EP0557193A1 - Device for the random drawing of flat elements - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for the random drawing of flat elements, characterised in that it is composed of a machine consisting essentially of a sphere (2) in which it is possible to create an air current, and of prisms (1) which are inserted into the said sphere, each prism including on two of its opposite faces, at least, the reproduction of a figurine, means being provided in order to capture a prism in random fashion and for extracting it from the receptacle. <??>On its portion located towards the front, the receptacle has a groove (10) with a trapezoidal cross section, the width of which decreases from its upper part to its lower part. <??>The base of the groove extends, at its lower part, beyond the outer face of the receptacle so as to provide sufficient space to permit the passage of a prism, the said space being closed off by a retractable small bar (11) forming the base of groove (12) in which the lower part of a prism may be engaged. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a device for the random drawing of plane figures such as those represented on playing cards for example.

Machines are known for performing the random drawing of balls. Such a machine is described in the European patent application published under No. 0 348 281.

This machine has a spherical receptacle in which the balls are kept in motion by a judiciously oriented air stream. To carry out the drawing, the machine also includes a tube capable of passing through the spherical receptacle and in which a depression can be created so as to suck up the ball, which passes near the upper orifice of said tube, and to maintain it on said end.

Such a machine is satisfactory and provides proof that a draft is an appropriate means for agitating and mixing objects.

However, a machine of this type does not allow agitation of flat objects such as playing cards, the air flow having the effect of pressing said objects against the wall of the receptacle.

In other words, the known machines are not suitable for the objects to which we now plan to apply them, namely: figurines or the like.

Admittedly one could reproduce the figurines on balls and use the existing machines but the scenic effect obtained would be unattractive.

The device of the invention is remarkable in that it consists of two inseparable elements, namely: a machine, consisting of a spherical receptacle in which one can create a current of air, and prisms which are introduced into said receptacle, each prism comprising on two of its opposite faces, at least, the reproduction of a figurine, means being provided for capturing a prism in a random manner and for extracting it from the receptacle.

The spherical receptacle, transparent, has, on its portion located in front, a groove, of trapezoidal section, the bottom of which is offset towards the outside and tapers progressively from its upper end to that lower to come to extend beyond of the outer face of the spherical receptacle so as to provide sufficient space to allow the passage of a prism.

The air is sent into the sphere so as to create an air current which produces a movement extending from the back to the front. When the prisms are introduced into the sphere and agitated by the air flow, it can be seen that all the prisms move along a circular trajectory which, on average, is contained substantially in the vertical plane of symmetry of the aforementioned groove.

According to one embodiment, each prism is in the form of a puck and has a figurine on each of its faces.

• la figure 1 est une vue en élévation de la machine;
• la figure 2 est une vue en coupe effectuée selon la ligne II-II de la figure 1;
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe, limitée à la section et à plus grande échelle, effectuée selon la ligne III-III de la figure 1;
• la figure 4 est la vue de dessus de la partie inférieure du réceptacle.

Other characteristics of the invention will emerge more clearly from the description which follows, given with reference to the accompanying drawings by way of indicative example only, in which;

• Figure 1 is an elevational view of the machine;
• Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line II-II of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a sectional view, limited to the section and on a larger scale, taken along line III-III of Figure 1;
• Figure 4 is the top view of the lower part of the receptacle.

In what follows and considering FIG. 2, it will be assumed that the part of the machine which is located to the right of the XY axis forms the front part and that that which is located to the left of said axis forms the rear part.

According to the invention and in the case, for example, of playing cards, each figure in the deck of cards is reproduced on the front and back of a flattened prism, or puck, such as that shown in 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2. Taking into account the dimensions of a usual playing card which is reproduced in real size, the thickness of each puck is of the order of a few millimeters. Except for the prints, all the pucks are strictly identical in size and density

The pucks 1 are introduced into a spherical receptacle 2, the lower part of which, which is open, rests on a base 3 made integral with a frame shown diagrammatically at 4 in FIG. 1. Means are provided for fixing the receptacle 2 on the base 3. Thus, for example, one can use a rapid assembly means of a known type such as that known as a bayonet according to which the assembly is carried out by an axial displacement of the sphere followed by a rotation along this axis. .

According to one embodiment, the sphere 2 can be surmounted by a charger 5 constituted by a plurality of vertical grooves 6 in which the prisms 1 are engaged and are visible. The grooves 6 communicate, via a retractable flap 7, with the receptacle 2 which has, for this purpose, a slot 8. By actuating the hatch 7, by all usual means, all the pucks necessary for the draw fall into the receptacle 2.

The base 3 has an opening 9 through which air is sent which circulates in the sphere 2 in a direction which is substantially that of the curvilinear arrow F₁. Under the effect of this air flow all the pucks are driven, substantially, in the same direction.

The air jet can be controlled by pivoting shutters, similar to those described in the aforementioned European patent application, the axes of which appear in dashed lines in FIG. 4.

According to an important characteristic of the invention, the central part 3 _a of the base 3 is curved so as to partially penetrate into the area 2 and the opening 9 is located at the periphery of said part and towards the rear. In this way, the pucks are deflected and do not risk hitting the rear edge of the opening, which could damage them.

fond 10_a est déporté vers l'extérieur. La rainure 10 présente une section trapézoîdale et sa largeur décroît de sa partie supérieure à celle inférieure. A la partie inférieure de la rainure, le fond $\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{\text{10}}{\text{a}}$

recouvre partiellement la portion $\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{\text{2}}{\text{a}}$

de la sphère 2 tout en ménageant un espace suffisant pour permettre le passage d'un palet.The front part of the sphere has a groove 10 whose $\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{\text{10}}{\text{at}}$

bottom 10 _a is offset to the outside. The groove 10 has a trapezoidal section and its width decreases from its upper part to that lower. At the bottom of the groove, the bottom $\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{\text{10}}{\text{at}}$

partially covers the portion $\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{\text{2}}{\text{at}}$

of sphere 2 while providing sufficient space to allow the passage of a puck.

The lower end of the groove 10 is normally closed by a movable bar 11 so as to form a groove 12 into which the lower part of the puck penetrates.

et qu'un d'entre eux puisse s'insérer dans l'espace compris entre la portion 2_a et le fond de la rainure en prenant appui contre la barrette 11 (position montrée sur la figure 2).Under the effect of the air flow, we understand that pucks can penetrate into the groove 10, slide along the bottom $\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{\text{10}}{\text{at}}$

and that one of them can fit into the space between the portion _2a and the bottom of the groove by bearing against the bar 11 (position shown in Figure 2).

The width of the groove 10, at its lower part, is such that only the pucks which are in the correct position, that shown in Figure 1, can be captured, the others being deflected through the oblique blanks of said groove and returned to the center of the sphere. From the aforementioned position, it suffices to retract the bar 11 to evacuate the puck using an appropriate chute, not shown. The draw is over.

In fact, the problem is more complicated because it has been found that the "capture" of a puck is carried out too quickly for spectators to be able to witness the shuffling of the pucks. It has been found, moreover, that when a puck reaches the groove 12 it can be driven out by another.

According to the invention, means are provided for delaying the capture of a puck and for protecting the captured puck.

To protect the captured puck, a first means is used which detects the presence of a puck in the groove 12 and a second means, placed under the dependence of the first, for isolating the captured puck.

Different means can be used to detect the presence of a puck. Preferably, a fiber optic device housed in the bar 11 is used. A first optical fiber sends a light ray, part of which is reflected towards the end of a second optical fiber when a puck enters the groove 12, creating thus a signal which is used to control the installation of protective device. The entire operation is almost instantaneous and takes place in a time which is less than a thousandth of a second.

According to one embodiment, the protective member is constituted by fingers 13 capable of extending in the groove 10. These fingers are carried by a shaft 14 arranged outside the groove, the bottom of which has openings 15 for the passage of said fingers. To simplify the drawings, a single light 15 is shown in FIG. 1. With regard to the lights 15, it should be noted that these are determined so as to provide a section suitable for the air which must emerge from the sphere 2.

The fingers 13 are used to delay the drawing and, for this purpose, they extend naturally in the groove 10 according to the position shown in FIG. 2.

To carry out the drawing, the fingers 13 are retracted and no longer project from the bottom of the groove 12.

When the presence of a puck in the groove 12 is noted, the pivoting of the shaft 14 is controlled to place the fingers 13 in the position shown in Figure 2. In this position, the end of the fingers is tangent to the extension of the internal surface of the sphere. The pucks which are in movement strike the fingers and are returned towards the center of the sphere without being able to reach the captured puck.

The rotation of the shaft 14 can be controlled by moving the movable armature of an electromagnet of the plunger core type, the rod of which can act on a lateral extension 16 of the shaft 14.

The control of the retraction of the bar 11 can be achieved by moving it parallel to itself in the direction of the arrow F₂. This move poses no technical problem.

According to a variant, it is possible to design an equivalent device but not using the fingers 13.

According to this variant, when it is desired to delay the drawing, the bar 11 is moved parallel to itself and upwards so as to place it in a position where the groove is completely closed. In this position it is therefore not possible to capture a puck.

When it is desired to carry out the drawing, the movement, in the opposite direction, of the bar is controlled so as to recreate the groove 12 and allow the capture of a puck.

As soon as the presence of a puck is noted, in the manner described above, the resulting signal is used to control the stopping of the blower producing the air flow inside the sphere. The pucks no longer receiving energy all fall to the bottom of the sphere with the exception of the captured one which can no longer be struck by the others.

Claims (10)

1- Device for the random drawing of plane figures characterized in that it consists of a machine, essentially constituted by a sphere (2) in which one can create a current of air, and prisms (1) which are introduced in said sphere, each prism comprising on two of its opposite faces, at least, the reproduction of a figurine, means being provided for capturing a prism in a random manner and for extracting it from the receptacle. 2- Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the receptacle has, on its portion located towards the front, a groove (10) with trapezoidal section whose width decreases from its upper part to that lower; 3- Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the bottom of the groove extends, at its lower part beyond the outer face of the receptacle so as to provide sufficient space to allow the passage of a prism. 4- Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the space, defined in the preceding claim, is closed by a retractable bar (11) which forms the bottom of a groove (12) in which can engage the part bottom of a prism. 5- Device according to claim 4, characterized in that means are provided for delaying the drawing, detecting the presence of a prism in the groove (12) and for controlling the establishment of a means of protection of the captured prism . 6- Device according to claim 5, characterized in that one uses a protective member consisting of a plurality of fingers (13) capable of projecting into the groove (10) when a prism is captured to prevent it from be struck by other moving prisms in the sphere. 7- Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the fingers (13) are carried by a shaft (14) disposed outside of the sphere, the rotation of said shaft being capable of projecting said fingers in the groove (10) the latter crossing the bottom of said groove by means of lights (15). 8- Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the spherical receptacle is open at its lower part and rests on a base, made integral with the frame of the machine, the central part of which is curved and partially penetrates in said receptacle, said central part having, at its periphery and towards the rear, an air outlet opening (9). 9- Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the bar (11) can be moved, parallel to itself, so as to close the groove (12). 10- Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the signal, produced following the detection of a prism in the groove (12), is used to control the stopping of the blower producing the air flow.

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