Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • A63F5/00—Roulette games
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • A63F5/00—Roulette games
  • A63F5/0005—Automatic roulette
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • A63F5/00—Roulette games
  • A63F5/0076—Driving means
  • A63F5/0082—Driving means electrical

Definitions

• the present invention relates to gaming wheels, more particularly it relates to roulette wheels in which the ball is automatically put in play.
• Roulette is a well-known casino game which has been played for many years.
• a typical conventional roulette game includes a table bearing a felt covering upon which indicia forming a betting layout has been silk-screened or otherwise imprinted.
• a typical roulette wheel includes a number ring bearing a circular array of numbered segments bearing numbers 1 through 36.
• the number ring typically includes the numbers 0 and 00 disposed at diametrically opposite locations on the number ring.
• the numbers 1 through 36 are not disposed in numerical order, but are typically disposed in a predetermined arrangement, such that roulette wheels located in different casinos will have the same standard predetermined number ring arrangement.
• the numbers disposed in a circular array in the number ring region of the wheel bear the alternating colours of red and black, with the exception of the 0 and 00 numbers, which are typically coloured green.
• a ring of pockets corresponding in number to the plurality of numbers of the circular number ring lies adjacent, but radially inward of the number ring, on the typical roulette wheel.
• a typical roulette wheel includes a circular, inclined ball track, disposed above, and radially outwardly of the number ring.
• players place chips or tokens on the betting layout located on the roulette table, and then the croupier or dealer spins the roulette wheel to place the ball in motion about the circular ball track.
• the wheel slows, the ball moves radially inwardly and comes to rest in one of the pockets associated with a particular one of the numbers of the number ring.
• the croupier or dealer settles the various wagers placed on the table layout in accordance with predetermined rules and wager odds and the process repeated.
• a trap door opens beneath the pockets and the ball drops through this trap door and passes through a series of channels and returned back up to its staring position.
• the ball can then be put in play by a solenoid firing the ball onto the ball track.
• a gaming apparatus which comprises a stationary base; a roulette wheel having a rotor rotatably mounted on a vertical axis with respect to the base; the rotor having pockets on its periphery into which a ball can be received with each pocket being associated with a number; a peripheral inclined surface concentric with the rotor for receiving a ball rollably thereon in which the ball will roll into one of the pockets when the ball slows, the said surface comprising a circular, inclined ball track, disposed above, and radially outwardly of the rotor there being means for propelling the ball along the ball track.
• the apparatus is particularly suitable for use in playing roulette but it can be used for any other game which is played on a roulette wheel or roulette type wheel and can include games in which more than one ball is in play during the game.
• the roulette wheel or rotor is able to be rotated in both directions.
• the means for propelling the ball along the said ball track can be a means which can rotate the ball track about a vertical axis in relation to the base. In this case the rotation of the ball track will cause the ball to be rotated as it is located on the ball track.
• this means can comprise, for example air jets positioned at the edge of the ball track which can direct a jet of air at the ball thus impelling the ball along the ball track.
• the speed of the ball will cause centrifugal force to cause the ball to move to the outer edge of the ball track where preferably there is a rim to prevent the ball leaving the ball track.
• a releasable holding means whereby the rotor and the ball track can be held together and so they rotate at the same velocity and, when the ball has been ejected from the pocket onto the ball track, the holding means released and the direction of rotation of the rotor reversed.
• the rotor and the ball track can be rotated by means of one or more motors with a timing mechanism so that the successive operational steps can be taken at the appropriate time.
• jets positioned around the periphery of the rim of the ball track so that the ball can be propelled along the rim for the required period of time, normally a few seconds and then the jets can be turned off so that the ball will spiral down simulating the action of the croupier.
• air jets positioned to propel a ball in either direction, clockwise or counter clockwise, as croupiers can spin the wheel in either direction and the ball can then circulate around the ball track in the opposite direction to the direction the wheel is rotating.
• the jets are preferably angled downwardly.
• a transparent cover such as a glass or transparent plastics cover over the apparatus such as a transparent sheet which fits into the apparatus in the rim above the air jets.
• the central rotor is then mounted so that it fits beneath the sheet.
• a static turret in line with the rotor.
• This turret preferably has a smooth reflective surface and can be for example in the shape of a cylinder or has a circular cross section of varying diameter along its length i.e. it has a curvilinear shape. In use the numbers or the wheel are reflected in the turret and, as the wheel rotates, the turret has the appearance of movement.
• the operation of the wheel is computer controlled and, by controlling the speed of and the acceleration of the wheel, the ball can be projected up the peripheral surface between any pair of ball stops. This can be chosen at random by the computer.
• the duration of the time the air jets are on and the time to reverse the direction of rotation of the wheel can be random so the is no predictability about the operation of the apparatus.
• the motor is preferably a stepper motor which enable there to be accurate control of its operation and preferably the motor is coupled directly to the rotor e.g. by friction with a step down gearing to give high torque drive to the rotor and wheel which improves control.
• the outermost section of the ball track adjacent to the rim is at an angle to the horizontal which is less than that of the rest of the ball track. This means that, in use, less centrifugal force is required to hold the ball against the rim than is required to propel the ball up to the rim. In use, when the ball reaches this outermost section, it will tend to stay against the rim as the ball track slows down or the air jets are turned off and when it leaves this section it will then rapidly spiral down to the wheel and to a pocket.
• Preferred angles of the ball track to the horizontal are ten to thirty degrees and preferred angles of the outer most section is from one to ten degrees to the horizontal with the angle of the outermost section being smaller than the angle of the rest of the ball track.
• a typical angle of the ball track to the horizontal is twenty degrees and a typical angle for this outermost section is five degrees.
• the width of this outermost section of the ball track is preferably about the diameter of the ball.
• the slope of the ball track can change from a greater angle to the horizontal adjacent the wheel to a smaller angle at the outer rim e.g. by the ball track having a curved profile rather than a straight one.
• the rate of change in angle can be uniform or non uniform.
• the angle to the horizontal can change form twenty degrees adjacent the wheel to five degrees adjacent the rim.
• the invention is useful in conjunction with automatic roulette wheels in which bets are placed via slots or other similar mechanism using coins, notes or tokens and the roulette wheel is spun automatically using the present invention.
• a payout mechanism can be provided to calculate the winnings and to pay them out in coins, tokens etc.
• the payout mechanism can include a microprocessor to calculate the amount of winnings on different types of bets, thus enabling completely automatic gaming to take place.
• Fig. 1 shows a side view of part of a roulette wheel incorporating an embodiment of the invention
• Figs. 2 and 3 show side views of other embodiment of the invention
• Figs. 4 and 5 show a plan view the embodiment of fig. 2
• Fig. 6 shows a schematic view of a section of the ball track
• a roulette wheel has a rotor (1) mounted on an axle (2) on which is bearing (7). There are pockets (3) on the periphery of the rotor and each pocket is numbered and coloured. Surrounding the rotor (1) is ball track (4) at the top end of which is ball retaining means. The ball track can rotate independently of rotor (1) about axle (2). There is a fixed top rim (5) around the ball track (4) in which there is a number recording device which detects which pocket a ball is in and enables this number to be displayed and recorded. The rotation of the rotor (1) is controlled by motor (9); the rotation of ball track (4) is controlled by motor (10) and the sequence of events controlled by timer (11).
• the ball (6) In use, at the start the ball (6) is in position (a) in pocket (3), the rotor (1) and ball track (4) are spun together and when the rotation of the rotor (1) reaches a certain speed the ball is ejected from pocket by centrifugal force and moves outward until it is in position (b). The ball can then be held there by a ball stop. When the ball leaves the pocket (a) the rotation of rotor (1) is decelerated and reversed.
• Bets can now be made, if not made before, and the ball track (4) slowed down, as the ball track slows down the ball is released from position (b) and spirals down the slope until it lands in a pocket (3) in counter rotating rotor (1).
• the pocket is noted by detection means (5) as the rotor comes to rest and the bets settled. This process can then be repeated.
• the computer instructs the ball track to accelerate until its rotational speed has caught up with the rotating rotor.
• the rotor decelerates and is made to turn in the opposite direction at a speed at which a casino croupier would generally keep the wheel turning.
• the invention recreates what a croupier does, except that no dealer has had a hand in the procedure.
• the ball spins one way and the ball the other way and the ball comes to rest in a pocket as in manually operated games.
• a roulette wheel has a rotor (11) mounted on an axle (12).
• Surrounding the rotor (11) is ball track (14).
• the ball track can rotate independently of rotor (11) about axle (12).
• the rotation of the rotor (11) is controlled by motor and the rotation of ball track is controlled by a motor and the sequence of events controlled by computer.
• FIG. 4 there are air jets positioned on the rim (15) with one set of air jets A directed in one direction and one set of air jets B directed in the opposite direction.
• the air jets are controlled automatically by a computer.
• FIG. 4 a possible control system is shown schematically with the air jets operated by solenoids controlled by a computer so the system is automatic and each spin of the rotor is in the opposite direction to the preceding spin.
• the rotor (11) is spun and, when the rotation of the rotor (11) reaches a certain speed, the ball is ejected from the pocket by centrifugal force and moves outward until it is in position 'b'. After the ball leaves the pocket (13) the rotation of rotor (11) is decelerated and reversed.
• the air jets directed in the same direction as ball is moving due to the rotation of the rotor which ejected the ball from a pocket, are started and the they impart a force to the ball which causes the ball to continue to move around the ball track on or near the rim.
• the speed of rotation of the wheel is controlled by computer and this speed will determine when the ball is ejected from its pocket and where it hits the rim.
• Bets can now be made, if not made before, the air jets are turned off and the ball releases from the position shown and spirals down the slope until it lands in a pocket (13) in counter rotating rotor (11). The pocket is noted by the detection means as the rotor comes to rest and the bets settled. This process can then be repeated.
• Ball is sitting in a pocket in the rotating rotor as previous game has closed. Payouts from previous game have been made and people are now placing bets.
• the timer instructs the rotor to rotate and accelerate until the ball is thrown outwards from the pocket and on to the ball track by centrifugal force, the ball then moves to the outside of the ball track.
• One set of air jets are turned on and the ball circulates along the rim of the ball track.
• the rim (16) and edge (18) are made of a metal, e.g. aluminium, strip.
• the ball (17) is ejected from the pocket as described above and moves under centrifugal force to the outer edged of ball track (19) and rests against rim (16).
• the wheel slows down the air jet is operated to maintain the ball against rim (16) by centrifugal force, when the air jet is turned off the ball spirals down to a pocket as described above.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Time Recorders, Dirve Recorders, Access Control (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)
• Arrangement And Mounting Of Devices That Control Transmission Of Motive Force (AREA)
• Control Of Throttle Valves Provided In The Intake System Or In The Exhaust System (AREA)
• Massaging Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=26246874

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

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Family Cites Families (4)

• 2002
  • 2002-12-16 DE DE60218531T patent/DE60218531D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-12-16 AU AU2002352400A patent/AU2002352400A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2002-12-16 WO PCT/GB2002/005707 patent/WO2003051476A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 2002-12-16 AT AT02788120T patent/ATE355113T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2002-12-16 EP EP02788120A patent/EP1461128B1/fr not_active Expired - Lifetime

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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