JP2000042236A - Pachinko island machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a pachinko island machine wherein a ball lifting device can be operated in a stable manner for a long period of time by preventing balls fed from another pachinko island machine from excessively flowing in. SOLUTION: An overflow passage 61 and a suction passage 62 are provided so as to be adjacent to each other and the lower portions of both the passage are joined together so as to communicate with a lower storage tank 13 at a joining portion 64 of the passages 61, 62, whereby a preferentially guiding structure is formed so that balls guided by the passage 61 are guided to the tank 13 preceding balls guided by the passage 62. Hence when the interior of a pachinko island machine is filled with balls, balls flowing out of upper tanks 41, 49 are filled fully into the downstream end portion of the passage 61 so that balls from another pachinko island machine, fed from the passage 62, are prevented from flowing into the tank 13.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pachinko island stand which receives a large amount of pachinko balls from a pachinko island stand which holds a large amount of pachinko balls by an AC gutter inserted between respective upper tanks of a plurality of pachinko island stands. An upper tank for storing the pachinko balls pumped by the ball lifting device, a supply gutter for supplying the pachinko balls stored in the upper tank to a plurality of pachinko machines, and a pachinko machine discharged from the plurality of pachinko machines. A collecting gutter for collecting balls, a lower tank for storing the pachinko balls collected by the collecting gutter and supplying the pachinko balls to the ball lifting device, and guiding the pachinko balls overflowing from the upper tank to the lower tank. The present invention relates to a pachinko island stand comprising: an overflow passage; and a suction passage for guiding pachinko balls supplied from the AC gutter to the upper tank to the lower tank. Than it is.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a plurality of pachinko islands are used as one block, an AC gutter is inserted between upper tanks, and large pachinko islands (hereinafter referred to as main pachinko islands) having large storage tanks are used. To Pachinko Island that does not have a storage tank of
2. Description of the Related Art A ball transfer device referred to as an island exchange system for constantly supplying pachinko balls is known. In this island exchange system, the amount of balls held in the slave pachinko island stand is always satisfied, so that there is no shortage of balls in the slave pachinko island stand, and the equipment cost is low, It is used in many playgrounds.

[0003] By the way, in the island exchange method described above,
In the secondary pachinko island, the pachinko balls supplied from the AC gutter are supplied as long as the secondary pachinko island has room to accept it. However, if pachinko balls supplied from the AC gutter are given priority to the lower tank over pachinko balls overflowing from the upper tank of the slave pachinko island stand, pachinko balls stored in the lower tank will be doffed. Even if the pachinko balls supplied from the AC gutter are supplied to the lower tank preferentially even if the pachinko balls are finally overflowed by the device and overflow, the overflowed pachinko balls are clogged in the overflow passage, and the circulation of the pachinko balls is reduced. It cannot be done smoothly. For this reason, in the island pachinko island stand of the island exchange type, it is necessary to preferentially guide the pachinko balls overflowing over the pachinko balls supplied from the AC gutter to the lower tank.

[0004] Conventionally, the return of pachinko balls from the upper tank to the lower tank has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-38311 proposed by the present applicant.
Hose for overflow from the upper tank (small box) to the lower tank (hereinafter referred to as overflow hose) and hose for pachinko balls supplied from other islands (hereinafter referred to as suction hose) are separated. In addition, the pachinko balls returned by the overflow hose are guided to the ball discharging device with priority over the pachinko balls supplied by the suction hose inside the lower tank. As the above-mentioned overflow hose and suction hose, those reinforced by incorporating a spiral wire inside a flexible synthetic resin-made circular hose have been used.

[0005]

For this reason, there is a drawback that a large number of pachinko balls falling vigorously cause holes to open in a short time in a curved portion of a synthetic resin circular hose and the pachinko balls overflow to the outside. there were. In addition, there is a drawback in that the mounting positions of the lower ends of the overflow hose and the suction hose relative to the lower tank must be made accurate in order to give priority to the guidance to the doffing apparatus. The present invention has been made on the basis of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to prolong the stable operation of a ball-lifting device by preventing the pachinko balls supplied from other pachinko islands from excessively flowing. An object of the present invention is to provide a pachinko island stand that can be stably secured over a period.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a large amount of pachinko balls are held by an AC gutter inserted between upper tanks of a plurality of pachinko island stands. A pachinko island that receives a supply of pachinko balls from the pachinko island stand, an upper tank for storing pachinko balls pumped by the ball lifting device, and a plurality of pachinko balls stored in the upper tank. A replenishing gutter for replenishing, a collecting gutter for collecting pachinko balls discharged from a plurality of pachinko machines, a lower tank for storing pachinko balls collected by the collecting gutter and supplying pachinko balls to the ball lifting device. An overflow passage for guiding pachinko balls overflowing from the upper tank to the lower tank, and a pachinko ball supplied to the upper tank from the AC gutter to the lower tank. And a suction passage having a suction passage, the overflow passage and the suction passage are provided adjacent to each other, and a lower portion thereof is joined to communicate with the lower tank. Since the induced pachinko ball has a priority guiding structure that is led to the lower tank in preference to the pachinko ball guided in the suction passage,
When pachinko balls are filled inside the pachinko island, pachinko balls supplied from other pachinko islands through the suction passage do not flow into the pachinko islands, and Circulation can be performed smoothly. And the structure that supplies the pachinko balls that have overflowed to the ball feeding device with priority is performed at the junction outside the lower tank, so that the downstream end position of the overflow hose or suction hose is accurately positioned as in the past. It is also free from the troublesome work of having to do it. Further, in the invention of claim 2, the overflow passage and the suction passage are provided linearly inside one side of a space where the doffing device is installed, and connect the upper tank and the lower tank. Therefore, the internal space in which the doffing and feeding device is installed can be effectively used.

Further, in the invention according to claim 3, the priority guiding structure is guided by the steeply inclined surface for guiding the pachinko balls guided by the overflow passage toward the center of the merging portion and the suction passage. Due to the structure in which the pachinko balls face the gentle inclined surface that guides the pachinko balls toward the center of the merging section, in a state where the downstream end portions of the overflow passage and the suction passage are filled with the pachinko balls, the steep inclination occurs. Since the pressure of the pachinko balls on the overflow passage side riding on the surface is stronger than the pressure of the pachinko balls on the suction passage side riding on the gentle slope, the pachinko balls flowing out from the junction to the lower tank are:
The pachinko balls supplied from the overflow passage become mainstream and can be guided preferentially.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG.
FIG. 2 is an overall schematic diagram showing a relationship between a plurality of pachinko ball stands, a pachinko ball storage tank provided in connection therewith, and a ball transfer device. FIG. 2 shows base tanks B1, B2, and B3 as pachinko ball storage tanks. It is a front view which shows the internal structure of pachinko island stand A1, A4, A5, A8, A9 provided adjacently, FIG. 3 thru | or FIG.
Pachinko island stand A1, A provided adjacent to B2, B3
Upper tank 2 provided above 4, 4, A8, A9
FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the operation of No. 2 and FIG. 6 shows the inside of a pachinko island stand A2, A3, A6, A7 which is not adjacent to the base tank (however, the ball return device 5 is not provided in A3, A6). FIG. 7 is a front view showing the structure, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the operation of an upper tank 41 provided above pachinko island stands A2 and A7 not adjacent to the base tank.
Is a pachinko island stand A3, A6 not adjacent to the base tank
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the operation of an upper tank 49 provided at the upper part of the ball, FIG. 9 is a perspective view for explaining the state of the pachinko balls overflowing in the upper tank 49, and FIG. AC gutter 1
FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the structure of the AC gutter 1, and FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the AC gutter inserted between the pachinko island stands A3 and A4 among the AC gutters 1 and 2. FIG. FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the AC gutters 1 and 2, and FIG. 14 is an upper tank 4 of the pachinko island stand A2, A3, A6, A7 not adjacent to the base tank.
FIG. 15 is a schematic view showing a structure of an overflow passage 61 and a suction passage 62 which communicate the first and the 49 and the lower tank 13 in the island, and FIG. 15 shows a structure of a merge portion below the overflow passage 61 and the suction passage 62. FIG. 16 is an enlarged view, and FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a lower tank 13 provided inside each of the pachinko island stands A1 to A9.
FIG. 18 is a perspective view for explaining the flow of balls stored in the lower tank 13, and FIG.
FIG. 19 is a perspective view of B3, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an internal structure of No. 3;

First, in FIG. 1, a plurality of pachinko islands A1 to A9 installed in a game arcade (more or less pachinko islands are installed depending on the game arcade) each have a relatively inside. A lower tank 13 for storing a small amount of pachinko balls (capable of storing about 20,000 pieces) is built in, and the pachinko balls stored in the lower tank 13 are ball-lifting devices 2
1 to be transported to the upper tanks 22, 41, 49 so as to replenish the balls to the pachinko machines 10 and the ball rental machines 24 (both shown in FIGS. 2 and 6) installed in the respective pachinko island stands A1 to A9. Has become. The pachinko balls used in the pachinko machine 10 are collected by an out-ball collecting gutter 12 (see FIGS. 2 and 6), guided to the lower tank 13, and returned to the ball-lifting device 2.
It is pumped by one. As a result, the pachinko balls circulate in the pachinko islands A1 to A9. The detailed structure of the pachinko island tables A1 to A9 including the circulating mechanism will be described later in detail.

A ball return device 5 for returning pachinko balls obtained by the player is provided at a predetermined one of the pachinko islands A2, A4, A7 and A8 among the pachinko islands A1 to A9. They are not necessarily located at the edge of the island, for example, at the center of the island). If the number of pachinko balls returned by the ball returning device 5 becomes extremely large, the pachinko balls cannot be stored in the lower tank 13 built in the pachinko island stands A2, A4, A7, and A8, and are therefore pumped by the ball lifting device 21. The pachinko balls are returned from the upper tanks 22 and 41 to the base tanks B1 to B3, which will be described later, via the return gutter 4 and the like. The return gutter 4 is not clearly shown in the drawing, but is transferred from the upper tank 41 of the pachinko island stand A2 to the base tank B1 via the upper tank 22 of the pachinko island stand A1 to the upper tank of the pachinko island stand A7. 41
From the upper tank 22 of the pachinko island stand A8 to the base tank B3.

Further, in the illustrated pachinko islands A1 to A9, a plurality (four) of pachinko islands A1 to A4 or A5 to A8 or A9 to are considered as one block.
Large base tanks B on both sides of each of these blocks
1, B2 and B3 are provided. That is, the base tanks B1 and B2 are disposed on both sides of the first block, the pachinko islands A1 to A4, and the base tanks B2 are provided on both sides of the second block, the pachinko islands A5 to A8. , B3 are provided. In addition, pachinko island stand A9
Subsequent blocks are not shown in the drawings, and the following description is omitted. And, the pachinko island stands A1, A4, A5, A8, A9 adjacent to the base tanks B1 to B3.
Has a structure in which the pachinko machine 10 is installed on only one side.

Thus, each of the base tanks B1 to B3 can store the amount of pachinko balls required for each block. For example, the number of balls required for one pachinko island stand is 500,000. Assuming that the number of pachinko balls is one, the number of pachinko balls required for the four pachinko island stands A1 to A4 or A5 to A8 constituting one block is 2 million. And
The base tank B1 has a capacity capable of storing about 1 million pachinko balls out of 2 million pachinko balls required for one block A1 to A4.
About 100 remaining pachinko balls required for blocks A1 to A4
10,000 pachinko balls required for blocks A5 to A8
Of the one million pieces, it has a capacity capable of storing a total of about two million pachinko balls including about one million pachinko balls, and similarly, the base tank B3 has two blocks A
5 to A8 and blocks A9 to 20
It is configured to have a capacity capable of storing 10,000 pachinko balls.

Each of the pachinko islands A1 to A4 or A5 to A8 belonging to each block described above has base tanks B1, B2 or B2 on both sides when the ball quantity is insufficient or when the ball quantity is full. , B3 to receive the missing balls or to send out excess balls to the base tanks B1, B2 or B2, B3. For this reason, pachinko island stand A located on both sides of each block
A first AC gutter 1 and a second AC gutter 2 as a ball transfer device are intersected between the upper tanks 22 of 1, A4, A5 and A8. The first AC gutter 1 and the second AC gutter 2 are connected to the pachinko island stand A2, A3 or A at an intermediate position.
The pachinko balls that have penetrated the inside of the upper tanks 41 and 49 of the A6 and A7 and fall from the later-described fall ports 44 and 46 fall into the respective upper tanks 41 and 49. The AC gutters 1 and 2 and the upper tanks 22 and 4
Connection with the upper and lower tanks 1 and 49 is performed through joint members provided in the upper tanks, and corresponds to the upstream inlet and the downstream outlet of the AC gutters 1 and 2 formed in advance in each upper tank. By connecting them together, they are connected so as to penetrate as a whole.

At the ends of the first AC gutter 1 and the second AC gutter 2, there is provided a shutter device 3 which is opened and closed by an electric drive source (not shown). The shutter device 3 is electrically controlled to be opened and closed by a control board 89, which will be described later, in accordance with the amount of balls stored in the base tanks B1 to B3.
The pachinko balls flow down in the second AC gutter 2 toward the base tanks B1 to B3 on the downstream side, and the pachinko balls stagnate in the first AC gutter 1 and the second AC gutter 2 in a closed state. Then, when there is room for receiving pachinko balls in the upper tanks 41, 49 of the pachinko island stands A2, A3 or A6, A7 located in the middle of the stagnant state (pachinko island stands A2, A3 or A6, A7). When the storage amount is small), the pachinko balls are supplied to the pachinko island stand A2, A3 or A6, A7 located in the middle thereof. Actually, pachinko balls are always supplied to the upper tanks 41, 49 of the pachinko islands A2, A3 or A6, A7, and the pachinko islands A2, A3 or A6, A7 are provided.
The storage amount of 7 is always in a state of being filled.

The outline of the relationship between the plurality of pachinko islands A1 to A9 has been described above. As described above, the pachinko balls are transported by the AC gutters 1 and 2 using the plurality of pachinko islands as one block. Is called island exchange. Then, the detailed structure of each island pachinko island stand and base tank of the island interchange type will be described below. First, the structure of the pachinko island stand will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 19, and the above-mentioned pachinko island stand has main pachinko island stands A1, A4, A5, A8, and A9 adjacent to the base tanks B1 to B3. ,
There are non-adjacent pachinko islands A2, A3, A6, and A7, both of which have almost the same structure.
There are some differences in the structures of the tanks 2, 41, 49 and the lower tank 13. Therefore, first, the base tank B1
Main pachinko island stand A1, A4, A5, A adjacent to B3
8 and 9 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5, and thereafter, mainly the differences will be described, and the secondary pachinko islands A2, A3, A not adjacent to the base tanks B1 to B3 will be described.
6, A7 will be described with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 2, the main pachinko island stands A1, A4, A5, A8, A9 adjacent to the base tanks B1 to B3.
In the following (hereinafter referred to as the main pachinko island stand A1 etc.), as described above, the lower tank 13 for storing a relatively small amount of pachinko balls is incorporated therein, and the pachinko balls stored in the lower tank 13 are used as main pachinko balls. An upper tank 22 is provided by a doffing and conveying device 21 installed substantially at the center of the island stand A1 or the like.
The ball is supplied to the pachinko machine 10 and the ball rental machine 24 installed on the respective main pachinko island stand A1 and the like via the supply gutter 23. The pachinko balls used in the pachinko machine 10 are discharged to the out-ball collecting gutter 12 through the out-ball box 11, collected by the out-ball collecting gutter 12, guided to the lower tank 13, and then doffed again. It is pumped by the feeding device 21. Thus, the pachinko balls circulate in the main pachinko island stand A1 and the like.

The lower tank 13 built in the main pachinko island stand A1 or the like is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and has a bottom plate 14 which is inclined downward toward the introduction gutter 16 of the doffing and conveying device 21 on its bottom surface. An upper guide gutter 15 that is inclined in a direction opposite to the bottom plate 14 is provided at an upper portion. This upper guiding gutter 15
Is not particularly required in the main pachinko island A1 and the like, and the secondary pachinko islands A2, A3, A6 and A7 that are not adjacent to the base tanks B1 to B3 (hereinafter referred to as the secondary pachinko island A2 and the like). It is particularly required for An inflow port 18 is provided in the upper portion on the upstream side of the lower tank 13.
An opening for receiving the pachinko balls flowing from the base tanks B1 to B3. Therefore, between the base tanks B1 to B3 and the lower tank 13, the inflow gutter 2 connected to the inflow port 18 is provided.
0 (see FIG. 1).

The lower tank 13 has a ball quantity sensor 19 (S1) for detecting that the number of pachinko balls flowing from the adjacent base tanks B1 to B3 has decreased and the quantity of balls in the lower tank 13 has decreased. Is provided. The ball amount sensor 19 (S1) detects the lower limit of the storage amount of the base tanks B1 to B3. Of course, this ball amount sensor 19 (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a lower limit sensor S1)
May be provided inside the base tanks B1 to B3. Further, since the lower tank 13 is installed at one side (right side in FIG. 2) of the doffing and feeding device 21 installed substantially at the center of the main pachinko island stand A1, etc., the pachinko installed at the opposite side is installed. A connecting gutter 17 is provided between the out ball collecting gutter 12 and the lower tank 13 to guide the pachinko balls flowing through the out ball collecting gutter 12 for collecting the out balls from the machine 10 to the lower tank 13. The end of the communication gutter 17 is slightly above the connection position of the introduction gutter 16. A more detailed structure of the lower tank 13 provided on the main pachinko island stand A1 and the like will be described later in detail.

The pachinko balls stored in the lower tank 13 are arranged in a plurality of rows by the introduction gutter 16 and sent to the introduction port of the doffer 21. Drifting device 21
In the case of the embodiment shown in the drawing, a lifting belt that is pivotally driven by a pulley with a built-in motor, and a polishing cloth that is provided to face the lifting belt and that grinds a pachinko ball between the lifting belt and And lifts the pachinko balls guided from the introduction gutter 16 while polishing the pachinko balls upward by the frictional force of the lifting belt.

The pachinko balls discharged by the ball discharging device 21 are discharged to an upper tank 22. Upper tank 22
Supplies the received pachinko balls to the supply gutter 23, the first AC gutter 1
Alternatively, it has a function of sorting to the second AC gutter 2 or the like. The details of the distribution function will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5.
As shown in FIG. 2, a gutter installation space 2 having a vertically fixed partition plate penetrating the inside thereof through the downstream portion of the second AC gutter 2 and the downstream portion of the return gutter 4.
5 and a gutter installation space 2 in which the upstream part of the first AC gutter 1 is installed
6, a diversion space 27 in which the pachinko balls discharged by the doffing and conveying device 21 are sorted and sorted, and a doffing and conveying device 2
1 is partitioned into a lifting device installation space 28 through which the upper portion is installed. The ball outlet of the ball hoisting device 21 installed in the hoisting device installation space 28 faces the branch flow space 27.

The pachinko balls discharged from the ball outlet of the ball discharging device 21 fall on a drop receiving plate 29 fixed to the upper part of the diversion space 27 in a horizontally inclined shape.
9, is blocked by a blocking plate 30 that is erected and fixed in the middle of the block 9, and falls downward from a first priority drop port 31 formed on the upstream side of the blocking plate 30. The pachinko ball that has fallen from the first priority drop port 31 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, step plates 32a, 32 provided in a step shape are provided.
The first supply guide plates 33a to 33c formed in steps while being weakened by b b are guided to the first supply gutter connection port 34 opened on one of the left and right side surfaces of the upper tank 22. The first supply gutter connection port 34 is connected to the supply gutter 23 provided to be inclined toward the island end on the right side of the pachinko island stand in FIG. Supply gutter 23
Is for supplying pachinko balls to each of the pachinko machines 10 and the ball lending machine 24 as described above. When the supply gutter 23 on the right side is full of pachinko balls and the pachinko balls are also clogged on the first supply guide plates 33a to 33c, the first supply guide plate 33a on the most upstream side is slightly upstream. Then, the pachinko balls flow into the second supply guide plates 35a and 35b which are formed in an inclined stepwise direction opposite to the first supply guide plates 33a to 33c, and guide the pachinko balls to the second supply gutter connection port 36. The second supply gutter connection port 36 is connected to the supply gutter 23 provided in an inclined manner toward the left island end of the pachinko island stand in FIG.

As described above, the pachinko balls that have been ground and fed by the doffing and feeding device 21 are first sorted so as to be preferentially supplied to the supply gutter 23 of the own island. Note that, due to the structure of the upper tank 22, one of the supply gutters 2 is provided as described above.
After the tank 3 is full, the other supply gutter 23 is replenished. However, the pumping amount per unit time pumped by the doffer 21 is consumed via one supply gutter 23. Since the number of balls is much larger than the average ball amount, pachinko balls are always supplied to both supply gutters 23.

As described above, when the pachinko balls are sufficiently replenished to both the supply gutters 23 and the pachinko balls no longer fall from the first priority drop port 31, the pachinko balls that have been ground and fed by the ball lifting and feeding device 21. The ball passes over the dam plate 30 and flows out to the first AC gutter 1 from an AC gutter outlet 37 formed in a partition plate that partitions the gutter installation space 26 and the branch space 27. Since the shutter device 3 is provided at the end of the first AC gutter 1 as described above, when the shutter device 3 is released, the adjacent base tank B1 or B2 via the first AC gutter 1 is provided. Alternatively, a pachinko ball is transferred to B3. Conversely, when the shutter device 3 is closed, pachinko balls are clogged in the first AC gutter 1, and pachinko balls are supplied to the pachinko island stand A2 and the like as described later. The structure of the shutter device 3 is the upper tank 2
It comprises a shield plate attached to the outside of the terminal connection of the two AC gutters 1 and 2 and a motor for driving the shield plate.

When the shutter device 3 is closed as described above and the supply of the pachinko balls to the first AC gutter 1 is substantially stagnant, the pachinko balls discharged to the drop receiving plate 29 are not shown in FIG. As shown in the figure, the overflow vertical gutter 38 (step plates 32a, 3
2b) and is guided to the overflow port 40 via overflow guide plates 39a and 39b formed in steps.
This overflow port 40 is connected to base tanks B1 to B3.
An overflow return gutter 6 (see FIG. 1) for returning balls is connected. The overflow return gutter 6 is also connected to the ends of the second AC gutter 2 and the return gutter 4 penetrating through the gutter installation space 25, and the pachinko balls discharged from these gutters are also connected to the base tank B1. ~ B3
Is to be recovered.

Although the structure of the main pachinko island stand A1 and the like has been described above, the upper tank 22 provided on the main pachinko island stand A1 and the like gives top priority to the supply of pachinko balls to each pachinko machine 10 on the island. (FIG. 4), and when the replenishment is no longer necessary, it is guided to the AC gutter 1 (FIG. 3).
Further, when the guidance is no longer required, the pachinko ball is guided to the pachinko ball storage tank provided on the main pachinko island stand (FIG. 5). Pachinko balls can be smoothly supplied to the table A2 and the like.

The description of the upper tank 22 is as follows.
Although the description has been given mainly of the components provided on the main pachinko island stand A1, other main pachinko island stands A5, A4, A8 are provided.
The upper tank 22 provided in the gutter is basically the same, except that the type and inclination direction of the gutter installed in the gutter installation spaces 25 and 26 are different from those shown in FIG. That is, in comparison with FIG. 3, in the upper tank 22 provided in the main pachinko island stand A5, the gutter installed in the gutter installation space 25 is only the downstream part of the second AC gutter 2, and the main pachinko island stand A4 In the upper tank 22 provided in the gutter installation space 25, the gutter installed in the gutter installation space 26 is a downstream portion of the first AC gutter 1 in a reverse inclined direction and the gutter installed in the gutter installation space 26 is the second AC gutter 2. Is the upstream part of
In the upper tank 22 provided in the main pachinko island stand A8, what is provided in the gutter installation space 25 is a downstream portion of the return gutter 4 and a downstream portion of the first AC gutter 1, both of which are in the reverse inclination direction and the gutter installation. The gutter provided in the space 26 is an upstream part of the second AC gutter 2 and has a reverse inclination direction.

Next, slave pachinko islands A2, A3, A6
A7 will be described with reference to FIGS. First, the secondary pachinko island stand A2 and the like are not different from the main pachinko island stand A1 and the like in the basic configuration as shown in FIG. 6, and the different point is that the structure of the upper tank and the own island are different as described above. Structure of the built-in lower tank 13 (with only slight differences), and structure for guiding the pachinko balls overflowing from the upper tank and the pachinko balls supplied from the AC gutters 1 and 2 to the lower tank 13. ,
And so on. Hereinafter, the slave pachinko island stand A2 and the like will be described focusing on these differences.

First, the structure of the upper tank provided above the slave pachinko island stand A2 and the like will be described. The structure of the upper tank is the slave pachinko island stands A2 and A7 provided with the ball return device 5, and the ball. The structure is slightly different from the slave pachinko island stands A3 and A6 in which the return device 5 is not provided.
That is, the slave pachinko island stand A in which the ball return device 5 is provided.
The return gutter 4 is passed from the main pachinko islands A2 and A7 to the main pachinko islands A1 and A8, whereas the return gutters 4 are provided to the slave pachinko islands A3 and A6 where the ball return device 5 is not provided. Is not passed over, but a surplus ball returning gutter 53 instead of this is passed between the main pachinko island stands A4 and A5. Therefore, first, the structure of the upper tank 41 of the slave pachinko island stands A2 and A7 provided with the ball return device 5 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 7, the same components as those of the upper tank 22 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In addition, in the following description, reference numerals not shown in FIG. 7 may be used, and the reference numerals also indicate the same configuration as the upper tank 22.

In FIG. 7, the upper tank 41 has a partition wall fixed in the vertical direction, similar to the upper tank 22 provided above the main pachinko island table A1, etc. A gutter installation space 25 that penetrates the upper end of the gutter 4, a gutter installation space 26 in which the first AC gutter 10 is installed, and a diversion space 27 in which pachinko balls pumped by the ball hoisting device 21 are sorted and sorted. A lifting device installation space 28 through which the upper part of the ball lifting device 21 is installed,
Is divided into The ball outlet of the ball hoisting device 21 installed in the hoisting device installation space 28 faces the branch flow space 27.

The pachinko balls discharged from the ball outlet of the doffing and feeding device 21 fall on a drop receiving plate 29 fixed to the upper part of the diversion space 27 in a horizontally inclined shape.
9 and is blocked by a tall blocking plate 30a which is erected and fixed, and falls downward from a first priority drop port 31 (not shown) formed on the upstream side of the blocking plate 30a. It has become. The pachinko ball that has fallen from the first priority drop port 31 is provided with a step plate 32 provided in a step shape.
a, 32b, the first replenishment guide plates 33a to 33c (steps 33a to 33c) formed stepwise while being weakened by the momentum.
(Not shown) is guided to a first supply gutter connection port 34 opened on one of the left and right side surfaces of the upper tank 41.
The first supply gutter connection port 34 is connected to the supply gutter 23 provided in an inclined manner toward the right island end of the pachinko island stand in FIG. Then, the supply gutter 23 on the right side is full of pachinko balls and the first supply guide plate 33
When pachinko balls are jammed on a ~ 33c,
Pachinko balls flow out to the second supply guide plates 35a and 35b, which are slightly upstream of the first supply guide plate 33a on the most upstream side and are formed in the shape of inclined steps opposite to the first supply guide plates 33a to 33c. It is guided to the second supply gutter connection port 36. The second supply gutter connection port 36 is connected to the supply gutter 23 provided to be inclined toward the left end of the pachinko island in FIG.

As described above, the pachinko balls that have been ground and fed by the doffing and feeding device 21 are first sorted like the upper tank 22 so that they are preferentially supplied to the supply gutter 23 of the island. . In addition, due to the structure of the upper tank 41,
As described above, after one of the supply gutters 23 becomes full, the other supply gutter 23 is supplied with water. Since the average amount of balls consumed through the supply gutter 23 is far greater than that, the pachinko balls are always being supplied to both supply gutters 23.

As described above, when the pachinko balls are sufficiently supplied to both supply gutters 23 and the pachinko balls no longer fall from the first priority drop port 31, the ball lifting device 2
The pachinko balls ground and transported by 1 flow out into overflow vertical gutters 38 (not shown) formed lower than the tall dam plate 30a, and overflow guide plates 39a and 39b (39a is not shown). ) To the overflow port 40 and to the lower tank 13 via an overflow passage 61 described later.

Next, when the lower tank 13, the overflow passage 61, the overflow guide plates 39a and 39b, and the overflow vertical gutter 38 are filled with pachinko balls, the pachinko balls that have been ground and fed by the doffing and feeding device 21 are discharged. Jumping over the tall dam plate 30a and diverting space 27
Returning through an AC gutter outlet 37 provided in a partition plate that separates the gutter installation space 26 and a return gutter outlet 43 provided in a partition plate separating the gutter installation space 26 and the gutter installation space 25. It falls on the gutter 4. The pachinko balls that have fallen into the return gutter 4 roll on the return gutter 4, pass through the upper tank 22 of the main pachinko island stand A1, A8, and are returned from the overflow return gutter 6 to the base tanks B1, B3.
Such a return is performed when a large number of prize balls obtained by the player are returned to the ball return device 5. A return guide plate 42 is provided so that the AC gutter outlet 37 and the return gutter outlet 43 communicate with each other. For this reason, unlike the main pachinko island stand 22, the pachinko balls jumping over the dam plate 30a and flowing out from the AC gutter outlet 37 are separated from the gutter installation space 2
6 is guided to the return gutter 4 without falling to the first AC gutter 1 penetrating therethrough.

The first AC gutter 1 and the second AC gutter 2 penetrate the gutter installation spaces 26 and 25 respectively in the upper tank 41 of the slave pachinko island stands A2 and A7 as described above. A drop port 44,
46 are formed. Specifically, the first AC gutter 1 penetrating into the gutter installation space 26 is located below the return guiding gutter 42, and has a drop port 44 formed on a bottom surface of one side thereof. Since the falling port 44 is larger than the diameter of the pachinko balls, the pachinko balls flowing down the first AC gutter 1 overflow from the falling ports 44. Similarly, the second AC gutter 2 penetrating into the gutter installation space 25 is the return gutter 4
And a drop port 46 is formed on the bottom surface on one side. Since the falling port 46 is also larger than the diameter of the pachinko ball, the pachinko ball flowing down the second AC gutter 2 is
It is overflowing from 6. The pachinko balls that have fallen from the drop openings 44 and 46 are
The overflow port 4 is provided at a lower portion of the
It is guided to an AC communication port 48 formed adjacent to the zero. The AC communication port 48 is connected to an upper end of a suction passage 62 to be described later. Therefore, the pachinko balls received from the drop ports 44 and 46 pass through the suction port 62 from the AC communication port 48 through the lower tank. 13.

Next, the upper tank 49 provided on the slave pachinko island stands A3 and A6 without the ball return device 5 will be described.
Referring to FIG. 8 to FIG. 13, in FIG.
The upper tank 49 is, like the upper tank 22 provided above the main pachinko island stand A1 or the like, a gutter installation space 25 through which the second AC gutter 2 is penetrated by a vertically fixed partition plate, A gutter installation space 26 in which the first AC gutter 1 is installed, a diversion space 27 in which pachinko balls pumped by the ball hoisting device 21 are sorted and sorted, and an upper portion of the ball hoisting device 21 is penetrated. Lifting equipment installation space 28
And it is divided into. And the lifting device installation space 28
The ball outlet of the ball-lifting device 21 installed in the space faces the branch flow space 27.

The pachinko balls discharged from the ball outlet of the doffing and feeding device 21 fall on a drop receiving plate 29 fixed to the upper part of the diversion space 27 in a horizontally inclined shape.
The first priority drop port 31 formed on the side of No. 9 drops downward. Since the drop receiving plate 29 is not provided with members corresponding to the blocking plates 30 and 30a, the pachinko balls discharged by the ball discharging device 21 are:
All fall from the first priority drop port 31. The pachinko balls that have fallen from the first priority drop port 31 are stepped into first replenishment guide plates 33a to 33c (33a to 33c) while being weakened by stepped plates 32a and 32b provided in steps. (Not shown) is guided to the first supply gutter connection port 34 opened on one of the left and right side surfaces of the upper tank 49. The first supply gutter connection port 34 is connected to the supply gutter 23 provided in an inclined manner toward the right island end of the pachinko island stand in FIG. When the supply gutter 23 on the right side is full of pachinko balls and the pachinko balls are also clogged on the first supply guide plates 33a to 33c, the supply gutter 23 is located slightly upstream of the first supply guide plate 33a on the most upstream side. Then, the pachinko balls flow out to the second supply guide plates 35a and 35b which are formed in an inclined stepwise shape opposite to the first supply guide plates 33a to 33c,
It is guided to the second supply gutter connection port 36. The second supply gutter connection port 36 is connected to the supply gutter 23 provided to be inclined toward the left end of the pachinko island in FIG.

As described above, the pachinko balls that have been ground and fed by the doffing and feeding device 21 are first sorted like the upper tank 22 so as to be preferentially supplied to the supply gutter 23 of the own island. . In addition, due to the structure of the upper tank 49,
As described above, after one of the supply gutters 23 becomes full, the other supply gutter 23 is supplied with water. Since the average amount of balls consumed through the supply gutter 23 is far greater than that, the pachinko balls are always being supplied to both supply gutters 23.

As described above, when the pachinko balls are sufficiently replenished to both supply gutters 23 and the pachinko balls no longer fall from the first priority drop port 31, the ball lifting device 2
The pachinko balls ground and pumped by 1 flow out into the overflow vertical gutter 38 as shown in FIG. And
Pachinko balls flowing out of the overflow vertical gutter 38
As shown in FIG. 8, the overflow guide plates 39a, 39
b (however, 39a is not shown) is led to the overflow port 40, and is led to the lower tank 13 through an overflow passage 61 described later.

Next, when the lower tank 13, overflow passage 61, and overflow guide plates 39a and 39b are full of pachinko balls, the overflow vertical gutter 3
8 is guided to an excess return portion 52 via a guide plate 51 from a branch return port 50 formed near the lower end portion. As shown in FIG. 8, the excess return portion 52 is provided in the gutter installation space 26 and provided directly above the first AC gutter 1. Thus, the pachinko ball guided to the excessive return section 52 is the first pachinko ball.
It is led to the excess ball returning small gutter 53 integrally assembled on the upper part of the AC gutter 1. The excess ball return small gutter 53 descends from the slave pachinko island stand A3 toward the main pachinko island stand A4, above the first AC gutter 1, and descends from the slave pachinko island stand A6 toward the main pachinko island stand A5. The pachinko balls flowing down the excess ball return small gutter 53 are placed on the inclined second AC gutter 2 and provided on the upper portion thereof.
Will be returned to you.

The excess gutter 53 will be described in more detail. First, the first AC gutter 1 is, as shown in FIG. 10, an upper surface of an AC gutter main body 54 formed in a U shape formed of a steel plate. The portion is covered with a gutter cover 55a made of synthetic resin to constitute a square tubular gutter. The gutter cover 55a is attached to the AC gutter main body 54 by engaging the engaging portions 58a protruding from both sides of the lower surface of the gutter cover 55a.
Can be attached and detached very easily by engaging with the side of the upper surface opening of the AC gutter main body 54. In the illustrated embodiment, the first AC gutter 1 having the above-described structure extends between the main pachinko island A1 and the secondary pachinko island A3,
The first between the secondary pachinko island A3 and the primary pachinko island A4
The AC gutter 1 is configured such that an AC gutter body 54 having the same structure is covered with a gutter cover 55 having a different configuration. The structure of the second AC gutter 2 is also constituted by the AC gutter 54 and the gutter cover 55a. A mat (not shown) made of synthetic resin or rubber is attached to the bottom surface of the AC gutter main body 54 (and the bottom surface of the excess ball returning small gutter 53) in order to suppress noise caused by the pachinko balls flowing down. I have.

The synthetic resin gutter cover 55 for covering the AC gutter main body 54 between the sub-pachinko island stand A3 and the main pachinko island stand A4 has an upper surface as shown in FIGS. A small gutter fitting protrusion 56 for detachably fitting (or loosely fitting) a surplus ball returning small gutter 53 made of a steel plate formed in a U-shape in the center is protrudingly provided, and further made of a steel plate on both sides thereof. An arc cover locking portion 57 for detachably locking the circular arc cover 60 is formed. A steel plate is formed so as to cover the excess ball return small gutter 53 from above in a state where the excess ball return small gutter 53 is fitted inside the small gutter fitting projection 56 with respect to the gutter cover 55 thus configured. Gutter cover 5
In this state, the arc cover 60 is deformed so as to press the small gutter cover 59, and the arc cover 60 is locked to the arc cover locking portion 57. Thus, the excess ball returning small gutter 53 is attached to the gutter cover 55, and the attached gutter cover 55 is attached to the AC gutter main body 54, thereby forming the excess ball returning small gutter 53 integrally with the first AC gutter 1. can do.

Incidentally, the excess ball returning small gutter 53 may be fixed to the gutter cover 55 by a fixing tool so as to be securely fixed after being fitted to the small gutter fitting projection 56. In addition, any one of the gutter cover 59 and the arc cover 60 that cover the upper part of the excess ball returning gutter 53 may be omitted. In this case, if the arc cover 60 is omitted, it is necessary to fix the small gutter cover 59 to the gutter cover 55. Therefore, it is desirable to omit the small gutter cover 59. Even if the gutter cover 59 is omitted, as shown in FIG.
The arc cover 60 has an advantage that the upper surface of the excess ball returning small gutter 53 can be closed, and the appearance of the first AC gutter 1 inserted between the pachinko island stands A3 and A4 has an advantage that the appearance is beautiful.

By the way, the reason why the excess ball returning small gutter 53 is formed integrally with the first AC gutter 1 which is inserted between the slave pachinko island stand A3 and the main pachinko island stand A4 is as follows. That is, as described above, since the storage amount of the pachinko balls of the slave pachinko island stand A3 is always maintained in a filled state, for example, the driving balls of the pachinko machine 10 installed on the slave pachinko island stand A3 When the number increases, the secondary pachinko island stand A
There is a case where the storage amount in 3 becomes excessive. If such an excessive state is left unchecked, the pachinko balls cannot be circulated smoothly. Therefore, it is necessary to transfer the excessive pachinko balls to the outside of the slave pachinko island stand A3. A gutter 53 is provided.
Then, the excess ball return gutter 53 can transfer a large amount of pachinko balls to the base tank B2 of the main pachinko island stand A4, since a large amount of pachinko balls can be transferred in a short time. Are formed by square gutters having an extremely small width compared to the AC gutters 1 and 2 which need to transfer the pachinko balls and the return gutter 4 which needs to transfer a large amount of pachinko balls returned at one time. It is to be noted that the excess ball return small gutter 53 may be formed separately from the first AC gutter 1 and inserted between the slave pachinko island stand A3 and the main pachinko island stand A4, but the mounting work is troublesome. In addition, since it gives a complicated appearance and a complicated impression, it is possible to simplify the mounting work and improve the appearance by integrally providing the first AC gutter 1 as in the present embodiment.

In the above description, the excess ball returning gutter 53
Has been described only as a part that is interposed between the pachinko islands A3 and A4 as an AC gutter integrally formed, but between the slave pachinko island and the main pachinko island that do not have the ball return device 5 As a general rule, excess gutter return small gutter 5
3 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 (FIG. 1), the secondary pachinko island A6 and the primary pachinko island A5.
Also on the second AC gutter 2 between them is an excess ball return gutter 5
3 is integrally formed.

Next, a structure for guiding the pachinko balls overflowing from the upper tanks 41 and 49 such as the slave pachinko island stand A2 and the pachinko balls supplied from the AC gutters 1 and 2 to the lower tank 13 is shown in FIGS. This will be described with reference to FIG.

In this embodiment, the structure for guiding the pachinko balls overflowing from the upper tanks 41 and 49 of the slave pachinko island stand A2 and the like and the pachinko balls supplied from the AC gutters 1 and 2 to the lower tank 13 is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG.
The upper end is connected to an overflow passage 61 and the upper tank 41, 49 is constituted by a wood or metal plate so that a suction passage 62 whose upper end is connected to the AC communication port 48 is adjacent to each other. 61,6
A merging portion 64 is formed so as to merge at a lower end portion of the two. The pachinko balls joined at the joining section 64 are guided to the lower tank 13 via the guide path 68.

The above-mentioned overflow passage 61 and suction passage 62 will be described in more detail. Each of the passages 61 and 62 is linearly fixed inside one side of the space where the doffing apparatus 21 is installed. (See FIG. 6), and in the case of the illustrated embodiment, a predetermined thickness (for example, 1
To form a square tube made of wood such as a veneer plate having a thickness of about 2 cm (or a metal plate as described above), and to reduce the force of the pachinko balls falling inside. As shown in FIG. 14, a number of alternating current plates 63 are provided alternately. The upper surface of the AC plate 63 and the passages 61 and 62
A rubber plate or a synthetic resin plate is affixed to the inner peripheral surface to suppress noise generated by falling of the ball. Also, the ends of the passages 61 and 62 are the merging portions 64 which communicate with each other as described above.
As shown in FIG. 5, the steeply inclined surface 65 for guiding the pachinko balls falling down the overflow passage 61 toward the center of the junction 64 and the pachinko balls falling down the suction passage 62 at the center of the junction 64. A pachinko ball formed between the gentle inclined surface 66 that guides toward the front and the lower end of the steep inclined surface 65 and the lower end of the gentle inclined surface 66 and guided by the inclined surfaces 65 and 66 is guided to the guiding path 68. And a merging passage portion 67 that is guided toward.

As described above, since the overflow passage 61 and the suction passage 62 are formed linearly from wood or a metal plate having a predetermined thickness, each of the passages 61, 62 is formed.
The pachinko balls that fall on 62 fall linearly and pass through each passage 6.
Since the predetermined portions of the inner walls of the inner walls 1 and 62 do not violently collide with each other, the predetermined portions of the inner wall are less likely to be damaged by the pachinko balls. Since the alternating current plate 63 is alternately protruded into the passages 61 and 62 at the downstream end of the pachinko balls 62 and reaches the passages 61 and 62 after weakening the falling force of the pachinko balls falling down the passages 61 and 62. In addition, the downstream ends of the passages 61 and 62 are less likely to be damaged by the pachinko balls.

On the other hand, the junction 64 at the downstream end of the overflow passage 61 and the suction passage 62 is, as described above,
The steeply inclined surface 65 of the overflow passage 61 and the gentlely inclined surface 66 of the suction passage 62 face each other, and the pressure of the pachinko balls riding on the steeply inclined surface 65 of the overflow passage 61 and the gentlely inclined surface of the suction passage 62 The pressure of the pachinko balls riding on 66 is applied to the junction 64 along each slope 65, 66. Further, since the inclination angle of the steeply inclined surface 65 is larger than the inclination angle of the gentlely inclined surface 66, the downstream end of the overflow passage 61 is filled to some extent with pachinko balls (the suction passage 62 is always pachinko balls). In this case, the pressure of the pachinko balls on the steeply inclined surface 65 is higher than the pressure of the pachinko balls on the gentlely inclined surface 66, and the flow of the pachinko balls on the steeply inclined surface 65 is reduced. The flow of the balls is suppressed, and as a result, the pachinko balls flowing down the overflow passage 61 are preferentially guided to the guiding passage 68 and guided to the lower tank 13. In other words, in a state where the pachinko balls are filled inside the slave pachinko island stand A2 and the like, the pachinko balls flowing out of the upper tanks 41 and 49 are filled at least at the downstream end of the overflow passage 61, and the suction passage is formed. Since the pachinko balls supplied in a constantly filled state from 62 are suppressed and are preferentially guided to the lower tank 13 by flowing out to the guiding path 68, the circulation of the pachinko balls inside the slave pachinko island stand A2 and the like is controlled. It can be done smoothly. In the case of the present embodiment, the priority guiding structure for supplying the overflowed pachinko balls to the ball discharging device 21 with priority is performed at the junction 64 outside the lower tank 13, so that an overflow hose or a conventional It is also free from the troublesome work of having to accurately position the downstream end of the suction hose.

In the illustrated embodiment, the junction 64 is disposed at a position distant from the left side of the lower tank 13 and is connected to the lower tank 13 by a guide path 68. Although the structure is shown, for example, the structure may be such that the confluence portion 64 faces the internal space of the lower tank 13 and the pachinko balls discharged from the confluence portion 64 fall directly to the upper guide gutter 15. Also in this case, since the junction 64 is not assembled to the lower tank 13, it can be said that the junction 64 is disposed outside the lower tank 13. In addition, as the priority guiding structure, various structures are conceivable other than the structure of the steeply inclined surface 65 and the gentlely inclined surface 66 described above. For example, the lower end of the suction passage 62 is bent at a right angle to be formed in a straight line. Overflow passage 61
The pachinko ball discharge port at the downstream end of the suction passage 62 is narrowed so that the overflow passage 61
The pachinko ball discharge port at the downstream end of the pachinko ball is widened, and the flow of pachinko balls from the pachinko ball discharge port at the downstream end of the overflow passage 62 is temporarily directed toward the downstream end of the suction passage 62 in the pachinko ball. A structure for suppressing the flow of pachinko balls from the ball discharge port, or the pachinko ball discharge port at the downstream end of the overflow passage 61 faces downstream of the guide path 68 from the pachinko ball discharge port at the downstream end of the suction passage 62. Such a structure is conceivable as to suppress the flow of pachinko balls discharged from the pachinko ball discharge port at the downstream end of the suction passage 62 disposed on the upstream side.

The structure for returning the pachinko balls overflowing from the upper tanks 41 and 49 to the lower tank 13 in the secondary pachinko island A2 and the like has been described above. Next, the main pachinko island A1 and the secondary pachinko island will be described. Stand A2
The structure of the lower tank 13, which is one of the differences from the above, will be described with reference to FIGS. The structural difference of the lower tank 13 is slight. In particular,
The main pachinko island stand A1 and the like do not necessarily need the upper guide gutter 15 but need an inflow port 18 (see FIG. 2) for receiving pachinko balls from the base tanks B1 to B3. An upper guide gutter 15 is required for the island stand A2 and the like, but an inflow port 18 for receiving pachinko balls from the base tanks B1 to B3 is not required. That is, in the main pachinko island stand A1 and the like, the pachinko balls supplied from the AC gutters 1 and 2 and the pachinko balls overflowing from the upper tank 22 are returned to the base tanks B1 to B3 via the overflow return gutter 6. The pachinko balls supplied from the AC gutters 1 and 2 and the pachinko balls overflowing from the upper tank 22 are moved upstream of the lower tank 13 by the upper guiding gutter 15 (the ball-lifting device 2).
Opposite the outlet 73 for supplying pachinko balls to 1)
There is no need to transport to On the other hand, slave pachinko island A
2 and the like, the pachinko balls supplied from the AC gutters 1 and 2 and the pachinko balls overflowing from the upper tank 22 and guided by the suction passage 62 and the overflow passage 61 are passed through the upper guiding gutter 15 to the lower tank 13.
Need to be guided upstream. This necessity will be described in detail later. It is clear that the inlet port 18 is not necessary in the secondary pachinko island stand A2 or the like, but the position of the inlet port 18 provided in the main pachinko island stand A1 or the like is, as shown in FIG. Slightly above the lower end of the flow, whereby pachinko balls supplied from the base tanks B1 to B3 can be supplied to the upstream side of the lower tank 13.

However, the structure of the lower tank 13 excluding the above-mentioned points is the same as that of the lower tank 13 installed on the main pachinko island stand A1 and the like, and the lower tank 13 is installed on the secondary pachinko island stand A2 and the like. The common structure will be described. The lower tank 13 is constituted by a rectangular parallelepiped box frame having an open upper surface, and has a bottom plate 14 on the bottom surface which is inclined downward toward the introduction gutter 16 of the doffing and conveying device 21, and has an inner upper portion opposite to the bottom plate 14. An upper guide gutter 15 that is inclined in the direction is provided. The guide path 6 is provided at the upstream end of the upper guide gutter 15.
A guideway connection port 69 for communicating with the communication path 8 is formed. Therefore, the pachinko balls that have flowed down the overflow passage 61 and the suction passage 62 form a guideway 68,
It is guided to the upstream side of the lower tank 13 via the guideway connection port 69 and the upper guide gutter 15. In addition, these pachinko balls are pachinko balls polished and fed by the ball lifting device 21, and since they are clean and dirt is wiped off, they may be stored on the upstream side of the lower tank 13. ,
As a priority guided to the ball-lifting device 21, a low-pachinko ball is used.

On the other hand, among the pachinko balls stored in the lower tank 13, the high-priority pachinko balls guided to the ball lifting device 21 are unpolished pachinko balls used in the pachinko machine 10 and the like. Specifically, the pachinko balls are guided into the lower tank 13 through the left and right out ball collection gutters 12. Therefore, a structure for guiding out balls preferentially to the ball discharging device 21 will be described below. On one side of the bottom surface of the lower tank 13, an out ball guiding passage 70 to which the downstream end of the out ball collecting gutter 12 on the side where the lower tank 13 is installed is connected via a spacing plate 77. The downstream end of the out ball guiding passage 70 is
And a priority plate 71 for guiding the pachinko balls flowing out of the open end to the outlet 73 side is provided. There is an interval between the priority plate 71 and the bottom plate 14, and the pachinko balls stored in the lower tank 13 flow down to the outlet 73 from this interval. The guide bottom plate 14a from the outlet 73 to the downstream end of the spacing plate 77 is formed slightly lower than the other bottom plates 14.

A depressurizing plate 72 is fixed to the lower side of the lower tank 13 from the front side wall of the lower tank 13 to a slightly upper portion of the out ball guiding passage 70 below the guiding path connecting port 69. The depressurizing plate 72 is laid across the entire width of the lower tank 13, and
When a large amount of pachinko balls are stored in the inside 3, the pressure of the stored pachinko balls is not applied to the pachinko balls flowing toward the outlet 73. The lower tank 13 is located below the pressure release plate 72.
Partition plate 7 so as to have a predetermined space between the partition plate 7 and the front side wall plate.
4 is fixed. An inclined plate 75 that is inclined toward the outlet 73 is fixed to the bottom surface between the front side plate and the partition plate 74 of the lower tank 13. Partition plate 74
Guides the pachinko balls stored on the rear surface side (upstream side) to the lower part of the priority plate 71 from between the spacing plate 77 and the communication gutter 17 (FIG. 2 and FIG. 2) on the front side (downstream side). Out balls that roll from (see FIG. 6) are guided from the connecting gutter connection port 76 to the inclined plate 75 to a position immediately before the outflow port 73. In addition, the above-mentioned guideway connection port 69 and connection gutter connection port 7 are provided on the front side wall plate of the lower tank 13.
6. The outlet 73 is opened, but the taxiway connecting port 69 is
The connection gutter connection port 76 is provided at an upper portion on one side, is provided below the guideway connection port 69 and is provided at a position slightly above the inclined plate 75, and the outlet 73 is provided at a lower portion on the other side. .

In the lower tank 13 configured as described above, the overflowed pachinko balls and the pachinko balls supplied from other islands are supplied to the upper guiding gutter 15 or the inlet 1.
The gas is discharged onto the bottom plate 14 on the upstream side through 8 and is stored in the storage space of the lower tank 13. On the other hand, out ball collection gutter 1
The pachinko balls that have rolled 2 are out ball guide paths 70.
And, it is discharged to a position immediately before the outlet 73 through the inclined plate 75. Thus, in the relationship between the pachinko balls (also called storage balls) stored in the storage space of the lower tank 13 and the out balls, as shown in FIG. It falls between the partitioning plate 74 and the spacing plate 77 from the tip of the priority plate 71 to cover above the storage balls flowing out from the lower part of the priority plate 71. For this reason, since the out ball from the out ball guiding passage 70 is in a state of preventing rolling down of the storage ball, the out ball flowing down the out ball guiding passage 70 has priority to the outflow port 7.
3 will be led. On the other hand, since the out ball that rolls on the inclined plate 75 is also formed so that a predetermined step occurs between the end position of the inclined plate 75 and the guiding bottom plate 14a, the out ball moves above the pachinko ball flowing down the guiding bottom plate 14a. Drop to cover. For this reason, since the out ball falling on the inclined plate 75 is prevented from rolling downward of the pachinko ball rolling on the guiding bottom plate 14a, the out ball rolling and falling on the inclined plate 75 has priority. To the outlet 73. In this way, after the unpolished out ball is led to the outlet 73 with priority over the overflowed pachinko ball and the polished pachinko ball supplied from another island, the introduction gutter 16
Is supplied to the ball lifting device 21 for polishing and transporting, so that the dirty pachinko balls do not stay in the lower tank 13 for a long period of time.

The details of the main pachinko island A1 and the like and the secondary pachinko island A2 and the like in the island interchange format have been described above. Next, the base tanks B1 to B3, which are important components in this island interchange format, will be described. This will be described with reference to FIGS. The base tanks B1 to B3 are each formed of a plywood or a metal plate in a rectangular parallelepiped shape having an open upper surface, and a bottom plate 80 of the base tank B1 is inclined downward toward the center. 20 are provided. On the upper part of the inflow gutter 20, a depressurizing plate 8 is provided so that the stored pachinko balls flow smoothly into the inflow gutter 20.
1 extend in the width direction. The illustrated inflow gutter 20 has a mountain shape at the center so as to protrude right and left from the central side wall of the base tank.
This is because the type in which the pachinko balls are returned to the left and right main pachinko islands, such as B2 and B3, is shown, and the pachinko balls are supplied to only one main pachinko island A1, such as the base tank B1. In this case, the inflow gutter 20 may be formed so as to protrude outward from one side wall.

The storage spaces 82 of the base tanks B1 to B3 have a large number of pachinko balls (10
Since the storage space 82 has a capacity to store pachinko balls in the storage space 82, a considerable pressure is applied to the side walls.
4, the side walls of the base tanks B1 to B3 are reinforced. Specifically, two upper and lower metal reinforcing outer members 84 are provided on the outer surface of the base tanks B1 to B3, and the upper reinforcing outer member 84 includes a metal that penetrates the storage space 82 in the lateral direction. A reinforcing rod 83 made of stainless steel is inserted, and a lower reinforcing outer peripheral member 84 is fixed to the base tank B by bolts.
1 to B3. In addition, above the base tanks B1 to B3, the pachinko balls returned by the overflow return gutter 6 and the pachinko balls transferred by the AC gutters 1 and 2 are guided to both ends of the base tanks B1 to B3. An upper guide plate 85 and a lower guide plate 86 that are provided to be inclined in different directions are provided. The upper guide plate 85 and the lower guide plate 86 are provided by being fixed on a mounting horizontal rod 87 that is laid horizontally in the storage space 82. Also, the upper guide plate 85
Are provided on both upper sides in an inclined manner,
The pachinko balls returned by the overflow return gutter 6 or the AC gutters 1 and 2 are directly received and guided in the inclined direction, and the pachinko balls dropped during the guidance are received by the lower guide plate 86 and guided in the opposite direction. Things.

Further, inside the base tanks B1 to B3, ball quantity sensors 88a to 88h for detecting the quantity of balls stored in the storage space 82 are provided at the center of the side wall.
Specifically, ball amount sensors 88a to 88d (which may be abbreviated as ball amount sensors S2 to S5) are mounted in a row so as to have different heights sequentially from the lower position. 88h (this is the ball amount sensor S6 to S9
Are sometimes abbreviated as ")" in a row so that the heights are different in order from the upper position. However, the ball amount sensor S
6 to S9 are installed so as to be approximately at the middle of the respective distances of the ball amount sensors S2 to S5. In such an installation position, the ball amount sensors may be arranged such that at least one of the ball amount sensors functions, and when finer control is performed, the ball amount sensors of both lines are used. Should work. It should be noted that the shutter device 3 is opened based on the detection signals of the ball amount sensors S2 to S9 and the ball amount sensor S1 of the lower tank 13 so that the storage amounts in the base tanks B1 to B3 are equalized. However, the control is automatically controlled by a control board 89 (see FIG. 2) provided inside the main pachinko island stand A1 and the like. Then, the control board 89
, The signals from the ball quantity sensors S1 to S9 provided in the base tank associated with the own island and the signals from the ball quantity sensors S1 to S9 provided in the base tanks on both the left and right sides are input. .

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above. In the above embodiment, the main pachinko island stand A
Base tanks B1 to B3 outside 1, A4, A5 and A8
The main pachinko island stand may be provided with a large pachinko ball storage tank inside the pachinko island stand. Although the AC gutters 1 and 2 are shown crossing between the main pachinko islands, the AC gutters are crossed between the main pachinko and slave pachinko islands, and the AC gutters 1 and 2 are provided in the middle. A row or two rows of slave pachinko islands may be arranged to form an island exchange system. Further, the pachinko island platform to which the return gutter 53 is laid is not limited to the main pachinko island platform, but may be a sub-pachinko island platform to which the ball return device 5 is attached.

[0060]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the first aspect of the present invention, the pachinko island stand which holds a large amount of pachinko balls by the AC gutter inserted between the upper tanks of the plurality of pachinko island stands. A pachinko ball stand that receives a supply of pachinko balls from the company, an upper tank that stores the pachinko balls pumped by the ball lifting device, and a replenisher that supplies the pachinko balls stored in the upper tank to a plurality of pachinko machines. A gutter, a collecting gutter for collecting pachinko balls discharged from a plurality of pachinko machines, a lower tank for storing pachinko balls collected by the collecting gutter and supplying pachinko balls to the ball lifting device, An overflow passage for guiding the pachinko balls overflowing from the tank to the lower tank; and a support for guiding the pachinko balls supplied from the AC gutter to the upper tank to the lower tank. And the suction passage, the overflow passage and the suction passage are provided adjacent to each other, the lower part thereof is merged with the lower tank, and then communicated with the lower tank. Since the pachinko ball that has been set has a priority guiding structure in which the pachinko ball is guided to the lower tank in preference to the pachinko ball guided in the suction passage, suction is performed when the pachinko ball is filled inside the pachinko island stand. Pachinko balls supplied from other pachinko islands through the passage do not flow into the pachinko islands, and the pachinko balls can be smoothly circulated. And the structure that supplies the pachinko balls that have overflowed to the ball feeding device with priority is performed at the junction outside the lower tank, so that the downstream end position of the overflow hose or suction hose is accurately positioned as in the past. It is also free from the troublesome work of having to do it.

In the invention according to claim 2, the overflow passage and the suction passage are linearly provided inside one side of a space in which the ball-lifting device is installed, and the upper tank and the lower tank are provided. Is connected, the internal space in which the doffing and feeding device is installed can be effectively used.

Further, in the invention according to claim 3, the priority guiding structure is guided by the steeply inclined surface for guiding the pachinko balls guided by the overflow passage toward the center of the merging portion and the suction passage. Due to the structure in which the pachinko balls face the gentle inclined surface that guides the pachinko balls toward the center of the merging section, in a state where the downstream end portions of the overflow passage and the suction passage are filled with the pachinko balls, the steep inclination occurs. Since the pressure of the pachinko balls on the overflow passage side riding on the surface is stronger than the pressure of the pachinko balls on the suction passage side riding on the gentle slope, the pachinko balls flowing out from the junction to the lower tank are:
The pachinko balls supplied from the overflow passage become mainstream and can be guided preferentially.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic diagram showing the relationship between a plurality of pachinko island stands, a pachinko ball storage tank provided in connection therewith, and a ball transfer device.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing an internal structure of a pachinko island stand provided adjacent to a base tank serving as a pachinko ball storage tank.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an operation of an upper tank provided on an upper part of a pachinko island stand provided adjacent to a base tank.

FIG. 4 is also a perspective view showing an operation of an upper tank provided on an upper part of a pachinko island stand provided adjacent to a base tank.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an operation of an upper tank provided on an upper part of a pachinko island stand provided adjacent to the base tank.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing the internal structure of the pachinko island stand that is not adjacent to the base tank.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an operation of an upper tank provided on an upper part of the pachinko island stand which is not adjacent to the base tank.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing an operation of an upper tank provided on an upper part of the pachinko island stand which is not adjacent to the base tank.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view for explaining a flowing down state of an overflowing pachinko ball in the upper tank.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a structure of an AC gutter constituting the ball transfer device.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an AC gutter inserted between some pachinko islands of the AC gutter.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the AC gutter.

FIG. 13 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the AC gutter.

FIG. 14 is a schematic view showing a structure of an overflow passage and a suction passage which communicate an upper tank of a pachinko island stand which is not adjacent to a base tank and a storage tank in the island.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view showing the structure of the junction below the overflow passage and the suction passage.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of a storage tank provided inside each pachinko island stand.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view for explaining the flow of balls stored in the storage tank.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a base tank.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of a base tank.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A1 to A9 Pachinko island stand B1 to B3 Base tank (Pachinko ball storage tank) 1 First AC gutter 2 Second AC gutter 3 Shutter device 12 Out ball collection gutter (recovery gutter) 13 Lower tank 21 Ball drier 22 Upper tank 23 Replenishment gutter 41 Upper tank 49 Upper tank 61 Overflow passage 62 Suction passage 64 Converging section 65 Steeply inclined surface 66 Slowly inclined surface 67 Merging passage portion 68 Taxiway

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A pachinko island stand that receives a supply of pachinko balls from a pachinko island stand that holds a large amount of pachinko balls by an AC gutter that is passed between respective upper tanks of a plurality of pachinko island stands, and the ball lifting device. An upper tank for storing pachinko balls pumped by the above, a supply gutter for supplying the pachinko balls stored in the upper tank to a plurality of pachinko machines, and a collecting gutter for collecting pachinko balls discharged from the plurality of pachinko machines. And a lower tank that stores the pachinko balls collected by the collecting gutter and supplies the pachinko balls to the ball lifting device,
In a pachinko island having an overflow passage for guiding pachinko balls overflowing from the upper tank to the lower tank and a suction passage for guiding pachinko balls supplied from the AC gutter to the upper tank to the lower tank, An overflow passage and the suction passage are provided adjacent to each other, a lower portion of the pachinko ball is merged with the lower tank, and then communicates with the lower tank, and a pachinko ball guided by the overflow passage at the junction is formed by the pachinko ball guided by the suction passage. A pachinko island stand having a priority guiding structure in which the ball is guided to the lower tank prior to the ball. 2. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the overflow passage and the suction passage are linearly provided inside one side of a space in which the doffing and feeding device is installed, and connect the upper tank and the lower tank. The pachinko island stand according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The priority guiding structure includes a steeply inclined surface that guides the pachinko balls guided by the overflow passage toward the center of the merging portion and a pachinko ball guided by the suction passage at the merging portion. The pachinko island stand according to claim 1, wherein the pachinko island stand has a structure in which a gentle inclined surface which is guided toward a center portion faces each other.