US2577222A - Ball centering and propelling mechanism for playing boards - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 4, v1951 D. R. wlsER BALL CENTERING AND PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR PLAYING BOARDS 2 SHEETS-SHEET '1 Filed Dec. l5, 1947 ao 31 a2 sa z e z .f o O 0 www, Mmm/M A TTORNEK.

Dec. 4, 1951 D. R. wist-:R 2,577,222 I BALL CENTERING AND PROPELLING MECHANISM FOR PLAYING BOARDS Filed Dec. 15, 1947 2 SHEETS-slam 2 A TTORNEKSI l l l l l, t

Patented Dec. 4, 1951 UNITED psTATEs PATENT-f OFFICE BALL CENTERING AND PRPELLING MECH- ANISM FOR PLAYING BOARDS f Douglas R. Wiser, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application December 15, 1947, Serial No. 791,774

9 Claims. (Cl. 273-429) This invention relates to gaming devices and more particularly to a new and improved ballcontrolling mechanism associated with a new and improved playing board.

In game devices of the general character sometimes known as pin-ball machines where the active role of the players consists in the manipulation of a plunger for sending a ball over a designated course or through any of a number of movements depending upon the skill of ,the operator, considerable attention has been paid to the best mode of construction ofthe ball-controlling mechanism associated with the plunger.

It has been found particularly desirable to create an improved ball-setting mechanism by which, when the playing ball is released for play, it can be accurately positioned in front of the plunger. In view of the fact that game boards of the character intended vary in construction and, even when of identical constructiomhave slightly different individual physical and playing characteristics, itis desirable that an accurate positioning mechanism which is readily adjustable, be substituted for the ordinarily rigid and pre-set (andother types known to the prior art) devices.

Sometimes it is desirable yto propel the ball for accurate traversion of the playing eld in such a manner that the ball rolls slightly to one side of the lane. At other times it is desirable to adjust the eective force of the piston stroke by causing it to impinge against the ball either at an earlier or laterV point in its movement. Y

It is particularly desirable in devices of this character that the'degree of tension applied to the plunger should be capable of easy and obvious adjustment. In part this is desirable because of the necessity of pre-setting any machine in a number of playing units engaged in competitiveY play so that all will operate in substantially the same manner. At other times, either due to wear. temperature, desires of individual players, or other indeterminate conditions, it becomes necessary to rapidly and accurately adjust the tension of the spring or similar plunger-actuating means.

' Moreover, it is desirable that all operative parts of the plunger mechanism or the apparatusassociated therewith be readily removable for replacement or repair.

lIt is therefore an object of this playing board to provide a smoothly operable and readily adjustable ball-control means in order to achieve the y iesiredresults above referred to.- f

Itis another object of thisA invention to provide a new and improved ball-holding mechanism having a new and improved relationship with the plungerand the ball.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved ball for use with the desired form of the apparatus described.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved plunger-actuating means.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved ball-positioning device having a new and improved association with the Aplunger means.

' Still another object of the invention is the provision. by incorporation of the above and other elements, of a new and improved playing board.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a new and improved ball stop or lock.

Another further object of the invention is to provide a ball-control mechanism of the desired character which may be economically manufactured and assembled, which has a maximum use facility, which is stable andconsistent in operation, which will not become loosened or inoperative duringvordinary play and, which when adjustment proves necessary, can be restored with a minimum expenditure of time and effort.

Another and still further important object of the invention is to provide a new and improved plunger and ball-impelling mechanism'or such a simple operating principle and construction that its entire mode of operation is readily seen and understood by any interested or otherwise skeptical player. Y

The invention also has among its objects the improvement of like devices vheretofore-utilized in the prior art t0 accomplish a generally similar purpose. f l Y Other objects and purposes of this invention will become more apparent from the following description and claims 4considered in the light of the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an improved playing board embodying this invention (parts being cut away).

Figure 2 is a plan view of the playing board.

`Figure 3 is a detailed sectional view taken as on a line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detailed sectional view taken as on a line 4 4 of Figure 2. Y

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detailed plan view (parts being cut away) as illustrated at the lower right-hand corner of FigureZ. y

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the parts in a diierent operative relationship.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a playing unit generally designated by the numeral 20 preferably comprises a playing board 2|. A portion of th-e board or field in front of the plunger mechanism generally designated at 23, may include Aa lane 2 4 optionally marked off and separatedfromthe remainder of the playing field as by a wire guard 25. The opposite side of the lane 24 may be dened as by the curved wall 25, usually terminatingin a bumper or rebound surface 21. The central portionof `the'play-in'g'field may b-e divided into any number of passageways as 28, 29, 3|), 3|, 32, and 33 having therein any number of light contacts, bell-ringers 'ortlie like 34 of any conventional construction. Likewise, any number of indicator lamps 35 or the like may be connected in any desired combination with the buttons 34.

Other wire guards as 3,6 and 31 may guide a preferably rubberball across the sloping playing field 2| back to a point of rest in iront of the plung-er mechanism 23, V`as will Vbe described.

Also, as is customary in playing units of this character, the playing eld maybe equipped with a cover of glass o r the like 46 as shown fragmentally in Figures l and 2.

The plunger mechanism itself heretoforejge/nerally designated at 23, preferably comprises va plunger rod 59' s lideably positioned Within an opening 5| in the front side 52 ofthe playing unit. The plunger is additionally slideable as within a plunger guide 53 of conventional construction secured in any desired manner to the surface of the front side 52. At'its near end the plunger may be fitted with any appropriately formed handle 54'and, preferably adjacent its ball-engaging end 56, may be tted with an annular collar 51 optionally formed integralr therewith, sweated thereto, or loosely disposed'thereon and held in'place as by a pin (not shown) 'annular recess (not shown), -orother well-known con-V struction. Obviously, ifudesi'red, the shoulder 51 need riet be annular .in Shapehut mareempriee any suitable abutment formed in or connected to Jche plunger. red .501er a purpeee .te leedeeerleed-` Any suitable relie auchY as a Sialele e maybe Secured .in the upper faee o f the playing eld?! preferablvto one .Side Qf iheaxisef the plunger red. Ari armi! may beiermeawiih ParallelV sides 6,2 and 63` eermeeieii together ai erre end 6.4 and ferrures with eerreeperldius areuaie eliges 65 and 66 respectively at its other endl, Said arm el may ebvieuely; be .formed ef VSeparate pieces joined teeeiher 'at ther end. 64er ,at .any peint betr/eer.1 ineen@ and the engel. .It iS sometimes preferable, however, that theend1 be .bifureaie in Order that it may, stradale the plunger rod to distribute the pressure of, a coil Spring er the like.` Therarm 6l. as te beihpf its sides 62 and 63,:may be formed-with g, notchor detent 1|. Such notch is intended :to serve as a pintleand to turn or hinge upon one side 14 of the yoke 60. f

It is expressly not intended to excludefrom the spirit or ambit `of this invention'the use 'offa simple arm 6 without a'bifu'rcatio'n, nor the use of a slotted 'plunger to receive such a'rm although players prefer that the plunger` rfod' itself be freely twistable or rotatable.V AIt rriaythereforev also be formed of a single piece and'may engage the annular shoulder 51 orany other vfoi-in 'of shoulder or abutment ron only one sideof the plunger 50. Manifestlyfalso, vtl'ie' arm 16| --while preferably provided with an adjustable spring 10 as illustrated, may be provided with any other form of spring and the spring so provided need not necessarily be secured to the arm 6| between the yoke 6D and the end 61, but may instead have its effective force applied in an opposite direction as, for example, by itsattachment to the end B4. Indeed, the arm 8| may be of any desired shape, either straight or curved, and may if such construction is preferred, be formed of any number of links. It may also be secured rmly, i. e. pi'Votally, to the plunger 50 as by means of a pin or the like, in which case the detent 1| may obviouslylbe .omitted so that the arm 6| is free to slide through Athe yoke 6U upon pivotal movement Many such simplifications or modiiicationswill readily occur to anyone skilled in the art .of mechanics.

The coil spring 16 may be secured to the arm Yiii las through an opening 15 into which an end i6 ofthe coil spring 4may-be inserted or tied. The other end l1V of the coil spring Vis preferably -secured to an adjustable eye bolt or the like 18. The shank 1S of thev eye -bolt is preferably -loosely con-lined within Yand extends through any appropria-te member or loop such as may be formed -by an eyelet iiflsecured to the playing -iield 2i Thus, theamount of tension of the coilspring 19 may be obviously and readily adjusted'lfby threading a nut -8| thereon. If desired, said 4nut may be a wing-type for convenient adjustment by an operator or player or it may be associated with -a jam or lock nut v(not shown) to retain the same in a selected position. In practice, however, this expedient has not proveninecessary yor even desi-rable.

Associated withjthe end 56 of the plunger, and optionally ofthe simple "wire form shown, a lballpositioning device may comprise' a substantially W-shaped structure, including a pair of upturned points or ends 83 and8`4. The central portion of the positioning device may comprise substantially parallel legs 86 dening a slot '81 therebetween through which a bolt 9 may extend to secure the device in anyv desiredV degree of relative angularity with or proximity Vto the end 56 of the plunger rod. Thai; is to say, by loosenin g the bolt 96 from its threaded vsecurement in the playing iieldj2i, the positioning device 85 may be moved a'boutso that the points 83 and 84 can engage and hold the 'ball 38 in any desired position to move or'adjust, the same along or from side to side with respect to the end56.

As a further element 'in the `control of the ball on the playing unit, a stop @9,5 may be 'formed with an upper leg 96jwliich'may be swungA into the path of the ball as upon a verticalor pivot leg `91,piv` otallY and sldeably ponflned within a plate 9.3 secured to the playing eld for such purpose. Anotherhorizontal leg 99,'may ,form all' armature for a coilv ll,` Upon thisV actuation of the coil the leg 99 `is attracted, thereby swinging, the armfBB into a positionmost clearly 'illustrated in Figure A6 wherein the ball 3.8, is heldaway from'jth'e end 56` of the plunger in the. mOSflJ A,advanced positionof the latter. The coil 'liVmay be energized by .a battery ||J| .connected with the coil asby conductors ||l2and |103. A switch |64' may be used either'manuaily Yor automatically to .close a circuit between the battery and the coil legi vat any desired point in the game. j

This invention features the provision -of a new and improved ball-regulating mechanism and in particular a new and improved accurate plunger-- impelling mechanism of simple, readily under'- stood, readilyobservable, and easily adjustabley justment of the holding mechanism and the plunger tension.

Mode of operation n The mode of operation of the instant invention is believed readily apparent. When a player desires to cause the ball 38 to roll over the playing eld, he retracts the plunger 50 by means of the handle 54 against the tension of the coil spring 10 which has been adjusted to a desired extent by threading the nut 8l upon the bolt '19. The arm El thereby bears against the shoulder l and, when the plunger handle 54 is released, drives the plunger 55 forwardly to impinge against the ball 38, driving the same with any desired amount of impetus and at any angle along the lane 24 and over the playing board, whence, due to the inclination of the board, it is returned as 4by the several guides 25, 36, and 31 to said position in front of the plunger as illustrated, for example, in dotted outline in Figure 2. From said position it can be replayed.

Inasmuch as it is usually desirable that, the ball 38 be driven accurately along the lane 24, the relative alignment of the plunger and the ball is achieved for such purpose by means of the positioning device 35 whose points 83 and 84, engaging the ball at spaced points, are subject to securemeni; in a desired position by the bolt 9G.

Upon the completion of a usually predetermined number of plays, or otherwise at the conclusion of a game, an operator may close the switch Ill thereby energizing the coil |00 and attracting a portion 99 comprising the armature of the ball stop so as to carry the end 95 around and engage the ball, holding the same away from the end 55 of the plunger to prevent further play. To return the ball stop and release the ball, upon deenergization of the coil, a spring or the like (not shown) may be employed.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom Within the scope of the invention which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent structures.

The invention having been herein described, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a playing unit having a eld and a lane for a b-all to be played, a ball centering and propelling mechanism comprising: a plunger extensible into said lane for playing said ball, pusher means operatively associated with the plunger to urge the same to one extreme of axial movement, adjustable means including a threaded finger-piece for regulating the tension of said pusher means, said pusher means comprising a single pivotal element disposed transversely of said plunger, and stationary adjustable ball-positioning means in the lane for centerng'a ball to be .propelled by the plunger relative to said plunger.

. 2. In a playing unit having a eld and a lane for a ball to be played, a ball centering and propelling mechanism comprising: a plunger extensible into said lane for playing said ball, pusher means operatively associated with the plunger to urge the same to one extreme of axial movement, adjustable means including a threaded nger-piece for regulating the tension of said pusher means, said pusher means comprising a single pivotal element disposed transversely of said plunger, and adjustable ball positioning means in the lane for centering a ball to be Dropelled by the plunger relative to said plunger, said last named means comprising a forked member secured to the unit, engageable with the ball and adjustable relative to the plunger, whereby the effective direction and force applied to the ball may be regulated;

3. In. a playing unit having a eld and a lane for a ball to be played, a ball centering and propelling mechanism comprising: a plunger extensible into said lane for playing said ball, pusher means operatively associated with the plunger to urge the same to one eXtreme of axial movement, adjustable means including a threaded finger-piece for regulating the tension of said pusher means, said pusher means comprising a pivotal element disposed transversely of said plunger, means in the lane comprising a substantially W-shaped member. adjustably mounted in the lane to provide engagement between the ball and plunger, said member having elevated` ends secured to the unit by means of a central portion of said member, said ends being engageable with the ball and adjustable relative to the plunger, whereby the effective direction and force applied to the ball may be regulated, and stop means for holding said ball relative to said ends and the plunger to prevent play.

4. In a ball centering and propelling mechanism for a playing board utilizing a plunger, an abutment on the plunger, a yoke secured to the playing board at a point spaced from the plunger,

a member free to pivot within the yoke and having an arcuate portion engageable with the abutment, and adjustable spring means secured to the board and connected With said member to regulate the tension of the plunger, said member comprising a bifurcate arm normally bearing against said abutment at opposite sides of said plunger, and said member including a detent forming a pintle element engageable with the yoke to permit relative rotation but prevent relative lineal movement thereof.

5. In a ball centering and propelling mechanism for a playing board utilizing a plunger, an abutment on the plunger, a yoke secured to the playing board at a point spaced from the plunger, a member free to pivot within the yoke and having an arcuate portion engageable with the abutment, and adjustable spring means secured to the board and connected with said member to regulate the tension of the plunger, said member including a detent forming a pintle element engageable with the yoke to permit relative rotation but prevent relative lineal movement thereof and said member normally bearing against said yoke at spaced points relatve to the surface of said playing board.

6. In a playing unit having a field and a lane for a ball to be played, a ball centering and propelling mechanism comprising: a plunger eX- tensible into said lane for playing said ball, an

abutment ori' said plunger, anv arm normally en gaging said abutment, a pvot. for said arm spaced laterally fromV said plunger, and a spring secured to said arm and to said unit at a point spaced from the pivot and abutment, normally urging said arm pivotally against. said abutment for urging said plunger to a limit of extension',v said spring securement to said unit comprising a screw-eye. a threaded extension. on the spring* the tension of said pusher means, said. pusher means comprising a pivotal element disposed transversely of said plunger, a spring. secured to said element, a. ball to be played by said plunger, and means in the lane adjacent the front end of the plunger comprising a substantially W -shaped member having elevated ends secured to the unit by means of the open, notch-like central portion of said member, said ends being enagageable with the ball, Ia screw threadable into the unit, aheadon the screw engageable with the edges of said notch portion whereby the member may be mcved axially forward, or angularly xedly held in any adjusted relationship tothe plunger, to regulate the effective direction and force applied to the ball by the plunger.

8. In a ball centering and propelling mechanism for a playing board utilizing a plunger having a linger piece at one end for direct manipulation, anabutment onthe plunger, a yoke secured to the playing board at a point spaced from the plunger, a member free to pivot within the yoke and having a portion engageable with the abut ment, and adjustable spring-secured means between said member and the playing boa-rd to regulate the tensionof the plunger and to urge said pivotal movement of said member against said abutment to drive the plunger freely forward when drawn back and released.

9. In a ball centering and propelling mechanism for a playing board utilizing a plunger hav'- "ing a linger piece at one Vend for direct manipulation thereof, an abutment on the plunger, a pivot means secured to the playing boardV at a point laterally spaced from the plunger, a'lever member free to turn on the pivot means and having a portion engageable with said abutment, and

adjustable springs means secured between said member and the 'playingVV board toY regulatel the tension of the plunger and to turn said member on said pivot and to force said portion against said abutment to drive the plunger freely forward when the same is operatively drawn back and released.

DOUGLAS R. NISEEL agee-nergens einen rlhe following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 367,130 Benso et al July 26, 1887 655,533 Sholz Aug. 7, 199) 936,785 Kruse Oct. 12, 1909 1,374,757 Napier Apr'. 12, 1921 1,897,317 McEadiern Feb. lll, 1933 2,051,229 Tigerman Aug. 18, 1936 2,136,060 Shyvers Nov. 8, 1938 2,219,074 Guillou Oct. 22, 1940 2,226,515 Ross Dec. 2e, 1Q-i0 2,455,978 Colaluca Deo. 14, 1948

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