecting linkage including means limiting the rate of movement of said carriage mechanism in a first lateral direction responsive to a predetermined rate of movement of said player actuator in a first direction, and being separable from said carriage mechanism so as to be ineffective to control movement of said carriage mechanism in an opposite lateral direction in response to predetermined movement of said player actuator in a direction opposite to said first direction.
A ball type game apparatus of the type which has at least one ball and a downwardly sloping playfield, comprising:
- a carriage mechanism mounted relative to the playfield for movement in a plane generally parallel to the playfield and adapted for lateral movement;
- a striking mechanism carried by said carriage mechanism and adapted to strike a ball on the playfield and propel it upwardly along the playfield;
- a first control means operatively associated with said carriage mechanism for selectively moving said carriage and striking mechanisms laterally responsive to a player stimulus;
- said first control means including a movable handle and a first mechanism operatively coupled to said handle and being movable responsive to movement of said handle, said carriage mechansim being engageable with said first mechanism for translating movement of said handle and first mechanism to lateral movement of said carriage and striking mechanisms;
- and a second control means for selectively activating said striking mechanism to cause it to move transversely relative to said lateral movement when activated, said transverse movement in a predetermined direction being adapted to strike a ball and propel it upwardly along the playfield in response to a strike stimulus;
- said first mechanism being biased to normally maintain contact with said carriage mechanism but being separable from said carriage mechanism responsive to a rapid movement above a threshold velocity of said first mechanism in a second direction opposite said first direction.
A ball type game apparatus of the type which has at least one ball and a downwardly sloping playfield, comprising:
- a carriage mechanism mounted relative to the playfield for movement in a plane generally parallel to the playfield and adapted for lateral movement;
- a striking mechanism carried by said carriage mechanism for movement therewith and adapted to strike a ball on the playfield and propel it upwardly along the playfield;
- a first control means for selectively moving said carriage and striking mechanism laterally responsive to a player stimulus;
- and a second control means for selectively activating said striking mechanism to cause it to move in the upward sloping direction of the playfield in a path substantially transverse to said lateral movement so as to impart upward motion to a ball when struck by said striking mechanism, said second control means being activated responsive to a strike stimulus;
- said first control means including first servo motor means adapted for rotation responsive to said player stimulus, second servo motor means adapted for rotation responsive to said first servo motor rotation, and means for translating said second servo motor means rotation to lateral movement of the striking and carriage mechanisms.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.