Patents by Inventor Norman R. Clark

Norman R. Clark has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 4548408
    Abstract: A pinball type game includes a play surface having at least one target thereon adapted to be engaged by either of two game balls which can be propelled onto the play surface so as to traverses the play surface and return to a return end thereof. The two game balls are distinguished from each other by color or other indicia and each has a corresponding return and ejector mechanism controlled by a control circuit which enables only one ball to be on the play surface at any given time. The control circuit is operatively connected to the targets so as to receive a signal when a target is engaged by a game ball, and is operative to increase the normal game score so as to provide a bonus score when the targets are engaged by a selected one of the balls when on the play surface, thus providing an increase in scoring opportunity should the selected one of the balls being placed in play during a player's turn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1985
    Assignee: Bally Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventor: Norman R. Clark
  • Patent number: 4448417
    Abstract: A pinball game, in addition to having an aspect in which a real projectile, i.e., a pinball, is manipulated to strike various targets, has a simulated projectile aspect in which a projectile is simulated by stepwise illumination of lights on an array. Events, in the simulated aspect, such as initiation of the simulated aspect, result from events on the playfield of the real projectile, such as retention of the projectile by a projectile-capture target, and events, such as release of the projectile from the projectile-capture target, result from events in the simulated aspect, such as completion or noncompletion of a maze. The player's total score is reflective of events on both the real and simulated aspect of the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1984
    Assignee: Bally Manufacturing Corporation
    Inventors: Norman R. Clark, George Christian