US3111316A

US3111316A - Bowling ball elevating mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3111316A
Application number: US13078A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry C Congelli; Harold A Jones
Original assignee: AMF Inc
Current assignee: AMF Inc
Priority date: 1960-03-07
Filing date: 1960-03-07
Publication date: 1963-11-19
Anticipated expiration: 1980-11-19

Description

Nov. 19, 1963 H. c. CoNGl-:LLI ETAL 3,111,316

BOWLING BALL ELEVATING MECHANISM Filed March '7, 1960 s she/ejs'sheet 1 i Z I ii; 5,7 fi, 67 C@ 69 E; L 66 L v INVENTOR.

AROLD A.JONES NRY C.CONGELLI ATTORN EY Nov. 19, 1963 H. c. CONGELLI ETAL 3,111,316

BOWLING BALL ELEVATING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March '7. 1960 INVENTOR HAROLD A JoNEs Y HENRY o. coNGELLl M4 @4m NOV- 19, 1953 H. c. coNGl-:LLI ETAL 3,111,316

BOWLING BALL ELEVATING MECHANISM Filed March 7. 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIGS INVL'NIOR.A HAROLD A.JONES HENRY C.CONGELL| ATTORN EY United States Patent O his invention relates in general to the game ot bowling, and, more particularly, to devices for removing a bowling ball from the pit of a bowling alley and delivering it to a ball return system for return to the head end of the alley.

The mechanism constituting the invention is designed to edect the rapid removal of bowling balls from the pit of an alley. When the ball lifting mechanism is located in the pit ot an alley, eective means must be provided to separate bowling pins from balls to prevent the pins from jamming the ball lifting mechanism and causing unwanted delay. ln addition, the ball lifting mechanism must tend to `clear itself of any pins which might contact and obstruct it.

Any saving in the time required to return a ball to the head end of an alley is very desirable as it reduces waiting time yfor the payers. According to this invention, means are provided to more rapidly and accurately advance and Vguide a ball to a ball elevating mechanism located in the pit of a bowling alley. Since a return runway carries the balls back to the head of the bowling alley, a further Valuable saving in time will result if the balls can be given an initial velocity on being rolled onto the return runway. rThe ball elevating mechanism or this invention is located in the pit of a bowling alley and comprises an upwardly extending track and upward moving means spaced from the track to engage a ball between the track and the upward movin-g means to roll a ball up the track and onto a return runway. The upward moving means preferably are mounted resiliently in relation to the track so that the upward moving means will roll a ball over the top of the track and give it an initial acceleration along the return runway to reduce the time required for the ball to roll to the head of the alley. Coacting with the ball elevating mechanism is a device which prevents pin and ball jams, and which also assists in the proper delivery of balls thereto.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel bowling ball elevating and return device winch is simple in construction and operation and winch can be located in the pit of a bowling alley with resulting savings in space and construction costs.

Another object or" this invention is to provide a bowling ball elevating and return device which more quickly returns a ball to a player at the head end of a bowling alley.

A further object of this linvention is to provide, a ball return mechanism loca ed in the pit of a bowling alley having a substantially vertical ball elevating conveyor and a track spaced therefrom less than the maximum diameter of a bowling ball, said track and conveyor coacting with ball conveying means in the pit to elevate balls from the pit and deliver them to a return runway.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a substantially vertical track and a bowling ball elevating conveyor spaced from the track less than the maximum diameter of a bowling ball with the conveyor resiliently mounted to propel a ball along a ball return runway as it is delivered thereonto, thereby expediting the return of the ball to the head of the bowling alley.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide, in a bowling alley having a pit conveyor, a substantially vertical track means to resiliently contact the top of a bowling ball located below the vertical track, and a ball elevating conveyor resiliently spaced less than the diameter of a bowling ball from the vertical track so that the pit conveyor may roll a ball under the means to contact the top of a ball into contact with the ball elevating conveyor which then rolls the ball up the vertical track.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention reside in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts involved in the embodiments of the invention and its practice as will be understood from the iollowing description and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through the rear end ot the pit or" a bowling alley showing a preferred form of the invention;

FlG. 2 lis a vertical section taken on lines 2 2 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. l illustrating the manner Iin which a ball is engaged between the ball elevating conveyor and track and -delivered onto an elevated ball return runway;

FlG. 4 is a longitudinal section through the rear end of the pit of a bowling alley showing a modified form of the invention;

FG. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5 5 in FlG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan View of the pit of a bowling alley with a center portion of the horizontal pit conveyor belt broken away and with the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in horizontal section in the rear left hand corner; and

FIG. 7 is a vertical section taken on line 7 7 of PEG. 6.

Referring to the drawings FlGS. 1, 6 and 7 show the pit of a bowling alley provided with the preferred embodiment of the invention. Between the two kickbacks K and Kl, there extends a support platform 32 which is secured by means of brackets 34. A ball guide element 36 is mounted above support platform 32 so that it slopes downwardly toward its forwardly disposed oblique edge 37. The portion of the ball guide element Se which extends into the front portion of the pit is generally triangular. ln a ylike manner, a second ball guide element 38 is secured above the support platform 32 and slopes reanwardly toward its obliquely disposed edge 39'. These

edges

37 and 39 form an oblique guide channel il which extends diagonally across the bowling alley pit. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, ball Iguide ill is located beneath conveyor lll. However, a ball landing `on conveyor l@ and being carried thereby or rolling thereon will depress conveyor lll into guide In this way the direction of movement of a ball inluenced .by guide 4@ is so that it is delivered rapidly as a result of the travel of conveyor lil and ygravity through opening 46 in cushion 2d. Vfhere the rearrnost portion of the channel di) reaches the side or" the bowling alley pit, the longitudinal

ball guide elements

42 and 43 form a second ball guide channel d which extends parallel to the length of the bowling alley and assists in guiding a ball through opening and into the ball elevating mechanism.

A conveyor lli, which in the embodiment shown is pitwide, extends about the rollers l2 and 14 mounted on the shafts lo and i3, respectively. Shafts lo and i8 are jcurnaled in suitable bearings at each end in kickbacks K and lil. Gne end of shaft i8 is provided with pulley Ztl about which drive belt 22 passes. Belt 22 is driven from any suitable power source (not shown) such as the main machine drive of an associated automatic bowling pin spottinf machine (not shown). Belt Z2 thus operates to rotate pulley 2li, shaft l@ and roller l2 to drive the top lap of conveyor l@ rearwardly in the pit. Conveyor l@ preferably is formed of a resilient material having a relatively high co-eiiicient of friction such as rubber or rubberimpregnated canvas.

To stop the forward movement of bowling balls which may enter the pit with considerable velocity, and to elfect the separation of pins and balls in the pit, there is provided a transverse cushion or backstop 24. This cushion 24 is mounted on the spaced arms 26 which depend downwardly from the shaft 28, the ends of which are suitably supported in kickbacks K and Kl.

`Conveyor l@ passes rearwardly over the ball guide elements 36 and 3S which incline downwardly to the right, as seen in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7. As seen in PEG. 7, the bottom edge of cushion 2d also slopes downward to the right to maintain a spaced relation above conveyor it?. This distance is greater than the maximum diameter of a bowling pin but less than the diameter of a bowling ball. Thus pins lying on conveyor' lll are carried thereby beneath cushion 24, while balls are deflected to roll along the face of cushion 24 or back on conveyor lll into guide 4t) as described above since they cannot pass beneath cushion 24. A bowling ball is heavy enough to dellect the upper lap of conveyor Il) downwardly into guide it? so that a ball rolling or dropping into it will remain thereon. Since

elements

36 and 38 incline downwardly to the left as viewed in FIG. 7, a ball will roll to the left in guide d@ until it reaches channel d4 whereon it will roll and also be carried by conveyor l rearwardly within channel d4 under the cut out notch $6 in cushion 24.

Housing 63, which supports the lower portion of the ball elevating mechanism, is secured to bracket 64 which is attached to channel 66 extending between kickbacks Kl and K. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, belt 22 drives pulley and thereby shaft 13. Shaft i3 carries sprocket 5@ which drives chain 52 and thereby shaft 55. Shaft 55 carries two sprockets, one of which is driven by chain 52 and the other of which drives chain 5l which, by means of another sprocket mounted on shaft 53, turns shaft Shaft 55 carries pulley 54 disposed within housing 63. Shaft 53 is journaled within one of the kickbacks K or Kil and has fixed to it a roller 57 which preferably is covered with a material having a high co-eicient of friction. Also journaled in housing 63 is a shaft 59 carrying an idler roller 58, which is disposed slightly above roller 5d.

A shaft 69 is rotatably journaled through kickback Kl. Fixed to shaft t? are a generally horizontal arm 6l and downwardly and forwardly extending arms 62. Between the ends of arms 62 there is rotatably secured shaft 69 on which mounts pulley 68. A spring 67, having one end attached to the free end of arm 6l and its other end secured to kickback Kl, urges arm 6l downwardly which in turn tends to rotate shaft 6i? which urges pulley 63 upwardly. A substantially vertical ball raising endless conveyor belt 75l runs on

pulleys

63 and 54 and has one lap extending beneath idler pulley 58. As shown in FlG. l, idler pulley 58 deliects belt 7? so that the pin handling mechanism 7l, shown diagrammatically of an automatic pin spotting machine, such as that shown in Holloway et al. patent, 2,767,983, may be located behind it and not interfere with its operation.

A bracket 72, which is fixed to kickback Kl, supports the ball track designated generally 9b. rl`rack 96, in the embodiments illustrated, comprises two laterally spaced members 9i and a resilient block 73 formed from a suitable material, such as rubber, mounted on and extending between and below the lower ends of track members 9i. The upper ends of vertical track members @l have attached between and over them another resilient lock 74, similar to block 73, which has a channel in its upper surface forming a ball guide to return runway 75. Vertical tracks 9i) preferably are covered with a material having a high co-eiiicient of friction.

Blocks

73 and 74 preferably are formed of a low durometer, highly resilient rubber.

The mechanism described above operates as follows:

A ball dropping into the pit rolls, or is directed in its path of movement as described above, through the passageway formed by notch 46 beneath backstop 24. As it F ,traste moves past backstop 24 rearwardly in the pit, it is engaged between the undersurface of block 73 and the upper lap of conveyor lil, as shown in FIG. l. The continued rearward movement of the ball as the result of the travel of conveyor il@ causes block 73 to be compressed to hold the ball firmly on the upper lap of conveyor lll as the ball is traveled thereby into engagement with the ball elevating lap of conveyor 7l?, as shown in FIG. 3 in broken lines.

in order to assist in the rapid elevation of balls from the pit to return runway 75, roller 57, which rotates in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. l and 2, tends to maintain the ball rmly and resiliently in engagement with the ball elevating lap of conveyor belt 70, and block 73 as the path of travel of the ball changes from one substantially horizontal to one substantially vertical in its ,movement upwardly by belt 7b along track 9i), as shown in FlG. 3. Roller 57 also functions effectively in preventing pin jams and pin obstruction to the proper delivery of balls between track 9@ and belt conveyor 79. This is because of the fact that roller 57 presents a continuously rotating surface, and its direction of rotation is such that if a pin engages it, friction causes a pin to be moved upwardly so that it cannot wedge against an oncoming ball against conveyor lil. As viewed in FIGURES l and 3, roller 57 rotates in a clockwise direction. It should be noted, furthermore, that the direction of movement of the ball lifting lap of conveyor 70 is such that pins and balls cannot wedge or jam together since it exerts a continuous upward unjamming force on them.

@nce a ball is firmly yet resiliently held by belt 79 on track 9i?, it will be rolled by belt 70 upwardly therealong until it reaches the top of vertical track 90. it is to be noted that roller 68 is disposed closer to track 9i? than is roller 54 so that belt 7l? inclines towards track 9). Thus, as a ball moves upwardly, arm 62 and pulley 68 supported thereby are moved to the right, as shown in lGURES 1 and 3, against the tension of spring 67. As the ball reaches the top of tracks 99, spring 67 urges arms 62, pulley 63 and thereby belt 7@ forward to roll and propel the ball over block 74 and give it a relatively fast start along return runway 75 leading back to the head of the bowling alley.

ln the modification of the invention shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 cushion 2d is shown with a notch 8@ cut in it to allow a ball to pass there beneath. Sprocket 5t) on shaft lf3 drives one of a pair of sprockets ldd, E92 mounted on shaft 8l rotatably journaled in housing 93. A second shaft S2 also rotatably journaled in housing 93 carries two sprockets ille, lilo. Sprocket 1% is chain driven from sprocket lll@ on shaft Si. Sprocket ldd drives a chain lo@ running on sprocket il@ lwhich in turn drives a shaft S3 on which is fixed the pulley 34. Shafts 5l and -Z have fixed to them rollers d5 and 86 which are preferably covered with a material having a high `co-eli`1cient of friction. A rear frame member S7 extending between kickbacks Kit and l( has mounted thereon support brackets for shaft ell' which carries the two arms 62 and the single arm 6l.

The operation of this modification of the invention is substantially the same as that described for the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in FIGURES l-3 with the exception that a bowling ball is assisted by two rollers in its movement from conveyor lil into gripped engagement between conveyor 753 and track 9%'.

As may be seen in FlGS. 2 and 5, this ball return device is very unlikely to be jammed by bowling pins because any pin which is carried under cushion 24 by conveyor ld into Contact with the

rollers

57 or 85 und 86 will swing `to the right and fall from conveyor l@ behind roller lll. There the pins are removed by conventional pin spotting apparatus. it is the shortness of these

rollers

57 or 85 and 36 as they extend from the kickback that allows the pins to fall or be carried away from the ball lifting mechanism. This feature renders the ball lifting mechanism self-clearing as far as pin jams are concerned.

While we have disclosed our invention in the 1cest forms known to us, it will nevertheless be understood that these are purely exemplary and that modifications in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts, substitution of materials and substitutions of equivalents echanically and otherwise may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, except as it may be more particularly limited in the appended claims wherein we claim:

l. A bowling ball handling and return apparatus for use with a bowling alley having a pit and a bowling ball return runway, comprising a ball engaging and lifting Conveyor located in said pit, a substantially vertical track located in said pit in spaced ball elevating relationship with said conveyor, means in said pit for guiding a bowling lball beneath said track into operative engagement with said conveyor, means at the lower portion of said track resiliently acting downwardly on the ball to constrain the same, and means interposed between firstmentioned means and conveyor and operable concurrently with said constraint of the ball to initiate rolling there- Cf upwardly along said track, whereby assistance is provided cooperatively with said guiding means for delivery of a ball between said track and conveyor.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said means for guiding a ball comprises an endless conveyor and said resiliently acting means is operative to maintain said ball in contact with said guiding means until the ball is delivered by said endless conveyor into the fauve of action of said lifting conveyor.

3. A bowling ball elevating and return device for use in a bowling alley having a pit, a ball return runway extending from said pit to the front of said bowling alley, a pit cushion extending transversely oi' said pit, and rearwardly moving means within said pit, comprising, in combination, means to guide a ball in said pit to a given place in said pit, a substantially vertical track extending upward to said ball return runway from said pit above the place where a ball is guided, a resilient block below said track to resiliently engage a bowling ball so that the rearwardly moving means within said pit `will roll a ball under and about said resilient block, vertically moving means spaced in relation to said vertical track a distance less than the maximum diameter of a bowling ball to roll a ball up said vertical track onto said ball return runway, and moving means spaced from the rearmost corner of said resilient block to assist in rolling a ball about said resilient block from contact `with said rearwardly moving means within said pit to said vertically moving 4. A bowling ball elevating and return apparatus for use in a bowling alley having a pit, a ball return runway extending from said pit to the front or" said bowling alley, a transversely extending pit cushion having a ball opening, and a rearwardly moving conveyor within said pit, comprising, in combination, means to guide a ball in sai pit to a given place in said pit, a substantially vertical track extending upwardly to said ball return runway from said pit above the place where a ball is guided, a resilient block below said track to resiliently Contact the top of a bowling ball so that said rearwardly moving conveyor within said pit will move a ball through said opening in said cushion and beneath said resilient block, a resiliently mounted vertically moving conveyor spaced relative to said vertical track a distance less than the maximum diameter of a bowling ball return runway, moving means located below the point of delivery of a ball between said track and last named conveyor for assisting in the delivery of a ball therebetween and drive means for said moving means and said conveyors.

5. A bowling ball elevating and return apparatus for use in a bowling alley having a pit between the kickbacks thereor", a ball return runway from said pit to the front of said bowling alley, and a pitwide rearwardy moving conveyor within said pit, comprising guide means containing channels underneath said pitwide conveyor to guide a ball in said pit to a given place in said pit, a substantially vertical track extending upwardly from said pit to a discharge position adjacent said ball return runway, a resilient block below said track to engage a bowling ball so that the rearwardly moving pit-wide conveyor will roll a ball under and about said resilient block, a lower pulley, upper pulley, means supporting said upper pulley and urging it towards said vertical track, a conveyor lbelt extending about said pulleys and having a portion of its active lap spaced less than the diameter of a bowling ball from said vertical track, at least one roller spaced less than the maximum diameter of a bowling ball from the rearmost corner or" said resilient block to assist in rolling a ball about said resilient block from contact with said rearwardly moving pitwide conveyor to said upwardly movin7 conveyor belt, and driving means for said pitwide conveyor, said roller, and at least one of said pulleys.

6. The invention according to claim 5 wherein said at least one roller extends into said pit from one of said kickbacks a distance substantially equal to the diameter of a bowling ball and wherein said vertical track and said conveyor belt are adjacent to said kickback.

7. A bowling ball elevating and return apparatus for use in a bowling alley having two kickbacks, a pit between said kickbacks, a ball return runway from said pit to the iront of said bowling alley, a transversely extending backstop in said pit, and a rearwardly moving conveyor within said pit, comprising, in combination, ball guide means coacting with said conveyor to guide a ball conveyed thereby to a given place in said pit, a substantially vert-ical track extending upwardly from said pit to said return runway above the place where a ball is guided, means below said track and spaced above said guide means a distance less than the maximum diameter of a bowling ball resiliently engaging a bowling ball advanced by said conveyor for maintaining said ball positioned for delivery onto said track, vertically moving resiiiently mounted means spaced from said vertical track a distance less than the maximum diameter of a bowling ball to roll a ball up said vertical track and deliver said ball with a predetermined forward rolling velocity onto said return runway, at least one roller mounted below said track and said vertically moving means and rotating in a direction to coact therewith in the delivery of a ball therebetween, and means effecting such rotation of said roller and for driving conveyor and said vertically moving means.

S. A bowling ball elevating and return apparatus for use in a bowling alley having two kickbacks, a pit between said kickbacks, a ball return runway from said pit to the front of said bowling alley, a transversely extending backstop in said pit, and a rearwardly moving con- 'eyor within said pit, comprising, in combination, ball guide means coacting with said conveyor to guide a ball conveyed thereby to a given place in said pit, a substantially vertical track extending upwardly from said pit t0 said return runway above the place where a ball is guided, means mounted below said track and extending above said rearwardly moving conveyor to the point of entry of a ball onto said ball track resiiiently engaging a bowling ball advanced by said conveyor for maintaining said ball positioned for delivery onto said track, vertically moving resiliently mounted means spaced from said vertical track a distance less than the maximum diameter of a bowling ball to roll a ball up said vertical track and deliver said bail with ya predetermined forward rolling velocity onto said return runway, and a plurality of ball engag'ng and lifting rollers mounted in the path of travel of said ball operative to assist in the delivery of a ball upwardly into the space between said track and vertically moving means.

9. A bowling ball handling and return apparatus for use with a bowling alley having a pit and a ball return runway, comprising a ball engaging and lifting conveyor located in said pit, a substantially vertical track located in said pit fin spaced ball elevating relationship with said conveyor, a travelling surface in smd pit operative to deliver a bowling ball between said track and said conveyor whereby said ball is rolled by said conveyor along said track upwardly and delivered onto said return runway, and additional travelling means located proximate the delivery end of said surface and a lower portion of said lifting conveyor, but separate therefrom, and operative for imparting rotation to the ball thereby to roll the same into ycontact with said track and conveyor.

10. The invention defined in claim 9 wherein said travelling means comprises a ball engaging and conveying roller, and means for driving said roller in a direction whereby the pins are `caused to move out of the path of travel of balls to be elevated.

11. The invention defined in claim 9 wherein said travelling means includes a plurality of ball engaging and lift-ing rollers and means for rotating said rollers in a direction opposite to the normal path of travel of balls into engagement therewith, thereby to prevent formation of pin jams which would obstruct the movement of a ball upwardly between said track and conveyor.

12. A bowling ball handling and return apparatus for use in a bowling alley having a pit and a ball return runway, comprising a substantially vertical ball track extending upwardly to said return runway, an upwardly travelling resiliently mounted means spaced from said track a distance less than the diameter of a bowling ball to roll the ball up said track for delivery therefrom to said runway, a horizontally travelling conveyor positioned to deliver ybeneath said track and into contact with said means a bowling ball present in said pit, a resilient member mounted at the lower end of said track `and spaced above said horizontally travelling conveyor a distance less than the diameter of a bowling ball 'out yieldably engageable with the top of a ball to permit its `constrained advancement therebeneath for gripping engagement with said upwardly travelling means, whereby such constraint of the ball, as the same is carried by said conveyor into engagement with said upwardly travelling means, assists in the gripping thereby of the ball and rolling of the ball around said member and upwardly along said track.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said conveyor comprises a rearwardly travelling endless pit conveyor, and including means providing a channel beneath the active upper portion of said conveyor for the guidance of balls beneath said resilient member, the same being eiective to maintain a ball in said channel until the ball is delivered by the conveyor into the range of action of said upwardly travelling means.

14. A bowling ball handling and return apparatus for use in a bowling alley having a pit and a ball return runway, comprising a substantially vertical ball track extending upwardly to said return runway, an upwardly travelling resiliently mounted means spaced from said track a distance less than the diameter of a bowling ball to roll the ball in a direction upwardly along said track for delivery therefrom to said runway, a horizontally travelling conveyor positioned -to deliver a ball from said pit beneath said track and into proximity with the lower portion of said upwardly travelling means, a Separate horizontal roller rotatably mounted toward the front of said lower portion at the convergence thereof with said horizontally travelling conveyor and in closely spaced relation to said lower portion, with the axis of said roller being transverse to the direction of travel of said conveyor, and means rotating said roller in a direction to rotate said ball in the same said rolling direction as eiected by said upwardly travelling means, thereby to assist in the initial upward travel of the ball between said track and upwardly travelling means.

15. A bowling lball handling and return apparatus for use in a bowling alley having a pit and a ball return runway, comprising a substantially vertical ball track extending upwardly to said return runway, an upwardly travelling resiliently mounted means spaced lfrom said track a distance less than the diameter of a bowling ball to roll the ball in a direction upwardly along said track for delivery therefrom to said runway, a horizontally travelling conveyor positioned to deliver a ball from said pit to beneath said track and into proximity with the lower portion of said upwardly travelling means, a resilient member mounted at the lower end of said track and spaced above said conveyor a distance less than the dimeter of a bowling ball but yieldably engageable with the top of a ball to permit its constrained advancement toward said upwardly travelling means, a horizontal roller rotatably mounted toward the front of said lower portion at the convergence of said lower portion and conveyor, with the axis of said roller being transverse to the direction of travel ofthe conveyor, and means Ifor rotating said roller in a direction to rotate a ball in the same said rolling direction as etected by said upwardly travelling means, whereby said roller effects the movement of pins out of the path of travel of balls to be elevated and cooperates with said resilient member in the delivery of balls upwardly between said track and upwardly moving means.

16. Abowling Vball handling and return apparatus for use in a bowling alley having a pit and a ball return runway, comprising a substantially vertical ball track extending upwrdly from said pit to said return runway, an upwardly travelling resiliently mounted means spaced from said track a distance less than the diameter of a bowling ball to roll the ball in a direction upwardly along said track for delivery therefrom to said runway, a rearwardly travelling conveyor in Said pit for delivering a ball to beneath said track and into proximity with the lower portion of said upwardly travelling means, a horizontal roller separate from the lower portion of said means and rotatably mounted toward the front of said lower portion at the convergence of said lower portion and said rearwardly travelling conveyor, the axis of said roller being oriented transverse to the direction of travel of said rearwardly travelling conveyor, and means rotating said roller in a direction to rotate said ball in the same said rolling direction as eilected by said upwardly travelling means, thereby to assist in the initial upward travel of the ball between said track and upwardly travelling means and to effect the movement of pins out ot the path of travel of balls to be elevated.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims

1. A BOWLING BALL HANDLING AND RETURN APPARATUS FOR USE WITH A BOWLING ALLEY HAVING A PIT AND A BOWLING BALL RETURN RUNWAY, COMPRISING A BALL ENGAGING AND LIFTING CONVEYOR LOCATED IN SAID PIT, A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL TRACK LOCATED IN SAID PIT IN SPACED BALL ELEVATING RELATIONSHIP WITH SAID CONVEYOR, MEANS IN SAID PIT FOR GUIDING A BOWLING BALL BENEATH SAID TRACK INTO OPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CONVEYOR, MEANS AT THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID TRACK RESILIENTLY ACTING DOWNWARDLY ON THE BALL TO CONSTRAIN THE SAME, AND MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID FIRSTMENTIONED MEANS AND CONVEYOR AND OPERABLE CONCURRENTLY WITH SAID CONSTRAINT OF THE BALL TO INITIATE ROLLING THEREOF UPWARDLY ALONG SAID TRACK, WHEREBY ASSISTANCE IS PROVIDED COOPERATIVELY WITH SAID GUIDING MEANS FOR DELIVERY OF A BALL BETWEEN SAID TRACK AND CONVEYOR.