Abstract: According to one embodiment, the apparatus of the present invention includes one or more artificial fish which are removably placed on a support member and which can be engaged and removed by an operation which is similar to the action of fishing. An artificial lure is positioned over the support member and pulled toward the user in an attempt to engage the lure with one of the fish. If the lure engages such a fish, the fish is considered to be caught and can be drawn away from the support member toward the user. Additionally, one or more of the fish may be secured to the back side of the support member by way of an elastic bungee that extends when fish is pulled away from the support and then retracts to pull the fish back to the support after the fish has been released from the lure.

Abstract: There is provided a pressure actuated timing device for use with activities such as games. In some embodiments, the electrical component of the invention will comprise a conventional “tap light” (or “tap-on-light”) in electronic communication with a digital or other stopwatch or electronic timer. Additionally, a game player will be equipped with a rubber ball or similar lightweight and resilient object (e.g., a bean bag, a soft plastic toy, etc.) that may be attached to the user's hand via an elastic tether. In some embodiments, the object will be to strike the tap light with a thrown object in a minimal period of time.

Abstract: There is provided a pressure actuated timing device for use with activities such as games. In some embodiments, the electrical component of the invention will comprise a conventional “tap light” (or “tap-on-light”) in electronic communication with a digital or other stopwatch or electronic timer. Additionally, a game player will be equipped with a rubber ball or similar lightweight and resilient object (e.g., a bean bag, a soft plastic toy, etc.) that may be attached to the user's hand via an elastic tether. In some embodiments, the object will be to strike the tap light with a thrown object in a minimal period of time.

Abstract: A fishing apparatus for simulating the catching of fish is taught herein. A preferred embodiment comprises a horizontal fish support, one or more fish-shaped members releasably mounted on the fish support, each fish-shaped member having a tapered mouth extending in front of the fish's mouth and a line slot that terminates in a patch of hook and loop material. A cast plug will carry a mating patch of the same material so that when the plug is drawn toward the user through the guide slot, the plug will engage the fish-shaped member, thereby pulling it away from the fish support in a manner simulating the catching of fish in actual water.

Abstract: A fishing apparatus for simulating the catching of fish is taught herein. A preferred embodiment comprises a horizontal fish support, one or more fish-shaped members releasably mounted on the fish support, each fish-shaped member having a tapered mouth extending in front of the fish's mouth and a line slot that terminates in a patch of hook and loop material. A cast plug will carry a mating patch of the same material so that when the plug is drawn toward the user through the guide slot, the plug will engage the fish-shaped member, thereby pulling it away from the fish support in a manner simulating the catching of fish in actual water.

Abstract: A fishing apparatus comprising a flat, essentially vertical game board, a fish support mounted behind the game board, one or more flat, relatively thin fish-shaped members releasably mounted on the fish support, each fish-shaped member having a tapered mouth at on end thereof and a circular snare opening connecting to the mouth through a guide slot, a casting line, a plug adapted to be connected to the end of the casting line so that the plug and line can be cast over the fish-shaped members, each plug being made of resilient material and being provided with a nose piece adjacent to the connection of the line to the plug, the nose piece being receivable in the snare opening, the game board having a gap therein which is in alignment with the guide slot in the fish-shaped member, the gap in the game board being associated with a plurality of doors which are mounted on hinge axes for swinging movement when a fish-shaped member is pulled against the doors, whereby, when the plug is pulled into the circular snare

Abstract: A fishing apparatus comprising a flat, essentially vertical game board, a fish support mounted behind the game board, one or more flat, relatively thin fish-shaped members releasably mounted on the fish support, each fish-shaped member having a tapered mouth at on end thereof and a circular snare opening connecting to the mouth through a guide slot, a casting line, a plug adapted to be connected to the end of the casting line so that the plug and line can be cast over the fish-shaped members, each plug being made of resilient material and being provided with a nose piece adjacent to the connection of the line to the plug, the nose piece being receivable in the snare opening, the game board having a gap therein which is in alignment with the guide slot in the fish-shaped member, the gap in the game board being associated with a plurality of doors which are mounted on hinge axes for swinging movement when a fish-shaped member is pulled against the doors, whereby, when the plug is pulled into the circular snare

Abstract: A fishing apparatus comprising a horizontally extending fish support, one or more flat, relatively thin fish-shaped members releaseably mounted on the fish support, each fish-shaped member having a tapered mouth at on end thereof and a circular snare opening connecting to the mouth through a guide slot, a cast-over bar supported behind the fish support in spaced parallel relation, the fish support and cast-over bar being made of floatable material, a casting line, a plug adapted to be connected to the end of the casting line so that the plug and line can be cast over the fish-shaped members and the cast-over bar, each plug being made of resilient material and being provided with a nose piece adjacent to the connection of the line to the plug, the nose piece being receivable in the snare opening, whereby, when the plug is pulled into the circular snare opening and the line is pulled thereafter, the fish-shaped member will be pulled away from the fish support in a manner simulating the catching of fish in actua

Abstract: A fishing apparatus comprising a flat, essentially vertical game board, a fish support mounted behind the game board, one or more flat, relatively thin fish-shaped members releasably mounted on the fish support, each fish-shaped member having a tapered mouth at on end thereof and a circular snare opening connecting to the mouth through a first slot, a casting line, a plug adapted to be connected to the end of the casting line so that the plug and line can be cast over the fish-shaped members, each plug being made of resilient material and being provided with a nose piece adjacent to the connection of the line to the plug, the nose piece being receivable in the snare opening, the game board having a second slot therein which is in alignment with the first vertical slot in the fish-shaped member, the second vertical slot in the game board being associated with a pair of doors which are mounted on hinge axes for swinging movement when a fish-shaped member is pulled against the doors, whereby, when the plug is pu

Abstract: A microphone is enclosed in a semi-sound insulated housing with a jingle bell type device that generates sound in response to a very slight movement and/or vibration of the housing and/or a structure to which the housing is attached. The sensor's sound insulated housing in cooperation with the microphone's adjustable sound sensitivity circuitry is designed for making the microphone responsive exclusively to the internally generated sound of a jingle bell sound generating type device in response to a movement/vibration of the sensor.

Abstract: A turnstile operated game for determining the elapsed time between a starting event and an ending event comprising a turnstile composed of a horizontal member supported above the ground, a vertical shaft rotatably mounted on the horizontal member, an arcuate cam mounted on the turnstile and being responsive to the rotation of the shaft, a microswitch mounted on the turnstile adjacent the cam, the microswitch having a toggle arm adapted to be contacted by the cam to actuate the microswitch upon a predetermined rotary movement of the shaft, a horizontal lever connected to the vertical shaft and having a first portion extending away from and beyond the horizontal member, the lever having a second portion extending on the opposite side of the shaft from the first portion thereof, a timer connected to the microswitch such that the timer is turned on when an object contacts and pivots the first portion of the lever, the contacting and pivoting of the first portion of the lever by the object constituting a starting

Abstract: A feature for starting, stopping and recording playing time for a timed game, such as a pop target game, and provided with a momentary switch which connects electrically to a motor and to a stop watch. Toggling the momentary switch simultaneously starts the stop watch and activates the motor. Activation of the motor winds a cable around the motor shaft causing the cable to be withdrawn from a bar which holds the bar and an attached "start target" onto a horizontal rod of the game, thus causing the "start target" to fall. Falling of the "start target" signals a contestant to begin play.Play ends when the contestant knocks a final "stop target" off a micro switch on which the "stop target" attaches to the game. Removal of the "stop target" opens the micro switch which, in turn, stops the stop watch by means of an electrical connection between the micro switch and the stop watch. The stop watch indicates the contestant's playing time which can be matched against playing times of other contestants.

Abstract: The invention is a feature for indicating which one of two contestants first strikes his assigned last swing-down target on a pop target game. The feature has two swing-down targets, one located on the left side of the game and one located on the right side of the game. Each swing-down target is mounted on a target end of an arm. A pivot end, provided on the arm opposite the target end, pivotally mounts by means of a collar onto a lower horizontal rod of the game. At the beginning of the game, the arms rest against a stop and a wand contacts the notched collar at solid portions located at 3:00 and 9:00 o'clock. When a contestant strikes one of the swing-down targets, the target pivots around the lower horizontal rod away from the stop, pivoting until its arm contacts one end of the wand, either the left or right end depending upon whether the left or right swing-down target was struck. Contact with the wand causes the wand to twist until it encounters the slots which lock the wand.

Abstract: An actuating rod for a microswitch used to actuate a time for a fishing game apparatus. The timing mechanism is actuated by a microswitch having a momentary toggle arm. The actuating rod has a lower end with a longitudinal bore therein. The size of the bore is such that the actuating rod can be snugly received over the toggle arm of the microswitch. The upper end of the actuating rod is provided with a vertical notch which extends downwardly. The actuating rod also preferably includes a circular opening or eye disposed above the notch. Each preselected fish-shaped member is provided with a string which connects at one end to the preselected fish-shaped member and which is provided with a knot at the other end of the string. The strings from the two preselected fish-shaped members are inserted into the opening in the actuating rod and slipped into the vertical notch.

Abstract: A fishing device or apparatus wherein a plurality of flat vertical objects resembling fish are arranged in a horizontal row along a horizontal support. Each fish is provided with a mouth and a slot which connects with a circular opening below the mouth. For the purpose of catching the fish, the would-be fisherman, or player, will utilize a casting rod with a winding reel. The end of the line which connects with the fishing rod and the reel, however, will be provided with a plug which cooperates with the circular opening below the mouth of the fish. The plug is made of resilient material, such as rubber or plastic, and is provided with a nose piece adjacent the connection of the line to the plug. This nose piece is tapered from a diameter of smaller size than the circular opening in the fish to a diameter slightly larger than the diameter in the opening.

Abstract: A combined racing gate for kites and quick draw device comprising a vertical pipe, a vertical wand pivotally attached adjacent its lower end to the upper end of the vertical pipe, a weight slidably mounted within the pipe, a cord connected from the lower end of the wand to the weight for maintaining the wand in a normally vertical condition, an electrical switch mounted on the pipe, an electrical timer connected to the electrical switch, a cam mounted on the wand for actuating the electrical switch when the wand pivots to start and stop the timer, a horizontal pipe connected to the upper end of the vertical pipe, a target plate attached to the wand, a plurality of individual targets connected at right angles to the horizontal pipe, each individual target comprising a tube connected to the horizontal pipe, a vertical rod extending upwardly from the outer end of each tube, a target plate mounted at the upper end of each vertical rod in parallel relation to the target plate on the wand, a spring connected to the

Abstract: A combined racing gate for kites and quick draw device comprising a vertical pipe, a vertical wand pivotally attached adjacent its lower end to the upper end of the vertical pipe, a weight slidably mounted within the pipe, a cord connected from the lower end of the wand to the weight for maintaining the wand in a normally vertical condition, an electrical switch mounted on the pipe, an electrical timer connected to the electrical switch, a cam mounted on the wand for actuating the electrical switch when the wand pivots to start and stop the timer, a horizontal pipe connected to the upper end of the vertical pipe, a target plate attached to the wand, a plurality of individual targets connected at right angles to the horizontal pipe, each individual target comprising a tube connected to the horizontal pipe, a vertical rod extending upwardly from the outer end of each tube, a target plate mounted at the upper end of each vertical rod in parallel relation to the target plate on the wand, a spring connected to the

Abstract: A racing gate for a kite comprising an essentially vertical pipe supported at the lower end on the ground. An elongated wand is pivotally mounted adjacent to the upper end of the pipe and has an upper end which projects into the path of a moving kite, or more accurately into the path of the moving strings of a kite. The lower end of the wand below the pivot point is resiliently attached to the pipe so that, when the wand is pivoted by the horizontal movement of a kite string against the upper end of the wand, the wand will return to its upright position after the kite string passes by. An electrically operated timer, such as a stopwatch, is connected to the pipe. The electrical leads for the timer pass upwardly through the pipe and one of the leads is electrically connected to a conductive sleeve mounted on the wand.

Abstract: A submersible fishing aid, for use in a body of water, having a floatable fishing buoy with means to attach one or more fishing lines therefrom, a retrievable capsule detachably supported to the fishing buoy, the retrievable capsule being also secured to the fishing buoy by means of a line, a weight detachably affixed to the fishing buoy having a line extending from the weight to the fishing buoy, a mechanism for detaching the weight when the fishing buoy is placed in the water so that the weight settles to the bottom of the body of water to float the fishing buoy at a height above the water bottom selected by the length of the line extending from the weight to the fishing buoy and a mechanism operable by a selected event such as, at a selected time, a sonar signal or a fish pulling on one of the hooks attached to the fishing buoy, to cause a detachment of the retrievable capsule from the fishing buoy which floats to the surface permitting the fishing aid to be retrieved.

Abstract: A fishing capsule has a hinge and a fixed arm on each side. A separate portion of fishing line is wrapped around each hinge and arm. A guide member within the capsule is attached to a pair of release arms. Each release arm cooperates with a hinge to hold that hinge in a set position. A trigger on the capsule holds the guide in a set position until struck. Release of the trigger allows the hinges to relax so that both portions of line may float free. A weight is attached to one line and a float to the other line. A timing component may be included to cooperate with the guide to permit timed release of the lines.