US2932512A - Mechanism for arranging and aligning bowling pins - Google Patents

Description

M. PATTERSQN ETAL 2,932,512

April 12 1960 MECHANISM FOR ARRANGING AND ALIGNING BOWLING PINS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Dec. 28, 1949 INVENTOR ATTORN Y April 1960 M. PATTERSON ET AL 2,932,512

MECHANISM FOR ARRANGING AND ALIGNING BOWLING PINS Original Filed Dec. 28, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Pi \0v 2\ w 0 w V s v Q Q v I w IHHHI l v April 12, 1960 PATTERSON ET AL 2,932,512

MECHANISM FOR ARRANGING AND ALIGNING BOWLING PINS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Dec. 28, 1949 INVENTOR MOREHEAD PATTERSON ALEXANDER c. WALL BYGERHARD s. THIEM Q cm April 12, 1960 M. PATTERSON ETAL 2,932,512

MECHANISM FOR ARRANGING AND ALIGNING BOWLING PINS Original Filed Dec. 28, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR MOREHEAD PATTE SON ALEXANDER C. WALL BY GERHARD G.THIEM ATTORNEY April 12, 1960 M. PATTERSON ET AL 2,932,512

MECHANISM FOR ARRANGING AND ALIGNING BOWLING PINS Original Filed Dec. 28, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG.. 6

INVENTOR MOREHEAD PATTERSONI ALEXANDER G. WALL GERHARD G. THIEM TTORY' MEfiHANlSM FOR GING AND ALIGNING BOWLING PINS Morehead Patterson, New York, N.Y., Alexander C.

Wall, Noroton, Conn, and Gerhard G. Thiem, Southwiclr, Mass, assignors to American Machine & Foundry (lompany, a corporation of New Jersey Originai application December 28, 1949, Serial No. 135,3fi6, now Patent No. 2,726,086, dated December 6, 1955. Divided and this application January 7, 1955, Serial No. 480,318

7 Claims. (Cl. 273-43) This invention relates to bowling pin spotting machines and more particularly to bowling pin spotting machines having improved mechanisms for orienting and aligning bowling pins in such a manner that they are subjected to a minimum of handling and wear and tear from the time they are received in the pit of a bowling alley until they are placed in spotted arrangment on the playing bed of a bowling alley.

The invention consists of a bowling pin spotting machine having mechanism located in the pit of a bowling alley which receives, distributes, aligns and arranges a plurality of bowling pins in upright arrangement for delivery from said pit by means which grip and transfer such aligned upright pins from the pit of the alley and place them in playing arrangement on the playing bed of the alley.

This application constitutes a division of our copending application Serial Number 135,396, filed December 28, 1949 for Mechanism for Arranging and Spotting Bowling Pins, now Patent 2,726,086, granted December 6, 1955.

in machines embodying such types of pin handling mechanisms, pins are subjected to considerable tumbling, wear and tear, and also such machines are quite noisy due to the manner in which pins are handled during their removal from the pit and subsequent travel to their respective spotting devices.

The present machine constitutes a solution of these problems because it makes possible the arranging, distribution and alignment of bowling pins in the pit of an alley. Therefore handling and movement of pins are reduced to a minimum because there is no need for removing pins from the pit in order to effect their delivery in spotted arrangement on the spotting bed of an alley. Indeed, according to our invention, pins are delivered into aligning members in the pit of an alley where they are aligned and then positioned in handle upright arrangement ready for removal and placement in playing arrangement on the playing bed of the bowling alley with which the machine embodying our invention is associated.

Our invention'therefore contributes to increased speed in the handling and'spotting of pins on the playing bed of an alley, and also tends to increase the life of pins because of less wear and tear in their handling and arrangement for spotting.

It is an object of our invention to provide a novel bowling pin spotting machine including means for arranging bowling pins in the pit of an alley ready for removal therefrom for placement in spotted arrangement on the playing bed of a bowling alley.

Our invention also consists in the provision of improved mechanism for aligning and arranging bowling pins and means coacting therewith for placing them in conventional triangular playing arrangement on the playing bed of the alley.

Our invention also consists in the provision of bowling r Ice pin aligning and erecting mechanism consisting of a plurality of side by side bowling pin receiving cavities or pockets, and erecting means associated therewith operative to align a plurality of bowling pins, such as a set of ten pins commonly used in the game, and after they are aligned, position them in upright arrangement in order that bowling pin handling means coacting therewith can effect the placement of such pins in triangular playing arrangement on the playing bed of an alley.

Our invention also consists in the provision of novel bowling pin manipulating and aligning mechanism wherein bowling pins are distributed in transversely arranged pin receiving, aligning and erecting pockets for subsequent delivery and placement in playing arrangement on the playing bed of a bowling alley.

With these and other object not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain combinations and constructions which will be hereinafter fully described, and then set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

Figure l is a view of a preferred embodiment of the invention showing means for aligning bowling pins in the pit of a bowling alley, and means for transferring aligned bowling pins from the pit to the bowling alley bed;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment or" pin shaped aligning mechanism in the pit of a bowling alley in conjunction with pin agitating, and pin erecting mechanisms used therewith;

Figure 3 is a sectional side elevation showing one of the pin shaped cavities, and its pin erecting mechanism in conjunction with the pin agitators;

Figure 4 is a plan View of a single pin receiving cavity;

Figure 5 is a schematic view illustrating the interrupted reciprocating movements of the pin agitators; and

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic View of a suitable wiring diagram for the control mechanism of the invention.

With reference to the drawings, the invention consists of a bowling pin spotting machine provided with novel pin orienting and aligning mechanism as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. This mechanism operates in conjunction with and in synchronism with a pin pick-up transfer and positioning mechanism designated generally T, shown in Figure l. The preferred embodiment of the pin orienting and aligning mechanism, designated generally 29, is located within pit l of a bowling alley AL, and consist of a suitable transverse board or platform 12, which in the illustrated embodiment eX- tends over substantially the entire area of pit P between kickbacks KI, and from adjacent to header board of alley AL to cushion CU at the rear of pit P.

Platform 12 is supported at its front and rear portions by suitable brackets 14- and 16 which are secured to transverse bearing plates 18 and 19 (Figure 3) respectively, each of which at its ends is suitably fastened to and held by the inner walls of kickbacks KI of the bowling alley. Since ten pins are generally used in the playing the game, platform 12 is provided with ten equally spaced pockets or cavities 22 arranged in a row extending transversely of the pit l. The number of pockets may, of course, be changed as desired. Each cavity has the general outline of a pair of pins placed butt end to butt end so that a pin may fall into each cavity 22 either forwardly or backwardly.

Each cavity or pocket 22 includes a pair of vertical side walls 24 preferably shaped to conform with the shape and outline of a cavity 22. The bottom of each pocket 22 is formed by two slightly curved and inclined hinged members 26, each of which at its lowermost end is loosely mounted on a horizontal shaft 28 supported in suitable bearings in pocket walls 24. Shafts 28 are mounted parallel and fairly close to each other in the center and lowermost portion of each pocket '22. The upper free side edges of each member 26 are supported in pin receiving position and against free downward movement by plates 30 (Figures 3 and 14) extending outwardly from the lower edges of Walls 24. The upper portion of each member 26 is provided with a slotted cross bar 32 in which the upper or free end of a suitably shaped erector arm 34'can slide. Arm 34- is attached to the center of horizontal shaft 28. It will be evident, therefore, that each pocket has a pair of pin erecting members 26 and a pair of erector arms 34, which when swung upwardly, move a pin from prone to upright position. The two shafts 28 in each pocket are operatively connected for simultaneous operation by a pair of intermeshing gear segments 36, one segment 36 mounted on each shaft. One segment of each pair of segments 36 is provided with an arm 38 connected by an adjustable rod 40 to an actuating lever 42. The several levers 42 are secured to a transverse horizontal shaft 44 mounted in suitable bearings (not shown) attached to the inner walls of kickbacks KI. Shaft 44 (Figures 1, 2 and 3) is oscillated by means of three identical cam levers 46 mounted thereon. Levers 46 carry cam followers or rollers 47 running on suitable identical cams $8, all attached to transverse cam shaft 50. Secured to earn shaft 50 is a sprocket 52 (Figures 1, 2 and 3) which is driven at the proper time through a chain 55 from a sprocket 56 (Figure 1) on main cam shaft 128. It is evident that'at the proper time in the operation of the machine, oscillating motion of shaft 44, effected by the rotation of cams 48, causes each pair of gear segments 36 to rock shafts 28 in such manner that the two shafts23 of each pair of shafts 28 turn in opposite directions. Since each shaft 28 is secured to an arm 34 which engages with a hinged member 26, this motion causes the two members '26 in each cavity to move upwardly towards each other or downwardly away from each other, the latter representing the lowermost position as shown in Figure 3, while the former represents the raised position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. The space between the two shafts 28 in each cavity is bridged by means of a suitably shaped plate 37 secured to ribs 39 extending between the bearings of shafts 28 in pocket walls 24.

When in pin receiving position, as shown in full lines in Figure 3, members 26 in each pocket or cavity 22 are in their down positions, and together with the bridge plate 37, form the bottom of their respective pockets 22. After a pin has dropped or been directed into each of the pockets 22 and they are filled, all members 26 in proper timed relation during the operation of the machine are moved into an upright position (Figures 1 and 3) thereby causing each pin in its respective pocket to be erected and brought into handle end upright position in such a manner that all erected pins are standing in aligned arrangement across pit P. 7

During the playing of the game, after each ball of a frame is rolled and separated from the pins and returned to the bowler by any suitable means (not shown), fallen pins which have not rolled off alley AL or dropped therefrom are swept by suitable means from the alley and gutter into pit P. Pins dropping or swept into pit P tend to roll into empty pockets 2 2. However, in order to facilitate their entry into empty pockets 22, and insure that each pocket 22 will be filled with a pin, there is provided a number of agitators or pin arranging members 54- for this purpose. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, and as illustrated schematically in Figure 5, agitators 54 are so mounted and operated that they sweep transversely across pit P above pockets 22 and propel pins not already located in pockets 22 back and forth until such pins drop into and fill any empty pockets 22. Each pin agitator of the number disclosed in the preferred embodiment selected for purposes of illustration consists of a yielding or. flexible rod, such as a self-supporting cantilever mounted spring 54 (Figures 2, 3 and 5). Agitators 54 are arranged horizontally in two rows opposite and extending towards each other, each rod or spring 54 reaching a little more than half way across the row of pockets or cavities 22 in pit P.

Each spring rod 54 at one end is provided with a stud 57 secured to a lug '58. One set of lugs 58 is secured to and properly spaced on a transversely extending endless chain 60in the rear of the pit. Another set of lugs 58 is properly spaced on and securedto an endless chain 62 in the front portion of the pit and parallel with chain so. The front and rear sets of agitators 54 are arranged in a staggered manner and are so spaced and their motion so controlled that when pins lying on platform 12 are ongaged and displaced thereby, each spring rod 54 during the interruption of its reciprocating travel across pit P will come to rest substantially on the center line between two' cavities 22 or adjacent to the outer edges of the two outer cavities 22 at the sides of the pit. This arrangement and operation insure that there will be no obstruction to the entry of pins into cavities 22 when the movement or chainsfiil and 62 is interrupted. Rear chain 66 and front chain 62 are driven by means of sprockets 54 and 66, respectively, both sprockets being mounted on a shaft 68 which in turn is intermittently operated by a suitable reversible gear reduction motor '76 (Figures 2 and 3). Rear chain of is guided along a generally rectangular path of travel over idlersprockets 72 mounted on studs 74 in transverse bearing plate 19. Front chain 62 is also guided along the same path of travel over idler sprockets 76 mounted on studs '78 in transverse bearing plate 18. i

The transverse reciprocating intermittent or interrupted movement of spring rods or agitators 54 is illustrated schematically in Figure 5, and for this purpose spring rods 54 in this figure are numbered from I to VII. Spring rods I, III, V and VII are shown as extending from and mounted for movement by rear chain 60. Spring rods II, IV and VI are illustrated as extending from and mounted for movement by front chain 62. Lines B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I and J indicate the center lines between pockets or cavities 22. Lines A and K indicate lines or positions adjacent the extreme outer walls of the two end pockets 22 at opposite sides of the pit. The positions of the spring rods or agitators 43 illustrated in Figure 5, are their normal or rest positions, ready to be set into operation to direct pins into pockets 22. After pins have been swept by sweeps from the alley into the pit, a suitable coutrol mechanism disclosed and described in said Patent 2,726,086, starts and stops motor 70 in such mannor that chains 60, 6 2 are alternately moved and stopped as they travel agitators 54 back and forth across pit P. For example, in the operation of a typical agitator, say spring rod VII, as shown in Figure 5, when motor '70 is started, rod VII moves transversely over cavities 22 from position A to position C. Motor 70 is then stopped and rod VII dwells at position C until motor '70 is started again. This same operation takes place as rod VII progrosses from positions C to E, E to G, G to I, and I to K.-

When rod VII arrives at position K, motor 70 is reversed and 'rod VII is moved in the same interrupted manner in the opposite direction along the same path over pockets or cavities 22 until it reaches its original starting position A. After a short stop, the interiupted motions of the chains 60 and 62 and rods I to VII continue in the same direction and in the same interrupted manner until spring rod I arrives at position A, at which time motor 70 is reversed again and spring rod I is moved again across the top of the cavities in the opposite direction until it reaches its original position at line K. If, at that time, all cavities or pockets 22 are filled, motor 70 is stopped; members 26 are actuated by cams 48 and move the pins in the cavities 22 to upright position. While the ,movement of rods I and VII only has been mentioned, it will be readily apparent that rods II to VI have a similar operating motion back and forth across pit P.

The reason for the preferred interrupted or intermittent motion of the spring rods 54 is to give bowling pins, lying in pit P after being engaged and moved by a rod or agitator 54, time to roll or work themselves into adjacent empty cavities 22, and not be kept continuously in motion before they are able to come to rest or move into cavities 22 below the plane of the rods 54. With this arrangement, pins are not knocked together or worn as they would be if continuously agitated. They can roll or drop away from rods 54 sufficiently to move downwardly into an empty pocket 22, so that on subsequent forward or reverse motion, rods 54 can pass over pins in pockets 22 without disturbing them. Thus pins continue to orient themselves in the bottom of the cavities or pockets 22 if they have not already done so. Since the depths of the cavities or pockets 22 are less than the diameter of the pins, each cavity can receive only one pin and therefore flexible rods 54 brush or propel loose or free pins transversely across pit P until these pins find empty cavities or pockets 22 and fall in. As mentioned heretofore, each cavity 22 has the approximate outline of a pair of pins placed butt end to butt end, so that the pins may fall into the cavities 22 with the head ends thereof directed either forwardly or backwardly.

It is desirable to protect chains 60 and 62 from the impact of pins falling or tumbling into pit P and onto platform 12. Therefore chain 60 is shielded by a suit ably shaped guard plate 80 secured to a horizontal flange of bearing plate 19. Chain 62 is protected in a similar manner by guard plate 82 attached to the lower portion of header board B0 attached to the pit end of alley AL. To maintain spring rods or agitators 54 horizontal and increase their stability during their movements, and while moving pins, the top portions of brackets 14 and 16 are provided with transversely extending guide rails 84 and 26, respectively. These rails serve as guides and supports for flexible agitators 54 on chains 62 and 60, respectively.

When all cavities or pockets 22 are filled, pins contained therein, as mentioned heretofore, are moved from prone to upright position by means of the upward movement of all members 26. This operation effects a lifting of the head ends of all pins in pockets 22 which in prone position are off center relative to the centrally located butt ends, and at the same time, the upright pins are aligned in a single file across the pit.

As the result of the operation of the mechanism described above, a full set of pins is oriented and aligned in the pit of a bowling alley ready to be removed therefrom and spotted in playing arrangement on the pin supporting portion of alley AL. The method employed eliminates the necessity for elevating each pin to a position above the pit where each pin is conveyed by gravity or otherwise into orienting, aligning and distributing mechanism. As a result of the present invention, orienting and aligning takes place rapidly, and the wear and tear on pins is reduced to a minimum.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated herein, pin transfer and spotting mechanism T normally occupies the position shown in full lines in Figure 1. The desired movement of mechanism T is effected by cam 126 which is tracked by cam follower 124 on lever 120. The free end of lever 12ii is attached to link 1118 to which is secured a rack 116 meshing with gear segment 114- fixed to shaft 1'12. Shaft 112 supports a pulley on which runs a cable 108 having its free end attached to mechanism T. Thus depending on the tirne and extent of rotation of earn 126, mechanism T is moved to the desired spotting and respotting positions T1, T2 and T3. The pin transfer and spotting mechanism T is described and claimed in our Patent 2,726,086, and therefore further detailed description thereof is deemed unnecessary and is omitted in the interest of brevity.

After all pins have been swept into the pit P, a push button 220 is depressed momentarily. This causes the energization of relay 222 which is locked in through its own contact A and through normally closed cavity switches 210 and 212. When a pin occupies a cavity, it depresses either switch 210 or 212, depending on the position of the head of the pin. Therefore, when all cavities are filled the current to lock in contact A of relay 222 is interrupted and relay 222 is immediately deenergized. Contact B when relay 222 is energized is closed which effects the starting of control motor 224. When relay 222 is de-energized contact B is broken, but control motor 224 is kept in operation through a normally closed contact C on relay 222 and by means of contacts 241 which'are kept closed by means of cycle control cam 240 until the end of each cycle. At the completion of each cycle, a high spot on cam 240 opens contacts 241 and an intermediate spot on cam 236 throws switch 242 into a neutral position, thus stopping control motor 224 and reversible gear reduction motor 70. All cavities 22 are then filled and agitators 54 are at rest in their original starting positions.

The mechanism described above makes possible a rapid and simple alignment and arrangement of bowling pins for subsequent handling and delivery to a pin spotter for placement on a bowling alley.

What is claimed is:

l. A pin orienting and assembling mechanism for a bowling pin spotting machine, comprising a support, a plurality of assembling and aligning pockets carried by said support, means for delivering pins in irregular arrangement onto said support, and members movable above said pockets for engaging irregularly arranged pins on said support, means for moving said members back and forth relative to said pockets for directing said pins into empty pockets, and means operative in response to the filling of each of said pockets with a pin for moving all of said pins substantially simultaneously into a position substantially at right angles to the plane of said pockets.

2. A pin orienting and assembling mechanism for a bowling pin spotting machine comprising a support, a plurality of assembling and aligning pockets carried by said support, means for delivering pins in irregular arrangement onto said support, opposed elongated agitating means extending longitudinally of and movable back and forth above said pockets in planes substantially parallel to the open faces of said pockets, the direction of said movement lying in planes substantially at right angles to the open faces of said pockets whereby irregularly arranged pins on said support are engaged and directed into empty pockets, and means operative after each of said pockets has been filled with a pin for moving said pins into a position substantially at right angles to the plane of said pockets.

3. A bowling pin assembling and aligning mechanism for a bowling pin spotting machine, comprising a substantially horizontal support, a plurality of spaced pin receiving and aligning pockets formed in said support, said pockets being positioned beneath the plane of the surface of said support, a plurality of bowling pin agitating devices, means mounting said devices for movement in a plane above and substantially parallel with the surface of said support, mechanism for operating said means to cause said devices to engage irregularly arranged pins resting on said support and move such pins into empty pockets, and control means operatively connected with each of said pockets for incapacitating said mechanism when all of said pockets are filled with pins.

4. A pin aligning and assembling mechanism for a bowling pin spotting machine, comprising a plurality of spaced pin receiving pockets, each of said pockets being provided with a central portion conforming generally in contour with the portion of a bowling pin bounded by a plane passing through its longitudinal axis at its point otmaximum diameter and thebasevof, the bowling pin and providedwith two end'portionsjf extending outwardly from said central portion, said end portions conforming generally in contour with the handle end'of a bowling pin, a pair of opposed pin lifting plates forming the bot tom of each of said pockets,means for feeding a bowling pin into each of said pockets whereby the handle end of said pin lies in one of said end portions, and means for substantially simultaneously moving said plates upwardly to swing or to lift the pin in each of said pockets and thereby arrange a plurality of pins in vertical aligned positions.

5. A pin orienting and aligning apparatus for a bowling pin spotting machine comprising a pin receiving member, means for delivering irregularly arranged pins to said member, a plurality of pin receiving and aligning pockets mounted adjacent said member, and arranged in a predetermined pin receiving pattern, means for directing a plurality of irregularly arranged pins into said member, devices located above said pockets for engaging said irregularly arranged pins in said member and moving said pins'into said pockets, means for effecting stepwise relative back and forth movement between said pockets and said devices for directing pins to each of said pockets, with timed intervals between said Steps" to permit free movement of pins into said pockets.

6. A pin orienting and aligning apparatus for a bowling pin spotting machine comprising a pin receiving mechanism having a plurality of fixed pin pockets arranged in a predetermined pattern arrangement, means directing a plurality of pins into said mechanism and onto said pockets, movable means extending longitudinally of said mechanism "for engagement with'pins' resting on said pockets to move said pins relative thereto and dispose a pin in each of said pockets, means for moving said last-named means stepwise back and forth above said pockets, with timed intervals between said steps to permit free movement of pins into said pockets, and means for substantially simultaneously removing all of said pins from said pockets.

7. A pin aligning and assembling mechanism for a bowling pin spotting machine, comprising a plurality of spaced pin receiving pockets, each of said pockets being provided with a central portion conforming generally in contour with the portion of a bowling pin bounded by a plane passing through its longitudinal axis at its point of maximum diameter and the base of the bowling pin and.

provided with two end portions projecting outwardly from said central portion, said end portions conforming generally in contour with the handle end of a bowling pin, a pair of pin supporting plates forming the bottom of each of said pockets, and means for substantially simultaneously removing all of said pins out of said pockets. 1

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,292,738 Estabrook Jan. 28, 1919 1,911,436 Cone May 30, 1933 2,518,457 Fretter Aug. 15, 1950 2,628,098 Bauerschmidt Feb. 10, 1953 2,726,086 Patterson et a1. Dec. 6, 1955

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