US2000778A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

. May 7, 1935. J. F. MEYER 2,000,778

GAME APPARATUS 1 Filed Nov. 24, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l I .1. F .2.v

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25 30 33 16 29 cfoiraii/lfe er frzvevzfor May7, 1935. I J. F. MEQYER 2,000,778

GAME APPARATUS Filed Nov. 24, 1933 2 Sheets-Shet 2 v HTHHIIIIIIlllllllllllllll HIIIIIlHlllIllllllllllllllllllIIIIIIUIHIIIIIIIIIHHIHH -3 John FM INVENTOR. 7

BY y f HIS ATTORNEYS.

and entertaining in ;use;

Patented May GAM E ArPARATUS;

1 i n' l M nib az y llv Application November 24, l9 33, sjerial No. 699,492" I a 1 ['1 Cl ims, "(eer e-int] This; invention relates to ,game 'apparatuses.

y It is an object of this.;invention.to provide: a" novel-amusement game; apparatus that is rela-- tively simple and inexpensive in construction Another object" oilzhe invention is to provide a novel amusement game 1 apparatus comprising: the combination of: ;(1') a. rotatable horizontal table orfdisc, that: is, a spinning 'disc'on' which a. variety of objects such, for example, as colored balls or-thelike, maybe arranged to-be tumbled; around upon the disc by; the spinning move-y ments ofthe same was to aiford-amusernentto the player watching their changing.- positiona, rmovements, or sequencesj (2) a coin sliderand (3)means. operatively, associated with the coin slide and disc. for spinning the disc by movement;

of thecoin slide,- that. is,- means for transform-1 ing slidable movementofthe coin. slide into spinning orgrotatable movement of the disc.

.An'other'obje'ct, of ;.the invention is to providenovel means for, preventing 'fraudulent opera tion of.the appa.rat1is.,,

Related to 'the last-n ed object but more'speciflc, afurther. object" oIH-the inv ention isi to provide a novel meansyforspreventingthe-spin ning operation of the. disc. until .thercoinslide has returned to. inefiective -or idle position;

Other objects willappear, hereinafter i 1 The. invention consists in theanovelcomhina tion. and arrangement-ofpartsfto behereinafter described and claimed. 4 The invention will behest understood byl-ref erence to the accompanying drawings; showing l-kin Fig. 6;

the preferred form of; construction andin which: i Fig. 1 is atopjplan viewzofthdhew' game apparatus, with apartof the casing 01:, cabinet thereof removed; and showing the coin slide and operating mechanism associated therewith" in idle or initial position; M

Fig; 2" is a top plan View sii n ilarito but 1, showing the coin slide andopera'ting mechanism just prior tothe disc-spinning operation; I

' Fig. 3 is a'longitndinalf vertical sectional view on'line3'3.inFig.'6';' 't 1" Fig; 4-" isa' transverse sectional view on line associated therewithinthe position they assume Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail view'on line 5+5in- Fig. Grand". 1 {Fig ;6 is a top-plan view-oi the. new game apparatus.

The drawings show a. preferred forfn of the game. apparatus. and thereina. cabinet: is generally-indicated at..-l0 and. has a transparent the. cabinet in thereof. r a v Innn'efo'nn of the 'new apparatusscoringin- 'operation.]c- 1 apparatus are arranged-i Associated with one fol:- the verticalfwalls} [2 of thecabiriet H!) is a coin" control device generally indicatediat l3 {and includinga coin'fslide l6 having ,a' coin slide. return spring vl3- :a|. ssociated therewith. .Whilethis .jcoinfcontrolidevice 13 may be of'any' appmved type. :it.iswprefer- "v 6 ably; the efficient; coin; slide described kin the described in these patents hasufoundiwide acceptance; in the amusement game: trade. 9

'Mounted upon ,a suitable supporting base J5 I in the cabinet I0 is ajbase plate l6:uponiwhich,'

infturn, j-is-mounted a; vertical .l'bearing studr lt in (Fig. 4). Anti irictionally-mounted fonrotatable movement on the bearing studll'is a, gear or pinion 18. which carries. a spinning table or disc;.l9"thtrtzisafastuponthe gear. o'r,pinion..l8 'at' the topofth'e latter, andsd'asito spiniwithln under the transparent top ll.

dicia mayybe arranged upon the upper sur face of the; spinning disc 19; such, for example, as

a clook-'like rowof numerals (not shown) 'mov preselected scoring or. indicating point II on the transparent top wall I'I; "or the top surfaceof able relative to and .into registry'With -a fixed the disc It! may be divided into variousl-ycolored segments, and the scoring'valu'e" of each playsgg colored segment. of thedisc Iii-with the-fixed;

may bedetermined byregist'ry of-a preselected preselected 1 scoring --point or indicator 2 I when the disc, 19 come Operatively associated with thec'oinfslide ll er denomination is inserted into the coin slide now" to be described. U I

To this end there is provided on' the; inner to rest after each spinning. g I

'- 40 and with the g ars; pinion I8 so awe om l or spin the disc 19 each time a coin of: the prop- 1: a

end of the coin slide a late'ral projectionll having an angularly. extending cam 1 face" 23 ,which bears "against a vertical projection, of

a horizontal arc-shaped bar 25 that is 'pivotally mounted, adjacentone end; upon the. baselplate I6,c'as at .26. The vertical projection MJ-ofQthe. bar 25. is urged against the cam race-1a or the coin slide projection '22 by'means fo {a -spring 21: which end fixed: to the base 'fplate' I6 and which has its other end attached to the bar (Figs. 1 and 2). 1

Having one end pivotally mounted upon the base plate I6, as at 28, is a horizontal bar 29. This bar 29 has a depending or downwardly extending projection 39 at its other end and this projection is adapted, in a manner presently to be described, to ride the inner and arcuate face 3| of the bar 25.

Pivotally connected at one end, .by'means of a pin 32, tonthe bar 29, adjacent the downward projection 39 of the latter, is a horizontal rack bar 33, the teeth of which are adapted to en gage with the teeth of the pinion or gear I8, to

rotate or spin the pinion I8 and the disc I9.

The free end portion of the rack bar 3 3 ,-;that

is the end portion thereofjthat is opposite the end that is pivotally connected at 32 to the bar 29, is guided for movement by means :ofa lug or pin 34 which is carried by therack bar 33 and 'wm-ks magro'ri've '35 formed in the base plate- Iii. This 'pin '34 is urged downwardly, relative to the rack bar 33 and against the bot tom of the groove by means of a flat leaf spring 3'Iwhich is'c'arried by the rack bar 33. I

' The groove35 opens at its outer end out onto the upper sur'face ofthe'base plateIfiby way of aninclined groove or outlet 39 (Fig. 1) which is continuous with the groove 35.

Having'one end attached to'th'at end of the rack bar 33 that is" opposite the end having the pivotalfconnction'at '32 with the-bar 29 is a coil spring 39 which has it's-other end suitably fixedtothei'cabinetIIli Projecting upwardly-from the rack bar 33 is a stop lug 39 and'adapted'to engage the stop lug 39 at a certain time in the cycle of operations presently to be described is a stop'bar which is mounted on the base plate It and has a portion projecting over the rack bar '33.

Formed in the bar 25 is aflatchin'g notch or detent M, the purpose of which will be made apparent presently. I j

Operation The"spring*21"uzrgesthe bar 25 (counterclockwise Fig..l), causing the upwardly projectingportion 24 of the bar 25 to bear against the angled cam face 23 of: the, lateral projection 22 of the coin slide I4. However, when a coin Further inward movement of the coin slide I4 and its lateral projection 22 causes the latter to engage (Fig. 2) the pin 32 which providesthe' pivotal connection betwe'en'the bar 29 and the rack bar 33, a portion of this pin projecting above (Fig. 3) theiupper surface of the bar 29. Continued inward movement of the coin slide I4 and its lateral projection 22 (now in enga ment with the pivot'pin 32) pivots the bar 29 (clockwiseFigs. 1 and 2). "Thismoveme'nt of the'bar 29 moves the rack bar 33 and associated parts from their positions of Fig. 1 into their positions of Fig; 2-,'durin'g which movement the pin- 34 rides throughthe groove 35 and up out of the groove35, by way of the inclined groove the pinion I8.

36, onto the upper surface of the base plate I6. This movement of the parts of the operating mechanism causes the teeth of the rack bar 33 to mesh with the pinion I8, tensions the coin slide return spring 43 and the spring 38, and positions one corner portion 42 of the bar 29 in engagement with the latching notch or detent 4I formed in the bar 25 (Fig. 2). This is the position of the parts (as shown in Fig. 2) at the time the coin slide reaches its innermost position, at which time the slide has released the coin carried thereby into the cabinet I!) and is 'ready to start its return movement which is accomplished by the tensioned spring 43. During" the time the coin slide I4 is being returnedto idle position by the tensioned spring 43, the corner portion 42 of the bar 29 is held by the action-of the spring 21, in latching engagement with the latch notch or detent 4I formed in the bar 25. This latching engagement of the corner portion 42 of the bar29 in the notch 4I prevents movement of the bar 29, and also prevents movement of the rack bar 33 and the pinion I8 and the disc I9 carriedby This latching engagement is maintained and movement of-"the bar 29, rack bar33, pinion I8 and disc I9 prevented until the angled cam face 23 of thelateralcoin slide pro jection 22 .engages the upwardly extending proje'ctionv 24 of the bar 25 which occurs at the time the coin slide I4 completes its return to idle" or ineffective and locked position (Fig. 1). However, as the cam face 23 of the lateral coin slide projection 22 engages the upwardly extending projection 24 ofthe bar25, the bar 25 t into the position of Fig; 1,thereby rapidly spinning the gear or pinion I8 andthe disc I9 carried thereby (clockwise, Figs. 1 and'2). ,At the end of this movement the rack bar,33 is positioned (as in Fig.. I) out of meshlwith the pinion I8 so that the pinion, I8 andthe disc I9 are free to continue the rotation imparted thereto by the aforementioned, rapid movement of the rack bar 33.

' During this movement of. the rack bar 33 the pin 34 rides across the upper surface of. the base plate I6 and is returned into the groove 35 by the action of the flat spring 3i,v the bar 40 preventing the spring 38 from lifting the rack bar 33 up out ofits path of movement. Atthe time the rack bar 33 reaches its initialv position it is stopped by engagement of the pin 39 withthe stop bar 49. t v I v The aforementioned delayed release of the corner portion 42 of thebar 29 from latching engagement inthe notch 4|, which does not take place, as hereinbefore stated, until the cam face 23 of the lateral coin slide projection 22 engages the arcuate face 3I of the bar 25, prevents fraudulent operation'of the game, apparatus by manipulation of the coiri'slide I4 since this -de layed release takes place practically simultaneously with the movement of the coin slide I4 into locked, idle position; in which position the coin slide I4 is held (by means not shown) until a coin of the proper denomination is inoperatively interconnecting said coin slide and said gear member for converting sliding move: ment'of said coin slide into rotating, spinning serted into the coin receiving opening formed therein. V x

Another device is provided for, preventing fraudulent operation'of the apparatus by manipulation of the coin slide l4 and this device comprises a spring-urged latch dog 44 that is pivotally mounted on the coin control device I3 adjacent one longitudinal edge of the coin slide M. This dog 44 engagesin a serrated edge 45 of the coin slide l4 to prevent fraudulent return or retroactive movement of the coin slide 14 until the latter has reached itsinnermost position. This device 43'44 also prevents fraudulent forward movement-of the coin slide I4 once the latter has reached the in'ner end of itstravel and started back to idle position inwhich it is shownin Fig. 1. I

Formed in the same edge of the coin slide I4 that has the notches 45 formed therein (Fig. 2) is a notch 48. wardly the dog 44 is spring-urged (by a spring not shown) into the notch 48 so that the, dog 44 faces inwardly and engages the notches 45.

This prevents rearwardmovement of the coin". slide l4 until the notched edge portion 45 of the slide l4 has passed the dog 44$ On the return movement of the slide l4 the dog 44 is again spring-urged into the notch 48 which pivots the dog (clockwise, Fig. 2) thereby pointing the dog 44 rearwardly so that the dog engages the notched edge 45 in such a manner that it prevents inward movement of the slide, 14' until the I notched edge 45 has passed the dog 44.

The apparatus includes a board 46 which extends (Fig; 3) transversely across the cabinet l between the transparent top wall H and the disc I9, and has an annular opening or pocket 41 extending vertically therethrough. This opening 41 provides a pocket or receptacle which is made coincidental with, that is, of the same size as, the disc l9, sothat variously colored amusement balls or the like (not shown) may be arranged in the pocket or receptacle 4! upon the disc I9. When the disc I9 is rapidly spun,

the balls or like objects in the pocket will be tumbled around upon the upper surface of the disc l9, below the transparent top wall H, to afford amusement to the player watching the changing positions and tumbling movements of I claim as new and desire to protect by Letter Patent is:

1. A game apparatus, comprisin gthe combina tionof: a cabinet having a substantially liorizontal transparent top; a rotatable gear member arranged in the cabinet; a disc carried by said gear member, so as to be rotatable therewith,

between said gear member andsaid transparent top; a coin control device arranged at a point on the cabinet and including a coinslide; means As the coin slide I4 is moved in movement of said gear member and disc; alatching mechanism associated with said meansand.

:coin slide; said latching mechanism being rene .dered effective by movement of said coin slide into coin-releasing position and being released by the return movement of said-coin slideinto idle position so as to delay rotation of said gear member'and disc until the coin slide has completed its movement into coin-releasing position in said cabinet between the said top thereof and 2. In a game apparatus,,thecombination of: a cabinet; a disc rotatably mounted in said cabinet; a coin slidemounted in a Wall ofsaid cabinet; means coacting with said-coin slide for rotating said disc; and means including'a and is returning to idle position; and means', cooperating with said disc toprovide a'poclret v said disc for the reception of a ball or the like.

device released by movement of said coin slide from coin-discharging position into coin-receiving position for latching said disc against'rotation. v1 r I V 3. In a game apparatus, the combination of:

a cabinet; a disc rotatably mounted in said. cabinet; a coin slide mounted in a wall of said cabinet; means, including a device energized by movement of said coin slide from coin-receiving position into coin-discharging position,for rotating said disc; and means including a device releasedby movement of said coin, slide from coin-discharging position to coin-receiving position for latching said disc against rotation.

4. In a game apparatus, the combination of a cabinet; a disc rotatably mounted in said cabinet a coin controlled member mounted in a wall of said cabinet; means coactingwith said coin-controlled member for rotating said disc; and means for delaying the rotation of said disc until said coin controlled member has completedsubstantially a full stroke."

5.In a game apparatus, the combination of:

a cabinet; a disc rotatably mounted in said cabinet; a coin slide mounted in a wallof said cabia net; means coacting with said coin slide 1 for rotating said disc; and means for delaying the rotation of said disc ,until said coin slide i completed substantially a full stroke; y 6. In a game apparatus, the combination of:

a cabinet; a disc rotatably mounted; in said cabinet; a coin controlled; member mounted in I a wall of said cabinet; means coacting with said coin controlled member for rotating said" disc;

and means, including a device released by movement of said coin controlled member, for delay 4 ing the rotation of said disc until saidicoin confull stroke; i i t '7. In a game apparatus, the combination or:

trolled member has completed substantially fa.

a cabinet; a disc rotatably mounted in said cabi-f net; a coin slide mounted in a wall of said cabinet; means coacting With'said coin slide for rotating said disc; and means, including a device released by movement of said coin slide, for delaying the rotationof said disc. until said coin slide has completed substantially a full stroke.

JOHN F. MEYER. v

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