Further, such games require bulky, relatively cumbersome apparatus, consisting of a large rectangular table surface, mounted and set at approximately waist height, upon four legs.

In addition to being both cumbersome in terms of weight and dimension, such apparatus is extremely expensive, accordingly and therefore, not readily available to the majority.

Under such circumstances general access is restricted to facilities provided by Public Houses, Sports Centres, Social Clubs and such like.

Accordingly there have been numerous games apparatus and devices provided in prior art, each of which addressing the issue, with the consequential object of providing a means by which to play such games and others at ground level. Cited, in particular, are US Patent Numbers 3578321,4957288 and 5591087 in addition to GB 2202454A all of which may or may not, as the case may rest, be suitable for the particular purpose for which each is intended. All are unavoidably distinctly similar in overall thematic detail. Further thereto, each in common interalia, fail in one particular, same centred entirely upon that of the implements adopted or used in order to strike balls in play.

In substantiation thereof, according to such prior art in which there is provided a number of various playing surface apparatus and devices, particularly for the purpose of ground level assembly and play and are all so adapted in such a manner so as to provide sufficient surface rigidity and or firmness to pursue and conduct play, yet further thereto, being also of such flexibility or of sufficient light weight to enable the playing surface apparatus to be conveniently and efficiently packed and stored after uses. Therein lays the overriding fault, to which all prior art has failed to address, namely the adoption and reliance upon the only means available with which to strike balls in play, being the use of a conventional Golf Club/Putter.

The reliance upon a Golf Putter, requires players, in relation to such prior art, to adopt a stance akin to that of a Golf Player, thereby effecting very close and tight proximity between Player, Putter and Ball, thus ensuring optimum accuracy when striking the target ball or other. To embark, the player is therefore, by necessity, required to place his or her full body weight upon and within the playing surface area. Thus inadvertently and unavoidably thereby causing the surface to fractionally tilt. The consequence of such surface level distortion causes balls which are in play upon the surface to become disturbed and invariably, by various degree, disperse or converge toward the centre of distortion.

The principle objective of the present invention is to provide a novel and unobvious means with which to strike balls, same is not intended, nor should it be construed, to be either restricted for the sole purpose of or exclusive to such prior art, although same thereto will interalia, overcome the shortcomings of the prior art apparatus and or devices cited.

Accordingly thereto, both the descriptive and illustrative inclusion of such prior art thereto, in relation to that of the present invention is, and must be deemed to be for the singular purpose of explanation only. Further thereto, a secondary or subordinate aspect of the present invention is therefore, centred upon a purpose in relation to such prior art, for which the present invention can be applied, in that it's adoption will interalia, serve as a novel, unobvious and substantially more efficient alternative to that of a golf putter in relation thereto.

ACCORDING TO THE PRESENT INVENTION there is provided a ball game striking implement, the specific purpose thereof is the means with which to strike balls, either upon a specialised playing surface or the floor. Said implement consists of a pole handle to which attached at the base thereof is situated a swivelled free moving cross member. Said cross member is fashioned and so formed to provide, at one extreme end, a narrow precision striking head. Both the swivelled free moving cross member and that of the pole handle extending therefrom are united by means of a gudgeon pin and unrestricting free moving bearing assembly.

The underside or sole of the swivelled free moving cross member is of a smooth, highly polished finish thus accommodating ease of surface to surface motion, enabling the playing implement to be manoeuvred in play, by way of sliding motion to and fro, upon either that of a specialised playing surface or that of the floor or as may be appropriate, by additional means, provided by that of an integral embodiment of same cross member, incorporating thereto, roller bearings or other such wheel devices to aid fluent motion, when utilized upon rough ground, such as the case may be, Grass and such like.

Specific embodiment of the Invention will now be described by way of exaple with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 Shows the Invention set upon, for illustration purposes only, a playing surface.

Figure 2 Detail of the Ball Game Striking Impliment.

Figure 3 Illustrates the Ball Game Striking Impliment upon the ground and degree of its swivelled free movement.

Referring to the drawings, having special and particular regard for that stated earlier in respect of prior art the Ball Game Apparatus, being specifically that of a pre-formed Playing Surface (4) is therein loosely depicted according generally to the prior art, which is thereto designed to be assembled in a manner so as to be positioned, as illustrated in Figure 1, upon the ground, the outer edges thereof provide preformed barrier side walls (5). Situated thereupon is the ball game Striking Implement (6).

Inorder to embark upon play, utilising the ball game striking implement, either in con- junction with the paying surface Figure 1 (4) which is as illustrated so placed upon the ground, with balls placed thereon, or alternatively directly upon the ground, without the aid of a playing surface, as shown Figure 3 (10). The striking of balls upon either level, as the case may be that of a pre formed playing surface or that directly upon the ground, is by means of the Ball Game Striking Implement (6) which enable players to engage in play, to which players, in particular relation to that of a pre formed playing surface (4) may either strike balls, so variously position at any point thereon, by standing above and beside same without the necessity to stand thereupon. Alternatively, as the case may be, engage in same directly upon the ground, by standing above or within the designated playing area thereabouts, or besides same.

Said ball game striking impliment (6) further detailed in Figure (2) and Figure (3) to which as illustrated therein, there is provided a pole handle (7) to which attached at the base thereof is a swivelled free moving cross member (8) Both the swivelled free moving cross member (8) and that of the pole handle (7) extending therefrom, are united by means of a gudgeon pin and bearing assembly (9) The swivelled free moving cross member (8) illustratively detailed in both Figure 2 and Figure 3 is, whilst used in play, placed and remains directly upon the playing surface (4) or alternatively remains placed directly upon the ground Figure 3 (10). Thereto by virtuie of that provided by the smooth underside of the swivelled free moving cross member (8) coupled with that provided the by the approximate 110 degrees of free leverage fore and aft axial rotation of the pole handle (7) as illustrated in Figure 3, there is thereby provided the unique capability of striking balls in play, as the swivelled free moving cross member (8) slides face on upon either level of play, simultaneously guided by the pole handle (7) as players adopt either a thrusting, pushing or pulling action.