CA1237736A

CA1237736A - Random number selector

Info

Publication number: CA1237736A
Application number: CA000525257A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Eli Gaylor
Original assignee: WINNERS' CHOICE SELECTOR Inc (THE)
Current assignee: WINNERS' CHOICE SELECTOR Inc (THE)
Priority date: 1986-12-12
Filing date: 1986-12-12
Publication date: 1988-06-07
Also published as: JPS63197295A; EP0271365A3; AU8247487A; EP0271365A2; CN1030022A

Abstract

ABSTRACT
An apparatus and method for selecting random numbers. A stream of air provided from a fan beneath the chamber propels balls through a tubular display arrangement and back into the chamber. A first tube section extends from the chamber and is connected to a second tube section which is partially transparent, perforated and extends generally parallel to the top surface of the chamber. A third tube section extends from the first tube section and returns to the chamber. The balls are retained in the generally parallel tube section by a retaining means which, when released, allows the balls to be carried back into the chamber.

Description

INTRODUCTION

This invention relates to a lottery number selection apparatus and, more particularly, to a lottery number selection apparatus which utilizes airflow to select the balls randomly and display them to a user.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

US. Patent 4,508,346 to Salvucci entitled RANDOM NUMBER SELECTION MENTOR AND APPARATUS utilizes airflow to select and entrain a desired number of balls in a transparent tube extending vertically from a mixing chamber. After the designated number of balls are selected, a mechanical finger is utilized to entrap the balls in the vertical tube for a determinate period of time until the identity of the balls entrapped is obtained. The finger is then released and the balls fall back into the mixing chamber where the selection process can be again commenced and repeated.

While the Salvucci device is useful, various disadvantages are present in the apparatus. One such disadvantage is that the apparatus is intended to be placed at a number of locations where members of the general public are present. The vertically oriented transparent tube is susceptible to damage or misalignment because of its location as well as vandalism because of its exposed and vulnerable configuration. A further Jo ~37~73~

problem with the vertical configuration disclosed by Salvucci relates to the quantity of the airflow required to properly entrap the required number of balls. The vertical tube requires a higher rate of airflow and consequently more energy than may be required with a different design which makes the machine vulnerable to poor operation in certain environments.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is disclosed a number selection apparatus comprising a mixing chamber, a display tube having first and second sections, said display tube having an inlet and an outlet end, each end being open in said chamber, a cover for said mixing chamber surrounding at least par-t of said display tube, air supply means to provide air to said chamber through an aperture, said first section of said display tube including said inlet end located generally above said aperture and, said second section extending from said first section in a direction generally adjacent to the outside profile of said cover.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is disclosed a method of selecting a predetermined number of balls bearing indicia in a display tube comprising the steps of supplying an air stream to a --~3~3~
- PA -chamber, blowing balls with said air stream into a tube extending adjacent to the outside profile o-f said chamber, retaining a number of said balls in said tube for a predetermined period of time, displaying said indicia of said balls through said display tube and releasing said retaining means to allow said balls to return to said chamber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TIE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with the use of drawings in which:

Lowe Figure 1 is an isometric view of one embodiment of the present invention illustrating the display tube outside the cover;

Figure 2 is a side cutaway view of a second embodiment of the apparatus of Figure 1 illustrating the display tube inside the cover;

Figure 3 is a front cutaway view similar to Figure 2 illustrating a third embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention; and Figure 4 is an isometric view of the retaining device of Figure 1.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, the lottery selection apparatus is illustrated generally at 10. It comprises a generally rectangular mixing chamber 11, an air supply in the form of fan or blower 12 connected below the chamber 11, a plurality of balls generally shown at 27 in the chamber 11, each of the balls 27 bearing an indicia or number, and a display device or tube generally shown at 13 which extends from and returns to the chamber 11.

The fan 12 is connected to an input duct tube 14 which enters the chamber 11 from the fan 12 at the inlet I

aperture 20 of the chamber 11. The inlet aperture I is covered by a grate 24 to prevent balls entering the inlet duct tube 14. The tube 13 commences at a position immediately over the inlet aperture 20 and a first section 17 extends upwardly from the chamber 11 and is connected to the cover 26 of the chamber 11. The tube 13 has a second section 25 which extends from the first section 17 in a direction generally parallel and adjacent to the outside profile of the cover 26. The second section 25 of the tube 13 has a transparent window 30 which allows the balls 27 to be seen as they pass through and are retained in the tube 13. The second section 25 extends to an elbow 23 which leads from the second section 15 into third section 16. Third section 16 extends generally vertically downwards through cover 26 and into chamber 11 where it terminates.

A retaining device 22 is positioned in the third section 16. The retaining device 22, more clearly seen in Figure 4, is permanently attached to the third section 16 and has a tongue 28 movable between a first position 15 where the flow of balls through the tube 13 is blocked and a second position 18 where the flow of balls through the tube 13 can take place with no interference from the tongue 28 when the tongue 28 is released from its position blocking the flow. The retaining device 22 is operated by a solenoid (not shown).

~23~

A plurality of perforations in the second section 25 allows the escape of air from the tube 13.

OPERATION

In operation, the fan 12 is energized and air from the fan 12 travels through the tube 14 extending from the fan 12 to the chamber 11. The bottom of the chamber 11 is generally sloped so as to allow movement of the plurality of balls downward to the air inlet aperture 20 where they will be exposed to the air stream from the fan 12. The inlet aperture grate 24 prevents the balls from falling into tube 14 but allows the air stream to flow freely from the fan 12 into the mixing chamber 11. The air flow blows the balls 27 upwardly as they approach the inlet aperture 20 and some will be entrained singularly into the inlet of the first section 17 of the tube 13. A
ball so entrained will be conveyed through the first section 17, the second section 25 and the third section 16 until it reaches the retaining device 22 where it will be held when the retaining device is positioned to block the third section 16. While the first ball is so retained, air flows outwardly from the perforations in the second section 25. Thereafter, further balls pile up behind the first ball until the tube is full and a certain number of indicia are visible to the observer through the transparent window 30 on the second section 25. The ` 123~736 I

identity of the balls held in the display tube 13 are then taken by the operator from the indicia written on the balls according to the sequence in which the balls entered the tube. After the identity of the balls is taken, the retaining device 22 is disengaged which allows the balls to return to the chamber 11 through the outlet of the third section 16.

When the retaining device 22 is disengaged, of course, the balls 27 entrained in tube 13 will continue their movement through the tube 13 and back into the mixing chamber 11 resulting in continuous movement of balls through the tube 25.

A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figure 2. In this embodiment, the chamber 11 is not rectangularly shaped as is the chamber 11 of Figure 1 nor is the second section 25 of tube 13 outside the chamber 11. Rather, the tube 13 is wholly within the chamber 11 which has a sloping upper surface 21. The tube 13 again extends substantially parallel and adjacent to the outside profile of the cover 11 and this embodiment is attractive when it is desirable to increase security by removing any external projections of the tube 13 from the chamber 11.

I

Also in this embodiment, the transparent window of the second section of the tube 13 is complimented by a transparent panel 31 in the cover 11 adjacent to and substantially conterminous with the transparent window 30 of the second section of the tube 13. Furthermore, the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2 has its retaining device 22 located at the end of the second section 25 and not in the third second 16 as there is no need to use a return or third section because of the downwardly sloping second section 25.

Yet a further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figure 3. This embodiment is similar to the embodiment of Figure 1 with the exception that the tube 13 is wholly within the mixing chamber 11 to reduce the possibility for vandalism by removing any external parts of the tube 13 such as illustrated in Figure 1. In this embodiment a transparent panel 31 is provided in the chamber 11 so that the balls 27 displayed in the second section 25 of the tube 13 are visible through the transparent window 30 and panel 31 to the user.

Modifications may readily be made to the apparatus described. For example, while the fan or blower 12 may be turned on only when used as by a switch 32, it may also be running continuously so that the balls 27 are continuously moving in the chamber 11 and through the tube I

13. Further, the functions of the retaining device 22 may be automatic as, for example, when the apparatus is used to select lottery numbers. In this event, a coin or ticket (not shown) is inserted in the apparatus and will automatically activate the retaining device to stop the -flow of balls 27 through the tube 13 for a period of time sufficient to allow the balls 27 to be retained and displayed in the second section 25. Thereafter, the retaining device 22 can be automatically opened by a timing device (not shown) which will then release the balls 27 and allow them to continue flowing through the tube 13. Alternatively, of course, the retaining device 22 may be manually operable as from a button (not shown which the operator may press either at will or during a predetermined time period.

In addition, the transparent panel 31 in the cover 11 may be replaced with a magnifying panel which may allow the display tube to run at an angle to the outside profile of the cover 11. Such a magnifying prism would, of course, allow the balls to be positioned at different positions within the display tube 13, so long as the identity of the balls was readily observable by the user.

Various other modifications besides those specifically described will readily occur to those skilled in the art and the specific embodiments described should be taken as illustrative only and not as limiting the scope of the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A number selection apparatus comprising a mixing chamber, a display tube having first and second sections, said display tube having an inlet and an outlet end, each end being open in said chamber, a cover for said mixing chamber surrounding at least part of said display tube, air supply means to provide air to said chamber through an aperture, said first section of said display tube including said inlet end located generally above said aperture and, said second section extending from said first section in a direction generally adjacent to the outside profile of said cover.

2. A number selection apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said second section includes a transparent window, said window being generally parallel to the outside profile of said cover.

3. A number selection apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said display tube is wholly within said chamber, said cover including a transparent panel adjacent to and substantially conterminous with said transparent window of said second section.

4. A number selection apparatus as in claim 3 and further comprising a releasable ball retaining device mounted in said second section for retaining said balls in and releasing said balls from said second section.

5. A number selection apparatus as in claim 3 and further comprising a third section connected to said second section, said third section including said outlet end open in said chamber.

6. A number selection apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said second section of said display tube and said outside profile of said cover are substantially horizontal.

7. A number selection apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said second section is outside said cover, said tube further including a third section which extends from said second section and returns to said chamber.

8. A selection apparatus as in claim 7 and further comprising a releasable ball retaining device in said third section operable to retain and release balls in said display tube.

9. A method of selecting a predetermined number of balls bearing indicia in a display tube comprising the steps of supplying an air stream to a chamber, blowing balls with said air stream into a tube extending adjacent to the outside profile of said chamber, retaining a number of said balls in said tube for a predetermined period of time, displaying said indicia of said balls through said display tube and releasing said retaining means to allow said balls to return to said chamber.

10. A method as in claim 9 wherein said display tube is outside said chamber.

11. A method as in claim 9 wherein said display tube is substantially parallel to the outside profile of and wholly within said chamber, said indicia of said balls being displayed outside of said chamber.