GB989737A - Bowling pinsetting machine - Google Patents

Abstract

989,737. Bowling alleys. BOWL-MOR CO. Inc. Aug. 8, 1961 [April 10, 1961], No. 25559/61. Heading A6D. An alley A for playing nine-pin bowling (in which only one ball per frame is bowled) comprises a sweeper S which, after each frame, transfers pins P and balls from the deck A1 on to a continuously rotating turntable in the pit 11, from whence the pins and balls are separately distributed to pin elevator E1 and a ball elevator respectively, the balls being returned from the latter to the bowler along track BR. The pins are lifted on their sides in the elevator E1 and are delivered from thence to a pin reservoir R extending horizontally and transversely across the rear end of the alley, means being provided for ejecting from the elevator those pins which have their heads pointing towards the playing deck, and for turning them during their fall back to the pit 11 so that when next picked up by the elevator, their butt ends face towards the deck of the alley. When the pin reservoir R is full, the pin elevator is stopped automatically and the pins are pushed out of the reservoir R by an ejector bar, on to nine downwardly inclined channels 112 having conveyor belts 113 therein, the belts delivering the pins to vertical positioning tubes T mounted on the pinsetter platform 125. The pinsetter platform is then lowered to the deck A1 and the pins are released therefrom, ball-bearings in the bottoms of the pins engaging countersunk holes in the pin deck. Whilst being lowered on to the pin deck, the pins are held in the open-ended tubes T by means of fingers 165 which form part of a framework 160 slidably mounted on the platform 125, and which project into slots in the lower ends of the tubes. Catch means are provided for holding the frame 160 in its pinengaging position against the action of springs, the catch means being automatically released when the pinsetter platform reaches the playing deck, and being automatically re-set as the pinsetter returns towards the pin reservoir. The various sweeping and pinsetting components of the alley are all driven by electric motors, the sweeping and pinsetting cycle being fully automatic once initiated from a push-button switch at the approach end of the bowling alley.