Patently Gottlieb
The following US Patents are all assigned to D.Gottlieb & Co., and date from around the time of the System 80 Series of pinball games. Some of these patents apply to even earlier System 1 and EM games, but the most interesting are those that apply directly to actual System 80 games, and to games that were perhaps not even produced. Another interesting factor is that the Gottlieb designers got to put their names to these inventions (probably a necessity for the patent application process), although the patents themselves were assigned to the company. This is just about the only kind of public credit that Gottlieb employees received (in contrast to practise at Williams and Bally where designer and artist names commonly appeared on the playfields and backglasses). The table contents below are self-explanatory. By clicking on a Patent number link, one can view the actual patent documents in full, in PDF format (300-1'400KB). One can also go to the US Patent & Trademark Office website and search for these and other patents, but note that special software is needed to view the TIF format images they use. An abstract, "briefly" describing the invention is taken directly from the patent documents. Be warned: the abstracts are boring enough but the full text of the patent claims is exceedingly wordy and tedious to read! The subsequent notes are our own. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
US Patent #Inventor(s)Date FiledDate Granted4,221,384Edward P. KrynskiMarch 15, 1979September 9, 1980Claim: Drop target assembly for pinball gameAbstract: A drop target assembly for a pinball game having a series of vertical sliders each having a target at its upper end and movable between an upwardly projecting play position and a drop position, each slider having a latch for latching the same in play position. A reset device is provided on the frame for thrusting all of the sliders upwardly to set the latches with all of the targets in play position, so that when one of targets is subsequently hit by the ball rearwardly during the course of play, the latch is released resulting in dropping of the target. Each of the sliders has an associated electromagnet including a movable armature adjacent the latch and coupled to the upper end of the slider to elease the latch. A remote ball-operated device on the play field has a switch which is connected by circuitry to at least one of the electromagnets so that when the remote device is actuated the electromagnet is energized for artificially dropping the associated target. In the preferred form of the invention duplicate target assemblies are mounted remotely from one another on the play field, with each target having an associated switch and an associated electromagnet and with each switch being connected to a corresponding electromagnet in the other assembly so that the hitting of a target in one assembly causes corresponding targets to drop in both of the assemblies. Notes: Although the system of one hit drop target triggering the fall of another was not used in any System 80 game, the automatic-dropping drop-targets described were used in Panthera, Force II and James Bond, to recall each player�s achievements during the game. Counterforce was closest to using this system, using the same targets, but triggered by hitting an associated spot target or rollover. 4,353,553Edward P. Krynski17 February 198112 October 1982Claim: Drop target assembly for pinball gameAbstract: An improved drop target assembly provides first and second target surfaces for ball engagement at a given drop target location. Only one of the target surfaces is engageable at any given time. Preferably, both target surfaces are on a single, vertically movable support member such that dropping of the member to lower the first target surface to a below-playfield position drops the second target surface into a ball engageable position. One or more switch contacts are provided for indicating ball engagement with the target surfaces and the dropping of the first target surface to the below-playfield position. A housing is provided to shield the second target surface from view when the first target surface is in the above-playfield position. Notes: Not used in any System 80 game. 4,354,681Roman F. Garbark17 February 198119 October 1982Claim: Drop target assembly for pinball gameAbstract: An improved drop target assembly provides multiple target surfaces at a given drop target location. First and second target surfaces respectively are provided on first and second support members disposed in alignment such that the first member is in front of the second member, and the first target surface is in front of and shields the second target surface when the members maintain both targets in the above-playfield position. The first member is vertically moveable to drop the first target surface to a below-playfield position. This exposes the second target surface [exposed] for ball engagement. Preferably, a pair of switch contacts is provided behind the second target surface such that ball engagement of either the first target surface or the second target surface closes the switch contacts. Notes: Not used in any System 80 game. D273,597John W. Buras; Adolf Seitz; Algimantis J. Gabrius19 October 198124 April 1984Claim: Back cabinet for pinball gameAbstract: The ornamental design of a back cabinet for pinball game, substantially as shown and described. Notes: Diagrams show the backbox and essentially the playfield layout of Caveman. In their On Target newsletter, Gottlieb stated that the backbox design's main purpose was to shade the monitor from glare. 4,360,203Roman F. Garbark8 September 198023 November 1982Claim: Rollover switch for pinball gameAbstract: A rollover switch for pinball game includes a yieldable, and preferably elastic surface deformable between a position substantially level with the playfield surface and a position above the playfield surface. In one embodiment, the elastic surface is defined by a plurality of members connected by a hinge to support structure. The support structure defines a periphery, and the members extend inwardly from the hinged periphery. A plunger is provided to engage switch contacts as the members are advanced about the hinged connection. In another embodiment, the elastic surface is defined by a stretchable membrane which is deformable between a position substantially flush with the surface of the playfield and a position above the playfield. Notes: a.k.a. the star rollover button! | 4,363,485Allen G. Edwall31 July 198014 December 1982Claim: Time based pinball game machineAbstract: A pinball game has game play determined primarily by time rather than the number of ball plays. A specifiable amount of game play time is originally accorded to a given player. The game play time is reduced at an instantaneous rate which changes according to how actively he plays and scores. The more active the ball play, the slower the game play time is reduced. In another feature, the pinball game machine is controlled by a digital processor which also participates as a contestant against the human player. As another feature, upon certain playfield achievements, a given player is entitled to operate a mechanism which alters the playfield conditions of another player. Yet another feature includes the provision of multiple independent playfield areas on a common playfield. Each playfield area is self-contained, having its own captured ball, flipper mechanism, and scoring targets. Preferably, the areas having the captured balls are enabled for ball play only for specified periods of time. Notes: Perhaps the most interesting patent! Besides a diagram showing the mini-playfield of Time Line (where play is time-based), the other diagrams and game description suggest what may have been one of the System 80 games that never was (remember the game numbers that are not allocated: 655, 660, 662, 663 and 665). James Bond 007 (with its original software) and Counterforce were other System 80 games where time was a factor in gameplay. 4,460,175Edward P. Krynski
December 17, 1981July 17, 1984 *Claim: Drop target assembly for pinball gameAbstract: A drop target assembly for a pinball game having a series of vertical sliders each having a target at its upper end and movable between an upwardly projecting play position and a drop position, each slider having a latch for latching the same in play position. A reset device is provided on the frame for thrusting all of the sliders upwardly to set the latches with all of the targets in play position, so that when one of targets is subsequently hit by the ball rearwardly during the course of play, the latch is released resulting in dropping of the target. Each of the sliders has an associated electromagnet including a movable armature adjacent the latch and coupled to the upper end of the slider to release the latch. A remote ball-operated device on the play field has a switch which is connected by circuitry to at least one of the electromagnets so that when the remote device is actuated the electromagnet is energized for artificially dropping the associated target. In the preferred form of the invention duplicate target assemblies are mounted remotely from one another on the play field, with each target having an associated switch and an associated electromagnet and with each switch being connected to a corresponding electromagnet in the other assembly so that the hitting of a target in one assembly causes corresponding targets to drop in both of the assemblies. 4,375,286Adolf Seitz; John West Buras30 July 19811 March 1983Claim: Electronic game apparatus gameAbstract: An electronic game apparatus comprising both video game play and pinball game play. Operation of the video game play is enabled by game play conditions of the pinball game play and visa versa. Video game play is implemented using a CRT supported by a housing common to the pinball game. Notes: Diagrams show essentially the playfield layout of Caveman, but the description of the video-game sees a "video-ball" rolling over or avoiding various coloured dragons, as opposed to the dinosaurs of Caveman. 4,406,457Algimantis J. Gabrius; John W. Buras31 July 198127 September 1983Claim: Method of and apparatus for mounting playfield window gameAbstract: A pinball machine having multi-level playfields with a transparent window mounted in at least an upper level playfield to allow observation there through to a lower level playfield. The window is mounted on a ledge in an opening in the upper level playfield with compressible rings and screws extending through the window, rings and ledge to compress said rings until the window is in the same plane as said playfield. Notes: This patent covers the playfield window used on games such as Black Hole, Haunted House and Spirit, amongst others. The diagrams depict a pinball machine with a playfield layout somewhat similar to the Black Hole prototype layout. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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