US2192608A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

March 5, 1940. w. H. BUTT ERWORTH GAME APPARATUS Filed Oct. 21

Willow/1? IY ggg ggl/m H15 ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 5, 1940 UNITED STATES GAME APPARATUS Willoughby H. Butterworth, Chicago, 111., assignor to The Exhibit Supply Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application October 21, 1938, Serial No. 236,214

9 Claims.

This invention pertains to improvements in game apparatus, particularly that type employing missiles, such as balls and the like, adapted to be delivered onto a playfield from a storage position, the improvements relating particularly to the provision of mechanism for raising balls or similar elements from a lower to a higher level in game apparatus and the like and expelling the balls with a desired degree of force onto the playfield. I

Stated more particularly, it is an important object of the invention to provide an improved ball elevating and pitching device for use with game apparatus of the bagatelle type, the device being adapted for manual control to raise balls one at a time from a position beneath a playboard and expel them onto the board.

Another object is the provision of an elevating and pitching means arranged beneath an opening in the playboard of a baseball game for pivotal movement to project a ball carrier up through said opening and expel a ball onto the playboard, there being electromagnetic means including a solenoid arranged in a particular manner to eifect oscillatory movement of the elevator.

Another object is the provision of a yeldable closure for the opening through which the pitcher projects, the closure being operated by the elevator in its back and forth or oscillatory movement.

Another object is the provision of an elevator in the form of a pivoted arm having an arcuate extension radial to the pivotal mounting of the arm with a ball seat formed in an upper end of the arcuate projection, and means including a solenoid and spring connecting the solenoid plunger to the pivoted arm so as to swing the arm upwardly to project the ball seat and ball thereon against the flexible closure and expel the ball onto the playboard, the lower portions of the arcuate projection constituting a blocking means for other balls below the board.

Still another object is the provision of novel control means for the electromagnetic actuating mechanism, said control means including a manual switch, a relay switch, and a supervisory switch which is operated by the elevator, all connected in the manner hereinafter set forth to provide a manually controlled, electrically powered elevating means.

Other objects and novel aspects of the invention reside in certain details of construction and operation of the device hereinafter to be described, including the arrangement of a ball de- ;livery runway cooperable with the elevator, su-

pervisory switch means operated by the elevator, and a yieldable closure operated by the elevator, all of which will appear more fully as'the specification proceeds in view of the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective looking down beneath the playboard of a game apparatus employing theinvention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a fragmentary portion of the game apparatus and elevat ing means; while Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram.

The present invention, while not limited to such application, is particularly useful in conjunction with bagatelle games and the like in which balls or similar projectiles are raised-one. by one from a position beneath a playboard for delivery or expulsion out onto the playboard, the balls generally being circulated and returned from the playboard to be fed into the elevator means therebelow. J

In the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 for purposes of illustration, there is included a playboard l0 having an oblong exit opening H cut therein and communicating with a lower compartment in which is disposed an inclined ball return runway IZadapted to receive balls from the playboard in a manner well known in the art and therefore not described in detail herein. In the present" arrangement, a plurality of balls l3 are disposed in serialalignment in the runway l2, the lower end I4 of the latter being open at a position opposite the ball seat in the novel elevating device.

The elevating device includes an elevating arm [5 pivotally attached as at is between a pair of bracket arms ll secured to the under side of the board l0.

The arm I5 has an arcuate member I!) secured to its free end portion by means such as the bracing arms l9, and preferably by means of spot welding or soldering in the region 2b where the arcuate member bears against the end of the elevating arm.

The upper extremity of the arcuate projection I8 is bent over and deformed to provide a ball seat 2! into which one of the balls l3 gravitates from the runway l2 when the elevator arm is in normally lowered position, as seen in Fig. 1.

Means for moving the elevator arm back and forth includes an electromagnetic device in the form of a solenoid 22 secured to the under side of the board It? and having its plunger 23 connected to one end of a spring 24, the opposite end of the spring being attached to an ear 25 on the elevator arm adjacent its pivotal mountnig 16. It is important to observe, particularly in Fig.

2, that the mounting of the elevator arm l5 with relation to the reciprocable plunger 23 of the solenoid is such that the elevator arm will normally be lowered so as to effect a retraction of the plunger 23 through the agency of the connecting spring 24. This arrangement, moreover, is particularly designed so that the initial swing of the elevator arm will be a minimum, responsive to the initial inward or attracted movement of the plunger 23. Therefore, to achieve the two foregoing objects, namely, the normal positioning of the plunger 23 and the slow initial movement of the elevator when the solenoid is energized, the solenoid is mounted so that its plunger will reciprocate in a direction substantially transverse to the pivotal axis of the elevator, the plunger being so positioned that the connecting means between the same and the elevator extends in a tangential sense relative to the pivotal axis of the elevator when the latter is in normally lowered position. This is particularly illustrated in Fig. 2.

Means constituting an automatic closure for the ball exit opening I! includes a substantially flat and elongated flap or closure 38, preferably of spring metal or some resiliently yieldable material, such as Celluloid or the like, secured at one end 3| by any suitable means, for example cementing, to the upper side of the playboard ID at one end of the opening H opposite the pivotal mounting Iii-l1 of the elevator.

The operation of the device is such that when the solenoid 22 is energized, the arm I5 is swung up into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 with the curved portion of the arcuate arm or projection adjacent the ball seat 2| riding against the under side of the closure 30 to flex the latter into raised dotted line position, so that a ball l3 carried in the seat 2] may pitch onto the board I U substantially as illustrated.

It is important to observe during the foregoing operation of the elevator that the lower arcuate end portion 32 of the arm I8 is positioned before the mouth l4 of the runway l2 so long as the elevator remains in raised position, thus blocking the remaining balls against gravitating movement out of the runway. As soon as the elevator is lowered, the lead ball in the runway l2 will gravitate into the seat 2|.

Control means for manual operation of the novel pitching and elevating mechanism includes a manual switch 36-40 conveniently mounted in a wall of the cabinet for operation by a push button or plunger 35 and arranged in circuit with the solenoid 22 in the manner illustrated in Fig.

3, wherein one contact 35 is connected to one I contact 31 of a master ball control switch which has a companion contact 38 connected via conductor 39' to one side of a battery 39, the other contact 40 of the manual switch being connected by conductor 4| to one side of the relay winding 42. The opposite side of the relay winding is connected via conductor 43 to one contact 44 of conductor 46 to the return side of the battery 39. Thus, when the push button 35 is operated to close the contacts 36-40, the relay winding 42 is energized from the battery 39, provided the normally closed supervisory switch 44-45 is closed, which it will be if the elevator is not raised, and provided the master switch is closed by a ball on the elevator.

The master switch may be of the leaf spring variety and is mounted on a strap 55 attached as at 56 to the bottom edge portions of a pair of parallel vertical plates 51 secured to the under side of the playboard so as to form a well in which the elevator oscillates. An operating pin 58 projects from the contact 37 of the master switch (which, it is pointed out, is stationary relative to the elevator) and is positioned to project through an opening in the ball seat 2! for engagement by a ball in the seat to close the master switch, and condition the apparatus for operation by the manual switch.

When the relay win-ding 42 is energized as aforesaid, the relay contact 4! thereof, which is connected by conductor 48 to one side of the battery 39, engages the companion relay contact 49 to close a circuit via conductor 50 to one side of the solenoid winding 22, the opposite side of this winding connecting by conductor 5| with conductor 56 to the return side of the battery. Thus, energization of the relay 42 connects the main electromagnetic operating means or solenoid means 22 with battery, thus causing the plunger 23 to be attracted with a resulting upward swing of the elevator arm l5 in the manner and for the purpose heretofore set forth.

It should be observed that when the relay contacts 41-49 are engaged, they close a locking circuit through the winding 42 of the relay and the winding of the solenoid 22, so that both the relay and the solenoid would remain energized unless the circuit were broken by some external agency other than the manual control switch. The supervisory switch 4445 constitutes such an agency, the contact being engaged by the elevator arm I5 as the latter approaches fully raised position to break the locked circuit by separating contacts 44 and 45, which results in the release of the relay and falling back of the contact 4! thereof, the elevator thereupon descending to normally lowered position to receive another ball from the runway I 2, and to retract the solenoid plunger 23.

It will be apparent that the device of the invention may be used as a ball elevator to position a ball before some form of projecting mechanism, or the device may be employed to pitch the balls onto the playboard, as for example in pitching balls one at a time to a batting device in a baseball game.

Where the device is used as a pitching or projecting means, the solenoid is designed to impart a somewhat greater throw to the elevator arm than in the case where the balls are simply expelled onto the board.

In either case, attention is called to the fact that the arrangement of the arm and solenoid is such that the initial movement of the elevating arm is relatively slower than its final movement, so that the ball is always expelled onto the board with a positive motion.

The objects and advantages of the invention may be achieved by various modifications in the specific embodiment set forth herein for purposes of illustration, and it is to be understood that all such modifications and all equivalent arrangements of the specified embodiment are to be in- 2,192,608 cluded within the call of the appended claims,

the same to be interpreted in their broadest aspectin view of the art. I

Having thus described my invention, what I 7 claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: t

1. Ball elevating means for use with pin ball and similar game apparatus having a playboard, said elevating means including an elevating arm pivotally mounted below said board for movement toward and away from the latter, said arm having a ball seat radial of its pivotal axis, a solenoid of said plunger withsaid elevating arm at a point between said ball seat and the pivotal axis thereof, said solenoid being energizable to effect raising movement of said arm, means for feeding balls one at a time into said ball seat when said arm is lowered, a relay and manually operable switch means arranged in circuit with said relay, said relay including a relay switch operable by energization of said relay to effect energization of said solenoid, said relay switch being arranged in a locking circuit with said relay to maintain the latter in energized condition, together with supervisory switch means arranged for operation by said elevating arm as the latter moves toward raised position to deenergize said solenoid and relay for restoration to normal condition.

2. Ball elevating means for use with pinball and similar game apparatus having a playboard, said elevating means including an elevating arm pivotally mounted belowsaid board for movement toward and away from the latter, said arm having a ball seat radial of its pivotal axis and an arcuate projection substantially radial to said axis at said free end thereof, a solenoid having a plunger arranged for movement in a direction transverse to said axis, said playboard having an exit opening formed therein and said arm being pivotable to project said ball seat up through said opening, said arm normally gravitating into lowered position relative to said opening, an elongated link member connecting an end of said plunger with said elevating arm at a point between said ball seat and the pivotal axis thereof, said solenoid being energizable to efiect raising movement of said arm, means for feeding balls one at a time into said ball seat when said arm is lowered, a relay and manually operable switch means arranged in circuit with said relay, said relay including a relay switch operable by energization of said relay to efiect energization of said solenoid, said relay switch being arranged in a looking circuit with said relay to maintain the latter in energized condition, together with supervisory switch means arranged for operation by said elevating arm as the latter moves toward raised position to deenergizesaid solenoid and relay for restoration to normal condition, said arcuate projection being positioned by said elevating arm, when the latter is in raised position, to block movement of balls from said feeding means.

3. In a game apparatus, a ball pitching device in the form of an arm having a ball seat in one end and mounted at its opposite end for pivotal movement in a vertical plane so as to pitch a ball therefrom when in substantially raised position, electrical means for pivoting said arm from normally lowered to raised position, control means including a power circuit for said electrical means, a normally closed supervisory switch in circuit with said electrical means and arranged to be opened by said ball pitching device when said arm moves into raised position, electrically operable switch means in said power circuit and arranged when energized to provide a locking circuit for energizing said electrical means from said power source, manually operable switch means foreffecting energization of said electrically operable switch means, and a normally open master switch'in circuit with said electrically operable switch means and arranged in fixed position relative to said pitching device, said master switch having an operating member arranged in said ball-seat for operation by a ball in the latter whensaid arm is in lowered position to close the master switch and render said electrically operable switch means operable by said manually operable switch means. i

4. In a device of the class described, a ball moving device having aball seat and arranged for movement from a normally lowered to raised position to raise a ball in said seat and effect dislodgement of the same therefrom, electrical means for efiecting movement of said member into raised position, a control circuit including a relay having a switch connected in circuit with said electrical means, said relay being connected in said circuit such that energization of the relay will effect a locking circuitfor energizing said electrical means, a manually operable switch and .a master switch connected in circuit with said relay, said master switch being normally open and having an operating member arranged to projectinto said ball seat for operation by a ball in the latter when said arm is in lowered position to render said manually operable switch effective to energize said relayjand switch means arranged in circuit with saidrelay and mounted for operation by said arm when the latter moves into raised position to open said locking circuit.

'5. In a game apparatus, an electrical ball elevating device arranged for movement from a normally lowered to a raised position, said device having a ball seat arranged to receive a ball when said elevating device is in lowered position, and a control circuit for said elevating device including a relay having a Winding and a relay switch connected in circuit with said electrical elevating device such that energization of the relay winding will actuate said relay switch to establish a. looking circuit for energizing said electrical elevat-' ing device, manually operable switch means for energizing said relay winding, a normally open master switch in circuit with said manually operable switch means, said master switch being mounted near said elevating device and having an operating member arranged to project in said ball seat when said device is in normally lowered position for engagement by a ball in said seat to close said master switch and render said relay winding energizable by said manual switch, I

. and supervisory switch means in circuit with said electrical elevating device and arranged for operation by the latter when the same is in ball elevating position to open said locking circuit.

6. A ball elevating device including an arm with a ball seat thereon and meanspivoting said arm for movement in a substantially vertical plane, said arm being disposed by gravity in a normally lowered position to receive a ball in said seat and movable into substantially raised position to elevate said ball, and means for raising said armand including an elongated tractile spring secured at one end to said arm at a point thereon between said seat and the pivotal mounting of the arm and closer to said pivotal mounting than the seat, and mechanism operatively connected with the opposite end of said spring for tensioning the same by pulling the spring substantially in the direction of the length of said arm toward said pivotal mounting.

7. In a ball pitching mechanism including a pivoted ball projecting arm, arm pivoting mechanism including an elongated coil spring attached to said arm at a point thereon disposed radially of the pivotal axis of the arm, and means operatively connected to the opposite end of the spring for exerting a pulling on the latter in a direction transversely of said pivotal axis away from the opposite end of the spring, whereby the initial turning moment of said arm will be less than the subsequent turning moment thereof after the arm has been moved a predetermined distance away from a normal position by action of said spring, said arm being arranged and constructed for disposition in a normal position in which the arm and spring extend in approximately parallel vating arm pivoted for movement from lowered to raised position to elevate a ball, means re mote from the pivotal axis of said arm providing a ball seat, a switch carried by said arm, and switch operating means 'operatively connected with said switch and including a member projecting into said seat for engagement by a ball therein to operate said switch, said switch being adapted for connection in a circuit to be controlled in accordance with the presence or absence of 'a ball in said seat.

9. In an amusement apparatus including a ball elevating device and electromagnetic means for moving the same from a lowered to raised position to elevate a ball, a control circuit including a manually operable switch arranged to actuate a relay, switch means operated by said relay to close a locking circuit for the relay to hold the latter energized and also to close and maintain a power circuit connection to said electromagnetic means, whereby to effect elevating movement of said arm, and switch means arranged for operation by said arm when the latter reaches a predetermined'elevated position to open said locking circuit for the relay and effect denergization of said first-mentioned electromagnetic means.

WILLOUGHBY I-I. BUTTERWORTH.

Images