JP2000140383A - Ball amount controller in pachinko ball storage tank - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make a ball amount controller quickly deal with sudden increase/ decrease and usually keep the level of ball storage amount by equipping plural ball amount sensors to detect each ball storage amount onto plural Pachinko ball storage tanks and connecting control means of ball transportation to com pare ball storage levels between tanks. SOLUTION: A ball transportation device to receive/send balls in lack/excess of balls is equipped on each of ball storage tanks B1-B3 of Pachinko island beds A1-A9. First and second interchange gutter 1, 2 to naturally flow down balls are bridged between upper tanks 22 and a shutter device 3 is equipped. Plural ball amount detecting sensors are equipped in a row with different height on the central part of the side wall in storage tanks B1-B3. A signal is inputted from the sensor to the control board mounted in Pachinko island beds A1 etc. Ball storage levels of neighboring tanks B1-B3 are compared based on detection signals and the shutter device 3 is controlled to open/close so as to equalize ball storage levels for quick dealing.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of storing pachinko balls by transferring pachinko balls between a plurality of pachinko ball storage tanks provided in association with a plurality of pachinko ball stands via a ball transfer device. The present invention relates to a ball amount control device that controls the amount of balls stored in a tank.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A ball amount control device for controlling the amount of balls stored by transferring pachinko balls via a ball transfer device between a plurality of pachinko ball storage tanks provided in association with a plurality of pachinko island stands. Conventionally, the applicant has disclosed in
3141 and JP-A-8-141198 have been proposed. In these prior arts, a plurality of ball amount sensors provided in a pachinko ball storage tank are divided into five stages, and among the five stage ball amount sensors, a ball amount sensor that detects the upper limit and the lower limit of the stored ball amount operates. At that time, it was controlled so as to mutually transfer the balls between adjacent pachinko ball storage tanks.

[0003]

However, when the above-described ball amount control device was actually applied to a pachinko ball storage tank, it was found that there were the following drawbacks. That is, if the balls are transferred after detecting the upper limit or the lower limit, the ball may be accepted or decreased due to a sudden increase in the number of balls (such as when the store is closed) or a decrease (when the maximum number of customers comes in). There was a disadvantage that it could not be handled. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a ball in a pachinko ball storage tank which can easily cope with an increase due to a sudden return of a ball or a shortage due to a sudden withdrawal. It is to provide a quantity control device.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention of claim 1 provides a ball transfer device between a plurality of pachinko ball storage tanks provided in association with a plurality of pachinko ball stands. In a ball amount control device that controls the amount of balls stored in each of the pachinko ball storage tanks by transferring the pachinko ball through, in each of the plurality of pachinko ball storage tanks, a ball storage amount level is detected. While providing a plurality of ball amount sensors, pachinko ball storage provided corresponding to each of the plurality of pachinko ball storage tanks and connected with the plurality of ball amount sensors of the corresponding pachinko ball storage tank by the ball transfer device. A control unit connected to a plurality of ball amount sensors of the tank is provided, and the control unit controls the ball transfer device based on detection outputs from the plurality of ball amount sensors. The storage amount level is compared between the connected pachinko ball storage tanks, and when it is determined that the storage amount level is different, the pachinko ball storage tank with the higher storage amount level is directed to the pachinko ball storage tank with the lower storage amount level. The drive of the ball transfer device is controlled so that the balls are transferred until the storage amount reaches the same level. With such a configuration, the transfer control is performed such that the storage level of the balls is always the same between the plurality of pachinko ball storage tanks. Can respond immediately. In addition, by performing the above-described control only between the pachinko ball storage tanks connected by the ball transfer device as viewed from one pachinko ball storage tank, the storage amount level of the balls of the entire pachinko ball storage tank is eventually increased. Since it can always be kept at the same level, there is no need to control while watching the entire pachinko ball storage tank.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the ball transfer device is arranged so as to cross over an upper tank provided on an upper part of a pachinko island stand having the pachinko ball storage tank so as to cross each other. A first AC gutter inclined so that the pachinko balls flow down toward the upper tank, and a second AC gutter inclined such that the pachinko balls flow down from the other upper tank toward one upper tank; A first shutter device that allows the pachinko balls to flow down in the first AC gutter when opened and stops the pachinko balls from flowing down in the first AC gutter when closed; and the second AC gutter for pachinko balls when opened. And a second shutter device for allowing the pachinko balls to flow down in the second AC gutter when the flow is closed and closing the pachinko ball. Comparing the storage level between the pachinko ball storage tanks connected by the ball transfer device based on the detection output from the number of ball quantity sensors, and when it is determined that the storage level is different, Opening and closing drive control of the first shutter device and the second shutter device so as to transfer the balls from the high pachinko ball storage tank toward the pachinko ball storage tank with the low storage amount until the same storage amount level is obtained. Is what you do. With this configuration, the balls are transferred using the first AC gutter and the second AC gutter where the pachinko balls naturally flow, so that the balls are transferred by a conveyer or the like in a ball transfer device that conveys pachinko balls. And the structure is simple, and the first AC gutter and the second AC gutter are bridged between the upper tanks of the pachinko island stand having a pachinko ball storage tank connected by a ball transfer device, so that they should be transferred. Since the pachinko balls can be moved bidirectionally and directly, when there is a difference in the storage level of the balls between the pachinko ball storage tanks connected by the ball transfer device, the same storage level is obtained. Can respond quickly.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the upper tank provided on the pachinko island stand having the pachinko ball storage tank guides the pachinko balls to each of the pachinko machines on the own island with the highest priority, and the guidance is not required. The first AC gutter or the second AC gutter, when the guidance is no longer necessary, and is guided to the pachinko ball storage tank. is there. With this configuration, it is possible to smoothly supply the pachinko balls to the own island and supply the pachinko balls to the pachinko island stand connected by the ball transfer device.

The invention of claim 4 is characterized in that the plurality of pachinko island stands are located between the main pachinko island stand having the pachinko island storage tank and the two pachinko island stands. And the two main pachinko islands, the first AC gutter and the second AC gutter being crossed between the upper tanks thereof, The slave pachinko island stand is formed to receive pachinko balls from the first AC gutter and the second AC gutter penetrating the upper tank, respectively.
It is characterized in that it is configured to guide the received pachinko balls to a lower tank provided inside the slave pachinko island. With this configuration, the pachinko balls are always supplied from the main pachinko island having the pachinko ball storage tank by the two first and second AC gutters to the slave pachinko island having no pachinko ball storage tank. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a shortage of balls on the sub-pachinko island.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG.
Are a plurality of pachinko islands A1 to A in the first embodiment.
9 and the relationship between the base tanks B1, B2, B3 as pachinko ball storage tanks provided in connection therewith, and the ball transfer device (including the first AC gutter 1, the second AC gutter 2, the shutter device 3, etc.). FIG. 2 is a front view showing the internal structure of pachinko island stands A1, A4, A5, A8, A9 provided adjacent to the base tanks B1, B2, B3, and FIGS. 5 is the base tank B1, B
Pachinko island stand A1, A provided adjacent to B2 and 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 a flowing down state of an overflowing pachinko ball in the upper tank 49, and FIG. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a basic structure of the first AC gutter 1 or the second AC gutter 2 which constitutes the first AC gutter, and FIG.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an AC gutter inserted between A4 and the pachinko island stand A5 and A6 of the second AC gutter 2, and FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the AC gutter.
FIG. 13 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the AC gutter, and FIG.
Is a pachinko island stand A2, A 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 connect the upper tanks 41 and 49 of the tanks 3 and 6 and the lower tank 13 in the island.
FIG. 16 is an enlarged view showing the structure of the junction below the overflow passage 61 and the suction passage 62. FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the lower tank 13 provided inside each of the pachinko island stands A1 to A9, and FIG. FIG. 18 is a perspective view for explaining the flow of balls stored in the lower tank 13, and FIG. 18 is a perspective view of base tanks B1 to B3, and FIG.
9 is a perspective view showing the internal structure of the base tanks B1 to B3.

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 will not be able to be stored in the lower tank 13 built in the pachinko island stands A2, A4, A7, and A8. The pachinko balls are returned from the upper tanks 22 and 41 to the base tanks B1 to B3 (also referred to as pachinko ball storage tanks B1 to B3) 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
The description of the subsequent blocks is omitted. And
Pachinko island stand A1, adjacent to base tanks B1 to B3
A4, A5, A8, and A9 are so-called wall islands, and have 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
Pachinko balls 20 needed for blocks and blocks A5 to A8
It has a capacity to store a total of about 2 million pachinko balls including about 1 million pachinko balls out of 100,000,
Similarly, the base tank B3 includes two blocks A5 to A
8. It is configured to have a capacity capable of storing a total of about 2 million pachinko balls to correspond to the blocks A9 to A9.

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 constituting a ball transfer device are crossed between the upper tanks 22 of A1, A4, A5 and A8. The first AC gutter 1 and the second AC gutter 2 are located on the middle of the pachinko island stand A2, A3 or A.
6, A7 penetrate the inside of the upper tanks 41, 49, and fall into the respective upper tanks 41, 49 from falling ports 44, 46 described later. The connection between the AC gutters 1, 2 and the upper tanks 22, 41, 49 is
This is performed through a joint provided in each upper tank, and by connecting correspondingly to the upstream inlet and the downstream outlet of the AC gutters 1 and 2 formed in advance in each upper tank, as a whole, They are connected so as to penetrate.

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 constitutes a part of a ball transfer device, and is electrically controlled to be opened and closed by a control board 89 described later according to the amount of balls stored in the base tanks B1 to B3. In the opened state, the pachinko balls in the first AC gutter 1 and the second AC gutter 2 are located on the downstream base tanks B1 to B3.
In the closed state, the pachinko balls stagnate in the first AC gutter 1 and the second AC gutter 2. Also, when there is room to receive pachinko balls in the upper tanks 41, 49 of the pachinko island stand A2, A3 or A6, A7 located on the way (when the storage amount of the pachinko island stand A2, A3 or A6, A7 is small), Pachinko balls are supplied to the pachinko island stand A2, A3 or A6, A7 located in the middle. Actually, pachinko island stand A2, A
Pachinko balls are constantly supplied to the upper tanks 41, 49 of A3, A6, A7, and Pachinko islands A2, A3, or A
The storage amounts of A6 and A7 are always filled. In FIG. 1, the installation position of the shutter device 3 is set to the upper tank 2 of the pachinko island stand A1, A4, A5, A8.
2 is provided immediately before the upper tank 41 of the pachinko island stands A2 and A7, or may be provided immediately after the upper tank 49 of the pachinko island stands A3 and A6.

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 will be described with reference to FIG. 2 to FIG. 19. ,
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 an out-ball collecting gutter 12 through an out-ball box 11, collected by the out-ball collecting gutter 12, guided to the lower tank 13, and then balled again. It is pumped by the 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 pachinko balls flowing from 1 to B3, an inflow gutter 20 (see FIG. 1) connected to the inflow port 18 is provided between the base tanks B1 to B3 and the lower tank 13. Has been handed over.

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 also 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 above-described lower tank 13 are arranged in a plurality of rows by the introduction gutter 16 and sent to the ball lifting and feeding device 21. In the case of the illustrated embodiment, the ball lifting device 21 is provided so as to face a lifting belt swiveled by a pulley with a built-in motor and faces the lifting belt, and holds the pachinko balls between the lifting belt. A polishing cloth to be polished, wherein the pachinko balls guided from the introduction gutter 16 are lifted while being polished 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, the supply of pachinko balls to both supply gutters 23 is sufficiently distributed, and the step plates 32a, 32
When the ball is filled with b and the pachinko ball no longer drops from the first priority drop port 31, the pachinko ball ground and transported by the ball lifting and feeding device 21 climbs over the dam plate 30 and the gutter installation space 2
It flows out to the first AC gutter 1 from the AC gutter outlet 37 formed in the partition plate that partitions the 6 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 base tank B is provided via the first AC gutter 1.
Pachinko balls are transferred to 1 or B2 or B3. vice versa,
When the shutter device 3 is closed, the first AC gutter 1
The pachinko balls are jammed inside, and as described later, the pachinko balls are supplied to the pachinko island stand A2 and the like. The structure of the shutter device 3 includes a shield plate attached to the outer side of the terminal connecting portions of the AC gutters 1 and 2 of the upper tank 22 and a motor for driving the shield plate, similarly to a shutter device 116 described later. Things.

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 configuration 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 guides the pachinko balls to each pachinko machine 10 on the own island with the highest priority. (FIG. 4), when the guidance is no longer required, the AC gutter 1 is guided to the AC gutter 1 (FIG. 3).
The base tank B1 or B2 or B3
(FIG. 5), the supply of pachinko balls to the island and the secondary pachinko island stand A2
The pachinko balls can be smoothly supplied to the apparatus.

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 on the slave pachinko island A2 and the like will be described.
2 and A7 are slightly different in structure from slave pachinko island stands A3 and A6 in which the ball return device 5 is not provided. That is,
Slave pachinko island A2, A provided with ball return device 5
7, the return gutter 4 is passed to the main pachinko islands A1 and A8, whereas the return gutter 4 is inserted to the sub-pachinko islands A3 and A6 where the ball return device 5 is not provided. Excessive ball return Koi 53 instead of handed over
Is inserted between the main pachinko islands 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 second AC gutter 2 and a return gutter 4 formed by a vertically fixed partition plate, similarly to the upper tank 22 provided on the main pachinko island stand A1 or the like. A gutter installation space 25 that penetrates the upper end of the gutter, a gutter installation space 26 in which the first AC gutter 1 is installed,
It is divided into a diversion space 27 in which the pachinko balls discharged by the doffing and conveying device 21 are sorted and assigned in order, and a lifting device installation space 28 through which the upper part of the doffing and conveying device 21 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 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, the supply of pachinko balls to both supply gutters 23 is sufficiently distributed, and the step plates 32a,
When the balls are filled with the balls 32b and the pachinko balls no longer fall from the first priority drop port 31, the pachinko balls that have been ground by the ball lifting device 21 are formed lower than the tall dam plate 30a. It flows out to the overflow vertical gutter 38 (not shown) and overflow guide plates 39a and 39b.
(However, 39a is not shown) is led to the overflow port 40, and is led 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 on 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, Gutter installation space 2 where 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 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, the supply of pachinko balls to both supply gutters 23 is sufficiently distributed, and the step plates 32a,
When the balls are filled with the balls 32b and the pachinko balls no longer drop from the first priority drop port 31, the pachinko balls polished and pumped by the ball pumping device 21 flow into the overflow vertical gutter 38 as shown in FIG. . Then, as shown in FIG. 8, the liquid is guided from the overflow guide plates 39a and 39b (39a not shown) to the overflow port 40, and to the lower tank 13 via an overflow passage 61 described later. ing.

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 projection 56 is formed at the center of the U-shaped steel sheet excess ball return gutter 53, which is detachably fitted (or may be loosely fitted). 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, the pachinko island stand A3
Inside, the pachinko balls are not smoothly circulated, so that the excess pachinko balls must be transferred to the outside of the slave pachinko island stand A3. It is. 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.

First, in the secondary pachinko island stand A2 or the like of the island exchange type, pachinko balls supplied from the AC gutters 1 and 2 are supplied as long as there is room to receive the pachinko ball in the secondary pachinko island stand A2 or the like. The upper tanks 41, 4
AC gutter 1 rather than pachinko balls overflowing from 9
Priority is given to pachinko balls supplied from the lower tank 13
If the pachinko balls stored in the lower tank 13 are pumped by the ball lifting device 21 and finally overflow, the pachinko balls supplied from the AC gutters 1 and 2 have a lower priority. Since it is supplied to the tank 13,
Pachinko balls that overflowed are in overflow passage 6
As a result, the pachinko balls cannot be smoothly circulated. Therefore, in the island pachinko island stand A2 of the island exchange type, etc.,
It is necessary to preferentially guide the overflowed pachinko balls to the lower tank 13 over the pachinko balls supplied from the second tank 2.

However, conventionally, the upper tank 4
Return of pachinko balls from 1,49 to lower tank 13
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-38311 proposed earlier by the present applicant, a hose for overflow (hereinafter, referred to as an overflow hose) from an upper tank (small box) to a storage tank is provided from another island. Hose for supplied pachinko balls (hereinafter referred to as suction hose)
Were separately connected, and moreover, the pachinko balls returned by the overflow hose were preferentially guided to the ball discharging device over the pachinko balls supplied by the suction hose inside the storage tank. And the above overflow hose and suction hose are:
Since a flexible synthetic resin circular hose with a spiral wire built inside and reinforced was used, a large number of pachinko balls that fell vigorously bore holes in the curved part of the hose in a short time. However, there is a drawback that the pachinko balls are opened and overflow from outside. In addition, there is a drawback in that the relative positions of the lower ends of the overflow hose and the suction hose with respect to the storage tank must be accurately attached in order to prioritize the guidance to the doffing apparatus.

In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, the upper tank 41,
Pachinko balls and AC gutters 1 overflowing from 49
The structure for guiding the pachinko balls supplied from 2 to the lower tank 13 is as shown in FIG.
An overflow passage 61 whose upper end is connected to the overflow port 40 of the upper and lower tanks 41 and 4;
9 is made of a wood or metal plate so that a suction passage 62 whose upper end is connected to the AC communication port 48 is made of a wood or metal plate, and a merging portion 64 is formed so as to merge at lower ends of the respective passages 61 and 62. Have been. Each pachinko ball joined at the joining section 64 is placed on the taxiway 68
Through the lower tank 13.

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, a steeply inclined surface 65 for guiding the pachinko balls falling in the overflow passage 61 toward the center.
A gentle inclined surface 66 for guiding the pachinko balls falling down the suction passage 62 toward the central portion;
Merging passage portion 67 formed between the lower end of the slanted surface and the lower end of the gentle inclined surface 66 and guiding the pachinko balls guided by the inclined surfaces 65 and 66 toward the guiding path 68.
And is composed of

As described above, the overflow passage 61 and the suction passage 62 are formed linearly from wood or a metal plate having a predetermined thickness.
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 vigorously collide with each other, the predetermined portions of the inner walls are less likely to be damaged by the pachinko balls. Since the alternating current plates 63 are alternately protruded inside the passages 61 and 62 to weaken the falling force of the pachinko balls falling down the passages 61 and 62, the downstream ends of the pachinko balls reach the downstream end. 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,
It is constituted by a steeply inclined surface 65 of the overflow passage 61 and a gentlely inclined surface 66 of the suction passage 62, and the pressure of the pachinko balls riding on the steeply inclined surface 65 of the overflow passage 61 and the gentlely inclined surface 66 of the suction passage 62 The pressure of the riding pachinko ball is applied to the merging portion 64 along each of the inclined surfaces 65 and 66. In addition, steep slope 6
Since the inclination angle of 5 is larger than the inclination angle of the gentle slope 66, the downstream end of the overflow passage 61 is filled to some extent with pachinko balls (the suction passage 62 is always filled with pachinko balls). Is
The pressure of the pachinko balls on the steeply inclined surface 65 is lower than that of the gentlely inclined surface 6.
6, the flow of the pachinko balls on the steeply inclined surface 65 suppresses the flow of the pachinko balls on the gentle inclined surface 66. As a result, the pachinko balls flowing down the overflow passage 61 are preferentially guided paths. 68 and is guided to the lower tank 13.

That is, when the pachinko balls are filled inside the sub-pachinko island stand A2 or the like, the upper tank 4
The pachinko balls that have flowed out of the first and the 49 are filled in at least the downstream end of the overflow passage 61 and are preferentially guided to the lower tank 13, while the pachinko balls that are constantly filled from the suction passage 62 are supplied. Since the outflow of the balls to the guide path 68 is suppressed by the amount of the overflowed pachinko balls, the pachinko balls do not flow into the inside of the secondary pachinko island stand A2 or the like, and the pachinko balls can be smoothly circulated. It should be noted that the inflow of pachinko balls from the suction passage 62 is caused by a decrease in the amount of pachinko balls overflowing (occurs when the number of pachinko balls supplied to a pachinko machine or the like increases due to a large hit of the pachinko machine) and overflows. When the amount of pachinko balls cannot be suppressed from the suction passage 62 by the amount of pachinko balls to be made, it flows in. In the case of the present embodiment, the structure in which the overflowed pachinko balls are preferentially supplied to the ball-lifting device 21 is performed at the merging portion 64 outside the lower tank 13, so that the overflow hose or the suction hose is used as in the related art. It is also free from the troublesome work of having to accurately position the downstream end position of the.

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. 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 except for the above-mentioned points is the same as that of the lower tank 13 installed on the main pachinko island A1 or the like, and the lower tank 13 is installed on the secondary pachinko island A2 or 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, it is a pachinko ball that is 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 and slightly upward 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 inflow port 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 stand A1 and the like and the secondary pachinko island stand A2 and the like in the island interchange type have been described above. 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 devices 3 based on the detection signals of the ball quantity sensors S2 to S9 and the ball quantity sensor S1 of the lower tank 13 make the storage amount levels of the balls in the base tanks B1 to B3 uniform.
The control is automatically controlled by a control board 89 (see FIG. 2) as a control means provided inside the main pachinko island stand A1 having a base tank and the like. The control board 89 receives signals from the ball quantity sensors S1 to S9 provided in the base tank associated with the island and signals from the ball quantity sensors S1 to S9 provided in the left and right adjacent base tanks. It has become so. Specific control will be described later in detail. Further, the control board 89 is not provided on the slave pachinko island stand A2 or the like having no base tank.

The above-described pachinko island tables A1 to A9 shown in FIGS. 1 to 19 are said to be of the island-interchange type in which a plurality of pachinko island tables are used as one block to transport pachinko balls by the AC gutters 1 and 2. However, in this island exchange type ball transfer device, the balls are transferred using the first AC gutter 1 and the second AC gutter 2 in which the pachinko balls naturally flow, so that the pachinko machine or the like uses a pachinko machine. The structure is simpler than a ball transfer device for transferring balls, and the upper tank 2 such as the main pachinko island stand A1 where the first AC gutter 1 and the second AC gutter 2 are adjacent to each other.
Since the pachinko balls to be transferred can be moved bidirectionally and directly because they are stretched between the two, the same storage is performed when there is a difference in the storage amount of the balls between adjacent base tanks. It can respond quickly to the quantity level.

Next, a description will be given of a pachinko island stand called an arch type in which pachinko balls are conveyed by adjacent pachinko island stands with reference to FIGS. 20 to 23. FIG. FIG.
FIG. 21 is an overall schematic diagram showing a relationship between a plurality of pachinko islands C1 to C4 according to the second embodiment of the present invention when a ball transfer device different from that in FIG. 1 is used, and FIG. 21 is shown in FIG. It is a front view showing the internal structure of the pachinko island stand C1 to C4,
FIG. 22 is a side view of an upper tank 92 and an AC tank 93 provided on the pachinko island stand C1 to C4.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view for explaining the flow of balls in the upper tank 92 and the alternating current tank 93. 21 and 22, the same components as those shown in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. Further, the upper tank in the present invention is constituted by the upper tank 92 and the AC tank 93 in the second embodiment.

First, an arched pachinko island stand C1 to C
4 and the pachinko island stand A1 to A9 in the island interchange is that a large pachinko ball storage tank 90 corresponding to a base tank is provided inside each of the arched pachinko island stands C1 to C4 (see FIG. 20). (In this sense, the pachinko islands C1 to C4 correspond to the main pachinko islands A1 and the like in the first embodiment), and each of the pachinko ball storage tanks 90 is adjusted to adjust the storage amount between the pachinko ball storage tanks 90. An AC tank 93 into which a ball transfer device is inserted separately from the upper tank 92 is provided above pachinko islands C1 to C4. Pachinko machine 1 on other pachinko islands C1 to C4
0, an out ball box 11, an out ball collecting gutter 12, a ball lifting device 21, a supply gutter 23, a ball rental machine 24, and a ball return device 5 are provided in the same manner as the structure of the island interchange pachinko island stand A1 to A9. does not change. However, arched pachinko islands C1 to C
In many of the four, the ball returning device 5 is provided independently, and the position thereof is also mounted in place of the pachinko machine 10 adjacent to the ball discharging device 21 as shown in FIG. Needless to say, the ball returning devices 5 may be provided at the island end without replacing the pachinko machine 10, respectively. Less than,
The structure of the pachinko ball storage tank 90 and the structure of the ball transfer device including the upper tank 92 and the alternating current tank 93 which are characteristic in the arched pachinko island stand C1 to C4 will be mainly described.

A pachinko ball storage tank 90 is provided below the pachinko ball stand C1 to C4. The pachinko ball storage tank 90 has two pachinko balls on both sides of the ball lifting device 21 as shown in FIG. Storage tanks 90a, 90b
It is provided as. This pachinko ball storage tank 90
The a and 90b are formed so large that a large amount of pachinko balls can be stored. Specifically, the number of pachinko balls stored in the storage section of the pachinko ball storage tank 90a or 90b can sufficiently cope with various game states of the plurality of pachinko machines 10 installed on the pachinko island platforms C1 to C4. It is designed to have a size of about (for example, 200,000 to 250,000 pieces).

The pachinko ball storage tanks 90a, 90
The b is connected to overflow passages 123 and 124 for returning the pachinko balls overflowing from the upper tank 92 and the AC balls flowing from the AC tank 93 to the lower part. Each of the overflow passages 123 and 124 is formed by a rectangular parallelepiped box provided so as to use the space adjacent to the doffing and conveying device 21, and the inside thereof is vertically partitioned by a branch partition. The branch partition divides a priority overflow passage 123 that preferentially guides overflow balls and AC balls, and a non-priority overflow passage 124 that overflows when the priority overflow passage 123 becomes full. In addition, inside the overflow passages 123 and 124, flow-down plates for weakening the strength of falling balls are provided alternately in a stepped manner.

Thus, the pachinko balls overflowing from the upper tank 92 and the AC balls flowing from the AC tank 93 are preferentially guided to the priority overflow passage 123. When the priority overflow passage 123 becomes full, the priority overflow passage 123 becomes non-priority. It overflows into the overflow passage 124. And the priority overflow passage 123
The non-priority overflow passage 124 includes a left-side pachinko ball storage tank 90a (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a priority pachinko ball storage tank 90a) and a right-side pachinko ball storage tank 90b (hereinafter, a non-priority pachinko ball storage tank 90).
b). As described above, in the present embodiment, the overflow mechanism is configured in a box shape instead of the conventional flexible pipe, so that the generation of noise due to the returned pachinko balls can be extremely reduced, and not only the return function but also the return function is provided. There is also a storage function for storing a considerable amount of pachinko balls (in the present embodiment, about 20 to 30,000 pieces), so that a pachinko island stand C is used by utilizing a space that has not been used conventionally.
It can be effectively used as a storage space inside 1 to C4. In FIG. 21, the overflow passage 12
3 and 124 are drawn in front of the doffing and conveying device 21, but this is to show the structure of the overflow passages 123 and 124 in detail, and actually, the overflow passages 123 and 124 are not doffed. It is formed more deeply than the feeding device 21.

The pachinko ball storage tanks 90a, 90
A plurality of ball quantity sensors 125 (see FIG. 20) for detecting the stored ball quantity are provided on the inner side wall of b. According to the experiments conducted by the present applicants, it has been found that the change in the storage of the pachinko balls in the pachinko ball storage tanks 90a and 90b is such that the change is stored from the upstream side of each of the pachinko ball storage tanks 90a and 90b. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 21, the plurality of ball quantity sensors 125a to 125i are arranged in a substantially horizontal straight line, and the priority pachinko ball storage tank 90 is provided.
The lower limit of the storage amount is detected by a ball amount sensor 125a (hereinafter, may be referred to as a ball amount sensor S1) disposed upstream of the a, while the ball amount disposed downstream of the non-priority pachinko ball storage tank 90b. The sensor 125e (hereinafter, may be referred to as a ball amount sensor S5) detects the upper limit of the storage amount. Then, based on the detection signals of the ball quantity sensors 125a to 125i, opening / closing control of a shutter device 116, which will be described later, of the ball transfer device is performed, and a plurality of pachinko islands C
The ball storage amounts of 1 to C4 are equalized.
The control board 89 provided inside each of the pachinko island tables C1 to C4 executes the control for achieving the equalization.
In order to control the opening and closing of the ball transfer device, among the ball amount sensors 125a to 125i shown in the drawing, the ball amount sensors 125a, 125a provided in the priority pachinko ball storage tank 90a.
5b and the ball amount sensors 125c, 125d and 125e provided in the non-priority pachinko ball storage tank 90b are sufficient, but in order to perform fine opening / closing control,
What is necessary is just to use the ball quantity sensor 125f-125i arrange | positioned between those ball quantity sensors 125a-125e.

Here, the pachinko ball storage tanks 90a, 90
0b will be briefly described with reference to FIG. The priority pachinko ball storage tank 90a and the non-priority pachinko ball storage tank 90b have slightly different structures, but the same reference numerals are given to components having the same function. Pachinko ball storage tanks 90a and 90b
The balls received from the overflow passages 123 and 124 are caused to flow down by the upper gutter 126 and are sequentially stored from the upstream side on the bottom surface inclined toward the ball discharging device 21, and the stored balls are introduced into the ball discharging device 21. It leads to the gutter 16. However,
The balls stored in the priority pachinko ball storage tank 90a are placed in the priority pachinko ball storage tank 90a because the introduction gutter 16 of the ball lifting and conveying device 21 is arranged in a direction facing the bottom surface of the non-priority pachinko ball storage tank 90b. It is guided to the small reduction machine 91 from the lower communication gutter 128 communicating with the bottom surface of 90a, and is supplied to the non-priority pachinko ball storage tank 90b by the small reduction machine 91.

Further, in the priority pachinko ball storage tank 90a, an out ball guiding inner gutter 127 which is communicated with the out ball collecting gutter 12 is formed, and the out balls flowing down the out ball guiding inner gutter 127 are formed. It is sent to the non-priority pachinko ball storage tank 90b via the communication gutter 17. In this way, the priority pachinko ball storage tank 90a does not lead out the received pachinko balls directly to the ball discharging device 21, but the non-priority pachinko ball storage tank 90b via the small reduction machine 91 or the communication gutter 17. Send to That is, in the pachinko ball stand C1 to C4 of the second embodiment, the pachinko balls received in the pachinko ball storage tanks 90a and 90b are collectively guided to the ball lifting and feeding device 21 from the pachinko ball storage tank 90b side. . In this way, the introduction gutter 16 of the ball doffing device 21 is directed only toward the one pachinko ball storage tank 90b because the flow of the balls into the ball doffing device 21 is made smooth and the ball doffing device 21 is lifted. This is for the purpose of sufficiently exhibiting the feeding ability and for forming the island width of the pachinko island tables C1 to C4 to be narrow.

Furthermore, in the priority pachinko ball storage tank 90a, two upper and lower communication gutters connected to the non-priority pachinko ball storage tank 90b are provided because the upper communication port connected to the upper out ball guiding inner gutter 127 is provided. Gutter 17
However, in order to preferentially guide the used and dirty pachinko balls to the ball discharging device 21 without storing them in the priority pachinko ball storage tank 90a, a relatively high position, specifically, a non-priority pachinko ball storage. It is necessary to provide at a position higher than the bottom surface of the tank 90b. Otherwise, the out balls flowing down the out ball guiding internal gutter 127 cannot be allowed to naturally flow down to the non-priority pachinko ball storage tank 90b side. on the other hand,
If the bottom surface of the priority pachinko ball storage tank 90a is made to coincide with the height position of the out ball guiding internal gutter 127, the pachinko balls stored in the priority pachinko ball storage tank 90a are also stored in the non-priority pachinko ball via the upper connecting gutter 17. Although the water can be allowed to naturally flow down to the tank 90b side, since the position of the bottom surface is increased, there is a disadvantage that the storage amount in the priority pachinko ball storage tank 90a decreases accordingly. For this reason, the height position of the bottom surface of the priority pachinko ball storage tank 90 a is lowered to increase the storage amount, and the lower communication gutter 128 communicating with the bottom surface is connected to the small reduction machine 91, and the small reduction machine 91 does not give priority. It is sent to the pachinko ball storage tank 90b.

Next, the pachinko island stand C according to the second embodiment will be described.
The detailed structure of the ball transfer device inserted between 1 to C4 will be described. The ball transfer device is the AC tank 93 described above.
And pachinko island stand C1-C adjacent to the exchange tank 93
AC upper gutter 118, which is gently inclined toward the AC tank 93, and an arch-shaped AC lower arch that receives AC balls from the AC tank 93 of the adjacent pachinko islands C1 to C4 into the lower part of the AC tank 93. The AC tank 93 and the upper tank 92 closely related to the AC tank 93 will be described with reference to FIGS. 22 and 23.

The upper tank 92 is formed in a box shape in which a ball inlet for receiving the balls pumped by the ball pumping device 21 is formed on one upper side thereof, and the inside thereof is divided by a branch vertical plate 96 into a branch space 94. And overflow space 9
5 and a branch. The diversion space 94 is a space into which the pachinko balls flowing from the ball entrance enter first, and the pachinko balls entering the diversion space 94 are stepped plates 97a to 97c provided so as to be inclined inward alternately.
As a result, the water drops downward while the momentum is weakened, and is guided from a stepped bottom plate 98 constituting the bottom surface of the diverting space 94 to a supply outlet 99 formed on one side wall of the upper tank 92.
The replenishment outlet 99 is connected to the replenishment gutter 23 for replenishing balls to the pachinko machines 10 and the ball-to-ball machines that are arranged in a line on one side (right side in FIG. 21) from the center of the pachinko island tables C1 to C4. It is.

The upper tank 9 is provided on the side of the vertical plate 96 of the step plate 97c provided above the stepped bottom plate 98.
2, a lower guiding side plate 100 inclined toward the other side wall is provided, and a supply connecting cylinder 102 inserted between the lower guiding side plate 100 and the AC tank 93 is connected to a position corresponding to the tip of the lower guiding side plate 100. . Then, the downstream end of the supply connecting cylinder 102 is connected to the receiving port 111 of the AC tank 93,
The receiving port 111 is connected to the pachinko machine 10 arranged in a row on the other side (left side in FIG. 21) from the center of the pachinko island stand C1 to C4 and the supply gutter 23 for supplying balls to the pachinko ball lending machine. It is.

On the side of the vertical plate 96 of the uppermost step plate 97a, there is provided an upper guide side plate 101 which is inclined toward the other side wall of the upper tank 92, and corresponds to the tip of the upper guide side plate 101. The AC communication cylinder 103 inserted between the AC tank 93 and the AC tank 93 is connected to a position where the AC communication cylinder 103 is located. Note that a stopper plate 10 is provided above the upper guiding side plate 101.
1a is fixed, but this is a ball that has flowed in from the ball inlet and guided to the lower part without fail so that the ball that has traveled through the step plate 97a and the upper guide side plate 101 does not flow out of the AC communication tube 103. Only the ball overflowing to the upper guide side plate 101 flows out to the AC connecting cylinder 103.

On the other hand, the upper end of the branch vertical plate 96 is located slightly above the upper guide side plate 101, and the overflow space 9 branched by the branch vertical plate 96 is located.
5 also includes step plates 104a-
104d is provided. These step plates 104a-10
4d guides the ball overflowing from the upper end of the branch vertical plate 96 downward while weakening the momentum of the ball. The lowermost step plate 104d projects forward to form the bottom surface of the overflow guide gutter 105. The lower end of the overflow guide gutter 105 communicates with the priority overflow passage 123. The overflow space 9
5 are provided on the upper surfaces of the step plates 104a to 104c.
A member (rubber, synthetic resin, or the like) for reducing the impact of the falling ball is affixed.
Steps 97a to 97c and a stepped bottom plate 98
It may be affixed to.

In the upper tank 92 configured as described above, the pachinko balls pumped by the ball pumping device 21 are guided from the ball inlet to the diversion space 94, and thereafter, the step plates 97a to 97c and the stepped bottom plate are formed. Supply plate 99 from face plate 98
To the supply gutter 23 on one side. Since the number of pachinko balls used in the supply gutter 23 on one side is far greater than the number of pachinko balls used by the ball lifting device 21, the balls that have flowed into the diversion space 94 are immediately stored and accumulated. First, the accumulated balls are supplied from the step plate 97c and the lower guiding side plate 100 to the supply gutter 23 on the other side via the supply connection cylinder 102 and the AC tank 93. Since the number of pachinko balls to be pumped is much larger than the number of pachinko balls used in the above-mentioned left and right supply gutters 23, pachinko balls further accumulate in the diversion space 94, and the accumulated balls are separated by an upper step. It is guided to the plate 97a and the upper guide side plate 101, jumps over the stopper plate 101a, flows out to the AC connecting cylinder 103, and is guided to the AC tank 93. The balls guided to the AC tank 93 are supplied to the adjacent pachinko islands C1 to C4 via the AC upper gutter 118 as described later. In the ball transfer device, the maximum is 6,000 pieces / min (3,000 pieces / min for one AC upper gutter 118 alone, but there are two on the left and right). The left and right supply gutters 2
3 and the number of refills to the AC tank 93 is larger than the total number of pachinko balls to be pumped, so that the pachinko balls further accumulate in the diversion space 94, and the accumulated balls jump over the upper end of the branch vertical plate 96. Flows into the overflow space 95, and flows from the overflow guiding gutter 105 to
3,124.

That is, in the second embodiment, the left and right supply gutters 23 and the AC tank 93 are provided as long as the ball discharging device 21 is discharging the balls at a normal discharging capacity (15,000 pieces / minute). Even when the supply of oil to the tank reaches the maximum value, the overflow space 95 always overflows from the overflow passages 123 and 1.
The ball is circulated guided by 24.

On the other hand, the AC tank 93 communicated with the above-mentioned upper tank 92 is branched into a supply space 106 and a reception space 107 by a branch horizontal plate 108 provided in a horizontal direction slightly above the center of the rectangular parallelepiped box. The inlet 109 and the feed port 110 face the feed space 106.
And has been established. The receiving port 109 is connected to the downstream end of the AC communication tube 103, and has a feeding port 110.
Are formed on left and right side walls adjacent to the side wall on which the receiving port 109 is formed, and are connected to an upstream end of an AC upper gutter 118 described later. Thus, a passage for guiding the pachinko balls received from the receiving port 109 to the feeding port 110 is formed in the feeding space 106. The AC upper gutter 118 is connected to the outside of the feed port 110 as described above.
0 and the AC upper gutter 118, the shutter device 11
6 is attached. This shutter device 116
Is, as shown in FIG. 22, a motor 117 and the motor 1
And an elevating plate which is moved up and down by the lift 17. The shutter device 116 includes ball amount sensors S1 to S9 provided in the pachinko ball storage tanks 90a and 90b of its own island, and ball amount sensors S1 to S9 provided in the pachinko ball storage tanks 90a and 90b of another adjacent island. Open / close drive control is performed based on a signal from the controller. This will be described in detail later.

The receiving space 107 has a receiving port 111, a supply port (a port to which the upstream end of the supply gutter 23 is connected; not shown), and a receiving port 114. The receiving port 111 is connected to the downstream end of the supply connecting cylinder 102, and has a supply port (not shown) formed in a lower part of the side wall facing the receiving port 111. A pair of partition plates 112 are erected in the receiving space 107 so as to connect the receiving port 111 and the replenishing outlet, and guide the pachinko balls received from the receiving port 111 only to the replenishing outlet. . In the space formed by the pair of partitioning plates 112, an inclined bottom surface 113 is provided on the bottom surface thereof, which is inclined downward toward the supply outlet, and a step plate 113a is provided on the upper portion of the supply outlet in a reversely inclined shape. The pachinko balls received from the receiving port 111 are temporarily received by the step plate 113a to reduce the momentum, and then discharged from the replenishing port by the inclined bottom surface 113. In addition, the receiving port 114 faces the space outside the pair of partition plates 112. The end of the AC lower arch gutter 119 is connected and fixed to the outside of the receiving port 114.
The pachinko balls received from the AC lower arch gutter 119 are received in the outer space of the partition plate 112, and then discharged to the outside of the AC tank 93 from a drop port 115a formed in the center of the bottom plate 115 constituting the bottom surface. As shown in FIG. 21, the pachinko balls discharged from the falling port 115a are guided to the priority overflow passage 123 of the overflow passages 123 and 124.

The structure of the upper tank 92 and the AC tank 93 is substantially the same as that described above.
Ref.).

Next, the AC upper gutter 118 and the AC lower arch gutter 119 inserted into the AC tank 93 will be described. One end of the AC upper gutter 118 is connected and fixed to the feed port 110 of the AC tank 93, and the other end of the AC upper gutter 118 is gradually loosened toward the substantially central AC portion 121 between the adjacent pachinko island stands C1 to C4. It is formed so as to be inclined. Therefore, the AC upper gutter 118 is fixedly extended from the AC tank 93 of the adjacent pachinko island stand C1 to C4. On the other hand, AC lower arch gutter 11
Reference numeral 9 denotes an arc-shaped gutter whose both ends are connected and fixed to the receiving port 114 of the adjacent AC tank 93, and an AC upper gutter 118 extending from the left and right at a top portion of the arc. The AC unit 121 communicates with the end. In this AC section 121, the pachinko ball flowing from the upper left AC upper gutter 118 is guided to the lower right AC lower arch gutter 119, and the pachinko ball flowing from the upper right AC upper gutter 118 is moved to the lower left AC lower gutter. Arch gutter 119
It is designed to be guided in an intersection.

The AC upper gutter 118 and the AC lower arch gutter 119 are each formed by sticking a material such as semi-rigid urethane to the inner periphery of a metal gutter member having a U-shaped cross section with an open upper surface. By covering the lid cover plate to which the soft urethane material is adhered from the upper surface, the cover member is configured as a cylindrical material having a rectangular cross section as a whole, and exhibits a noise reduction effect. Further, a sensor 120 is provided at the lower end of the AC lower arch gutter 119 (immediately before the receiving port 114), and the sensor 120 monitors a flowing state of the AC ball, a failure of the shutter device 116, and the like. In addition,
Rubber or synthetic resin may be attached below each urethane material to improve the vibration absorption. Further, the mounting position of the sensor 120 may be another position, for example, an upstream end portion (near the shutter device 116) of the AC upper gutter 118.

Thus, in the second embodiment described above, the AC lower arch gutter 119 is inserted between the adjacent AC tanks 93, and the AC lower arch gutter 119 is connected between the AC section 121 and the AC tank 93. The upper gutter 118 is inserted, and the AC upper gutter 118 and the AC lower arch gutter 11 are inserted.
Since the pachinko balls flow down in the interior of 9, the AC upper gutter 118 formed linearly is supported from below by the arch structure of the AC lower arch gutter 119 formed in an arch shape to secure sufficient strength. Even if the pachinko balls stay in the AC upper gutter 118 and the AC lower arch gutter 119, they are not twisted or bent by their weight. Therefore, there is no need to support the AC gutter with a separately prepared supporting member as in the conventional case, and the structure is simple and the appearance is favorable. In the structure according to the second embodiment, if a ball is clogged at any point of the AC lower arch gutter 119 or downstream thereof and the ball flows backward through the AC lower arch gutter 119, the ball is sent out. Since the current flows backward to the AC tank 93 on the side via the AC lower arch gutter 119, the entire AC lower arch gutter 119 is not filled with balls, and the load is reduced accordingly. Also, even if a thin material is used as a member constituting the AC upper gutter 118 and the AC lower arch gutter 119, sufficient strength for the arch structure can be obtained, and overall cost reduction can be achieved. it can.

Further, the AC lower arch gutter 119 is an arc-shaped portion extending in a substantially horizontal direction for the pachinko balls received in a cross shape from the AC upper gutter 118 provided at a gentle slope so as to reduce the speed and gradually increase the speed. As a result, the force of the pachinko balls flowing down can be weakened as compared with the inclined AC gutter that is guided linearly as in the related art, and the sound of pachinko balls flowing down can be reduced.

In the above-described embodiment, the ball transfer device in which the upper tank 92 and the alternating current tank 93 are separately provided has been shown. By partitioning the tank so as to have a structure similar to that of the tank 92 and the AC tank 93, one unit may be used.

As described above, the pachinko island stand 2 corresponding to the present invention
One embodiment has been described, but the ball transfer device (island interchange) of the pachinko islands A1 to A9 according to the first embodiment is also a ball transfer device (arch interchange) of the pachinko islands C1 to C4 according to the second embodiment. As described above, the pachinko ball storage tank (the base tanks B1 to B3, the pachinko ball storage tank 90; hereinafter, simply referred to as a pachinko ball storage tank) or a pachinko island stand having a pachinko ball storage tank (first embodiment) The main pachinko island stand A1 and the like are controlled by a control board 89 as control means provided in the pachinko island stand C1 to C4) of the second embodiment. FIG. 24 shows the relationship with the provided ball quantity sensors S1 to S5 (however, the ball quantity sensor S1 of the first embodiment is provided in the lower tank 13). It has become the jar. FIG. 24 is a conceptual diagram showing the relationship between the control board 89 and the ball quantity sensors S1 to S5 provided in the pachinko ball storage tank. In brief, the control board 89 is provided so as to correspond one-to-one to a pachinko ball stand provided with a pachinko ball storage tank, and each control board 89 has a pachinko ball storage provided on its own island. The ball amount sensors S1 to S5 of the tank and the ball amount sensors S1 to S5 of the pachinko ball storage tank provided on the adjacent pachinko island stand connected to the own island and the ball transfer device are connected. The ball amount sensors S1 to S5 of B2 (90 of C2) and the ball amount sensors S1 to S1 of B1 (90 of C1)
The ball quantity sensors S1 to S5 of S5 and B3 (90 of C3) correspond respectively. Therefore, one control board 89 does not control the whole, and is adjacent to the pachinko ball storage tank (hereinafter referred to as own tank) of the own island.
The predetermined control is performed while comparing the storage amount levels of the pachinko balls with the pachinko ball storage tanks (hereinafter, right adjacent tank and left adjacent tank) of two pachinko islands. In FIG. 24, the control board 89 and the ball amount sensor S1
The connection between S5 and S5 is indicated by a two-dot chain line, and an arrow of a two-dot chain line directed downward from the middle of the first AC gutter 1 and the second AC gutter 2 is directed to the slave pachinko island stand A2 and the like in the first embodiment. Indicates the supply of pachinko balls, and the reference numerals in parentheses correspond to the components of the second embodiment.

The control board 89 connected as described above controls the storage amount of the pachinko ball storage tanks B1 to B3 or 90 in accordance with the flowchart shown in FIG. Therefore, the storage amount control will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing a control operation of the ball transfer device shown in FIGS. 1 and 20.

In FIG. 25, it is determined in step 10 whether or not there is a tank on the right. Whether or not there is a tank on the right side can be determined based on whether or not the detection signals of the ball quantity sensors S1 to S5 of the tank on the right side are input to the control board 89. If it is determined that there is no right adjacent tank, the process proceeds to step 20 described later. If it is determined that there is a right adjacent tank, the process proceeds to the next step 12.
In step 12, the storage levels of the own tank related to the own island and the right tank are compared based on the detection outputs of the ball quantity sensors S1 to S5. Is determined to be higher, the shutter devices 3 and 116 are opened in step 14 so that the ball flows from the tank on the right to the own tank, while the storage level of the own tank is higher than that on the right tank. If it is determined that the height is higher, the shutter devices 3 and 116 are opened in step 16 so that the ball flows from the own tank to the tank on the right. When it is determined that the storage amount levels are the same, the shutter devices 3 and 116 are closed in step 18 so as to stop the flow of the balls from the tank on the right to the own tank. In addition, in step 18, the shutter devices 3 and 116 are not controlled so as to stop the flow of the ball from the own tank to the right adjacent tank because the own tank is the left adjacent tank when viewed from the right adjacent tank. Step 2 to be described later
This is because the control described above is performed by the process of FIG. Also, in the above description, a high or low storage amount level does not mean that the storage amount itself is high or low, but that the state of the signal output of the ball amount sensor of the tank to be compared is different, The same storage amount level does not mean that the storage amount itself is the same, but that the state of the signal output of the ball amount sensor of the tank to be compared is the same.

Next, at step 20, it is determined whether or not there is a tank on the left. Whether or not there is a tank on the left side is determined by the detection signals of the ball quantity sensors S1 to S5 on the tank on the left side.
9 can be discriminated based on whether or not it has been input. Thus, when it is determined that there is no left adjacent tank, the control ends, and when it is determined that there is a left adjacent tank, the process proceeds to the next step 22. In step 22, the storage amounts of the own tank related to the own island and the tank on the left are compared based on the detection outputs of the ball quantity sensors S1 to S5. If it is determined that the ball is higher, the shutter devices 3 and 11 are set in step 24 so that the ball flows from the tank on the left to the own tank.
6 is released, and if it is determined that the storage level of the own tank is higher than that of the tank on the left, step 26
Then, the shutter devices 3 and 116 are opened so that the ball flows from the own tank to the tank on the left. When it is determined that the storage amount levels are the same, the shutter devices 3 and 116 are closed in step 28 so as to stop the flow of the ball from the tank on the left to the own tank.

As described above, in the above control, the storage amount levels in the adjacent pachinko ball storage tanks (base tanks B1 to B3, pachinko ball storage tank 90) differ based on the detection outputs from the ball amount sensors S1 to S5. Then, when it is determined in step 12 or 22, in steps 14, 16, 24, and 26, the storage tank having a high storage amount level (the base tanks B1 to B3, the pachinko ball storage tank 9).
0), the shutter devices 3 and 116 are opened so as to transfer the balls to the storage tanks (base tanks B1 to B3, pachinko ball storage tank 90) having a low storage amount level, and the same storage level is set in steps 18 and 28. When it is determined that the shutter devices 3 and 116 are closed, the plurality of pachinko ball storage tanks (base tank B1
~ B3, pachinko ball storage tank 90) is controlled so that the stored amount of balls is always the same level, so that a sudden increase in the number of balls or a sudden decrease in the number of balls is immediately performed. Can respond.

Further, even if each control board 89 executes the above-described control independently, no trouble occurs in control. For example, in the control of the control board 89 provided on the main pachinko island stand A1 of the first embodiment, the own tank is the base tank B1, and the tank on the right is the base tank B2. On the other hand, in the control of the control board 89 provided on the main pachinko island stand A4, the own tank is the base tank B2, and the tank on the left is the base tank B1.
It is. Now, base tank B2 rather than base tank B1
In a state where the storage level of the tank is high, the control board 89 provided on the main pachinko island stand A1 operates the shutter device so that the ball flows from the tank (base tank B2) on the right of step 12 to the own tank (base tank B1). On the other hand, the control board 89 provided on the main pachinko island stand A4 controls the shutter so that the ball flows from its own tank (base tank B2) to the tank on the left (base tank B1) in step 22. Execute the process of opening the device. That is, the same operation is performed. This means that one pachinko ball storage tank (base tank B1
By performing the above-described control only between the adjacent pachinko ball storage tanks (base tanks B1 to B3, pachinko ball storage tanks 90) as viewed from B3, the pachinko ball storage tank 90, the entire pachinko ball storage is eventually performed. This means that the storage level of the tanks (base tanks B1 to B3, pachinko ball storage tank 90) can always be kept at the same level. In other words, it is not necessary to control while watching the entire pachinko ball storage tank (base tanks B1 to B3, pachinko ball storage tank 90). Further, it is not necessary to change the control program incorporated in the control board 89 for each control board 89, and the same control program may be incorporated.

The structure and operation control of the ball transfer device for the island-type pachinko island stand according to the first embodiment and the arch-type pachinko island stand according to the second embodiment have been described above. As the structure of the island-interchange pachinko island stand according to the embodiment, the one shown in FIG. 1 is one in which all base tanks B1 to B3 as pachinko ball storage tanks are installed outside the pachinko island stand. Alternatively, some or all of the base tanks B1 to B3 may be provided inside the pachinko island stand. An example of an embodiment in which such a base tank is provided inside a pachinko island stand will be briefly described with reference to FIGS. 26 and 27. FIG. 26 shows a plurality of pachinko islands D1 in the third embodiment.
-D8 and a pachinko ball storage tank provided in connection therewith, and an overall schematic diagram showing the relationship with the ball transfer device,
FIG. 27 is a front view showing the internal structure of the pachinko island stand D4 among the plurality of pachinko island stands D1 to D8.

In FIG. 26, the pachinko islands D1 to D8 according to the third embodiment are basically the same pachinko islands as the pachinko islands A1 to A9 shown in FIG. The difference is that the central base tank B2 in FIG. 1 is provided inside the pachinko island stand D4. The pachinko island stand of such island interchange system is shown in FIG.
This is a method often used when an external base tank cannot be installed between the pachinko island stands A4 and A5 at the substantially center. In this case, since the amount of balls stored in the base tank B2 provided inside the pachinko island stand D4 decreases, the amount of storage in the base tanks B1 and B3 is designed to increase accordingly. However, the method of transferring the pachinko balls in the island interchange for each block does not differ from the island interchange shown in FIG. Therefore, pachinko island stand D4 in the center
The pachinko islands D1 to D3, D5 to D8 except for the pachinko islands A1 to A9 in FIG.
The structure of the center pachinko island stand D4 will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 27, the pachinko islands D4 are the sub-pachinko islands A2, A3, of the pachinko islands in FIG.
The structure is substantially the same as the structures of A6 and A7 (see FIG. 6), and the difference is that the lower tank 13 installed inside is a base tank B2 with a large storage. However, the size of the base tank B2 is almost the same as the size of the pachinko ball storage tank 90 shown in FIG. 21 and the storage amount is about 200 to 250,000 in the present embodiment. Thus, in the relationship between the upper tank 22 and the base tank B2, the overflowing pachinko balls pass through the overflow passage 61 and have a higher priority than the pachinko balls supplied from other islands via the suction passage 62, and the upper guiding gutter 15
Is led to the upstream side of the base tank B2
It is the same as slave pachinko island stand A2, A3, A6, A7.
On the other hand, inside the base tank B2, a plurality of ball quantity sensors 130a to 130i are provided between the bottom plate 14 and the upper guiding gutter 15.
Are provided in a substantially horizontal direction, and the most upstream ball amount sensor 1 is provided.
30a detects the lower limit of the storage amount, while the ball amount sensor 130e on the most downstream side detects the upper limit of the storage amount. And these ball quantity sensors 130a to 130i
Based on the detection signal, the opening / closing control of the shutter device 3 of the ball transfer device shown in FIG. 25 is performed to equalize the ball storage amounts of the plurality of pachinko islands D1 to D4, D4 to D7. I have.

Note that this control is performed by a control board 131 as a control means provided inside the pachinko island stand D4. Further, in order to control the opening and closing of the ball transfer device, among the ball amount sensors 130a to 130i shown, the ball amount sensors 130a, 130a, 1
It is sufficient to use 30b, 130c, 130d, and 130e, but in order to perform fine opening / closing control, it is necessary to use ball amount sensors 130i to 130f disposed between the ball amount sensors 130a to 130e. good.

[0096]

As is apparent from the above description, in the first aspect of the present invention, a plurality of pachinko ball storage tanks provided in association with a plurality of pachinko ball stands are interposed via a ball transfer device. In the ball amount control device that controls the amount of balls stored in each of the pachinko ball storage tanks by transferring the pachinko balls, each of the plurality of pachinko ball storage tanks includes a plurality of balls for detecting the amount of stored balls. While providing a ball amount sensor, a plurality of ball amount sensors of the corresponding pachinko ball storage tank and a plurality of ball amount sensors of the corresponding pachinko ball storage tank and a pachinko ball storage tank connected by the ball transfer device are provided. A control unit connected to a plurality of ball amount sensors, wherein the control unit controls the ball transfer device based on detection outputs from the plurality of ball amount sensors; The storage level is compared between the connected pachinko ball storage tanks, and when it is determined that the storage level is different, the pachinko ball storage tank with the higher storage level is directed to the pachinko ball storage tank with the lower storage level. The drive of the ball transfer device is controlled so that the balls are transferred until the storage amount reaches the same level. With such a configuration, the transfer control is performed such that the storage level of the balls is always the same between the plurality of pachinko ball storage tanks. Can respond immediately. In addition, by performing the above-described control only between the pachinko ball storage tanks connected by the ball transfer device as viewed from one pachinko ball storage tank, the storage amount level of the balls of the entire pachinko ball storage tank is eventually increased. Since it can always be kept at the same level, there is no need to control while watching the entire pachinko ball storage tank.

Further, in the invention of claim 2, the ball transfer device is arranged so as to cross over an upper tank provided on an upper part of a pachinko island stand having the pachinko ball storage tank in a crossing manner, and from one upper tank to the other. A first AC gutter inclined so that the pachinko balls flow down toward the upper tank and a second AC gutter inclined such that the pachinko balls flow from the other upper tank toward the one upper tank; A first shutter device that allows pachinko balls to flow down in the first AC gutter when opened and stops the pachinko balls flowing down in the first AC gutter when closed, and a pachinko ball in the second AC gutter when opened. And a second shutter device that allows the pachinko balls to flow down in the second AC gutter when the flow is closed, and the control means includes Comparing the storage level between the pachinko ball storage tanks connected by the ball transfer device based on the detection output from the number of ball quantity sensors, and when it is determined that the storage level is different, the storage level is higher. Opening and closing drive control of the first shutter device and the second shutter device so as to transfer the balls from the pachinko ball storage tank to the pachinko ball storage tank having a lower storage amount until the same storage amount level is obtained. Things. With this configuration, the balls are transferred using the first AC gutter and the second AC gutter on which the pachinko balls naturally flow, so that the balls are transferred using a conveyer or the like to transfer the pachinko balls. And the structure is simple.
Since the AC gutter is bridged between the upper tanks of the pachinko ball stand having the pachinko ball storage tank connected by the ball transfer device, the pachinko balls to be transferred can be moved bidirectionally and directly. When there is a difference in the amount of stored balls between the pachinko ball storage tanks connected by the ball transfer device, it is possible to quickly respond to the same storage amount level.

Further, according to the invention of claim 3, the upper tank provided on the pachinko island stand having the pachinko ball storage tank guides the pachinko balls to each of the pachinko machines on the own island with the highest priority, and the guidance is not required. When it is guided to the first AC gutter or the second AC gutter, and is further guided to the pachinko ball storage tank when the guidance is no longer required. is there. With this configuration, it is possible to smoothly supply the pachinko balls to the own island and supply the pachinko balls to the pachinko island stand connected by the ball transfer device.

Further, the invention of claim 4 is characterized in that the plurality of pachinko island stands are located between the main pachinko island stand having the pachinko ball storage tank and the two pachinko island storage tanks. And the two main pachinko islands, the first AC gutter and the second AC gutter being crossed between the upper tanks thereof, The slave pachinko island stand is formed so as to receive pachinko balls from the first AC gutter and the second AC gutter penetrating the upper tank, respectively.
It is characterized in that it is configured to guide the received pachinko balls to a lower tank provided inside the slave pachinko island. With this configuration, the pachinko balls are always supplied from the main pachinko island having the pachinko ball storage tank by the two first and second AC gutters to the slave pachinko island having no pachinko ball storage tank. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a shortage of balls on the sub-pachinko island.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic diagram showing a relationship between a plurality of pachinko island stands, a base tank as a pachinko ball storage tank provided in association with the pachinko ball stand, and a ball transfer device in the first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing an internal structure of a pachinko island stand provided adjacent to a base 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 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. 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 basic structure of an AC gutter included in the ball transfer device.

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

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

FIG. 13 is a partially cutaway perspective view of an 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 the pachinko island stand which is not adjacent to the base tank and a lower tank of the island.

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

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

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

FIG. 20 is an overall schematic diagram showing a relationship between a plurality of pachinko islands according to the second embodiment when a ball transfer device different from that of FIG. 1 is used.

FIG. 21 is a front view showing the internal structure of the pachinko island stand shown in FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is a side view of an upper tank and an AC tank provided on the upper part of the pachinko island stand.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view for explaining the flow of balls in the upper tank and the AC tank.

FIG. 24 is a conceptual diagram showing a relationship between a control board and a ball amount sensor provided in a pachinko ball storage tank.

FIG. 25 is a flowchart showing a control operation of the ball transfer device shown in FIGS. 1 and 20.

FIG. 26 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 in the third embodiment.

FIG. 27 is a front view showing an internal structure of a center pachinko island stand among a plurality of pachinko island stands.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A1 to A9 Pachinko Island stand B1 to B3 Base tank (Pachinko ball storage tank) 1 First AC gutter (ball transfer device) 2 Second AC gutter (ball transfer device) 3 Shutter device (ball transfer device) 13 Lower tank 19 ball Quantity sensor (lower limit sensor S1) 22 Upper tank 41 Upper tank 44 Drop port 46 Drop port 49 Upper tank 88a to 88h Ball quantity sensor 89 Control board (control means) 90a, 90b Storage tank (Pachinko ball storage tank) 125a to 125i Ball Amount sensors 130a to 130i Ball amount sensor 131 Control board (control means)

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A ball stored in each pachinko ball storage tank by transferring a pachinko ball between a plurality of pachinko ball storage tanks provided in association with a plurality of pachinko island stands through a ball transfer device. In the ball amount control device that controls the amount, each of the plurality of pachinko ball storage tanks is provided with a plurality of ball amount sensors that detect a stored amount level of the balls, and corresponds to each of the plurality of pachinko ball storage tanks. And control means for connecting a plurality of ball quantity sensors of the corresponding pachinko ball storage tank and a plurality of ball quantity sensors of the pachinko ball storage tank connected by the ball transfer device, wherein the control means is provided. Compares the storage amount level between the pachinko ball storage tanks connected by the ball transfer device based on the detection outputs from the plurality of ball amount sensors, and When it is determined that the amount level is different, the ball transfer device so as to transfer the balls from the pachinko ball storage tank having a high storage amount level to the pachinko ball storage tank having a low storage amount level until the same storage amount level is reached. The ball amount control device in the pachinko ball storage tank, which controls the driving of the ball. 2. The ball transfer device, wherein the pachinko ball is crossed between upper tanks provided on an upper part of a pachinko island stand having the pachinko ball storage tank and pachinko balls are moved from one upper tank to the other upper tank. A first AC gutter inclined so that the ball flows down, a second AC gutter inclined so that the pachinko ball flows down from the other upper tank toward one upper tank, and the first AC gutter when the pachinko ball is opened. A first shutter device that allows the pachinko balls to flow down in the gutter and stops the pachinko balls from flowing down in the first AC gutter when the gutter is closed, and allows the pachinko balls to flow down in the second AC gutter when the gutter is opened. And a second shutter device for stopping the flow of pachinko balls in the second AC gutter at the time of closing. The storage level is compared between the pachinko ball storage tanks connected by the ball transfer device based on the output power, and when it is determined that the storage level is different, the storage level is stored from the pachinko ball storage tank having a higher storage level. The pachinko machine according to claim 1, wherein the first shutter device and the second shutter device are opened and closed so as to transfer the balls until the same storage amount level is reached toward the low-level pachinko ball storage tank. Ball amount control device in ball storage tank. 3. An upper tank provided on the pachinko ball stand having the pachinko ball storage tank guides the pachinko balls to each of the pachinko machines on the own island with the highest priority. 3. A guide to an AC gutter or a second AC gutter, wherein the guide is guided to the pachinko ball storage tank when the guidance is no longer required. Ball amount control device in pachinko ball storage tank. 4. The pachinko island stand having a pachinko ball storage tank and a secondary pachinko island having no pachinko ball storage tank located between two main pachinko island stands. The first main gutter and the second main gutter are bridged between the upper tanks of the two main pachinko islands in an intersecting manner. The first AC gutter and the second AC gutter penetrating the upper tank are formed so as to receive pachinko balls, respectively, and guide the received pachinko balls to a lower tank provided inside the slave pachinko island stand. The ball amount control device for a pachinko ball storage tank according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the ball amount control device is configured as described above.