US2590644A

US2590644A - Bowling ball lifting apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2590644A
Application number: US1186A
Authority: US
Inventors: Patterson Morehead
Original assignee: AMF Inc
Current assignee: AMF Inc
Priority date: 1948-01-08
Filing date: 1948-01-08
Publication date: 1952-03-25
Anticipated expiration: 1969-03-25

Description

March 25, 1952 M. PATTERSON 2,590,644

BOWLING BALL LIFTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 8, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET1 FIG.\

2 INVENTOR MOREHEAD PATTERSON.

ATTORNEY March 25, 1952 M. PATTERSON BOWLING BALL LIFTING APPARATUS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Jan. 8, 1948 INVENTOR MOREHEAD PATTERSON.

l BY W0- 4 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 25, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE BOWLING BALL LIFTING APPARATUS Morehead Patterson, New York, N. Y., assignor to American Machine and Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application January 8, 1948, Serial No. 1,186

19 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a bowling pin setting machine and more particularly to apparatus for separating a bowling ball from the bowling pins in the pit at the back end of a bowling alley and returning the ball to the players at the other end of the bowling alley.

The hanging type of cushion or bumper such as shown in Patent 2,389,643 granted to G. J. Schmidt on November 27, 1945, is standard equipment in most bowling alleys and hence is preferred by many bowling alley operators to stop a thrown bowling ball. In some automatic bowling machines it has been found desirable to employ a single bar for lifting bowling balls out of the pit of a bowling alley instead of a double bar or cradle. Due to the irregular surface and bul mg contour of the surface of this type of bumper, it does not afford a reliable support against which a bowling ball can be pushed upwardly by a single bar ball lift.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a single bar ball lift which can be used in a bowling alley employing a conventional hanging bumper in the back end of a bowling alley.

A further object is to provide a bowling ball lift which consists of a single bar and a flat guide member which is lowered in front of the bumper to provide a flat surface against which a bowling ball may be pushed upwardly out of the pit by the bar.

Another object is to provide a single bar ball lifting device which will effect a transfer of the bowling ball from the single bar ball lift to a ball return runway by changing the center of gravity of the bowling ball from one side of the bar to the other side of the bar.

A further object is to provide a single bar ball lift which will elevate the bowling balls out of the pit of a bowling alley and transfer them onto a transverse runway located in front of the ball lifting bar.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description of the particular physiplication is particularly well suited for use with an automatic bowling pin setting machine such for example as that shown in copending patent application S. N. 636,737, filed December 22, 1945, by G. J. Schmidt, now Patent No. 2,578,319, issued December 11, 1951.

My ball lifting apparatus is positioned over the pit located at the rear end I!) of a bowling alley into which bowling pins and bowling balls fall. The sides of the pit are enclosed by kick back walls 12 and I4. Suitable channels l6 and 18 are mounted in each of the kick back walls i2 and i4 and guide the rollers 20 and 22 mounted on each end of the ball lifting bar 24.

The bottom of the pit is inclined slightly towards the rear pf the bowling alley and consists of a supporting floor 26 and a wide belt 28 which travels over

rollers

30 and 32 across the floor 26 in the direction indicated by the arrow towards the back of the pit. The roller 32 is fixedly mounted on a shaft 34 on which is also fixedly mounted a sprocket 36. Sprocket chain 38, drives sprocket 3B and receives driving movement from the sprocket 49. The sprocket 40 is fixedly mounted on the shaft of a conventional gear reduction mechanism 42 which is driven by means of a suitable motor 44.

The belt 28 may be either continuously driven or may be driven at such times as there are pins or bowling balls in the pit. The inclination and movement of the belt 28 towards the rear of the bowling alley causes bowling balls and pins supported thereon to roll and move towards the rear end of the pit. This movement as well as the momentum of the ball on rebounding after striking the bumper 834 causes the bowling ball to roll over the bar 24 and come to rest as shown in Figure 1 between the bar 24 and the plate 46.

At the ends of the bar 24 are

bar holders

48 and 56 to which are attached

cables

52 and 54. The

cables

52 and 54 are fixed to and trained over

sheave pulleys

56 and 58. The sheave pulleys 56 and 53 are fixedly mounted on the shaft 60.

Rotary movement is imparted to the sheave pulleys 56 and" 58 through a pinion 62 which is fixedly mounted on the shaft 60. The pinion 62 is rotated first in one direction and then in the other direction by means of a rack 64 which is held in engagement with the pinion 62 by means of a suitable guide roller 68. This structure may be similar in construction and operation to that shown in copending application of G. J Schmidt, S. N. 636,737 filed December 22, 1945.

The vertically movable plate 46 is guided by

links

68 and 10 which are pivotally connected to suitable lugs 12 and I4 forming part of plate 46. The other ends of links 68 and I are pivotally connected to lugs I6 and I8 which are fixedly attached to a suitable frame such as that of an automatic pin setting machine. Plate 46 is elevated by means of

cables

80 and 82 which are fixedly attached to and trained over

sheave pulleys

84 and 86.

Sheave pulleys

84 and 86 fixedly mounted on the ends of shaft 88 are rotated first in one direction and then in the opposite direction by means of pinion 90 which is also fixedly mounted on shaft 88. Rack 92 is held in engagement with pinion 90 by means of a suitable guide roller 94.

Racks

64 and 92 are connected respectively to operating

arms

86 and 68 which are pivotally mounted on the shaft I80. Each

arm

96 and 98 carries a cam follower I02 and I04 respectively which follows one of the closed cam tracks I08 and I08 of a cam IIO fixedly mounted on shaft I I2. Spur gear I I4 which is also fixedly mounted on the shaft H2, is driven by means of a pinion II6 through a conventional solenoid actuated clutch II8 from the sprocket I20. The sprocket I is driven continuously by means of sprocket chain I22 from a suitable source of power (not shown) such as an electric motor. Solenoid I24, which engages and disengages the clutch H8 is energized through the control box I28 when the ball detector such as photo electric cell I26, is actuated by a thrown bowling ball.

When the ball detector I26 has been actuated, the guide plate 46 is lowered and the bar 24 raised by their respective sheave pulleys. As the bowling ball is pushed upwardly against the plate 46 by the lifting bar or roller 24, it has a tendency to roll. The bar guides I6 and I8 and the ball guide 46 are constructed so that they converge together at their upper ends to cause the center of gravity of the bowling ball to be moved forward from one side of the single bar ball lifting roller 24 to the other side as the ball reaches its uppermost position of travel. As shown in Fig. 1, the guide member 46 is slightly bent at its upper end 41 to assist in thus moving the bowling ball. The ball which is pushed from one side to the other side of the single bar ball lift 24 is discharged onto the transverse ball return runway consisting of supports I30 and I32 from which it rolls onto the longitudinal runway which runs along the length of the bowling alley.

In back of the plate 46 is hung a conventional pin and ball cushion or bumper I34. The cushion I34 has eye bolts I 36 fixed to its upper side which are hung on suitable hooks I38 fastened to a suitable frame such as that of an automatic pin setting machine. In this connection I have shown how the flights I40 of a pin elevator I42 such as shown in copending patent application of G. J.

Schmidt on a bowling pin setting machine referred to above may be located behind the bumper 'I34 to elevate the bowling pins P received from the conveyor belt 28.

It will be noted that the horizontal ball lifting roller 24 is spaced a distance from the lifting plate 46 which is greater than the radius and.

less'than the diameter of a bowling ball. It will further be noted that the bumper I34 is spaced a. distance from the belt 28 which is greater than the diameter of the body of a bowling pin and "bumper I34 from moving past the bumper I34.-

4 In this Way the bowling pins are separated from the bowling ball. It will be understood that while my invention is particularly well adapted for use with an automatic pin setting machine it may also be used as a ball return on an alley not employing an automatic pin setting machine.

The operation of my ball lifting apparatus may be briefiy described as follows: At the time the player is ready to throw his bowling ball the plate 46 is held in raised position by the cables and 82 and the ball lifting bar 24 is in its lowermost position as shown in Fig. 1. When the player throws his bowling ball, it passes the photo-electric cell I26 and strikes against the bumper I34 and then usually rebounds to the front of the pit. When the ball passes the photoelectric cell I26 the cell closes the cirduit through control box I23 thereby energizing the solenoid I24.

Solenoid I24, on being energized, engages the clutch II8 thereby causing driving motion to be imparted through pinion II6 to the driving gear H4. The rotation of the spur gear II4 through the shaft II2 also causes the cam IIO to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow. The rotation of cam IIO causes the cam followers I02 and I04 to follow their respective cam tracks I06 and I08. The movement of cam followers I02 and I04 in their respective cam tracks causes the

levers

96 and 98 to swing on their common pivot I00.

The traveling ends of the

levers

86 and 98 through

gear racks

64 and 92 to which they are connected rotate the pinions 62 and with which they engage. The rotation of the pinions 62 and actuates their respective sheave pulleys 56, 58 and 84, 86 through the

shafts

60 and 88 on which they are fixedly mounted. The contour of cam track I06 is such that the plate 46 is lowered during the rebound of the bowling ball and is in its lowermost position when the ball travels from the forward end of the pit to the rear end of the pit a second time, due to the inclined position and movement of belt 28.

In the event a slow ball or a gutter ball is thrown the bowling ball may not have the usual rebound referred to above. In this case, the bowling ball will be stopped from moving beyond :the bumper I34 because the spacing between the belt 28 and the bumper I34, while greater than the diameter of a bowling pin, is less than the diameter of a bowling ball. The guide plate 46, therefore, will engage when it descends with the side of the bowling ball and thus cause it to move slightly forward. When the link support 68 for the guide plate 46 engages with the stop 17, the plate 46 will be in its lowermost position as shown in Fig. 1. Since the distance between the bottom edge of guide plate 46 and the continuously traveling belt 23 is greater than the diameter of a bowling pin, bowling pins are forwarded under the plate 46 and bumper I34 to the flights I40 of the pin elevator I42. The pin elevator I42, which may be similar to that shown in application of G. J. Schmidt S. N. 636,737 referred to above, elevates th pins from the bottom of the pit and discharges them onto a suitable device (not shown) in an automatic bowling .pin setting machine which positions and places them back on the alley in playing arrangement.

When the bar roller 24 is raised it rolls and pushes the bowling ball upwardly against the guide member 46. Since the channels I6 and I8 are arranged to move the roller 24 towards-the guide member 46 as the roller-24 is lifted upwardly and also because of the bent portion 41 of the guide plate 46, the center of gravity of the bowling ball being lifted by the roller 24 is moved forward from one side to the other side of roller 24. This causes the bowling ball to roll onto the transverse ball return runway i30 and I32 as shown by the arrow in Fig. 1.

As soon as the bowling ball has been discharged onto the transverse ball return runway I30 and I32 the plate 45 is raised upwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow to its uppermost position indicated in dotted outline and the ball lifting roller is lowered to the bottom of the pit to await being raised again when another bowling ball breaks the light beam of the photo-electric cell I26.

The invention above described may be varied in construction within the scope of the claims, for. the particular device selected to illustrate the invention is but one of many possible embodiments of the same. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the precise details of the structure shown and described.

- What is claimed is:

' 1. Apparatus for removing bowling balls from the pit of a bowling alley comprising, a ball stopping cushion mounted across the back of the pit of a bowling alley, a member having a vertical rigid surface movable towards and away from the bowling alley in front of said cushion to provide a surface on which to roll a bowling ball, a ball elevating bar movable from the bottom of the pit'ofv the bowling alley upwardly in front of said member at a distance therefrom less than the diameter of a bowling ball to raise a bowling ball out of the*'pit by supporting same between said bar and said vertical surface, and mechanism for lowering and raising said bar to lift the bowling ball out of the pit of the bowling alley.

2. Apparatus for removing bowling balls from the pit of a bowling alley comprising, a device for moving bowling balls to one side of the pit, a vertical plate adapted to be moved towards and away from that side of the pit of the bowling alley, a horizontal bar spaced from said plate a distance less than the diameter and greater than the radius of a bowling ball, means for raising said bar to lift a bowling ball between said bar and said plate out from that side of the pit of the bowling alley, a runway positioned adjacent said plate and at th upper limit of travel of said bar to receive bowling balls therefrom for return to the bowling player, and means for removing said plate from the pit of said bowling alley to clear the pit preliminary to the throwing 'of a bowling ball.

3. Apparatus for returning a bowling ball to a player comprising, a pit located at one end of a bowling alley, a traveling belt extending across the width of the pit for moving the bowling ball towards one side of said pit to a ball removal station, a plate adapted and arranged: to be lowered towards said side of said pit each time a bowling ball is thrown to provide a surface against which to roll a bowling ball out of the pit, and a movable member constrained to travel up and down in front of said plate at a predetermined distance from the face of said plate, said predetermined distance being less than the diameter of a bowling ball to cause a bowling ball engaged by said member to be rolled up the face of said plate, and a ball return runway positioned at the uppermost point of travel to receive bowling balls discharged from said member.

4. A ball elevator for abowling pin setting machine comprising, a substantially horizontal bar extending transversely across the pit of a bowling alley, guide channels for confining each end of the bar to a predetermined up and down path of travel, a guide member spaced from said bar a distance less than the diameter of a bowling ball and extending transversely across the pit of the bowling alley, automatically operated apparatus for moving said guide member a predetermined distance towards and away from the pit of the bowling alley, and maintaining said guide member stationary when a bowling ball is being lifted, guide supports for limiting said guide member to a substantially up and down path of travel, a lifting device for elevating said bar to push a bowling ball upwardly between said bar and said guide member, a ball return runway positioned at the uppermost point of travel of said bar to receive bowling balls elevated by said bar, and a detector responsive to the movement of a thrown ball for actuating said apparatus and said lifting device to'bring the bar and the guide member into coacting relationship and to lift the bowling ball from the bottom of the pit.

5. A ball and pin handling mechanism for use in removing balls and pins from the pit of a bowling alley having a bumper swingingly supported at its upper end at the rear of said pit, said mechanism comprising a pit platform, apparatus for moving bowling balls and bowling pins from the forward end of said platform to the rear end of said platform, a flat rigid mem her extending transversely across the 'pit, apparatus for moving said flat member in front of said bumper after a bowling ball has been thrown by a player'to provide a surface along which bowling balls can be pushed and for removing said flat member from its position in front of said bumper after a bowling ball has been discharged onto the ball return runway, a single bar for lifting bowling balls out of said pit upwardly along said flat member, said bar being spaced from said flat member a distance less than the diameter of a bowling ball, apparatus for raising said bar to elevate a bowling ball out of the pit between said bar and said flat member, a ball return runway positioned at the highest level of travel of said bar, and means for moving the bowling ball from the bar to the ball return runway.

6. In a bowling alley having a bumper swingably supported at its upper side and extending across the rear end of the pit of a bowling alley, a ball and "pin handling mechanism for use in removing balls and pins from the pit of the bowling alley comprising, apparatus for moving bowling balls and bowling pins from the forward end to the rear end of said pit, a guide member having a flat surface extending across the pit, mechanism for lowering and raising said guide member in front of said bumper each time a bowling ball has been thrown, a stop for limiting the downward travel of said guide member to allow a space between the bottom of said guide member and the pit to allow pins to move towards the rear of said pit, a single horizontal bar for pushing bowling balls upwardly out of said pit against said guide member, guides for constraining said' bar to travel at a fixed distance from the guide member, and apparatus for raising and lowering said bar each time a bowlingball has been thrown.

7. A ball and pin conveying mechanism foruse in a bowling alley pit comprising, a pin and ball receiving support located in said pit, a device for causing bowling balls and pins to be moved towards one side of said pit support, a member having a flat surface adapted and arranged to be lowered into said pit along the side towards which said balls and pins are moved each time a bowling ball is thrown, a movable ball lifting roller spaced from said flat surface for rolling a ball upwardly on said surface, mechanism for moving said roller up and down in front of said flat surface, a ball return runway positioned at the upper limit of travel of said roller, means for moving a bowling ball from said roller onto said runway, and additional mechanism for raising said fiat surface out of said pit after said roller has been raised to lift a bowling ball out of the pit.

8. A ball handling device for use in removing bowling balls from the pit of a bowling alley having a bumper at the rear of said pit, comprising, amember having a fiat upright surface spaced from and extending transversely across the width of said-pit, a single ball lifting bar movable up and down in front of and in a plane parallel to said flat ball supporting surface, mechanism actuated by a thrown bowling ball for causing said flat surface to be lowered into the pit of the bowling alley, and mechanism actuated by a bowling ball thrown along the alley for raising said bar to push a ball up said surface after said surface has been lowered into the pit of the bowling alley.

9. A ball handling device for use in removing bowling balls from the pit of a bowling alley having a bumper at the rear of said pit, comprising, a member having a flat ball supporting surface extending transversely across the width of said pit, a single ball lifting bar travelling up and down in front of and in a plane parallel to said flat ball supporting surface, mechanism actuated by a thrown bowling ball for causing said fiat surface to be lowered into the pit of a bowling alley, mechanism actuated by a thrown bowling ball for raising said bar to push a ball up said surface after said surface has been lowered into the pit of a bowling alley, a support for said fiat surface constructed and arranged to limit the extent of downward movement of said flat surface to allow bowling pins to pass thereunder while preventing bowling balls from passing thereunder, and a support for said bumper constructed and arranged to maintain said bumper at a distance above the alley sufficient to allow bowling pins to pass thereunder but insufficient to allow bowling balls to pass thereunder.

10. In an automatic bowling pin setting machine, apparatus for separating bowling balls and pins from each other and for removing said bowling balls out of the pit of a bowling alley comprising, a device mounted at the floor of said pit for moving bowling balls and pins towards the rear of said pit, a bumper extending transversely across said pit for stopping a thrown bowling ball, a support-for holding said bumper a distance above the floor of said pit to allow bowling pins to be moved along said floor'towards the rear of said pit under said bumper and to prevent bowling balls from passing under said bumper, a member having a flat surface against which bowling balls may be pushed out of the pit, a support for lowering said member in front of said bumper a distance sufficiently short of the bottom of said floor to allow bowling pins to pass thereunder towards the rear end ofsaid pit and to prevent bowling balls from passing under said member, a detecting device for detecting a thrown bowling ball, a bar for rolling bowling balls up the face of said member, guides constraining said bar to travel upwardly at a fixed distance from said member, and mechanism actuated by said detecting device for causing said member to be lowered in front of said bumper and said bar to be raised to elevate a bowling ball out of the pit of a bowling alley each time a bowling ball is thrown.

11. A bowling ball lifting device for use in separating a ball from pins in the pit of a bowling alley comprising a ball guide, a single roller for lifting bowling balls out of the pit of a bowling alley between said roller and said ball guide for return to a bowling player, guides for confining the ends of said roller to a predetermined path of travel at a predetermined distance, from said ball guide, said ball guide having a flat surface bent at its upper end towards the path of travel of said roller to cause the center of gravity of the bowling ball to gradually shift from one side of the bar to the other as the ball is lifted out of the pit by said bar, means for raising and lowering said roller and a ball return runway positioned adjacent the upper limit of travel of said roller to receive bowling balls pushed to the other side of said roller.

12. Apparatus for use with a bowling alley comprising a stuffed flexible faced bumper positioned across the pit of a bowling alley, a member having a flat non-yielding surface, mechanism for moving said member in front of said bumper after a bowling ball is thrown, a bowling ball lifting bar spaced from said member and a device for moving said bar upwardly to elevate a ball upwardly between said member and said bar, a ball return runway positioned adjacent the upper limit of travel of said bar, and means for moving a ball from said bar onto said ball return runway.

13. Apparatus for removing bowling balls from the pit of a bowling alley comprising, a ball cushion hung across the back of a bowling alley pit, said cushion being spaced from the floor of the bowling alley pit a distance greater than the largest diameter of a bowling pin and less than the diameter of a bowling ball, a traveling member for moving bowling balls and bowling pins towards one side of said pit, a pin elevator for removing bowling pins passing under said cushion, a vertical fiat rigid member removably positioned in front of said cushion, a vertically movable horizontal bar spaced from said member a distance greater than the radius and less than the diameter of the bowling ball for rolling the bowling ball up between said flat member and said bar, and a ball return runway positioned adjacent the upper limit of travel of said roller for receiving bowling balls elevated thereby.

14. A ball elevator for a bowling pin setting machine comprising, a substantially horizontal bar extending transversely across the pit of a bowling alley, guide channels confining each end of the bar to a predetermined up and down path of travel, a vertically movable flat member spaced from said bar and extending transversely across the pit of the bowling alley, guides constraining said fiat member to a. vertical path of travel, mechanism for lifting said bar to elevate a ball upwardly between said bar and said flat member, a device for lowering said member toward the pit, means at the upper end of said flat member for discharging said ball from said bar onto a ball return runway, and a ball detector positioned to detect the movement of a ball into the pit. a control actuated by said detector to start said mechanism. and device in operation to lower the flat member down to the pit and to raise said bar to lift a ball from the bottom of the pit to the ball discharge means. 1

15. A ball. lifting device for use in separating a ball from pins in a bowling alley pit comprising, a vertical wall extending across one side of said pit, a single horizontal bar spaced a distance from said wall greater than the radius and less than the diameter of a bowling ball, mechanism for raising and lowering said bar to lift the bowling ball upwardly out of said pit by means of the bar pushing the ball upwardly along said wall, means for removing said wall from said pit after a bowling ball has been elevated from the pit and for replacing said wall in said pit after a bowling ball has been thrown, and means for reducing the distance between said bar and wall to cause the center of gravity of the bowling ball to shift from one side to the other side of the bar at the upper part of the wall as the bar reaches its uppermost position of travel, and a ball return runway located at the uppermost position of travel of said bar for receiving the bowling ball elevated thereby.

16. In a ball handling device for use in separating balls from pins in the pit of a bowling alley having a bumper in the rear of said pit, a relatively flat plate against which bowling balls can be pushed upwardly out of the pit, mechanism for lowering said fiat plate in front of said bumper when a bowling ball has been thrown by a player, an elongated horizontal bar spaced from said plate for pushing a bowling ball upwardly out of said pit along said flat plate, mechanism for moving said bar upwardly to elevate a bowling ball and then lowering said bar after the ball has been lifted out of the pit, and mechanism for raising'said flat plate above said bumper after the bowling ball has been elevated.

17. In a bowling alley having a stuffed flexible faced bumper hanging across the pit, a bowlin ball lifting apparatus for use in separating a ball from the pins in the pit of the bowling alley comprising a device having a flat non-yielding surface against which bowling balls may be pushed upwardly out of the pit, mechanism for moving said device in front of said bumper when a bowling player has thrown a bowling ball, a single ball lifting bar for pushing a ball upwardly out of said pit against the flat surface of said device, means for raising and lowering said bar, and means for maintaining said device stationary as said bowling ball is raised upwardly against said device by said bar.

18. Apparatus for removing bowling balls from the pit of a bowling alley comprising, a hanging cushion positioned across the back of a bowling alley for absorbing the shock of a thrown bowling ball, a plate having an inflexible surface adapted and arranged to be lowered in front of said cushion after a bowling ball has been thrown, a ball return runway for returning a bowling ballto a player, a ball lifting bar adapted and arranged to be moved upwardly at a spaced predetermined distance less than the diameter of a bowling ball in front of said plate to raise a bowling ball above the alley between said bar and said plate, and means for discharging said bowling ball from said bar onto said runway.

19. A ball elevator for a bowling pin setting machine comprising, a substantially horizontal bar extending transversely across the pit of a bowling alley, guide channels, confining the ends of the bar to a predetermined up and down path of travel, a vertically movable flat member spaced from said bar and extending transversely across the pit of the bowling alley, guides limiting said flat member to an up and down path of travel, a device for lowering said flat member towards the pit after a bowling ball has been thrown and for raising said member away from the pit after the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Davis Feb. 9, 1943 Number