US2101302A - Amusement game - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 7, 1937, B. w. WlLLiAMS ET AL AMUSEMENT GAME 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 20, 1935 a NW W F l I 1 I I l l l l l l l l I l I l I I I .Il

H Ina/anion? BradZwZJUL'ZZa'a ms 1567226715 2716' I 37 1 0M110- Dec. 7, 1937. B. w. WlLLlAMS ET AL 2,191,392

AMUSEMENT GAME Filed Dec. 20, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 as 57 J6 I'IIIII'IIIIIII'IIIII'I'II:

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AMUSEMENT GAME Filed Dec. 20,1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 BradkeZz/Zzflhms ""ffomer y PMS 1937- B. w. WILLIAMS ET AL 2,101,302

' AMUSEMENT GAME Filed Dec. 20, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ZZZ/meow BracZZeeZ/ *"filfomen ffllz'ame y I MQP%' Patented Dec. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AMUSEMENT GAME Application December 20, 1935, Serial No. 55,325

11 Claims.

The invention relates to a ball rolling game in which free balls are rolled over a substantially horizontally disposed board formed with pockets, or holes, to receive the balls.

More particularly the invention relates to the provision of a novel light up means for such games in which an electric lamp is disposed adjacent each pocket or hole to serve as an indicator, a special control means being provided for causing one lamp to be lighted at the initiation of the game play to indicate to the player that he is to project the first ball at his disposal into the indicated hole or pocket. If the player exercises the requisite skill in so depositing a ball in accordance with the indication given, another lamp adjacent one of the other holes or pockets will be automatically lighted to indicate to the player that he is next to project a ball in the second indicated pocket. The control means then is such as to indicate by means of lamps, or the like, every time a ball is trapped or pocketed, the next succeeding target objective. This system of play is operable to indicate to the player, in succession, every objective he must play for, assuming, of course, that the previously played ball was lodged in a pocket. After a predetermined number of holes have received balls in accordance with the indications given, the control means has built up circuits to cause the establishment of auxiliary circuits for operating a supplementary device such as an electromagnet for striking a bell or gong. Or the electromagnet could be in the nature of a solenoid, or motor, for operating a ticket or check dispenser, 5 so that skill in the playing of the game might be appropriately rewarded.

While the indicators herein preferably take the form of electric lamps, it is to be understood other forms of indicators, to designate the re- 4 quired order or sequence, to be achieved in pocketing the balls, may be utilized.

Preferably, a predetermined number of the balls available for play must be deposited in the holes in the indicated order of succession before 45 the necessary circuit can be built up to establish the first auxiliary bell or pay out circuit. For example, in the present disclosure four balls must be deposited in the indicated pockets before the first auxiliary circuit is completed and operative 50 to perform its function. Thereafter, if additional balls are pocketed in the designated order, additional auxiliary circuits are completed to cause repeat operations of the bell or dispenser devices.

55 The game may be of the pin ball type, al-

though the use of pin obstacles may be dispensed with and a plain, unencumbered board or ball rolling surface may be used.

The main object of the invention is to provide an improved ball rolling game in which a novel 5 light up action is automatically produced by the pocketing of the balls to create the maximum amusement for the player.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and practicable electrical control device 10 for designating to the player, by means of suitable indicators, such as lights, the order he is supposed to follow in pocketing the balls.

Another object is to provide a coin released game of the type specified in which a member is 15 manually movable to establish a circuit to an indicator adjacent one of the holes to designate that hole as the first one in a series as the players objective.

Still another object is to provide a novel control switch device in the form of a rotatable circuit establishing means to accomplish the purpose of the game.

It is also an object to provide a novel means for operating the rotatable switch device in playing the game and to provide in association therewith, means for holding the device locked releasably in any given position definitely and positively to control establishment of the circuits.

Other important objects of the invention will 30 be apparent to those skilled in the art as the disclosure is more fully made.

In the preferred example herein disclosed a standard pin ball game, having an inclined board formed with ball receiving pocket holes is provided, there being a normally open ball closed switch in each hole. An indicator light is positioned on the board adjacent each hole and the switches and lights have circuit wires connectible with a rotary switch that controls building up of 4 the circuits to carry out the novel light up action of the game. This rotary switch is carried under the board for step by step rotation always in the same direction and includes pairs of contacts and a master tap which act to complete a circuit to light one of the lights when the rotary switch comes to a rest position.

Thereafter, pocketing of the balls establishes a succession of circuits through the switch to light other lights to show the order of play to be followed. The rotary switch is releasably locked in stationary position after it has been operated, upon release of the game for play through the medium of the usual coin slide operated ball releasing shufile board. This shuflle board oper- 7 tion theredown in the well known manner.

ates a novel pawl mechanism to turn the rotary switch member. r

In the accompanying drawings, showing one form which the invention may assume in practice:

Figure 1 is a general plan View of a 'pin ball type game with which the novel structure and action of this invention may be used;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view, on an enlarged scale of the game board structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a central longitudinal sectional view through the game, on a reduced scale, taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail, sectional view showing the control switch and operating means therefor, taken along the line 4-fl of Figure 1,

66 of Figure 5, looking in the indicated direction; Figure '7 is a bottom plan view on an enlarge scale of the rotary control switch and operating means therefor;

Figure 8 is a bottom plan, detail view of the pawl and ratchet operator for the rotary member, showing the parts in a difierent relative position than appearsin Figure '7; f

Figure 9 is a top plan view of the rotary switch disk, per se; V V

Figure 10 is a plan detail view to show the circuit wiring as it leads from the several disk contacts to the main light and pocket circuits.

and also to the auxiliary bell or dispenser circuits;

Figure 11 is a detail longitudinal sectional View through one of the ball pocket switches taken on the line 3-3 heretofore mentioned and shown in Figure 1;' and,

Figure 12 is a wiring diagram for all circuits and the manner of use of the control switch.

As best shown in Figures 1 and 2 the game with which the invention is usable, comprises the usual pin ball cabinet H], having a front wall H, said cabinet having a glass top l2 below which is carriedv the usual game board [3 providing a ball rolling surface sloped, slightly from the horizontal, with the low end of the board adjacent the front wall H,

The board carries the usual oval track forming margin member l4, which at the right hand side provides a longitudinal ball projection passage l5 at the lower end of which is arranged a ball projecting plunger i6 carried in the front 'wall H. l3 from which balls shot by the projector rebound onto the top end of the board for gravita-' board l3 in scattered relation thereon is formed with a series of ball receiving holes, there being nine in the present embodiment by way of illustration, which are numbered in'order, I8, i9, 20, 2i, 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26.

As shown in Figures 2 and 11' the board l3 on its under side adjacent each of the nine holes carries mountings for spring finger" switches numbered 18* W 20 20 22 23 24 25 and 26 each of which includes two normally spaced apart, soft, spring fingers, which have their contact ends disposed under the respective A spring bumper I1 is provided on the board holes to enable a ball entering the holes to lodge on a switch for closing the same in the well known manner. 7

The usual slidably mounted shuiiie board 2! is carried from the under side of the game board l3, which is pulled in the usual way by a spring 28 toward the front wall so that the same is in position to support the spring contact fingers as shown in Figure 11. This shuffle board 2'! adjacent its front end carries a bracket 29 as shown in Figure 2 to be pushed by the usual manually operable coin released slide 30 for shifting the panel 27 rearwardly, whereupon a series of cut out openings therein adjacent each of the nine holes in the top board l3, such for example as the. hole numbered .3! in Figure 11, is brought under the several switches 18 etc. This re- 7 moves the/support 21 from under the switches so that the balls lodged thereon weight said switches downwardly, and since the same are soft and resilient, causing the balls tojbe released from the several holes and to drop through" the out out openings 3! and below the shufile panelboard 21.

A sloped ball receiving under board 32 is fixed inthe cabinet to receive the freed balls and cause them to gravitate toward the front end of the game. A transversely inclined trough 33, as i shown in Figure 3, receives these balls and de-' livers them in lined up order to an arcuate groove 35 formed in the right hand wall of the cabinet. This groove 34 constitutes the usual ball lift guide, in which is operable a ball lifter 35"operable by a plunger 36 for raising the balls, one at a time, from the trough 33 and through theguide groove and into the ball projection passage l5 in position to be projected by the projector l6.

Balls in play which miss the nine score value holes l8, l9, etc., gravitate to thelower end of the board 33, where they fall into a pocket 31, there being an extension 38 at the front 'end of the shuffle board 21 to support such balls until the termination of the game play. Of course, when the panel 2? is released by operation of the coin slide, such balls fall oif the front end of the extension 38 and drop onto a chute board 39, which leads the said balls into the trough 33, all as is well known in the art.

The top surface of the board l3 carries in front of each hole l8, IS, etc., nine electric lamps, respectively positioned as stated and numbered E8 Ill 20 21 22 23 24 25 and 26 The lampl8 is shown in Figure 11 and all of them appear in Figures 1 and 12. V

The purpose of the present game invention is automatically to light one of these lamps when the shufiie board is moved to release the balls at the start of the game play, thus indicating to the player which of the nine scoring holes he is first to play for in attempting to lodge or deposit the balls. Thereafter, should he succeed in depositing a ball in such indicated hole, a new circuit is built up to light one of the lamps adjacent another hole to indicate it as the next suit is achieved by a novel form of rotary disk' switch which is set in a position for predetermining the order of building up the necessary circuits, when the shufile board is released.

.As shown best in Figures 2 9 and 10, a fiat,

' hole to be played, and so on. This desirable recircular disk 40 made of a non-conductor materialis horizontally mounted for rotation. on a vertical shaft ll appropriately supported in any desirable-position beneath the board I 3 and out of sight of the player, preferably, though not necessarily. This disk has fixed to its under side ahub 42 including a ratchet wheel 43. The lower end of the shaft is carried in a bracket 44, as shown.

A slide arm 45 is shiitably carried from the under side of the board l3 and is normally pulled by a spring 45 to a forward position in the direction of the front wall ll, said arm 45 having a bent portion as shown in Figure 4 in the path of movement of the shuffle board 21. The rear end of the arm 45 mounts a pin 4! for pivotal connection to one arm of a bell crank dog 48, which dog at its angle is pivotally mounted on a pin 49, carried by a member 50 connected to the shaft 4|. See Figures 7 and 8. One leg or arm of the dog 48 is formed with a flange 5| to stop pivotal movement of the dog when said flange 5| abuts the edge of the member 50. The other leg of the dog 48 is formed with a flange 52 to engage the notches in the ratchet wheel 43, said dog being pressed toward the wheel by means of a spring 53. This disk turning mechanism always turns the disk step by step clockwise as viewed from the top, but counterclockwise as seen in the bottom view of Figure '7. This fact is important to keep in mind, that is, the disk 40 always is moved in the same direction and is never reversed.

On its top side, Figure 9, the edge of the disk is formed with a circular series of spaced conductor buttons 54, and inwardly thereof with a concentric series of six spaced conductor rings 55.

On its under side the conductor buttons are cross connected by a number of wires, for instance, a pair of buttons 54 is joined by a wire 56 (see Figure '7); another pair is cross connected by a tap 51; another pair of a wire 58; another pair by a wire 59 which includes a tap 59" to the first ring 55; another wire 65 connects another pair of buttons and it includes a tap 60 to the second ring 55, looking radially inwardly; another wire 6| connects another pair of buttons and includes a tap M to the third ring 55; another cross wire 62 connects another pair of buttons and includes a connection 62 with the fourth ring 55; still another cross wire 63 ties two other buttons together and it includes a tap B3 with the fifth ring 55 and lastly a wire 64 leads from one of the buttons to the sixth or inner ring 55.

A master wire or tap 65 is carried on the disk 40 and connects between one of the buttons 54 and a conductor plate 66, to which plate is connected a main power input wire 61 leading from a suitable source of energy, such for example, as the battery 68 carried in any appropriate place within the cabinet.

Above the disk 40 the under side of the board it, which is wood and a non-conductor, carries a ring or" separate, depending spring conductor fingers 69 which have their lower wiper ends spaced apart in the same spacing as the buttons 54 on the disk 40 so that these fingers always engage electrically with the respective buttons. (See Figures 4 and 10-.) As shown in Figure 10 the contact springs 69 have wires (0 respectively lead from them, the wire as shown in Figure 12, from one spring 69 connecting with a ball switch 25 for example, and the next wire going counterclockwise in the figure leading to lamp 25 adjacent the same. Thus, these wires '19 pair up and connect the springs 69 with all of the ball switches and the respective lamps. One wire 10 goes through a ball switch in the ball pockets and the next wire 10 goes through 2. correspond ing lamp, all wires being tapped into a main wire ll leading back to the battery.

Above the disk 40 the under side of the board I3 also carries six, separate, spring, conductor, wiper fingers 72 from which lead six respective wires 73 mounted on the under side of the board and which are respectively connected to metal clips 74. (See Figures 5 and 6.) Below these clips the cabinet carries complementary conductor clips 75 which contact the clips 14 when the board 13 is assembled down into the cabinet to establish an electrical connection, since the circuits 13 respectively pass through the clips and are tapped into a common wire 15 (see Figure 12) from which runs a lead 11 into an electromagnetic device which is here diagrammatically shown as an electromagnet.

The magnet when energized pulls an armature 79 which may operate a bell or gong 85. The circuit for the magnet is completed with the wire H by a tap 8i. This magnet 18 could be a solenoid or electric motor and a suitable dispenser may obviously be substituted for the bell 80.

This completes the description of the structural parts of the game and the manner of its use and the mode of operation will next be described. In this connection we will assume that ten balls are available for play and that they are lodged in the several holes l8, I9, etc., and the pocket 31.

The game is operable for play when the coin slide is coin released and manually pushed into the cabinet, the slide serving to shift the shufile board 2! rearwardly in the well known manner to free the balls for return to the trough 33 and ball lifter 35 in the manner previously described. As the spring 28 returns the shuifie board the ball switches I8 I9 etc., under the respective holes are held normally open and in position to be closed by balls entering the several holes and lodging on the said spring switches.

As the shuffle board 21 was shifted it engaged the slide arm 45 (see Figures 4, 7 and 8) to swing the bell crank dog 48 on its pivot 49 until the flange 5i abuts against the arm 50 as shown in Figure '7. This rocking movement of the dog caused removal of the flange 52 from a notch in the ratchet wheel 43 to free the same for a one step turn in the direction shown by the arrow in Figures 7 and 8. As the shuflie board is pulled back by its spring to normal position the arm 45, of course, is freed and its spring 45 is now operative to pull it toward the front wall I I.

As the arm 45 moves it rocks the bell crank reversely with the spring 53 urging the flange 52 to duty in the next notch of the wheel 43. As the bar continues its forward movement the engaged dog turns the wheel 43 until the flange 52 abuts the brace 44 and is stopped.

This movement is just sufiicient to move the disk 40 one step and transfer the master input wire 55 from one point 54 to the next adjacent one in the direction of rotation noted. The energy from the battery now enters through wire 57, plate 55, master wire 65 to the button 54 mentioned. Since this button is in contact with a spring wiper 69, we find as shown in Figure 12 a wire 15 carries the energy to lamp lil which new in a completed circuit causing the lamp to light. The lamp, of course, is always connected to the return wire H. Thus, a light at one of the holes is turned on to indicate to the player balls again close the motor circuit.

lamp is turned on;

that he must lodge a ball in the hole !8 if he is to follow the proper order of play. The player thereupon projects the balls onto the board, one at a time, by means of the projector in the well 1 known manner.

' It'is to be noted that a spring finger 69 connects the current from the master wire 6-5 to the ball switch l8, but since the said switch is open, nothing happens. However, when a ball enters the hole N3 the switch 18 is closed and we find now that the current can pass through the wire 56 (see Figure 7) that leads the current to a wire 'lil tocomplete a circuit to lamp: 24 which now is turned on to indicate to the player that the next hole in the order of play for receiving a ball should be hole 24.

Now, when a ball is projected into hole 24 the switch 24'" is closed causing the current to flow through wire 5! by means of a finger connecter 69 which feeds the current into wire i0 that isin circuit with the lamp l9 whereupon said If a ball is now projected into hole IS the switch I9 is closed and by means of a finger 69 the current can flow into wire 58 on the disk to energize the wire ii! for lamp 22*, which consequently is turned on to show the player he should next try to lodge a ball in hole 22. At this point it is interesting to note that four holes have balls lodged in them and the fourth wire 58 by means of a finger 69 sends the energy into wire 59 and wire 5%.

The latter wire 59 causes current to flow into the first ring at the outer edge of the top side of the plate, whereupon the current is lead by a finger l2, wire E3, to wires 16 and Ti to energize the magnet 78 and ring the bell 8D. The bell, of course, indicates a skill achievement since pocketing four of the balls is considered skillful. It is to be noted that the four holes so far receiving the balls need not necessarily have received the balls in the indicated order, for as soon as all four holes have a ball in them the circuits described have been established in any event, since during the play the control disk switch is stationary and the necessary circuits to pass the current are completed when the ball switch circuits involved'are closed.

The structure and mode of operation thus far described makes it plain that a. skill achievement has been made upon the pocketing of four balls and if only four balls were sealed in the cabinet available for play this would end the play. However, where more balls are available as in the present disclosure, a situation exists making it possible to deposit balls over and abov the four so far played.

If any of the remaining balls over four are played in scoring holes, and it is desirable to :cause additional actuations of the electric motor device 18, it will be necessary to provide any well known timer or regulating device driven by the member 78 to open its circuit every time it has operated so that additional operations thereof will be possible when subsequently deposited lating devices are well known in the art and need not be described as they per se form no part of the present invention.

The Wire 59 ,now passes current to turn on lamp 242i through a finger 69 and to wire 60 for connecting the second ring from the outer edge of the disk 40 tomake it possibleto operate the electromagnetic motor device 18, or its equivalent, again. Also, at the sametime the wire 60 passes Such regucurrent to turn on the'circuit for lamp 27 and" thereafter when the switch 23 is closed by a ball the current passes through the disk 49 across wire 6! and into wire Gl The latter connects with the third ring 55 to make it possible again to operate the device 18, and the wire 6| completes the circuit to the lamp 26 which now The playerwill next lodge a ball on switch 26* to connect through a finger 69, the wire 62, having a tap 62 with the fourth ring 5-5 which makes it possible to operate device 18 and to pass the current, through a finger 59 into wire 63 on the disk to turn on lamp Z! and energize wire (53 for another possible operation of device 18 from the fifth ring 55.

When the ball switch 2l is closed the wire 63 turns on lamp 25 for the last of the nine holes and if the last ball switch 25 is closed then wire 54 passes current through the sixth ring 5 5 to make it possible by means of a regulator tooperate the device 78 again.

It is to be noted that as viewed in Figures 7 and 12 the cross wires on the plate Q6 begin and terminate on a contact button 54 and through a finger 59 pick up the starting end of the next cross wire in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from the bottom. In other Words, building up the circuits through the control disk is always in this direction from one button 54 to the next. Further, the starting operation of circuit building always begins from the button 56 and finger 69 on which the master wire 65 comes to rest. 7 It is the intention. to cover all changes and modifications of the preferred example of the invention herein shown which donot in material respects constitute departures from the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In a game having a substantially horizontal game board over which balls are rollable into pockets formed therein, electrical indicators respectively disposed on the board adjacent certain of the pockets, a switch device located in each of the same pockets, which switch devices are normally open, and circuits with a source of energy for the indicators and for the switch devices, the combination with said circuits of a master switch member for controlling the circuits and movable from one position to another, said member ineluding a master tap operable when the member is ina stationary position for establishing a circuit to actuate one of the indicators adjacent one of the pockets, a ball lodging thereafter in said indicated pocket serving to close the device therein for establishing another circuit through the master switch to actuate an indicator adjacent another pocket.

2. In a game comprising a substantially horizontal board over which balls are rollable into holes formed therein, electric lamps respectively carried by the board adjacent certain of the holes, a switch device carried below each of said certain holes which devices are normally open, and circuits with a source of energy for the lamps and for the devices, the combination with said circuits of a movably mounted master switch switch to turn on a lamp adjacent another hole.

3. In a game of the class described having a substantially horizontal ball rolling table having pockets for receiving the balls formed therein, lamps on the table disposed respectively adjacent each pocket to designate same, and a normally open ball closed switch in each pocket, the combination with the table of a rotatably mounted normally stationary switch disk carried by the table and electrically connected with a source of energy, said disk carrying electrical connections adapted to connect between the several pocket switches and lamps, wherebypocketing of the balls serves to close the pocket switches and through the disk switch establishes circuits for lighting the lamps in a certain order, and means for rotating the disk switch to a different stationary position for changing the order of lighting the lamps.

4. In a game of the class described having a substantially horizontal table provided with holes in scattered relation, certain holes having a normally open switch therein, lamps carried on the table for designating each of said certain holes and located respectively to correspond therewith, said switches serving to support balls in the holes and the switches being closable by the balls, and circuits from a source of energy to the switches and to the lamps, the combination with the table of means operable when balls enter the holes and close the switches for successively completing lamp circuits in a certain order to turn on the lamps, said means comprising a normally stationary rotatable conductor carrying plate carried by the table, a shuille board shiftably mounted beneath the table and having ball drop openings to release the balls from the holes and switches when the board is shifted, means for shifting the board, and means including pawl and ratchet mechanism operable from the shuflle board when it is shifted for rotating the plate to another angular position for re-establishing the circuits and for changing the order of succession in lighting the lamps.

5. In a substantially horizontal game board over which balls are rollable into pockets formed therein, electrical indicators disposed on the board adjacent certain of the pockets to designate same, a switch device located in each of the same pockets, which switch devices are nor mally open, and circuits with a source or" energy for the indicators and for the switch devices, the combination with the board of a master switch member carried by the board for controlling the circuits and movable from one position to another, said member including a master tap operable when the member is in a stationary position for completing a circuit to actuate one of the indicators adjacent one of the pockets, a ball deposited in said indicated pocket closing the switch device therein to build up another circuit through the master switch to actuate an indicator adjacent another pocket, pocketing of successively played balls serving to close the pocket switches successively, to successively actuate the indicators, an auxiliary circuit from the master switch to an electric motor device, said master switch serving to establish the motor device circuit after a predetermined number of balls have been deposited in the designated pockets.

6. In a game comprising a substantially horizontal board over which balls are rollable into holes formed therein, electric lamps respectively carried by the board in proximity to certain of the holes to designate same, a switch device carried below each of said certain holes, which devices are normally open, and circuits with a source of energy for the lamps and for the devices, the combination with said board and circuits of a movably mounted master switch member for controlling the circuits, said member including a master wire operable when the member is in a stationary position for establishing a circuit to light a lamp for one of the holes, a ball lodging thereafter in said indicated hole serving to close the switch device therein for establishing another circuit through the master switch to turn on a lamp for another hole, means included in the master switch member for establishing an auxiliary circuit, and an electromagnetic motor device in said auxiliary circuit, said auxiliary circuit and motor device being operable when a predetermined number of balls have been deposited in lamp designated holes.

7. In a game of the class described having a substantially horizontal table provided with holes in scattered relationship thereon, each hole having a normally open switch therein, lamps located on the table in proximity to the holes for designating each hole respectively and arranged to correspond therewith, and circuits from a source of energy to the hole switches and to the lamps, the combination with the table and circuits of means operable when balls enter the holes and close the switches therein for successively completing the lamp circuits to turn on the lamps, said means comprising a normally stationary rotatable circuit changing plate carried by the table, means included in the plate for establishing an auxiliary circuit, an electromagnetic motor device in said auxiliary circuit, said auxiliary circuit and motor device being operable when a number of balls have been deposited in the designated pockets, and means for altering the angular position of the plate to change the circuits and vary the order of succession in lighting the lamps.

8. In a ball rolling game having a substantially horizontal table provided with pockets for receiving the balls, each pocket including a nor mally open ball closed switch, indicator lamps respectively carried on the table in proximity to each pocket, and circuits for the said switches and lamps, the combination with said structure of a normally stationary control member rotatably carried adjacent the table, said member having means for completing the circuits for the lamps to light the lamps, said circuits being individually completed through the control member from one lamp to another as the balls are deposited in the pockets and in a predetermined order governed by the position of the control member, and means for altering the angular position of said control member in a chance manner and its circuit completing means in relation to the lamps and pocket switches for varying the order of succession in lighting the lamps.

9. In a ball rolling game having a substan tially horizontal table provided with pockets for receiving the balls, each pocket including a normally open ball closed switch, indicator lamps carried on the table respectively in proximity to each pocket to designate same, circuits for the said switches and lamps, and an auxiliary circuit including an electromagnetic motor device, the combination with said structure of a circuit control member carried by the table and having means for establishing circuits for the lamps to light the lamps, said circuits being individually established from one lamp to another as the balls are deposited in the respective pockets and in a predetermined order governed by the position of the control member, said control member including means for establishing the auxiliary circuit and causing operation of the motor device when a predetermined number of balls have been deposited in the lamp designated pockets.

10. In a game of the class described having a substantially horizontal ball rolling table formed with spaced ball receiving pockets therein, lamps on the table disposed respectively adjacent the pockets to designate same, and a normally open ball closable switch in each pocket, the combination with said table of a turnably mounted master switch carried by the table and having means for electrically connecting the switches and lamps with a source of energy, means for turning the master switch and holding it stationary in a fixed position to which it has been turned, said master switch including a tap electrically connected in the stationary position of the switch with one of the lamps to light same for designating to the player that the pocket adjacent said lighted lamp is the pocket which should next receive a ball in the order of play,

the switch in said last mentioned pocket, when it receives a ball serving to close the switch therein and complete a circuit through the master switch to light a lamp on the table adjacent still'another pocket. 7 V

11. In a game of the class described having a substantially horizontal table provided with holes in scattered relationship thereon, eachhole having a normally open ball operated switch therein, lamps carried by the table for designating each hole and arranged to correspond therewith, and circuits from a source of energy to the hole switches and to the lamps, the combination with said circuits of means operable when a ball enters any one of the holes and closes the switch therein for successively establishing the lamp circuits so as to turn on the lamp which designates another hole, said means comprising a normally stationary rotatable conductor carrying plate car-' ried by the table, and means for altering the angular position of the plate to vary in a chance manner the connections between the hole switches and the lamps which designate the other holes.

BRADLEE W. WILLIAMS. 'I-IOMER S. WILLIAMS.

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