Simpson mailed his response to Townsend’s rejection letter on March 17. The single page letter made it to Townsend’s desk in Room 312 of Division VII of the United States Patent Office the next day.
This response to Townsend’s letter of March 2 contained an even more restricted set of claims. Simpson’s previous letter had four claims. This letter had only three: the elevated target at the rear of the alley; the ski jump obstruction to launch the ball into the air; and the levers for advancing the score. Simpson clung desperately to what he knew were the most important features of the game. Simpson’s new claims were:
1. In a game apparatus, in combination, a board along which a projectile is adapted to travel on an elevated target to the rear of and spaced from said board, and an obstruction upon said board, in front of said target, adapted to ause said ball to leave said board and continue its flight towards said target in the air.
2. In a game apparatus, in combination, a board along which a projectile is adapted to travel, an apertured target to the rear of and above and spaced from said board, and an obstruction upon said board, in from of said target, adapted to cause said ball to leave said board and continue its flight towards said target in the air.
3. In a game apparatus, in combination, a board along which a projectile is adapted to be rolled, an obstruction for trajecting said projectile, an apertured target to the rear of and above and spaced from said obstruction, pivoted levers arranged in said apertures adapted to be engaged and operated by the projectile after passing through said apertures, and an indicating device adapted to be operated by the movement of said levers.
Simpson finished the letter stating:
It is believed that the above claims will not conflict with the references of record, none of which show a board furnished with an obstruction and a target to the rear of and spaced from said board and obstruction.
Simpson’s claims, as well as his patience, were getting thinner and thinner.
About the author:
Thaddeus Cooper is the co-author of Seeking Redemption: The Real Story of the Beautiful Game of Skee-Ball, a deep dive into the history of the game. You can find more information about Thaddeus, and his co-author, and their book, at: http://www.nomoreboxes.com/.
