US3232614A

US3232614A - Bowling pins

Info

Publication number: US3232614A
Application number: US98370A
Authority: US
Inventors: Abbat Jean-Pierre
Original assignee: DURATRON CORP
Current assignee: DURATRON Corp
Priority date: 1961-03-27
Filing date: 1961-03-27
Publication date: 1966-02-01
Anticipated expiration: 1983-02-01

Description

1966 JEAN-PIERRE ABBAT 3,232,614

BOWLING PINS Filed March 2'7, 1961 INVENTOR.

Jean-Pierre Abbar ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,232,614 BilvVLING'PENS Jean-Pierre Abbat, New Rochelle, N.Y., assignor, by direst and mesne assignments, to Duration Corporation, West Covina, Calih, a corporation of Delaware Filed Mar.-27,11961, Ser. No. 98,370 llCiaims. (Cl. 27382) This invention relates to bowling pins, and moreparticularly concerns bowling pins formed of non-wood materials.

Conventional bowling pins :are made of sound, hard maple in one piece or of laminated construction. Such pins must meet set specifications as to weight, moisture content, height andsurface configuration, to be deemed standard and acceptable for use in leagues and tournaments recognized by the American Bowling Congress (ABC).

With the progressive increase in popularity of bowling and the limited availability of acceptable maple, dimculties are being encountered in meeting the demand for wood pins. Furthermore, wood pins have a relatively limited useful life and even such normal life appears to be somewhat reduced by the hard usage encountered by the pins in relation to the automatic, mechanical pin setter which handles the same.

Wood pins, after extensive use, are refinished to extend their useful life, but such rehabilitation procedures do not materially increase the available pin supply. While attempts have been made to provide pins of non-wood materials which have a greater normal life in use; such materials have not been widely accepted inasmuch as pins made from such materials ,do not exhibit all the well known characteristics and properties of a wood pin.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a novel pin design which permits the use of materials highly resistant to wear, abrasion and impact; the resultant pin not only having an extended span of life, but further, faithfully reproducing the well known properties of wood pins in use, thereby making such novel pinshighly acceptable by bowlers.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved bowling pin design which permits the use of a variety of materials in the construction thereof, and allows a selection of such materials in various combinations thereof and in terms of manufacturing costs, useful life expectancy and the like, while still retaining the essential standards and specifications of a wood pin.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved bowling pin design which allows for precision manufacture of mass produced pins, at reduced costs; yet providing pins fully equivalent to a wood pin in respect to the essential properties thereof, which may be produced in precisely matched sets and which have a substantially increased span of life as compared to that of wood pins.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing, FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view-of a bowling pin embodying the invention; FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, showing a modified form of the invention; FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, showing still another embodiment of the invention; FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 4; and FIG. 6 is an enlarged, partial sectional view showing a modified form of joint between pin sections.

In designing a bowling pin to be formed of materials other than wood, the replacement pin must have an outer surface configuration which conforms precisely to the standards and specifications laid down by the ABC. Such 3,232,6l4 Patented Feb. 1, 1966 configuration is defined as a surface of revolution about a vertical axis with the radii measured from such axis to the surface at prescribed heights above the'base of the pin, having precise-values; vAlso,-'the center of gravity of the pin must be located at a predetermined point and the weight of the pinmust be kept within prescribed limits.

It has been found that a bowling pin may be formed of selected materials other than wood and still show the well known and desired characteristics of a wood pin, when the novel pincomprisesessentially a shell-like outer member and a core member fitted within the :outer member. Furthermore, the inner surface of the'outer member and the outer surface of the core member-take the form of surfaces of revolution'ofdetermined configuration.

Since the outer surface of the's-hell like outer member is standardized as to configuration :in accordance with the specifications .of the ABC, the surface configuration of the inner surface of theshell-like member and that of the outer surface of the core member is determined as a function of points in the *outer surface of the shelllike member; and also taking into account vthe specific gravities of thematerials from which the shell-like and core members are formed, as 'well. asthe specific gravity of the wood from which a conventional wood pin is formed.

The pin of the instant invention may have its outer shell-like member formed of various materials, selected on the basis of specific gravity, abrasion resistance, impact resistance and other physical properties. Thus, the shell-like outer member may be formed of metal, metal alloy, polymeric synthetics in filled or unfilled form and in solid or cellular form; including steel, aluminum, polyurethane, polypropylene,- epoxyor phenolic resins. Similarly, the core member is formed of selected materia1s,,including thoseenumerated above, as well as other materials having lesser :degrees of resistance 'torabrasion, impact and the like, including plaster, hard rubber, filled papier mache, unfilled phenolic resinsand the like.

By way of'illustrat-ion, in FIG. 1 is shown a pin P embodying the invention. The same comprises an outer shell member 11 and a core member 12 within member 11. Themember 11 has an outer surface 13 which is a surface of revolution about the vertical axis XX and is of standardized configuration as prescribed by the ABC. Typically, radial measurements at various height levels taken in respect to base 14 of thepin, are as follows: at 0-1.-125"; at 2.2 l.94 at 4.5"2.387"; at 7.25"1.85"; at -l0"-0.835; at 11.75"1.047"; and at 13.5"-1.273".

The inner surface 15 of shell-like member 11 and outer surface 16 of core member 12-are determined as surfaces of revolution with respect to axis XX, in terms of surface 13 and the-specific-gravities of the materials of

members

11, 12 and .of maple wood of the type used in malq'ng a wood pin. 7

Thus, where R is the radius measured from axis XX to a given point in surface 13 of member 11 at a given height above base Y14, and a known quantity based on ABC specifications and where R is the radius from said axis XX to a corresponding pointin surface 15 of member 11 at the same given height above base, then R =R k k being a constant calculated in the manner later described. Accordingly, the inner surface 15 of member 11 may be completely defined to permit the formation of said member 11.

Similarly, the outer surface 16 of member 12 may be defined by calculating R values with respect to axis XX at various heights from base 14, 'from'the equation 3 k being a constant calculated in themanner hereinafter described. The resultant surfaces of

revolution

15, 16 will be in opposed relation with a space 17 therebetween. It has been found that the value of the constant k may be obtained from the equation:

where S is the specific gravity of the material from which member 11 is formed; S is the specific gravity of the material from which member 12 is formed; and S is the specific gravity of the wood from which a conventional wood pin is formed. S and S are different and greater than S When S is greater than S E=+1; and when S is greater than S E=1.

Similarly, the value of the constant may be obtained from the equation:

It will be apparent that with the values for k and k calculated in terms of the materials selected for forming

members

11, 12, their respective surfaces may be determined. The shell and

core members

11, 12 may then be formed by appropriate operations including molding, casting, pressing or the like.

Thus, if pin P shown in FIG. 1 is to have a shell member 11 formed of polyurethane and core member 12 formed of phenolic resin, the members may be premolded of the respective materials. Member 11 has its tip formed with a small central opening 18 and core member 12 is formed at its tip with a small projection 19 receivable in opening 18. As polyurethane member 11 is elastomeric, the same may be resiliently distended to pass core mem ber 12 interiorly thereof for assembly therewith. A small washer 20 at base 14 of pin P iscemented in place to complete the proper assembly of

members

11, 12.

Alternatively, the pin may be formed by successive molding operations. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, the premolded core member 12 is used as an inner mold element for molding thereabout a light, rigid cellular mass 21, such as foamed polyurethane. Mass 21 fills the space 17 indicated in FIG. 1. The outer surface 22 of cellular mass 21 corresponds to the predetermined inner surface of the shell member 11A and is molded accordingly. Outer surface 22 of body 21 now provides a mold element for the shell member 11A which is now molded about said body 21. Body 21 is very light and does not materially affect the calculations for determining the surface configurations of core member 12 and shell member 11A. Body 21 also maintains

members

11A, 12 in their proper relationship. Thus, shell member 11A may be formed of a non-extensible material, by virtue of the combined molding and assembly operations described.

Also, if desired, the shell member may take the form of a plurality of premolded sections which are interfitted and assembled with the core member. As shown in FIG.

4, pin 25 comprises a core member 26 in premolded form with slightly

dovetailed portions

27, 28 at the opposite ends thereof. The shell member 29 is made up of premolded

cuplike sections

30, 31 providing the top and bottom portions of the pin respectively and a pair of mating

semi-cylindrical sections

32, 33 forming the intermediate portion of the pin.

The

pin sections

32, 33 are formed with mating tongue and groove

portions

34, 35 along their opposed vertical edges. The lower peripheral edge portion 36 of top section 30 and the upper peripheral edge portion 37 of

intermediate sections

32, 33 are interconnected as by shiplap

joint portions

38, 39. Similar joint portions are provided to connect bottom section 31 with

intermediate sections

32, 33.

The top shell section 30 is formed at its tip with an opening 40 complementary to tip portion 27 on core member 26 while the bottom wall 4-1 of the bottom shell section 31 is formed with an opening 42 complementary to projecting portion 28 on core member 26.

The

several shell sections

30, 31, 32 and 33 may be assembled together and with core member 26 and adhesive may be applied at the several joint lines. However, with the shell sections being formed of slightly yieldable material, the top and

bottom sections

36, 31 may be snapped into place with respect to core member 26, locking the interenegaged

portions

27, 40 and 28, 42 and thereby holding all the shell sections firmly together.

Other means may be used to hold the shell and core members in properly assembled relationship, as by screws, press fit portions and the like. Thus, as shown in FIG. 6, the

sections

30, 32 may be interlocked by dovetail joint portions 38' and 39' which are snapped together during the assembly of the several sections as described above.

Also, the cellular mass 21 may be formed in place after the

members

11A and 12 have been assembled, as by injecting a suitable polyurethane composition which will foam into place.

As various changes might be made in the embodiments of the invention herein described without departing from the spirit thereof, it is understood that all matter herein shown or described shall be deemed illustrative and not by way of limitation except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A bowling pin comprising an outer shell member and an inner core member, interengagable means on at least one end of said members for maintaining said members with their respective vertical axes in coincidence and for preventing relative movement of said members along said axes, said shell member having outer and inner surfaces respectively describing surfaces of revolution with respect to said axes, said core member having an outer surface describing a surface of revolution with respect to said axes and in opposed relation to the inner surface of said shell member, the outer surface of said shell member being of standardized configuration, the inner surface of said shell member being such that any point in said surface shall have a radius measured from said axes which is proportioned to the radius of a corresponding point in the outer surface of said shell member measured from said axes, and the outer surface of said core member being such that any point in said outer surface shall have a radius measured from said axes which is proportioned to the radius of a corresponding point in the outer surface of said shell member measured from said axes, wherein the value of the ratio of the inner radius of the shell member to the outer radius thereof at any point between the top and bottom portions of said pin is constant and the value of the ratio of the radius of the core member to the outer radius of the shell member at said point betweenthe top and bottom portions of said pin is constant.

2. A bowling pin as in claim 1 wherein said members are formed of materials having a specific gravity greater 5 than 0.60 and the specific gravities of said members are different.

3. A bowling pin as in claim 1 wherein said shell memher is formed of rigid polyurethane.

4. A bowling pin as in claim 1 wherein the inner surface of the outer shell member is spaced from the outer surface of the inner core member and a cellular rigid filling is disposed between said members for maintaining said members with their vertical axes in coincidence.

5. A bowling pin as in claim 1 wherein said shell and core members are premolded elements and the shell member has an extensible opening in its wall whereby the core member may be inserted within said shell member.

6. A bowling pin as in claim 1 wherein said shell member comprises a plurality of walled sections having interengageable meeting edge portions.

7. A bowling pin as in claim 1 wherein a light rigid cellular mass is in integrated relation to said core member and said shell member is in integrated relation to said rigid cellular mass.

8. A bowling piri as in claim 1 wherein the inner surface of said outer shell member is spaced from the outer surface of said inner core member and the shell member and the core member are formed or" materials having the same specific gravity and R =R k and R =R k k being equal to S0 Ts.

R and R being radii measured from the vertical axis of said members to a given point in the inner surface of said shell member and the outer surface of said core member respectively at any given height above the base of said pin, R being the radius measured from said axis to the outer surface of said shell member at said given height above the base of the pin; S being the specific gravity of the material from which said members are formed, and S beand k being equal to 6 ing the specific gravity of wood from which wood pins are formed.

9. A bowling pin as in claim 1 wherein said shell member comprises cup-shaped upper and lower sections and a pair of vertically split intermediate sections, said intermediate sections having interfitting joint portions on the opposed vertical edges thereof, said intermediate, upper and lower sections having interfitting joint portions on the opposed annular edges thereof.

10. A bowling pin as in claim 9 wherein said cupshaped sections and respectively adjacent end portions of said core member have cooperative, interlocking portions for holding said shell member sections and said core member in assembled relation.

11. A bowling pin as in claim 1 wherein said shell member is formed of a rigid, abrasion resistant polymeric synthetic resinous material and said core member is formed of a molded synthetic resinous material.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 573,797 12/1896 Rockwell 273-82 1,205,278 11/ 1916 Skalla 273-82 1,491,279 4/1924 Stewart 273-82 2,202,674 3/ 1940 Seaman et al 273-82 2,289,872 7/1942 Brinkmann 18-59 2,684,504 7/1954 Sell 18-59 2,797,923 7/1957 Dettman 273-82 2,944,821 7/1960 Mason 273-82 2,968,485 1/1961 Aler 273-82 3,012,987 12/1961 Ansul. 3,025,061 3/1962 Ernst et al 273-82 3,037,771 6/1962 Gambino 273-82 3,138,380 6/1964 Satchell et al; 273-82 3,147,974 9/ 1964 Tomarkin 273-82 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. DELBERT B. LOWE, Examiner. LOUIS I. BOVASSO, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A BOWLING PIN COMPRISING AN OUTER SHELL MEMBER AND AN INNER CORE MEMBER, INTERENGAGABLE MEANS ON AT LEAST ONE END OF SAID MEMBERS FOR MAINTAINING SAID MEMBERS WITH THEIR RESPETIVE VETICAL AXES IN COINCIDENCE AND FOR PREVENTING RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBERS ALONG SAID AXES, SAID SHELL MEMBER HAVING OUTER AND INNER SURFACES RESPECTIVELY DESCRIBING SURFACES OF REVOLUTION WITH RESPECT TO SAID AXES, SAID CORE MEMBER HAVING AN OUTER SURFACE DESCRIBING A SURFACE OF REVOLUTION WITH RESPECT TO SAID AXES AND IN OPPOSED RELATION TO THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID SHELL MEMBER, THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID SHELL MEMBER BEING OF STANDARDIZED CONFIGURATION, THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID SHELL MEMBER BEING SUCH THAT ANY POINT IN SAID SURFACE SHALL HAVE A RADIUS MEASURED FROM SAID AXES WHICH IS PROPORTIONED TO THE RADIUS OF A CORRESPONDING POINT IN THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID SHELL MEMBER MEASURED FROM SAID AXES, AND THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID CORE MEMBER BEING SUCH THAT ANY POINT IN SAID OUTER SURFACE SHALL HAVE A RADIUS MEASURED FROM SAID AXES WHICH IS PROPORTIONED TO THE RADIUS OF A CORRESPONDING POINT IN THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID SHELL MEMBER MEASURED FROM SAID AXES, WHEREIN THE VALUE OF THE RATIO OF THE INNER RADIUS OF THE SHELL MEMBER TO THE OUTER RADIUS THEREOF AT ANY POINT BETWEEN THE TOP AND BOTTOM PORTIONS OF SAID PIN IS CONSTANT AND THE VALUE OF THE RATIO OF THE RADIUS OF THE CORE MEMBER TO THE OUTER RADIUS OF THE SHELL MEMBER AT SAID POINT BETWEEN THE TOP AND BOTTOM PORTIONS OF SAID PIN IS CONSTANT..