US3637213A - Shooting gallery having separate targets housed in a central section - Google Patents

Abstract

A shooting gallery-type toy characterized by the provision of a plurality of firing lanes radiating from the central target area with the target area constructed to automatically return projectiles to the respective firing lanes from which the projectiles emanated upon release of a restraining member following discharge of the projectiles from all of the simulated weapons.

Description

Jan. 25, T972 Breslovv eT aTn References Cited [54} SHOTTNG GAlLlLET AVTNG SEPARATE TARGETS T-TTJSE TN A CENTRAL SEETTN UNITED STATES PATENTS ......273/l0l 272/l02.1 B 273/101 273/101 m." Wm nhw nth 5 6 :l. r FRTW 382 9036 8999 llll 0 82 l l 7 68 473 JJQ W 0976 6 26 47 0 23 [72] Inventors: Jeffrey D. Ereslow; Marvin ll. Glass, both of Chicago, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Marvin Glass A: Associates Oct. 16, 1969 Primary Examiner-Richard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerMarvin Siskind [22] Filed:

[21] Appl. No.: Attorney-Hofgren, Wegner, Allen, Stellman & McCord ABSTRACT A shooting gallery-type toy characterized plurality of firing lanes radiatin with the target area constructed to aultomaticall jectiles to the respective firing lanes from emanated upon release of a restrainin discharge of the projectiles from all of th 4 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures SHOOTING GALLERY HAVING SEPARATE TARGETS llllOlJSlED IN A CENTRAL SECTION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to toys and, more particularly, to a shooting gallery type of toy.

2. Brief Description of the Prior Art Numerous toys of the type wherein a simulated gun fires a simulated projectile at a target area have been provided. Interest in any activity or toy is frequently heightened if the participation can be simultaneous and directly competitive, and, furthermore, if the participants can view all the other competitors during the competitive activity. l-Ieretofore, most toy shooting ranges have been lacking in at least some of these desirable attributes of simultaneous, directly competitive, and viewable participation. This invention is directed towards providing such a toy shooting range or gallery wherein all of these desirable features are provided.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed, in brief, to the provision of an improved toy of the shooting gallery type.

The best mode currently contemplated by me for carrying out the invention includes the provision of an enclosure with a central target area and a plurality of enclosed, outwardly radiating, firing lanes, preferably four in number. Simulated toy guns are mounted at the distal end of each of the enclosed radiating firing lanes for launching projectiles towards the central target area.

The target area includes walls separating the interior thereof from each of the radiating firing lanes. The walls are apertured for access to the interior of the target area by successful launching of a fired projectile. The space within the target area is partitioned to provide a plurality of discrete receiving chambers related to each of the firing lanes. The floors of the receiving chambers are banked toward each related firing lane and the walls are removable. After all the projectiles have been fired and the walls removed, the projectiles are gravity returned to their respective firing lanes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of the toy shooting gallery of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged plan view of the toy shooting gallery as shown in FIG. I showing a portion of the central target area and one of the firing lanes; and

FIG. 3 is a vertical section view of the'portion of the shooting gallery of this invention seen in FIG. 2.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a specific embodiment therefor, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The shooting gallery toy of this invention is generally a cruciformed enclosure having a central target area 12 and a plurality of outwardly radiating firing lines 114. Inthe illustrated embodiment four firing lanes are shown, but it is to be understood that the invention could be successfully carried out with other multiple plural members of outwardly radiating firing lanes such as six or eight or the like. The distal end of each of the firing lanes is provided with a simulated toy piston I6 which is intended for use in launching a projectile 18 towards this central target area l2.

A central target area l2 includes a lid, generally designated 20, having a substantially flat top 22 and an upstanding handle 24. The lid further includes depending walls 26 which are angled slightly inwardly as well as depending downwardly from the underside of the top 22. Walls 26 are provided with plural apertures 28. One wall 26 is provided for each of the firing lanes 14. Partitions 30 extend inwardly from the juncture of each of the walls 26 towards the center of the lid 20 to cooperate with the walls to form projectile receiving chambers 32 related to each of the firing lanes 14 with the access for projectiles into the chamber 32 being by way of the apertures 2%. In addition, webs 34 may subdivide each chamber 32 into two subchamber portions.

The floor 36 in target area 12 in provided with a plurality of floor segments 38 coincident with each of the chambers 32 defined by partitions 30 and walls 26. The floor segments 38 are banked towards each firing lane. Since there are four firing lanes shown herein and four projectile-receiving chambers, there are, therefore, four triangular floor segments 38 which meet at a central apex 40.

An audible signal means in the form of a bell 41 is provided centrally of the target area. The partitions 30 are cut away at 42 and the webs 34 are cut away at 44 to provide a space for receiving the bell and, in addition, permitting portions of the bell to project inwardly into each of the projectile-receiving chambers 32, so that as a projectile successfully enters the chamber through the aperture 28 it may continue in its path of travel and strike a portion of the bell to give an audible signal of a successful launching of the projectile by a participant.

Each of the radiating firing lanes 14 includes a downwardly and outwardly radiating floor or bottom 48 which is generally a continuation of each of the floor segments 38 of the central target area 12. The lanes 14 are further bounded by opposite sidewalls 50 and 52, a top 54 and a distal end enclosing wall 56. Sidewalls 50 and 52 and distal end wall 56 may be slightly angled inwardly toward each other as best seen in FlG. 2.

The top 54 may further be provided with plural openings 58 and numerical indicia 60 adjacent thereto which, with the aid of pegs 62, may be utilized to keep a respective score for each competitor or participant utilizing each lane 14.

End wall 56 is provided with a bottom opening 64 which provides a means for projectile return outwardly from the distal end of the firing lane and into a return tray 66 wherein the projectiles 18 are retained for further subsequent use. In addition, end walls 56 are further provided with a weapon receiving opening 68 medially thereof for receiving the simulated gun or pistol l6 which may be inserted therein and pointed towards the central target area 12.

The simulated weapon or pistol 16 includes a handle portion 70 and a channellike barrel 72. A projectile-launching element 74 having diverging legs 74a: and 74b joined together in a central apex 740 is movably mounted by means of crosspin 76 in slot 78 in opposite sides of the channel-shaped barrel 72. A spring 80 is connected to the free end of leg 74a and to a cross-rib 82 at the underside of barrel 72. By means of retracting launcher 74 and cocking it in opposition to the spring 80 and subsequent release thereof by manipulation of launcher 74, a projectile 18 may be launched outwardly from simulated weapon l6 and towards central target area 12 in an attempt to successfully gain access to receiving chamber 32 through apertures 2%. It is to be understood that other types of simulated weapons or launching elements can be utilized and that the invention is not to be restricted to the particular form of simulated weapon 16 shown herein.

In use, the toy shooting gallery of this invention provides a plurality of firing lanes radiating outwardly from a central target area which permits all participants to simultaneously attempt to successfully launch their projectiles into the target area. Thus, the competition not only is direct and concurrent, but further the participants may each view the other while continuing to successfully launch the projectiles into the central target area. Following the firing of all of the projectiles, the lid 20 may be lifted by means of handle 24 which will clear the central target area 12 of all of the webs and partitions 34, 30 and walls 26. This will permit the projectiles 18 to roll freely under the influence of gravity down each of the inclined floor segments 38 to return to the respective firing lane 14 by way of floor portion 48 downwardly and outwardly through opening 64 at the end of distal wall 68 and into tray 66.'Those projectiles 18 which were not successfully fired through the apertures 28 will rebound otf walls 26 and ultimately descend by way of floor 48 and out through opening 64 into tray 66.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. A toy shooting gallery including a plurality of guns for launching projectiles comprising: a central target portion having plural separate target areas therein and plural firing lanes each associated with one of the separate target areas and radiating outwardly in different directions from the central target portion, said shooting gallery including removable wall means defining said separate target areas and including aper tures affording access to each of said target areas only from the associated firing lane, said central target portion having a bottom comprised of a plurality of segments, one segment for each of the firing lanes with the segments inclined downwardly toward their associated firing lane, whereby removal of said wall means from a position between the firing lanes permits gravity feed of projectiles on each of the bottom segments of the target portion toward the associated firing lane, each firing lane having a gun-receiving means at the outer end and a gun mounted in movable relation to said gun-receiving means and operable to fire a projectile toward the associated target area, whereby the guns may be fired inwardly towards the central target for simultaneous competitive firing by plural participants and the projectiles passing through one of said apertured walls can only pass into the associated separate target area.

2. The toy of claim 1, wherein the central target area portion further includes sound producing means having a portion thereof extending into each of the separate target areas.

3. The toy of claim 1 wherein the firing lanes include downwardly and outwardly extended bottom wall portions being substantial continuations of the floor segments of said target portion.

4. The toy of claim 3 wherein the firing lanes are enclosed and include a distal wall having a lower projectile return opening and a medial simulated gun-receiving opening.

Claims (4)

1. A toy shooting gallery including a plurality of guns for launching projectiles comprising: a central target portion having plural separate target areas therein and plural firing lanes each associated with one of the separate target areas and radiating outwardly in different directions from the central target portion, said shooting gallery including removable wall means defining said separate target areas and including apertures affording access to each of said target areas only from the associated firing lane, said central target portion having a bottom comprised of a plurality of segments, one segment for each of the firing lanes with the segments inclined downwardly toward their associated firing lane, whereby removal of said wall means from a position between the firing lanes permits gravity feed of projectiles on each of the bottom segments of the target portion toward the associated firing lane, each firing lane having a gunreceiving means at the outer end and a gun mounted in movable relation to said gun-receiving means and operable to fire a projectile toward the associated target area, whereby the guns may be fired inwardly towards the central target for simultaneous competitive firing by plural participants and the projectiles passing through one of said apertured walls can only pass into the associated separate target area.

2. The toy of claim 1, wherein the central target area portion further includes sound producing means having a portion thereof extending into each of the separate target areas.

3. The toy of claim 1 wherein the firing lanes include downwardly and outwardly extended bottom wall portions being substantial continuations of the floor segments of said target portion.

4. The toy of claim 3 wherein the firing lanes are enclosed and include a distal wall having a lower projectile return opening and a medial simulated gun-receiving opening.

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