US2197520A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 15, EBERT GAME APPARATUS Filed Sept. 28, 19358 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 N m n \9 o; n I

no \9 a Q INVENTORY Edward 17214- April 16, 1940. 5 -r 2,197,520

mm APPARATUS Filed Sept. 28, 1938 s Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. Edward Ebert @wl fbm.

April 1940- E. EBERT GAME APPARATUS Filed Sept. 28, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 wmO .& Eh

INVENTOR. F/ward ber'i' ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 1 6, 1946 UNlTED STATES GAME APPARATUS Edward Ebert,

Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application: September 2c, 1938, Serial No. 232,033

4 Claims.

indicating means by which the winner is clearly indicated to all players.

An important object of this invention is to provide in an apparatus of this type an interconnected combination of tables so arranged that as soon as a winner is determined the display means is automatically energized and all of the tables are rendered inoperative, while the indi-- cating means of the winning table remains energized.

Another object of the invention is the provision of display means on each table which indicates the total points accumulated by each individual player as the game progresses.

A further object of the invention is to provide additional indicating means which clearly displays how many balls each player has played at any particular time.

The indicating means of the winning machine also indicates the winner when he has'been determined and on all the other machines indicates the losing. players.

A further object of the invention is to provide in combination with mechanism of this type a further display or indicating means associated and interconnected with the respective machines for providing a progressive display of a type to add the element of interest to the game and indicate, when desired, winners in addition to the player at the winning table.

A still further object of the invention is to provide in mechanism of this type actuating means which is controlled by the balls as they are played.

An additional object of the invention is to provide reset means by which all the mechanism of the machines is returned to. the starting or initial position at the completion of each game.

These and other objects as will appear from the following disclosure are successfully secured by means of the mechanism herein described in detail which is but illustrative of the many physical forms in which it may be embodied.

This invention resides substantially in the combination, construction, arrangement and relative location of parts, all as will be described in full detail.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevationalview of two of a bank of cooperating machines, showing the additional display means supported thereover;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of two of the tables;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig.2; l

Fig.4 is a top plan View of one of the tables with thetop removed; 1

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the actuating mechanism and its circuit connections for two complete tables; and p v Fig. 7 is a rear elevational view of one of the electro-magnetically actuated step-by-step switchingdevices which controls that portion of the indicating means which shows the accumulated score of the respective players.

Before describing the mechanism in detail it is desired to emphasizethat the invention broadly speaking involves a combination which comprises a plurality of interconnected machines so that upon the determination of a winner all machines are rendered inoperative and the winning machine continues to display until released by an operator, the winning indications. Associated with and controlled by this mechanism is an additional display device having portions associated respectively with the machines, and serving to indicate the winning table and additional winners when desired. I l

Thus with an arrangement of this type a suitable form of installation consists of a bank of the machines arranged around the four sides of a room to form, for example, an open square. Mounted on the walls of the room and extending continuously therearound, as for example in the form of a band is a display device consisting of a series of individual chambers containing indicating lights behind a display to beilluminated thereby successively throughout the playing of the game. The display can for example consist of horses on the run in a continuous band which are successively lighted so that the effect is that of the horses appearing to travel around the room continuously as the game is being played. This 7 display band is interconnected with the-machines so that when a winner is determined the light remains lightedin the chamber above the winning machine while the lights continue to be successively energized for a short period thereafter, after which they come to a stop and're- 5 main energized to indicate additional winners if desired. Various modifications of these general ideas can of course be made, some of which will be indicated later. This additional displaydevice adds a considerable element of interest to v those balls which do not drop into the'holes l6 and roll over to the side.

the machine is inclined downwardly towards the one winnerwhen desired.

Referring to Figure 1, two of the machines of a bank are illustrated as they would appear from the front. They are shown comprising the tables I and 2 mounted upon a suitable base or support 3. Mounted at the front end of each table when desired are seats for the players, as indicated at S in Figs. 2 and 3. The tables I and 2 consist of plain surfaces inclined upwardly from the front towards the rear and separated from each other by means of side rails M, as is clear from Figure 1. At the rear of each machine are cabinets ill and l l, the fronts i and 5 of which, as will be explained in detail later, form indicating or display means. Prominently. positioned on the front of each cabinet is a window 6 and 1 respectively through which is displayed, as will be explained later, a number indicating the number ofballs each player has played during the progress of the game. Positioned around the windows 6 and '5, preferably in the form of a rectangle, are a series of transparent windows 8-and 9 which form the fronts of cubicles in which are mounted electric lamps, as clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 3. There are twenty-eight of these on each machine.

On the front of each machine is a ball container as shown at l2 and lit, access to which may be had through openings M and it respectively through the table tops.- At the rear end of the table top are suitably shaped guides 25 and 26 which redirect the balls as they are returned back down the table in the region of the holes [6 and ll formed therein. Transversely of the table so to speak, as is clear from Fig. 2, the holes are arranged in lines for a purpose about to be described. In front of each set of holes are the baffles or hurdles l8 and it over which the balls are rolled so that they are projected into the air to fall in the apertured region. To each side of the baflles or hurdles are openings 22 and 23 for the tables respectively, through which for example, running horses so that they will be illuminated as the lights in back thereof are succe'ssively energized, as will be explained later.

Referring to Fig. 3 the structure within each table is clearly shown. The ball receiving pocket 12 is clearly indicated showing the balls B therein easily accessible through the opening I l. The top l of the table forms in conjunction with the bottom l and suitable side and end walls, a compartment in which is mounted a transversely inclined member 2'! (see particularly Fig. 5). Extending transversely across this member and below the openings iii are a series of b a-files 26 which are arranged to form transversely extending troughs under each transverse row of openings I5. Positioned opposite the end of the four uppermost baflles are switches 28; positioned opposite the trough formed by the last two pair of bafiies 26' is another switch 29. These switches are positioned in, as will appear from Fig. 5, a trough which receives the balls as they drop onto the member 2'! between the baflles 26 The bottom wall of front as shown in Fig. 3, so that the balls after rolling to the side will roll downwardly so that the game and makes it possible to have more than they must move over the switches 28 and 29. As is clear from Fig. 5, a track at one side is formed in which the switches are placed and the balls B after rolling to the side roll down towards the front of the machine along this track. At the lower end of the track is an additional switch 3!]. The function of these switches will be described later. It is pointed out here, however, that as the balls roll over them. they are successively closed. If a ball falls for example in the trough at the extreme right between the baiflles 26' it will roll over all of these switches closing each of them in succession. If the ball falls in one of the other troughs it will close a lesser number, depending on which it falls into. It will be noted that all balls engage switch 39, even including those which fall through the openings 22. The lower end of the tracks down which the balls run runs into a curved guide 3! against a bafille 32 and then back into the container l2 through an opening (not shown). The baffle 33 is provided to guide those balls which fall through the openings 22 to the side onto the track.

In the compartments 20 and 21 are positioned the lights 34 and 35, and 3B vand 37 respectively. These lights are shown at the topof Fig. 6.

In the upper part of the cabinet ll! are three compartments having transparent or translucent front cover plates behind which are mounted the lamps 38, 3d and ll respectively. The windows in front of these lights have respectively displayed thereon the words Win, Start, and Lose. In a similar way the upper part of cabinet l i is provided with the same kind of compartments in which are mounted the lamps il, Q2 and 43, and on which are displayed the Words W'in, Start, and Lose.

Referring again to Fig. 6 it will be seen that these lights are clearly displayed. In the win compartments there are in addition the lamps 4-4 and &5, which have not been shown in Figure l for the sake of clarity. At 56 are the terminals which are to be connected to a suitable power source such as the usual 110 volt lighting circuit. One of these terminals is connected through wire 31 to a wire iswhich is connected to one terminal of the primary of transformer 4Q. Wire iii also extends through a normally open circuit to one terminal of the primary of transformer 54. The other terminal of both of these primaries is connected by Wire 55 to Wire 5! which returns through the switch 52 to the other power terminal 46. When the machines are completely out of use both switches 52 and 53 are open.

The secondary of transformer 49 is connected through wires 55 to the reset solenoids 9! and 92 in parallel. The solenoid 56 acts to rotate a switch'arm it which cooperates with the contacts on the disc 58- one set at a time in clockwise di rection for each impulse which it receives. The solenoid 5i actuates the disc 53 of the number display device step-hy-step for each impulse. The structure of the commutator 89-58 may be one of many well known and suitable forms, an

example of which is illustrated in Fig. '7 for purposes of completeness. This mechanism will shortly be described. The mechanism. including the disc 59 is likewise known in many forms and is simply a projecting device which is diagrammatically shown in 53. The disc 59 is of trans parent or translucent material and has a series of figures from 1 to 24 in this case, which are successively displayed through the window 6 by reason of the rotation thereof and the continuous in describing one machine has described all of energization of the projection lamp 59 (see Fig. At this point it may be noted that applicant the machines since they are each exactly the same, there being one or two pieces of mechanism which are common to all, and which will be indicated as the description proceeds.

At this point the commutator and its operating mechanism as shown in Fig. '7 can be described. It consists of a fixed disc 58 of insulating material which has a series of contacts thereon to which the circuit connections 8 are respectively made. These connections respectively run to the lights in the cubicles 8 on the front of the machine. These lights have been omitted from Fig. 6 in order to simplify the drawing as much as possible. At N19 is a shaft to which the moving brush 99 is connected for rotation therewith. Also connected to this shaft is a toothed ratchet-wheel Mile Pivotally mounted on the shaft but not connected thereto is a lever I I2 which extends on both sides of the shaft as shown in Fig. 7. The extension H2 is pivotally connected to the plunger IIi-i of the operating solenoid 56. A spring H4 is provided to normally hold the parts in retracted position when the solenoid 56 is tie-energized. Pivotally mounted on the other extension at I I5 is a short lever I I6 which has a finger I IE on it which engages the ratchet wheel I III. A spring I I I is provided to hold the finger H6 in engagement with the ratchet wheel. The reset solenoid M is mounted in place as shown and has a plunger I I9 which is pivotally connected by a link I20 to a lever lit pivotally mounted as shown. This lever I2! alsohas a plunger I22 which engages with the ratchet wheel llfl. Aspring I 23 holds the lever I2! in position shown. The end I24 of this lever is positioned to engage with the finger I I3 which is extended for that purpose.

A description of the operation of this device seems suitable at this point. Every time the solenoid 56 is energized its plunger H3 moves to the right carrying the lever I I2 in a counterclockwise direction. When this happens the finger I Ill moves to the left to engage the next shaft of the ratchet lid and as soon as the solenoid 56 is tie-energized spring II I, returns the parts to the position shown, and in so doing rotates shaft I09 one step and the brush 9% with it from the contact on the disc 58 which passes on to the next contact. Connected to the shaft N19 is a spring, as is well known, and which is'not shown in the drawings, which has its other end anchored to a fixed point so that as the shaft is rotated in a clockwise direction (Fig. '7) with the ratchet wheel lit, the spring is wound up. At the end of the game, and as will be described later to reset the mechanism the solenoid ill is momentarily energized. When this happens its plunger M9 moves to the left and lever IN is moved by it in a counter-clockwise direction. This disengages the finger I22 which heretofore has always engaged the ratchet IIEI. Its upper end I24 also engages the extending finger H8 and moves it out of engagement with the ratchet wheel H0. The result is that the return spring (not shown) immediately snaps the shaft IBQ back to starting position carrying the brush 99 with it back to the position shown in Fig 6.

With respect to the solenoids 5'! and. 9?. which operate a number display device, the mechanism is substantially the same in that for each energization of the operating solenoid Bl disc 59 is rotated one step to successively display the numbers thereon beginning from ohe.' At the end of the game when the reset solenoid 9| is energized the reset solenoid 92 is also energized, releasing the disc 59 for return to starting position by means of a spring as before. It is of course apparent that the display disc 59 is rotated step-by-step in a manner comparable to the movement of the brush 99.

The wires 41 and 5| are respectively connected to a pair of wires 60 and BI. These wires are connected to the primaries of transformers 62, 53, 6t, 65, Ill and M in parallel. They are also connected through a switch 66 to a motor 61 which rotates the shaft on which the brush 69 is mounted. These connections are made so that as soon as switch 52 is closed motor 61 is energized and the brush 69 continuously and slowly revolves successively over the contacts on the insulating disc I58. As is clear from Fig. 6 the brush 59 always engages three of these contacts. At 66 is an electro-magnet which when energized opens the normally closed switch Eli The secondary of transformer It! has one terminal connected by wire 'II to the moving brush 69. Its other terminal is connected by wire 12 which runs to one terminal of each of the lamps in the overhead display device 28, 2! in which the lamps 3d and 36 are shown. The other terminals of these lamps are respectively connected by the wires I5 to the contacts on the disc 68. It will be at once apparent in order to stir up initial interest in the game that with switch 52 closed the brush 69 will slowly revolve always energizing three of the lamps in the overhead display device, that is three adjacent lamps, and so that they are progressively lighted-and extinguished. Thus three of the compartments 20, RI are continuously lit but in succession so that the region of light 'slowly travels around the room as will be apparent. This continues until this sequence is interrupted, as will be explained later.

The secondary of transformer 'Mis connected to the wires l5 and IS. The wire 15 is connected to the wire 8i of each machine which in turn is connected to one of the fixed contactsof the double-throw switch 83 and the fixed contact of the single-throw switch 36. Wire I9 is connected to the wire I8 of each machine which connects to one terminal of the electro-magnetic solenoid 82, the other terminal of which is connected to the fixed contact of the switch 83 which is normally engaged by the movable contact. Wire 18 is also connected by wire 89 to one terminal of the lamp 35 (in the case of the other machine to one terminal of the lamp Bl), and by wire 88' to one terminal of the win lamp 38 (in the case of the other machine the win lamp ll). The return lead 88 for this lamp goes back to the wire ill which is also the return lead for the lamp 35 which terminates at the movable contact to switch 86. The movable contact of switch 33 is connected by wire M to wire 85. A signal device such as a bell 3B is connected across the wires and I9.

One terminal of the secondary of transformer 62 is connected by wire 90 to one terminal of each of the reset solenoids BI and 92. The other terminal of the solenoid 9| is connected to one of the contacts on each of the switches 28 and 29 through wire 93. The other terminal of solenoid 92 is connected by wire 95 to one of the contacts of switch 30. The other contact of this switch together with the corresponding contacts of the switches 28 and 29 are connected by a common lead 94 to the other terminal of the secondary .of transformer 62.

One terminal of the secondary of transformer 93 is connected by wire 95 to the movable contact of the double-throw switch 9?. The fixed contact with switch normally engaged bythe movable contact is connected by wire 98 to the revolving brush 99. The initial or starting contact engaged by this brush is connected by wire as shown to the lamp 39. The return lead I03 of this lamp is connected to the other terminal of the secondary of transformer 63. A wire E92 connects wire 93 with one terminal of the solenoicl I95 which actuates the switches 83 and 86. The other terminal is connected by wire 90 to the last contact on the disc 58. The starting contact of this commutator is also connected to one terminal of the lamp 49 while its return wire l M is connected to the normally open fixed contact of switch 91. A normally open single-throw switch H95 has its movable contact connected by the wire H95 to one of the wires 15 of lamp 3 The other terminal of this switch is connected by wire i0! to wire 12 through the lamp 44 (the corresponding wire. connecting to lamp 45 on the other machine).- It will be noted, as is apparent from Fig. 6 that when solenoid 82 is deenergized switches 97 and 1195 are in the position shown andwhen energized switch H35 closes while switch 91 moves to its other position. A quite similar action occurs when the solenoid it! is energized.

It may again be noted that the leads 8 from the contacts on the disc 58 are respectively returned on each machine in succession to the lamps in the cubicles 9 in rotation. Thus the contact which is shown engaged by the brush 99 goes to one terminal of the lamp in the cubicle 8 in the upper lefthand corner of the rectangle. This contact also goes, as explained, to light 39 and to light 49. The next contact goes to the next light to the right thereof (see Fig. 1). These connections continue on around to the seventhcontact which is shown having two leads 8 These leads respectively. go to the last two lights in the cubicles 8 on the upper horizontal row. Thus these lights both light at once and indicate that the player has gone one-quarter of the way, there being marked on the display window of the extreme right. hand cubicle B indicia of this fact as shown. In the same way at the one-half and three-quarter marks the same thing occurs, namely two lights light up the one in the corner and the one just back of it. It will also be noted that at the start of the game with the brush 99 in the position shown that the start light 39 on each machine will be energized when switch 52 is closed. This switch is closed when it is time to start the game and the players begin to roll the balls when the start lights light up.

To trace the start light circuit, current flows through the secondary of transformer 83, through wire 96, the normally closed half of the doublethrow switch 97, wire 98, brush 99, the contact of disc 58, under it and from it to lamp 39 and back by Way of wire I 93 to the other terminal of the secondary. At this time, as previously explained, brush 59 is slowly sweeping over its associated contacts and completing circuits as follows: From one terminal of the secondary of transformer 79 through wire H, to brush 69 and through whichever three contacts are in engagement therewith to wires 16. The current then flows through Whichever three wires are energized as shown for example in Fig. 6 to the three lights 3 36 and 36', and thence back through the common lead 12 to the other side of the secondary. Thus these lights will be lit in groups of three adjacent lights which as the next leading light in the direction of travel is energized, has the third or trailing light extinguished.

As soon as the start light is illuminated the players begin to roll the balls over the tables. If we assume that the player on table II], Fig. drops a ball through the uppermost hole It, itwill be seen that it will roll to the side and then down to the front of the machine closing all of switches 28, switch 29 and switch 30. When the first switch 28 is closed current will flow from one terminal of the secondary of transformer 62 through wire 94, the uppermost switch 28, which is the one at the extreme right in Fig. 3, through that switch to Wire 93, thence through solenoid 56 and back through wire to the other terminal of the secondary. This switch is only momentarily closed so that a single impulse is given to the solenoid 56 causing the brush arm 99 to move one step in a clockwise direction as previously explained in connection with Fig. 7. immediately then the second light in the cubicle 8, that is in the upper row (Fig. l), is illuminated by a completion of a circuit over the wire 9 to the lamp and by a return lead to Wire )3. It is of course to be noted that the first light, that is the one in the upper left hand corner of the first row of cubicles 8 is already illuminated, its circuit having been completed when switch 53 is closed, but it goes out as brush 99 moves to the next contact. As a ball closes the second switch 28 another impulse is given to the solenoid 56 and brush 99 moves on to the next contact, completing the circuit to the next light in the cubicles 8 through the next wire 8*, the previous light being of course extinguished. This operation is completed when the third switch 28 is closed and. again when the switch 29 is closed.

previously mentioned, it a ball falls through one of the rows of holes it nearer the operator of the switches :28 and 29 will be closed, depending upon which pair of baffies the ball Jrops between, as will be apparent from Figs. 3 a1" 4. When the ball rolls down so that switch s closed a circuit is completed to wire 95, lid and through wire 99, giving an i pulse to that solenoid. The result is that the disc 59 will be rotated one step so that the number .1 which was exposed in window h prior to time .laced by the number 2, indicating that one has been played and that the next ball to be played is the number 2 ball.

At this point it might be mentioned, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, that the numbers be to the disc 59 so that at the start of the game there is a blank space opposite the window 6, so that no numbers ap- Then th 'unibers in the window will indicate the num' r of balls that have been played. rather than indicating the next ball to be s illed in the will appreciate that 'fications of this type may be cmu: this point it may be noted with i t occurring on machine No.

n all of the other machines then rolled over the table and this action is continued as fast as the individual players wish to play. When the brush 99 gets to the seventh contact-that is the one with the two leads, the last two lights in the upper horizontal row will be illuminated as explained before. It is again mentioned that throughout this period the lights are traveling around the band indicator above the machines at a rate of speed depending upon the speed of rotation of the brush B9.

For the purpose of this discussion it will be assumed. that the player on table Hi becomes a winner by depositing enough balls in the proper openings and operating the switches 28 and 29 a sufiicient number of times so that the brush 99 finally reaches the last contact in the circle of the commutator 58, that is the one just to the left of the one engaged by it in Fig. 6. At this time the lights in the cubicles 8 have been successively lit all the way around the square until the one below the initial light, that is the second highest one in the left hand vertical column is illuminated. At the same time that this lamp is illuminated a circuit is made from brush 99 through wire Hit to magnet HM and back to wire Hit by wire E2. The plunger of this magnet is retracted throwing switch 83 to its other position and closing switch 86. A circuit is then completed through switch 83 as follows: From one terminal of the secondary of transformer l' l through wire is to magnet 66.

from that magnet to wire 85 then to wire 84, switch 83 towire M, and by wire l back to the other terminal of the secondary. The energization of magnet (it opens 66*, de-energizing the motor 67. This motor drives the brush 69 through a reduction gearingand the parts may be constructed so that at the slow speed at which they move, as soon as the motor Bl is de-energized, brush 69 comes to a stop holding energized whichever three lights in the band display device above the machines are connected to the wires then engaged by the brush. If desired, the mechanism can be arranged so that it comes to a slow stop, so that the area of light continues to travel a little distance slowly decreasing in its speed of movement until it comes to a stop. The three tables over which the three compartments in this display device are illuminated then serve to indicate one or more winners if desired in addition to the first prize winner at table In. Since the bell 80 is also connected to the same wires, that is wires l9 and 85, it is energized to give an audible signal that a winner has been determined.

A circuit is completed through switch 86 as follows: From wire 3i through the switch to wire 81, lamp 35 in the band display device at the compartment above the winning table and back by wires 89, 18 and 19. Thus, although light 34 will normally be extinguished at this time, the compartment was illuminated by energization of light 35. It may be noted that in rare instanceswhere the brush 69 stops at the winning table, one of the three compartments remaining lighted may include the compartment for the winning machine. If, for example, that compartment happened to be the compartment 20, then both lights 34 and 35 will be illuminated, which of course makes no difference in the operation of the machine. It will be noted that light 38 in the win compartment of machine No. IE3

is connected across the wires 87 and 8% by the wires 88 and 88' with the result that it is illuminated to also indicate the first prize winner.

It is to be noted that the magnets [ill of all of the other machines remain de-energized because their circuits are not closed by the respective brushes 99. It would be a rare coincidence that the circuits for more than one magnet Illl would be completed. However, should this occur there is a tie for first prize; the mechanism is in no way disturbed by such an occurrence.

The circuit for the magnet 82 of the winning machine is broken at switch 83 as is apparent when a magnet It! on that machine is energized. However, the magnets 82 for all of the other machines are energized as follows for example with respect to machine No. ll. Current flows from wire F9 to wire 18, magnet 82', the closed portion of switch 83, wire 34', wire 85, back to wire 84 through the closed portion of switch 33, wire 8! and by wire 75 back to the other side of the secondary of transformer 14. In other words the circuits for all of the magnets 82 on the losing machine may be traced back through the closed portion of switch 33 on the Winning machine. The energizationof the magnet82 causes the lower portion of switch 91" to close and causes switch I65 to close. The circuit through the upper portion of switch 91 is also at this time broken'so that in the event that the brush'llB' should reach the last contact a circuit through it would not be completed to the magnet Hill. The same of course applies to this same circuit on all of the machines. For example, it may be that at the time the winner at table ill completes the circuit through his brush $9, the next highest player may be one or two plays behind him and have already rolled the ball which falls through a pocket so that it will close enough of switches 28 and 29 so that his brush 99,.if he be at table ll, will comper half of switch 91' so that there cannot be a' tie. i

The closing of the lower half of switch 91' completes a circuit from one terminal of the secondary of transformer 65 through wire N13 to the lose light E3, back by wire 1M through the closed lower half of switch 91 to the other terminal of the secondary of transformer 65 through wire 96'. Thusthe lose light on machine H is energized. The same thing occurs on all of the losing machines.

In review under these conditions it will seen that the win light 38 of the winning machine is lit, as is the light 35 over it. The lose light 43 on machine H is lit, as are all'of the lose lights of the other machines. Thus the main or first prize winner of the game is accurately determined.

However, the second light in the win cubicle of three other machines as determined by the brush 69 are lit. These secondary win lights, as for example the lamp 2.5 of the machine H, are preferably of adififerent color than the main winflights, as for example red isdistinguished from white, To light these auxiliary win lights current flows through wire 'IZ to light $5 for example, and back by wire Hill to switch 505 which is closed, and back by wire ms' to the wires 16 connecting it with the commutator 68, and from there through the brush 69 to wire H. The same circuit could be traced if more machines were shown in Fig. 6 for two more auxiliary win lights which being red clearly distinguish the secondary winners from the first prize winners.

In order to reset the machines after the game is over the operator merely closes switch 53 which energizes the primaries of transformers i9 and 54 of the corresponding transformers of all the other machines with the result that the circuits for the reset magnets ill and 92 of all the machines are energized. As soon as they are energized the brushes 89 and the discs 59 are whirled back to starting position by the return springs as described in connection with the structure of Fig. 7. Switch is .then opened until it is time to start a new game. At this time the sequence of operation is repeated as described in detail above. It might be well to note that as is apparent, in some cases the brush Q9 may get around to the last contact at a time when the ball which caused it to reach that point had yet to pass over one or more of the switches 28 and 29. The result would be that although the brush had reached the end of its travel one or more impulses would be given to the operating magnet 56. However, by providin a simple mechanical stop past which the brush 99 may not move, it will be seen that the impulses to the operating magnet will be of no avail.

From the above description it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the details of this invention may be varied in many ways without departure from the novel scope of the subject matter herein disclosed. I do not, therefore, desire to be strictly limited to this disclosure as given for purposes of illustration, but rather to the claims granted me.

What I seek to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A game apparatus of the type described comprising a plurality of tables each having a surface over which balls are rolled and a plurality of apertures through which the balls may pas's,a

' plurality of switches arranged to be operated in sequence by each ball which passes through an aperture, the number of switchesoperated depending upon the particular aperture through which the ball passes, a winning signaling lamp, a circuit for said lamp, means connected to said switches for completing said circuit when said switches have been closed a predetermined number of times, a band display device having one signaling lamp for each table, commutating means for energizing a group of the lamps in the band display device progressively and continuously, and means for stopping the commutating means when said winning signaling lamp is energized, whereby a group of lamps in the band display device remain energized.

' 2. A game apparatus of the type described comprising a plurality of tables each having a surface over which balls are rolled and a plurality of apertures through which the balls may pass, a plurality of switches arranged to be operated in sequence by each ball which passes through an aperture, the number of switches 0perated depending upon the particular aperture through which the ball passes, a winning signaling lamp, a circuit for said lamp, means connect' ed-to said switches forv completing said circuit when said switches have been closed a-predetermined number of times, a lose lamp for each table, means controlled by said means for energizing the lose lamp of all the other tables when the Win lamp of one table is energized, a band display device having one signaling lamp for each table, commutating means for energizing a group of the lamps in the band display device progressively and continuously, and means for stopping the commutating means when said winning signaling lamp is energized, whereby a group of lamps in the band display device remain energized.

3. A game apparatus of the type described comprising a plurality of tables each having a surface over which balls are rolled and a plurality of apertures through which the balls may pass, a plurality of switches arranged to be operated in sequence by each ball which passes through an aperture, the number of switches 0perated depending upon the particular aperture through which the ball passes, a winning signaiing lamp, a circuit for said lamp, means connected to said switches for completing said circuit when said switches have been closed a predetermined number of times, a band display device having one signaling lamp for each tableycommutating means for energizing a group of the lamps in the band display device progressively and continuously, means for stopping the commutating means when said winning signaling lamp is energized, whereby a group of lamps in the band display device remain energized, and a secondary win lamp for each table controlled by said ccmmutating means whereby when it comes to a stop the secondary win lamps for a group of said tables are energized.

4:. A game apparatus of the type described comprising a plurality of tables each having a surface over which balls are rolled and a plurality of apertures through which the balls may pass, a plurality of switches arranged to be operated in sequence by each ball which passes through an aperture, the number of switches operated depending upon the particular aperture through which the ball passes, a winning signaling lamp, a circuit for said lamp, means connected to said switches for completing said circuit when said switches have been closed a predetermined number'of times, a lose lamp for each table, means controlled by said means for energizing the lose lamp of all the other tables when the win lamp of one table is energized, a band display device having one signaling lamp for each table, commutating means for energizing a group of the lamps in the band display device progressively and continuously, means for stopping the commutating means when said Winning signaling lamp is energized whereby a group of lamps in the band display device remain energized, and a secondary win lamp for each table controlled by said commutating means whereby when it comes to a stop the secondary win lamps for a group of

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