WO2001070351A1

WO2001070351A1 - Arrangement for bowling alleys

Info

Publication number: WO2001070351A1
Application number: PCT/CH2001/000092
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vittorio Meniconi
Original assignee: Bms Bowling Marketing Service Ag
Priority date: 2000-03-20
Filing date: 2001-02-13
Publication date: 2001-09-27
Also published as: EP1268015A1; AU2001229948A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement for bowling alleys (1). The inventive arrangement prevents a bowling ball being used in the game to laterally leave the bowling alley (2). The arrangement is provided with guide means that extend on both sides of the bowling alley (2), can be moved between an active and a passive position and comprise two levers (9, 10) on each side of the bowling alley (2) in the initial and in the end region thereof respectively. Said levers are pivotally mounted and are wound round by a guide rope (12). The two ends of said rope are connected by means of a rope winder (20) to form a loop. The levers (9, 10) are provided with a central bearing (21, 22) and can be pivoted around said bearing between the active and the passive position. The two levers being opposite each other and forming a pair are connected to one another by means of a shaft. The aim of the invention is to pivot the guide means from the passive into the active position and vice versa. An electromotor (15) is provided which is connected to a lever (9) by means of a crank mechanism (16).

Description

Arrangement for bowling alleys

The invention relates to an arrangement for bowling alleys according to the preamble of claim 1.

While the bowling game for adults does not pose any fundamental difficulties, it is very often difficult for children to deliver the relatively heavy ball with enough force and precision so that it does not leave the fairway from the side and get into the missile channel, from where it no longer hits the Fairway comes back. For this reason, most children do not enjoy bowling. On the other hand, guiding means cannot be simply arranged to the side of the fairway, which basically prevent the ball from leaving the fairway, since this is not desired for the game by adults.

It is therefore the object of the invention to create an arrangement for bowling alleys designed according to the preamble of claim 1, which arrangement meets the requirements of both children and adults.

This object is achieved by the features stated in the characterizing part of claim 1.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in dependent claims 2 to 11.

In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the guide means each comprise two levers arranged on each side of the fairway, which are wrapped around by a guide means and are pivotably mounted. Such a design is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and easy to maintain.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of two drawings. It shows:

Figure 1 shows the schematically illustrated fairway together with the two missile channels and the guide arrangement in cross section;

Figure 2 is a side view of the guide assembly, and

Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of a guide arrangement. A schematically illustrated bowling alley 1 can be seen in cross section from FIG. The bowling alley 1 has, inter alia, a fairway 2 with two missile channels 3, 4 arranged laterally therefrom. A guide arrangement, denoted overall by 5, has guide means 6, 7 arranged on both sides of the fairway 2, which can be pivoted between an active and a rest position and, in the active position, prevent a bowling ball 18 located on the fairway 2 from leaving the fairway 2 laterally should. The guide means 6, 7 each have two pivotably mounted levers at both ends of the fairway 2, only the pair of levers 9, 11 arranged in the end region at the beginning being apparent from this illustration. The two levers arranged on the same side of the fairway are wrapped around by a guide rope 12, 13, which forms a kind of guardrail for the bowling ball 18 in play. The opposite lever pair 9, 11 is operatively connected via a shaft 14. To pivot the levers 9, 11, an electric motor 15 is provided which is connected to the one lever 9 via a crank mechanism 16. By coupling the two levers 9, 11 by means of the shaft 14, however, both levers 9, 11 are pivoted simultaneously. FIG. 1 also shows a guide arrangement 7a of an adjacent bowling alley which is in the rest position.

From the figure 2, the rope 12 can be seen, which wraps around the two levers located on the same side of the fairway 2. The two ends of this rope 12 are connected by means of a rope tensioner 20 to form a loop. The electric motor 15 is connected to the lever 9 via a schematically indicated crank 17. Of course, the electric motor 15 could also be arranged centrally and / or connected directly or indirectly to the shaft 14. In the present example, half a revolution of the electric motor 15 causes the lever 9 to pivot from the active to the rest position and vice versa. In practical embodiments, however, a crank mechanism 16, which is operatively connected to the electric motor 15 via a reduction gear, will be used, as is indicated in FIG. 1. In that the two levers 9, 10 arranged on the same side of the fairway 2 are wrapped in a rope 12 and the pair of levers 9, 11 located in the initial region of the fairway 2 is operatively connected by means of a shaft 14 (FIG. 1) Operating the electric motor 15, the guide ropes 12 on both sides of the fairway 2 are raised or lowered synchronously with one another. Due to the central mounting 21, 22 of the levers 9, 10, the force required for this is relatively low. By means of the rope tensioner 20, the rope 12 can also be brought to the desired pretension and, if necessary, tightened. The distance a between the upper run 12a of the rope 12 and the surface of the fairway 2 corresponds to at least half the diameter of a bowling ball 18. In the present example, this distance is approximately 120 mm while the ball diameter is about 220mm. This dimensioning is intended to prevent a ball 18 from jumping over the rope under unfavorable conditions (for example in the case of an impermissibly fast ball). In order to avoid damage to the bowling balls 18 by the rope 12, this is preferably provided with a sheathing. In the lowered state, the guide means 6, 7 do not hinder the conventional bowling game, so that a bowling ball 18 can roll from the fairway 2 into the missile channel 3, 4 without being hindered by the guide means 6, 7.

For certain applications it is advantageous if electronic means are available which automatically actuate the guide means 6, 7. For example, it would be conceivable that the users of the bowling alley can use an input unit to specify whether the respective player is a child or an adult. Based on this information, the guide arrangement is then pivoted fully automatically into the active or rest position, depending on the user.

The embodiment shown is very simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and also largely maintenance-free. Since the levers have a central bearing point, the effort required to pivot the guide arrangement can be kept very low. Instead of the electromotive actuation of the guide arrangement shown, manual actuation can of course also be provided.

Figure 3 shows an alternative embodiment of a guide arrangement 5. In this case, the guide rope 12 does not loop around the two levers 9, 10 but is non-positively connected to them. A tension spring 24 is provided for tensioning the guide rope 12.

Claims

claims

1. Arrangement for bowling alleys (1), the latter being provided on both sides of the fairway (2) with a missile channel (3, 4), characterized in that a guide arrangement (5) is provided which on both sides of the Play track (2) arranged, movable between an active and a rest position guide means (6, 7, 12), the guide means (6, 7, 12) in the active position a bowling ball (18) in play when leaving the side To prevent fairway (2).

2. Arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the guide means (6, 7) each comprise two levers (9, 10, 11) arranged on each side of the fairway (2), which are pivotally mounted and by means of a guide rope (12) with each other are connected.

3. Arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the respective guide rope (12) wraps around the two levers (9, 10) arranged on one side of the fairway (2).

4. Arrangement according to claim 2, characterized in that the respective guide rope (12) is non-positively connected to at least one lever (9) and that at least one spring (24) is provided for tensioning the guide rope (12) in the active position.

5. Arrangement according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the levers (9, 11) have a recess for receiving the rope (12, 13) and the two rope ends are connected via a rope tensioner (20) to form a loop.

6. Arrangement according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the distance (a) between the rope (12) or the upper run (12a) of the rope (12) and the surface of the fairway (2) at least half Diameter of a bowling ball (18) corresponds.

7. Arrangement according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the levers (9, 10) have a central bearing point (21, 22) by which they can be pivoted between the active and the rest position.

8. Arrangement according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that at the beginning and at the end of the fairway a pair of levers is arranged, at least one pair of levers (9, 11) is operatively connected by means of a shaft (14).

9. Arrangement according to one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that a manually operable mechanism for pivoting the lever is provided.

10. Arrangement according to one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that an electromotive mechanism for pivoting the lever is provided.

11. Arrangement according to one of claims 2 to 8, characterized in that an electric motor (15) connected via a crank mechanism (16) to a lever (9) or to a pair of levers (9, 11) for pivoting the guide means (6, 7) is provided.