US3785650A - Manually controlled electric pinball game - Google Patents

Manually controlled electric pinball game Download PDF

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Publication number
US3785650A
US3785650A US00253289A US3785650DA US3785650A US 3785650 A US3785650 A US 3785650A US 00253289 A US00253289 A US 00253289A US 3785650D A US3785650D A US 3785650DA US 3785650 A US3785650 A US 3785650A
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United States
Prior art keywords
board
pinball
trackway
ball
cabinet
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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US00253289A
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English (en)
Inventor
R Halliburton
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ALLIED LEISURE IND Inc
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ALLIED LEISURE IND Inc
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F7/00—Indoor games using small moving playing bodies, e.g. balls, discs or blocks
    • A63F7/02—Indoor games using small moving playing bodies, e.g. balls, discs or blocks using falling playing bodies or playing bodies running on an inclined surface, e.g. pinball games
    • A63F7/025—Pinball games, e.g. flipper games
    • A63F7/027—Pinball games, e.g. flipper games electric
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F2250/00—Miscellaneous game characteristics
    • A63F2250/14—Coin operated
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
    • A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • A63F7/00—Indoor games using small moving playing bodies, e.g. balls, discs or blocks
    • A63F7/22—Accessories; Details
    • A63F7/24—Devices controlled by the player to project or roll-off the playing bodies
    • A63F7/2409—Apparatus for projecting the balls

Definitions

  • One of several novel features includes a visible lateral trackway on which the ball is continuously reciprocated.
  • Each handle contains a button for releasing the ball from the trackway at any desired lateral position during its reciprocation for descent onto the board for play.
  • An elevator restores the ball on the trackway for reciprocation at the conclusion of each game.
  • This invention relates in general to novel adaptation of the well known pinball game including complete enclosure of a tilted pinball game board in a cabinet and external manual means for movement thereof for the guidance of the pinball into high scoring paths which greatly enhances the combined amusement and skill value of the game.
  • a principal object of the game is the optical effect of the upright mirror image view of the playing board and the novel visual effect of the movement of the pinball, which appears to defy gravity.
  • a further object of the invention is the provision of an attractive animation device consisting of a lateral trackway across the width of the playing board visible in the cabinet on which the pinball is continuously reciprocated from one side to the other until released by the operator at a strategic position to descend upon the playing board to roll in a path favorable for a high score.
  • Another object of the invention is the provision of a power driven elevator means for raising the pinball following its play on the playing board onto the trackway for continued reciprocation thereon as an attraction to players.
  • FIG. I is a front elevation of the game in reduced scale. 7
  • FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the cabinet shown in FIG. 1 with a portion thereof broken away.
  • FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional plan view taken through section line 3-3, FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional bottom plan view taken through section line 4-4, FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken through section line 5-5, FIG. 4.
  • FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged rear elevation taken through section line 6-6, FIG. 2, with portions thereof broken away.
  • FIG. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged cross sectional view taken through section line 7-7, FIG.
  • FIG. 8 is a fragmentary enlarged cross sectional view taken through section line 8-8, FIG. 3.
  • FIG. 9 is a fragmentary enlarged top plan view of the trackway and elevator assemblies shown in FIG. 3.
  • FIG. 10 is a cross sectional end view taken through section line 10-10, FIG. 9.
  • FIG. 11 is the same as FIG. 10in changed position.
  • FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross sectional elevation taken through section line 12-12, FIG. 2.
  • FIG. 13 is a schematic electric circuit diagram of the control elements of the game.
  • a cabinet assembly 1 has suspended therein the main planar pinball board 2 of .a pinball game which is positioned horizontally from side to side and at a predetermined descending slope from front to back forming the play field.
  • the board is equipped with the usual array of electric responsive bumpers 3 for electrically energizing a well known circuit means for operating a digital score counter which depends upon the number of impacts by the ball against the bumpers 3 in its path on the board.
  • the board also includes impact obstructions to be avoided, if possible.
  • a pair of right and left flippers 4 are adapted to be selectively rotated by electric solenoids with a pair of manually operated momentary switches for batting the ball upward on the board for further play, as illustrated in FIG. 3.
  • the ball finally descends into the end of play exit 6 it is conducted by a channel assembly 7 to an elevator assembly 8 driven by an electric motor 9 for replacing the ball on the trackway for reciprocation for the playing of a successive game.
  • a pair of ball control handles 10-10 project upward through clearance holes in horizontal shelf portion 12 of the cabinet assembly with each having a coaxial shaft connecting the board 2 through an elastomer bushing,
  • Each handle 10 also has a momentary electric push button switch 13 in the upper end thereof for the purpose of starting and playing the game.
  • An upstanding mirror 14 is supported in the cabinet at a predetermined angle with respect to the inner edge of the pinball board 2 over the full inside width of the cabinet, for forming a complete vertical image of the board 2 when viewed through a window 15 positioned across the front of the cabinet.
  • a horizontal transparent member 16 is provided at the lower edge of cavities 17-17 formed by opaque upright walls 18-18 for view of a ball trackway.
  • a coin entry 19 is provided in the compartment door 20 which is secured by a lock 21.
  • An electric digital counter connected in the pinball game circuit, not shown, is provided with a four-digit display 22 in the upper frontal portion of the cabinet for showing the progressive and total score of each game.
  • a raised U shaped border rail 23 of uniform thickness surrounds three sides of the main board 2, as shown, which provides two obstructions 24-24 in the form of integral angular ball impact abutments.
  • a pair of additional triangular obstructions 25-25 are secured to the mainboard 2, as shown, and are of the same thickness as the border rail 23.
  • the four scoring bumpers 3 of the pinball portion of the game are placed in a non-symmetrical strategic arrangement on the board 2, as shown.
  • the main board is supported in the rear portion of the cabinet on brackets 26-26 which engages studs- 27 which are surrounded by elastomer bushings 28-28.
  • the front end of the board is likewise supported by brackets 26 and studs 27 and bushings 28.
  • each handle 10 has a coaxial shaft 20 extending downward which engages an elastomer bushing 30 in an appropriate hole in each corner portion of the board 2 for manually moving the board to influence the direction of the path of travel of the ball on the board to obtain a high score.
  • the dotted lines extending from the edges of board 2 in FIG. 12 illustrate the range of motion thereof in any lateral direction responsive to the two hand movement of handles 10- 10.
  • left and right independent flippers 31-31 are positioned on the surface of the lower portion of the board and journalled for oscillatory movement from electric solenoids through the board to bat the descending ball upward on the board for extended play through a range shown by dotted lines.
  • the exit 6 is positioned at the lower portion of the board to conduct the ball downward off of the play field.
  • FIG. 3 also shows a pair of parallel rods or rails 33-34 which provide a trackway for reciprocating ball 35 thereon, to be hereinafter described.
  • each flipper 31 has a shaft 36 journalled for oscillation through the board and secured to a lever 37.
  • the right and left levers are connected to the core of right and left solenoids 38, respectively.
  • Each of the four well known impact electric scoring bumpers 3 are secured by suitable spacer means, not shown, and retained by a washer 39 and a screw 40.
  • the normally open electric impact responsive circuit in each bumper is connected by a suitable pair of conductors, as part of the well known circuit of a typical pin ball game, not shown.
  • FIGS. and 6 illustrate the angle of the board to provide the gravity descent of the ball 35 and also illustrates the path of the ball through exit 6 for gravitation in channel assembly 7 into the lower end portion of elevator assembly 8, as shown by arrows, to momentarily rest on a lower ledge 47 therein for central clearance between theprojections 44.
  • the upper ledge 47a has a slight downward slope to provide a runway for the ball 35 to roll onto the trackway 33-34.
  • the elevator assembly 8 includes an endless chain 41, better shown in FIG. 6, driven by sprocket 42 on the shaft of an electric motor 9 and an upper sprocket 43 journalled on a fixed shaft.
  • the chain includes four pairs of forked equi-spaced projections 44 extending outward therefrom for raising the ball from the lower ledge in vertical casing 45 for gravitation onto the downward sloping runway better shown in FIG. 9.
  • a left bracket 48 is secured to the front portion of board 2 and the outer end portion of the bracket supports the left end of rod or flex blade 68 into contact with blade 69 and energize solenoid 65 by circuit means to be hereinafter described, which will permit the bridge 64 to strike ball 35 with sufficient force to drive the ball to its initial position on the left end of the trackway, as indicated in FIGS. 7 and 9 for re-gravitation downward thereon.
  • a pair of normally open control switch blades 70 and 71 are secured to the under side of board 2 together with a pair of independently normally closed switch blades 72 and 73, operated by a pin 74 in solenoid core 66 for operations to be hereinafter described.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates the position of the switch blades when the solenoid 65 is energized.
  • FIGS. 9, l0 and 11 relate to the mechanism for releasing the reciprocating ball at a selected predetermined position during its lateral travel.
  • FIG. 10 shows the ball release solenoid 52 secured to the underside of the board 2 and its core 75 pivotally secured to a link 76, with the upper portion thereof having a transverse open slot 77 which slot is engaged with rail 33.
  • a coil spring 78 normally retains the core 75 and link 76 and rail 33 in their normal rest positions, as shown in FIG. 10.
  • a pair of normally open switch blades 79-80 are operated by a pin 81 projecting from link 76, to be hereinafter described.
  • FIG. 11 is the same as FIG. 10 in changed position when the solenoid 52 is energized and the rail 33 moved to its downward position by virtue of levers 5050 which will move rail 33 a sufficient distance from rail 34 to release the ball to descend by gravity between the rails for beginning its downward rolling gravitation on the playing field of board 2.
  • FIG. 13 shows the schematic circuit for controlling the functions of a typical pinball game, which includes a digital scoring meter.
  • a pair of mainconductors 82 and 83 are intended to be connected to a source of electric energy L, and L respectively.
  • a master switch 84 may be the contacts of a starting relay 5, a coin operated switch, or a well known electric control for playing a predetermined number of successive games.
  • a safety relay 85 is provided with a single pole double throw switch 86 which is operated by switch means rail 33 by well known means.
  • a second bracket 49 supports the right hand end of rail 33 parallel the front end of board 2 and a predetermined distance lower than the bracket 48.
  • the left hand end of rail 34 is secured to a lever 50 which is pivotally secured to bracket 48 by shoulder rivet 51.
  • a like lever 50 is secured to the right hand end of rail 34 and is pivoted to bracket 49 by a shoulder rivet 51.
  • FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 indicate the mechanism for reciprocating the ball 35 on rails 33-34.
  • a bell crank having an arm 61 extending upward through board 2 has a lower arm 62 pivotally secured to the underside of board 2 by a pin 63. The upper end of the arm 61 terminates in a bridge 64 for impact movement against the ball 35.
  • a reciprocation solenoid 65 secured to the underside of board 2 has a core 66 which is pivotally connected to the arm 62 by a pin 67.
  • a vertical switch blade 68 is secured in A normally open position with respect to a blade 69, secured to the board 2, as shown. It is apparent from FIG.
  • the elevator motor 9 is connected to conductors 82 and 83, respectively, and is intended to operate the elevator assembly 8 continuously whenever switch 84 is closed.
  • the game is played by the manipulation of the two handles 10, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, following the deposit of a coin or coins or other means for energizing the control circuit.
  • the remaining switch of the relay is adapted to energize trackway solenoid 65, which will operate bell crank arm 61 and 62 and drive the ball to the left end of the trackway where it will again descend by gravity and be re-cycled until either one of the momentary switches 13 in the handles are depressed.
  • pin means will momentarily close switch blades 70-71 which will energize a relay 88 which is provided with three independent single pole double throw switches.
  • a relay 88 which is provided with three independent single pole double throw switches.
  • the operation will close switches 89 and 90 and 91 and energize the ball release solenoid 52, which will close switch contacts 92-93-94, respectively.
  • the circuit provides for the selective release of the ball onto the play field by the manual closure of either of the momentary switches 13.
  • the relay 88 will assume its original position when the switches 89, 90 and 91 are in their normal upper idle position.
  • Switch 91 will be connected to one terminal of the flipper solenoid 38R with the other terminal thereof connected to main conductor 83.
  • switch 90 will connect to one terminal of the remaining flipper solenoid 38L and the remaining terminal thereof will also connect to the main conductor 83.
  • a normally closed single pole single throw switch 95 is connected across a portion of each winding of each solenoid with each switch adapted to be opened by the core of the solenoid as it reaches a position near the end of its stroke, which will include additional winding and increased resistance, to prevent overheating when energized for long periods of time.
  • a normally open momentary switch 96 is secured on the under side of channel assembly 7 with the operating blade thereof extending through a suitable clearance aperture for operation by the passage of the ball thereover.
  • the circuit of this switch is intended to be connected to the pinball game circuit for de-energizing all circuits at the end of each game or each predetermined number of games, by well known means, not shown.
  • the circuit shown in FIG. 13 provides for the first use of the switch 13 for the ball release followed by the use of buttons for independently operating each of the left and right flippers by selectively energizing solenoids 38R and 38L for batting the ball upward for impact with bumpers 3 to raise the game score.
  • This dual operation of the button switches 13 is made through the action of relay 88, previously described.
  • a manually controlled electric automatic scoring pinball game including a means forming a cabinet
  • said game assembly including a play field board having a planar upper surface with a predetermined descending slope from front to rear and movably secured in said cabinet for predetermined maximum lateral movement in all directions,
  • a parallel bar trackway means in said cabinet secured above and parallel the front edge of said board and sloping about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the edge of said board at a predetermined angle with respect to the surface of the board for gravitating a pinball over the length of the trackway means
  • a normally open momentary impact switch for energizing said impact solenoid positioned on said board with the operating element thereof in the path of movement of said pinball at the lower end of its path of travel
  • circuit means connecting said source of energy and said impact switch and said impact solenoid
  • one said bar in said trackway means pivoted by a lever means at each opposite end thereof for lateral movement to release said pinball from said trackway means at any position along its length during its gravitational travel,
  • circuit means connecting said release switch to said release solenoid and said source of energy whereby a player may release said pinball from said trackway means to descend to a desired lateral position on the upper surface of said board.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Pinball Game Machines (AREA)
US00253289A 1972-05-15 1972-05-15 Manually controlled electric pinball game Expired - Lifetime US3785650A (en)

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Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US25328972A 1972-05-15 1972-05-15

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US00253289A Expired - Lifetime US3785650A (en) 1972-05-15 1972-05-15 Manually controlled electric pinball game

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US (1) US3785650A (de)
JP (1) JPS4926040A (de)
DE (1) DE2314009A1 (de)
ES (1) ES410344A1 (de)
FR (1) FR2163158A5 (de)
IT (1) IT974200B (de)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3910580A (en) * 1973-09-10 1975-10-07 Xaver Leonhart Table ball game with moveable circular bumper portions
US3985360A (en) * 1975-09-15 1976-10-12 Marvin Glass & Associates Game apparatus
US4030555A (en) * 1976-03-15 1977-06-21 Boyce John G Wiggle table electronic ball game device
US4431188A (en) * 1981-05-18 1984-02-14 Bally Manufacturing Corporation Ball type game apparatus with laterally movable ball striking mechanism and control therefor
US4822045A (en) * 1987-08-10 1989-04-18 Shoemaker Stephen P Jr Rolling ball game
US5213325A (en) * 1991-06-17 1993-05-25 Alex Malavazos Tiltable board and rolling ball game mechanism

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3733826A1 (de) * 1987-10-07 1989-04-20 Elmar Gehrig Spielgeraet mit mechanisch beeinflussbarem spielablauf
JPH0193072U (de) * 1987-12-14 1989-06-19

Citations (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB302479A (en) * 1927-11-28 1928-12-20 Edmund Albert Sebbage Improvements in apparatus for playing a new game
US2133165A (en) * 1935-07-08 1938-10-11 Irwin W Eisenberg Amusement device
US2192620A (en) * 1938-02-01 1940-03-05 Exhibit Supply Company Circuit control
US2200190A (en) * 1938-10-14 1940-05-07 Plouvier Paul Joseph Playing apparatus
US2226885A (en) * 1939-12-19 1940-12-31 Harry E Williams Game apparatus
US2236536A (en) * 1938-12-28 1941-04-01 Margaret W Hilton Game
US2248859A (en) * 1940-09-09 1941-07-08 Ferreri Andrew Game apparatus
US2300328A (en) * 1940-09-13 1942-10-27 Irven H Wilsey Game
US2563334A (en) * 1943-12-24 1951-08-07 Hotte Edmund Manually manipulatable game board apparatus
FR1123730A (fr) * 1955-03-16 1956-09-26 Jeu
US2791428A (en) * 1954-05-10 1957-05-07 Donald F Mcdonald Pinball machine
US3309088A (en) * 1965-02-12 1967-03-14 Philip H Knott Bubble pin ball game
US3404888A (en) * 1966-11-30 1968-10-08 Lion Mfg Corp Ball gating and reprojecting means
US3554553A (en) * 1968-04-30 1971-01-12 Kikuo Hayashi Tilting game board with frusto-conical rolling member

Patent Citations (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB302479A (en) * 1927-11-28 1928-12-20 Edmund Albert Sebbage Improvements in apparatus for playing a new game
US2133165A (en) * 1935-07-08 1938-10-11 Irwin W Eisenberg Amusement device
US2192620A (en) * 1938-02-01 1940-03-05 Exhibit Supply Company Circuit control
US2200190A (en) * 1938-10-14 1940-05-07 Plouvier Paul Joseph Playing apparatus
US2236536A (en) * 1938-12-28 1941-04-01 Margaret W Hilton Game
US2226885A (en) * 1939-12-19 1940-12-31 Harry E Williams Game apparatus
US2248859A (en) * 1940-09-09 1941-07-08 Ferreri Andrew Game apparatus
US2300328A (en) * 1940-09-13 1942-10-27 Irven H Wilsey Game
US2563334A (en) * 1943-12-24 1951-08-07 Hotte Edmund Manually manipulatable game board apparatus
US2791428A (en) * 1954-05-10 1957-05-07 Donald F Mcdonald Pinball machine
FR1123730A (fr) * 1955-03-16 1956-09-26 Jeu
US3309088A (en) * 1965-02-12 1967-03-14 Philip H Knott Bubble pin ball game
US3404888A (en) * 1966-11-30 1968-10-08 Lion Mfg Corp Ball gating and reprojecting means
US3554553A (en) * 1968-04-30 1971-01-12 Kikuo Hayashi Tilting game board with frusto-conical rolling member

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3910580A (en) * 1973-09-10 1975-10-07 Xaver Leonhart Table ball game with moveable circular bumper portions
US3985360A (en) * 1975-09-15 1976-10-12 Marvin Glass & Associates Game apparatus
US4030555A (en) * 1976-03-15 1977-06-21 Boyce John G Wiggle table electronic ball game device
US4431188A (en) * 1981-05-18 1984-02-14 Bally Manufacturing Corporation Ball type game apparatus with laterally movable ball striking mechanism and control therefor
US4822045A (en) * 1987-08-10 1989-04-18 Shoemaker Stephen P Jr Rolling ball game
US5213325A (en) * 1991-06-17 1993-05-25 Alex Malavazos Tiltable board and rolling ball game mechanism

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
ES410344A1 (es) 1976-01-01
DE2314009A1 (de) 1973-12-06
IT974200B (it) 1974-06-20
FR2163158A5 (de) 1973-07-20
JPS4926040A (de) 1974-03-08

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