US3068008A

US3068008A - Automatic simulated racing game

Info

Publication number: US3068008A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel M Saltzman; Townsend D Maccoun
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1957-01-08
Filing date: 1957-01-08
Publication date: 1962-12-11
Anticipated expiration: 1979-12-11

Description

Dec. 11, 1962 Filed Jan. 8, 1957 S. M. SALTZMAN ETAL AUTOMATIC SIMULATED RACING GAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 5.? INVENTORS SAMUEL M. SAMT'ZM/JN TOWNSEND 2J- MflCCOL/A/ Dec. 11, 1962 s. M. SALTZMAN ETAL 3,068,008

AUTOMATIC SIMULATED RACING GAME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 8, 1957 fill,llilllillill. MW

m 2. m M M M m 4 m m L E] W F El w an Unite N.Y., and Townsend D. MacCoun, RED. 2, NewMilford, Conn.

Filed Jan. 8, 1957, Ser. No. 633,123

, 15 Claims. (Cl. 27386) This invention relates to games, and more particularly it relatesto automatic devices for simulating racing contests and the like.

7 A principal object of the invention is to provide an amusement device which simulates racing contests and the like by electromechanical means.

Another object is to provide an electromechanical racing game wherein the mechanism is entirely controlled by a novel random operating selector control device. A further object is to provide an electromechanical game having a plurality of movable members arranged to be advanced between fixed starting and finish points, and including a novel circuit controller for arbitrarily and randomly advancing one or more of the members in a non-predictable sequence.

A feature of the invention relates to a novel randomly operating automatic electric switch for controlling the incremental movement of a plurality of independently movable elements along respective tracks.

Another feature relates to an automatic electric switch for controlling the step by step or continuous movement of a series of independently movable elements, in practically unlimited non-recurrent random combinations.

Another feature relates to a randomly operating automatic circuit controller in the form of a rotary drum or drums carrying a plurality of contact sets or pins rotatable as a unit with the drum, together with a plurality of gravity controlled movable contact bridging elements which bridge the contact sets entirely at random.

Another feature relates to a novel amusement device comprising the use of electric tracks and respective electric motor control members each riding on a respective track, together with a novel combination of relay controlled circuits and novel random operating circuit controller switch-means for electromechanically advancing one or more of said members along said tracks in random combinations and at random rates.

A further feature relates to the novel organization, arrangement and relative location and interconnection of parts which by their joint cooperation constitute a novel amusement device of the simulated racing kind:

Other features and. advantages notparticularly enumerated will appear from the ensuing descriptions, the appended claims, and the attached drawings.

In the drawing, which shows by way of example one typical embodiment of the invention, d

FIG. 1 is a composite plan view of a multi-track device and associated random-operated automatic controls; the latter being shown in'schematicwiring diagram form;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the novel random automatic circuit controller switch shown schematically in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of FIG. 2 taken'along the line 3-3 thereof and viewedsin the direction of the arrows; V

' FIG. 4 isamOdific'ationof the relay control of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5is a further modification of the relay-control of FIG. 1;

' FIG. 6 shows a modification of the system of FIG. 1 employing a dilferent kind of'random' operated circuit controller; i

FIG. 7 shows a further modification of the random operated circuit controller ofFIGS. 2 and .6;

States Patent D M 3,068,068 Patented Dec. 11, 19-62 FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along the line 8-8 thereof and viewed in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of the electromechanically controlled starting gate.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 1, the numeral 10 shows in plan view a three-track device comprising three dual

electric rails

11a, 11b, 12a, 12b, 13a, 1312. These tracks may be of any well known construction such as employed in any well known electric toy train control device. Preferably the tracks are arranged in an endless figure eight formation with the crossover region of the tracks separated from each other by a suitable elevated bridge 14. -A rail of each pair, for example rails 11a, 12a, 13a, are the ground return rails and are connected to ground as indicated. The remaining rails of each pair, namely rails 11b, 12b, 13b, are connected over respective conductors 15, 16, 17 to the movable armatures 18, 19, 26 of an electromechanical relay 21 whose function will be described hereinbelow.

Arranged to contact with each pair of rails is a corresponding

movable member

22, 23, 24, each of which contains a miniature electric motor of any well known type such as is employed in toy electric train control devices. The track 10 may be fastened to any suitable insulating board or flat support 25. Attached to the board 25 by means of a pair of uprights 26, 27 is a metal cross bar 28 which carries a set of three

swingable contact members

29, 30, 31 mounted in alignment above respective tracks. Also attached to the uprights 26, 27 is an insulator strip 32 carrying three contact points 33, 34, 35 in line with the respective

swingable contacts

29, 30, 31. Each of the fixed contact points 33, 34, 35 is provided with a

respective conductor

36, 37, 38 which leads to the winding of a respective relay 39, 40, 41. The swingable contacts 29-31 are normally in a vertical position where they are out of contact with the respective stationary contacts 33-35. The contacts 29-31 and 33-35 constitute the finish gate so that when any of the

movable members

22, 23, 24 engages the respective movable strip contact it immediately operates its corresponding relay 39, 4t), 41 and the operation of that relay disconnects the positive l2-volt direct current power terminal 42 from all the tracks, as will be described hereinbelow. The finish gate is mounted for vertical movement on the uprights 26, 27 so that it can be raised either manually or electromagnetically out of the path of the movable members when the latter are to be advanced to the starting gate under control of a reset switch to be described. The finish gate can be raised by an electromagnet 29 or controlled by a suitable switch 29b connected to the 24- volt supply terminal 43.

Preferably, although not necessarily, the various electromechanical relays are of the 24-volt kind and are supplied with operating current from the positive 24-volt terminal 43. The contacts 29-31 and 33-35 constitute what may be termed a finish gate so that when any set of contacts is closed by the first arriving movable member thereat, the power is disconnected from the tracks and at the same time the corresponding one of the three

indicator lamps

44, 45, 46 is illuminated from the volt supply line through the contacts of the correspondingly operated relay of the set 39-41.

In order to insure that all the movable elements start from the same position, there is provided a starting gate consisting of a swingable vane 47 which is swingably mounted on a vertical rotatable upright 48 rotatably supported on board 25 (see FIG. 9). The vane 47 constitutes what may be termed the starting gate and normally it extends across all the tracks and is held against a suitable fixed stop 49 by means of a combination spring 50 and cord 51 passing around pulley 52 fastened to upright 48. The other end of cord 51 is connected to the plunger 53 of a solenoid 54. When the solenoid 54 is energized it draws in the plunger 53 and opens the gate 47 andat the same time the plunger 53 closes a pair of normally

open contacts

55, 56, the function of which is to be described hereinbelow.

Each non grounded rail has a

short length

110, 12c, 130 which is insulated at its opposite ends from its respective rail. Each section 11c, 12c, 130 is somewhat longer than the length between the forward and rear wheels of the corresponding

movable member

22, 23, 24. Thus when any of the movable members reaches its insulated track section it is deprived of current and stops. In order to advance all the movable members to the same starting position in front of the gate 47 prior to starting of each race, there is provided an.

operable reset switch 60 which can be operated manually. That switch when normal maintains through its contacts 61, 62 the locking circuits for the relays 3941 and the solenoid 54. However, when the switch 60 is operated for resetting purposes, it breaks the locking circuit of those relays and the solenoid 54 at contacts 61, 62. The insulated

track sections

110, 12c, 130 are normally connected to the start contact 98 through

contacts

64a and 64 on the reset switch 60. When the switch 60 is operated, power is applied from terminal 42 through

contacts

63 and 64 directly to brush 87 of the controller 70 to advance the movable members toward the starting gate 47. At the same time the circuit from the insulated sections 110, 12c, 13c through wire 65 is opened by

contacts

64a and 64 so that the movable members Will stop when each has reached its insulated section and they are in the proper starting position in front of gate 47 where upon the switch 60 can be released.

In order to start each race the manually operable starting switch 66 is operated, which closes the energizing circuit for the gate solenoid 54. At the same time the 12-volt track supply from terminal 42 is applied through the

respective resistors

67, 68, 69 of the random operating circuit controller 70 to be described hereinbelow, and through the normally closed contacts of relay 21 to the respective track rails. The

resistors

67, 68, 69 are chosen each of the same value so as to operate the motors of the

devices

22, 23, 24 at the same rate, which may be a relatively slow rate. Under control of the random controller device 70 the

resistors

67, 68, 69 are short-circuited for relatively short periods in random combinations at respective contact sets 91, 101, 92, 102, 93, 103, etc. The random short-circuiting of any given resistor increases correspondingly the current through the respective motor on a respective

movable member

22, 23, 24 and advances that particular member at a high rate of speed as compared with the remaining movable members whose controller contacts remain open. In other words, when none of the resistors is short-circuited, the

members

22, 23, 24 move gradually at substantially the same rate. When a resistor is shortcircuited the corresponding member is given an additional impulse of current to move it incrementally at a higher rate of speed.

Prior to describing the operation of 'the system of FIG. 1 in detail, a description will now be given of the preferred form of the random circuit controller 70 and for that purpose reference may be had to FIG. 2. The device comprises an electric motor 74 which may be suitably mounted and which maybe driven continuously from the 110-volt terminals. The motor shaft 75 is fastened through a suitable coupling 76 to the shaft 77 of a hollow rotary drum 78 which preferably, although not necessarily, is of transparent plastic. The opposite end of the drum shaft 77 is supported for rotation in a suitable bearing bracket 79. Insulatingly attached to the drum shaft 77 are four; slip rings 80,- 81, 82, 83

which cooperate with

respective brushes

84, 85, 86, 87. The brushes 8'7, 86, 85 are connected to respective normally closed contacts 1888, 19-89, 20-90 of relay 21 and thence to the respective non-grounded rails of the three tracks.

Suitably anchored in the wall of drum 78 and extending inwardly and outwardly thereof are a series of contact pins designated 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96. These pins are preferably, although not necessarily, arranged in helical array around the drum and are all connected on the exterior of the drum by a wire 97 which in turn is connected to slip ring 80 and brush 84 and thence through normally open contacts 98 and 99 of the start control relay 100 of the 12-volt terminal 42. Likewise anchored through the wall of the drum 78, inrelatively closely spaced relation to each of the pins 91-96, is a corresponding metal pin 101-106.

Pins

101 and 104 are connected together externally of the drum by conductor 107 and thence to slip ring 81. Likewise the pin 102 is connected to pin externally of the drum by conductor 108 and thence to slip ring 82. Similarly pins 103 and 106 are connected externally of the dlurn by conductor 109 and thence to slip ring 83. The ends of the drum 78 are closed by suitable end plates 110, 111 and within the drum are provided a series of metal balls 112. While the drawing shows six such balls, it will be understood that a greater or less number can be provided. Preferably each of the balls is of a sufiiciently large diameter commensurate with the spacing between each pair of contact pins so that when a ball drops by gravity to the lower part of the drum it bridges at random any pair of contact pins that it happens to strike. Thus, as shown schematically in FIGS. 1 and 2, one of the balls is shown in contact with

pins

92 and 102 and therefore it shortcircuits the corresponding resistor 68, causing an increased current to flow through the track rail 12b and through the corresponding movable device 23, thus advancing that device at a higher rate of speed than the remaining devices.

Because of the weight of the balls 112, and the con-.

circuiting the

respective track resistors

67, 68, 69 either.

singly or in random combinations. The net result is that the

movable devices

22, 23, 24 are also advanced along their respective tracks at randomly different rates of speed until finally one of the devices reaches the finish 'gate and operates the corresponding contacts of that gate (see FIG. 8) to disconnect the 12-volt power supply from the rails and at the same time cause the illumination of the

corresponding indicator lamp

44, 45 or 46.

A detailed description will now be given of the sequence of operations in using the system of FIG.- 1. If the elements 22-24 are not uniformly lined up in the rear of the starting gate 47, the finish gate is raised either manually or by a-suitable solenoid switch 29b (FIG. 8) so that the movable members can pass under the finish gate. The reset switch 60 is temporarily operated to close the circuit from the terminal 43 through

contacts

63, 64 and thence through thecontroller 70 to the track rails 11b, 12b, 13b and through'the motors of the devices 22, 24 to the respective grounded rails 11a, 12a, 13a All the devices 22,-24 are thereby advanced to the starting gate 47 where they remain on their respective

insulated sections

110, 12c, 130. When the race is to be started, the starting switch 66 is momentarily operated, closing a circuit terminal 43 through contacts 66a and the winding of solenoid 54. At the same time a similar circuit is closed through the winding of the starting relay 100:

reset switch 60 to the terminal 43., This maintains the starting gate open until the finish of the race, which latter is controlled by the operation of relay 21, as will be described. At the same time that switch 66 is closed, a locking circuit is closed for the start relay 100 through its

contacts

115, 116 and the

contacts

113, 114 of relay 21.

The operation of relay 100 connects the 12-volt terminal 42 through contacts 98 and 99 and thence to brush 84 of the random circuit controller 70 and through its slip ring 80 and thence to

contacts

91, 92, 93. The 12- volt terminal is also connected in parallel through the

resistors

67, 68, 69 and thence through the normally closed contacts 88-18, 89-19, 90-20 to the respective conductors 15, 16, 17 connected to the track supply rails 11b, 12b, 13b. The

resistors

67, 68, 69 are also connected through

respective brushes

87, 86, 85 and their

slip rings

83, 82, 81 to the corresponding controller contact pins 103, 102, 101.

It will be understood, of course, that at the start of the race the ll0-volt power is applied to the motor 74 which continuously turns the drum 78 of the random controller. On the assumption that none of the contact balls 112 is at this instant in contact with the associated pairs of pins, then the current through the

resistors

67, 68, 69 will be relatively low and the members 22-24 will be substantially uniformly advanced along their respective tracks. However, as soon as a contact ball bridges any pair of contacts, for

example contacts

92, 102, the associated resistor 68 is short circuited and correspondingly increases the speed of movement of the corresponding movable element alone. It will also be understood that the pairs of contact pins in the random controller will be bridged in entirely random fashion depending upon the random rolling and bouncing movement of the contact balls 112. To a certain extent the incremental forward moving impulses applied to the tracks by the bridging of the contact pins will be a function of the speed of rotation of drum 78 and, if desired, a suitable manually operated speed control may be provided for the motor 74 to control the dwell of the individual contact balls on their respective contact pins. In any event, the

members

22, 23, 24 are advanced in purely random fashion, either individually or in random fashion determined by the rolling and bouncing action of the metal balls 112.

The members 22-24, therefore, move around the track until one of the members strikes the corresponding swingable contact, such as contact 30, to close a circuit from terminal 43 through contacts 61 and 62 of switch 60, winding of relay 40, conductor 37, contact 34 (see FIG. 8), contact 30, to the grounded cross-bar 28. Relay 40 immediately locks up over a circuit from the supply terminal 43, normally closed contacts 61, 62 of the reset switch 60, the winding of relay 40,

contacts

118, 117 to ground. At the same time that relay 40 operates, it connects lamp 45 across the llO-volt supply terminals through

relay contacts

119, 120. The operation of relay 40 completes a circuit from ground through its

contacts

121, 122, winding of finish relay 21, to terminal 43. Relay 21 at its

contacts

113, 114, breaks the above-described locking circuit for the start relay 100, which thereupon releases and at its contacts 93, 99 removes the 12- volt power supply from the rails, thus preventing any further movement of the elements 22-24 which remain in their final position. When the swinging contact 18 leaves contact 88 it engages contact 18a and in like manner contact 19 engages 19a and contact 20 engages 20a. This action results in placing a short-circuit across each pair of rails and therefore the motors of the moving members. This results in a braking action on the motors in the well understood manner. The moving members are thus brought to an immediate stop so that the results of the race can accurately be determined. However, the relay 40 remains energized and the corresponding indicator lamp 45 remains lighted to indicate which one of 6 the movable elements has arrived at the finish point first. When the locking circuit for the start relay is broken, the locking circuit for the starting gate control solenoid 54 is also broken, which thereupon allows the spring 50 to restore the starting gate to its closed position.

While FIG. 1 shows a system employing three tracks and three movable members, it will be understood that a greater or less number of tracks and corresponding number of movable elements can be employed. Likewise the number of slip rings and brushes in the random controller 70 will be provided and a like number of relays similar to relays 39-41 and lamps 44-46 will be employed.

Instead of track resistors 67, 6S and 69 being shortcircuited directly by the contact balls 112, those resistors may be short-circuited by contacts of corresponding

relays

123, 124, (FIG. 4). Each of those relays is connected in the plate circuit of a corresponding gridcontrolled gaseous discharge tube or

Thyratron

126, 127, 128 in series with a respective condenser 129, 130, 131. Each of these condensers is normally charged to its positive potential by the positive plate supply of its respective Thyratron when the Thyratron is non-conductive. When a contact ball 112, for example, bridges a set of drum pin contacts it grounds the grid of the associated Thyratron, causing it to become conductive and thus providing a discharge circuit for the associated condenser 129 which operates the associated relay 123. That relay remains operated until the condenser is substantially discharged. During that discharge interval the contacts of relay 123 short-circuit the associated track resistor, thus providing an extended period of incremental speed to the associated movable member on the track. The said period of incremental speed can thus be made longer than would be possible with the instantaneous contact between the contact ball and the pin contacts on the drum. When any of the

relays

123, 124, 125 releases as a result of the complete discharge of its associated condenser, the corresponding track resistor becomes eifective to slow down the speed of the corresponding movable member on the track.

' Instead of employing gaseous discharge tubes or Thyratrons to control the

relays

123, 124, 125 of FIG. 4, those relays may be controlled by any conventional multi-vibrator 132. Since the action of such multi-vibrators is well known in the electronic art, suffice it to say that the engagement of a contact ball 112 with a pair of associated drum pin contacts triggers the associated multi-vibrator 132 which sends a protracted impulse of direct current through the associated relay 123 to operate it. The duration of this impulse can be controlled by the electrical parameters of the multi-vibrator in the Well known manner. While FIG. 5 shows only one such multi-vibrator and associated relay, it will be understood that there will be a series of such multi-vibrators and relays similar to FIG. 4, there being one such multi-vibrator and relay unit for each of the tracks.

While the system of the invention finds its preferred embodiment when using a rotary drum random circuit controller as illustrated in FIG. 2, other forms of random circuit controllers may be employed. Thus, as shown in FIG. 6, the random circuit controller 133 may consist of a series of Geiger counters 134, 135, etc., there being one such Geiger counter for each track. The Geiger counters may be grouped around a central radioactive source 136 which emits pulses of radiation in random sequence so that the respective Geiger counters are also energized in random sequence. Each of the Geiger counters may be connected to a suitable amplifier 137, the output of which can be connected to a control unit 138 which may take the form of a gaseous tube control as in FIG. 4 or a multivibrator control as in FIG. 5. Each of these latter control units operates a corresponding relay similar to relay 123 to short-circuit the corresponding track resistor.

A still further form of random circuit controller is shown in FIG. 7. It may consist of an electric lamp 139 and a suitable optical system 140 for projecting a beam of light on the surface of a liquid 14 1 in a suitable container or pan 142 resting on a spring supported platform 143. Grouped around the light beam from the optical system are a series of pick-up devices each comprising an opaque light tube 144 housing a light sensitive cell 145 and a suitable lens 146. The cells 145 can then be connected to respective controls, such as the T hyratron controls of FIG. 4 or the multi-vibrator controls of FIG. 5, to control the random short-circuiting of the associated track resistors. The arrangement of FIG. 7 is particularly useful at any location where the support 143 is subjected to random vibrations thus causing random short-circuiting of the track resistors for the purpose described above in connection with FIG. 1.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the disclosed embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, while the drawing shows the controller 70 as consisting of a single drum with a single driving motor, if desired the controller may take the form of a series of separate drums, one for each track. Each drum will have a single pair of contact pins or a multiplicity of pairs of contact pins connected to slip rings. The brushes for the slip rings can then be connected into circuit in the same manner as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing.

What is claimed is:

1. An electromechanically controlled game, comprising a plurality of tracks upon each of which a respective motor driven movable member is arranged to ride, means to apply electric current to said tracks to move said members therealong, and means including circuit controller means to change the amount of current applied to said tracks in random combinations and in random sequence, said controller including a continuously rotating substantially closed housing carrying internal contacts and a plurality of freely falling metal contact members, and means to maintain said housing in continuous rotation and thereby to cause said members freely to fall and bounce entirely within said housing without any predetermined relationto said internal contacts and without any fixed guides for said members during their falling motion.

2. An electromechanically controlled game, comprising a plurality of tracks upon each of which a respective motor driven movable member is arranged to ride, and electric circuit controller means for applying to said tracks during random spaced intervals currents of substantially the same magnitude, and during other random spaced intervals currents of different magnitudes to one or more of said tracks whereby said members are moved along said tracks in random progression, said controller including a continuously rotating substantially closed housing carrying internal contacts and a plurality of freely falling metal contact members, and means to maintain said housing in continuous rotation and thereby to cause said members freely to fall and bounce entirely within said housing without any predetermined relation to said internal contacts and without any fixed guides for said members during their falling motion.

3. An electromechanically controlled game according to claim 2, in which said housing is a rotatable drum having a plurality of contact pins projecting internally thereof, said freely falling metal contact members including at least one metal ball inside the drum for free rolling and dropping to engage said pins at random as the drum is rotated.

4. An electromechanically controlled game according to claim 2, in which said housing is a rotatable drum having a plurality of electric contacts on the interior face of the drum and disposed along the length of the drum, said freely falling metal contact members including at least one freely rollable and droppable metal ball within the drum, and a motor for rotating said drum at a controllable speed to cause said ball to engage said contacts to apply electric current to said tracks in random succession.

5. An electromechanically controlled game comprising a plurality of separate tracks upon each of which a respective motor driven member is arranged to ride, parallel electric paths for current supply to said tracks, an impedance in each of said paths, movable contact means for each impedance for rendering it effective to control the magnitude of current in a respective track, and means to operate said contact means for the several impedances in random sequence whereby said members are moved along their respective tracks in random order, the last mentioned means comprising a controller including a continuously rotating substantially closed housing carrying internal contacts and a plurality of freely falling metal contact members, and means to maintain said housing in continuous rotation and thereby to cause said members freely to fall and bounce entirely within said housing without any predetermined relation to said internal contacts and without any fixed guides for said members during their falling motion.

6. An electromechanically controlled game comprising a plurality of separate tracks upon each of which a respective motor driven member is arranged to ride, parallel current supply paths to said tracks, a resistance in each of said paths, and movable contact means for short-circuiting said resistances in random combinations and in random sequence to correspondingly advance said movable members along their respective tracks, the last mentioned means comprising a controller including a continuously rotating substantially closed housing carrying internal contacts and a plurality of freely falling metal contact members, and means to maintain said housing in continuous rotation and thereby to cause said members freely to fall and bounce entirely Within said housing without any predetermined relation to said internal contacts and without any fixed guides for said members during their falling motion.

7. An electromechanically controlled game comprising a plurality of separate electric tracks upon each of which a respective motor driven member is arranged to ride, means to vary the amount of current supplied to the tracks in random order, the last-mentioned means including respective impedances in circuit with the respective tracks, switching contacts for each impedance, and a random circuit controller for controlling said switching contacts, said controller including a substantially closed rotatable drum, a plurality of contacts carried by the interior wall of the drum, at least one freely movable metal member within the drum, and means to rotate said drum to cause said metal member to freely fall within said drum as it is rotating and without any separate guiding means during the fallling motion and thereby to cause said metal member to engage said contacts in random sequence.

8. An electromechanically controlled game according to claim 7, in which each of said contacts carried by the drum has a portion extending interiorly of the drum, and said metal member is a metal ball.

9. An electromechanically controlled game, comprising a plurality of separate tracks upon each of which a respective motor driven member is arranged to ride, each of said tracks having a respective current supply path, a randomly operating circuit controller for supplying track current over said paths to said tracks in random order and random combinations said controller including a continuously rotating substantially closed housing carrying internal contacts and a plurality of freely falling metal contact members, and means to maintain said housing in continuous rotation and thereby to cause said members freely to fall and bounce entirely within said housing without any predetermined relation to said internal contacts and without any fixed guides for said members during their falling motion, a start relay which normally maintains said paths open, a plurality of movable contacts disposed in aligned array at a selected Six 9 point and extending transversely of said tracks so as to be respectively engaged by said movable members when arriving at said point, a plurality of indicators for each track, a plurality of control relays one for each indicator, a finish relay, a start switch for operating said start relay, a locking circuit for said start relay completed through normally closed contacts of said finish relay, circuit connections efiective when any of said movable members engages a corresponding one of said movable contacts to release said start relay and to operate said finish relay, and other circuit connections responsive to such engagement to operate a respective one of said control relays and thereby to energize a corresponding one of said indicators.

10. An electromechanically controlled race simulating game comprising a plurality of separate tracks upon each of which a respective motor-driven member is arranged to ride, each of said tracks having a respective current supply path, a randomly operating circuit controller for supplying track current over said paths to said tracks in random order and in random combinations said controller in cluding a continuously rotating substantially closed housing carrying internal contacts and a plurality of freely falling metal contact members, and means to maintain said housing in continuous rotation and thereby to cause said members freely to fall and bounce entirely within said housing without any predetermined relation to said internal contacts and without any fixed guides for said members during their falling motion, a normally closed starting gate extending across all the tracks, an electromagnet for controlling the opening and closing of said gate, a finish gate extending across said tracks and having a plurality of movable contact members one for each track and arranged to be engaged by a corresponding one of said movable members, a start relay, a finish relay, a manually operable switch for operating said start relay and for locking said start relay through the normally closed contacts of said finish relay and for simultaneously closing a circuit through the said electromagnet to open said starting gate, normally open locking contacts for said electromagnet, a locking circuit for said electromagnet closed through the normally closed contacts of said finish relay, a plurality of indicators one for each track and arranged to be energized when a corresponding one of said movable members reaches said finish gate, and means effective when any of said movable members engages a corresponding one of said movable contacts to release said start relay and to close said starting gate, and other circuit connections responsive to said engagement to energize a corresponding one of said indicators.

11. An electromechanically controlled simulated racing game comprising a plurality of separate tracks upon each of which a respective motor driven member is arranged to ride, each of said tracks having a current supply path, a randomly operating circuit controller for supplying track current over said paths to said tracks in random order and in random combinations said controller including a continuously rotating substantially closed housing carrying internal contacts and a plurality of freely falling metal contacts members, and means to maintain said housing in continuous rotation and thereby to cause said members freely to fall and bounce entirely within said housing without any predetermined relation to said internal contacts and without any fixed guides for said members during their falling motion, a normally closed starting gate extending across said tracks, a plurality of finish contacts located one above each track at the finish line, and means for automatically opening said starting gate at the start of a race and for automatically opening all said paths when any movable member arrives at the finish line.

12. An electromechanically controlled game according to claim 11, in which each of said tracks is provided with a respective control relay and a respective indicator device, and circuit connections responsive to the operation of any finish contacts to operate a corresponding one of said control relays to energiez a corresponding one of said indicators.

13. An electromechanically controlled game according to claim 12, in which each of said paths includes a start relay, a manually operated switch for controlling .said start relay, and a manually operable reset switch for releasing the said operated control relay and for deenergizing the corresponding indicator device.

14. An electromechanically controlled game according to claim 13, in which additional circuit connections are provided under control of said reset switch for advancing all said movable members from their stopped position at the end of the race to bring them into line at the starting gate.

15. An electromechanically controlled game according to claim 11, in which said circuit controller includes means for supplying during random intervals current of the same magnitude to all said tracks and for changing said track current in impulses also at random intervals.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,430,903 Hood Oct. 3, 1922 1,447,363 Tozier Mar. 6, 1923 1,707,859 Johnson Apr. 2, 1929 2,188,619 Bernhardt Jan. 30, 1940 2,339,063 Deakin Jan. 11, 1944 2,358,604 Stewart Sept. 19, 1944 2,637,845 Craiglow May 5, 1953 2,665,914 Nicolaus Jan. 12, 1954 2,671,662 Carpenter et al. Mar. 9, 1954 2,679,398 Jameson May 25, 1954 2,751,227 Seltzman June 19, 1956 2,827,296 Walker Mar. 18, 1958