US2177725A

US2177725A - Game apparatus and control means

Info

Publication number: US2177725A
Application number: US231007A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jerry C Koci
Original assignee: CHICAGO COIN MACHINE Manufacturing CO
Current assignee: CHICAGO COIN MACHINE Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1938-09-21
Filing date: 1938-09-21
Publication date: 1939-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 1956-10-31

Description

Oct. 31, 1939.

v.1. c. KOCl 2,177,725

GAME APPARATUS AND CONTROL MEANS Filed Sept. 21, 1938 v Jrzy C 2'06!) 1N VENT OR.

1575 ATTORNEY.-

f50"'whichz Fig. l is a fragmentary top plan View of a game Patented Oct. 31, 1 939 I I GAME! APPARATUS AND CONTROLMEIANS Jerryrfi. Koci,-;; Chicag0, 111;; assignor; to, Chica Coin'Machin Mfg flo Chicago, 11]., a corporaiee l r Application-September 21, 1938, seriam zsmov ass. (01. 273-132) balls or counters in predeterminedfpositions in accordancewith their various characteristics as afor'esaidi V Another object is the provision of control means 1': arranged for operation! by the several balls or counters when the same areselectivelydisposedin .the predetermined positions aforesaid, for'scontrolling some instruinentality associated with the ganja. Vol.7 I J: 1 i I Another object isth'e prbvision pfa novel rneans foreffecting moveinentof the balls" or counters toward and into, or' relative to; the selective def testing nd control means;

Another. object 'istt-he provision of a game in 5*. which there are a plurality ofballso fdifierent size" and'means for automatically"arranging the balls 1 according tofsi ze in predeterminedjpositionsgjto gethe r with control means and operating means therefor arranged, at the predetermined{positions 1 3on0); operation by aball which mayrhayebeen selec= tivelyjdis posed atone of sa i'd positions. I p I W Viewed frorn another aspect, it an important object of the invention to; provid'e a'game' apparatus including aaplaying board which is prefer- C ably inclined; a plurality. of balls; varying slightly in diameter? and means for n lovingithe balls relative toa selectingdevicei whi'ch will causethe balls to be positioned in a certainrnann'er in accordance with the diameter thereof; there being a control instrumentality, such for exampleas as'witch,dis-" posed ateacli position which may be occupied by a ball and there. being some controlled instrumen tality actuat'edin a predetermined manner by the several control devices depending upon the man- I 'ner in which theballs are'selectively positioned.

otherobjectsandnovel aspects of the' invention y. reside in certain "cletailsl'off construction, form, location"; and operation of, the parts hereinafter view of I the annexed drawing in" described "in apparatus embodying the novel features 1 of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged 'frag-m entaryperspective of 5:. the'selecting meansi a l I Fig. 3 is a fragmentary bottom perspective of the 7 playing boardand projecting control mechanism;

" Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sec 3 tion through the projecting mechanism asviewed along line 44'0f Fig; 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section to enlarged scale of one of the controlledinstrumentalities in the nature of a signal, taken alohglihe- Fig. 6 isa circuit diagram. I A preferred embodiment of the invention" ineludes, as viewed in Fig. l, a cabinet inpwhich there is disposed a playing board Ill inclined slightly relative to the horizontal so thatthe balls orfotner counters or playing piec'esmay gravitate! tli'ereover. The playing pieces or counters in the present instance are balls approximately the size of large marbles, and the balls are preferably distinguished one from another by a characteristic color. The balls, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are lined; for color and for convenienceare designated serially I, II, III, IV, and V. I

Means for effecting movement of the counters or balls over the playing board includes a plunger I I mounted on 'a' front wall I2 of the cabinet and a master control in the form of a plunger I3 which mustbe operated each timethe game is played. Thdplayefpushesthe joontrolor plunger I3 inwardly and, as il1ustrated.in1Fig. 3, the innerend I portion Moi themaster control plunger engages a flange i5 at1one end of alever I6 pivoted'as'at I'I on'the under side of the board It. At its opposite end the lever I Ii-is movably fitted into a stirrup IB' for 'reciprocation on the under side of the playing board by means of longitudinally spaced pins 20, working in slots 2 Ion the projector bar. 22 is attached to one, end of the b'ar'IB- (see'also Fig; 4) and urges the latter to move the opposite offset striker portion 2'3thereof into forwardposition in a slot 24 c'ut in the'board IOjust above the projecting plunger II', T U r Inorder to operate the game, the playerpushes theiplunger' I3 inwardly and pivots the lever I6so asto move the projector bar I9 and tension the on an elongated plunger bar I9 which is mounted Av pr g, 1

spring 22 thereof with theresult' that thestrikerportion 23 of'the projecting barm'oves into the-' dotted line position shown in Fig. 4 At'jth'e'sanie tii'rie the latching notch portion 30 of a latching pawlbti {which is pivoted as at 32 toa bracket on the under side of the playboard, is urged by the action ofa spring 33, attached to a wing 34 on' the I pawl'fiisothat the notchportion 30 is engaged over theedge of the lever It and holds the same andthe projecting bar"I9 inretraotedpositiom The inner end portion of the projecting plunger H passes through a slot 35 in the wing 34, and a collar 36 on the inner end of the plunger bears against the wing 34 when the plunger is withdrawn and trips the latching pawl 3| so that the projecting bar I9 is quickly snapped back to initial position by its spring 22, with the result that any of the counters or balls which may be resting against the offset striking portion 23 of the projecting bar, as in Fig. 4, will be projected out onto the board I!) for movement thereover, as will be described hereinafter. A suitable hood 3? may be arranged over the striker portion 23 to shield the same and the slot 24 from View.

The counters or balls, asheretofore pointed out, preferably have different characteristics and are differentiated one from another by their color and also in diameter, each ball differing from the next in size by a slight amount, for example 0.015 inch, for the purpose of cooperating witha ball detector or selecting device which is adapted. to position the balls in a predetermined manner in accordance with their size, a particular size of ball being further distinguished by a corresponding color or other identifying expediency.

The means for selectively positioning the counters or balls includes the provision of a guideway or receptacle into which the balls are ;moved. In the illustrative arrangement, the

guideway or receptacle is formed by a pair of spaced

rails

40 and 4| (Figs. 1 and 2) mounted in nearly parallel relation on the top of the board l6, preferably near the lower end thereof, the

;rail 40 being relatively stationary and spaced from the top of the board a distance to bring it approximately at the center level of the several balls. The companion rail 4| is similarly spaced from the top of the board but is pivotally mount- .ed on one of its mounting posts as at 42, the

opposite end portion being supportably guided in a slotted cleat 43 rigidly secured to the playboard. By this arrangement the movable rail 4| maybe pivoted to move the lower end portion I thereof toward and away from the stationary rail 46. The lowermost end of the movable rail 4| is provided with a notch 44 adapted to bear against a stopping cleat 45 which accurately positions the movable rail in a predetermined spaced relation to the stationary.

rail. A'leaf spring 46 secured as at 47 to a raised member on the playing board In urges the rail 4| into such normal position.

When the movable rail 4| is in its normal position due to the action of the spring 46 limited by the stop 45, the

rods

40 and 4| are spaced apart slightly more at their upper (right-hand) ends than at the lower ends, and this spacing, which may be accomplished simply by regulating the relative pitch of the movable member 4| with respect to the member 40 or by the provision of a slanted edge portion on one or both of the 7 wedging action which results from spacing the rails as aforesaid. Assuming'the ball having the next largest diameter and designated II enters between theirails immediately following ball I, it will become lodged at the next higher level in spaced relation to the first ball, and if the succeeding balls all enter between the rails in the order of their increasing diameter, they will all be similarly spaced. In this manner the balls or counters are selectively positioned, and when the balls enter the selecting guideway or means in proper sequence, the color scheme will be distributed for visual indication in accordance with a predetermined plan, the first ball, for example, being red; the second, white; the third, yellow; the fourth, brown; and the fifth, blue, as indicated in Fig. 1, such an arrangement providing a visual indication to the player that he has achieved a winning combination or score.

Selective control means are associated with the detecting device heretofore described, and in the present arrangement this means includes a plurality of control members in the form of

leaf spring switches

52, 53, 54, and 55, each having a contact spring constituting a finger extension 50 which is arranged to project at an angle into the passageway defined by the

rails

40 and 4| so as to be operatively engaged by a corresponding one of the balls when the same are disposed in their predetermined positions. Thus, the finger portion 5|] of switch 5| will be engaged and operated by ball I which has the smallest diameter, provided ball I is the first to enter between the rails. Likewise, switch 52 will be operated byball II, provided this ball enters the rails before ball III. Thus, it is possible that all of the switches or control devices may be operated in sequence, or only certain of the switches may be operated, depending upon the order in which the balls enter the selecting device.

In Fig. 2, the blue ball V has entered between the rails first and as a consequence all of the remaining balls are piled up behind ball V and prevented thereby from entering between the rails, with the result that only switch 55 can be operated in this instance.

A further feature of the game is the provision of a controlled instrumentality or means in the nature of signal devices operated by the several switches. In the present arrangement, there are five lamps 6|, 62, 63, 64, and 65 suitably mounted as bybrackets 66 so as to project through openings 61 in the board and aligned correspondingly with the serialalignment of the balls between the selecting rails. Each lamp is provided with a colored window or cap 6|, 62', etc., the color of which corresponds in reverse order to the serial alignment of the colored balls. Thus, assuming that the red ball Iwere the first to enter the runway or receptacle, the lamp 6| at the farther right-hand end of the group of lamps would be the first to be illuminated, and so on for the remaining balls.

Acircuit arrangement for the selectively operable control devices and the controlled means is shown in Fig. 6 wherein each of the lamps 6|, 62, 63, 64, 65 is connected to a common conductor 68 which in turn is connected through a time switch 69 tonne side of a power source or battery 10, the return side of the battery being connected to a conductor H which is common to all of the spring contacts 50 of the several switches, the remaining contacts of which are connected by conductors 12 to the other sides of the several lamps. The switch 69 may be closed by operation of the plunger 3 and will remain closed a predetermined period of time and thereafter automatically opened so as to ex- .fore the automatic -projector 85.

tingnishaany btzthe lamps; which m'ayl have been illuminated by the previous player.

-' Means for effecting removal of the balls from operative engagement? with the selecting or detecting devicezi'includeswthe provision of a dependingafinger'iill: (Figs: 2 and- 3) on. the lower endof; the movable'rail 4|,which finger extends through a slotL-inuthe.playboard. ID for engagement with; a, lateral extension or arm 8| on the leverv [iii .=1Each-. time.;th e plunger I3. is operated towsetz'thetgame-for play; thearm-tl will engage theememberoiilirand pivotthev movable rail member Misina direction away from the companion railwd'lladistance-adequate to permit all of the 3 balls: to gravitate uontdownv to they lower end 'of the p-layboardzthe arrangement being such that the. ballsmove; :thusly inlposition before an automatictprole tingugdevice 8,5; which is actuated,

each, time a balliengages, the same and projects ,;;the,.ball.,along i a,=guideway 86; terminating in front of the hood 3'! so that the balls will be serially aligned-against the striker 23. Thereafter, theplayer pulls the plunger II and effects projection ofthe entire groupof balls out onto the boardlin the manner heretofore described.

thus tripping thefcatchfSl and permitting the" sprin 22 to drive the bar [9 back to its initial position, with the result that the offset striker 23 will. propel .the entire group of balls'along the raceway 25 toward. the upper end of the board It], the ballsl'thereafterrgravitating toward the mouth or upper enddfl the detecting or selecting means 40% and the balls being aligned in the. latter to operate one or more of the control '"devices fil 52, etc."for;thepurpose of operating the signal means onlarhp'slfil, 'etc., to indicate achievement of p'one or another score depending upon the manneifinwhichthe balls are selectively ,posit io ned betweenj the rails 48 and 4|,

the color scheme fthe indicating means corre spondingto thatgof the, balls so that the relative score of the v player is quickly and easily visualized- Various, modifications and rearrangements with respectgto theyform, location, and operation of the illustrative idevice described herein may be madeiwithontpdepar-ting from the scope of the.

invention as defined: in the appended claims, all. of which expr'essly include all equivalent arrangements; i

Having? thusf described my invention, what I claim as new" nd"desire toprotect by Letters 11 In combination; means providing an inclinedball playiii'g surface, a plurality of ballsof different diameters, means for effecting movementof said-ballsover said surface; selecting mechanismfincluding"spaced members arranged on saidsui'face' so that said balls may move therebetween," said "spaced members being arranged'each with;respect to the other so that said balls will-bedstdpped' at predetermined location's" there etween depending upon the diameter and me'ans formoving one of--said:"

members: relatlvecrtof the" other to permit all of said balls to gravitate from between the same.

2. In: combination, means providing an inclined ballplaying surface, a. plurality of balls of difi'erentidiameters, means for effecting movementof i said b-allsfo-r gravitation from the upper en'dl of saidboardltoward the lower end thereof, and selecting means". including longitudinally spaced: members arranged on said board so that said balls may. gravitate therebetween, said spacedxmembers being arranged and constructed sothat the distancev therebetween decreases at I clined ball playing surface, a plurality of balls,

of different "diameters, means for effecting movement of said balls for gravitation from the upper end of' said board toward the lower end thereof, and selecting means including longitudinally spaced members arranged'on said board so that said balls may gravitate therebetween, said spaced members beingarranged and constructed so that the distance therebetween decreases at intervals fromthe uppermost toward the lower-- most'ends thereof whereby' said balls may be arrested at certain spaced positions between said members depending upon the diameter of the balls, and means for moving one of said spaced members relative to the other to permit all of saidballs to' gravitatetherebetween and therepast, and-control meansgin the form of a'plurality'of switches each having an operating member arranged atone ofsaid certain positions for engagement and operation by a ball selectively disposed at the corresponding position as aforesaid, together with signal means operatively associated with eachof said switches for indicating the relative disposition of balls at said certain positions.

4. In combination, means providing an inclined ballplaying surface, a plurality of balls of. relatively diminishing diameters, means for effecting movement of said balls from the upper toward the lower end of said surface, and selecting means including a pair of rail members and means mounting the sameon said surface in spaced relation with thelength of said rails extending in the direction of inclination of said surface, said rails defining a passageway having an entrance end at the uppermost end of said rails and an exit end at the lowermost end thereof, said rails being spaced apart diminishing distances from said upper toward. said lower,

end whereby said balls will be arrested between said rails, at certain positionswherethe distance between the rails is slightly less than the diameter of oneof said balls, one of said rails being movable relative to the other,-means for efiecting movement of said movable rail towiden the distance between the same andthe remaining rail whereby all of said balls may be permitted to gravitate frombetween the railsout said exit end.

5. In combination, means providing an-in clined ball playing surface, a pluralityof balls toward thelower'endofsaid surface,-and'-se-- lecting means including a-p'ai'r or rail members and means mounting the same on said surface in spaced relation with the length of said rails extending in the direction of inclination of said surface, said rails defining a passageway having an entrance end at the uppermost end of said whereby all of said balls may be permitted to gravitatefrom between the rails out said exit end, and a plurality of switches each having an actuating element disposed at a predetermined position relative to said passageway, and corresponding to the position of arrest of one of said balls, for engagement and operation by the corresponding ball, together with controlled means arranged for operation by said switches depend- 5 vent upon the relative distribution of balls in said passageway.

6. Game apparatus including means providing a confined ball playing area, a plurality of balls of different diameters, means for effecting movement of said balls in a particular direction in said area, and ball selecting means including means defining an elongated ball passage, the length of which extends substantially in the same direction as said particular direction, said passage being of different width at different points therealong from one end toward the other so that certain balls will be arrested at certain positions in the passage depending upon the relative diameter of the ball and width of said passage at said positions, and control means arranged for engagement and operation by one of said balls at one or more of said selected positions, together with mechanism cooperable with said means defining the passage for widening the latter to permit all balls to pass freely therethrough in said particular direction.

7. Game apparatus including means providing an inclined ball playing board, a plurality of balls of different diameters and means for projecting said balls toward the upper end of said board to 'eifect gravitating movement of the same toward the lower end of the board, and ball selecting means including spaced members extending in the direction of inclination of said board so as to define a ball passage having an entrance end at a higher level and an exit end at a lower level, one of said members being pivotally mounted near said entrance end for movement toward and away from the other said member, yieldable ,means normally urging said movable spaced member toward said other spaced member, means normally limiting the movement of said movable member so as to stop the latter in a predetermined relation with said other member, the ,distance between said members decreasing in a predetermined manner in a direction from said entrance toward said exit end for the purpose of arresting said balls at predetermined positions in said passage dependent upon their diameter and the sequence in which said balls move into the passage as aforesaid, switch means arranged at one or more of'said predetermined positions for engagement and operation bya ball arrested as aforesaid, and signal means arranged for a tio y an. witch. mea to; i di he, 1

arrest of a ball at any'of said predetermined positions.

8. Ball selecting mechanism for use in bagatelle games and the like, said selecting mechanism including a pair of spaced rails arranged to define a ball passage, one of said rails being arranged to move relative to the other to widen said passage, means normally urging said movable rail into an initial position relative to the remaining rail, the distance between said rails in normal position aforesaid varying at predetermined positions between the ends of said passage, a plurality of balls of different diameters for use in said game, one or more of said balls being moved into said passage as a result of playing the game, certain balls being arrested at certain positions in the passage dependent upon the diameter of a given ball, and means for effecting movement of the movable rail to widen the passage-and free an arrested ball for movement out of the passage.

9. Ball selecting mechanism for use in game apparatus of the type including ball projecting means for effecting movement of balls over an inclined playing board, said selecting mechanism comprising: spaced members defining a ball passage having an entrance at a higher level and an exit at a lower level, one of said members being movable relative to the other, yieldable means normally urging the movable member into a predetermined normal position relative to the other member, mechanism operable to effect movement of said movable member to widen said passage for unrestriced movement of balls therethrough, the width of the passage between said members varying at different points therealong when the members are in normal position as aforesaid, and a plurality of balls of different diameters for use in said game, said balls being arrested at predetermined positions along said passage when said members are in normal position in a manner determined by the relative diameter of a given ball and the width of said passage at'a predetermined position, and control means arranged along said passage at positions corresponding to positions of arrest of said balls so as to be engaged and operated by an arrested ball, and means arranged for selective actuation by said control means dependent upon the arrest of balls at various positions in the passage.

10. Selective control means for use in a ball playing apparatus of the type including an inclined playing field and means for projecting balls onto said field for gravitating movement thereover, said selective control means comprising: spaced rail members defining an elongated passage extending in the direction of inclination of said field and having an entrance at a higher level and an exit at a lower level, one of said rails being arranged for movement in a direction toward and away from the remaining rail, means normally urging the movablerail into a predetermined spaced relation with the remaining rail, means for moving the movable rail away from the remaining rail, the distance between said rails in normal relation diminishing in a predetermined manner from the entrance toward the exit thereof whereby to provide a passageway of diminishing width, a plurality of balls for use in said game, said balls differing in diameter one relative to another in a predetermined order and being adapted to be projected by the aforesaid projecting means for movement into said passageway, said balls being arrested at certainpositions 76 in the passageway according to their diameter and the width of said passage at said positions, switch means arranged for operation by arrested balls at predetermined positions of arrest along the passageway, and a plurality of electrically operated indicators arranged for operation to designate certain positions ofarrest of balls in the passageway and each actuated by one of said switch means whereby the distribution of arrested balls in said passageway may be indicated, said movable rail being movable as aforesaid away from the remaining rail to free arrested balls for gravitation out of the passageway.

11. Selective control means for use in a ball playing apparatus of the type including an inclined playing field and means for projecting balls onto said field for gravitating movement thereover, said selective control means comprising: spaced rail members defining an elongated passage extending in the direction of inclination of said field and having an entrance at a higher level and an exit at a lower level, one of said rails being arranged for movement in a direction toward and away from the remaining rail, means normally urging the movable rail into a predetermined spaced relation with the remaining rail, means for moving the movable rail away from the remaining rail, the distance between said rails in normal relation diminishing in a predetermined manner from the entrance toward the exit thereof whereby to provide a passageway of diminishing width, a plurality of balls for use i in said game, said balls differing in diameter one relative to another in a predetermined order and being adapted to be projected by the aforesaid projecting means for movement into said passageway, said balls being arrested at certain positions in the passageway according to their diameter and the width of said passage at said positions, control means arranged for operation by balls in said positions, a plurality of signal lamps arranged for operation by said control means to designate predetermined positions of arrest of balls in said passage, each ball being provided with indicia which corresponds to designating indicia characterizing one of said lamps, the arrangement being such that the arrest of a given ball at a predetermined position in said passageway will effect energization of the corresponding lamp through theagency of said control means, the designating indicia of said ball and lamp corresponding and the lamps therefore being operable to indicate the relative positions of such balls as are arrested in the passageway, said movable rail being movable as aforesaid to widen the passage and permit all of said balls to gravitate out of the same.

12. In a device of the class described, ball selecting means including spaced members defining a descending ball passage having an entrance end at a higher level and an exit end at a lower level, said passage diminishing in width at predetermined points from said entrance toward said exit end so as to arrest balls of predetermined diameter arriving at said predetermined points along the passage,,a plurality of balls of different predetermined diameters for movement into and arrest in said passage as aforesaid, control means arranged at said predetermined positions along the passage for engagement and,

operation by balls arrested at said positions, and apparatus operably controlled by said control means, and means for moving one of said spaced members relative to the other and thereby permit gravitation of any arrested balls out ;said exit end. i

13. In a sorting mechanism adapted for use with spherical objects of different diameter, spaced members arranged to define a passage in which said spherical objects may be serially aligned, one of said spaced members extending at an angle with respect to the other in a convergent sense whereby the distances across the passage will vary between the opposite ends thereof, said spherical objects being arrested at certain positions along the passage in accordance with their respective diameters, one of said members being mounted for movement out of a normal position with respect to theother said member to widen said passage and permit all of said objects to pass therethrough.

14. In a sorting mechanism adapted for use with spherical objects of different diameter, spaced members arranged to define a passage in which said spherical objects may be serially aligned, one of said spaced members extending at an angle with respect to the other in a convergent sense whereby the distances across the passage will vary between the opposite ends thereof, said spherical objects being arrested at certain positions along the passage in accordance with their respective diameters, one of said members being mounted for movement out of a normal position with respect to the other said member to widen said passage and permit all of said objects to pass therethrough, together with control means arranged for selective operation by a desired one of said spherical objects and including an actuating part disposed at the aforesaid particular position corresponding to the position occupied by the desired object in said passage for engagement and operation by saidobject when the same is disposed in said position.

15. Ball selecting apparatus and signaling means including spaced members defining a ball passage having an entrance and an exit end and in which a series of balls of difierent diameters may be aligned, the distance across said passage diminishing from the entrance end toward the exit end thereof in such manner that said balls will be aligned in the order of their diameters, one of said members being movable from a normal position away from the other to widen said passage and permit all of said balls to move out of the same from said exit end, each of said balls being provided with characteristic indicia, an indicating device for each of said balls and provided with indicia means correlating the same with, the indicia of a particular ball, and selectively operable control mechanism for said indicating devices and including a plurality of control operating members each arranged at predetermined positions along said passage for operative engagement by a certain ball disposed thereat in the manner aforesaid to actuate the corresponding indicating device, whereby the distribution of said balls in said passage may be indicated.

JERRY C. KOCI.