JPH0722303Y2 - Prize ball supply device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a prize ball replenishing device for continuously and continuously replenishing prize ball tanks provided on the back of a pachinko machine with prize balls supplied from a replenishment path of a pachinko island stand. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a prize ball replenishing device that replenishes prize balls supplied from a supply path of a pachinko island stand to a prize ball tank installed on the back of a pachinko machine is supplied with a fixed number of prize balls at a time. There are a constant replenishment method and a constant replenishment method that constantly and continuously replenishes prize balls. Regarding the latter method, the present applicant has previously proposed Japanese Patent Application No. 1-287678. The prior art disclosed in this Japanese Patent Application No. 1-287678 provides an always-replenishing prize ball replenishing device that can store a desired amount of prize balls in a range that does not fill the prize ball tank. Was intended.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the above-mentioned prior art has a support base provided with an alignment passage through which prize balls are aligned and flowed down in a row, and a front frame of a pachinko machine is opened and closed on the support base. Is engaged with the side wall of the prize ball tank and is pivotally supported so as to be alternately rotatable between the first state and the second state, and communicates with the alignment passage, and its tip faces the prize ball tank. A rotation supply member having a bifurcated supply cylinder and an operating arm, and a ball stopper for controlling the flow of a prize ball from the alignment passage to the supply cylinder by following the rotation of the rotation supply member. The structure including the members was adopted.

[0004]

Among the above-mentioned configurations, the replenishing cylinder of the rotation replenishing member is composed of the upper end of the prize ball tank and the machine frame (also called an outer frame) of the pachinko machine when the front frame of the pachinko machine is opened and closed. It must be formed to have a width that allows it to enter in between, but in recent pachinko machines, a prize ball provided on the upper back surface of the pachinko machine as the electric gaming device provided on the game board becomes larger. The position of the tank is getting higher and higher, and the distance between the upper end of the prize ball tank and the machine frame tends to be narrower. Further, the above-mentioned prior art does not take this point into consideration, so that there is a problem that it cannot be applied to a pachinko machine of a certain manufacturer or a certain model. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a prize ball replenishing device that can be applied to various pachinko machines in which the distance between the prize ball tank and the machine frame is different. .

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in the present invention, prize balls supplied from a supply path of a pachinko island stand are continuously connected to a prize ball tank installed on the back of the pachinko machine. Which is a prize ball replenishing device for replenishing the prize balls, the support table having an alignment passage for aligning and flowing down the prize balls in a row, and the prize ball tank when the front frame of the pachinko machine is opened and closed on the support table. Of the replenishing cylinder which engages with the side wall of the revolving cylinder and is rotatably pivoted alternately between the first state and the second state, communicates with the alignment passage, and has its tip facing the prize ball tank. A rotation replenishing member having an arm formed in a bifurcated shape; and a ball stopping member that follows the rotation of the rotation replenishing member to control the flow of a prize ball from the alignment passage to the replenishment cylinder. And the supply cylinder of the rotation supply member faces the prize ball tank. In the first state, the ball stopper member is in a retracted state to allow the prize ball to flow down from the alignment passage to the supply cylinder, and the supply cylinder of the rotating supply member faces the prize ball tank. In the second state where the supply is stopped, in the prize ball replenishing device configured to prevent the prize balls from flowing down from the alignment passage into the replenishment cylinder when the ball stopper member is in the protruding state, It is characterized in that its outer width is formed to be slightly larger than the diameter of the pachinko ball.

[0006]

[Operation] When the supply cylinder of the rotation supply member faces the prize ball tank in the first state, the ball stopper member is in the retracted state and the prize ball is allowed to flow from the alignment passage to the supply cylinder. On the other hand, in the second state in which the supply cylinder of the rotation supply member does not face the prize ball tank, the ball stopper member is in a protruding state to prevent the prize ball from flowing down from the alignment passage to the supply cylinder. The supply cylinder passes through the space between the upper end of the prize ball tank and the machine frame according to the opening / closing operation of the front frame of the pachinko machine, but the outer width of the supply cylinder is slightly smaller than the diameter of the pachinko ball. Since it has a large size, it can be applied to at least a pachinko machine in which the distance between the upper end of the prize ball tank and the machine frame is slightly larger than the diameter of the pachinko ball.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 5 shows the relationship between the pachinko island base 1 and the pachinko machine 8 to which the prize ball replenishing device 20 constituting the essential part of this embodiment is applied. In the figure, the prize balls flowing down the supply path 2 are branched by a branching device 3. The branching device 3 is for taking in the prize balls while aligning them in a line. The ball leveling device 4 hangs down in the middle of the passage, and further stops the flow of the prize balls when repairing a failure. There is provided a stopper 5 capable of
Below the branching device 3, a replenishment counter 6 is provided by a support base.
Can be detachably attached. As is well known, the replenishment counter 6 is formed in a box shape, and a ball passage through which a prize ball passes is formed at the tip side of the replenishment counter 6. The counter gear faces the ball passage and is rotatably supported by a shaft. Has been done. And
The prize ball flowing down the ball passage is engaged with the claw of the counting gear to rotate the counting gear, and a pulse signal is generated each time the counting gear makes one rotation. In other words, one pulse is emitted every time the prize ball corresponding to the number of claws of the counting gear passes, so that the actually supplied prize ball is "the number of claws (for example, 1
0) × pulse number ”.

By the way, an outlet for guiding the prize balls flowing down from the branching device 3 is formed in the upper part of the front end of the support table for supporting the supply counter 6, and the upper end of the spring hose 7 is formed in the lower part of the front end. It is fixed. Further, the lower end of the spring hose 7 is connected to a prize ball replenishing device 20 which constitutes a main part of this embodiment. As a result, the prize balls flow into the supply counter 6 from the branching device 3, and the prize balls counted by the supply counter 6 are discharged to the spring hose 7 and supplied to the prize ball supply device 20.

The pachinko machine 8 is arranged corresponding to the prize ball replenishing device 20 described above.
The configuration will be described with reference to FIG. In the figure,
The pachinko machine 8 has a rectangular machine frame 9 that is supported and fixed to the cross rail of the pachinko island stand 1, and a front frame 15 is provided on one front side of the machine frame 9 so as to be openable and closable. Then, most of the main components constituting the pachinko machine 1 are mounted on the front frame 15. There is a game board (not shown) as a main component of the pachinko machine 1, and a mechanism board 10 covers the back surface of the game board. On the upper part of the mechanism plate 10, a prize ball tank 11 for storing the prize balls supplied from the prize ball supply device 20, and a prize ball guiding passage 12 for guiding the prize balls stored in the prize ball tank 11 while aligning them. And a prize ball discharge trough 13 that guides the prize balls discharged from a prize ball discharging device (not shown) that discharges the balls supplied from the prize ball guide passage 12 by dividing each ball into a predetermined number. It is provided. Then, the mechanism plate 1 configured as described above
Since 0 opens and closes the machine frame 9 together with the opening and closing operation of the front frame 15, each component provided on the mechanism plate 10 also opens and closes. The front frame 1
A hitting ball launching device 14 for launching and driving a hitting ball is attached to one side of the lower part of 5.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, a prize ball replenishing device 20 constituting a main part of this embodiment will be described. The prize ball replenishing device 20 includes a support base 21 to which an alignment passage 26 for aligning and flowing down the prize balls is fixed, and an axis rotatably supported on the support base 21 between a first state and a second state. The replenishing cylinder 32 and the operating arm 3 which are supported and communicate with the alignment passage 26, and whose tip faces the inside of the prize ball tank 11.
3 is a bifurcated rotation replenishing member 30, and a ball stopper that follows the rotation of the rotation replenishing member 30 to control the flow of a prize ball from the alignment passage 26 to the replenishment cylinder 32. Member 4
It consists of 0 and.

First, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the support base 21 is fixed to a fixed plate 22 fixed to a cross rail of the pachinko island base 1 and slidably attached to the fixed plate 22. And a slide plate 23. Fixed plate 22
Is formed in an “L” shape, and one side of the upper side thereof is fixed by abutting against the horizontal rail of the pachinko island stand 1, and a vertical slide hole 24 is formed on the side surface of the fixing plate 22. The vertical slide hole 24 penetrates a screw projecting from the slide plate 23. By screwing the penetrated screw with a wing nut 25, the position of the slide plate 23 with respect to the fixed plate 22 can be freely set. You can do it.
With such a configuration, the tip of the replenishing cylinder 32 of the rotation replenishing member 30 described later and the bottom surface 11 of the prize ball tank 11 will be described.
The amount of the prize balls stored in the prize ball tank 11 can be adjusted by adjusting the distance from b. The vertical slide hole 24 is formed only on one side, and on the other side, the slide groove formed on the edge of the slide plate 23 in the locking groove 22a formed on the fixed plate 22 as shown in FIG. The piece 23a is engaged and guided.

On the other hand, the slide plate 23 has a hose connector 2 which is connected to the end of the spring hose 7 on one side thereof.
7 is formed, and an alignment passage 26 is provided continuously to the hose connector 27. A stopping solenoid 28 is arranged above the alignment passage 26, and a stopper portion 29 protruding and retracting in the alignment passage 26 is connected to a plunger of the stopping solenoid 28. Therefore, when the stopping solenoid 28 is excited based on a stopping signal derived from a management computer (not shown) when a predetermined number (for example, 3000) of prize balls are paid out to the player, the stopper portion 29 is generated. Enter into the alignment passage 26 to stop the flow of the prize balls, and no more prize balls are paid out from the prize ball replenishing device 20 to the prize ball tank 11. Even if noise occurs due to the excitation state of the stop solenoid 28, the replenishment counter 6, which may malfunction due to the noise, is provided at the distant position as described above. It can be prevented from occurring. Further, since the replenishment counter 6 and the stopping solenoid 28 are installed separately from each other, there is an advantage that the concentration of wiring inside the pachinko island stand 1 can be relieved, and the prize ball replenishing device 20 is provided. Since the installation location is closest to the location where the wiring is most concentrated inside the pachinko island stand 1, malfunction of the supply counter 6 due to noise generated from the wiring can be prevented.

On the other hand, a rotation supply member 30 is rotatably provided at the other end of the alignment passage 26. Rotation supply member 3
In the case of 0, a “T” -shaped supply cylinder forming member 31 having a hollow interior and an operating arm 33 connected to the supply cylinder forming member 31 at an acute angle rather than a right angle are formed in a bifurcated shape. It has been configured. The supply cylinder forming member 31 has a rotation axis on the upper horizontal side of the "T" shape, and is rotated by being sandwiched by a member forming the alignment passage 26 and a bearing member 36 fixed to the slide plate 23. It is movable and forms a replenishment cylinder 32 which is hollow from one side of the upper side of the "T" shape to the vertical side. The supply cylinder 32 has an inlet serving as a connection port 37 communicating with the alignment passage 26, and an outlet serving as a discharge port 38 formed at the lower end. A convex portion is formed on the upper portion of the supply cylinder forming member 31, and the operating arm 3 is attached to the convex portion via the mounting pin 34.
3 is attached. A spring 35b, which acts to attract the supply cylinder forming member 31 and the operating arm 33 to each other, is axially supported by the mounting pin 34.
This is for always maintaining the positions of the operating arm 33 and the supply cylinder 32 constant immediately after the rotation supply member 30 rotates. Further, the rotation supply member 30 has a first state in which the supply cylinder 32 is in a vertical state and a second state in which the supply cylinder 32 is in a horizontal state.
Although it is rotatable between two positions, the spring 35a is locked to the rotation shaft of the supply cylinder forming member 31 in order to maintain the two positions.

On the other hand, a semi-elliptical engagement cam 39 is projected on the outer periphery on one side of the upper end of the supply cylinder forming member 31, and a ball stopper member 40 and a support shaft 42 correspond to the engagement cam 39. It is pivotally supported around the center. The ball stopping member 40 is
It is formed in an inverted "L" shape, and a stopper pin 41 that penetrates into the connection port 37 of the supply cylinder 32 is attached downward at the upper end of the upper side. The stopper pin 41 is adapted to penetrate into the connection port 37 through a groove-shaped projection hole 45 formed in the supply cylinder forming member 31. Further, convex portions 40a are formed on the upper and lower ends of the ball stopper member 40, and the engagement cam 3 is sandwiched between the two convex portions 40a.
A recess 40b corresponding to the shape of 9 is formed. The intersection of the upper side and the lower side is pivotally supported by the support shaft 42 on the side surface of the member forming the alignment passage 26. In addition,
The stopper pin 41 has its upper end pushed by a spring-like locking piece 43. When the stopper pin 41 comes into contact with a prize ball flowing down inside when the stopper pin 41 enters, the prize is given while buffering the reaction force. It is designed to smoothly enter between the balls.

By the way, the supply cylinder 32 formed on the supply cylinder forming member 31 may be formed such that the dimension of the connection port 37 is larger than the diameter of the pachinko ball.
As shown in FIG. 1, the outer width dimension of at least the portion corresponding to the vertical side of the "T" shape is set to a dimension W slightly larger than the diameter of the pachinko ball, and the lower portion of the vertical side portion. Is penetrating in the front-back direction to the extent that the falling pachinko balls do not fall, and a guide piece 44 is projectingly provided at the "T" -shaped bent portion so that the prize ball smoothly flows downward. It is supposed to do.

The operation of the rotation supply member 30 having the above structure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. First, as shown in FIG. 1, when the front frame 15 of the pachinko machine 8 is opened, the rotation supply member 30 is in the second state in which the supply cylinder 32 is in the horizontal state and the prize ball tank. 1
1 is moving forward. In this second state, since the engagement cam 39 and the lower convex portion 40a of the ball stopping member 40 are in contact with each other, the upper end of the ball stopping member 40 rotates downward about the support shaft 42. As a result, the stopper pin 41 enters the supply cylinder 32 and stops the flow of the prize ball flowing down inside. As a result, the supply cylinder 32
Since the prize ball does not flow out from the discharge port 38 of the prize ball, the prize ball will not be discharged even if the prize ball tank 11 moves forward.
It never falls inside.

The front frame 15 of the pachinko machine 8 from the state shown in FIG.
When it is moved so as to close, the side wall 11a of the prize ball tank 11 and the operating arm 33 come into contact with each other to forcibly rotate the rotation supply member 30. At this time, the engaging cam 39 also rotates and moves from the lower convex portion 40a to the concave portion 40b, and finally, from the completely matched state as shown in FIG. Is in contact with the tip of the head. In this state, the upper end of the upper portion of the ball stopping member 40 is in a raised position, so that the stopper pin 41 is attached to the replenishing cylinder 3.
It will be in a state of withdrawal from 2, allowing the prize ball to flow down. At the time when this is allowed, the discharge port 3 of the supply cylinder 32 has already been
Since 8 is located inside the prize ball tank 11, the leaked prize balls are not discharged to the bottom surface 11b of the prize ball tank 11 and spilled inside the pachinko island stand 1. In this case, the amount of the prize balls stored is from the bottom surface 11 b of the prize ball tank 11 to the height of the discharge port 38. This is because when the prize balls are stored up to the height of the discharge port 38, the prize balls that are about to flow out from the discharge port 38 are pressed by the stored prize balls and cannot flow out. Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the discharge port 38 of the supply cylinder 32 is discharged toward the communication port (not shown) between the prize ball tank 11 and the prize ball guide passage 12. Therefore, the flow of the prize balls from the prize ball replenishing device 20 through the prize ball tank 11 to the prize ball guiding passage 12 is smoothly performed, and the number of prize balls stored in the prize ball tank 11 is determined by the discharge port 38. An appropriate amount can be stored only on the downstream side. Therefore, since it is possible to suppress the amount of prize balls stored without specially mounting parts such as a depressurizer, it is not necessary to take any trouble even when the pachinko machine 8 is replaced. In addition, the vertical slide hole 24 is adjusted as necessary to move the slide plate 23 up and down to change the amount of the prize balls stored in the prize ball tank 11 so that the slump state matches the model of the pachinko machine 8. Can be produced.

Contrary to the above description, when the front frame 15 of the pachinko machine 8 is opened, the process moves from FIG. 2 to FIG. 1. Briefly explaining this, the front frame 15 of the pachinko machine 8 will be described. Move to open the prize ball tank 11
The inner side wall 11a and the supply cylinder 32 are engaged with each other, and the supply cylinder 32 is rotated clockwise as it is. At this time, the engagement cam 39 also rotates to come out of the concave portion 40b of the ball stopping member 40 and contact the lower convex portion 40a, so that the stopper pin 41 at the tip of the ball stopping member 40 enters the supply cylinder 32. To stop the flow of the prize balls flowing down inside. When the supply cylinder 32 is disengaged from the side wall 11a of the prize ball tank 11, the supply cylinder 32 is urged by the spring 35a.
Is maintained in a horizontal state.

As described above, the front frame 15 of the pachinko machine 8
When opening and closing, the replenishment cylinder 32 is the machine frame 9 of the pachinko machine 8.
It is necessary to pass a space D between the upper end of the prize ball tank 11 and the outer diameter of the supply cylinder 32, which is slightly larger than the diameter of the pachinko balls. The present invention can be applied to a pachinko machine 8 in which the distance between the upper end of the machine and the machine frame 9 is slightly larger than the diameter of the pachinko ball.

Although the embodiment has been described above, in this embodiment, the ball stopper member 40 having the stopper pin 41 is shown, but other structures can be used as long as the flow of the prize ball is stopped. May be

[0021]

As is apparent from the above description, in the prize ball replenishing device according to the present invention, the outer width of the replenishing cylinder is formed to be slightly larger than the diameter of the pachinko ball. The present invention can be applied to at least a pachinko machine in which the distance between the upper end of the prize ball tank and the machine frame is slightly larger than the diameter of the pachinko ball.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing an operation of a prize ball replenishing device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the operation of the prize ball supply device according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a prize ball supply device.

FIG. 4 is a front view in which a part of the prize ball supply device is cut.

FIG. 5 is a rear view showing the relationship among the supply path, the prize ball supply device, and the pachinko machine.

FIG. 6 is a rear perspective view of the pachinko machine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Pachinko Island Stand 2 Supply Path 8 Pachinko Machine 11 Prize Ball Tank 11a Side Wall 15 Front Frame 20 Prize Ball Supply Device 21 Support Base 26 Alignment Passage 30 Rotation Supply Member 32 Supply Cylinder 33 Working Arm 40 Ball Stopper Member

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A prize ball replenishing device for constantly and continuously replenishing prize balls supplied from a pachinko island stand supply path to a prize ball tank installed on the back of a pachinko machine, wherein the prize balls are arranged in a line. A support table having an alignment passage for allowing the flow of the prize ball, and a side wall of the prize ball tank when the front frame of the pachinko machine is opened and closed by the support table in the first state and the second state.
And a state in which the replenishing cylinder and the operating arm are formed in a bifurcated shape so that they are pivotally supported alternately in the above state and communicate with the alignment passage, and the tip of the reciprocating cylinder faces the prize ball tank. And a ball stopper member that controls the flow of the prize ball from the alignment passage to the supply cylinder by following the rotation of the rotation supply member.
When the supply cylinder of the rotation supply member faces the prize ball tank in the first state, the ball stopper member is in the retracted state and the prize ball flows down from the alignment passage to the supply cylinder. In the second state in which the supply cylinder of the rotation supply member does not face the prize ball tank, the ball stopper member is in a protruding state to allow the prize balls to flow from the alignment passage to the supply cylinder. In the prize ball replenishing device configured to prevent the flow-down, the prize ball replenishing device is characterized in that an outer width dimension of the replenishing cylinder is formed to be slightly larger than a diameter of a pachinko ball.