United States Patent: 3643947

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United States Patent	3,643,947
Collins	February 22, 1972

ROPE FLIPPING RACING GAME

Abstract

A game to be played in or out of doors by one person against time or by a number of people in competition, the articles used in play comprising a removable but firmly upstanding center post, a length of rope for each player and tethered to the said post at substantially shoulder height, a handgrip at the outer end of the rope, a plurality of obstacles attached to the rope in spaced relation and, for each player, a play piece in this instance a wigged head linked to his respective rope and slidable thereon between successive ones of said obstacles and, according to rules of the game, hopped or flipped over the obstacles, one at a time, by up, down and sidewise manipulations of the rope.

Inventors:	Collins; Ronald B. (Memphis, TN)
Appl. No.:	05/000,149
Filed:	January 2, 1970

Current U.S. Class: 463/58 ; 273/109; 273/441; 446/361; 473/576

Current International Class: A63F 9/00 (20060101); A63f 009/14 ()

Field of Search: 273/1R,109,110,95A,86E

Foreign Patent Documents


510,638	Mar., 1955	CA
768,703	May., 1934	FR

Primary Examiner: Oechsle; Anton O.
Assistant Examiner: Brown; Theatrice

Claims

What I claim is:

1. In a fun and competitive game of the character described, an upstanding post, supporting means to prevent tipping and axial rotation of said post, a plurality of ropes tethered to the upper end of said post, a plurality of fixed obstacles attached to each of said ropes in spaced relation to each other, a handgrip at the outer end of each said rope, and a play piece having slideable linked connection with said rope, said post-supporting means including a base in which said post is removably supported, and characterized by the tethering of said ropes to the said post through the medium of a screw eye threaded into said post and a snaphook on the inner end of each rope, said play piece being the simulation of a human head with a wig attached thereto.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the said obstacles on each said rope comprises corks, the said link connection between said head and rope permitting the play piece slide by gravity along said rope between adjacent corks and of a size permitting the play piece to hop over the said corks in succession by manipulation of said rope by the player.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said post is four-sided and includes a rope with its assembly of parts extending from each side of said post.

Description

Flip Your Wig, as herein shown and described, is a game played by one, two, three or four people. When played alone it can be played against time. More than one play against each other or four may play as a team pair (picking the fastest time of the two as in paired golf) or, all four may compete individually and at the same time.

The game operates on three principles of science, viz, wave motion of the rope, gravity and eye-hand coordination. It has been played by people ranging in age from four to 80 years with enjoyment to all and has for its main objective to provide a new and novel game that can be played in or out of doors and which requires but few parts all of which are simple, durable and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the accompanying drawings and a perusal of the following detailed description.

It is understood that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only. Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the two views.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side view of the invention with the manually manipulated ropes pulled radially outward as in use;

FIG. 2 is a plan view as seen from the top of FIG. 1.

Numeral 1 represents a standard in the form of a square-sided vertically extending post of wood or hollow tubing and which in this instance, at its lower end extends through and is anchored against tipping and axial rotation in a base member 4 substantially similar to and for the like purpose of a Christmas tree stand. For outdoor use and as an additional means for anchoring the post 1 its lower end may be extended and pointed as at 10, thus making such extension a stake to be driven into the ground as shown in FIG. 1.

The post 1, it may be stated, from ground level to its top is preferably about four feet in length and into each side face adjacent the top a screw eye 2 is threaded. At a lower level on the pole, for use when a child or short person is playing, there is provided a like set of screw eyes 2. Tethered to the post through the medium of a snaphook 3 in releasable engagement with a respective one of the screw eyes 2 (upper or lower level) is the inner end of a rope 7, or cord of like flexible material, on the outer end of which is a handgrip 6. And, attached to each rope 7, at spaced intervals are a plurality of obstacles such as a medium-sized fishing cork 5, or plastic balls. Suspended from each rope by means of an elongated closed link 8 in a plastic play piece 9 which in form and decoration simulates a human head, a top of which is attached a yarn wig 9' having long hanks of hair.

In playing this game, Flip Your Wig, it is the objective of each player to advance his respective play piece (wigged head) as rapidly as possible along its respective rope 7 from a starting position at handle 6 of the post 1 and return to the handle, the link 8 and its suspended head sliding by gravity between adjacent obstacles (corks 5) functioning as stops, and, by manipulation of the rope, hopping or flipping the head over the corks one at a time and in succession.

According to the rules of the game the players must remain behind a line or mark on the floor a distance from center post 1, so that the ropes, each about eight feet in length, are stretched out substantially in a horizontal plane. At the "go" signal the player(s) may raise and lower his arm as he snaps the rope to allow gravity to aid his progress along the rope. Although the relative sizes of links 8 attached to the heads 9 and those of the corks 5 are such that the head must be hopped rather than slid over each cork.

The players may not reach forward from the line above referred to to touch the rope to the floor or take up the rope to shorten its length.

As the game is played the wigged head 9', attached only to the top of the head 9, flips up and down giving the appearance of a "flipped wig", with each snap or jingle of the rope. This is an added amusement to the player since the face of the head is facing them. The game does require a little determination and the wigged head does not always act in the manner anticipated which creates a certain amount of frustration thereby giving the player a sense of "flipping his own wig" in the colloquial sense.

Advantages in playing the game are that two principles of wave motion and gravity can be discovered; experiences of a basic scientific principle and the practice of eye-hand coordination are excellent for children. The game is competitive and fun.

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Current U.S. Class:	463/58 ; 273/109; 273/441; 446/361; 473/576
Current International Class:	A63F 9/00 (20060101); A63f 009/14 ()
Field of Search:	273/1R,109,110,95A,86E