US2068178A - Marble shifting mechanism for game boards - Google Patents

Description

Jan; 19, 1937. D. E; HOOKER MARBLE SHFIING MECHANISM FOR GAME BOARDS 4 sheets-sheet 1 Filed July 14, 1934 Jan. :19, 1937. D. E. HOOKER MARBLE SHIFTINGVMEGHANISM FOR GAME BOARDS I `4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 14, 1954 Jan. 19, 1937,

D, E. HOOKER MARBLE SHIFTING MECHANISM FOR GAVIE BOARDS 4 Sheets-Sheet A5 Filed July 14, 1954 MMM mm uw S mm Jan. 19, 1937. D. E.' HOOKER 068,178

MARBLE SHIFTING MECHANISM FOR GAME BOARDS 1' v Fil'ed July 14, 1934 Y 4 sheets-s'het 4 .a Il.

mb i l l/l/ Patented Jan. i9, i3?

MARBLE SHIFTING MECHANESM FOR GAME BOARDS Donald E. Hooker, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner of one-half to Joseph Vierling, Jr., Los Angeles,

Calif.

application in connection with marble gameboards in which marbles are shot through a chute onto a playing deck and then returned.

either immediately or at the completion of the game to a reservoir from which they are fed one at a time to a projecting mechanism Vadapted to again discharge them through the chute.

A broad object of the invention is to automatically transfer the marbles from the reservoir to the projection chute in response to the discharge of the preceding marble from the chute.

In present marble game board devices of which 1 am aware, it is the practice to provide a manually actuated shifting device for shifting a marble from the magazine to the discharge chute following the discharge of the preceding marble. This means that the player has to perform an additional operation following the shooting of each marble to prepare for the next shot. This is annoying. to the player and also works to the disadvantage of the proprietor of the game since it slows up the playing of the game. It has been found that if a marble is automatically fed to the playing chute following the shooting of the preceding marble, the player shoots the next marble immediately whereas he usually takes quite a bit of time before shooting the next marble if he has to first place the marble into shooting position by an additional manual operation.

' 1n accordance with the present invention, I have provided an automatic marble feeding mechanism which may bc either electrically or mechanically actuated and which is simple, inexpensive in construction and positive in operation. A full understanding of the construction and operation of the invention, together with various specific objects and features of the invention, will be apparent from the'following detailed description which refers to the drawings.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View in the plane III-III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electrical circuit employed in the mechanism shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3;

Fig. 5 is a detailed sectional view in the plane V-V of Fig. l, showing the construction of one` of the switches employed in the electrically actuated device;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View through a game board of the general type disclosed in Fig. 1 but employing a mechanically actuated marble feeding mechanism instead of an electrically actuated mechanism;

Fig. '7 is a Vertical sectional view in the plane VII-VII of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional detailed view of Fig. 6 and taken in the plane VIII-VIII of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view corresponding to that of Fig. 3, showing a modied construction.

Fig. 10 is a perspective View of a modified form of runway switch to be employed in a gameboard having a mechanism of the type shown in. Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electrical circuit employed in the mechanism shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

Referring rst to Figs. 1 and 2, there is shown a typical marble game-board comprising a casing l having a glass cover 2, below which is positioned a playing deck 3 having a plurality lof apertures i to i i, inclusive, of suicient dimensions to receive the playing marbles. These apertures constitute the pockets in which the marbles are to be placed. Various barriers, usually consisting of pins driven intoI the playing deck 5i, may be employed to increase or decrease the difliculty of placing the marbles in the various pockets, but since the present invention does not relate to any particular design of playing deck, these pins or barriers have been omitted from the drawings.

`It is desirable to retain the marbles in some at least of the pockets until the completion of the game. To this end, a secondary board I2 is positioned immediately below the playing deck 3. This secondary board i2 is mounted in grooves i3 in the opposite side walls of the casing i so that it can be reciprocated longitudinally and is normally maintained in forward position, as shown in Fig. 2, by a spring iii which is secured at its rear end by a screw eye i5 to the secondary board i2 and at its forward end to the side wall of the casing by a screw eye it. The forward end of the secondary board l2 is pro-vided with a downwardly extending bracket l1 adapted to be engaged by the plunger I8 of a coin controlled mechanism l employed to reset the board for a new game. The setting operation is performed by placing a coin in an aperture 2G provided therefor in the plunger I8 and forcing the latter inwardly by pushing on the projecting forward end thereof. Ili'his forces the secondary board l2, through the bracket ll, rearwardly a suicient distance to bring apertures provided in the secondary board I2 below the apertures in the playing deck 3, thereby permitting all marbles caught in the apertures in the playing deck to fall therethrough onto a marble return floor 2l. The marble return oor 2l (and also the playing deck 3 and secondary board l2) is inclined forwardly so that the. marbles discharged thereon roll to the forward end and are discharged into a chute 22 leading to a marble magazine 23. Of course, a player frequently fails to place all of the marbles in the various playing pockets provided in the playing deck 3. Such marbles roll to the forward end of the playing deck where they accumulate in a relatively large pocket 23! and are discharged through an opening 215i' in the secondary board i2 whenthe latter is shifted rearwardly at the end of the game. It will be noted from Fig. 2 that all ci the apertures in the secondary board l 2 bear the same reference numerals as the associated apertmes in the playing deck 3 with the prime sign added. It will be observed that the aperture il is so dimensioned and positioned as to clear the aperturei in the playing deck at all times. This arrangement is sometimes employed in marble game boards to give the player an extra, free shot if the marble happens to land in that hole.

The marbles are projected onto the playing deck 3 through a runway 215 extending along one side of the playing deck and separated therefrom by a partition wall 25, the projection being accomplished by a spring actuated plunger 26 mounted in the forward end of the runway 24 and provided with an actuating handle El on the exterior of the case. rhe velocity with which the marble is projected is determined by the distance the plunger is retracted before being released. A pair of pins 28 are provided to retain the marble 29 being played in suitable position to be struck by the plunger 2li. At the rear end of the runway 24 a gate 3U commonly provided which opens outwardly in response to impact of a marble thereon, permitting the marble to come onto the playing deck but preventing accidental return of a marble from the playing deck into the runway 2t.

The construction so far described is old and well known and does not constitute a part of my invention, the latter residing in the mechanism next to be described for delivering marbles from the magazine 23 to the runway 2li. Eeretofore this transfer has been effected by a manually actuated elevator mechanism which the player manipulated before each shot.

.Referring to Fig. l, it will be observed that the magazine 23 comprises a channel of such dimensions as to retain the marbles in a single line. At its forward end the magazine 23 opens into an inclined chute 3i which leads up to the runway 25, and connects therewith at a point immediately rearward of the pins 2t. The chute 3l includes side walls 32 and 33 for guiding the marble and a iloor Sii for it to roll upon. The Wall 32, of course, is cut away at the lower end to provide a passageway from the end of the magazine It into the chute. The lower end of the chute immediately beyond the end of the magazine t3 is closed by a projector gate 35 which constitutes an armature of an electromagnet and is pivotally connected thereto by a hinge trical contact 33 or resilient material which is insulatingly supported on the forward face of the member It will be observed from Fig. 1 that the first marble in the magazine 23 -rolls (due to the inclination of the magazine 23) into the discharge chute 3l and rests against the Contact member 38, the latter being so resiliently mounted that the weight of a marble resting thereagainst tierces the contact against the armature 35 to complete an electrical circuit (to be described later) for energizing the electromagnet 36. Energization of the electromagnet 36 causes the latter to attract the armature 35 with suicient force to project the marble lying thereagainst up through the chute Si and into the runway where it lies against the pins 28 in proper position to be shot from the runway by manipulation o the plunger 26.

During its travel from the lower end of the chute 3l into the runway 2d, each marble passes under and ccntacts with an electrical contact 39 and forces it upwardly into Contact with a cooperating contact 3g to complete another electrical circuit to be described later.

The eleetromagnet 35 is deenergized the instant the projected marble leaves the armature 35 since the contact 38 opens with the ejection ot the marble. Thereupon the armature returns to its normal position and the next marble in the magazine 23 rolls into the position previously occupied by the marble last ejected.

in accordance with the present invention, the gate 3G at the end of the runway Zil is employed to control the operation of the ejecting mechanism. To this end the gate 3B, as shown to best advantage in Fig. l and the detail View or Fig. 5, consists of a wire rotatably mounted in a bearing member lli positioned adjacent one edge of the runway 2li, the wire being bent downwardly within. the runway into the path of marbles projected through the runway, (the wire being shown in lowermcst or closed position in l and in uppermost or open position in 5) The inner end of the wire 30 normally rests against a stop pin il which limits the rotation in one direction of the gate but permits it to rotate upwardly and forwardly in response to impact of a marble to carry it clear of the runway. The wire d@ is rotatably supported adjacent its outer end in second bearing member 42 and is bent beyond the bearing l2 to constitute a crank i3 to which a spiral spring 411 is attached. The crank i3 is so oriented with respect to the downwardly bent inner end of the wire that the spring it tends to retain the wire in whichever extreme position it has last been moved to. ln other words, the crank i3 is se oriented that it moves past dead center, with respect to the tension exerted by the spring 44, in shifting from closed position (that shown in Fig. l) into open position, in which the inner end is elevated above the path of the marbles ejected from the runway 2li, as shown in Fig. 5.

The primary function of the gate 36 is to complete the electric circuit for the electromagnet To this end, the wire 3@ is bent outwardly to constitute a loop l5 at a point immediately The gate i5 is provided with an elecadjacent the bearing member 42 and contact metal is secured thereto to constitute an electrical contact adapted to close upon a stationary electrical contact 45 when the gate 30' is opened by passage of a marble thereunder. If no restoring means were provided, the gate 3b after once being opened would remain permanently in that position and would be inoperative to perform desired functions. I therefore provide a restoring mechanism which includes an electromagnet lll having an armature t8, to which is secured a curved pin 49 adapted to engage with a crank portion 50 of the wire 30 which is bent radially in the opposite direction to the loop 45. When the gate wire 3i) rotates into open position, the loop is rotated into a position closely adjacent the upper end of the pin 49. Thereafter upon energization of the electromagnet 4l the movement of the armature i8 and associated pin @i9 causes the latter to engage the loop 50 and restore the gate 3@ into the closed position shown in Fig. 1.

VReferring now to Fig. 4 of the drawings, it will be observed that the energizing circuit for the electromagnet 35 includes a source of energy represented as battery 5l, the contacts 45 and Mi, a switch 53, the armature 35 and contact 38, all in series. Therefore, the yelectromagnet 36 cannot be energized unless all three sets of contacts are closed simultaneously. The switch 53 is associated with the coin unit lil and is closed at `all times except when the plunger IS is forced inwardly to reset the machine. Thus referring to Fig. 2, the switch 53 comprises a stationary contact member 54 and a movable Contact member 55 which is secured to the plunger i8. When the plunger i8 is in normal position, the contact 55 bears against the contact 54 as shown. However, when the plunger i8' is moved into its forward position the contact 55 is moved clear of the contact 54. The particular purpose of this switch 53 will be described later. It may be assumed at the present time that switch 53 is always closed- As previously stated, the Contact 38 will be closed on the armature 35 by the weight of a marble in the chute 3l and the switch contacts i5 and @6 on the gate 3Q will be closed if the gate is in open position. Under these conditions, the electromagnet 36 is energized to project the marble in the chute up into the runway 2li.

The gate Sli is automatically restored to closed position by passage of a marble from the chute 3i into the runway 2t through the agency of the contacts 59 and 39. Thus it will be observed from Fig. l that the energizing circuit for the elcctromagnet iii, which restores gate Sil, includes the battery5l and the contacts S9 and 39 in series. Therefore, immediately following the projection of the marble through the chute 3i by the armature 35, the marble contacts and closes the contacts 39 andtil, actuating the electromagnet l and restoring the gate St to closed position.

Thereafter the marble in the runway is played by pulling back and releasing the plunger handle Ll. As the marble leaves the runway it contacts and opens the gate Si), thereby closing the contacts i5 and i6 and again completing the energizing circuit for electromagnet 56, causing the latter to project the next marble from the magazine 23 into the runway 25. Likewise as this marble passes under the contacts 35 and 35, it momentarily closes them to restore the gate 35 to closed position.

summarizing the operation of the board, so long as there are marbles in the magazine 23, a marble will be projected through the chute 3l into the runway 2t in response to the passage of the preceding marble from the runway, that is, past the gate 39. Likewise the gate 3i) will be' restored inresponse to the passage of each new marble into the runway 2li. The actuation of the electromagnet t6 follows the opening of gate 3G so closely that the gate :it is normally closed (by the passage of the next marble under the contacts 35 and 39) before the marble which opens gate 3l) has time to rebound back against the gate. Therefore, the gate performs its desired function of preventing return of marbles from the playing deck to the runway 2li during the major portion of each game. It does not close, however, following the discharge of the last marble from the magazine 23 and from runway 24 because there is nothing to close the contacts 39 and 39 and energize the electromagnet 4l following the shooting of the last marble from the runway 2t. This is a desirable condition because it leaves the electrical circuit for the electromagnet 36 in condition to eject the first marble from the magazine 23 into the runway 24 following the release of the marbles for a new game by actuation of the coin unit i9.

The mechanism described will also function just as long as any marble can reach the magazine 23. Thus assume that all of the marbles but one have been caught in various pockets in the playing deck and that the last marble shot enters hole l and is returned to' the magazine. The gate 3i! will remain open following the shoot- Ving of this last marble until the marble passes.

through the magazine 2S into the chute 3l, whereupon it is discharged into the runway B by closure of contact :it on armature 35 since the contacts #i5 and te are already closed.

Some patrons of marble games of the general type described have attempted at times to beat the game by holding the coin unit plunger in and shooting marbles continuously until a marble entered a desirable high counting aperture in the playing deck 3 whereupon they would release the plunger i8 quickly to permit the secondary board l2 to return and close the aperture, retaining the marble in the high counting pocket. Thereupon they would begin as new game with a marble already in a high counting pocket. Such manipulation is impossible with the board described herein for the reason that when the plunger i3 of the coin unit i3 is pressed inwardly to release the marbles from the pockets the contacts 5t and 55 of switch 53 are open, thereby rendering the marble feeding mechanism inoperative. The system, of course, is immediately restored to operative position upon release of the plunger it.'

In Figs. 6, 7, and 8 there is depicted a modified form of mechanism which is purely mechanical and is intended more particularly for use in small marble game boards not provided with a source of electricity. in this modification the energy for shifting the marbles is obtained from a spring which is compressed at the beginningV of each game. Thus portions of the board not disclosed in Figs. 6, 7, and 8 correspond substantially to the construction shown in Fig. l and corresponding parts bear the same referencey Vnumerals with the suffix a.

stored in an inclined magazine runway 23a which terminates at a point closely adjacent tobut below the runway 24a and is connected thereto by a passage 3 la, which corresponds to the chute 3| in Fig. 1 but differs therefrom in being substantially Vertical with a right angle bend in the upper end to direct the marbles into the runway 24a. The lower end of the passage 31a is closed by a movable cup 66 which is mounted (Fig. 6) upon the forward end of a lever 6I eX- tending longitudinally of the device and is fulcrumed at a point adjacent its center to a bracket 62 secured to the under side of the marble return door 2id. The lever 6l is normally retained with its forward end in lowermost position, as shown in the drawings, by a spring 63. The rear end of lever 6I is pivotally connected to the lower end of a link 6ft which extends upwardly through a passage provided therefor in the marble return floor 2id and is provided with a shoulder 65 at its upper end adapted to be engaged by a cooperating shoulder 66 on a trigger lever 67 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 68. The trigger lever 6'?, as shown in Fig. 8, is positioned exterior of the runway 2da and is contacted at its upper end by a crank arm 69 mounted on a shaft ll which extends across the runway 24a and is journaled in the side walls of the runway. Rigidly secured to the shaft 16 for rotation therewith and depending downwardly therefrom in the runway 24a is a gate ll. The pin l2 is provided to act as a stop for the crank arm 69 and limit its movement in one direction to prevent the gate H opening rearwardly to` admit a marble from the playing deck into the runway. However, the gate can open in the opposite direction in response to impact of a marble discharged through the runway and, in opening, actuates the trigger lever el to release the link 64 and permit the lever 6I to be swung through a short arc to throw a marble positioned on the gate 66 up through the passage Sla into the runway Zflct.

For the purpose of actuating the lever 5l, there is secured to the latter a pawl lever 'i3 having a pawl ll thereon adapted to engage with the teeth of a ratchet rack 18. The pawl lever 'I3 is fulcrumed to a downward extension 'I9 on the lever 6l and is also provided with an upwardly extending arm 8B, the upper end of which is bent over to overhang the lever 6I, as shown at 8|. The pawl 'Vl is normally maintained in engagement with the rack 'i8 by a small spring 82. The lever 6l is also provided with a downwardly extending pawl 83 adapted to engage the rack 'i8 under certain conditions.

Rack 'i8 is rigidly secured to a rod 8d which is slidably supported at its forward end in the front wall 65 of the cabinet and in a bracket 86 at the rear end. The forward end of rod Bd projects through the wall ti'and is provided with a knob Sl. A helical spring 8s is positioned about the rod 81E adjacent its rear end and is adapted to be compressed between the bracket 86 and a collar 8S by pushing the knob 8l inwardly. The collar 83 is also provided with an arm Sil adapted to contact the lower end of a lever 9i which is bent at the upper end to contact with the lower end of the trigger lever 61.

Assume that all of the marbles have been returned to the magazine 23a. The mechanism is then energized by forcing the knob 8'! in as far as it will go. Initial inward movement of the knob 81 and rod 84 compresses the spring 88 and slides the ratchet rack 'I8 rearwardly past the pawl 80, the latter rising and dropping as each tooth of the ratchet rack passes thereunder, until the rod 84 reaches the position shown in Fig. 6, in which the arm 9D on collar 89 has contacted the lever 9|. Thereafter further inward movement of the rod 84 deflects the lever 9| in a clockwise direction, thereby deflecting the trigger lever 6l in a counterclockwise direction until the shoulder 66 clears the shoulder 65. Further movement of the rod 84 compresses the spring 88 to its limit and shifts the rack 18 substantially the pitch distance of the teeth thereon with respect to the pawl 80. The operator then releases the knob 81 and the force of the spring 88 quickly retracts the rod 34 and the rack '18. Since the pawl 8l] is in engagement with the rack, it moves with it, thereby suddenly rotating the lever arm 6l in a counterclockwise direction and tossing the marble supported on the cup 66 up through the passage Zia into the runway 24a.. Just before the forward end of lever reaches its uppermost position, it engages the overhanging portion 8| of the arm 66 on the pawl lever 'E3 and the final upward movement of the forward end of lever 6| carries the pawl 'il out of engagement with the rack 18. However, the counterclockwise rotation of lever 6i has brought the pawl 83 into engagement with the rack 'i8 so that the latter is prevented from continuing its forward movement.

After the pawl 'l1 has been disengaged from the rack i8, the lever 6l is immediately restored to its normal position by the spring 63. This movement disengages the pawl 83 from the rack 78 but simultaneously reengages the pawl 'il with the next tooth of the rack. The force of the spring 88, of course, is urging the rack 'I8 forwardly at this time but the lever 6l is prevented from repeating its upward oscillation at this time by reason of the fact that when the rear end of lever 6i moved upwardly, the shoulder 65 on the upper end of link 6!! was reengaged by the shoulder 66 on the trigger lever 6l.

The mechanism remains in the condition described until the marble that was elevated to the. runway 24a is discharged from the runway by the plunger 26a. The marble, of course, in leaving the runway impacts the gate 'H and lifts it sufliciently for the marble to pass thereunder, The motion of the gate 'H is transmitted through the shaft 'le and the crank arm 69 to the trigger lever 61, causing the letter to disengage its shoulder 66 from the shoulder 65 on the link 64 and permitting the lever 6i to oscillate in a counterclockwise direction to toss the next marble from the magazine up through the passage 3|a. into the runway 24a. This action is repeated following the shooting of every marble, the passage of each marble under the gate l! tripping the mechanism to cause the transfer of the next marble from the magazine. When all the marbles have been shot, the mechanism is reset for the next game by simply pushing in the knob 8l to compress the spring 88.

If desired, the rod 64 may be coupled to the coin operated mechanism for releasing the marbles from the deck pockets so that the device may be reset for a new game by actuation of a single handle.

I have shown in Figs. 9, 10, and ll a modification of the electrically actuated mechanism disin the runway 2Gb is discharged through the closed in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4', and 5. This modication differs essentially from the rst electrical mechanism described in that marbles are auto-- matically discharged from the chute to the runway immediately upon delivery to the chute but a gate is provided for admitting a marble from the magazine to the chute only in response to; the discharge of the preceding marble from the runway to the playing deck.

In Figs. 9 to il elements corresponding to elements in the construction disclosed in Figs. 1 to 5 bear the same reference numerals with the suffix b. Thus a chute 3H) extends upwardly from the end of the magazine 23h to the runway 2th and the lower end of the chute Sib is closed by an ejector member which is constituted by the armature 35h of an electromagnet 3612. The armature 3579 is likewise provided with a contact 3817 which is adapted to be closed on the armature b by the weight oi a marble in the chute Sib. In this modication, however, a gate rod itil is provided for controlling the delivery of marbles from the magazine 23h to the discharge chute Sib, this gate rod being slidably supported at its upper end in an aperture itl in the wall of the magazine 23h through which it projects and at its lower end in an aperture it?? in a bracket member E63. The rod is constantly urged downwardly and to the left (referring to Fig. 9) by a tension spring ll, which spring tends at all times to retract the rod sufficiently to permit the marbles to feed from the magazine 23h into the chute Elib.

To move the rod it@ into closed position (the position shown in Fig. 9) an arm li is provided on the rod, which arm is positioned to be engaged byan arm 65 on the armature 35h when the latter is attracted by the magnet 35h. The rod it@ is normally retained in closed position after having been moved into that position by the actuation of armature 35h by a latch mechanism which comprises a plate m6 secured to rod lili? and the armature ll of an electromagnet H53. The plate lil is provided with a shoulder i259 and a shoulder lll), both of which are adapted to be engaged by the armature E01 and which are spaced apart to provide a slot lll therebetween into which the armature lul may extend. The armature lill' is normally retained in retracted position (the position shown in Fig. 9) by a spring H2.

I prefer to employ, in connection with the mechanism shown in Fig. 9, a switch of the type vshown in Fig. 10, corresponding parts of which bear the same reference numerals as shown in Figs, 1 and 5. Thus the switch comprises a wire 3th, the ends of which are journaled in the side walls lilb and 25h of the runway 25th and the Y midportion of which is bent downwardly to be intercepted and lifted by marbles discharged through the runway. The outer end of the wire Silb beyond the partition wall lb is bent downwardly to constitute a crank H5, to which is pivotally connected a switch arm llt slidably mounted for longitudinal and oscillatory movement in a bracket l ll and having a contact 45h on its end adapted to close on a stationary contact flib when the loop 38h is rotated by pas- Sage of a marble thereunder.

The operation of the mechanism shown in Figs. 9 and l0 will now be explained with reference to the circuit diagram of Fig. 11.

Assume that a marble is positioned in the runway 24h and that the gate rod H10 is in closed position, as shown in Fig. 9. When the marble runway onto the playing deck it deflects the wire 36h sufficiently to momentarily close contact Mb on contact 56h. This completes a circuit from battery 5th through the electromagnet It, causing the latter to attract its armature lill. Downward movement of armature lill disengages the shoulder lili) on block itt, permitting the latter and the rod it@ to be shifted slightly by the spring ltlfl. The shiit is only slight, however, for the reason that when the armature lill is in lowermost position it engages the shoulder HEB. However, since the magnet EEB is only energized during the momentary closure of contacts lh and Mib, the armature lill is immediately retracted by the spring H2. It thereupon releases the shoulder llt, permitting the block |96 to be completely retracted by the spring its, the armature lill entering the slot lll. Retraction of the rod itil permits the next marble in the magazine 23h to roll into the chute 3th. The dimension of the chute is such that only one marble at a time can enter the chute from the magazine. The weight of the marble in the chute against the contact 38h immediately closes the latter on the armature 35D, completing a circuit from battery Sib through the contacts 53h on the coin control switch and the electromagnet 361). The attraction of the magnet 36h on its armature 35h thereupon moves the latter sharply to kick the marble in the chute up into the runway 2th. As the armature 35h moves upwardly the arm IE5 attached thereto engages the arm lim' on the rod Mii) and retracts the latter into closed position, preventing entry of the next marble into the chute 3th. The armature itl is retracted by the spring M2 at the same time into engagement with shoulder it@ on block lil to retain the rod IBG in uppermost position so that no marble is admitted from the magazine to the chute despite the fact that the armature 35h returns to lowermost position immediately. 0f course, as soon as the marble last delivered to the chute 24h is discharged therefrom, the sequence o operations just described is repeated to feed the next ball from the magazine 2317 to the runway Mb. f

It is possible for a marble to be discharged through the runway Zeb with just suiiicient force to elevate the wire 3th into contact closing position and become lodged below the wire,

thereby maintaining the contacts 55h and @6b v closed. In this event, if a special provision was not made to prevent such action, all the marbles in the magazine might be successively discharged into the runway 2th. Such an occurrence, however, is prevented by the construction of the block tilt.' Thus if the contacts @5b and lith are maintained in closed condition, the magnet Hi8 is permanently energized to attract its armature lill. However, this attraction cannot result in the release of a marble from the magazine 23h to the chute Sib` for the reason that the armature engages the shoulder il@ on block |06 and does not permit the latter to be retracted suiciently by the spring EM to release a marble from the magazine 23h. It will be observed that with the construction provided a marble is released from the magazine not in response to the closure oi contacts 6519 and Mib but only 'in response to the closure and subsequent opening of lthose contacts.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 10, the gate wire 30h is shown positioned in a runway at a 75 point spaced from the end of the runway so that it does not perform the extra function of preventing return of marbles from the playing deck to the runway. It is to be understood that in either the modification shown in Figs. l or 10 the gate wire Sil or till) may be positioned at any desired point along the runway.

It is to be understood that the invention as disclosed and described is subject to modication in many particulars Without departing from the essential principles of the invention and the invention is therefore to be limited only as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a marble game board device of the type having a playing deck, a runway leading to the deck through which marbles may be projected onto the deck, a reservoir below the deck for containing marbles to be played and a projector in said runway for projecting marbles through said runway onto said deck; means for transferring marbles one at a time from said reservoir to said runway, and means responsive to ejection of a marble from said runway to said deck for actuating said first means, whereby another marble is automatically transferred from said reservoir to said runway.

2. In a marble game board device of the type having a playing deck, a runway leading to the deck through which marbles may be projected onto the deck, a reservoir below the deck for containing marbles to be played and a projector in said runway for projecting marbles through said runway onto said deck; means for transferring marbles one at a time from said reservoir to said runway, trigger means positioned to be contacted by a marble in transit from said runway for actuating said first means, whereby a new marble is automatically transferred from said reservoir to said runway in response to ejection of the preceding marble.

3. In a marble game board device of the type having a playing deck, a runway leading to the deck through which marbles may be projected onto the deck, a reservoir below the deck for containing marbles to be played and a projector in said runway for projecting marbles through said runway onto said deck; marble shifting means for transferring marbles one at a time from said reservoir to said runway, trigger i means movable from a first position into a second position, means for moving said trigger means from said rst position to said second position in response to passage of a marble through said runway, means for actuating said marble shifting means in response to movement of said trigger means from said rst position to said second position, whereby a new marble is automatically transferred from said reservoir to said runway in response to movement of said trigger means from its rst position to its second position by a marble discharged from said runway, and means operable by transit of a marble from said reservoir to said runway to restore said trigger means from its second to its first position, whereby said trigger means is restored to its rst position in response to the movement of a new marble from said reservoir to said runway.

4. In a marble game board device of the type having a playing deck, a runway leading to the deck through which marbles may be projected onto the deck, a reservoir below the deck for containing marbles to be played and a projector in said runway for projecting marbles through said runway onto said deck; marble shifting means for transferring marbles one at a time from said reservoir to said runway, a first control means responsive to a marble in said reservoir, second control means responsive to the passage of a marble through said runway, and means for actuating said marble shifting means in response to simultaneous actuation of said first and second control means, whereby said marble shifting means functions only when there is a marble in said magazine and the preceding marble is discharged through said runway.

5. In a marble game board device of the type having a playing deck, a runway leading to the deck through which marbles may be projected onto the deck, a magazine below the deck for containing marbles to be played, and an ejector in said runway for ejecting marbles through said runway onto said deck; means for transferring marbles one at a time from said magazine to said runway, said means comprising a chute eX- tending upwardly from said magazine to said runway, means for feeding marbles in a single line from said magazine into the lower end of said chute, a movable closure member in the lower end of said chute for supporting a marble positioned within said chute, means for suddenly shifting said movable member to eject a marble positioned thereagainst through and out of said chute into said runway, and means for controlling said shifting means.

6. A device as described in claim 5, in which said shifting means comprises an electromagnet and an armature therefor with an energizing circuit for said electromagnet, and in which said control means includes a switch in said energizing circuit.

7. In a marble game board device of the type having a playing deck, a runway leading to the deck through which marbles may be projected onto the deck, a magazine below the deck for containing marbles to be played, and an ejector in said runway for ejecting marbles through said runway onto said deck; means for transferring marbles one at a time from said magazine to said runway, said means comprising a chute extending upwardly from said magazine to said runway, means for feeding marbles in a single line from said magazine into the lower end of said chute, a movable closure member in the lower end of said chute for supporting a marble positioned within said chute, an electromagnet having an armature connected to said movable member, contact means positioned adjacent the inner face of said movable member and adapted to be closed by pressure of a marble against said member, and an energizing circuit for said electromagnet, said circuit inciuding said contact means, whereby said electromagnet can be energized only when a marble is in said chute, and also including switch means in series with said contact means, for controlling the feeding of marbles from said chute.

8. In a marble game board device of the type having a playing deck, a runway leading to the deck through which marbles may be projected onto the deck, a reservoir below the deck for containing marbles to be played, and an ejector in said runway for ejecting marbles through said runway onto said deck; first electromagnetic deans for transferring marbles one at a time from said reservoir to said runway, first switch means adapted to be moved from open to closed position by passage of a marble through said runway, an energizing circuit for said first electromagnetic means including said rst switch Cil means, a second switch means adapted to be closed in response to transit of a marble from said reservoir into said runway, second electromagnetic means for restoring said iirst switch means to open position, and an energizing circuit for said second electromagnetic means including said second switch means.

9. In a marble game board device of the type having a playing deck, a runway leading to the deck through which marbles may be projected onto the deck, a reservoir below the deck for containing marbles to be played, and an ejector marble from said reservoir into said runway, secv ond electromagnetic means for restoring said first switch means to open position, and an energizing circuit for said second electromagnetic means including said third switch means.

10. In a marble game board device of the type having a playing deck, a runway leading to the deck through which marbles may be projected onto the deck, a reservoir below the deck for containing marbles to be played, an ejector in said runway for ejecting marbles through said runway onto said deck, said deck having pockets therein for receiving and releasably retaining marbles, releasing means movable to release marbles from said pockets, means for transfer. ring marbles one at a time from said reservoir to said runway, means responsive to ejection of a marble from said runway to said deck, for actuating said first means, whereby a new marble is automatically transferred from said reservoir to said runway in response to ejection of the preceding marble, and means actuated by said releasing means for renderingsaid marble transferring means inoperative while said releasing means is in position to release marbles from said pockets.

11. In a marble game board device of the type having a' playing deck, a runway leading to the deck through which marbles may be projected onto the deck, a reservoir below the deck for containing marbles to be played, an ejector in said runway for projecting marbles through said runway onto said deck, said deck having pockets therein for receiving and releasably retaining marbles, and releasing means movable to release marbles from said pockets; electromagnetic means for transferring marbles one at a time from said reservoir to said runway, rst switch means adapted to be closed in response to passage of a marble through said runway, second normally closed switch means associated with said releasing means and adapted to be maintained in open position while said releasing means is positioned to release marbles from said pockets, and an energizing circuit for said electromagnetic means including said rst and second switch means in series, whereby said electromagnetic means is inoperative to shift marbles from said reservoir to said runway when said marble releasing means is actuated into releasing position.

l2. In a marble game board device of the type having a playing deck, a runway leading tothe deck V'through which marbles may be projected onto the deck, a reservoir below the deck for containing marbles to be played, and an ejector in said runway for ejecting marbles through said runway onto said deck; means for transferring vmarbles one at a time from said reservoir to said runway, spring motor means for actuating said transferring means, stop means for stopping said transfer means following the transfer of each marble, and trigger means responsive to ejection of a marble from said runway to said deck Jfor releasing said stopping means, whereby a new marble is automatically transferred from said reservoir to said runway in response to ejection of the preceding marble from the runway.

13. In a marble game board of the type having a piaying deck, a runway leading to the deck through which marbles may be projected onto the deck, a reservoir below the deck for containing marbles to be played, and an ejector in said runway for ejecting marbles through said runway onto said deck; oscillatable means for transferring marbles one at a time from said reservoir to said runway, spring motor means for oscillating said transferring means, stop means for stopping said oscillatable means at the end of each oscillation, and trigger means responsive to ejection of a marble from said run- 9 way to said deck for releasing said stopping means to cause said oscillatable means to oscillate through a cycle and transfer a marble from said reservoir to said runway.

14. In a marble game board of the type having playing deck, a runway leading to the deck through which marbles may be projected onto the deck, a reservoir below the deck for containing marbles to be played, and an ejector in said runway for ejecting marbles through said runway onto said deck; means for transferring marbles one at a time from said reservoir to said runway including an oscillatable lever having means on one end thereof for engaging with a marble in said reservoir in one position and ejecting said marble from said reservoir to said runway by movement into its other position, a ratchet rack positioned adjacent said-lever and mounted for longitudinal movement, spring means for urging said ratchet rack longitudinally, pawl means on said lever engageable with said rack, whereby movement oi the rack in response to said spring means tends tol rotate said lever in a direction to discharge a marble from said magazine to said runway, latch means for locking said lever against movement by said rack, trigger means responsive to ejection of a marble from said runway to said deck for releasing said locking means to permit marble ejecting movement of said lever by said rack, means for releasing said pawl from said rack, means for restoring said lever to normal position with said pawl again in engagement with said rack in a new position, and means for limiting movement of said rack during the period when said pawl is disengaged from said rack, said locking means functioning to again lock said lever in normal position upon its restoration.

l5. In a marble game board device of the type yhaving a playing deck, a runway leading to the marbles one at a time from said magazine to said runway, said means comprising a chute leading to said runway, means including an orifice dimensioned to pass one marble at a time for automatically feeding marbles into said chute, means in said chute automatically responsive to the presence of a marble in the chute for delivering that marble from the chute to the runway, gate means at said orifice for controlling the feeding of marbles therethrough, means for opening said gate means, and means actuated in response to operation of said marble delivering means for closing said gate means.

16. In a marble game board device of the type having a playing deck, a runway leading to the deck through which marbles may be projected onto the deck, a magazine below the deck for containing marbles to be played, and an Aejectdr in said runway for ejecting marbles through said runway onto said deck; means for transferring marbles one at a time from said magazine to said runway, said means comprising a chute extending upwardly from said magazine to said runway, means for feeding marbles in a single line from said magazine into the lower end of said chute, a movable closure member in the lower end of said chute for supporting a marble positioned within said chute, means for suddenly shifting said movable member to eject a marble positioned thereagainst through and out of said chute into said runway, means responsive to the presence of a marble in said chute for actuating said shifting means to eject that marble through the chute to the runway, gate means for normally preventing passage of marbles from said magazine into said chute, means for opening said gate to feed another marble from said magazine into said chute, means for closing said gate in response to actuation of said shifting means, whereby marbles are successively delivered from said magazine to said chute in response to ejection of marbles from said runway and each marble admitted to said chute is immediately ejected from the chute to the runway.

17. In a marble game board device of the type having a playing deck, a runway leading to the deck through which marbles may be projected onto the deck, a magazine below the deck for containing marbles to be played, and an ejector in said runway for ejecting marbles through said runway onto said deck; means for transferring marbles one at a time from said magazine to said runway, said means comprising a chute extending upwardly from said magazine to said runway, means for feeding marbles in a single line from said magazine into the lower end of said chute, a movable closure member in the lower end of said chute for supporting a marble positioned within said chute, means for suddenly shifting said movable member to eject a marble positioned thereagainst spaans through and out of said chute into said runway, means responsive to the presence of a marble in said chute for actuating said shifting means to eject that marble through the chute to the runway, gate means for normally preventing passage of marbles from said magazine into said chute, means for opening said gate in response to discharge of the preceding marble from said runway to said deck, to feed another marble into said chute, and means for closing said gate in response to actuation of said shifting means, whereby marbles are successively delivered from said magazine to said chute in response to ejection of marbles from said runway and each marble admitted to said chute is immediately ejected from the chute to the runway.

18. In a marble game board device of the type having a playing deck, a runway leading to the deck through which marbles may be projected onto the deck, a magazine below the deck for containing marbles to be played, and an ejector in said runway for ejecting marbles through said runway onto said deck; means for transferring marbles one at a time from said magazine to said runway, said means comprising a chute extending upwardly from said magazine to said runway, means for feeding marbles in a single line from said magazine into the lower end of said chute, a movable closure member in the lower end of said chute for supporting a marble positioned within said chute, means for suddenly shifting said movable member to eject a marble positioned thereagainst through and out of said chute into said runway, means responsive to the presence of a marble in said chute for actuating-said shifting means to eject that marble through the chute to the runway, gate means for normally preventing passage of marbles from said magazine into said chute, spring means for resiliently urging said gate into the open position, latch means for normally maintaining said gate closed, means for releasing said latch means in response to discharge of the marble from said runway, and means actuated. by said shifting means for closing said gate against the tension of said spring, whereby marbles are successively delivered from said magazine to said chute in response to ejection of marbles from said runway and each marble admitted to said chute is immediately ejected from the chute to the runway.

19. In a game played with marbles, having a reservoir for containing the marbles to be played, means for transferring marbles from said reservoir into position from which they may be put into play, and means actuated directly by the movement of a marble from said position into play for actuating said rst means so that by playing one marble another marble is automatically put into position from which it may be put into play.

DONALD E. HOOKER.

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