Amusement device with a moving target and a clock

Abstract

An amusement device includes a housing ( 21 ), a drive disk ( 30 ) which is mounted for rotation in the housing ( 21 ), a target disk ( 40 ) which is mounted for rotation with respect to the drive disk ( 30 ), targets ( 50 ) which are mounted for rotation on the target disk ( 40 ), and a drive unit ( 20 ) which can drive the drive disk ( 30 ) in either of two rational directions. The target disk ( 40 ) is connected to the drive disk ( 30 ) so that the target disk ( 40 ) rotates synchronously with the drive disk ( 30 ) during steady-state rotation of the drive disk ( 30 ), and so that the target disk undergoes limited rotation with respect to the drive disk when the direction of the rotation of the drive disk ( 30 ) is reversed, ans so that targets ( 50 ) rotate with respect to the target disk ( 40 ) when the target disk ( 40 ) rotates with respect to the drive disk ( 30 ).

1 . An amusement device comprising: 
 a housing,    a drive disk which is mounted for rotation with respect to said housing,    means for driving said drive disk in opposite directions of rotation,    means for activating said driving means to drive said drive disk in one of said directions,    means for reversing the direction of rotation of said drive disk,    a target disk which is mounted coaxially with said drive disk,    at least one target mounted to said target disk for rotation with respect to said target disk, and    connecting linkage connecting said target disk to said drive disk so that said target disk rotates synchronously with said drive disk during steady-state rotation of said drive disk, and so that said target disk undergoes limited rotation with respect to said drive disk when the direction of rotation of said drive disk is reversed, and so that said at least one target rotates with respect to said target disk when said target disk rotates with respect to said drive disk.    
     
     
         2 . An amusement device as in  claim 1  wherein said means for reversing the direction of rotation of said drive disk comprises a remote controller, a transmitter for transmitting a signal, and a receiver for receiving said signal, one of said transmitter and said receiver being incorporated in said remote controller, the other of said transmitter and said receiver being fixed with respect to one of said target disk and said housing.  
     
     
         3 . An amusement device as in  claim 2  wherein said signal is a focused beam of radiation.  
     
     
         4 . An amusement device as in  claim 2  comprising at least one said transmitter fixed to said target disk and associated with a respective at least one said target.  
     
     
         5 . An amusement device as in  claim 4  further comprising indicia for scoring, said indicia for scoring visibly indicating how many times said at least one receiver has received a signal.  
     
     
         6 . An amusement device as in  claim 4  further comprising indicia for recognition, said indicia for recognition audibly indicating when said at least one receiver has received a signal.  
     
     
         7 . An amusement device as in  claim 4  wherein said means for activating said driving means comprises a transmitter incorporated in said remote controller and a receiver fixed with respect to said housing.  
     
     
         8 . An amusement device as in  claim 1  wherein said driving means comprises an electric motor fixed in said housing, a pinion gear driven by said electric motor, and a circumferential gear on said drive disk, said pinion gear engaging said circumferential gear to cause rotation of said drive disk.  
     
     
         9 . An amusement device as in  claim 1  wherein said connecting linkage comprises at least one arcuate rack on said driving wheel and a respective said at least one gear train mounted on said target disk, each said at least one rack causing rotation of a respective said target via a respective said gear train when said target wheel rotates with respect to said drive disk.  
     
     
         10 . An amusement device as in  claim 8  wherein each said gear train comprises a pinion which engages said rack and a driving gear which is fixed coaxially with respect to said target.  
     
     
         11 . An amusement device as in  claim 10  wherein each said gear train further comprises an intermediate gear which is fixed coaxially with respect to said pinion and engages said driving gear, said gears being sized so that said driving gear rotates faster than said intermediate gear.  
     
     
         12 . An amusement device as in  claim 1  wherein said control means is effective to automatically reverse the direction of rotation of said drive disk when said target disk has just completed said limited rotation with respect to said drive disk, whereby the direction of rotation of said targets is reversed.  
     
     
         13 . An amusement device as in  claim 12  wherein, when said target disk has completed two consecutive limited rotations in opposite directions with respect to said drive disk, said at least one target assumes the same position with respect to said target disk as it had prior to said consecutive rotational movements.  
     
     
         14 . An amusement device as in  claim 1  wherein said housing comprises a face plate which obscures a portion of said target disk so that each said at least one target is visible for only a limited time as said target disk rotates.  
     
     
         15 . An amusement device as in  claim 14  wherein said targets are provided with images of game animals, said rotating target disk appearing from behind said face plate as a shooting gallery.  
     
     
         16 . An amusement device as in  claim 14  further comprising a clock, said clock comprising hands which are mounted for rotation on said face plate.  
     
     
         17 . An amusement device as in  claim 16  wherein said means for activating said driving means comprises a timer which automatically activates said driving means to drive said drive disk in one of said directions for a predetermined time interval at predetermined times as indicated by said clock.  
     
     
         18 . An amusement device as in  claim 16  further comprising a pendulum which swings back and forth in front of part of said target disk when said clock is operating.  
     
     
         19 . An amusement device as in  claim 18  wherein said housing comprises a face plate which obscures a portion of said target disk so that each said at least one target is visible for only a limited time as said target plate rotates, said pendulum obscuring part of said face plate and being arranged to swing back and forth in front of said face plate.  
     
     
         20 . An amusement device as in  claim 19  wherein said targets are provided with images of birds and said face plate and said pendulum are provided with images of water, whereby said target disk, when rotating, gives the impression of birds flying over moving water.  
     
     
         21 . An amusement device comprising: 
 a housing,    a drive disk which is mounted for rotation with respect to said housing,    driving means for driving said drive disk in opposite directions of rotation,    means for activating said driving means to drive said drive disk in one of said directions,    means for reversing the direction of rotation of said drive disk,    a target disk which is mounted coaxially with said drive disk,    at least one pivotable element mounted to pivot with respect to one of said target disk and said housing, and    connecting linkage connecting said target disk to said drive disk so that said target disk rotates synchronously with said drive disk during steady-state rotation of said drive disk, and so that said target disk undergoes limited rotation with respect to said drive disk when the direction of rotation of said drive disk is reversed, and so that said at least one pivotable element pivots with respect to said one of said target disk and said housing when said target disk rotates with respect to said drive disk.    
     
     
         22 . An amusement device as in  claim 21  wherein said means for reversing the direction of rotation of said drive disk comprises a remote controller, a transmitter for transmitting a signal, and a receiver for receiving said signal, one of said transmitter and said receiver being incorporated in said remote controller, the other of said transmitter and said receiver being fixed with respect to one of said target disk and said housing.  
     
     
         23 . An amusement device as in  claim 22  wherein said means for activating said driving means comprises a remote controller, a transmitter for transmitting a signal, and a receiver for receiving said signal, said transmitter being incorporated in said remote controller, said receiver being fixed with respect to one of said housing.  
     
     
         24 . An amusement device as in  claim 21  wherein said at least one pivotable element comprises at least one target which is mounted to rotate with respect to said target disk.  
     
     
         25 . An amusement device as in  claim 24  wherein said means for reversing the direction of rotation of said drive disk comprises a remote controller, at least one transmitter for transmitting a signal, and at least one receiver for receiving said signal, said at least one transmitter being fixed to said target disk, said at least one receiver being fixed to said remote controller.  
     
     
         26 . An amusement device comprising 
 a housing,    a target disk which is mounted for rotation with respect to said housing,    means for driving said target disk,    means for activating said driving means to drive said target disk, said means comprising a remote controller, a transmitter fixed with respect to said remote controller, and a receiver fixed with respect to said housing,    at least one pivotable element mounted to pivot with respect to one of said target disk and said housing, and    means for causing said at least one pivotable element to pivot with respect to said one of said target disk and said housing, said means comprising said remote controller, a transmitter fixed to one of said target disk and said remote controller, and a receiver fixed to the other of said target disk and said remote controller.