US2074560A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

March 23, 1937. B; RADTKE GAME APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 50, 1936 QW V10 INVENTOR. 5111220 Raafke 4115 ATTORNEY March 23, 1937. B. RADTKE GAME APPARATUS Filed March so, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. firzzno Raafke.

H15 ATTORNEY March 23, 1937. 5 RADTKE 2,074,560

GAME APPARATUS Filed March so, 1936 a Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Era/20- Rad/[ ie H18 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 23, 1937 UNITED STATESIPATENT OFFICE GAME APPARATUS Bruno Radtke, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Exhibit Supply Company, Chicago,-Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application March 30, 1936, Serial No. 71,607

11 Claims.

their relative position as they travel down the said runways. 15 Another object of the present invention is to provide an amusement apparatus which is played with a plurality of balls and, includes a scoreindicating instrumentality, and means including a device actuated by one of said balls for operat- 20 ing said score-indicating instrumentality, said means being actuated by the said one of said balls only if and when the said one of said balls is of a predetermined size or diameter.

.An additional object of the invention is to con- 5 struct the same in such a manner that the said meansis effective to operate said score-indicating .instrumentality only if and when the aforesaid one of said balls is larger in size anddiameter than the others of said balls.

7 30 Another object of the present invention is to provide, an amusement apparatus of the type which includes a cabinet having embodied therein vertically extending series of ball runways, a group of balls adapted to travel down the said 35 runways and to change their relative positions as they travel, saidapparatus including a ball seat arranged at the bottom of said runways and adapted to receive balls from the latter, a scoreindicating instrumentality, and means including a device actuated by the said balls when the same are disposed upon said ball seat for operating said score-indicating instrumentality, said device being actuated only when the said balls are arranged upon said ball seat in a predetermined 45 sequence.

An additional object of the presentinvention, ancillary to the foregoing objects, is to construct the device in such a manner that the said device is actuated only if and when the larger one of said balls is the first ball to enter onto said ball seat, that is, when the larger one of said balls is the winning ball, that is, is the first ball to enter onto said ball seat.

.Other. objects will appear hereinafter.

. 55 The invention consists in the novel combination andv arrangement of parts to be hereinafter describedand claimed.

The invention will be best understood by ref- ,erence to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which: 5 Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the cabinet of the new amusement apparatus, partly in elevation, and showing a preferred embodiment of the same;

Fig. 2is a vertical sectional view on line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectionalview, on line 33 in Fig.2, showing the ball seat;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the ball seat shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of the switch-operating mechanism embodied in the device;

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of an electrical circuit embodied in the device;

7 isa sectional detailv view on line I--'I in Fig.

Fig. 8 is a sectional detail view on line 88 in Fig. v5; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a game apparatus embodying the present invention.

A preferred form of the new amusement apparatus is shown in the drawings, is therein generally indicated at 10, and comprisesa cabinet II, which is of the so-called upright type, and which includes a vertically extending-transparent front wall I2. Arranged in the cabinet II, behind the transparent front wall I2, is a vertically extending wall I3 on which is arranged a vertically extending series of ball runways or baffles I4, and

arranged above the bailies I4 are two runways I5 and I6 by, means of which; balls are directed onto the; baffles I4 from an opening I! which is formed in a vertically extending wall I8 of the cabinet, the balls being elevated from the bottom of the 40 cabinet up tothe opening I! and are dumped out onto the runway I5, by means of an elevating device, generally indicated at I9, the arrangement of thebaflles I4 and runways I5I6 forming the subject matter of Design Patent .No. 87,840, granted to Claude R. Kirk on September 27, 1932.

Arranged adjacent the bottom of the cabinet I I, and in communication with the lowermost one of the runways or bafiles I4, soas to receive balls from thelatten is a ball seatZO (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) onto-which balls are adapted to run from the lowermost of the bafiles or runways I4. Slidably mounted in the cabinet I I, on a guide no ,(Fig. 1) andgat one side Oil-the ball seat 20,.

is a gate 94. The ball seat has an inclined bottom surface 95 by which balls arranged upon the seat 28 are inclined or directed against the gate 94. Provided on the gate 94 (Fig. 1) is an arm I II and engageable with this arm III is a flange or extension 96 which is formed on the ball-conveyor or carrier 91 by Which the balls are conveyed from the ball seat 28 up to the opening II through which they are dumped onto the uppermost runway I5, it being understood in this connection that the ball elevating device does not form a part of the present invention. This ball carrier or bracket 91 is slidably mounted on an inclined vertically extending'trackway 98 which is arranged in the cabinet II (Fig. 2) and this ball carrier 9! is operated by a chain 99 to which is attached a handle I00 which has a portion disposed exteriorly of the cabinet I I.

The present amusement apparatus is adapted to be played with a plurality of balls 2| and 22 (Fig. 3) and it will be noted by references to this figure that the ball 2| is somewhat larger in size or diameter than the balls 22. The reason for thus having the ball 2| slightly larger in size or diameter than the balls 22 will be explained hereinafter.

Provided in the ball seat 28 are two spaced openings 23 and 24 (Fig. 3), and mounted on the ball seat 28, on the bottom side thereof is a switch I8; This switch I8 includes acontact 25 which has an angled end portion 26 and this end portion 26 projects upwardly through the opening 23 in the ball seat 20. Likewise mounted on the ball seat 28, on the bottom side thereof, and engageable with the contact 25, is a contact 21 which also forms part of the switch 78. The contact arm 25 also has an angled end portion 29 which projects upwardly through the opening 24 in the ball seat 20. Likewise mounted on the ball seat 26 and forming part of the switch I8 is a contact 30 and this contact 38 is engageable with the contact 25.

Arranged in the cabinet I I is a horizontally extending shaft 3| (Fig. 3) and mounted, that is, fixed on this shaft 3| is an arm 32. This arm 32 has an end portion 33 which is engageable with the relatively large ball 2| (Fig. 3) when the latter is in winning position, that is, when the ball 2| is the first of the group of balls to enter onto the ball seat 26.

Also mounted on the shaft 3| (Fig. 2), at the opposite end of the same from the arm 32, is an upwardly extending arm 34, which is normally urged (in a clockwise direction, Fig. 1) by a spring H2, and this arm 34 has a lateral extension 35 which is engageable with an arm 36 which is carried by a horizontally extending shaft 31.

Mounted, that is, fixed on the shaft 31 is an arm 38 and this arm 38 is pivotally connected, as at 39, to an arm 48, the arm 38 having a latched extension II'II which is engageable with the arm 40 (Fig. 5). This arm 49 has a laterally projecting lug or portion 4| and this lug 4| is engageable with a contact 42 which is attached, as at 43, to a stationary support 44, this contact 42 forming part of a switch I9. Likewise attached, as at 43, to the support 44, and forming part of the switch I9, is a contact 45 which is engageable with the contact 42. Also attached as at 43, to the support 44 is a contact 46, which forms part of the switch I9, and this contact 46 is normally held in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 5 by means of a lug 41 which is carried by the arm 48 of the support 44.

Mounted in the cabinet II is an electromagnet 49 (Fig. 5) and attractable by this electromagnet 49 is a latch member 50 which is pivotally mounted in the cabinet, as at 52. Attached to this latch member 50 is a spring 53 which normally urges the latch member 58 (counterclockwise, Fig. 5) into engagement with a stop I03, so as to move one end portion 54 of the latch member 58 into engagement with an arm 55 of a member 56 which is pivotally mounted in the cabinet II, as at 5| (Fig. 5), this member 56 being urged (in a clockwise direction, Fig. 5) by means of a spring 5I. Formed on this member 56 is an arm 59 (Fig. 5) which bears against the lug 4| when the member 56 is latched, by the parts 54-55, in the position in which they are shown in Fig. 5.

The member 56 also includes a bifurcated arm 66 and projecting between the fingers 6| and 62 of the bifurcated arm is a lug 63 which is attached to the piston 64 of a dash pot or timing device 65.

Slidably mounted in the side wall 66 of the cabinet I I is a coin slide 61. This coin slide 61 has an upward extension 68 at its inner end, this extension 68 having a pin and slot connection 69 with a link I8. This link I6 is pivotally connected, as at TI, to an arm I2 of a bell crank lever I3 which is pivotally mounted in the cabinet II, as at I4, this bell crank I3 being supported by means of a supporting bracket I5. This bell crank lever I3 has an arm I6 which is engageable with an arm ll of the member 56 (Fig. 2), for a reason to be explained hereinafter.

The inner end portion of the coin slide 61 is engageable with the upper end portion 8| of a lever 82 which is pivotally mounted, between its ends, as at 83, in the cabinet I I (Fig. 2). This lever 82 has a lower end portion 84 and this lower end portion 84 has an angled extension 85. This extension 85 of the arm 84 is engageable under an arm 86 of the gate 94 so as to hold the latter in raised position. To this end the extension 85 of the arm 84 is urged into a position under the arm 86 of the gate 94 (as in full lines, Fig. 1) by means of a spring 81. This spring 81 is attached at one end to the lower end portion of the arm 84 of the member 82 and at its other end this spring 81 is attached to a member I94 which is pivotally mounted in the cabinet II, as at I91, (Fig. 1). This member I84 has an arm I08 which is engageable under the bottom edge of the ball carrier 91, (Fig. 1).

The switch 78, the contacts 45 and 42 of the switch I9, and the electromagnet 49, are arranged in an electrical circuit 88 (Fig. 6) and this circuit 88 also includes a source of energy 89, which may be a battery of dry cells or the like arranged in the cabinet II.

Associated with the circuit 88 is a second circuit I82 and this circuit I82 includes the current source 89, the switch I8, the contacts 42 and 46 of the switch I9, and a score-indicating instrumentality 90 which has the form of a light bulb 66 although other instrumentalities may be used in place of the light bulb 90. The score-indicating instrumentality or light bulb 90 is arranged in the cabinet I I behind a slightopening 9| so as to be visible from outside the cabinet II when illuminated.

Operation Balls are elevated in the'cabinet II (by means of the elevating device I9) up to the level of the 59 (clockwise, Fig.

opening l1 andthey-are dumped-"from the carrier 91 through the opening onto the upper runway I5, whence they will run down the latter onto the runway I6 and thence onto 1 the run- As the balls run down the bailies |4 their positions relative toeach other are changed, and eventually the balls come to rest on the ball seat 29, as'shown in Fig. 3. When the balls come to rest on the ball seat 29 10- in the sequence in which they are shown in Fig.

'3, one ofthesmaller balls -22 will be disposed in engagement with the end portion 26 of the contact member 25 and the relatively large ball 2| will be disposed in engagement with the end portion29 of the contact member 25, thus closing' the switch 18 and thereby closing the circuit 88 to the electromagnet 49, whereupon current will flow as'follows: From one side of the current source -89, by way of the conductor 99, 20 through the switch 18, thenceby way of the conductor 9|, through the contacts 42 and 45, of the switch 19 (Fig.-6),thence by way of the conductor '92, into the electromagnet 49, through the latter, and thence by way of the conductor 93 back to the other side of the current source 89, thereby energizing the electromagnet 49.

When the electromagnet 49 is thus energized it will attract itspivotal armature, that is, the latch member 59, (clockwise, from'full to dotted line position, Fig. 5), thereby moving the end portion 54 of the latch member 59, against the action of the resetting spring '53, out of latching engagement with the arm 55 of the member 56, whereupon the spring 51 will urge the member During this movement of the member 56 (clockwise, Fig. 5) the arm '59 thereof willmove away'from the lug 4| on the arm 49 (clockwisaFig. 5), and the lug 4| will be moved away from the contact 42, by the action of the spring I I2 on the parts 3|34- 35-36-3'|-39-|9|-49, in a manner which will be described-morefully hereinafter, whereupon the contact 42, acting under the force of its own resiliency, will move out of engagement withthe contact 45"and thus open the circuit 88 to the electromagnet- 49, thereby deenergizing the-latter. During this operation the contact 42 moves, by the action of its own resiliency, into engagement with the contact 46, thereby closing thecircuit I92 to the score-indicating instrumentality or light 99, whereupon current will flow as follows: From one side of the current source 89 by way of the conductor 99, through the switch 18, thence by way of the conductor 9| to the contacts 42 and 46 of the switch 19,

thence through the score-indicating instrumentality 99, and thence by way of the conductor l99 back to the current source 89, thereby energizingthe score-indicating instrumentality 99, and thus illuminating the lamp 99 so as to indicate that the player has been successful in playing the game, that is, to indicate that the relatively large ball 2| has been the first ball (of the group of ballsshown in Fig. 3) to run downthe baffles or runways I4 and enter onto the ball seat 29, it being understood, in this connection, that any desired or suitable score-indicating instrumentality may be employed, in place of the lamp 99, which is shown merely for the purpose of illustrating the invention and is not away from the lug'4| on the member'49 (clock wise, Fig. 5), by the action of the spring 51, the spring I I2 rocks the shaft 3| and the arms 34 and 32 carried thereby (clockwise, Fig. 1), thereby moving the lateral extension 35 of the arm 34 into engagement with the arm 36 and thereby rocking the latter and the shaft 31 and the arm 38 which is carried by the shaft 31 (counterclockwise, Fig. 1). During this movement of the arm 38 the angled extension |9| thereof engages the arm 49 (Fig. 5) and thereby pivots the member 49, (in a counterclockwise direction, Fig. 5), with the arm 38, thereby moving the lug 4| on the member 49 away from the contact 42 and thus permitting the latter to move, under the action of its own resiliency, (counterclockwise, Fig. 5).

It will be noted that when the spring 2 acts upon the shaft 3| to rock the same (clockwise, Fig. l) the arm 32 which is mounted on the shaft 3|, is pivoted in the direction of the ball which is disposed upon the ball seat 29 in engagement with'the end portion 29 of the contact 25 (Fig. 3) and it will also be noted, in this connection, that the extent of the movement of the members 38 and 49, and of the lug 4| on the member 49 (counterclockwise, Fig. 5), (by the action of the spring H2, shaft 3|, arm 34-35, arm 36, and shaft 37) is limited by the engagement of the arm .3233 with the particular ball which is disposed upon the ball seat 29 in engagement with the contact 29, this particular ball being the winning ball, that is, the ball which is the first of the group of the same to enter onto the ball seat 29. It will therefore be seen that when the winning ball which is disposed on the ball seat 29, in engagement with the contact 29, is the relatively large ball 2|, the extent of the movement which is permitted the arm 32, shaft 3| and also the parts 36-3'|38- |9 |99 and 4| will be relatively less than if the said winning ball is one of the smaller balls 22. Hence it will be seen that if the winning ball is the larger ball 2| the member 49 and the lug 4| thereon will be moved, (by the parts |23 |-34-35-363l-38| 9 49) only far enough (counterclockwise, into position A, Fig. 5) to allow the contact 42 to move, by its own resiliency, out of engagement with the contact 45 (so as to open the circuit 88 to the electromagnet 49) and into engagement with the contact 46, so as to close the circuit M2 to the score-indicating instrumentality or light 99.

However, if the winning ball is one of the smaller balls 22, (rather than the large ball 2|) then the extent of movement which will be permitted the shaft 3|, arm 32, and associated parts 3435--363|-38|9|49 and 4|, under the action of the spring I I2, will be greater than when the winning ball is the large ball 2| and, in this event, the lug 4| on the member 49 will move (counterclockwise, into position B, Fig.5) into engagement with the contact 46 and will thus move the contact 46 out of engagement with the contact 42, thereby opening the circuit I92 (Fig. 6) to. the score-indicating instrumentality or lamp 99, and hence the latter will not be actuated or energized when the winning ball is one of the smaller balls 22 rather than the large ball 2|.

It is possible in this connection, that the foregoing arrangement of parts could be reversed so that the lug 4| on the member 49 would move into engagement with the contact 46 so as to open the circuit I92 to the score-indicating instrumentality when a relatively small ball, rather than a relatively large ball, is the winning ball disposed upon the ball seat 29 in engagement with the contact-29. In this event, of course, itwould 4 aovgaco be necessary to have one of the balls in the group smaller in diameter than the other rather than larger, as in the preferred embodiment of the invention shown.

5 In order to reset the parts back into their initial position (as in full lines, Fig. 5), a proper coin is inserted into the coin slide 6'! and the latter is pushed in (right to left, Fig. 1) and this movement of the coin slide 6! acts, through the 10 link Iii, to pivot the bell crank 13 (clockwise, from full to dotted line position, Fig. 1), thereby moving the arm 15 of the bell crank 13 into engagement with the arm ll of the member 55, and thus pivoting the latter (counterclockwise, from dotted 15 to full line position, Fig. 5), against the action of the spring 51. During this operation the arm 55 of the member 56 rides over the latch member or armature 58 of the electromagnet 49 and when the arm 55 of the member 56 reaches the outer end of the latch arm 50 the spring 53 acts upon the latch member 5ll5l to urge the end portion 54 thereof into latching engagement with the arm 55 of the member 56 (as in full lines, Fig. 5).

It is to be noted that when the member 56 is moved (clockwise, Fig. 5) by the spring 51, so as to move the arm 59 thereof out of engagement with the lug 4| and thus allow the latter, in turn, to move away from the contact G2, the arm (SI of the member 55 engages the lug G3 on the piston 55 of the dash pct 65 and thereby moves the latter (upwardly, from full to dotted line position, Fig.

5) and, when the coin slide 61 is pushed in and the member 55 is pivoted (counterclockwise, from dotted to full line position, Fig. 5) the arm 62 of the member 56 engages the lug 63 on the piston 64 of the dash pct 55 and thereby moves the latter (downwardly, from dotted to full line position,

Fig. 5) In this manner the dash pot 64-65 times the operation or speed of the member 55 as well as the lug ll and the contact 42.

When the coin slide 6'! is pushed in (right to left, Fig. 1) the inner end portion 80 of the same engages the upper end portion 8! of the member 82, thereby pivoting the latter, at 83 (counterclockwise, from full to dotted line position, Fig. 1), thus moving the angled portion 85 of the member 82 away from under the arm 86 of the gate 94, thus allowing the latter to fall, by gravity, (Fig. 1), whereupon the balls 2I22 which are disposed on the ball seat 20 will roll by gravity down the inclined surface 95 of the ball seat 28 into the bucket or ball carrier 91, whereupon they may be elevated up to the opening I! and dumped through the latter onto the runway I5 (Fig. 2), by operating the handle H18 and chain When the ball carrier 97 is lifted, by means of the handle Hi8 and chain 89, the arm 96 thereon (Fig. 1) engages the arm III of the gate 94 and thereby lifts the latter, and at the same time raising the ball carrier 91 ofi from the arm I08 of the latch member Hit, and as the gate 94 is thus raised the spring 87 pivots the latch member lot, at Bill, in a clockwise direction, Fig. 1,

65 thus projecting the notched portion I06 of the latch member I84 under the arm I H of the gate 94 and thereby latching the gate 94 in raised position until the ball elevator or carrier 91 is lowered into engagement with the arm I08 of the latch member I84, whereupon the latter will be pivoted, at llil (clockwise, Fig. 1) so as to move the notched portion I06 thereof out of the path of movement of the arm Ill of the gate 94, it being noted that as the gate 94 is lifted the spring 81 acts upon the latch member 82 to project the angled extension 85 thereof under the arm 86 of the gate 94, thus latching the gate 94 in raised position. The gate 84 will remain thus latched in raised position until such time as the coin slide 61 is again operated (right to left, Fig. 1), so as to pivot the latch member 82 (in a counterclockwise direction, from full to dotted line position, Fig. 1), thereby moving the angled portion 85 of the member 84 out from under the arm 86 of the gate 94, whereupon the latter will drop by gravity into lowered position so as to allow the balls to run off from the ball seat 20 into the ball elevator or carrier 97 (Fig. 2).

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification, without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In an amusement apparatus, a cabinet including a ball-playing surface provided with a ball seat and a plurality of balls of diiTerent diameter, a signalling instrumentality in the said cabinet, and means including a device actuated by a ball disposed upon said ball seat for operating said signalling instrumentality, said means being effective to operate said signalling instrumentality only if and when a ball of predetermined diameter is the first disposed upon said ball seat.

2. In an amusement apparatus, a cabinet including an inclined series of ball runways arranged one above the other in said cabinet and adapted to changethe relative positions of a group of balls traveling by gravity down the same, a ball seat arranged in the said cabinet below said runways and adapted to receive said balls from the lowermost of said runways, an indicating instrumentality in said cabinet, a group of balls arranged in said cabinet and adapted to travel down said runways and one of said balls being larger in size or diameter than the others of said balls, and means, including a device actuated by the said balls when the latter are disposed upon said ball seat in a predefirst of the same to enter into said ball seat from said ball runways.

3. In an amusement apparatus, a cabinet including a descending series of ball runways arranged one above the other in said cabinet and adapted to change the relative positions of a group of balls traveling by gravity down the same, a ball seat arranged in the said cabinet below said runway and adapted to receive said balls from the lowermost of said runways, an indicating instrumentality in said cabinet, a group of balls arranged in said cabinet and adapted to travel down said runways and one of said balls having a diameter or size different from that of the others of said balls, and means, including a device actuated by the said balls, when the latter are disposed upon said ball seat in a predetermined manner, for operating said indicating instrumentality, said means being effective, to operate said indicating instrumentality only if and when the said one of said balls is the first of the same to enter onto said ball seat from said ball runways and when the entire group of balls is disposed on said seat.

4. In an amusement apparatus, a cabinet including a ball-playing surface provided with a ball seat, an indicating instrumentality in the said cabinet, and an electric switch means actuated by a group of balls disposed upon said ball seat for operating said indicating instrumentality, said switch means being effective to operate said indicating instrumentality only if and when the first one of said group of balls disposed upon said ball seat is a ball of a predetermined size or diameter difierent in size from the others of the group.

5. In an amusement apparatus, a cabinet including a vertically descending series of ball runways arranged one above the other in said cabinet and adapted to change the relative positions of a group of balls traveling by gravity down the same, a ball seat arranged in the said cabinet below said runway and adapted to receive said balls from the lowermost of said runways, an indicating instrumentality in said cabinet, a group of balls arranged in said cabinet and adapted to travel down said runways and one of said balls having a diameter or size difierent from that of the others of said balls, and means, including an electric switch actuated by the said balls, when the latter are disposed upon said ball seat in a certain manner, for operating said indicating instrumentality, said means being effective to operate said score-indicating instrumentality only if and when the said one of said balls is the first of the same to enter onto said ball seat from said ball runways.

6. In an amusement apparatus, a cabinet including a ball playing surface provided with a ball seat, an indicating instrumentality in the said cabinet, a plurality of balls in the said cabinet and adapted to be played upon the said ballplaying surface, one of the said balls having a diameter or size different from that of the others of said balls, and means for operating said indicating instrumentality and including a device actuated by the said balls when the latter are dis,- posed upon said ball seat in a pre-determined manner in which the said one of said balls is disposed upon said ball seat in a predetermined position relative to the others of said balls.

7. In an amusement apparatus, a cabinet including a ball playing surface provided with a ball seat, an instrumentality in the said cabinet for operation by the playing of balls, a plurality of balls in the said cabinet and adapted to be played upon the said ball-playing surface, one of the said balls having a diameter or size different from that of the others of said balls, and means including a ball-operated electric switch effective to operate said instrumentality if and when the said one of said balls is disposed upon said ball seat in a predetermined position relative to the others of said balls.

8. In an amusement apparatus, a cabinet ineluding a ball-playing surface provided with a ball seat and a number of balls of different size, an indicating instrumentality in the said cabinet, an electric switch for operating said instrumentality, means including a device controlled only by a ball of predetermined size disposed upon said ball seat for operating said switch, and 2 member movably mounted in said cabinet above said ball seat and urged by said first-named means, into engagement with a said ball of pre determined size when the latter is the first disposed upon said ball seat, for controlling the effective operation of the said first-named means to operate said switch.

9. In an amusement apparatus, a cabinet including a descending series of ball runways arranged one above the other in said cabinet and adapted to change the relative positions of a group of balls traveling by gravity down-the said runways, a ball seat arranged in the said cabinet below the said ball runways and adapted to receive balls from the lowermost of said runways, an indicating instrumentality in said cabinet, a group of balls in the said cabinet adapted to travel down the said ball runways and one of said balls having a diameter larger than the others of said balls, an electric switch for controlling said indicating instrumentality, means including a device actuated by the said balls when the latter are disposed in a certain manner upon said ball seat for operating said switch, said means being effective to operate the said switch only if and when the said larger one of said balls is the first of the same to enter onto said ball seat from said runways, and a member movably mounted in said cabinet above the said ball seat and urged, by the said first-named means, into engagement with the said larger one of said balls, when the latter is disposed first upon said ball seat, for controlling the operation of said first-named means to operate said switch.

10. In an amusement device, a cabinet including a ball playing surface provided with a ball seat and a plurality of balls at least one of which is of larger diameter from the others, an indicating instrumentality in the cabinet, means for playing said balls onto said ball seat, control means forsaid instrumentality operable by the playing of said balls onto said ball seat in a predetermined manner, said means including a device in said ball seat operable by a ball thereon to actuate said instrumentality, and a member mounted for pivoting different distances by the first ball to enter the seat and being adapted depending upon the position of said larger diameter ball on said ball seat to render said first ball operated device ineffective to operate said instrumentality.

11. In an amusement device, a cabinet including a ball playing surface provided with a ball seat and a plurality of balls at least one of which is of larger diameter from the others, an indicating instrumentality in the cabinet, means for playing said balls onto said ball seat, and control means for said indicating instrumentality including switching means in said ball seat and operable by balls played thereon to actuate said indicating instrumentality, together with master switch means operable by said ball of larger diameter positioned in said ball seat in a predetermined manner to control the operation of said first switching means.

' BRUNO RADTKE.

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