US2200190A - Playing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

1940- P. J.- PLOUVIER PLAYING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 Filod Oct. 1'0", 1939 y P. J. PLOUVIER 2,200,190

PLAYING APPARATUS Filid Oct. 17, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 7, 1940' UNITED-STATES PATENT" or ies PLAYING APPARATUS Paul Joseph l louvler, Montrcnil-sous-Boia,

France Application October 17, 1939, Serial No. 299,885 In France October 14, 1938 9 Claims.

Playing apparatus are in use, and chiefly apparatus termed American billiards, or games with balls, which serve, by the insertion of a coin or counter, to provide the player with one or more balls.

These balls are sent out, or put in the game, by a suitable device, and move upon a fiat board which is usually stationary and inclined, and comprises orifices or posts which form part of an electric .circuit.

The contact made by the ball or balls with the edges of theoritlces or with the posts will close a circuit supplying a mechanical or an electromechanical device adapted to actuate a counter If this total shouldattain or exceed a minimum specified total, the player receives a reward in the shape of counters which may be exchanged, or any other object, or may again use the game without laying any stake beforehand.

The present invention .has for its object to greatly increase the commercial yield and the possibilities, both attractive and spectacular, of such apparatus or 01' all other playing apparatus.

Thus the invention relates to a playing apparatus with balls or the like, which is chiefly characterized by the fact that it is so arranged as to provide successively, with the same mechanisms and owing to a suitable selecting device, for several different games which can be chosen by the player, one by one, and at his will and choice.

These games may difier among themselves in various ways, as it will appear from the following description,

In the accompanying drawings, given solely by way of example:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus according to the invention.

Fig.2 is a diagram of the corresponding electric connections. 7

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modification in which, in addition to the selection of the maxiwhich are mum number of faults and of the contact-pieces which are not to be struck, it is possible to regulate the amount of the movements which may be given to the board carrying the contact-pieces.

In the embodiment represented in Fig. 1, the apparatus is of the known type comprising a case I whose upper transparent wall shows, through a glass plate, an inclined board 2 having four sets of electric contact-pieces I, l, 8, O, the contact-pieces of the difierent series being in different number a coin at H.

or not, and having diflerent colours, for instance,

the guide 8, one or more successive balls 9 whichare supplied to the player by a known device In which is released by the insertion of a counter or The game is won when the ball or balls sent upon the board make contact with less than a specified total number of contact-pieces of one or more series which have been: prelimi narily chosen, and each contact constitutes a fault and is registered by the meter. The game may be so arranged that the game shall be won as follows: I

In the case of the first series or rule of the game (with only the red contact-pieces 3 in circuit) if the number of contact-pieces struck is less than three (which supposes the use of several balls, as the number of contact-pieces 3 is for instance only two) (game I).

In the case of the second series or rule of the game (with the blue and red contact-pieces 3 and 4 in circuit), if the number of contact-pieces struck is less than five, for instance (game 11) In the case of the third series or rule of the game (with the red, blue and green contactpieces 3, 4 and 5 in circuit) if the number of contact-pieces struck is less than seven, for in- .stanceigame III).

pieces struck is less than nine, for instance (game These different combinations for the game can be chosen at will, by means of a selecting device S which is operated by a handle .l 2.

Moreover, the arrangement is such that if the game is won, the player receives a reward, or may play another game, as the device is free and will serve to place another set of balls in the game.

At the upper part of the apparatus, several indicating plates are disposed.

The lower, plate A shows, by luminous indicators l3 and It, the combination or the rule of the game which is chosen by the selector S The plate B consists of a certain number of two red contact-pieces 3, three blue contactsquares l5 corresponding to the maximum total number of faults allowed. Each square corresponds to a fault, and each of these squares is provided with an electric lamp. The lamps will 8 light up successively from one square to another, starting from the left, according to the faults. In the present embodiment, for convenience in the drawings, the number of squares is supposed to be limited to ten, but it is evident that the i *apparatus may be arranged for tens, hundreds and even thousands of faults. In such case, lamps may only be provided for tens or hundreds of faults, etc.

The juxtaposed plates C and D represent spec- 16 tacular designs of any kind, for instance a game of football at C or a bicycle race at D. These plates are provided with a certain number of lamps supplied by an auxiliary selector S with operating handle l6, which permits of choosing, 20 at will, any one of the plates, and by electric connections such-that the corresponding plate will only be lighted when the game is won or lost, according to the case.

In Fig. 2, the lamps of the plate B are shown 25 at L to L The plates 0 and D comprise two sets of lamps 20, 2! and 22, 23.

To the left of Fig. 2 is represented the board 2, which is metallic and is insulated from earth, by a series of semcircles which are connected together. The adjacent points represent the contact-pieces 3, 4, and 6, which are connected in four groups.

In the lower right-hand corner, above the plates C and D, is shown the mechanism for starting the game. This mechanism comprises a channel I I, through which the player introduces his coin or counter 24. Below,the lower end of said channel II is located the mortise of a rod 25 for starting the game, which has a square 40 section and is provided with a knob 26, and is slidable in the front wall of the case I (Fig. 1); its rear end, when it is pushed in the direction of the arrow 1 releases, in a known manner, the

ball or balls 9 which have been kept in reserve The said pawl turns upon a pivoted lever 29.

which is urged downwardly by a spring 30. The

50 said lever has a notch 3! in its lower face, in which is engaged, in the idle position, the end of the armature 32 of an electro-magnet 33, and said armature is drawn back by a spring 34 when the electro-magnet is not excited.

55 The operation of this device is as follows. When no counter is engaged in the mortise of the rod or push-piece 25, this push-piece cannot be driven in by bearing upon it, as the pawl 28 is engaged in the notch 21. The end of the arma- 60 ture 32 is engaged in the notch 3!, against the action of the spring 34 which is now stretched. When the player inserts a counter 24 (or a coin), into the channel I I, this coin will come into the mortise of the rod 25, and thus when the knob 26 is pressed, the said counter will act as a cam and will raise the pawl 28 and the lever 29, against the action of the spring 30. release'the said armature 32, which now turns into theposition shown in Fig. 2 by the action' of 70 the spring 34. In these conditions, and as long as the electro-magnet 33 is not energized, the armature will hold the lever 29 in the raised position, and the pawl 28 will move out of the way above the notch 21 of the push-piece. Thus un- 75 til the electro-magnet 33 is energized, the said channel I l.

This will 3| of the lever 29, and thus allows this lever and the pawl 28 to again descend by the action of the spring 30 into the position for locking the rod 25, which can no longer be operated by the player unless he places another coin or counter in the The mechanism above described is completed bythe strips 35,36, 31, 38, 39, 40 and 4| which form, from top to bottom, four switches a, b, c, d, actuated by the lever 29. The said strips are combined with this lever in such way that when the lever is raised, the switches b and c are closed and the switches a and d open, and the contrary is true when the said lever is lowered.

Above the lamps L is situated the counter for the faults. The said counter comprises a ratchet wheel 42, which is acted upon by the electro-, magnet 44 used for the faults, by means of its .armature 43 which is controlled by a spring. The wheel '42 carries a friction piece or brush 46 adapted to make contact successively, according to the rotation of the wheel, with contact pieces P to P 1 uniformly distributed around the wheel and corresponding to the lamps L to 11 The contact-piece P is an additional contactpiece which is connectedto an electro-magnet 46? adapted for setting back to zero, and its armature 41, when attracted against the spring 48, releases a pawl 49 serving to retain the wheel 42 and normally applied against this wheel by a spring 50.

It should be noted that the said counter is represented as having but a single wheel, for the sake of convenience in the description anddrawings, but it may comprise several stages, such as tens, hundreds, thousands, etc., and in this case the contact-pieces P will, be situated in any desired manner.

From a mechanical point of view, Fig. 2 also shows the selectors S and S The selector S comprises a rotatable shaft 5] 50 terminated by an operating knob l2. To this shaft are keyed, in suitable angular positions, nine earns 52 to 60.

The cam 52 comprises as many bossesas there are possible rules for the games, I, II, III, IV, or 55 four in the present example. The said cam 52 cooperateswith the movable strip of a switch e, and its angular position is such that the said' switch 6 will be open when the selector S has the position corresponding to any one of the four rules of the game, but will be closed when the selector has any intermediate position. A luminous device shows therule of the game which is chosen.

The twocams 53 and 54, termed selecting cams, 5 each cooperates with the movable strips of two selecting switches f g andh i, each of which is used with one of the groups of contact- pieces 3, 4, 5, 6. The angular'position of the cams 53 and 54 is such that each switch, I, g, h, i, will be are associated with the lamps L, U, L", I) used for instance for the limiting number of faults I will be open.

and terminal 12. When the ratchet wheel has The last two cams 88 and -88 are combined with four switches, r, s, t, u, each of which is used for one of the games which can be selected, and in such way that only the switch corresponding to the selected game will be closed.

As to the selector 8 its knob I8 actuates a shaft 8| to which are keyed two cams 82 and 83, each cooperating with two switches 11, w ands y, the switches 12 and at being closed when the switches w and 1: are open, and inversely.

The whole device is completed by a plug contact 64 for alternating current, supplying a transformer 85 having two secondary windings with terminals 88, 81 and 88, 89. One of these windings supplies a rectifier 18 in such way that the terminal 1| is a positive terminal anctthe termitive terminal 1| of the rectifier 18, the point 13, V

conductors 14 and 18 electro-magnet 48, conductor 18, the inner strips of the switches f, a, h, 2', controlled by the cams 83 and 54, conductors 11 connected in parallel and connecting the outer strips of said switches to the contact- pieces 3, 4, 5, 8, the plate 2, conductor 18, point 19, conductors 88 and 8| leading to the negative terminal 12 of the rectifier 18. It will be noted that the electro-magnet 45 is energized by this circuit each time that aball 9 strikes one of the contact-pieces 3, 4-, 5 or 8, for which the corresponding switch g, h or i is closed, 1. e. one of the selected contact-pieces. v

The circuit of the electro-magnet 48" for setting the counter at zero: This circuit is first 2'. The-armature 41 will hold the pawl 49 in the released'position, thus allowing the ratchet wheel 42 and its brush to return to the initialposition as at the start of the game. As the armatur e 41 has beenattracted by .the electro-magnet 48, the switch 2 will be closed, thus permanently maintaining the excitation of the electro-magnet during'the retur'nof the ratchet wheel to zero through the following circuit: terminal 1I, conductor 14, electromagnet 48', contact-piece switches z and .2, point 82, conductor 83 resumed itszero position, a stop '42" acts upon the switch 2, which thus opens the exciting circuit of theelectro-magnet 48. The armature 41, which is brought back by its spring 48, releases the retaining pawl 49, and the switch 2' L" which do not correspond to the maximum number of admissible faults for the difl'erent rules of the game I, II, III, IV: the terminal 81 of the secondary of the transformer, conductors 88, 84, brush 48, contact-pieces P to P in parallel, conductors 88 in parallel, lamp bulbs,

tors 88 in parallel, lamp bulbs, conductors 89' in parallel, outer strips of the switches in parallel n, r or o, a or p, t or q, u. The inner strips of the switches n, o, p, q are connected in common, by a conductor 98, to the terminal 88, and thus when each switch is closed, the corresponding lamp or lamps will be lighted when the brush 48 comes upon the corresponding contactpiece P. The inner strips of the switches r, s, t, u, are connected in common by a conductor 9| to the strip. 38 of the switch a of the device for starting the game, the other strip 38 being connected by the conductor 92 to the terminal 88 of the transformer, and thus each lamp L L L or L can be supplied by the auxiliary circuit above described, when the brush 48 is upon the corresponding contact-piece P, with the switch 1', s, t or u closed and the switch a also closed.

The circuit of the electro-magnet 33 adapted for the.locking of the device for starting the game: the positive terminal H of the rectifier,- conductor 93, switch b, conductor 94, terminals of the electro-magnet 33, conductor 95, point 98; after this point, the circuit of the electro-magnet can be closed either by the switch e of the selector, the point 19, the conductor and the negative. terminal 12, or by the conductor 91, any one of the switches 1,70, 1, m, and any one of the conductors connected to thecontact-pieces P P P", P", that is, to the lamps L L L", L

The circuits for the plates C and D. The inner strips of the switches 12 and w are connected by the conductor 99 to theterminal 81 of the transformer; the outer strips, are connected to the lamps 28 and 22 of the plates by the conductors I88 and- IN, and the return to these lamps is effected in parallel bythe conductor I82 which is connected to the conductor 98 and to the terminal 88; as the cam 82 constantly closes one or the other of the switches 12, w, the lamps 28 or 22 of the selected plate C or D are thus constantly lighted. As concerns the lamps 2| and 23, which will-only be lighted when the game is won, they have the same return to the-terminal 88 as the lamps 28 and 22, and are connected to the outer strips of the switches a: and y by the conductors I83 and I83; the inner strips of these switches are connected in parallel by the conductor I84 to the strip' H of the switch at of the starting mechanism.

The lamps I88 (out of the game) and I88 (to be played again) have a common terminal which is directly connected by the conductor 81 to the terminal 88 of the transformer. The second terminals of the lamps are connected by the conductors I81 and- I88 respectively 'to the strips 4i I and 39 of the switches c and (Land the common strip ,48 for these switches is connected by the The operation of the apparatus is as follows: 1. The player selects his indicating plate. 2. The player operates the selector SE, and if he has chosen the plate C, he brings this selector into the position represented. The lamps 20 of this plate are now lighted. I

3. The player operates the selector S and he.

chooses a rule of thegame, for instance the rule III, for which the contact- pieces 3, 4, 5 are to be employed, the contact-piece 6 being eliminated. The game is such that it is won if the number of contact-pieces struck by the balls is lessthan seven, according 'to the above indications. Thus the player brings the pointer which is mounted on the knob I2 of the selector, in coincidence with a mark on the case I corresponding to the chosen rule of the game. The selector will now have the position herein represented. The cam 52 holds the switch e open, and thus the electro-magnet 83 cannot be directly energized by 19, 80, BI. The

cams 53 and 54 hold the switches .f, llv and i in.

the closed polsition, and their-outer strips are connected by the conductors 11 to the contactpieces 3, 4, 5. On the other hand, the cam 54 holds the switch h in the open position, and its I outer strip is connected to the contact-piecesi,

As concerns the plate A, the row corresponding to. the chosen game III is now lighted, by the use of one or more lamps whose circuit, not shown,

is automatically closed by the selector when it has the position corresponding to the game III.

The three aforesaid operations are performed before the insertion of the coin or counter, and

the alternate lighting of these selections is effected by means of an intermediate lighting, for instance by a knob which is operated by the player.

4. The player inserts .a counter 24 into the channel I I, and then drives in the push-piece 25.

From now on, as the game is in progress, it can-' not be changed; The counter 24 acts as a cam to raise the pawl 28 and the lever 29, which is now held in the raised position by the armature 32, as above set forth. The switches b and c are a closed, and the switches a and d are open.

The player now sends out, one by one, the balls 9 with which he has been supplied. When a ball strikes one of the contact- pieces 3, 4 or 5, the circult of the electro-magnet 45 will now' be closed through one of the switches f, g, i. If a ball should strike a contact-piece 6, this will have no effect, as 'the switch It is open by the game III in question. Uponeach contact between a ball and one of the contact-pieces'3, 4, 5, i. e., fo'r-each-fault, according to rule, the wheel 42 of the counter will move forward by one unit. Thus the brush; 48

will advance successively upon the contact-pieces P P P etc. Whenthe brush comes upon any one of the contact piec'esP P P, P, P P

the circuit of the corresponding lamp! L ,.L, L

L L L will be directly closed upon the terminals 66 and 61. When the brush comes'upon the terminals P and P corresponding to'the maximum number of allowable farilts-forithe games I and II, these lamps will be lighted, as

their circuits are closedupon the terminal '88 by the conductor, the closed switches q or o, and the corresponding conductors 89.

If the total number of faults in the game should be less than seven, the player will receive a prize, or the whole will remain in the same condition, and the player can commence another game. The lamp I06 (tobe played again") is lighted by the circuit comprising the terminal, conductor81, lamp I08, conductor I08, switch c, conductor I09, terminal 61, and possibly a third game, but the time for the continuous use of the apparatus is limited to 2: minutes from the first start,-by means of a suitable known mechanism.

During the first game or after n successive.

games, when the brush comes upon the contactpiece P" usedfor the lamp L", the situationnow changes. In fact, at this time, the lampL" can-.

not be lighted, for the moment, by the circuit 88, the switch n and the conductor 90, as the switch n is open. But at the'same time, the circuit of the electro-magnet 88 is closed, through the circult: terminal 1I, conductor 83, closed switch b,

conductor 94, electro-magnet 88, conductor 95, point 98, conductor 91, closed switch 7, conductor 98, conductor 85, contact-piece L", brush 48, conductor 84, terminal 12. The electro-magnet 88 being energized, the armature 82 is attracted, and the lever 29 drops together with its pawl 28, thus definitively holding the push-piece which can now only be operated by the insertion of another counter at II. I

Owing to the descent of the lever 29, the switches b and c are open, and the switches a and d are closed. Due to the closing of the switch a, the lamp L is supplied by the circuit: terminal 61, lamp L", conductor 89, closed switch 1, conductor 9|, switch a, conductor 92,. terminal 88. At the same time, by means of the switch d, the lamp I05 out of the game is supplied, and the same is true for the lamps 2| of the plate C, by means of the conductor I04, the switch: and the conductor I08. 1 It is required to employ two sets of switches (n, o, p, q) and (r, s, t, u,) owing to the fact that it is necessary to relieve the lamps L l'.l,- L' and L of the sumof the direct and alternating voltages which they would be obliged to support it the circuits of these lamps were closed directly upon the terminal 68 in the same way as the circuits of the other lamps.

During a game, if the player should change the position of the selector in order to choose a simpler game, he will then close the switch e, thus supplying-the electro-magnet 88 which will then lock the push-piece 25, thus preventing the player from making any new game or from receiving a prize, and this will actuate an indicator change the inclination of this board, for instance by. means .of' a handle III, a lever II2 turning upon a, stationary axle H8, and alink H4. The

pivoting of the-lever H2 and hence of the said board'l, is limited by a stationary stop 5 and In this embodiment, it is supposed that the two plates 0 and D are superposed. They are provided with a common screen I I1, behind which number of contact pieces at least equal to the the auxiliary selector 8' can light either of the two groups of lamps, and thus either of the two designs can appear upon the said screen H'I.

Obviously, the invention is not limited to the embodiments herein described and represented, which are given solely by way of example. The apparatus have been described on the supposition that the contacts are faults, but it might be supposed that each contact represents a score, and in this case the game could not be againplayed unless the player should make a minimum number of scores. In this case, the push-piece can be normally loekedai'ter it is first released by the counter, and it can only be again released by energizing the electro-magnet-33, which will now represent an electro-magnet for release and not for locking, as in the apparatus above described.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A game apparatus comprising a metallic plate, a plurality of groups of electric contact members mounted on said plate and insulated with relation to said plate, the contact members oieach group being electrically connected together, movable elements of conductive material adapted to be moved on said plate and to be brought into contact with any one of said electric contact members, whereby said contact member is electrically connected with said plate, a source of current, for each group of contact members a selective switch having one terminal connected with its corresponding group of contact members, the other terminals of said switches being connected together and said switches being adapted to be opened and closed selectively, electric connecting means between said source of current and said plate and between said source of current and said other terminals of said switches, and indicating means interposed in said connecting means and adapted to be operated by the current circulating in said connecting means.

2. A game apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a rotatable shaft and cams on said shaft adapted to close and to open selectively said switches separately and in combinations when said shaft is rotated.

3. A game apparatus comprising a metallic plate, a plurality of groups of electric contact members mounted on said plate and insulated,

of current, for each group of contact membersv a selective switch having one terminal connected with its corresponding group of contact members, the other terminals of said switches being connected together and said switches being adapted to be opened and closed selectively, electric connecting means between said source of current and said plate and between said source of current and said other terminals of said switches, an electromagnet interposed in said connecting means and provided with an armature adapted to be moved towards and away from said electromagnet, a number of indicating devices adapted to be operated by an electric current and each provided, with two terminals for electric current, a multipleway switch comprising a movable member adapted to be operated by said armature oi. said electromagnetand a number of indicating devices and adapted to be engaged successively by said movable member, each, contact piece corresponding to and being connected with one terminal 01' one indicating device, the other terminals of said indicating devices being connected together, and electric current supplying means adapted to be connected on one side with said movable member and on the other side with said other terminals of said indicating devices.

. part of said indicating devices and the common connecting point of the terminals of all said indicating devices auxiliary switches adapted to be selectively opened and closed.

5. A game apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising an operating member provided with a notch and adapted to assume two extreme positions, the one in which access is given to said movable elements and the other in which said movable elements are not accessible, a spring pressed pivoted lever provided with a recess and carrying a pawl adapted to engage said notch in said operating member and to maintain said member in the position corresponding to said movable elements being not accessible, means adapted to cooperate with said operating member and to remove said pawl from said notch and to move said pivoted lever away from said operating member, electromagnetic means provided with a spring pressed armature adapted in one position to engage said recess'in said lever and to permit said pawl of engaging said v rent and said movable member of said multiple way switch, whereby said electromagnetic means is energized when said movable member of said multiple way switch has been moved on a contact piece corresponding to a closed controlling switch and causes said pivoted lever to move and to bring said pawl in engagement with said notch in said operating member.

6. A game apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising an operating member provided with a notch and adapted to assume two extreme positions, the one in which access is given to said movable elements and the other in which said movable elements are not accessible, a spring pressed pivoted lever provided with a recess and carrying a pawl adapted to engage said notch in said operating member and to maintain said member in the position corresponding to said movable elements being not accessible, means adapted to cooperate with said operating member and to remove said pawl from said notch "and to move said pivoted lever away from said operating member, electromagnetic means provided with a spring pressed armature adapted in oneposition to engage said recess in said lever and to permit said pawl of engaging said notch and in the other position to serve as a stop for said pivoted lever and to maintain said pawl out of engagement with said notch, a rotatable shaft and cams on said shaft adapted to close and to open selectively said switches separately and in combinations when said shaft is rotated, a controlling switch connected with said electromagnetic means, electric connections between one terminal of said source of current and said electromagnetic means and between the other terminal of'said source of current and said controlling switch, and a further cam on said shaft adapted to open said controlling switch-when one at least of said selective switches is closed and to close .said controlling switch when said selective switches are open, whereby said operating member is locked 'by said pawl when said shaft is rotated from one position in which atleast one, selective switch is closed towards another position.

7. A game apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a luminous b'oardcarrying different spectacular designs, and electric means for illuminating said designs selectively. v

8. A game apparatus according to claim 1, in

which said metallic plate is pivotally mounted and may assume different inclined positions.

' 9. A game apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising an additional eiectromagnet provided with an armature, an additional contact piece on said multiple way switch connected with said additional el'ectromagnet, arresting means adapted in their operative position to prevent said movable member of said multiple way switch from moving backwards, and .means actuated by said armature and adapted to bring saidarresting means in theirinoperative position'and to release said movable" member.

' PAUL JOSEPH Prom,

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