Abstract: A toy vehicle with a chassis carrying an axle for rotation has a hollow wheel mounted for rotation on the axle. Openings extend through the peripheral wall of the wheel that normally contacts a supporting surface. Inside the wheel a spider is secured to the axle for rotation with a number of legs spaced from the axle. A claw is attached to each of the legs for pivotal movement relative to the leg with the free end of the claw substantially within the wheel. Pivotal movement of the claw relative to the leg is permitted by a "living hinge" which also biases the claw to remain in the wheel. The hollow wheel is normally driven on a smooth surface through engagement with the spider-claw subassembly. However, when the wheel encounters a rough surface or obstruction that tends to cause the wheel to slip, the claws emerge and engage the surface and the vehicle clambers across the obstruction.

Abstract: Toy pool table components permit conversion of a card table or other similar piece of furniture having a substantially planar horizontal surface into a toy pool table. Each of a number of ball receiving pockets has a clamping mechanism for mounting the pocket on the edge of the top of the piece of furniture. An upper "U" shaped bracket receives balls from the playing surface through the opening of the "U". Two spaced apart ratchet bars depend downwardly from each side of the bracket. Arms supporting a lower brace slide up and down along the ratcheted bars and each arm has a pawl that engages the ratchet teeth to adjust the pocket clamp to accommodate a wide range of table top thicknesses. A hollow cup for retaining the balls is removably seated within the bight section of the bracket. Elastic bands extending between adjacent pockets bias the pockets into engagement with the card table and provide a resilient cushion for soft rubber or foam balls between the pockets.

Abstract: A board game in which an articulated token is moveable along a serpentine path on a game board having path rows of spaces separated by intermediate zones with each intermediate zone containing an end turning space. The token has a number of disks joined together by a bead chain that permits a disk to be turned from one side to the opposite side, which is distinguished by color or other indicia, independently of the other disk segments as well as to permit the movement of the token along the serpentine path. A shooter moveable along the edge of the board is provided for hitting individual disk segments rendering them inoperable and requiring the player to turn the hit segments over to indicate their inoperability. Blocking tokens, both moveable and fixed, are also provided to protect the articulated token from being hit by the shooter as well as to hinder movement of the articulated token along the serpentine path.

Abstract: A 4.times.4 conversion accessory for vehicles including a pair of spaced apart axles secured to an elongated transverse central frame member. Relatively large lugged wheels are attached to the ends of each axle for rotation with respect to the frame member. Mounting wells for releasably receiving the wheels of the vehicle are carried by the axles adjacent each lugged wheel to support the vehicle on the conversion accessory. Each well has a substantially solid outer circular wall and a spaced apart inner circular wall with a generally vertical slot extending down below the center of the inner wall. A telescoping frame member and mounting wells carried for sliding movement along the transverse axles accommodate vehicles having different wheel bases. In another version, the elongated frame member includes a compressible spring and releasable actuator for propelling a combined vehicle and 4.times.4 converter accessory.

Abstract: A board game in which a horizontal playing surface is defined by an array of hexagonal spaces, each space abutting the adjacent space, and a number of vertical walls disposed along lines formed by adjacent hexagonal spaces. Player start spaces are provided and a target is located on a site remote from the start spaces. Available paths of movement from space to space are limited by the walls but the player token has a marker movable parallel to the planar surface and transverse to the playing surface to pass over a wall. Both the player and the target may attack each other when they are on an aligned file of spaces, however, the target is further required to be facing the player token in order to attack. The playing spaces include defense zones armed by the presence of a defense playing piece in the form of a missile silo or cannon and activated by a chance drum borne by the target along with a number chance drum.

Abstract: A board game includes a game board with a pattern of playing positions, defined on a playing surface, conveniently arranged in a gridwork pattern. A first set of playing pieces, positionable on the various playing positions defined on the playing surface, are arranged initially equally on two opposite sides of the game board. The two separated groups of playing pieces are movable across the game board towards one another, the object of the game being for each of the players to get his or her assigned group of playing pieces across the board to the other side before the other player. The second set of playing pieces are positionable on the various playing positions defined on the playing surface and are movable transversely across the game board in order to help or interfere with the progress of the first set of playing pieces across the game board. A chance selection device governs the movements of both the first and second sets of playing pieces.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a video game in which a player controllable video player image positions video dominos at predetermined positions along a continuous line while one or more machine controlled video intruder images attempt to interfere. Manual player controls move the player image to place the domino images and to protect against interference by the intruder images which could result in a chain reaction of falling dominos. The player manually selects either a place mode allowing the player image to place additional dominos or a protect mode for protecting itself or the dominos from an intruder. In an alternative embodiment, the player image also knocks over dominos while in the place mode. Duration of play is timed by a machine controlled image proceeding in a peripheral path to knock over the initial domino. Difficulty is increased by the complexity of the domino pattern, the timed duration, and the intruder images.

Abstract: A game with cards in which the cards are used to build a path for moving a player token in accordance with the roll of a die to reach a goal. The deck of cards includes, in addition to the goal card, a number of girder and ladder path building cards plus obstacle and obstacle-overcoming cards. All of the cards have indicia simulating element of the "DONKEY KONG" Video arcade game. After the initial setup, each player turn consists of drawing a card from a common stack; laying down a card to build a path, place an obstacle, or clear an obstacle; rolling the die; and moving the token toward the "DONKEY KONG" goal. The goal is advanced, however, if a player builds an additional level with the cards.

Abstract: A game for picking and identifying figurines during a timed turn for matching with corresponding identification on a card. The game housing establishes a raised playing surface having a number of openings communicating with the interior of the housing. Under the playing surface there is a spring motor driven cam with three identical lobes and having an outwardly extending lever for winding the motor for a single cycle of approximately 125 degrees of rotation. Above the cam there is a follower riser having two concentric coplanar annular plates that support the figurines for simultaneous, essentially vertical, raising and lowering of the figurines through the openings. Keeper rings on the follower riser cooperate with guide posts in the housing to maintain the essentially vertical movement.

Abstract: An activity toy including a hollow skull extending from a hollow, tubular neck and having eye, nose, and mouth openings. Attachable about and spaced from the skull in relatively tight relation to the neck is a clear face and head mask formed of separable halves secured together by clamps. A plastic amorphous solid substance is loaded into the skull through the neck and extruded out of openings to fill the space between the skull and the mask. Removal of the mask permits further hand working of the plastic substance to modify the appearance of the formed face. Suitable appendages and a hooded cloak are provided to obscure the plastic substance extrusion mechanism and provide a figure that may be placed in combination with the face and head extruding feature.

Abstract: A children's stuffed-art craft set includes a background board having two-dimensional graphics on a face surface with openings of various shapes forming elements of the graphics extending through the board to the opposite surface. Backing pieces, and relatively soft, stuffing pieces which are readily compressible compared to the background board and backing pieces, are shaped to fit into background board openings. Pieces of fabric or other material, larger than the openings and of various colors, patterns and textures are also supplied. A selected fabric piece is placed over the conforming stuffing and backing pieces and then inserted through the opening in the backing board from the opposite surface. The thickness of the extra fabric is wedged between the opening and the conforming backing piece to stretch the fabric, compress the stuffing and secure the combination in place creating a soft relief element of the picture or design following the two-dimensional graphics on the face of the background board.

Abstract: A toy vehicle device includes a pair of interconnected wheeled vehicle housings. The two housings are connected by a member for conjoint movement in parallel to one another and for swinging movement of one vehicle about the other. One of the vehicles includes a propulsion mechanism for propelling both vehicles over a supporting surface. One of the vehicles also includes a mechanism for causing one vehicle to swing about the other vehicle. In one embodiment of the present invention, the mechanism for swinging one vehicle about the other includes a rotatable bar mounted on a first vehicle to periodically contact the supporting surface and pivot the first vehicle with respect thereto so that the first vehicle makes a sharp U-turn. Thus, the second vehicle, connected to the first vehicle by the member, swings in a wider arc about the first vehicle when the first vehicle undergoes a sharp U-turn. This action simulates in an entertaining manner a chase sequence between two vehicles.

Abstract: A game includes the player's successive selection of matching images within a short time interval initiated by the first selection. Failure to select the proper matching image within the interval results in a mixing of the images. In an electronic video game version of the target shooting type a plurality of sets of matching targets are initially displayed. Each target has mating components. If the targets hit within the time interval do not match, components of each of the hit targets are exchanged to form a mixed target. The successively hit matched targets are removed but are replaced by another form of targets after the first rack. All of the prior form targets must be removed before the succeeding form can be removed from the screen. In still later racks, the initially displayed targets include ones with mixed components to increase the challenge. The player controls the movement of a shooter among the targets and directs the firing of projectiles at the targets.

Abstract: An impact responsive toy has a part of the body that is movable to expose the part in its regular condition or in a damaged condition. A biasing force urges exposure of the hidden damaged condition while the part is releasably latched to expose the undamaged or regular position. Application of an outside force, such as the impact of a crash, releases the latch to automatically and instantaneously switch the undamaged and damaged conditions.

Abstract: A skating doll includes a torso upon which are pivotally mounted a head and a pair of legs. The axis of rotation of one leg is angled with respect to the axis of rotation of the other leg so that each leg swings, with respect to the torso, from a rearward, outward position to a forward inward position. The legs include outwardly turned feet supported atop rollers oriented to move in a forward direction in response to the inwardly and forwardly directed force applied to the other leg. Each leg moves out of synchronism with the other and the head is powered for side to side movement so that the weight is on the forwardly moving leg. As a result the doll moves forward in a rolling, sliding, side to side, swaying motion which realistically simulates the movement of a roller or ice skater.