US2682405A - Apparatus for returning bowling balls in bowling alleys - Google Patents

Description

w. F. HUCK 2,682,405

APPARATUS FOR RBTUBNING BOWLING BALLs 1N BOWLING ALLBYs June 29, 1954 Filed June 9, 1949 INVENTOR.

AT OR EY Patented June 29, 1954 UNITED STATE OFFICE APPARATUS FOR RETURNING BOWLING BALLS IN BOWLING ALLEYS Application June 9, 1949, Serial No. 99,087

11 Claims.

of bowling and more particularly to apparatus for returning bowling balls to the players during'the progress of the game.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an efficient, noiseless and comparatively inexpensive device that will assure the lifting of bowling balls to the return trackway of a bowling alley in an essentially automatic manner and without manual intervention.

Another object is to provide a bowling ball lifting device that will afford certain desired improvements in the way of an avoidance of intermittently operated driving means and tripping mechanism, while providing a smoothly functioning and practically noiseless mechanism for the return of the bowling balls.

Another object is the provision of a compact device of the kind indicated, of generally improved and simplied mechanism, adapted for application to practically any standard type of bowling alley without modification thereof, and requiring no supervision while in operation.

A further object is to provide a device of the kind indicated that will enhance the enjoyment of the game and obviate the necessity for an attendant to each bowling alley.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a bowling ball return apparatus of generally improved construction, whereby the device will be simple, durable and comparatively inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practical, serviceable and eilicient in use.

Heretofore in existing apparatus intended for the mechanical return of bowling balls to the players, the balls were customarily hoisted in elevatorlike mechanism, and then ejected onto a return track. Such apparatus usually employed in addition, intermittently operated and reversible driving means, traps to engage the balls, tripping means to start and stop the driving means, and safety means for the protection of the operators.

In accordance with the present invention, the mechanism is designed and adapted for operation in a vertical or horizontal plane; and also for operation at various angles between the horizontal and vertical planes mentioned. The mechanism itself is constantly driven and the bowling balls are smoothly and quietly engaged without injurious contact. The functioning of the apparatus involves no danger to the operator or players and needs no attention after the switch is thrown to set it into operation.

The invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter set forth, and will be best understood when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is an elevational view, partly in section and with portions broken away, of an embodiment of the invention, taken on line i--I of Fig. 2, and as seen in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view, `taken on line 2-2 of Figure l, and as seen in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2, as seen in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings wherein similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views of the preferred form of the invention, the numeral :l designates a casing adapted to house the component parts of the assembly and having a cover lil.

Within the casing 9, a U-shaped member I I is arranged to extend in a vertical plane between upper and lower pulleys I2 and I3 respectively. The U-shaped member il is secured, as by the screws ila, to elements I2 that in turn are fastened to vertically-positioned side plates l5, Ia forming a part of the casing and having portions It, Ita that overlap and arevfastened to the kickbacks or partitions Il of the alley, as best shown in Fig. 3.

The left hand edges of the side plates I5, 15a, as seen in Figure l, are connected by a cross plate I8 having flanges, as at lim, that extend downwardly to a lower offset continuation i9 or the kickback partition Il. In this manner, the entire structure is rigidly supported by the alley and is confined between the outside surfaces of the kickback partition.

The lower pulley I3 has a resilient or elastic covering, as at 20, arranged on its cylindrical hub 2l that rotates on a pin 22 secured between extensions 23, 24 of the U-shaped member i i, as by the snap rings 25.

The upper pulley I2 is turnably mounted on a pin 25 projecting from an arm 2l swingably supported on a shaft-like extension 2S of a bearing bracket 29 fastened to the frame member II. Movement of the extension 23 in an axial direction is prevented by a retaining washer 39.

An arm 3| extending downwardly from the arm 2l is biased by a spring 32 having an adjacent end fastened to the said arm which is thereby urged in a counterclockwise direction about the extension 28 as an axis, and consequently tends to elevate the pulley I2. The upward urge or counterclockwise movement of the arm 2l and of the pulley I2 serves to tension a belt 33 mounted on the upper and lower pulleys i2 and i3. The other end of the spring 32 is fastened to a pin 34 secured to an extension 35 of the bracket 29, the said extension 35 having a U-shaped terminal 3 36 with olfsets 3'! through which the pin 34 is passed.

Fulcrumed on the pin 34 is another U-shaped bracket 39 also having offsets 39 through which the pin 34 is passed. The bracket 38 has fastened thereto an electric motor 49, and the arrangement is such that the said bracket 38 and the motor 49 may freely oscillate about the pin 34, the centre of gravity of the motor 40, as seen in Figure l, tending to urge it downwardly in a clockwise direction about the pin 34 as a pivot. This normally serves to tighten a V-velt 4I engaged with the sheave 42 of the motor 40 and also engaged with the sheave 43 fastened to the at belt pulley I2 contacting the pulleys I2 and I3. The lat belt 33, it will be noted is rotated by the means described and in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Another extension bracket 44 secured to the casing 9 has fastened thereto a starting and stopping switch 45 that is electrically connected to the motor 40 by a cable 46. A lever arm 41 serves to operate the said switch 45.

Arranged in cooperative relation with and opposite the ilat belt 33 are two track members 48, 49 formed of friction material pressed into the channel section 52 of steel frames 50, 5I having flanges 53 that are attached to the kickback partition, as at 54. The steel members 50, I with their track members 48, 49 provide a trackway for the bowling balls.

As best shown in Fig. 2, a bowling ball 55 having its centre of gravity on line a-a, is resting on the two tracks 48, 49 at a line of contact b--b. This position of the bowling ball is also shown in Figure 1 at position B where a bowling ball is engaged on its periphery by the flat belt 33 in such wise that the ball is forced wedgingly into the tracks 48, 49 and rotated about its in stantaneous points of contact with these tracks. The configuration of the tracks 48, 49 is such that the tension of the flat belt 33 will result in a constant pressure of the bowling ball against the track surface to the extent that enough friction is created to support the weight of the ball while carried along in an upward direction.

As seen in Figure 1, the lower portions of the side plates I5, I5a are provided with openings 5l to accommodate the bowling balls 55 issuing from the pit of the bowling alley oor (not shown). A lead-in track having a section 58 and two cooperating sections 59, 69 receives the bowling ball as it enters the openings 5'I from the right or left alley.

The position of the outgoing end bowling ball is shown at position C as it leaves the tracks 48, 49 and enters the ball return tracks 6I, 62 that have their left ends fastened to the channeled tracks 4S, 49, as by the bolt 63 and spacer elements 64, 65 and 86.

The component parts of the device, which also include the switch, motor and belt drives, are conveniently housed in the casing 9 and beneath the cover I0.

The function and mode of operation of the device has been in part indicated in the foregoing description, but may be summarized as follows:

Assuming the assembly has been attached to the kickback partition of a bowling alley in the manner described above, and that the lever arm of the switch 45 has been engaged toactuate the motor 40, a bowling ball entering the opening 57, rolls by gravity onto tracks 48, 49 and is engaged by the flat rubber belt 33 (see position of bowling ball at A). The distance between the tracks 48, 49 and the pulley I3 is so adjusted that the rubber covering of the latter is compressed by the ball 55, thereby exerting pressure against the said tracks and the belt 33. This creates friction that will 'cause the bowling ball 55 to rotate clockwise and propel it to the right, and thence upwardly by rolling it along the concave portions of the trackway 52, as at 6l.

As the ball leaves the pulley I3, the trackway 52 becomes convex, as denoted at the point 68 which is configured so that the belt tension remains substantially constant. The dellection of the flat belt 33, as indicated at B in Figure 1, causes downward motion of the pulley I2 about the shaft-like extension 28, thereby stretching the spring 32. The curve of the trackway finally begins to assume a horizontal direction, as indicated at 69, adjacent the knee of the said curve where the ball 55' becomes disengaged from the belt 33.

Angular momentum of the rotating ball plus its upward linear momentum and the restoration of the belt to its free running position, combine to continue motion of the bowling ball in the horizontal direction, the trackway 52 being so curved that the acceleration into the changed direction remains within desired limits. After the ball rolls onto the return track 'I0 that forms a part of the alley, its movement by gravity to the bowler continues in the customary manner.

By inspection of Figures 1 and 2, it will be noted that the bowling ball wedgingly contacts the trackway at two spaced points that are comparatively near the axis of rotation of the said ball. The ball is engaged at a third point or portion of its surface by the traveling belt, the last mentioned point being farthest from the said axis of rotation of the bowling ball. The net result of this is that the traveling belt, in cooperation with the trackway, imparts a combined angular and linear motion to the bowling ball, the angular speed of motion, however, considerably exceeding that of the linear motion.

In some bowling alley installations, it may be preferred that the ball be not lifted. In these instances, the assembly is placed in an approxi- `mately horizontal position so that the bowling ball will be returned to the player by the momentum the traveling belt has imparted to it and without requiring a gravity potential. This, it will be observed, can readily be made the equivalent of the potential energy of the lifted ball by selecting the proper belt velocity.

It is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. 1n a device for use on a bowling alley, a driving pulley, an idler pulley having a resilient covering, a belt operatively engaged with both of said pulleys, means connected to the driving pulley and effective to move it to tension the belt, and a trackway having a curved portion concentric with the idler pulley and extending from a position below the pulley to a position to one side of the pulley and an upwardly extending portion terminating in a second curved portion extending away from the upwardly traveling run of the belt; said trackway and belt operatively engaging a bowling ball inserted between the lower end of the track and the belt and accelerating it in angular and linear motion and rolling the ball up and over the track and discharging it in a horizontal direction.

2. In a device for use on a pair of bowling alleys having spaced apart kickbacks therebetween and for returning a bowling ball to a player, in combination, a casing securable to said bowling alley in a cut-out portion in said kickbacks and adapted to house all the component parts of the device, a source of power within the casing and operatively connected to a pulley therein, an idler pulley, a belt operatively engaged with both of said pulleys, and a pair of tracks arranged in spaced relation within the casing and forming a trackway for bowling balls, said trackway having a lower portion concentric with one of said pulleys and an upwardly extending portion located along an upwardly traveling run of said belt and said trackway and belt being adapted to cooperate in frictionally accommodating a bowling ball therebetween and moving it angularly and linearly and a lead in track for directing a ball into engagement with the trackway and belt at a point where the belt is contacting one of the pulleys.

3. In a device of the kind described, a running belt, said belt engaging a spring-biased pulley and a second pulley, said second pulley having a resilient covering, a motor, a second belt operatively connecting the motor and the spring-biased pulley and effective thereby to drive the rst mentioned belt, means to maintain both of said belts under tension, stationary tracks having a curved portion substantially concentric with the pulley having a resilient covering and a connecting portion extending along the run of the belt moving away from said pulley and frictionally engageable by a bowling ball, said bowling ball also being engageable by the running belt and means for guiding a ball into engagement with the curved portion of the track and the belt at a point where said belt is in contact with the resilient cover of the pulley.

4. A ball conveying mechanism comprising vertically spaced pulleys having their axes disposed in a common plane, an endless belt disposed around the pulleys and having an active reach for engagement with a ball, means for driving one of said pulleys, a vertically disposed ball receiving trackway spaced from the lower one of said pulleys a distance less than the diameter of a ball to compressively engage the ball as it is propelled by the belt, said trackway having spaced apart track members which engage the ball at laterally spaced points.

5. A ball conveying mechanism comprising vertically spaced pulleys having parallel axes, an endless belt disposed around the pulleys and having an active reach for engagement with a ball, a substantially vertical ball receiving trackway having spaced apart track members which are spaced from the lower one of said pulleys a distance less than the diameter of a ball for lifting engagement with said ball at laterally spaced points thereon.

6. In a ball handling device comprising a substantially vertical stationary trackway having spaced apart tracks, a driving pulley and a driven pulley having spaced parallel axes disposed in a substantially vertical plane, an endless belt disposed around said pulleys and spaced from said trackway to define a ball conveying passage, one of said pulleys having a resilient covering and spaced from said tracks a distance less than the diameter of a ball to resiliently press said belt against a ball.

7. In a ball handling mechanism, a trackway having a lower horizontal lead-in portion and a vertical portion and comprising spaced apart track members, a pair of pulleys having spaced parallel axes which lie in a vertical plane and an endless belt disposed around said pulleys and spaced from said trackway to define a ball conveying passage, one of said pulleys having a resilient covering thereon and being spaced from said trackway a distance less than the diameter of a ball to resiliently urge the belt toward the trackway and compressively engage a ball therebetween.

8. A ball conveying mechanism comprising vertically spaced pulleys having their axes disposed in a common plane, an endless belt disposed around the pulleys and having an active reach for engagement with a ball, means for driving one of said pulleys, and a vertically disposed ball receiving trackway spaced from the lower one of said pulleys a distance less than the diameter of a ball to compressively engage the ball and ensure lifting thereof by the belt.

9. In a device for returning a bowling ball to a player on a bowling alley, vertically disposed stationary track means upon which a ball is rolled toward a player, vertically spaced pulleys having their axes disposed in a common plane and an endless belt disposed around the pulleys and having an active reach for engagement with a ball, said track means and the lower one of said pulleys being disposed from each other a distance less than the diameter of a ball for engaging and positively lifting a ball positioned between said belt and track means.

10. A ball conveying mechanism comprising vertically spaced pulleys having their axes disposed in a common plane, an endless belt disposed around the pulleys and having an active reach for engagement with a ball, means for driving one of said pulleys, a vertically disposed ball receiving trackway spaced from the lower one of said pulleys a distance less than the diameter of a ball to compressively engage the ball and ensure lifting thereof by the belt, and means mounting the active reach of the belt for movement toward and away from said trackway to facilitate entry of a ball between the belt and trackway. p

11. In a bowling alley having a ball receiving surface and a ball return track adjacent thereto, a ball feed track leading from adjacent a side of said surface to said return track, and powerdriven mechanism for engaging and driving a ball along said feed track, said mechanism comprising a belt disposed above said feed track and in converging relation with respect thereto from the feed to the discharge end, and a drum of resilient material supporting the feed end of said belt and spaced from said feed track a smaller distance than the ball diameter.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,211,738 Marty Jan. 9, 1917 1,375,835 Fairchild Apr. 26, 1921 1,838,164 Tannewitz Dec. 29, 1931 2,161,270 Anderson June 6, 1939 2,207,643 Strong July 9, 1940

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