US2006646A - Antitilting lock mechanism for pin ball games - Google Patents

Description

July 2, 1935.

B. E. MILLS NTITILTING LOCK MECHANISM FOR PIN BALL GAMES Filed Dec. 3, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 2, 1935. B. E. MILLS ANTITILTING LOCK MECHANISM FOR PIN BALL GAMES Filed Dec. 3, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 2, 1935. B. E. MILLS ANTITILTING LOCK MECHANISM FOR PIN BALL GAMES Filed Dec. 5, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 ANTITILTING LOCK MECHANISM FOR PIN BALL GAMES Filed Dec. 3, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ,f///// //Mf/,//f////f//f//////// L L I Patented July 2, 1935 "an'nrrmmo 'Loox MCHANi'sM'FoR PiN Novelty Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application December 3, 1934, Serial No. 755,718

'This invention rrelates'topin ball games of the type wherein player pieces, in the form oi'balls, are prjectedove'r a playing boardhaving open-Y ings formed therein for receiving the balls, and more particularly 'to an improved locking device for` preventing further play of the game in the eventl the'operatorv attempts to tilt the playing board to obtainV an improper or unearned score;

One of the" important objects of the invention is toprovide in a pin ball game of the type specifled aball lifting device for raising .the balls individually from a point ofi Vassembly beneath theV board into position for projection over the surface thereof, and'in combination therewith, means operated by tilting of the playing board for' locking said ball lifting means, whereby to prevent fnrther'play of the game. v

'A further object of the'in'vention is to provide in. combination with the afmesaid anti-tilting lock mechanism, a coin-.controlled mechanism for restoring the lock mechanismto inoperative position, whereby to permit further play of the game after a coin actuationof 'the' coin-controlled mechanism.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent `from the following detailed descrlption, takenn connection with the accompanylngdrawings, wherein I have shown the preferred form in which I have' thus'far contemplated applying the principles of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan viewV of a pin ball game ap- Y paratus having the novel anti-tilting lock mechamsm embodied. therein, a portionot the playing board being Vbroken 'away to show the underlying Structure; l,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section, on an enlarged scale taken, on line 2 2 of Fig; 1,

v the view showing the lockV mechanism in the locked position: y

Fig. 3 is a view similar toFlg. 2 with the 1ock-' position shown in Fig. 2, prevents the balls from im' mechanism inthe unlocked position: and l Fig. '4 1s a. broken transverse vertical section 'through'the apparatustaken v'on line 4-4 `of Fis. 2. f

vThe general' construction 'of pin bali game apparatus isv well understood in the art and will, theretore, only be described in, sufficient detail to give s; clear understanding of themanner'in which the improved anti-'tilting' lockI mechanism is used inV apparatus of character. Referring particularly to Fig; vI, the table or frame', within which'the playing mechanism is support- 'edconsists' of transverse tramemembers' and 6 which are tied Atogether by side frame members 'I and 8. A rectangular base board 8 is secured to the lower edges of 'frame members 5, 6, 'l and 8 by strips II (Fig. 2), said "strips connecting these parts to form a ridge frame unit. The top of the table is closed by a glass panel I2, below which is' positioned a playing board I3 having openings I4 formed therein for receiving the balls; Panel I2 and board I3 are arranged to slide as a unit longitudinally valong frame members I and 8 whereby to Vgive access to the operative mechanism positioned therebelow.

In`the formV 'of game shown in the drawings the Vparts are arranged to simulate the playing of a baseball' game, the balls being directed by a manually operable Vspring' held plunger I5, having" anexposed linger piece I6 projecting through front frame piece 5,. along a .guide channel I0. From that point'the balls may take any one of a number of paths depending upon the force wlthiwhichl they are" projected, and ultimately fall through'the openings I4, from whencetheyV are directed either along chutes II to a receptacle I8, 'or are directed along a. chute I9 to a smaller receptacle 2l, the' latter being separated from receptacle I8 Vby a partition wall 22. In this particular game the balls which 'are directed along chutes I1, into receptacle I8, are intended to indicate' base hits, and th'o'se Which are directed along chute I9, into receptacle 2l, are intended to indicate outs A gate plate 23, supported on a rod 24 extending transversely of the machine below chutes I1 and I8, normally closes' an opening 25 formed in the lower front portion of the bottom wall of receptacles IB and 2|. Opening of this gate, in a manner presently to be explained, allows the balls which have accumulated in receptacles I8 and 2| to roll therefrom into a downwardly inclined U-shaped channel 26, the end of which is closed by a gate leverv 2T, the latter being pivoted to the frame at 28 and having an arm 29 which, in the closed rolling through the open end of saidchannel 26. Referring particularly rto Fig. 2, means is pro-v vided for lifting the balls individually, and in succession, from supporting channel 26 into position for' actuation yby projecting plunger I5.

InA theembo'diment shown this lifting mechanismY f frame member 1.

Assuming the ball lifting mechanism is in the lowered position shown in Fig. 3, the operator, after having preliminary actuated the coin-controlled mechanism in a manner presently to be explained, pushes inwardly on rod 33, whereupon ,Y

the latter moves against a stud 38, carriedk on arm 3| thereby pivoting said arm Vin a. clock-A wise direction viewing Fig. 3, at the same time carrying the lowermost of theY balls contained in channel 26 upwardly along channel 31 until the" parts assume the position shown in Fig. 2. This `operation places the yball in chute I0 immediately in front of plunger |5, from which position it maybe driven by the latter over the .playing board. During this lifting operation gate lever 21 isV swung from the open position shown in Fig.v 3 to the closed 'position' shown in' Fig. 2, this movement being effected by a stud 39 projecting from arm 3|, said stud engaging in a U-shaped notch 4| formed in" lever 21.' Move' ment of the lever'21 tothe closed position, upon the raising of lifting arm 3|', prevents thesucceeding balls from rolling from assembly chute` 26 until said lifting arm' has been returnedto the lowered position. 'In this returnmovement of arm 3|, stud 39 engages in notch 4|, thereby -moving lever 21 from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the'po'sition shown in Fig. 3,'in which position the lowermost of 'the balls in channel 26 is free to roll onto lifting plate'36.

In accordance with my inventioma novel form" of locking mechanism is provided which is adapted, upon the tilting of the playing board, tov

lock'ball lifting arm 3|, thereby preventing'furtherV play of the game. It frequently happens that the operator after 'projecting a' ball onto the' board,V will attemptto direct therball into a particular one'of the'opening's `I4 by lifting the front end of the tableand tilting the same in sucha way as to cause the ball to roll into'the desired opening. The mechanism which'I provide for preventing further Vplay of the game" after such an unwarranted tilting of the table consistszof a latchv device whichk operates to hold the ball lifting arm 3| in the raised position,v

thus making 'it impossible to raise theballs into position for projection over the playingboard.

This latch mechanism, which is best shown in Figs. 3 andy 4, comprises: a lever 42, pivotally supported at 43Von a frame bracket 44; a pawl 45, pivotally supported at 46 'on frame member.

1 an arm 41, pivotally connctedat 48l to lever 42, the opposite endthereof 'being adapted to engage a laterally projecting'flange 49 carried' kby pawl 45; a lever 5|, fulcrumed at 52 toal frame bracket 53, one arm` 54 of' said lever being positionedimmediat'ely below lever' 42, and

the other arm 55 thereof Ycarrying a plate 56 to: which'is secured a 'semi-circular-,rim or strip 51; a second plate 58, securedV to frame member 5, and having a semi-circularr strip 59 secured thereto and opposing the semi-circular strip51 carried by plate55; andfav'ball tl normally f retained in the semi-circular `cup formed vby plate 58 andY strip V59. l 1

In Fig. 3 the anti-tilting lock mechanism is in the unlocked position, lever 5| beingl held in this position by av coil Yspring 62.which is connected at one end to', a`lug63, carried by` said" 2,006,646 l 'mi n als.:

lever, and at the other end to a fixe point on the frame. In this position of lever 5|, the tip portion 64 of pawl 45 is rclear of channel 31 and affords no obstruction to the raising and lowering of ball lifting arm,3|. soon as the operator tilts the playing board I3 by'raising the forward end of the table, ball 6| rolls from plate` 58-ontoplatg:`v 56,v and the vweight thereof immediately Cali'es lever'V 51y t0 pivot in a clockwise direction from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position shown in Fig. 2. Arm 54 is ,thus raised and in turn pivoting pawl 45 to the latched position shown in Fig. l,2, in which position it will be noted that the point 64 thereof extends over or laps the edge of channel 1 31. If at this time lifting `arm 3| happens to `be held in the raised position,

against the tension Vo'f`a coil spring 66, it will be obstructed ,at the beginning of its downward However, as

stroke, and will beheld in the vlocked position shown Vin Fig.: 2.`v IL' at theV time' pftlltipg, 'lift-v ing; arm 3| "happens to' be' in'thef loweredpo'si tion shown in 3;f`it'ma raised 'tolift one more, ball to proiectmgpositinf'on 'this .upward stroke uiting-pnt@l sav brushes past the,

tip portion` |i4yof` paw1f45 'andjon" the' return stroke kis caught by the latten; being retained in. the clocked position Ishown 'in Figi'Z'." limited movement of pawl45 .and arm"'41isfper mitted by reason of the 'piv'oted connection pro-"f vided between 'arm' 41j and lever 42, theA latter being providedjwith stops 66 (andv 61 whichlirnit" the movement vof saldi arm" 41. l'ifcoiil'V spring 6 8, extendingA between lever 42 and arm 41, urgesj the latter VupwardlyV against stop |1."` A` leaf spring 69, 'secureditofthe under faceff plate' 56, engages a bratnetarm` 1|"'project1ng `-:l`?'wn"V wardly from plate A58 and v servefs'to cushion lthe, turning oflever 5| under the weight of 'ba1l'6|.` Coin-controlled mechanism is providedjfor ref" storing the` anti-tilting lock vmet:hanisx'n to inopf erative position, whereby,topermitresumptionfof play until said "mechanism is' again thrown lto locking position. `Referring tongs.; lfandlji," it will be notedthat rod '24,"whic'h'carries' gate plate 23, is' provided With'ja laterally-bent Vor QH; setp'ortion- 12 which engages 'theiower .end'ior 'anY arm 13 Ywhichprojects downwardly' fromgra'n'd forms an integral part of,'lever 4 2.fj ',This`. offset? portion 12' terminates in a portion" whichA forms, in effect, a ycontix 1 ua .tion,of `rod,24sfa'id portion 1.4 vbeing ,positioned in'ime,diatelyvr above lever 5|. ,'Ihetherjendj'ofrod 24 provided with a down-turned' portion which is c0111-- nected througha clamp. 16to' la 11,`.the,o'1;\ ,Y posite end of said 1ink11 being'plvtallygonnected 8.15.18 to the .piston 'I9 Qfanair cyl's' inder 8|. A'c'oin slide 82,. ysupported linlfront wall section'V 5,' is arranged, when pushed inwardly to, the limitV of its stroke, to' engage 'a bar f83 which has pivotal and slidingz connection at '84 with n a f supporting, bracket 85, thefjothe'r endfofsaid bar. 83 being pivotallyfconnectfed at '8 6 'tolink" 11. Cfmtinuin'gV thefreference to' Figs.- "1 and 21,v and assuming paw1""45is`in`thelocked position; .shown in` Fig..4,.aftera proper coin hasbeen" placed in 'a slotj81'fin slide '82,'v the hitter,may"bev 24 lowers, gatev plate, 23,. .allowing the. balls which have accumulated in receptacles |,8 vand 2|. to roll downwardly into' chute 25. This movement ofrod 24.v also causes the end portion 14 'thereof to move downwardly onto the arm portion; 54 of lever i, causing the latter to Ypivotin a counterclockwise direction, viewing ,Figi 3, to bring plate 56 back to the level of plate 58which movement returns ball 6| 'fromthe position shown inFig. 2 to the position shown in Fig.. 3;y The arm -54 of lever 5 l., having thus been removed from lever 42, the latter is freeto pivotL in acounter-clockwise direction, viewing Fig.'4, to restore .pawl 45 to the ,unlocked position shown in Fig. 3. Arm v4`| normally overbalances lever 42 so that this turning of. the, latterr occurs automatically as soon asarm 54 has been removed from its supporting position below said lever 42. As the operator releases coin slide S2, the latter is returned to normal positionby spring 88, and air cylinder 8| slowly moves the parts. back to normal position, this movement in the case of rod 24 consisting of a turning thereof in a counter-clockwise direction, viewing Fig. l, to raise the arm portion 14 thereof away from tilting lever 5|.

I have also shown in the accompanying drawings a ball-operated lock mechanism for throwing locking pawl 45 into locked position independently of the operation of tilting lever 5I. This locking mechanism forms the subject matter of my co-pending application, Serial No. 755,717, led of even date herewith, and will therefore be described only in a very general way. It consists of an arm 89, which forms an integral part of lever 42, and which extends through a slot 9| formed in the side wall of receptacle 2|, the end of said arm carrying a lip 92 which is positioned to be engaged by a ball rolling from chute I9 into receptacle 2|. The third out ball which enters receptacle 2| Arests permanently on lip 92 thereby throwing lever 42, arm 41, and pawl 45 to the latched position shown in Fig. 2. The removal of the ball from lip 92 by the opening of gate plate 23 and the raising of arm portion |2 of rod 24 from arm 13, allows lever 42 and arm 41 to return to 'the unlocked position. Since this locking action occurs with the ball lifting arm 3| in the lowered position, one more ball may be raised to the playing board after the arm 3| has been thus locked. To prevent this extra ball from rolling to scoring position there is provided a lever 93, pivoted at 43 to bracket 44, and provided with an arm 94 projecting through slot 9| into receptacle 2|, the end of said arm 94 being provided with a lip 95 which lies immediately adjacent the lip 92 of lever 89. A wire 96, carried by the other arm of lever 93, extends downwardly into the entrance channel of receptacle 2|. Rolling of the third out ball into receptacle 2|, as just explained, locks the ball lifting mechanism. This third ball also engages lip 95 to pivot lever 93 in a clockwise direction, viewing Fig. 4, thereby lowering wire 96 to bring the free end thereof into position for preventing the last projected ball from rolling into the portion of receptacle |8 which represents the scoring position. After the balls have been allowed to roll from receptacle 2|, lever 93 is returned to non-obstructing position by a coil spring 91 Which extends between said lever and a fixed point on the frame. As previously stated, the operation of the ball lifting locking mechanism through arm 89 is entirely independent of theV locking thereof through anti-tilting lever 5|. Although but a single latch element is providedfor.lockinglever 3| from. either source, eachA locking operation isindependent of the other. o. The foregoing detailed' description has i been given for clearness of understanding. only, and

no unnecessary limitations should-be understood therefrom, but the appended claims should loe-.construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

What I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis: 'i Y l. In a pin ball game, the vcombinationzwith av playing board, and means for liftingthel balls individuallyv froma point of assembly-.beneath the board into position for projection overthe surface thereof, of means operated by tilting of the playing board for locking said ball lifting means to prevent further operation thereof, and. coin-controlled mechanism Yfor restoringfsaid lockingmeans. toinoperative position, whereby to permit resumption of play after a coin actuation of said coin-controlled mechanism.

2. In a pin ball game, the combination of a playing board, a vertically oscillating ball lifting device for elevating the balls individually from a point of assembly beneath the board into position for projection over the surface thereof, a locking element arranged for movement into position obstructing operation of said lifting device, means operated by tilting Ofr the playing board for moving said element to locking position, and coin-controlled mechanismffor restoring said locking element to inoperative position, whereby to permit resumption of play after a coin actuation of said coin-controlled mechanism.

3. In a pin ball game, the combination of a playing board, a vertically oscillating ball lifting `for moving said arm to latched position, and

coin-controlled mechanism for restoring said latch arm t0 inoperative position, whereby to permit resumption of play after a coin actuation t of said coin-controlled mechanism.

4. In a pin ball game, the combination `with a playing board, and means for lifting the balls individually from a point of assembly beneath the board into position for projection over the surface thereof, of means operated by tilting of the playing board for locking said ball lifting means to prevent further operation thereof, and coin-controlled mechanism for restoring said locking means to inoperative position, whereby to .permit resumption of play after a coin actuation of said coin-controlled mechanism, said locking means including a latch, element, a. lever operatively connected therewith, a movable counterweight and a support therefor positioned adjacent said lever, said counterweight being adapted upon tilting of the playing board, to move from said support onto said lever, thereby overbalancing the latter and moving said element to latched position.

5. In a pin ball game, the combination of a playing board, a vertically oscillating ball lifting device for lifting the balls individually from a point of assembly beneath the board into position for projection over the surface thereof, a locking element arranged for movement into position obstructing operation of said lifting de- Y vice,fa lever operativelyvconnected with said locking-element, means-operated by tilting of the playing board forrfoverbalancingV saidv lever, whereby .to move 'said element to locked position, andcoin-controlled mechanism for returning said lever and locking element to inoperative position, whereby to permit resumption of play after a coin actuation of said coin-con- Y trolled mechanism.

6.. In a pin ball game, the combination "of a playing board, means for 'supporting a supply of .the balls beneath the board, a vertically oscillating ball lifting device for lifting the balls individually from said support` tothe playing board, a, latch element arranged for movement into position obstructing operation of said lifting device, a lever operatively connected with said latch element, aimova'ble counterweight and al support therefor Apositioned adjacent said lever, saidjcounterweight being adapted, upon tilting oi the playing board, It0 move froms'aid support onto said lever, thereby overbalancing` the latter andmoving said element to latched position., and coin-controlled .mechanism-fior returning said v'counterweight and latch element to inoperativefposition, whereby to. permit 're-1.

sumption oi play after a coin actuation of said coin-controlled mechanism. '7. In a pin ball game, the combination with a, playing board and means for moving the ballsV BERT EQ MILLS. 2ok

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