US2732208A - Ficara - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 24, 1956 s. FICARA 2,732,208

DEVICE FOR HANDLING BOWLING PINS Filed May 3, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS S. FICARA DEVICE FOR HANDLING BOWLING PINS Jan. 24,1956

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 3 1951 Jan. 24, 1956 s. FICARA 2,732,208

DEVICE FOR HANDLING BOWLING PINS Filed May 5, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ja/ryue/ Ficara .or ileveles n ipo :ib enau se United States Patent e 32 DEVICE non HANDLING BowLme PINS Samue Fi s??? l s la t n Mass Application May s, 1951, fierial :No. 224,354

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This invent-ion relates to bowling alley equipment, and particularly to a device -for"the'rnechanical handling of bowling pins.

While the device of this invention may be used with facility in connection with the game 'of b'owling generally, the device will be 'fpundparticiilarly adapted for use in connection with the playing'of that bowling game known to the sport as*candle pins. i

ln regard to the socalle'd can'dle pins game of bowling the equipment, specified and standardized by the rules and regulations established by'theMassa'chusetts Bowling Association, in'cludes te n'pins'whieh are placed in an upright position on twelve'inch centers in'an equilateral triangular array on that par'tflo'f the bowling alley known to the sport as the pin'plate. This triangular array of pins 'is situated wiihm' a"definitive'iield" of play that is a rectangular section'or area of'thefb owling alley. This definitive field of play is of specified dimensions, generally for ty one fo r'ty two inches (the width of lthje bowling alley) by sii'rty inches (which is an arbitrary distance from the edge of the receiving pit 't'o a line drawn across the alley and generally known asthe deadline). i In his turn of "play each bowler is allowed'to cast or 'b'owl smany as three pans in succession in an attempt to upset or levelthe upstanding pins. "After each ball-has been bowled, the pins' in" andnear the abovernentioned definitive field oflplay becomemembers of ft he following niu tuallyiexclusiveclasses: i 1. ffitandingwood: Those ,pins of the original ten (10) remaining in an uprightv position in ,the definitive field ,2. Live .wood: Pins which haye been upset but remain in thevdeiinitiyeifield .of play; "suchpinsjmay have some partprojecting the b'o dinglinesof the .toucliing be ondsujclnbouhdirigllines. 3. Dead awhiche 'avepeaai a or displaced to without the u ng' lines of .theldefinitive'field *Before play can be resumed .in accordance .with the rules and regulations of the gameit is requiredthat the dead wood be segregated .and lremoved from proximity .to the field of play and deposited .inthe receiving pit until a resetting islrequirediforithe .nex't bowlers turn.

While in recent yearsattemptshave .been'made to provide automatic mechanism .in connection .with .the socalled game of ibowling for removing :bowling pins .for' theremqra .q ta riu .2 b new .i i s Pi i l1! en r field of play, and those pins which have been upset but are displaced beyond the bounding line's ofthe definitive field of play and hence are known as fdead 'wood, and between which two types of pins there is aclea'r distinction in the game of candle pins. As above indicated the only pins which are to be removed after each ball has been bowled, in the game of candle pins 'arethose leveled pins which come within the category of .dead wood. In addition, presently proposed pin remoying mechanisms generally require some change in the physical dimensions of the alley or other components 'of the game and it has been found that withreg ardt'o'the game of candle pins, particularly, any attempt to change the physical dimensions of the alley or other of the game equipment adversely affects theplay and theibovvle rs score. This has been'particularly true where the necessary changes have, as is generally the case, requireda deepening of the alley gutters.

It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a mechanism which will distinguish between the live wood, i. e., pins which hav e been upset but remain in'the definitivefieldofplay,and dead wood, i. e., pinswhich have been upset and displaced beyond the definitive field of play, and will prop- 'erly functionto remove only the dead wood, leaving the live wood and the standing wood, e., those pins remaining :an upright position the definitive field of play, undisturbed and hence admirably lends'itself to use for the purposementionedin'connection'with the playing of the candle pin form of bowling' g 'arh'e above referred to'sorn'ewhat in detail. r

Still another object of the invention is to provide a mechanism as and for the purpose above-mentioned which will require no change whatever'in'thephysical dimensions of the alley or other components of the game, and ior that'rea'sonalso is used to advantage i'n"connec tion with the aforementioned candle pin form of bowling game. i l

The mechanism of this invention comprises a combination and arrangement of elements whichinsufes the segregating and removal to the reeeiving'lpit' o'f a'll of the so-called dead wood, including dead wood l'eariing across the gutters against the"pitw'all divider 'or kick-back, in such a manner as to leave the""sta'nding wood and live wood undisturbed in thefield of'p'lay.

Also the mechanism of this inventionincludes etlicie'iit means for protecting the mechanism froi'n' damage as might otherwise be caused by aball bowle'd, inadvertently' or otherwise, during the cycle of operation of such mechanisms l M Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the 'followingdescrip'tion ofthe preferred forinof the invention, taken in" connection with 'the' accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of a bowling alley having the mechanism for handling bowling pins as contemplated tially on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail horizontalsectional view taken substantially on the line'4- 4 o Figure 2;

FigureS is a detail transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line ,55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detailside elevation al viewof a sweep forming part ofrt'helinventioni i Figure -7 is a fragmentary ljdetail sectional eleyational view showing a rack and pinion assembly forming a salient feature of the invention;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a movable gutter section forming part of the invention, and

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective view of a safety gate forming part of the invention.

The drawings illustrate the apparatus associated with a conventional bowling alley generally designated by the numeral 10, and comprising the regulation platform or floor-like surface 11 having a pair of gutters 12 along the marginal edges thereof; a pit 13 at one end of the alley, and a ball return rail 14 paralleling one of the gutters 12. The reference numeral 15, in the lowermost portion of Figure 1 of the drawings, indicates a partition wall between the pit 13 of the alley shown and the pit of an adjoining alley, not shown.

As hereinbefore stated, especially in regard to the game of candle pins, the bowling or candle pins 16 are set up in triangular array within a definitive field of play that is a rectangular section or area 17 of the bowling alley bounded by the edges of the floor 11 at the pit 13 and gutters 12 and a line 18 drawn across the alley floor-surface and generally known as the dead line.

As before stated, it is the object of the player, with each ball bowled, to level the alley of all the upstanding pins 16. Generally, however, one or more of the pins 16 will not fall and hence come within the category of standing wood while of the pins that do fall one or more will remain in the definitive field of play so as to come within the category of live wood, and other of the fallen pins will be displaced beyond the definitive field of play and hence come within the category of dead wood." It is to the removal of these last-mentioned pins or dead wood into pit 13 that this invention is directed.

The apparatus through the medium of which the abovementioned object is obtained includes, in general, a sweep board indicated generally by the reference numeral 19 normally disposed along one longitudinal edge of the alley for reciprocatory movement transversely across the floor- -like surface 11 of the alley in advance of the definitive field of play 17 for sweeping before it the dead wood,

i. e., pins 16 which have been displaced from the field of play beyond the deadline into a gutter 12; sweep rods 20 disposed along the longitudinal edges of the gutters 12 at the edges thereof farthest remote from the longitudinal edges of the alley floor surface 11, for reciprocation toward and away from the pit 13 and engageable with the dead wood or pins which have been upset and project beyond the bounding lines of the definitive field of play 17, and across the gutters 12 in contact with or touching the side walls of the bowling alley, for causing such pins to fall into the gutters 12; vertically movable gutter sections 12m receiving the dead wood, i. e., the aforementioned pins which had been directed thereinto by the action of the sweep board 19 and sweep rods pushers or followers 21 disposed for reciprocation within the gutter sections 12m toward and from the pit 13 for directing the pins in the gutters to the pit 13; and a swingable gate 22 normally disposed along one longitudinal edge of the alley 10 for movement to and from an overlying position with respect to the floor-like surface 11, and located forwardly or in advance of the sweep board 19 for protecting the mechanism from damage as might be caused by a ball bowled while the abovementioned components of the apparatus are in operation.

The movements of gate 22, sweep board 19, sweep rods 20, gutter sections 12m and pushers 21, in proper sequence and synchronism are accomplished by means of mechanism comprising a transverse shaft 23 supported by, and journaled in, bearing standards 24 preferably located beneath the floor surface 11 of the alley, and which shaft 23 is driven in either of two directions from a suitable source of power, as for example, electric motor 25 that is in driving engagement with the shaft 23 through the medium of gearing which includes a suitable enclosed 4 reduction gearing assembly indicated generally at 26, and gears 27. Shaft 23 is provided with pinions 28 in constant mesh with rack bars 29. There is one rack bar 29 for each gutter 12 and each rack bar is supported lengthwise of and beneath a gutter 12 for reciprocatory movement through the medium of a bearing standard 30 having a removable bearing cap 31 (see Figure 7) which provides a structure for housing a. pinion 28 and for sup porting and guiding the rack bar 29 with which the pinion is in mesh.

Each rack bar 29 has associated therewith a slide 32 mounted to reciprocate on a pair of parallel rods 33 sup-' ported between a pair of opposed transverse members 34, 35. Each slide 32 has rising therefrom studs 36 through the medium of which are anchored to the slide 32 the terminals of gutter-operating cables 37, 38. The cables 37, 38 are also anchored to and trained about pulleys 39, 40 mounted on oscillatory shafts 41, 42 respectively supported in suitable bearing brackets 43, 44. Each of the shafts 41 and 42 has secured thereto gutter-supporting arms 45 which are pivoted to a gutter section 12m for raising and lowering said section in response to oscillatory or rocking movement of the shafts 41, 42.

Each slide 32 is normally held in a retracted position (that is, the position shown in the drawings), and thereby they normally maintain the gutter sections 12m in elevated position and in alignment with the main or stationary sections of the gutters 12, through the medium of a cross bar 46 carried by and extending laterally from the respective rack bars 29. Movement of the slides 32 in a direction to effect a lowering of the gutter sections 12m is limited through the medium of pairs of stops 47 arranged in the path of movement of the slides 32 and extending in parallelism with the rods 33 from the member 35 (see Figure 4).

Movement of one of the rack bars 29 also controls the movements of the sweep board 19 and gate 22. Gate 22 is mounted on a vertical shaft 48 suitably supported for rocking or oscillatory movement. A suitably anchored coil spring 49 is convoluted about the shaft 48 and secured thereto and normally urges the shaft 48 to rotate in one direction for normally urging the gate 22 from the out-of-the-way position shown in full lines in the drawings, i. e., along one longitudinal edge of a gutter 12, to the operative or protective position across the alley, and shown by broken lines in Figure l. Shaft 48 is also provided with a laterally extending arm 50 to which is secured one end of a cable 51. The other end of the cable is anchored to a slide 52 through the medium of an upstanding stud 53. Slide 52 is supported between the members 34 and 35 for sliding movement therebetween through the medium of a pair of guide rails or rods 54. Limit stops 55, somewhat similar to the aforementioned limit stops 47, are arranged in the path of the slide 52 for limiting movement of the latter to an extent which permits the gate 22 to swing from the full line position shown in Figures 1 and 2 to the dotted line position shown in Figure 1. In this connection it will be noted that stud 53 is in abutting engagement with the cross rod 46 of the rack bar 29 and thus cooperates with the latter for normally holding the gate 22 in the aforementioned retracted position against the action of spring 49. A slide 56 and a cable 57 are also provided for controlling, in response to the movement of the rack bar 29, movements of the sweep board 19. In this connection it will be noted that in the illustrated embodiment thereof the sweep board 19 comprises a pair of standards 58 that at their lower ends or bases are pivotally mounted as at 59. At the upper ends thereof the standards 58 are connected by a cross rod 60 which also serves as a pivotal connection between the standards 58 and arms 61. At the lower ends thereof the arms 61 are bridged by, and have pivotally connected therewith, the sweep board per se 62, the surface of which may be covered by felt or other suitable material 63 so as not to mar or scratch thefallen pins. 16.when. it comesrin contact therewith;-

Also, so as not to mar the floor surface ll-suitable rollers or castors 78 are provided in a manner to support the lower ends of the arms 61 and the lower edge of the board 62 slightly above the floor surface. mentioned cable 57 is suitably secured to the sweep board 62 as indicated generally at 64 (see Figure- 6.), and at bar 29, and with the slide 56in the retracted position shown in Figure 4 the aforementioned and described sweep board assembly 19 is held in the retracted position shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 2. For the slide 56 there are also provided limiting stops 71. In this connection it will benoted that the stops 47,55 and 71 are so proportioned as to lengthas to limit the movements of the respective slides'32, 52 and 56 in order to permit the desired movements of gate 22, sweep board 19, sweep rods 20, gutter. sections 12m and pushers 21 in proper sequence and synchronism. The sweep board assembly 19'also includes booster levers 66 pivoted as at 67' to the standards 58 and provided at one end with lateral projections 68 that normally impinge the arms 61. The booster levers 66' are energized by springs 69 secured at oneend to the levers 66' and at the opposite ends thereof anchored as at 70 to the standards 58. The purpose and function of the booster levers 66 will be hereinafter more fully explained.

The aforementioned pushers or followers 21 provided for directing'the pins in the gutters 12to'the pit 13 are, as shown, carried by the rack bars 29, and the aforementioned sweep rods'20, which may', be formed of wire rod or other suitable material, include horizontal portions 20' which are secured to the pushers or followers 21 and serve to support the sweep rods 20 in advance of the followers 21, and with that sweep rod 20, arranged at the same side of the alley where the sweep board assembly 19 is supported, in suitable position with respect to the components of the sweep board assembly (see Figures 1 and 2) so as not to mutually interfere with their respective operations.

In order that initial actuation of the parts just abovementioned may be controlled by the players, a switch 72 electrically connected in any suitable manner with the motor 25 may be mounted on the floor surface 11 of the alley for convenient manipulation by the players. In this connection it will also be noted that a supporting standard 73 for one of the pairs of rack bars 29 is provided with a reversing switch 74 and a stop switch 75 that are also electrically connected in any suitable manner with the electric motor 25. For actuating the reversing switch 74, the mentioned rack bar 29 is provided with a trip arm 76 that, when the mentioned rack bar 29 has moved the necessary distance and the parts are all in the dotted line position shown in Figure 1, engages the switch 74 for causing the motor 25 to reverse and thus cause a retraction of all the parts, or in other words a movement of all the parts from the broken line position shown in Figure 1 to the full line position of said parts shown in said figure. When the parts have returned to this last-mentioned position, stop switch 75 is engaged by a trip arm 77 carried by the mentioned rack bar 29 whereupon the switch is operated for breaking the circuit through the motor, the parts being then all in position to repeat the cycle of operation now to be described.

As before indicated, all of the aforementioned and described parts of the apparatus are normally in the out-of-the-way or retracted positions shown in full lines in the drawings. After a ball has been bowled, and for the purpose of clearing the aforementioned dead wood, the player then actuates the switch 72 to start the electric The afore Intermediate the ends thereof the motor 25 whereupon the rack bars 29 are driven through the medium of the pinions 28. As the rack bars 29 advance, the slides 32, 52 and 56 follow until-arrested by the stops 47, 55 and 71. As slide 52 moves toward the stops 55, gate 22 in response to the action of spring 49,

moves to the protective position; i. e., a position across the alley indicated by'broken lines in Figure 1 and into abutting engagement with a suitable stop 79, the gate in this latter position effectively blocking further play, i. e., the bowling of a subsequent ball by the player for the time being.

As slide 56 moves, under influence of the springs 69,

toward the stops 71, the booster levers66' of the sweepboard assembly 19, energized by the springs 69, act to project the arms 61 in a manner to cause the sweep board 62 to jump across the intervening gutter 12 and to move across the floor surface of the alley from the retracted position shown in Figures 1 tao 4, inclusive, to the dotted line position shown in Figures 1 and 3. Manifestlyas the sweep board 62 so moves across the alley floor, it sweeps the dead wood, i. e., the pins 16 which have been displaced from the field of play beyond the deadline 18, into the gutter section 12m at the opposite side of the alley, this sweeping movement of the sweep board 62 continuing until slide 56 has moved into engagement with the stops 71.

It will also be apparent that as the rack bars 29 move the slides 32 move in a corresponding direction with the result that the gutter sections 12m, of their own weight begin to move vertically downwardly the cables 37, 38 winding on the respective pulleys 39, 40. At about the time the sweep 19 has reached the limit of its pin sweep-' ing action slides 32 will have moved into engagement with. the limiting stops 47,.at which point the gutter sec tions 12m will be in their lowermost position. The rack bars 29 however continue to move carrying with them the pushers 21 and the sweep rods 20. This continued the gutter sections 12m sufiiciently to approximately touchthe side walls 15 of the bowling alley, are engaged by the sweep rods and directed thereby into the gutter sections 12m to be, along with the aforementioned dead wood, directed by the pushers 21 into the pit 13 at the rear end of the alley. When the pushers 21 have reached the ends of the gutter sections 12m nearest to the pit 13 trip arm 76 will engage the reverse switch 74 whereby the driving action of the motor will be reversed. This will result in a retraction of the rack bars 29, i. e., a movement of the rack'bars in a direction away from the pit end of the alley. Manifestly, as the rack bars 29 are retracted, retracting movement is imparted to the slides 32, 52 and 56 as the cross arms 46 move into engagement first with the studs 36 on the slides 32 and, in reference to one of the cross arms 46, into engagement with the stud 65 on slide 56 and the stud 53 on slide 52 in the order named. This retraction of the slides 32, 56 and 52 will manifestly result in the retraction of the sweep board 19 and the gate 22, and the elevating of the gutter sections 12m in proper sequence and synchronism. As the mentioned components reach their retracted positions the trip arm 77 carried by one of the rack bars 29 will move into engagement with the stop switch 75, thus interrupting the circuit to the motor 25. The parts are now all in position to repeat the cycle of operation just described.

While the invention has been described in detail in its presently preferred embodiment, it will, of course, be understood that such has been done for purposes of illustration only and not by way of limitation, and therefore only such limitations are to be imposed thereon as may reasonably come within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a bowling alley, vertically movable gutter sections, a sweep board movable across the floor surface of the alley to engage and sweep fallen pins lying, in a certain area, between the deadline and the foul line end of the alley into one of the aforementioned gutter sections, sweep rods movable lengthwise of the gutter sections to engage and direct into the gutter sections fallen pins projecting there-across and touching the side walls of the alley between the deadline and the pit end of the alley, pushers movable lengthwise of and within the gutter sections, when the latter are displaced from their operative position, to direct the pins therein to the alley pit, and a shaft extending beneath the alley and connected with the gutter sections, sweep board, sweep rods and pushers to actuate the same in predetermined sequence.

2. Apparatus for clearing a bowling alley of dead wood as distinguished from standing wood and live wood as those terms are understood in the game of candle pins comprising vertically movable alley gutter sections, a sweep board mounted for reciprocation transversely across the alley to engage and sweep the dead wood lying, in a certain area, between the deadline and the foul line end of the alley into one of the aforementioned gutter sections, sweep rods mounted for recip rocation lengthwise of the gutter sections to engage and direct into the gutter sections dead wood projecting there-across and touching the side walls of the alley between the deadline" and the pit end of the alley, pushers mounted for reciprocation within the gutter sections when the latter are displaced from their operative position to direct the dead wood therein to the alley pit, and a shaft mounted beneath the alley and operatively connected with the gutter sections for raising and lowering the same, and with the sweep board, sweep rods, and

pushers for reciprocating the latter, in synchronism and predetermined sequence.

3. In combination with a bowling alley, vertically movable gutter sections at the pit end of the alley, pusher members mounted for reciprocation lengthwise of the gutter sections when the latter are displaced from their operative position to engage and direct pins in the gutter sections toward and into the alley pit, and means connected with the gutter sections and the pusher members for raising and lowering the gutter sections and for reciprocating the pusher members in synchronism and predetermined sequence.

4. In combination with a bowling alley, vertically movable gutter sections, sweep rods movable lengthwise of the gutter sections to engage and direct into the gutter sections fallen pins projecting there-across and touching the side walls of the alley between the deadline and the pit end of the alley, pushers movable lengthwise of and within the gutter sections when the latter are displaced from their operative position, to direct the pins therein to the alley pit, and a shaft extending beneath the alley and connected with the gutter sections, sweep rods and pushers to actuate the same in predetermined sequence.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 460,025 Oeyen Sept. 22, 1891 1,203,216 McFarland Oct. 31, 1916 1,586,831 Murphy June 1, 1926 1,806,274 Williams May 19, 1931 2,250,503 Rundell July 29, 1941 2,411,348 Turner Nov. 19, 1946 2,498,587 Snyder Feb. 21, 1950 2,566,987 Humber Sept. 4, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 501,166 Germany June 30, 1930

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