US3199870A - Ball and pin handling mechanism including a resilient pin deflector - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 10, 1965 G. FRIED 3,199,870 BALL AND PIN HANDLING MECHANISM INCLUDING A RESILIENI PIN DEFLECTOR Filed May 18, 1962 24 22/25 f n l /l/ /9 5 /,{*"/Z Z6 4]@ l; /ll/ f/ /f 9 K Z .i2 y I L- P Lf 5? 5 4 /6/7 /5 c O 1 44 /3 l 20 /.9 2/ C' /0 f1, l, 0" Il I, I\"\ l/ l '1 (D L O O Pff f/ 7' lNvEN-roR GEORGE FRIED United States Patent O Jersey Filed May 18, 1962, Ser. No. 195,924 Claims. (Cl. 273-43) This invention relates to bowling pin spotting machines, and more particularly, to mechanisms for preventing ball and pin jams in the pit of a bowling alley, in order that the'pl-ay of a game may proceed without interruption from frame to frame to the end of a game.

In the game of bowling, and especially where the game of lbowling is played on bowling lanes which are serviced by automatic bowling pin supporting machines, it is important not -only to the proprietor of the bowling center but also to players that a game proceed with as few interruptions a-s possible. In this way, the proprietor receives the best return on his investment, and the player is subjected to ya minimum of annoyances which might be caused |by stoppage Vof the machine or stoppage in play due to ball and pin yjams -in the pit of a bowling lane. The present invention there-fore, embodies mechanisms designe-d to eliminate ball and pin jams in the pit of a bowling lane. This is due to the fact that means are pro- `vided `such that even though balls and pins move rearwardly -in the pit together, pins are positively displaced out of the path of a ball which can move unobstructedly into the range of Aoperation of the -ball lifting mechanism and be raised to a discharge station from which -it is returned .to the player at the approach end of -a bowling lane.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide improved mechanism for preventing ball and pin jams in the pit of a bowling lane.

It is la `further object of the invention t-o provide improved mechanism for so handling balls `and pins in the pit of a bowling lane that i-t is relatively impossible for them to cause jams and obstructions which would result Vin the game being delayed. y

The invention further comprises a resilient spring or pin deecting means ico-acting with balls and pins in the pit of a bowling alley, which is operative lto separate balls 'from pins, thereby linsuring that jams of balls and pins will be held to a bare minimum or entirely eliminated.

,The invention further -comprises the provision of -pin detlecting means located in the pit of a bowling alley operative to deflect pins away from the kick-back of bowling lane adjacent the ball 'lifting mechanism and thereby 'insure that ball and pin jams will be eliminated.

The invention further comprises the provision of resilient ball and pin engaging `and deflecting members which members are operative 4to deflect pin-s away from a ball lifting mechanism yet will yield such that a bowling ball 'can be raised by the ball lifting mechanism, notwithstanding.`

With these and other objects not specifically mentione-d -in View, the invention consist-s in certain combinations and instructions which will be described fully `hereinafter and then set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

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and bowling ball conveyor C which includes a pit-wide endless belt 10 of a suitable ilexible material, such as rubber-impregnated canvas, which has la high coeicient of friction. Belt 10 passes over a pully `11 located towards the rear `of the pit and driven from a suitable driving source, such as ya gear reduction motor (not shown) by a belt 12, .so that the upper run of conveyor belt 10 moves toward thev rear of the pit P whereby any bowling balls and/for bowling pins which fall or are swept into pit? rfrom the alley (not shown) come to rest on the upper run or lap of belt 10, yand are carried thereby t0- ward the rear of pit P. Mounted in pin P is a backstop or cushion, B, whichmay be similar in construction and operation to that shown in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 15,297, tiled March 16, 1960, now Patent 3,107,917, granted October 22, 1963. Back-stop B includes a lower straight edge 15 which extends substantially the full lengt-h of the back-stop, and .a cut-out providing an arcuate edge A16 located at one end lof the backstop adjacent a kick-back K of the bowling lane with which the mechanism is associated. Edge 15 is spaced above belt 10 la distance greater than the maximum diameter of a bowling pin, but less than the diameter of a bowling ball, such that bowling pins can pass beneath straight edge 15 but bowling balls cannot. Arcua-te edge 16 has a radius of curvature greater than that of the radius of a curvature of the outer surface of a bowling ball, the arcuate edge being spaced above conveyor belt 10, a distance suliioiently great to permit ya bowling :ball to pass beneath the back-stop B.

As indicated in FIG. 2, conveyor C is arranged so that the upper lrun thereof is inclined towards the side of a pit P adjacent to arcuate edge 16 of back-stop B. In this manner .balls carried by belt 10 Iand engaged with backstop B move towards -a predetermined side of pit P. Referring now to FIG. 1 it will be seen that extending transversely across the rear of pit P is a pin chute 17 over which bowling pins Iare delivered from conveyor 10 to a pin elevator (PE). Associated with conveyor 10 are two plowsw 18 (only one of which is shown in pit P) which direct pins toward the center of the pin chute 17 for delivery into the pin elevator PE. Since the pin elevator PE forms no part of the present invention, further illustration and showing thereof is -omitted in the interest of brevity.

Bowling pins and balls passing beneath arcuate edge 16 of back-stop B, usually continue to move rearwardly "for discharge by conveyor 10 into pin elevator PE and ball elevator BE, respectively. In the normal operation of the machine this manner of handling balls and pins continues without interruption. However, if for any reason pins and ba'lls moving rearwardly on belt 10 and passing beneath arcuate edge 16 enter the Zone of operation of belt lift -or elevator BE at the same time and cause a jam due to vthe fact that the pin and balls are attempting to occupy the same space and also because of the shape of -a pin, there may be pressure exerted by the ball against a pin which causes it to jam, .as against endless belt of the hall lifting elevator.

In order to insure further that there will be at all times a proper movement of bowling pins and balls passing beneath arcuate edge 16, and to prevent any possible jamming with balls to be elevated by ball elevator BE, there is provided means for deflecting such pins onto the adjacent plow 18 so that these pins are delivered Vwithout interruption to pin elevator PE. In the illustrated embodiment this means comprises an elongated iillerrstrip deflector 19 -attached to kick-back K above belt 10 (see FIGS. l, 2 and 3), and a resilient flap for spring 2@ which is mounted on kick-back K and extends across the path of movement of bowling balls and pins, and another resilient flap 22 which is mounted above resilient flap or spring 2d on kick-back l., and which extends the path of movement of bowling balls and pins in the path of elevation of a ball by ball elevator BE.

As shown in FlGS. 1, 2 and 3, flap or spring Ztl is mounted in a vertical plane. Preferably it is formed from a flexible spring metal sheet or other flexible material such that it will yield and press against kick-back K when engaged by a bowling ball but will maintain its relative position shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 when engaged by a bowling pin which weighs far less than a bowling ball so that the pin will be cammed or deflected thereby back onto conveyor belt itl out of the path of travel of the bowling ball. In this way pins will be positively separated by spring or flap 2d and the path to the ball elevator -will be cleared of pins so that balls can move unobstructedly into therange of operation of belt of the ball elevator. That is, flap or spring 213 is sufficiently yieldable to allow a bowling ball passing thereby to bend it back against the kick-back and allow the ball to pass freely. However, Yhap Ztl is sufficiently stiff so that bowling pins which may engage it are directed away from Vkick-br-nzk K and into adjacent plow 18, the'mornentum of the pins being ineffective to bend flap or spring Ztl backwardly in the same manner that a bowling ball does.

Mounted beneath the upper run of belt 1b is a rearwardly extending guide-chute 21 so 4arranged that, when a bowling ball rests on the upper run of belt 1) above guide-chute 21, belt 1b is deformed, so as to provide a rearwardly extending trough aligned with receiving portionof elevator BE. Ball elevator BE is of a type similar to that disclosed in my patent, referred to hereinabove. Ball elevator BE comprises a vertical conveyor 24 and a Vertical track Z5.

Conveyor 24 includes an endless belt 26 which passes around a lower driven pulley 27, over a pulley 28 located above pulley Z7 and operative to increase the arc of contact between belt 26 and pulley 27, and around an upper, idler pulley (not shown) mounted on the end of a pivoted `arm (not shown) biased by a suitable spring (not shown) in order to maintain suflicient tension on belt 26 to allow a bowling ball to be elevated by the movement of belt 26.

The axes of the several pulleys are parallel and extend transversely of pit P, the pulleys being so located that the forward run of belt 26 is spaced from track 25 by a distance less than the diameter of a bowling ball. Pulley 27' is driven by a belt 32 from a suitable source of power, such as an electric motor (not shown) so that the forward run of belt 2.6 moves upwardly in the direction of arrow A, Yas shown in EEG. l. The mechanism for supporting belt 26 for proper operation may also be the same as that disclosed inco-pending application Serial No. 195,920, tiled May 18, 1962, by Henry C. Congelli for Bowling Ball Handling and Lifting Mechanism. Since thespecitic structure forms no part of the present invention, further description and showing thereof is deemed unnecessary, and is omitted.

As shown in part in FIGURE 1, track 25 preferably is inclined from the vertical at a slight angle. Track 2S is suitably supported for vertical upward movement on the frame of the machine (not shown). Attached to track 25 at its lower end and forming a part thereof, is a ball guide element 44, in the form of suitable elastomer, such as a rubber block. A similar ball guide element is affixed to the top end of track 25, and is not shown herein, The specific structure and mounting of track 25 does not form a part of the present invention and reference is made to the co-pending above referred to Congelli application for a full disclosure thereof. rAs shown in FIGURE 3, block de includes a downwardly facing7 surface and a pair of divergent downwardly inclined surfaces rle, so arranged that as a bowling ball passes beneath the block each of the surfaces 45 and 46 engages the ball and thereby centers and guides it as -it passes beneath block 4d. This centering action properly aligns the bowling ball for pickup by the elevator BE in the manner (i. described in full in the above referred co-pending Congelli application.

Referring now to FIGURES l and V3, it will be seen that located between the operative lap or run of belt 26 and track 25, and mounted above the flap or spring 2t) is a llap or spring 2?; which extends outwardly into the path of travel of a ball being raised by belt 26 as it is rolled thereby upwardly along track 25. The purpose of flap or spring 22, which is made of the same material as spring Ztl, is to insure that if for any reason a bowling pin were being raised by its engagement with a bowling ball as the latter is rolled onto or along track 25, when such pin cornes in contact with flap or spring 22, it is deflected thereby away from kick-back K to which ap or spring ZZ -is attached, and drops back onto conveyor 1@ which carries it past plow 18 and delivers it onto chute 17 for discharge into pin elevator PE.

As shown in FlGURES l and 3, flap or spring 22 is arranged to have its effective operating face in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of operation of spring or flap Ztl. Flap 22 is sufficiently yieldable to allow a ball passing therby to bend it back against kick-back K and allow it to pass freely, as it is rolled up along track 25 by belt Ztl. On the other hand, flap or spring 22 is sutliciently stiff so that when and if a bowling pin engages it, such pin is directed thereby back into pit P, whence it is travelled rearwardly by conveyor l@ past plow 18 and delivered onto chute 17 for delivery into pin elevator PE.

Operation Assuming that the bowling pin spotting machine (not shown) of which pin elevator PE and ball elevator BE form operative parts, is in operation and that pins and balls arriving in the pit roll or are moved rearwardly therein by conveyor belt 1t). .Due to the inclination of belt 10 downwardly to the right, as view in FIGURE 2, bowling balls and some pins tend to move to the right or towards kick-back K. When a ball reaches the position where it deliects or deforme belt 1@ downwardly into guide 21, the ball will roll in the trough thus formed rearwardly beneath arcuate edge 16 into the range of operation of ball elevator BE.

if for any reason a pin or pins and such pin or pins closely approaches kick-back K so that a possible jam between the ball and pin or pins might occur, deector 19 will tend to urge such pin or pins away from kick-back K out of the path of travel on belt 10 toward ball elevator BE and the pin will move outwardly on belt 10 so that it will be properly delivered onto chute 17 and discharged thereby into pin elevator PE. If elongated pin deflector 19 is not effective in dellecting such pin away from the path of travel of a ball elevator BE, then as this pin moves further rearwardly in pit P, it will come into the range of operation of flap or spring deflector 2t). This deector will operate in the manner described above to cam or deflect this pin outwardly away from the kick-back K and on to the more central portion of belt 1t) so that it can be directed by plow 18 and delivered onto chute 17 for discharge into pin elevator PE. If it should happen that a pin became positioned on a ball as the latter came un- -der the inuence of belt 26 and block 44 on track 25, and

is raised with the ball, this pin is then acted upon by outwardly extended curved spring flap or detector 22 and is cammed or deflected thereby away from the ball, back onto conveyor lll which moves it rearwardly in pit P, past plow 18 and delivers it onto chute 17 for discharge thereby into pin elevator PE.

It will be seen that the above described mechanism constitutes an effective means for preventing pin and ball jams in the pit of a bowling alley.

I claim:

1. A bowling ball and pin handling apparatus for use in the pit of a bowling lane having a pit conveyor located between the kickback of said lane, a pit backstop having an arcuate opening formed therein adjacent one of said kickbacks (a pin elevator, and means mounting said conveyor to incline towards said one of said kickbacks to influence the rolling of balls on said conveyor towards said one of said kickbacks whereby said ball can readily be moved by said conveyor or roll through said opening readwardly in said pit, a ball elevator positioned to receive and elevate said ball, and resilient means extending outwardly from said one of said kickbacks into the path of travel of balls and pins towards said ball elevator, said resilient means flexing to allow a ball to pass into said elevator, but acting to deflect pins in said conveyor away from said ball elevator for delivery by said conveyor to said pin elevator.

2. The invention defined in claim 1 wherein said resilient means is a flexible metal sheet having a curved surface, and means mounting said sheet with the inner curved portion of said curved surface positioned to be engaged by balls and pins moving rearwardly in said pit, whereby said sheet can flex back towards said last-named kickback under the greated pressure extended thereon by a bowling ball, but operate to deflect pins and direct them outwardly onto said conveyor for discharge thereby into said pin elevator.

3. The invention defined in claim l including an elongated stationary pin deflector, means mounting said deilector closely adjacent said last-named kickback to be engaged by and direct pins outwardly from said kickback towards the center of said conveyor, and means mounting said backstop a distance above said conveyor less than the diameter of a bowling ball, and greater than a bowling pin whereby balls can pass rearwardly in said pit only through said arcuate opening.

4. Ball and pin handling apparatus for use in the pit of a bowling lane, in combination, a ball elevator comprising an endless belt and ball track spaced therefrom, a pin elevator, a conveyor in said pit, a backstop extending across said pit between the kickbacks of said lane, said backstop being provided with a ball opening, means for directing balls on said conveyor passing through said opening in said backstop to said ball elevator, and a resilient deflector mounted between said belts and said track and in the path of a travel of a ball to said ball elevator, adapted to yield when engaged by a ball enroute to said ball elevator so that said ball can be elevated to a point of discharge, and to operate as a deilecting barrier to a pin or pins and direct said pins away from said ball elevator for discharge by said conveyor into said pin elevator.

S. The invention defined in claim 4 including an elongated ixed pin deector bar, means mounting said bar closely adjacent and above said conveyor and in advance of said resilient deector, said deflector bar being normally operative to direct pins into such position on said conveyor that said conveyor will move them rearwardly towards said pin elevator free from engagement with said resilient deflector.

6. Ball and pin handling apparatus for use in the pit of a bowling lane comprising a ball elevator, a pin elevator, a conveyor in said pit, a backstop extending across said pit between the kickbacks of said lane, said backstop having a ball opening formed therein, means for directing balls on said conveyor passing through said opening to said ball elevator, a resilient deflector mounted in the path of travel of a ball to said ball elevator, adapted to yield when engaged by a ball enroute to said ball elevator so that said ball can be elevated to a point of discharge, and to operate as a deflecting barrier to a pin or pins and direct said pins away from said ball elevator for discharge by said conveyor into said pin elevator, said resilient deflector comprising a curved flexible metal sheet spring, and means mounting said spring on the kickback of said alley adjacent said ball elevator.

7. Ball and pin handling apparatus for use in the pit 'of a bowling lane comprising a ball elevator, a pin elevator, a conveyor in said pit, a backstop extending across said pit between the kickbacks of said lane, said backstop having a ball opening formed therein, means for directing balls on said conveyor moving through said opening in said backstop to said ball elevator, a resilient deflector mounted in the path of travel of a ball to said ball elevator, adapted to yield when engaged by a ball enroute to said ball elevator so that said ball can be elevated to a point of discharge, and to operate normally as a deflecting barrier to a pin or pins and direct said pins away from said ball elevator for discharge by said conveyor into said pin elevator, and also a second resilient dellector, means mounting said second deflector above said firstnamed resilient deflector and in an operative plane substantially at right angles to the operative plane of said rst-named resilient deflector and in the path of travel of a ball being elevated by said ball elevator, said second resilient deflector being operative to direct any pin being lifted with a ball back into said pit.

3. The invention defined in claim 7 wherein said ball elevator comprises a generally vertical ball track and an endless belt conveyor spaced therefrom a distance less than the diameter of a ball and extending along said track from a receiving station to a discharge station, and wherein said second resilient deflector is mounted between said belt and track and above said receiving station.

9. Bowling pin ball and pin handling apparatus for use in the pit of a bowling alley having a kickback at each side of said pit, a pit conveyor, and a backstop mounted above said conveyor a distance greater than the diameter of a bowling pin and less than the diameter of a bowling ball, said backstop having an opening through which balls may travel rearwardly in said pit, a pin deflector mounted on one of said kickbacks for directing pins engaging said dellector away from said kickback and towards the center of said conveyor for movement thereby to the rear of said pit, pin conveyor means positioned to receive said pins and remove them from said pit, a bowling ball elevator, means in the path of travel of balls on said conveyor to said ball elevator for preventing the movement of pins to said ball elevator while yielding in response to engagement of a ball therewith so that said ball passes unhindered thereby to said elevator, Said lastnamed means comprising an arcuate flexible spring deflector plate, means mounting said deflector plate on said one of said kickbacks adjacent said ball elevator with the curved inner face there positioned to be engaged by balls and pins, said plate being so designed as to yield and flex backwardly when engaged by a ball, but to resist flexing when engaged by a pin due to its lesser weight, whereby pins are deflected thereby away from said kickback towards the center of said conveyor. A

10. The apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein said ball elevator includes an elongated track and an endless belt having an operative lap spaced from said track a distance less than the diameter of a ball, a second flexible spring deflector plate, and means mounting said second spring deector between said lap of said belt and said track and above said first-named spring detlector plate and in a plane substantially at right angles thereto whereby pins being raised by balls elevated on said track by said belt are deflected by said second deflector forwardly onto said conveyor.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,586,831 6/26 Murphy 273-43 2,531,167 ll/SO Simpson 273-49 X 2,765,172 10/56 Zuercher et al 273-49 2,767,983 10/56 Holloway et al. 273-49 X 3,041,072 6/62 Dowd et al 273--43 X 3,098,653 7/ 63 Gruss et al. 273-49 X DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. 4. BALL AND PIN HANDLING APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE PIT OF A BOWLING LANE, IN COMBINATION, A BALL ELEVATOR COMPRISING AN ENDLESS BELT AND BALL TRACK SPACED THEREFROM, A PIN ELEVATOR, A CONVEYOR IN SAID PIT, A BACKSTOP EXTENDING ACROSS SAID PIT BETWEEN THE KICKBACKS OF SAID LANE, SAID BACKSTOP BEING PROVIDED WITH A BALL OPENING, MEANS FOR DIRECTING BALLS PROVIDED WITHE A BALL OPENING, MEANS FOR OPENING IN SAID BACKSTOP TO SAID BALL ELEVATOR, AND A RESILIENT DEFLECTOR MAOUNTED BETWEEN SAID BELTS AND SAID TRACK

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