Patent · US Expired

Pinball machine with conical playfield

US4244574A · kind A · utility

4Cited by
3References
6Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 29, 1979
Grant dateJan 13, 1981
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 29, 1999

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA63F7/027
  • WIPO fieldFurniture, games
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A pinball machine having a main body with a circular upper margin and a conical playing surface extending downwardly from said upper margin and inwardly toward the center of the body. The body has a ball-actuating plunger and curved track near said upper margin so that a ball can be propelled in a circular path along said upper margin and away from the track so that the ball can follow a spiral path and strike one or more targets as it moves over the surface toward the lower extremity thereof. A bumper is mounted on the body near the lower extremity of the conical surface, and the bumper has a shiftable element which is manually actuated by a push-button switch to cause an outward force to be exerted on a ball as the ball approaches the bumper near the lower extremity of the conical surface. The element applies a force to the ball in a certain direction to cause the ball to move upwardly on the conical surface and to strike one or more targets on the conical surface. A display means coupled with the targets receives and displays numerical or other scores associated with the striking of the targets. The body has a return hole and passage near the lower extremity of the surface.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.