US3545754A - Bowling ball cushion control mechanism - Google Patents

Description

United States Patent [45] Patented Dec. 8, 1970 [54] BOWLING BALL CUSHION CONTROL MECHANISM 11 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl. 273/43, 273/53 [5 l 1 hit. A63d H00 [50] Field Search 273/53, 49, 43(A), 43, 47 1 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,306,955 12/1944 Karbusky 273/47 72 inventor Ronald A. Lenlnrt 2,967,707 l/l96l Hedenskoog et al. 273/53x I 8462 W. 24!]! AVG Lakewood, Colorado 3,237,942 3/1966 Congelli et al 273/49X v 80215 3,319,959 5/1967 Lenhart 273/53X 21 Appl. No. 733,731 3,375,006 3/l968 Davis 273/s3x [22] Filed May 6 1968 i Continilation-in-part of Ser. No. 627,803, 2:3 i; oechsle April 3, 1967- neyessenger AIQS'ITRAC'I: A mechanism for use on automatic pin spotting bowling machines to expedite the return of the bowling ball tively with a dashpot cylinder which absorbs ball impact forces, repositions the cushion and reestablishes an action force in the resilient element. Machine actuator and adjustment elements to facilitate installation and use of the mechanism are provided.

PATENTEUDEB 81970 3545754 sum; or 2 INVENTOR. RONALD A. LENHART ATTORNEY .1 BOWLINGBALL cushion CONTROL MECHANISM cRoss-REFERENc'E-ro RELATED APPLICATION The present application is'acontinuation-in-part of Pat. application Ser. No. 627,803 filed Apr. 3, 1967, by the present inventor.

BACKGROUNDQF THE INVENTION sures of the mentioned copending application and is further j related to the disclosuresandmechanisms of U.S. Pat. No. 3,3l 9,959issued May 16, 1967,10 the present inventor.

' SUMMARYOFTI-IE INVENTION Briefly stated, the present invention provides a mechanism for intercepting the impact forces delivered against a pit cushion by a bowling ball. The mechanism permits pivoted movement of the pit cushionwith such pivoted movement being resisted by a dashpot assembly that can be adjusted to provide thedesired result even though the ball impact forces are widely varied in magnitude. A resilient member attached to the pit cushion tends initially to hold thev cushion in a ball receiving position until an initial ball impact is received, and

thereafter the resilientmember acts cooperatively with the ball impact force to move the cushion against resistance forces provided by the dashpot assembly to an alternate out of the I Way position permitting early passage of the ball out of the pit and toward the ball return components of the pin setting mechanism. An actuator unit similar to that shown in the mentioned earlier application is incorporated to initiate early cycling movement of the pin setting mechanism which is accompanied by the raising of the pit cushion supports. This characteristic movement of the pit cushion supports is used cooperatively with thedashpot assemblies and mounting arrangement to reset the. resilientelement for subsequent ball intercepting purposes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevation in partial section showing an at rest position for the pit cushion and its associated mounts and controls, I

FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing an actuator assembly for said mechanism with the pit cushion in an at rest position as indicated by solid lines and inan alternate mechanism initiating position shown in dotted outline,

FIG. 3 is a side elevation' with parts shown in section illustrating the pit cushion mount and its associated controls in a ball passing position as shown in solid lines and in an alternate elevated reset position as indicated by dotted line representations, and H 'FIG. 4 is a top view separately showing features of the dashpot assembly.

DESCRIPTION or THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Specific advantages of the .present invention will become more apparent from a description of the features illustrated in the accompanying FIGS. Before such description, however, it should be noted that while the features of this invention are adaptable to use in various types .of bowling machines, the

present description will, in' general, be limited to the structural features of modified apparatus designed specifically for incorporation in existing bowling machinesof the Brunswick (A) type. For such installations the presentv invention provides means for substantially reducing the shock loadings on the pit cushion 'mount arms. Inaddition to the elimination of arm breakage and other maintenance problems, the present invention is provided to speed the ball return time for such pin setting machines by modifying the rebound characteristics of bowling balls that hit the pit cushion and by permitting the balls to leave the pit before the pit cushion arms are raised.

A function of the changed mechanisms is to stop, but pass, any ball engaging the pit cushion without excessively rebounding the ball into the forward regions of the pit where the necessary return movement of the ball toward the ball wheel is impeded by fallen pins that are gathering in the pit. Since it is desired to stop the ball with minimum rebound and since the impact characteristics of'balls delivered by different bowlers are markedly varied, it was determined that a first function of the pit cushion mount mechanism should be to receive" the ball and thus absorb the inertia of the ball. From other fields it was known that the best reception for a moving ball is provided by movement of the receiver. It was further determined that the absorption of impact shock loadings that are of widely varied intensity could best be accomplished through use of components having a variable resistance characteristic that could-be matched to the experienced shock range.

In satisfaction of these'requirements, the applicant provides a pit cushion mount mechanism in which the pit cushion is mounted for pivotal movementin a position to'intercept delivered balls. Free swinging movement of the pit cushion, however, is restricted by the use of an air cylinder or dashpot to oppose backward swinging movement of the pit cushion. In the present invention the swinging movement of the pit cushion is further resisted by an overcenter assembly inclusive of a resilient member that initially tends to hold the pit cushion in a forward ball intercepting position. The overcenter assembly which tends to hold the pit cushion in ball intercept position is further cooperatively active with ball impact forces to move the pit cushion to a pivoted ball passing position whereby escape of the ball from the machine pit is possibleand is encouraged before the cycle operations of the associated pin setting mechanism are effective to elevate the pit cushion support arms. Adjustmentin the reaction force provided by the dashpot is possible througltuse of an air control valve that may be adjusted to increase or decrease the air escape rate for the dashpot mechanisms. The forces applied -by the overcenter assembly are likewise adjustable in strength and in angle of application to establish a proper operation balance assuring the most efficient operation of the mechanism.

Since many features of the present embodiment of the invention are directly related to the embodiment presented in the previous application Ser. No. 627,803, parts having common structural or useage characteristics are, in the accompanying FIGS., provided with numbers corresponding with those used in connection with the description of the earlier embodiment.

As in the previous disclosure, the pit cushion support arms 11 are provided with an offset leg member 56, and a pivot bolt 57 extends downwardly to pivotallyv support an offset mount 14 though use of a pivot pin 58. In order to assure more accurate placement of all the mechanisms with respect to the pit cushion 15, the offset mounts '14 are formed integrally with or welded to pit cushion side plates 95, as shown in FIG. 2. When the side plates are bolted to the pit cushion 15, the dashpot brackets 18 and an actuator mechanism support 33, which is attached to one plate 95, will be properly positioned with respect to the offset mounts 14 and the curtain supports 59.

The actuator mounting bracket 33 shown in FIG. 2 is positioned at the right side of thepit cushion. as viewed from the rear of the machine. FIGS. 1 and 3 are representative of the elements disposed at the left side of the pit cushion with the views being taken from a position corresponding with the center of the pit cushion. The dashpot support brackets 18 are usually used on each end of the pit cushion so that dashpots 20 may be connected to the pit cushion at each end thereof. As in previous embodiments of the inventions, the dashpots are operatively positioned between such brackets 18 and a support 19 disposed on a rear wall ofconventional bowling machine installations. In Pins 16 and 17 allow pivotal movement of the dashpot ends with respect to the support 19 or the pit cushion 15.

The dashpots 20 are provided with air control valves having a threaded adjusting stem so that the size of the air escape orifice within the valve 25 may be changed if it is desirable to adjust the reaction characteristics of the air cylinder 20. With the assembly as described the pit cushion 15 will normally be disposed in dependent relationship from the pit cushion support arms 11 for swinging movement about the pivot pin 58. With the proper balance and weight of the elements, the pit cushion 15 will be held in an at rest position which is inclined to the horizontal at an angle of approximately 45 to 80. This angular inclination again tends to direct the course of any rebounded ball downwardly into the pit rather than forwardly to the front of the pit and toward the bowler.

The pit cushion is not free to swing pivotally about its supporting pivot pin 58. As in the previous disclosure, the swinging movement is resisted by the dashpot 20. In this embodi ment it is further resisted by an overcenter assembly 70, the positioning and operation of which is disclosed in FIGS. 1 and 3. The lower anchor 73 for such assembly is joined to the pit cushion 15 by a pivot pin and bracket (not shown) disposed at a level that may be vertically coincident with the dashpot mounting pin 17 but in a lateral position substantially aligned with the pit cushion support arms 11. An upper anchor 74 is engaged with the foot 75 of a moving bracket 77 that is pivotally secured to the pit cushion support arm 11 by a pivot 78. Anchor 73 or 74 provides a threaded adjustment 79 for changing the tension in an overcenter resilient member or spring 80. In addition to this adjustment for changing the action-reaction force of the overcenter assembly, a positioning screw 81 is provided for adjusting the angular position of the 7 bracket 77 can bring the anchors 73 and 74 to a positionwherein the action force for the spring 80 is in an overcenter position as shown in FIG. 1 whereby the force exerted by the overcenter resilient member or spring 80 will tend to hold the cushion 15 in a ball intercepting at rest position. When the cushion is in this forward intercept position as shown in FIG. 1, further spring powered movement of the cushion to a vertical or other forwardly rotated position is limited by the stop nuts 82 and adjusting nuts 83 on control rod 84 of dashpot cylinders 20 (see FIG. 4). Accordingly, close adjustment of the angular position of the cushion 15 in its at rest position is possible. After the cushion is again lowered to the ball intercepting position, the spring on control rod 84 is operative together with the overcenter positioned spring 80 to hold the pit cushion 15 in the at rest position thereby preventing a recycling of the machine due to action of the actuator mechanism. The control rod spring is compressed when the pit cushion is in its raised position, and it, accordingly, helps to cock or reset the overcenter assembly.

The main force tending to hold the cushion in the at rest position may be adjusted by changing the threaded tension adjustment 79, or it may be changed by altering the angle of force application by adjustments made in positioning screw 81. In order to obtain the most efficient operation, the force exerted by the overcenter mechanism 70 should be adjusted so that a ball hand placed on a mechanically shaken pit rug at the bottom of the pin setting machine (not shown) and moved toward the cushion 15 by agitation of the rug will exert sufficient force against the cushion to move the cushion away from its at rest position, as shown in FIG. 1, and past the dead center point for the spring 80. As soon as such mechanism is moved past dead centeras shown by the full line representation in FIG. 3, the forces exerted by the spring 80 will tend to move the cushion rearwardly to elevate the bottom of the cushion and to permit passage ofa bowling ball. Movement to this ball passing position is energized by the spring and by a ball impact forces and is resisted by the dashpot ZO. The dashpot must be adjusted to permit the spring force alone to rotate the pit cushion to a ball passing position while it is still set to provide adequate resistance to counteract violent movements of the pit cushion 15 when a fast ball is directly impacted against the bottom of the cushion.

Movement of the pit cushion activates the overcenter assembly, and the same movement or an overcenter assembly reinforced movement is transmitted to the actuator mechanisms of the bowling machinefto initiate the recycle functions of the machine. The triggering mechanism of the mentioned last previous disclosure may be used to initiate cyclic operations of the pin setting machine. The actuator mechanism shown in FIG. 2 is again designed to transmit movement of the pit cushion to actuator lever 51, which is a component of the original Brunswick (A) type machines. A support 69 is attached to the transmission housing 68 of such machines, and an arm 71 extends upwardly to provide a fulcrum 72 for a lever arm 66. One end of said lever arm is connected to a Uniball 46, and the other end is connected by a pin 67 to connecting rod 64. The lower end of the connecting rod 64 is connected to actuator mounting bracket 33 on one of the pit cushion side plates 95. Clevises 62 and 63 at the top and bottom ends of connecting rod 64 are joined to telescoping rods 38 and 36, respectively. These telescoping rods are received within the barrel 37 of the connecting rod assembly 64 and can be moved reciprocally therein. Adjusting rod 38 is normally held in fixed position with respect to the barrel 37 by tightening a lock pin 35 which passes through collar 40 to engage rod 38. Reciprocal movement of telescoping rod 36 is resisted or energized by a spring (not shown). The initial tension or resistance to contraction or extension of the spring should always be sufficient so that the movement of mounting bracket 33 will result in a corresponding movement of the free end pin 67 of the lever arm 66. The compression force of the spring issuch that it will be overcome by any upward movement of the pit cushion support arms 11 so that the rod 36 will be telescoped within the barrel 37 to prevent damage to the lever arm 66 that moves the actuator levers 51.

The telescoping function of the connecting rod '64 permits the required upward movement of the pit cushion and its support arms 11 when the cyclic operations of the bowling machine have been initiated by movement of the actuator lever 51. The movement which initiates such cycle operation of the mechanism is accomplished when a bowling ball is moved against the pit cushion 15. Contact between the ball and pit cushion will move the free end of the cushion upwardly, as illustrated by the dotted line representation of FIG. 2. As the free end moves upwardly, the actuator mounting bracket 33 will be rotated with respect to the pivot 58 to pull downwardly on connecting rod 64 and to consequently move Uniball 46 on lever arm 66 upwardly. A stop pin 76 extending laterally from the lever arm 66 will be moved away from the arm 71. At the same time the push rod 47 will exert a force against the Uniball 48 to rotate the actuator lever 51. Movement of the actuator 51 engages clutches of the bowling pin mechanism so that the support arms 11 will be raised. On upward movement of the support arms 11 the lever arm 66 will be rotated in the reverse direction to its at rest position as shown in FIG. 2 with stop pin 76 against the arm 71 and the push rod 47 moved reciprocally away from the Uniball 48. With further movement of the lever arm 66 being blocked by the stop pin 76, the rod 36 will be telescoped within the barrel 37 of connecting rod 64.

As the cushion moves upwardly the air cylinder 20 will be fully contracted in length by reason of the ball impact, the action of spring 80 or by reason of the upward movement of the cushion support arms 11 until the stop collar 23 is engaged against the barrel of the air cylinder 20 as shown in alternate position in FIG. 3. Even with this shortened length the cylinder causes interference between the supports 19 and 18. Accordingly, as the-cushion comes to an otherwise interfering position as shown in dotted outline, the overcenter assembly 70 will be returned or reset by such interference to its overcenter position with respect to pivot 58 which corresponds to that initially shown in FIG. 1.

As the cushion 15 is rerotat'ed to its at rest position by reason of such interference, the resilient element or spring 80 will again be tensioned to hold the cushion in its at rest position. When the support arms 11 and pit cushion 15 are again lowered by operation of the machine, the pit cushion will be held in its at rest position until the cushion is fully lowered by the support arms 11. The cushion will, accordingly, be in place to intercept and absorb the impact forces of a next bowling ball; in order to prevent the dashpot from staying in its contracted relationship as the cushion is lowered, an auxiliary air check valve 22 is used to-admit air into the dashpot 20. This prevents the overcenter assembly from being tripped. The

check valve is, of course-set to block an outward flow of air from the dashpot when impact forces are directed against the pit cushion.

As in the previous embodiments of the invention, the adjustment provided by the bolt 57 on support arm 11 can be used to properly adjust the positioning of the cushion in the bowling machine pit. Once this adjustment has been made the effective length of the connecting rod 64 can be adjusted by reciprocally positioning the rod 38 in the barrel 37.

These adjustments and a further adjustment in the effective length of the dashpot control rod 84 are necessary to accommodate for the changes in the configuration of the already in- 'nonaligned position with respect to said pivot for resisting movement of said pit cushion away from the ball intercepting position for the absorption of ball impact forces.

2. Structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient means is a spring.

3. Structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient means is further positioned and biased to assist movement of said pit cushion to the ball passing position after a ball is impacted against said pit cushion.

4. Structureas set forth in claim 3 wherein said resilient means is a spring and further comprising adjustment means for changing the spring force for holding the pit cushion in the terconnected to said drive elements for holding the said pit cushion in lowered operativeposition across the rear of the pit for the interception of bowling balls and alternately in a raised out of the way position and a machine actuator mechanism for initiation of the cyclic operations of the machine, an improved pit cushion mount comprising a pivot disposed on said support arms, means engaging said pit cushion to said pivot whereby said pivot is coactive between said support arms and pit cushion for permitting movement of said pit cushion with respect to said support arms to ball intercepting and ball passing positions, resilient means operatively interconnected to said pit cushion for alternately holding said pit cushion in the ball intercepting position before a ball is impacted thereagainst and in the ball passing position afterball impact, and a dashpot cylinder engaged to said pit cushion in a ball intercepting position.

5. Structure as set forth in claim 3 and further comprising adjustment means intermediate said support arms and pit cushion for accurately positioning the pit cushion for useage to intercept bowling balls,' and length adjusting means for said dashpot cylinder for holding said pit cushion at an angularly disgiosed intercepting position.

Structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient means is disposed for overcenter reaction with respect to said pivot.

7. Structure as set forth in claim 6 and further comprising alignment adjustment means for establishing and adjusting the overcenter positioning of said resilient means with respect to said pivot.

8, Structure as set forth in claim 1 wherein the said dashpot cylinder is disposed in interfering position with respect to a pit cushion in the ball passing position when the pit cushion is raised to the out of way position by the machine drive elements of the bowling pin spotting machine whereby said pit cushion is returned to its ball intercepting position.

9. Structure as set forth in claim 8 and further comprising a resilient element for normally holding said dashpot cylinder in extended position, and adjustment means for changing the length of said dashpot cylinder.

10. Improved bowling machine apparatus comprising a general frame structure, a pit cushion within said machine, support arms for holding the said pit cushion in operative position for the interception of bowling balls, a pivot disposed on said support arms, means interengaging said pit cushion and pivot whereby said pivot is coactive between said support arms and pit cushion for permitting movement of said pit cushion with respect to said support arms to the ball intercepting and ball passing positions, resilient means operatively interconnected to said pit cushion'for alternately holding said pit cushion in the ball intercepting position before a ball is impacted thereagainst and in the ball passing position after ball impact, and shock absorbing means for the absorption of ball impact forces engaged to said pit cushion in a nonaligned position with respect to said pivot for resisting movement of said pit cushion away from the ball intercepting position.

11. Structure as set forthin claim 10 wherein said resilient means is disposed for overcenter reaction with respect to said pivot.

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