Racing tops

Claim 2

A top game comprising a flat playing surface having upper and lower end portions and a peripheral barrier wall extending upwardly therefrom and means for supporting said playing surface in an inclined configuration sloping from said upper end portion to said lower end portion, said barrier wall having a plurality of independent top launching stations integrally formed therein at the upper end of said playing surface, and a top discharge passage at the lower end of said playing surface, a plurality of tops, independent means for separately initiating spinning of said tops at the respective launching stations, and a plurality of rigid obstacles extending upwardly from said playing surface, in spaced relation to each other, for obstructing passage of tops from said launching stations to said discharge passage whereby tops independently launched at said respective launching stations and moving down said inclined playing surface towards said discharge passage are deflected along their paths of travel by engagement with said rigid obstacles.

Claim 3

The game as defined in claim 1 wherein said upper end portion of said playing surface has a generally simi-circular periphery and said plurality of independent launching stations are located in arcuate spaced relation to each other in the portion of said peripheral barrier wall extending along said semi-circular upper end portion of said playing surFace, whereby said tops are adapted to be independently launched at said respective launching stations along angularly related paths of travel.

Claim 4

The game as defined in claim 2 wherein said peripheral barrier wall has a plurality of integral rigid obstacle wall portions extending inwardly thereof into said playing surface.

Claim 5

The game as defined in claim 3 wherein said rigid obstacles extending upwardly from said playing surface comprise a plurality of frustoconical members located in spaced relation to each other on said surface and at least two chevron-shaped wall members whose apices are directed towards the upper end of said playing surface.

Claim 6

The game as defined in claim 4 wherein the upper portions of said frustoconical members are fluted at a height commensurate with the height of outwardly extending portions of the tops for engagement therewith.

Claim 7

The game as described in claim 4 wherein said inclined playing surface, peripheral wall and rigid obstacles are integrally formed in a one piece plastic construction.

Claim 8

The game as described in claim 6 wherein said supporting means comprises at least two leg members operatively connected to said playing surface at the upper end thereof to support said surface in said inclined configuration.

Claim 9

The game as defined in claim 6 wherein each of said tops includes a supporting stem and said launching stations each comprise a flat shoulder formed in said peripheral wall and extending outwardly from said playing surface in substantially parallel spaced relation to said surface, said shoulder constituting a launching platform upon which the stem of a top is seated during initiation of spinning thereof.

Claim 10

The game as defined in claim 8 wherein said peripheral wall has a pair of spaced arcuate wall portions adjacent each of said launching platforms, defining an opening therebetween through which said means for spinning a top on the launching platform extends during initiation of spinning.

Claim 11

The game as defined in claim 9 wherein the stems of each of said tops has an enlarged annular boss formed thereon cooperating with the uppermost of said arcuate wall portions when its associated top is on said launching platform to hold said top in a vertical configuration during the initiation of spinning thereof.

Claim 12

The game as defined in claim 10 wherein each of said top stems has an annular spur gear formed thereon below said annular boss and said means for initiating launching comprises an elongated rack gear.

Claim 13

The game as defined in claim 4 wherein said peripheral wall at the lower end portion of said playing surface includes a pair of converging wall portions having spaced end portions defining said discharge passage and opening towards said upper end portion of the playing surface.

Claim 14

A top game comprising a relatively flat inclined playing surface having opposed upper and lower end portions, a peripheral barrier wall extending upwardly from said surface and having a plurality of independent top launching stations formed intergrally therein at the upper end portion of said playing surface and a discharge passage formed therein at the lower end thereof, said upper end portion of said playing surface having a generally semicircular periphery and said plurality of independent launching stations being located in arcuate spaced relation to each other in the portion of said peripheral barrier wall extending along said semicircular upper end portion of said playing surface, whereby said tops are adapted to be independently launched at said respective launching stations along angularly related paths to travel; a plurality of rigid obstacles extending upwardly from said playing surface, said rigid obstacles comprising a plurality of frusto-conical members located in spaced relation on said surface and at least two spaced chevron shaped wall members whose apices are directed towards the upper end portion of said playing surface, whereby tops launched onto said playing surface from said spaced independent launching stations move from the upper end portion of the playing surface to the lower end portion thereof for discharge through said passage and are deflected in their path of travel by said obstacles to achieve a random discharge of tops from said playing surface; said peripheral barrier wall having a plurality of integral obstacle wall portions extending inwardly thereof into said playing surface; and a plurality of tops having radially outwardly extending portions, and the upper portions of said frusto-conical members being fluted at a height commensurate with the height of the outwardly extending portions of the tops for engagement therewith.

Claim 15

A top game comprising a relatively flat inclined playing surface having opposed upper and lower end portions, a peripheral barrier wall extending upwardly from said surface and having a plurality of independent top launching stations formed intergrally therein at the upper end portion of said playing surface and a discharge passage formed therein at the lower end thereof, said upper end portion of said playing surface having a generally semicircular periphery and said plurality of independent launching stations being located in arcuate spaced relation to each other in the portion of said peripheral barrier wall extending along said semicircular upper end portion of said playing surface, whereby said tops are adapted to be independently launched at said respective launching stations along angularly related paths to travel; a plurality of rigid obstacles extending upwardly from said playing surface, said rigid obstacles comprising a plurality of frusto-conical members located in spaced relation on said surface and at least two spaced chevron shaped wall members whose apices are directed towards the upper end portion of said playing surface, whereby tops launched onto said playing surface from said spaced independent launching stations move from the upper end portion of the playing surface to the lower end portion thereof for discharge through said passage and are deflected in their path of travel by said obstacles to achieve a random discharge of tops from said playing surface; said peripheral barrier wall having a plurality of integral obstacle wall portions extending inwardly thereof into said playing surface; and a plurality of tops having radially outwardly extending portions, and the upper portions of said frusto-conical members being fluted at a height commensurate with the height of the outwardly extending portions of the tops for engagement therewith.

Claim 16

The game as defined in claim 13 wherein said peripheral wall at the lower end of said playing surface includes a pair of converging wall portions having spaced end portions defining said discharge passage and opening towards said upper end of the playing surface.