US2815954A - Backstop for bowling alleys - Google Patents

Description

J. ZUERCHER BAGKSTOP FOR .BOWLIENG ALLEYS Dec. 10, 1957 Original Filed March 22, 1982 INVENTOR JOHN ZUERCHER ATIJORNEY United States Patent Ofifice 2,815,954 Patented Dec. 10, 1 957 BACKSTOP FOR BOWLING ALLEYS John Zuercher, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to American Machine and Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-53) This invention relates to bowling alley apparatus, and more particularly to an improved backstop or cushion for use in the pit of a bowling alley for absorbing the shock of impact of bowling balls, and stopping the longitudinally rearward travel of balls in the alley pit.

This invention constitutes a division of my copending application S. N. 277,991, filed March 22, 1952, for Pin Curtain for Pinspotter.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved backstop or cushion for use in the pit of a bowling alley.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel resiliently mounted backstop for use in the pit of a bowling alley, wherein the backstop is mounted for operation in a novel manner to more efliciently absorb the shock of impact of balls and/or pins striking it, thereby more efliciently controlling the movement of balls and/or pins in the pit.

With these and objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain combination and constructions which will be hereinafter fully described, and then set forth in the claim hereunto appended.

The accompanying drawing is an isometric view illustrating a preferred form of the invention shown in conjunction with a vertically reciprocating pinspotter table suspended over the alley bed and a resilient backstop S mounted in pit P of a bowling alley A.

The pit curtain embodying the invention and designated generally C, extends transversely across pit P of bowling alley A in front of and spaced from backstop or cushion S. Curtain C is formed of a sheet of flexible material such as rubber, or canvas, laminated rubber and canvas, or any suitable fabric or sheet material which is strong and durable and can stand flexing without breaking or tearing. A leather curtain has been found to give satisfactory results. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper end 4 of pit curtain C is secured to a horizontal rod 6, the ends of which are supported in arms 8, swingably mounted on suitable studs projecting from and held by vertical frame members 12 of a vertically reciprocating pin spotter table T. This table may be of the same type and construction as that disclosed in co-pending application, Serial No. 180,174, filed by Holloway et al. August 18, 1950, now Patent No. 2,781,195, issued February 12, 1957, and since it forms no specific part of the invention, further description and showing thereof are deemed unnecessary.

Table T is supported at each side for movement to and from alley A by a pair of connecting and supporting rods 14, the upper ends of which are pivoted to a pair of crank arms 16 mounted on a horizontal shaft 18 rotated by suitable means (not shown) in proper timed relation with the rest of the machine (not shown). For simplicity of illustration, only one rod 14 and crank arm 16 are shown.

A pair of guide rods 20, each pivoted at one end to stationary frame members 22 of the machine, and at their other ends pivoted to a suitable bracket 24 attached to table T frame members 12, are provided to guide table T during its vertical movement and also to main tain it in a substantially horizontal plane at all times, Guide rods 20 also tend to prevent side sway of the table due to the manner in which they extend from the table frame 12 at an outward angle. Arms 8 extend rearwardly and above guide rods 20 and rest loosely thereon. This provides a flexible and movable support for the upper end of pit curtain 'C, such that when table T is in its up position, curtain C is taut. When thus positioned, it is located in operative position, and any flying pins striking it will be deflected downwardly into the pit. In this manner pins are prevented from flying upwardly and over the backstop into operative machine parts. So also pins are prevented from flying back onto the gutters or in front of the pin supporting deck of a bowling alley from which they must be removed either manually or by mechanism provided for that purpose. When, however, table T is lowered for respotting purposes, not shown herein or described in detail, curtain C flexes downwardly or moves downwardly further into the pit, depending upon whether it hangs freely from rod 6, or is anchored by straps 32, as shown in the drawing.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated herein, about one-third of the distance from the bottom edge 26 of the curtain, there is provided a transverse sleeve or pocket 28 which carries a horizontal rod or tube 30. Straps 32, attached to the upper portion of backstop backing plate 34, hold the lower portion of curtain C so that the major upper portion thereof forms a resilient, upwardly inclined or angular sheet or wall in front of and above backstop S. Therefore, the arrangement of the curtain is such that when a ball is thrown and pins fly about the pit, they tend to strike the curtain and are deflected downwardly into the pit and are thus prevented from damaging the spotting table T or knocking down standing pins or flying up the alley. In the drawing, broken line arrow R indicates the path a flying pin might take into pit P. Full line arrow F indicates the path this pin, deflected by curtain C, takes into pit P. The dotted lines Kn indicates the pin after being deflected by said curtain into the pit P.

Backstop S consists of a board or sheet 38 such as rubber, canvas or fiber extending transversely across the rear end of the pit and mounted on a transverse backing plate 34 suitably attached to a pair of arms 40 fulcrumed on a horizontal shaft 42 supported on each end by suitable bearing brackets (not shown) which may be conveniently attached to the frame structure 22 secured to the kickbacks B of the alley. Each backstop supporting arm 40 is provided with an extension 44. To the free end of each extension 44 is pivotally connected one end of a suitable shock absorber 46. The other end of each shock absorber 46 is attached to a bracket 48 secured to the machine frame 22. In the drawing, only one shock absorber 46 and bracket 48 are shown, it being understood that an identical arrangement is used for the extension 44 at the right of Fig. 1. This arrangement provides a controlled resiliency for the backstop, and minimizes bouncing of the bowling balls after hitting said backstop.

The invention above described may be varied in construction within the scope of the claim, for the particular embodiments selected to illustrate the invention are but a few of the possible concrete forms which my invention may assume. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted to the precise details of the structures shown and described.

What I claim is:

In combination in a bowling alley for use with automatic pinsetting apparatus, a pit disposed at the end of the playing bed of the alley, a backstop member dis- 3 posed in said pit and extending transversely thereacross adjacent the end of the playing bed, and supporting and shock absorbing means operatively connected to said backstop member and so constructed as to leave the space in the pit behind said backstop member free to be occupied b'yother bowling alley equipmenhsaid supporting and shock absorbing means comprising two downwardly extending lever arms spaced transversely of said pit and having their lower end portions attached to said backstop member, means disposed above said backstop member and mounting said lever arms for pivotal motion forwardly andrearwardly with respect to said pit, at least one of said lever arms being provided with an extension combining with such lever arm to form a bell crank,

said exte'nsion being disposed above said backstop member, and shock absorbing means mounted adjacent said extension above said backstop member and operatively connected to said extension to oppose pivotal motion of said extension resulting when said backstop member swings rearwardly of the pit under impact of a ball or bowling pin entering the pit from the alley bed.

References Cited in the file of this patent Hackert Oct. 6, 1953

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