Abstract: A table top board game including a game board having a plurality of playing pieces. Each playing piece is formed of a soft moldable easily deformable material in the shape of an upstanding figurine. A mold is provided for molding new playing pieces and repairing playing pieces which have been deformed during the course of the game. A path of travel for the playing pieces is depicted on the game board. This path of travel includes a series of discrete stations each of which is spaced apart a sufficient distance from another station so that a station can receive one of the playing pieces without that playing piece interfering with another playing piece positioned on an adjacent station. The playing piece cutting mechanism includes a scissors-like mechanism having a pair of blades one of the blades being movable relative to the other blade by a link which is driven by the crank operated mechanism.

Abstract: A tabletop bowling game including a small scale replica of a bowling alley. A platform is mounted above the replica of the bowling alley at one end thereof. Ten upstanding posts are formed on the platform with the posts arranged in seven columns extending lengthwise of the bowling alley to provide a pattern of posts similar to the pattern of pins on a bowling alley. Each post receives and supports a small scale replica of a bowling pin. Each small scale replica of a bowling pin has a spring which is compressed by its post and which biases the bowling pin in a direction upwardly off the post. A releasable hook mechanism is provided for holding each bowling pin replica on its post against the bias of the spring. Targets extend downwardly from the platform and terminate slightly above the bowling alley with each target aligned with a single column of posts. Slides connect the targets and the hooks to release one of the hooks from its bowling pin replica upon movement of the target.

Abstract: A manually-actuated drawing toy including a pair of beams linked for alternate, reciprocal motion, each beam of the beams having at least one holder for a writing implement. A rectangular tray is provided to hold a piece of drawing paper under and in contact with the writing implements. A mechanism is provided to rotate the paper tray eccentrically as the beams are alternately reciprocated. The paper tray may be rotated and held in different positions relative to the path of movement of the beams.

Abstract: A spinable balleria doll having a body, legs, feet arms, hands and a head. A pushrod extends through the body and out of the head. The pushrod is mounted for reciprocal movement relative to the doll. The pushrod engages a square drive nut located in the body of the doll to rotate the body as the pushrod is pushed into the body. Each leg is connected to the body and each foot is connected to its leg to permit rotation of one relative to the other. Releasable detents and teeth are associated with the body, legs and feet to permit each leg to be held in selected positions of rotation relative to the body and each foot to be held in selected positions of rotation relative to its leg.

Abstract: A tabletop baseball game including a replica of a baseball field and a diamond which is constructed with plastic tubing and bases joined by connectors. A ball-hitting mechanism and a ball-positioning and supporting wall are provided as part of home plate. The ball-hitting mechanism includes an arm which is pivotally mounted for rotation in an arc relative to home plate. A replica of a baseball bat is pivotally mounted on the arm for swinging motion in a path that intersects the ball when it is positioned on the home plate. A spring mechanism is provided which can be tensioned by reverse rotation of the bat replica, stored by a ratchet and pawl mechanism and released by a push button to swing the bat.

Abstract: A latch and latch release mechanism for an indicator which visually signals the movement of a tensioned sliding bar along a game board. The mechanism includes an indicator in the shape of a fanciful apple pivotally mounted for movement between a lowered position and an upstanding position. A rubber band urges the indicator to its upstanding position. A latch is formed on the indicator and is positioned to engage the sliding bar when the indicator is in its lowered position to retain the indicator in this position. A row of teeth is formed on the game board and aligned with the path of movement of the tensioned sliding bar. A finger is mounted on the indicator and engageable with the teeth when the indicator is in its lowered position to twist the indicator and release the latch from engagement with the sliding bar when the sliding bar moves.

Abstract: A toy spinner in the shape of a birthday cake which uses sequentially flashing lights to duplicate the rotational movement of a pointer and also provides a clicking sound characteristic of a carnival-type fortune wheel. The spinner has a turntable which carries a single light bulb which sequentially illuminates a series of lamps arranged in a circle to mimic the action of a rotating pointer. Rotation of the turntable activates an electrical circuit which remains activated after the turntable stops for a dwell period to indicate by a lighted bulb the segment at which the pointer has stopped. The spinner may be used with a game board and markers. Indicia on the segments are tied into the markers and indicia on the markers are related to elements on the game board.

Abstract: A tabletop action game for two, three or four players in which each player attempts to be the first to dispose of a predetermined number of marbles by propelling the marbles into targets being carried on a rotating turntable, while also rotating the turntable. The game includes a generally square, plastic frame having a central opening. A frusto-conical shaped turntable is rotatably mounted in the central opening. A lever operated mechanism for rotating the turntable is located at each corner of the frame. Also provided at each corner of the frame, adjacent the lever operated rotating mechanism, is a lever operated marble propelling mechanism. A chute is installed over each marble propelling mechanism to direct the propelled marbles onto the turntable. The targets includes a open top replica of a garbage truck and an open top replica of a trash container.

Abstract: A game including a hollow housing in the shape of a chicken or hen having an outlet opening for a marble which represents an egg. An inclined ramp leads from the marble outlet opening. A detent is located in the inclined ramp to restrain movement of a marble past the detent on the ramp. A shield extends over the detent to restrict access to a marble retained by the detent. An opening extends through the shield to permit generally vertical access to a marble held by the detent. An electrically conductive ring encircles the opening. A circular magnet is mounted on the underside of the electrically conductive ring generally coaxial therewith. A metal probe having an insulated handle is provided with an insulated electric wire connecting the metal probe to a battery power supply.

Abstract: A game including an annular plastic housing having a central opening extending from the top to the bottom thereof. A rotatable disk is located in the central opening. An electric motor having a drive shaft to engage and rotate the disk is provided. A transparent cover is positioned on the annular plastic housing a small distance above the rotatable disk to provide a raceway between the disk and the cover. Walls depend from the transparent cover and terminate slightly above the rotatable disk. The walls are shaped to form pockets and flow paths as well as barricades for the pockets around the periphery of the transparent cover. A plurality of small, somewhat cylindrical plastic parts are placed on the disk to be moved through the raceway upon rotation of the disk. Each pocket has an inlet opening facing the direction of rotation of the disk and an outlet opening facing away from the direction of rotation of the disk. A gate to open and close the outlet opening of each pocket is installed.

Abstract: A timing mechanism for use with a board game to indicate by sound and movement the time period allotted for answering a question or performing a turn or function. It includes a sphere such as a marble which rolls on a circular saucer having an upwardly facing conical plastic surface with a central depression. The central depression is sized to receive and hold the marble. An inclined ramp is formed at the periphery of the circular saucer and it has a width and incline sufficient to permit the marble to roll from the ramp onto the upwardly facing concave surface. A starting pad is located at the top of the inclined ramp on which to place the sphere to begin its downwardly roll. The starting pad is inclined so that the sphere and marble will not rest on the starting pad, but will immediately start its downwardly inclination when released.

Abstract: An elongated vehicle adapted to be propelled along an engaging surface and capable of climbing over obstacles on the engaging surface. The vehicle has a plurality of wheeled units including front and rear units with each unit having two axles and wheels mounted on the ends of the axles. Each unit, except for the front and rear units, shares its two axles with adjacent units. The front and rear units each share only one axle with an adjacent unit. Each unit has a body mounted on the axles and the body is rotatable relative to each of the axles. Each body includes side members to maintain the axles spaced apart longitudinally. The side members of the bodies of adjacent units intermesh and overlap at their shared axles to allow adjacent units to rotate vertically relative to each other. The side members include stop surfaces to limit rotation of adjacent units relative to one another about their shared axles. A drive mechanism is provided to drive the wheels.

Abstract: An educational toy for a child. The toy includes a rectangular frame surrounding a rectangular center area. Tiles are positioned in the center area to fill this area except for one vacant space equal in size to a tile. A pair of grooves are formed in the top surface of each tile with each groove extending from one side edge of a tile to another side edge of a tile with all grooves intersecting the side edges of its tile at the midpoint of each side edge. Some tiles have only straight grooves which intersect while other tiles have only arcuate curves which do not intersect. Turnaround grooves are formed in the rectangular frame. Each turnaround groove opens at its opposite ends into the center area of the frame.

Abstract: A reversing mechanism for a toy motor driven wheeled vehicle having a driven axle with attached wheels supported on a chassis. The axle is supported on the chassis so that it is shiftable laterally relative to the chassis. The reversing mechanism includes an apparatus to shift the driven axle laterally relative to the chassis between forward and reverse driving positions upon engagement of the front or rear of the vehicle with the firm obstructing object. A pair of spur gears are positioned on the driven axle and are spaced in generally fixed relation to each other with each gear freely rotatable on the driven shaft. The shaft is freely slidable through the gears. A clutch member is affixed to the driven axle for rotation therewith and is positioned between the spur gears. The clutch member has rotationally opposite effective one-way clutch teeth on the sides thereof facing the spur gears.

Abstract: A musical instrument having a housing. A well is formed in one surface of the housing and adapted to receive a card. A slide is mounted on the housing for movement across the surface of the card. The card containing printed indicia, each of which represents a note of a musical composition with the indicia arranged in a generally rectangular matrix. The indicia on the card are arranged in one direction across the matrix to indicate the sequence of notes played in a musical composition from the beginning to the end thereof. The indicia are arranged in the direction across the matrix extending at right angles to the sequence of playing to indicate changes in frequency of the notes from the lowest frequency on one side of the matrix to the highest frequency on the other side. The slide extends across the card and the well in the direction of the sequence of playing the notes of the composition.

Abstract: A three-dimensional game having rotatable track members mounted on a support frame on which a self-propelled vehicle may be guided over a predetermined course through rotation of the track members. The track members are mounted on the support frame so that they can be rotated into a plurality of positions in some of which positions a set of track members forms a substantially continuous path upon which the vehicle may travel from one track member to another track member. Rotation of the track members is accomplished through manipulation of a set of attached knobs. Each track member may include a metal panel to which the magnetized wheels of the self-propelled vehicle are attracted, allowing for rotation of a vehicle-carrying track member in a full circle without the vehicle falling from the track member.

Abstract: A toy motorcycle is mounted on and supported by a front wheel and a driven rear wheel which is heavy enough to act as a flywheel. A pull string mechanism includes a spring biased spring spool having a gear, with a step-up gear train imposed between the spool gear and the rear driven wheel. A centrifugally operated pawl mechanism is driven by the gear train to couple with ratchet teeth formed on the rear wheel in order to drive the rear wheel in one direction and to decouple from the ratchet teeth when the gear train is driven in the opposite direction during string recoil. The rear wheel has a greater moment of inertia than the other components of the pull string drive mechanism to enable the rear wheel to function as a flywheel and thereby store energy to drive the motorcycle. A reed is positioned to be plucked by a rotating cam to produce sound.

Abstract: A game including a game board having a base and pegs upstanding on the base arranged in columns and rows to define a grid of uniformly sized squares. A plurality of square cards each of which is divided into nine colored squares identical in size to the squares of the game board is provided. Notches are formed along the sides of each card at the corners of each square and openings are formed in the card at the corners of the center square so that the cards can be fitted over the pegs and against one another and the base of the game board. The squares on the cards are arranged in patterns of color so the cards can be placed on top of one another in a partially overlapping manner to ultimately form a pattern of nine contiguous squares of the same color when viewed from above.

Abstract: A tamper evident packaging for contaminatable products. The packaging includes inner and outer gas-tight containers. In one embodiment, the inner container has only one flexible wall and the outer container has only one flexible wall. The inner and outer containers are each pressurized with gas above atmospheric pressure to inflate their flexible walls. In another embodiment of the invention, both walls of each of the inner and outer containers are flexible. The capsules, pill and the like to be protected are located inside the inner container and the inner container is positioned inside the outer container providing a package which is difficult to tamper with and will clearly show evident of tampering both through appearance and characteristic feel to the would be purchaser.