Abstract: A bowling lane is provided with a pair of bumpers to which are attached sensors or switches that are activated when a bowling ball strikes a bumper. The bumpers are attached to brackets that are mounted to the floor. Indicators are mounted on the bumper-bracket assembly for signaling when a given bumper has been hit; the score awarded in a given frame may be made to vary in dependance upon whether a given bumper has been struck.

Abstract: A practice putting green includes an elongated plank having a top wall and a plurality of depending, longitudinally extending ribs that stiffen the top wall against sagging along the length of the plank while allowing the top wall to twist under the weight of the plank. A putting surface is supported on the top wall, and a hole sized for receipt of golf balls extends through both the putting surface and the top wall. Legs are provided for independently adjusting the height of the putting surface at each corner, and the top wall twists under the weight of the plank to assume the shape dictated by the position of the legs. A system incorporating the putting green includes an elongated base positionable beside the green, a ball holding tray, and a catch tray positionable beneath the hole.

Abstract: The critical features of the putting stroke training device of the present invention includes Y-axis sensor means for detecting and signalling whether the face of a putter strikes a golf ball perpendicular to the path of the putter head and X-axis sensor means for detecting and signalling any abnormal acceleration or deceleration of the putter head. The Y-axis sensor means is disposed in a Y plane that is perpendicular to the golf ball striking face. The X-axis sensor means is disposed in an X plane that is perpendicular to the Y plane and is in the same plane as the shaft. This putting stroke trainer will assist the golfer in striking the ball with the club face perpendicular to the path of the putter head, and in developing a smooth pendulum swing and avoiding the "yips".

Abstract: A golf club head having a body defining a heel, toe, top wall, sole, and a front wall defining an upwardly and rearwardly inclined front face in ball-addressing position of the head, and comprisinga) said body defining a forwardly extending main recess located rearwardly of said front wall,b) and said body having upper and lower projections extending rearwardly from said front wall above and below said main recess, said projections being rearwardly elongated and said recess being horizontally elongated in said ball-addressing position of the head.

Abstract: A double match jackpot with (2) separate identical operating mechanisms in the machine is the invention. The two (2) identical mechanisms operate independently with no set combinations of play. Each play is with random results. A winning play is not determined by the number of plays made previously. The matching of two (2) identical symbols on pairs of facing discs determines a win. Operating sections can be attached separately to other identical operating sections to increase the odds in any play of the machine. Odds can be increased also by addition of identical symbols to the edges of facing discs.

Abstract: An inner bar and a sleeve thereon, slidable and rotatably mounted on the bar. Maze grooves are formed in the bar and a follower rides in the grooves. The follower is a pin, or a ball, as desired, and in the case of the ball, it is captured, or free moving, in different forms. In one form the bar is made up of sections which can be pre-positioned selectively to form different overall patterns of grooves. In one form, the parts of the device are of different colors.

Abstract: A sight for mounting on a golf tee having a target arm to be pointed at the target by the golfer when he places the tee on the ground together with a club face alignment arm fixed to the target arm and extending outwardly on opposite sides thereof and spaced forward of the ball when the ball is on the tee whereby to be clearly seen by the golfer so that the golfer then can position the club to set up the club face parallel to the alignment arm and thereby to be set up normal to the intended flight path of the ball.

Abstract: A manipulable puzzle and method includes a shallow box-like housing with a see-through top established by base-conforming side walls and-apertured front and back walls for containing slider bars incorporating a plurality of alternating teeth and pockets which are translated relative to the housing for selective manipulation of color coded balls between the pockets of adjacent, aligned slider bars to establish new distribution patterns of the color coded balls.

Abstract: An electronic word building machine including a keyboard to input a user determined set of letters, a set of words in memory, a comparison program to compare the input set of letters with the set of words in memory to provide a set of matching words from the set of words in memory, the set of matching words including words which consist only of a subset of letters from the input set of letters, a ranking program to provide a predetermined score for each of the words in the set of matching words, and a display to display on the machine each of the words in the sequence of the value of the score together with the score value of the word being displayed.

Abstract: An improved bowling lane, which is convertible from a form suitable for conventional bowling to a form suitable for bumper (carom) bowling, includes a series of lane cross-supports, a bowling bed having an approach and foul line at one end and a pin deck at the other end thereof; an elongated concave gutter abutting each side of the bed; an elongated channel within each said gutter disposed parallel to and a distance of less than one-half the diameter of a bowling ball from the edge of said bed; rigid elongated members slidably disposed within each channel; and, means to raise and lower said rigid elongated members.In the preferred embodiment the improved bowling lane has elongated channels disposed within each gutter, abutting the lateral edges of the bowling bed. Slidably disposed in said channels are rigid elongated members having an upper surface of a matching color and contour of the gutter.

Abstract: A puzzle (20) comprising an array of identical tiles (30), each of which is in the shape of an equilateral polygon and each of which is spaced parallel and spaced apart from adjacent sides of adjacent tiles to define a web of intersecting channels (40) that intesect each other at integer multiples of a web angle. A set of movable grout pieces is provided, each of which comprises at least one elongated segment equal in length to the side of the tiles and has a width approximately equal to the width of the channels (40). Preferably, the set of grout pieces consists of all possible different configurations of between one and the number of sides of the polygons of grout segments, with the segments of the multi-segment grout pieces joined only at their ends at integer multiples of the web angle.

Abstract: A golf putting device having a perfect surface to simulate a three foot putt on an actual outdoor putting green, enabling a golfer to develop a proper and consistent three foot putting stroke and develop proper muscle memory therefrom. The surface includes an adjustment and a level indicator to enable the surface to be located precisely level on any reasonably flat support surface and hole width restrictors to narrow the hole width while maintaining the hole depth constant. The surface is slightly raised and formed with a nap surface to more accurately simulate the conditions encountered on an actual putting green.

Abstract: An automatic pin setter includes a pinsetting deck structure movable toward and away from a pin supporting surface on a bowling lane for controlling setting of bowling pins on the lane supporting surface. A rake sweeps pins from the lanes. A rake up switch senses if the rake is in a raised position. A drive system is operatively coupled to the deck structure and rake and includes a cycle solenoid, the drive system for controlling an automatic pin setter cycle in response to energization of the solenoid. The pinsetter cycle controls movement of the deck structure and the rake to selectively remove or set pins on the lane. A pit cushion is positioned at a rear end of the lane and is linked to the rake to lower the rake from the raised position when a thrown ball strikes the pit cushion. A control comprises a ball sensor mounted on the lane before the pit cushion for sensing presence of a ball on the lane and developing an electrical trigger signal in response thereto.

Abstract: In a set of golf iron heads, at least part of the striking face of each head is of a material selected for characteristics desired for the particular iron in the set, and at least some of the heads are multi-component heads in which at least part of the striking face area of the head comprises at least one face-piece component of material having at least one characteristic different from the rest of the head.There is also provided a multi-component golf iron head in which at least part of the striking face area of the head comprises at least one face-piece component, the face-piece component being: (a) of material selected for its surface friction and/or flexural modulus characteristics affecting the spin behavior of golf balls when struck by the head, and/or (b) of specific gravity and/or geometric configuration selected to contribute to the desired weight distribution in the head.

Abstract: A baseball pitcher game and training apparatus includes a free swinging target receptacle which is positioned at one end of an elongate enclosure with a player's station positioned at the opposite end of the enclosure. A target is removably positioned in the target receptacle, with the target including a target image printed thereon. An X-Y grid of conductive lines scanned by a target processor determines the position at which a thrown ball impacts the target and the direction and magnitude of spin of the ball. A radar gun positioned in the elongate enclosure has a beam directed across the flight path of the ball to determine the speed of the thrown ball. A game computer is programmed for a game strategy and methodology which rewards throwing speed and accuracy and includes an interactive voice module for verbal feedback to the player. An improved ball return mechanism permits balls to be selectively and reliably returned and dispensed to a player.

Abstract: A puzzle box device (1) having a top lid (2) and a bottom (4) with sides (21) attached thereto, said sides connected by fixed corner pieces (5). The sides (21) contain a plurality of sliding panels (8), some with locking pins (10, 12) and some being spring-mounted panels (16). Depressing and sliding these various panels in the proper sequence enables the top lid (2) to be unlocked and removed. The sides (21) of the puzzle box device may have inner surface (22) and outer surface (23) leaving a hollow inner-cavity (11) for the placement of valuables or gifts if desired. The puzzle box device (1) may also have just a top lid (2) with a spring-mounted panel (35) and sliding panels (34a and 34b). Also, any of the sliding panels could take the form of a hand tool (28) with an underlying extension (30). The hand tool (28) may be utilized to make it easier to depress the spring-mounted panels and sliding panels necessary to open the box.

Abstract: An iron set comprises a plurarity of irons respectively provided with a head which is formed with a cavity in a rear surface thereto. A lower size number of irons are gradually still greater in their horizontal face length, and are gradually still smaller in thickness of their ball hitting portions which ranges between their faces and the bottoms of the cavities in their rear surfaces.

Abstract: A magnetic toy or puzzle comprising a plurality of essentially two-dimensional pieces that may be assembled to form a hollow three-dimensional object. Each piece has at least three edges, and a magnet is mounted along each edge of each piece to allow the edges of the pieces to be joined together. The magnets are preferably keyed to allow: (a) only certain edges to attach to each other; or (b) the edges of the pieces to fit together in only one orientation. The magnets allow the edges to be joined in certain configurations to obtain the three-dimensional object. A holder for the puzzle pieces is provided that adds additional puzzle possibilities.

Abstract: An easily changeable bowling alley masking unit provides a visual barrier that covers a forward portion of a pin spotter in a first position and provides ready access to that portion of the pin spotting mechanism when in a second position. The unit includes a generally rectangular frame, a cartridge adjacent to the frame and a pair of rollers disposed within the cartridge. The unit also includes a pair of masking members with one of the masking members attached to each of the rollers. Each of the masking members includes a display of one side thereof and is adapted to be rolled upon a roller for storage within the cartridge and unrolled to cover a portion of the pin spotter.

Abstract: A poker-type card game which provides a player with an opportunity to increase the amount wagered, and therefore to increase a winning payout, even after the player has received a definite indication that the player has won. Apparatus useful with the game method include a board game version and an electronic video game version which allow a player to increase his wager after reviewing a first display of a plurality of cards.