Abstract: A puzzle device is provided which comprises a series of channels, formed around the surface of a spherical core by a series of transparent hollow arcuate members, having two diametrically opposed points of intersection forming chambers. A plurality of spherical puzzle members is disposed in surface to surface contact within said channels. With the puzzle disposed with the chambers located on a vertical axis the lowermost puzzle pieces in each of the channels are in contact with each other and one puzzle piece is located in the uppermost chamber and is supported herein by contact with the uppermost of the puzzle pieces in at least one of the channels. Rotation of the puzzle through 180.degree. in the plane of one of said channels causes the latter puzzle piece to be directed into that channel and, simultaneously, a puzzle piece originally located in the lowermost part of the same channel is caused to enter the chamber which has become the uppermost after the rotation has been completed.

Abstract: An action toy in which a spinner is provided having two wheels joined with a magnetized axle which rotates along a single flat elongated wand. The wand has a return at each end so that the spinner will rotate along a first side of the wand and then along a second side as a player moves the wand from hand to hand. A pendant may be provided attached to an extension of the axle and having a magnet at its distal end for picking up various objects adding additional play value. The wand may be provided in a variety of shapes to present an interesting path for the spinner. A ramp may be provided which is readily attachable to the wand at a return to permit the passage of the spinner off of or onto the wand.

Abstract: A hand-held ball game comprises a transparent enclosure of spherical configuration containing a ball within it and having an opening through its upper end of a slightly larger diameter than the ball to permit ejection of the ball through the opening by a quick manipulation of the enclosure while held in an upright position.

Abstract: A hand held housing can be manipulated to cause a pair of balls to move in opposite directions along a groove in the housing. The groove has upstanding inner and outer walls. These walls have a rough surface and the balls have a snug fit in the groove.

Abstract: Game apparatus includes a bowl having a sloping floor and a receptacle centered beneath the floor, and a rotating element having an opening therein through which rolling elements may be selectively admitted or dropped into the receptacle, is disposed above the receptacle. At least two different types or colors of rolling elements are disposed on the floor and may be selectively allowed to fall into the receptacle to the intended exclusion of others of the rolling elements, thus comprising a game of skill and coordination.

Abstract: A game having a first cylinder with an inner helical path and a second cylinder concentric with the first cylinder having a second helical path continuous with the first path. In one embodiment the paths are grooves in the cylinder walls. A ball having a smaller diameter than the groove is attempted to be rolled in the groove using centrifugal force. A hollow handle is attached at the bottom of the cylinder to catch the ball should it fall. In another embodiment the paths are tracks over which passenger vehicles move. The tracks are housed in enlarged cylinders driven by a parabolic lever.

Abstract: A container for spherical objects such as game marbles comprising a hollow torus shaped housing in which objects are admitted to the hollow of the housing by means of an aperture in the housing which is covered or uncovered by a movable closure member. In a preferred embodiment the container includes a hub having an elastic concave receptacle for a shooter marble and the hub is supported within the torus shape of the housing by a plurality of spokes connected to the housing.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electronic maze game wherein the player attempts to direct a playing piece through a maze to a goal within the maze. The goal is suitably indicated by a flashing LED on the game board. The position of the goal within the maze changes in a pseudo-random manner. In the preferred embodiment, the object of the game is to score as many goals in the shortest possible time, without passing through any forbidden zone in the maze. The forbidden zone is indicated by a flashing LED of a different color than the goal LED, and periodically changes position within the maze in a pseudo-random manner.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a game device including a playing surface having games scoring indicia thereon by plural spaced regions each having point values, a sealed chamber underlying and coextensive with the playing surface containing plural magnets, in which the chamber is so fashioned that the magnets are constrained to remain oriented in one vertical alignment and are incapable of rotation. The magnets all have the same polarity proximate to the playing surface, and a further magnet is provided on the top playing surface which initially is oriented with its magnetic polarity similar to the magnets within the chamber in close tangential relation so that upon shaking the game device, the further magnet on the top face will be caused to flip over indicating that the magnets therebelow have been randomly redistributed. At least one die is then thrown to determine the number of markers to be cast. The markers are formed from spheres having polarities reactive to the magnet's polarity within the chamber to be cast.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a rollable article or device formed essentially of two interconnected members or sections of substantially equal weight which extend outwardly in diametrically opposite directions and each providing an outer bearing surface or supporting edge surface in the form of a uniformly curved arc, such as a semi-circular arc having a length of about 180.degree., with each of the supporting edge surfaces lying in separate planes which are perpendicular intersecting planes, preferably also perpendicular to a plane containing the ends of the supporting edge surfaces, and with said article having no portion thereof other than said supporting edges providing a bearing surface or support for the article when the article is placed on a flat or planar surface. The rollable article exhibits a wobbling motion when rolled down an inclined planar surface.

Abstract: A planar nonmagnetic sheet is mounted in an open topped container with the top of such sheet spaced from the bottom of the container and edge portions of the sheet spaced from the inner sides of the container. The top of such sheet forms a playing surface for a playing piece or wobbler having a low center of gravity and a convexly curved bottom. Lower board magnets are located beneath the playing surface sheet at the four corners of a square. An upper board magnet is positioned above the playing surface sheet at the center of such square. Another magnet is carried by the wobbler. All of the magnets, including the lower board magnets, the upper board magnet and the wobbler magnet, are short cylindrical bar magnets oriented such that the same pole of each is generally adjacent to the playing surface, and the other pole of each is farther from the playing surface, so that the board magnets provide a magnetic field repelling the wobbler.

Abstract: A toy, game or other play device wherein a trackway, slide, maze or other play surface is coated with superhydrophobic material that is highly water repellent, whereby a drop of water applied thereto forms into a ball that can then be manipulated by a player to carry out predetermined play activities. Alternatively, a tiny vehicle or other toy body having a hydrophilic coating thereon may be wetted with water and placed on the super-hydrophobic surface whereby the slightest force applied thereto causes the body to skim at high speed over the surface. The toy body may be in the shape of an arrow which can be caused to move along the playing surface, when tilted, and come to rest at a particular number, word or symbol provided on the playing surface.

Abstract: The device has a pair of paddle-like handles with each handle having a groove disposed therein for connection to opposite ends of a helical spring. A small car having a series of rollers disposed therein is mounted upon the spring for movement along the helical coils thereof. When the paddles are held in a position vertically spaced from each other, the coils of the spring are separated and the car is allowed to traverse the length of the spring following a helical path as defined by these coils.

Abstract: A multi-station pinball game is provided by the present invention having a rotatable playfield controlled by a programmable microprocessor which selectively indexes the playfield to each individual station, in a desired order, for sequential play of the game by several players seated around the playfield at their individual playing stations.

Abstract: A toy novelty device is provided having an elongated hollow shaft into which is placed a projectile that can slide up and down the hollow shaft, a resounding chamber at one of the shaft's ends, and reflecting means blocking each end of the hollow shaft.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONField of the InventionThis invention relates generally to amusement devices and toys, and more particularly to amusement devices which produce a rhythmic sound.Prior ArtThere are many sound producing amusement devices presently marketed. However, none of the devices provide the amount of motion, exercising and mental and manual co-ordination skill to operate which would attract a larger segment of consumers as desired.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONTherefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an amusement device that requires both mental and manual co-ordination to operate.Another object of this invention is to provide an amusement device that produces a rhythmic sound.

Abstract: Game assemblages in which a rotatable and translatable platform is manipulated with respect to an underlying base to provide an operator-controllable course for the movement of playing objects, such as spheroids, through a series of obstacles which are located in part on the platform and in part on the base.

Abstract: A toy, game or other play device wherein a trackway, slide, maze or other play surface is coated with super-hydrophobic material that is highly water repellent, whereby a drop of water applied thereto forms into a ball that can then be manipulated by a player to carry out predetermined play activities. Alternatively, a tiny vehicle or other toy body having a hydrophilic coating thereon may be wetted with water and placed on the super-hydrophobic surface whereby the slightest force applied thereto causes the body to skim at high speed over the surface.

Abstract: A disc bowling game employing a rotatably mounted turntable provided with a playing surface, a multi-faced deflection member rotatably mounted on top of the turntable, and adjustable bowling chutes for directing disc-shaped game pieces onto the playing surface of the turntable. The turntable rotates in one direction while the deflection member rotates in the opposite direction with an eccentric motion sweeping the playing surface of the turntable. The playing pieces are bowled down the chutes at angles selected by the players to strike the faces of the deflection member and/or to be deposited directly on the playing surface of the turntable. The object of the game is for each player to deposit as many of his playing pieces as possible in selected target compartments adjacent the rotating turntable.

Abstract: There is provided an amusement device characterized by an elongated flexible trackway of generally U-shaped cross section and having holders at each end of the trackway, particularly hand holders for holding the open end of the U-shaped cross section upwardly directed, and a spherical ball dimensioned for rolling contact with the track portion.

Abstract: A hand-held toy is disclosed by which the manual dexterity and concentration of the user is challenged. The toy in its preferred embodiment constitutes a continuous Mobius ring formed from an elongated band having grooves disposed in both sides thereof, the grooves defining a raceway for a rolling ball-like playing piece and with the band being twisted about its longitudinal axis through an odd number of turns and having its ends permanently joined together. An aperture is disposed in the band which communicates with the grooves to either side of the band. The aperture being selectedly closed by one-way door means. A handle is provided to be gripped by the user, the handle being disposed across the Mobius ring and defining an approximation of the diameter.The toy is utilized by placing one or more rolling ball-like playing pieces or marbles in the grooves and then, through manipulation of the Mobius ring, the ball can be rolled in the grooves through a distance of up to 720.degree.

Abstract: A game toy including a board having an upwardly facing support surface on which a spinning top is receivable, along with one or more shiftable parts which are movable to different positions on the support surface by the top as it spins. Preferably, one of the shiftable parts has an opening within which the top is received in a relation controlling movement of that part, while the other shiftable part is desirably disposed about the first part and movable relative thereto.

Abstract: A manipulative puzzle game consisting of a rectangular parallelepiped box having a transparent front wall. A plurality of identical cubes are disposed within the box. At least one plane face of each cube bears a visually distinguishing feature. The objective of the game is to arrange the cubes by manipulating the box, so that the visually distinguishing features of the cubes are in a selected order. The number of cubes is one less than the capacity of the box for such cubes. The width of the side walls of the box is slightly greater than the diagonal of a face of a cube, and less than twice the edge length of a cube, so that the stacks or layers of cubes are of a thickness of the edge dimension of a cube, i.e., one cube thick, and so that careful manipulation of the box by horizontal twisting or by tapping the box causes the rotation of at least one of the cubes about a central vertical axis.

Abstract: A skill toy for persons of all ages having a handle loosely supporting two spaced rings retained on hubs about which they are skillfully caused to rotate in opposite directions for amusement and exercise.

Abstract: Provided is a three-dimensional amusement device comprising a hollow transparent container. Within the container is wrapped, in a multitude of bends and directions, a hollow, transparent tube joined at its ends by a joining plug, thereby forming a continuous, multi-planar three-dimensional passageway network located entirely within the container. The joining plug is marked to indicate start and finish, and forms a carrier in the passageway. Within the passageway is located a small bead of mercury capable of moving as a bead through the continuous passageway from one end of the plug to the other. The object of the amusement is to tilt the container in such a fashion as to work the mercury bead from one end of the plug to the other via the continuous passageway.

Abstract: A bean-like member is placed into one end of a maze of hollow, flexible, transparent tubing with an inside diameter greater than the maximum width of the bean. The object of the puzzle is to cause the bean to drop into the interior of a cup with a detachable cap. The cup is secured to the tubing. The bean is caused to traverse the tubing by shaking and rotating the unit.

Abstract: A competitive game wherein a ball is rollably supported upon two spreadable rods above a base including scoring receptacles beneath the rods. The rods are supported by end walls through apertures therein. Terminal handles are attached, one on each end of each rod for the two opposing players to vary the space between the rods thereby moving the ball therealong. The receptacles are designated as favorable or unfavorable to a respective player. The object of the game is for each player to deposit the ball into a favorable receptacle in opposition to the adverse maneuvers of the opposing player. A scorekeeping means in the form of a peg movable between successive apertures corresponding to the point score of that player is provided.

Abstract: A spinning toy including a semi-spherical bowl shaped member with a portion extending upwardly over the midpoint of the spherical portion thereof thus providing a smoothly radiused interior wall portion, a spinnable member located on a vertical axis which axis is offset to the vertical axis of the bowl member when the bowl is in an upright position and the spinnable member having blades of equal lengths thereon of less dimension than the radial dimension of the bowl and a ball normally provided in the bowl below the spinnable member. The ball, spinnable member blade lengths and the axial offset of the spinnable member allow the ball to move from the bottom of the bowl past the blades of the spinnable member at locations where the axial offset of the spinnable member to the wall is the greatest and allow the ball to be supported above the spinnable member by the coaction of the blades and the wall closest to the blade tips due to the axial offset of the spinnable member.

Abstract: A vibratory board game apparatus including a plurality of playing pieces and a game board with a playing surface having a plurality of stations defining a confined playing piece path of travel. Some of the stations are destination stations having indicia representative of different locations. Simulated money is provided which may be acquired by having a playing piece stop on a given destination station. The game board mounts a selectively actuatable vibratory motor for vibrating the board and thereby moving all of the playing pieces simultaneously along the playing piece path of travel from one station to another.

Abstract: A hand held board has a top spun thereon and then whipped to keep it spinning with a whip provided for this purpose. The size and density of the top is critical to provide a satisfactory whip top that can easily be kept spinning on a hand held board. While a dowel handle with at least a 6 inch soft string whip element attached thereto may be used to whip a top and keep it spinning, a 1/2 inch strip of sponge or foam rubber as a whip element between 6 and 12 inches long projecting from a suitable handle forms a superior top whip, particularly for a novice.