GB181654A - An automatic machine for playing a game - Google Patents

Abstract

181,654. Barr, G. R. Nov. 22, 1921. Table games.-A coin-freed football and like game apparatus adapted to be operated by two players comprises a series of figures 19, Figs. 2 and 3, grouped to represent forwards, backs, &c., on a playing' surface 17 on which a ball is delivered by prepayment of two coins, one leg of each figune or a shutter-like portion 18 of the playing surface adjacent it being manually operated to drive the ball into either of two goals 17<A>. A coin is returned to the winning player when a goal is scored. The shutters 18 are counterweighted and pivoted in recesses 18a in the playing surface so that the ball tends to roll to the foot of a playing, figure one leg 21 of which is pivoted and moved to resemble kicking by its shutter. This is operated by a finger piece 28 on a cross-shaft 27 connected by links 26, 25 to a bell-crank lever 24 bearing against the counterweighted portion 22, there being several shafts 27 each controlling a group of figures. A column of balls stored in a vertical shoot 30, Fig. 7, which has two opposite sides slidable, is raised to deliver the top ball on to the playing surface by the rotation bv means of a knob 38 of a shaft 37 normally locked. A platform 32 with a ball resting thereon is raised by a rod 33 operated by a pin 35 on a disc 36 on the shaft to engage the ball with spring triggers 41 on the slidable sides of the shoot 30 which are then raised to lift the column of balls by the pin 35 engaging the end' of a slot in a link 53 connected to the slidable sides. After play the ball returns from the goal by a shoot 44, provided with a shutter 74 which is raised on the next prepayment to allow the ball to roll to the platform 32 through an extension 45. The coins are inserted into two shoots 48, 49, Fig. 10. The coin in the shoot 49 depresses a lever 62 'sufficiently to disengage through a connecting-rod 61 a a lever 59 from a recessed disc 56, Fig. 8, on the shaft 37 to allow the shaft to be turned in one direction, rotation in the other direction being at all times prevented by a pawl and ratchet 58, 55. During rotation a pin 64 on the disc 56 strikes an extension 65 on the lever 59 to depress farther the lever 62 raising a counterweighted sliding stop 67 and discharging the coin. The pin 64 also swings a depending rod 77 to disengage a sector 75 from a weighted lever 70 one end 70<A> of which extends into the shoot 48, and is depressed by the coin inserted therein to cause the other end to lift the shutter 74. The coin released by the lever 70 falls down and is retained by a pin 52 until it is returned to the winning player. Too rapid rotation of the shaft 37 is prevented by a brake disc 57 engaging a lever 80 under the control of a powerful spring 81. The ball in its passage through the shoot 44 trips a lever 46 which through a rod 47 withdraws the pin 52 and allows the coin in the shoot 48 to be delivered through the shoot 50.