Table game

Abstract

A table game including a housing, a playing surface received within the housing, and a paddle member resiliently affixed to the playing surface and supported by the housing. The paddle member serves to move the playing surface upwardly and downwardly relative to a vertical force applied to the paddle member. The paddle member is rotatable about a vertical axis relative to an actuation of a handle member connected thereto. The paddle member is slidable across a width dimension of the playing surface. The playing surface includes a first surface which is pivotally connected to a second surface. The first surface is independently movable relative to the second surface. A second paddle member is affixed to the second surface at an end of the first surface.

I claim:  
     
       1. A table game comprising: 
       a housing;  
       a playing surface received within said housing; and  
       a paddle means affixed to said playing surface and resiliently supported by said housing, said paddle means for moving said playing surface upwardly and downwardly relative to a vertical force applied to said paddle means, said paddle means rotatable about a vertical axis.  
     
     
       2. The table game of claim  1 , said paddle means being resiliently supported by said housing such that said playing surface is urged to a horizontal orientation when vertical force is not applied to said paddle means. 
     
     
       3. The table game of claim  1 , said playing surface comprising: 
       a first surface; and  
       a second surface pivotally connected to said first surface, said paddle means for moving said first surface independently of said second surface.  
     
     
       4. The table game of claim  3 , said paddle means positioned at an end of said first surface opposite said second surface. 
     
     
       5. The table game of claim  4 , further comprising: 
       a second paddle means affixed to said second surface at an end opposite said first surface, said second paddle means being resiliently supported by said housing, said second paddle means for pivoting said second surface relative to said first surface by applying a vertical force to said second paddle means.  
     
     
       6. The table game of claim  3 , said playing surface having a length dimension and a width dimension, said first surface having an area generally equal to an area of said second surface, the pivotal connection extending across said width dimension in a direction transverse to said length dimension. 
     
     
       7. The table game of claim  1 , said playing surface having a length dimension and a width dimension, said paddle means for slidably moving across at least a portion of said width dimension in a direction transverse to said length dimension. 
     
     
       8. The table game of claim  1 , said playing surface having a generally flat top surface,  A table game, comprising: 
       
         a housing;  
       
       
         a playing surface received within said housing; and  
       
         a paddle mechanism disposed within said housing,  said paddle meansmechanism, comprising:  
       a frame affixed to  positioned at an end of said playing surface and extending above said top  playing surface;  
       aat least one bar extending across said frame;  
       a paddle member;  
       a vertical member connected to said paddle member and rotatably and slidably connected to said bar to permit said paddle member to rotate about an axis generally perpendicular to said playing surface while moving across said playing surface; and  
       a handle member affixed to said vertical member.  
     
     
       9. The table game of claim  8 , said frame being connected to said housing by a spring means, said spring means for allowing said playing surface to move relative to a downward force applied to said handle member. 
     
     
       10. The table game of claim  9 , said spring means comprising: 
       a first spring element having an end affixed to a surface of said frame and another end affixed on one side of said housing; and  
       a second spring element having an end affixed to another surface of said frame and another end affixed to said housing on an opposite side of said housing.  
     
     
       11. The table game of claim  10 , said bar extending between said sides of said housing, said housing having a guide slot formed therein, said bar extending through said guide slot. 
     
     
       12. The table game of claim  9 , said spring means comprising: 
       a compression spring interposed between a bottom of said playing surface and a surface of said housing.  
     
     
       13. The table game of claim  8 , said bar comprising: 
       a first bar extending in generally parallel relationship to said playing surface; and  
       a second bar in coplanar relationship to said first bar, said vertical member extending between said first and second bars.  
     
     
       14. The table game of claim  13 , further comprising: 
       a support receptacle slidably affixed to said first and second bars, said support receptacle rotatably receiving said vertical member therein; and  
       a stop member affixed to at least one of said first and second bars for limiting a  slide travel of said support member along said first and second bars.  
     
     
       15. The table game of claim  8 , further comprising: 
       a puck member  game piece slidably and removably positioned on said top  playing surface, said puck member  game piece having a diameter  maximum dimension.  
     
     
       16. The table game of claim  15 , said paddle member comprising: 
       a first paddle extending upwardly transverse to said top  playing surface; and  
       a second paddle extending upwardly transverse to said top  playing surface, said first and second paddles being in coplanar alignment, said first and second paddles having a space therebetween greater than said diameter  maximum dimension of said puck member  game piece.  
     
     
       17. The table game of claim  8 , said vertical member extending through a slot in said housing, said slot defining a slidable travel path for said vertical member, said vertical member having a crossbar affixed to an end of said vertical member above said slot, said handle member comprising: 
       a first vertical handle affixed to one end of said crossbar; and  
       a second vertical handle affixed to an opposite end of said crossbar.  
     
     
       18. The table game of claim  8 , further comprising: 
       a transmission means connected to said handle and to said paddle member, said transmission means for rotating said paddle member relative to a rotation of said handle member.  
     
     
       19. The table game of claim  1 , said housing having   8 , further comprising: 
       a trough means formed adjacent an end of said playing surface, said table game comprising: ; and  
       a ball rollably positioned on said playing surface, said trough means for receiving said ball when said ball passes by said paddle means.  
     
     
       20. The table game of claim  19 , said trough means connected to a ball return tube, said tube extending from said trough to an opposite end of said playing surface. 
     
     
       21. The table game of claim  8 , said bar being a rail. 
     
     
       22. The table game of claim  8 , further comprising a pair of said bars disposed parallel to one another. 
     
     
       23. The table game of claim  22 , said bars being disposed generally parallel to the top surface of said playing surface. 
     
     
       24. The table game of claim  8 , said playing surface being at a fixed incline. 
     
     
       25. A table game, comprising: 
       
         a housing;  
       
       
         a playing surface received within said housing;  
       
       
         a game piece slidably and removably positioned on said playing surface, said game piece having a diameter dimension; and  
       
       
         a paddle mechanism comprising:  
       
       
         a frame positioned at an end of said playing surface and extending above said playing surface;  
       
       
         at least one bar extending across said frame;  
       
       
         a paddle member comprising;  
       
       
         a first paddle extending upwardly transverse to said playing surface:  
       
       
         a second paddle extending upwardly transverse to said playing surface, said first and second paddles being in coplanar alignment, said first and second paddles having a space therebetween greater than said diameter dimension of said game piece;  
       
       
         a vertical member connected to said paddle member and rotatably and slidably connected to said bar to permit said paddle member to rotate about an axis generally perpendicular to said playing surface while moving across said playing surface; and  
       
       
         a handle member affixed to said vertical member. 
       
     
     
       26. The table game of claim  25 , said playing surface being at a fixed incline. 
     
     
       27. The table game of claim  25 , said game piece being a ball. 
     
     
       28. The table game of claim  27 , further comprising a trough formed adjacent an end of said playing surface for receiving said ball when said ball passes by said paddle mechanism. 
     
     
       29. The table game of claim  28 , said being connected to a ball return tube, said tube extending from said trough to a ball collection receptacle. 
     
     
       30. A table game, comprising: 
       
         a housing;  
       
       
         a playing surface received within said housing; and  
       
       
         a paddle mechanism comprising:  
       
       
         a frame positioned at an end of said playing surface and extending above said playing surface;  
       
       
         at least one bar extending across said frame;  
       
       
         a paddle member;  
       
       
         a vertical member connected to said paddle and rotatably and slidably connected to said bar to permit said paddle member to rotate about an axis generally perpendicular to said playing surface while moving across said playing surface; and  
       
       
         a handle member affixed to said vertical member, said vertical member extending through a slot in said housing, said slot defining a slidable travel path for said vertical member, said vertical member having a crossbar affixed to an end of said vertical member, said handle member comprising:  
       
       
         a first vertical handle affixed to one end of said crossbar; and  
       
       
         a second vertical handle affixed to an opposite end of said crossbar. 
       
     
     
       31. The table game of claim  30 , said vertical handles being rotatably connected to said crossbar. 
     
     
       32. The table game of claim  30 , said playing surface being at a fixed incline. 
     
     
       33. A paddle mechanism for propelling a game piece across a playing surface, comprising: 
       
         a frame for positioning above said playing surface;  
       
       
         at least one bar extending across said frame;  
       
       
         a paddle member;  
       
       
         a vertical member connected to said paddle member and rotatably and slidably connected to said bar to permit said paddle member to rotate about an axis generally perpendicular to said playing surface while moving across said playing surface; and  
       
       
         a handle member affixed to said vertical member. 
       
     
     
       34. A paddle mechanism for propelling a game piece across a playing surface, comprising: 
       
         a paddle member;  
       
       
         a frame for positioning adjacent said playing surface;  
       
       
         at least one bar extending across said frame;  
       
       
         a support member for holding and positioning said paddle member above said playing surface, said support member connected to said paddle member, movably connected to said bar for moving said paddle member along at least one dimension of said playing surface and rotatably connected to said bar for rotating said paddle member about an axis generally perpendicular to said playing surface; and  
       
       
         a handle member connected to said support member. 
       
     
     
       35. The paddle mechanism of claim  34 , said handle member comprising a crossbar connected to an end of said support member, a first vertical handle connected to one end of said crossbar and a second vertical handle connected to an opposite end of said crossbar. 
     
     
       36. The paddle mechanism of claim  35 , said vertical handles being rotatably connected to said crossbar. 
     
     
       37. The paddle mechanism of claim  34  further comprising a transmission means connected between said handle member and said paddle member, said transmission means for rotating said paddle member relative to rotation of said handle member. 
     
     
       38. The paddle mechanism of claim  34 , which comprises at least two bars extending across said frame. 
     
     
       39. The paddle mechanism of claim  34 , said paddle member further comprising: 
       
         a first paddle extending upwardly transverse to said playing surface: and  
       
       
         a second paddle extending upwardly transverse to said playing surface, said first and second paddles being in coplanar alignment, said first and second paddles having a space therebetween through which said game piece may pass.