Game apparatus

Claim 2

A pinball type game, comprising: means defining a playing surface over which a playing object, such as a ball, may be propelled, with an aperture in said playing surface; a playing object to be propelled upon said playing surface; a playing object propelling device located in proximity to said playing surface so as to be capable of propelling a playing object upon said playing surface; and target means mounted on said playing surface, including a lever member pivotally mounted intermediate its ends adjacent said aperture for pivotal movement about an axis generally parallel to said playing surface, the lever member comprising a target portion on one side of said axis and an actuating portion on the other side of said axis, said target portion normally resting on said playing surface and said actuating portion substantially covering said aperture in the playing surface, said actuating portion being smaller than said aperture, said aperture being larger than a playing object, with a playing object being of sufficient weight to cause the lever member to pivot when the playing object moves on top of the actuating portion thereof whereby the playing object passes through the aperture and effects movement of said target portion to a generally upright position, and said lever member having a bell crank portion of sufficient size and shape relative to said aperture and a playing object so as to overlie and rest upon portions of the playing surface about the aperture when said target portion is in said generally upright position to define said upright position of the target portion while at the same time blocking the passage of a playing object through said aperture.

Claim 3

The game of claim 1 including a receptacle immediately beneath said aperture and into which the actuating portion of said lever is movable, said receptacle cooperating with said actuating portion for receiving and holding a playing object which passes through the aperture and for moving a received and held playing object back out of the receptacle onto the playing surface as the actuating portion is pivoted into engagement with the received and held playing object as the actuating portion is moved back to said normal position substantially covering the aperture.

Claim 4

A pinball type game, comprising: means defining a playing surface over which a playing object, such as a ball, may be propelled, with an aperture in said playing surface; a playing object to be propelled upon said playing surface; a playing object propelling device located In proximity to said playing surface so as to be capable of propelling a playing object upon said playing surface; and target means mounted on said playing surface, including a lever member pivotally mounted intermediate its ends adjacent said aperture for pivotal movement about an axis generally parallel to said playing surface, the lever member comprising a target portion on one side of said axis and an actuating portion on the other side of said axis, said target portion normally resting on said playing surface and said actuating portion substantially covering said aperture in the playing surface, said actuating portion being smaller than said aperture, said aperture being larger than a playing object, with a playing object being of sufficient weight to cause the lever member to pivot when the playing object moves on top of the actuating portion thereof whereby the playing object passes through the aperture and effects movement of said target portion to a generally upright position, and including a receptacle immediately beneath said aperture and said actuating portion into which the actuating portion of said lever is movable, said receptacle cooperating with said actuating portion for receiving and holding a playing object which passes through the aperture and for moving a received and held playing object back out of the receptacle onto the playing surface as the actuating portion is pivoted into engagement with the received and held playing object as the actuating portion is moved back to said normal position substantially covering the aperture.

Claim 5

A pinball type game, comprising: means defining a playing surface over which a playing object, such as a ball, may be propelled, with an aperture in said playing surface; a playing object to be propelled upon said playing surface; a playing object propelling device located In proximity to said playing surface so as to be capable of propelling a playing object upon said playing surface; and target means mounted on said playing surface, including a lever member pivotally mounted intermediate its ends adjacent said aperture for pivotal movement about an axis generally parallel to said playing surface, the lever member comprising a target portion on one side of said axis and an actuating portion on the other side of said axis, said target portion normally resting on said playing surface and said actuating portion substantially covering said aperture in the playing surface, said actuating portion being smaller than said aperture, said aperture being larger than a playing object, with a playing object being of sufficient weight to cause the lever member to pivot when the playing object moves on top of the actuating portion thereof whereby the playing object passes through the aperture and effects movement of said target portion to a generally upright position, and including a receptacle immediately beneath said aperture and said actuating portion into which the actuating portion of said lever is movable, said receptacle cooperating with said actuating portion for receiving and holding a playing object which passes through the aperture and for moving a received and held playing object back out of the receptacle onto the playing surface as the actuating portion is pivoted into engagement with the received and held playing object as the actuating portion is moved back to said normal position substantially covering the aperture.