US1899442A - Bowling alley - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 28, `1933.

H, K. HEss BOWLING ALLEY Filed June 1S, 1951 2 Sheets-Shes?. l

' Wir/1 .s lf

Feb; '28, k1933. H K H555 1,899,442

l BOWLING ALLEY Filed June 15, 1951 2 sheets-sheet 2 jygbon l Per@ Feb- 28,*193345 i 1,899;4421,

l or woLco'r'nsNEw Yeni:

' Y 'f p y Applicatiesfilenamef15,fi981..sena1ne;544,555., l This invention relates to certainimproveablyy of, rubber orrubber composition lto` Y ments yin bowlngalleysof-the classsetfjorth crease -its "frictional contact with the ball, f

in my pending application `Seriall\To'.j489,v982,`-`av and jthereby to further assure :a 4positive-rey filed OctoherQO, '1930,fin' thatit jisf'ofthe, turnidrlve of saidballl-f i i self-service'typefhaving an outgoing runway i fAfurtherV object is to arrangeithe players 1:;

andan underlying. ,return :runway yfor f the .Stand'at'thelproximal end; ofthe outgoing ba115,-,t0gether withmeansffor deflecting ythey runway in longitudinally spaced :relation ballsfrom the distal end'ofthe uppererunvvay thereto in lsubstantially `the same horizontal 1 onto the return runway,andadditional means vpla'llel,andalso arrange the pin-supporting l@ forA deecting the balls 1.fromfthe :proximal platform lengthwise of-fandacrosssaid space; im

end of the return *runway ontov the pin-:sup- .ina plane below the upperfaces of the' players porting-tablev or platform fordisplacingthe Stand. and upper"flllwa'y,but in verticallyV pins which may be stackedthereon.' f f spaced relation-to the lower runway toallow `y Thejmainobject of the present invention is the balls tor'eturnjthereunder. v l 3 to increase Vthe general efficiency and range @ther obJects anduSeS relating tOSpeclc 65 Vof usefulness of the kapparatus yshown in` my parts ofthe inventloll willxbe -bl'Ollgllt 01111 n pending application, andfatjthe'same ltime the.-followlngdescrlption *f y to reduce *to`r a minimumV thevibration and. Ilift'he ydrawings 1 y y e Y y noise! incidental Vto the yopera'tionfof` the Flgllrellsra top planofthe bowling'` alley Y f o power-driven driving member kfor mpelling 'y embOdyIl'gtheVarOllSfea'llleS Ofmy llVIlj. v70. 1

'MQ' with fa resilient peripheral covering,` preferingframe 3 andk maybe made of any suit- I the balls along the returnf runwaybylsuption. Y; y A i i i l porting the rotaryimpellerandmotor upon Q F igure-2V 'isv a side elevation 0f the same.- bearings independently ofthelrunwaysfa'nd Figures 3 and 4 areenlarged transverse y their Supports., s l K vertical sectional views takenzrespectiyely in One of the specific objects'is't'o make the rthe planes 0f lIlS 3-'3 and 1 -4, Figure 1! f 75 l apparatus in "sectionalglengthwise units? so 'Figure 5` iSaIl enlarged*,fragmentarylllf that the length` ofthe runwaysfmayjbe inf gitudinal vertical sectional viewytaken inV Vcreased or diminished 'according `to: thespace thev plane of line V5*-5, Figure l. Y

available for the installation of saidfunits or Figure 6 isan-enlargedydetail Vetrical sec.-

"fi according to vthewishesV offthose installing tional view taken inthe plane of line (S+-6,

Y suchapparatus. y 1j f f s Figure 4:.` `f Y f y v z s In other rwordsyI havesoughtftomakefthe Figure '7 isV a. detail vertical sectional' View device in various sizes for installationin ,pri-frv taken" in' the plane offline 7V-*75. Figure 6.y

` vate houses and clubrooms, 4as"y well, as' in LFigure'Sis. anenlarged detail vertical secpublie halls. Y L 5 tional view taken inthe'planevof-.line 8458,78

Another object isi tof-normally support the*v Figure l, showing {one of the pin-centering impeller in such mannerk thatk its lower iface devices and a portion of theilower end `of one will be disposeda ,distancel abovethedistal of 'the`fpins, partly in'section, in operative-- end of the return runway'slightly lessltthan positionon the pin-supporting platform. y the diameter of'theball to frictionally engage lFigure 9 fis' a diagrammatic viewy of the ythe latter and-thereby to impel` the same to "electric wiring system for controlling the op`r the proximal end and return to thepin-superation of the pin-'centering studs. l v porting table with sufficient force to displace Figure 10Vis a detailsec'tional view 'sims the pins, and at the Sametime to allow alim- .ilar to Figure 8, showing fa modified means ited verticalV movement .of the impeller for operatingthe pin-centering studs. against the action of compression springs'toy so vAs illustrated; this apparatus comprises Y assure itscontact with the upper face ofthe an upper outgoing runway 1 and a' lower or K l hall. f f `f o underlying return runway 2, both of which Another objectisto provide'the impelle'r are mountedin and upona suitable support-k able length and width depending somewhat upon the size of the room or hall in which of both runways will be substantiallyequal to' that commonly employed insuch places. The upper runway 1 is disposed vin a subrelation tothe upper runway and extends from the vertical plane of the distal end thereof some distancebeyond the proximal end and is preferably slightly inclined down- 'wardly from lits distal end to its proximal,

end to assist in the returntravel'oftheballs from the distal end to the apparatus. y Y e Y vA buHer block 4 forminga Vpart 4of the" main-supporting frame is extended i across' vthe distal ,ends of the'runways 1 and 2andv is provided with 'a concave substantially semi-circular deflecting face 5 having its upper edge overlying therear end ofthe upper runway 1 in vertically spaced relation thereto suflicient'to allow the ball to pass through the intervening space. y

The lower edge of the same -vdeflecting surface is substantially co-'incident withthe upper surface of the distal end of @the lower runway-f2, said deiiecting surface" being spaced from therear end of the upper runway 1 a distancensullic'ient to allowzrthe ball to pass therethrough, as shown more clearly in Figure 5.

An additional buffer blocll: Giforming a part of the main supporting frame 'extends across the proximal end of the apparatus and is provided with a concave substantially semicircular delecting surface 7 having its lower edge substantially coincident with the upper ysurface ofthe proximal end of the lower runway 2 and its upper edge disposed in about the same horizontal plane as, but in longitudinally spaced relation to, the proximal end of the kupper runway 1".` Y 1 The distance between the lower'andv upper yrunways v1 and 2 is somewhat greater than the combined diameters of the balls #zz-,-

A and impeller drum presently described, to .affordample space for the return of the ball,

shown by dotted lines in Figure 5, .along `the lower runway 2 and below the impeller drum.

The bowling pins as -t, shown by dotted lines in Figure 5, are adapted to be the proximal end. of..

somewhat greater than the diameter of the ball -ato allow free passage of the ball through the intervening space, said platform being also disposed in vertically spaced relation to and below the level of the upper runway 1 a distance corresponding approximately to the height of the bowling pins -bwhen the latter are stacked in an upright poy `sition thereon, as shown by dotted lines in stantially horizontal plane, while theV lower runway 2 is arranged in` vertically spaced Figure 5.'

Theupper surface of the defiector block 6 `I same horizontal plane asithe upper surface of the runway 1 so that the player'on the stand 6 must throw the ball Vv to .the-upper runway 1 and therefore across vthe intervening space between said runway; and players stand, or rather acrossthe upper surface, ofthe platform Sandupper ends of the bowling pins thereon.

1 It will be noted, however, that the length of this space is relativel-yshort as compared with the length of the upper runway, or just sufficient. to permit proper stacking of the bowlingxpins .-b-upon the platform and within said space. I Y

The purpose in arranging the platform 8 in aplanebelow the upper surface of and betweenlthe players stand 6 and proximal end of the upper runway is to enable the player to witness Vthe effect of each play of the ball upon the pins while facing the distal end of the apparatus or in thefdirection of throW of the ball, and therebyvto obviate the necessity of turning around to witnesssuch plays asin my prior application, referred to.

The upper edge of the proximal deflector block 6 voverhangs the adjacent end of the platformS invertically spaced relation thereto somewhat greater than the diameter of the ball to allow the. ball 'toY pass therethrough when returned along the lower runway 2 and deflected upwardly and rearwardly by the defiecting surface 7. i i It will be observed upon reference to Figure 5 that when the bowling pinsl -bare stacked `upon the platform 8, the upper ends willl be disposed in a plane slightly below that of the upper surfaces of the players standiand runway 1 so that the ball may be thrown across the intervening space without liability of hitting the upper ends of the bowling pins.

.The distal end ofthe platform 8 extends some distance beyond the proximal end of the upperrunway 1 and is provided with a buffer late 9 'for `limiting the rearward movement ofthe bowling pins -bwhen the latter are displaced from their stacked positions by the'operationof the ball, in a manner hereinafter described. it being understood that the ATspace'between the rear end of the platform 8 and overhanging portion of the upper run` way 1 forms a pocketf9ffor receiving the displaced bowlingpins Vb-r l y An'. additional players Astand 10 vis placedl in operative position closely/*adjacent the lfront fend of the stand 6 with its upper surfaceco-k support, not shown.

A 'storageshelf 12 is' preferably secured to the outer side of theframe 3 adjacent the 'step` 11y and corresponding side of v the l' players stand 6 andis provided with a series of rholes 13 for vreceiving fand supporting the lower tapered ends of the bowling pins J7- when notinuse. Y -V Suitable power-drivenv means is provided for 'engaging and rolling the ball af alongy vandupon the lower runway'V from the distal'end to the proximal endrthereof ywith sufficient force to cause it totravel upwardly along the delecting surface 7 upon the` platform 8 for displacing the bowling pins from their upright positions. n l This means consists, in this instance,lof a rotary drum 14 mounted upon a shaft 15 and extended across the intervening space between thefdistal ends of the upper and lower runr ways, as 'shown more fclearly? in Figures 4 and. pk e, n

This'drum or impeller is.'A disposed in such manner that its lower face will be normally spaced from the -underlyinggupper l'face v'of' the lower runway 2 a distance slightly less than the diameter of the -ball `-a--`, so vthat e when the latter is deflected from the rear end ofthe upper runway onto the underlying Y end of the Ilower runway,the 'lower face of the periphery of thedrum 14will frictionally engage the'upperface of the ball and thereby propel said Vball lwith considerable force forwardly along the 4lower runway'f-and upf wardly along the deflector surface? onto the proximal end of'the'platform 8=for displac `v ing the pins.y n E Y The duim is preferablyfprovided with a kperipheral sleeve or covering 14 of relatively soft rubberV ,or equivalent lresilient material extending throughout the lengththereof for increasing its frictionwiththe surface of the ball and at the ySametime compensating for any slight shortageof the distance be-V f tween the lower face of the drum and upper kface, of the underlying'portion of the lower runway. f e

The opposite endsofthe shaft 15`of the drum 14 are extendedfthroughvertically elongated openings 16 in theopposite upright side walls ofthe main frame 3 andarci" provided with sleeves 17 which are journaled in horizontally splitbearngs 18 havingl their lower ysections 19 rigidly secured by yloolts 20 to suitable supporting standards 21,

as nshown more clearly in igures'4, 6'and 7. The upper bearmg sections 19 are movable vertically Vrelatively to the lower sections 19 and are guided intheir vertical movement by` guide bolts 22 which are -passed through registering aperturesinthe lower and upper` bearing sections 19 and 19, as shown :more clearly in Figure 6, and are provided at thelr lower ends with headsv 22 engaging; the

undersides of the lowerhearings 19, said n bolts being extended upwardly some distance above thekuppeznbearings 19 and are pro-L vided at their upp'erends with adjustable nuts` 23 in'rspaced relationto the upper beary ings. i l ,l The upwardly projectingends of the bolts y22 are surrounded by compression springs` 24 having th-eir lower ends engagedwith the upper bearings `19 and their upper ends'en-k gaged with thev lower "nuts 23 for exerting downward rpressure uponithe upperbearing n 19jand at theV same time permitting limited upward movement of the drum 14 and upper bearings 19 in case the drum should he slight-V ly elevated by the impinging of its periphery with the ball -awhen the latter is passing thereunder, or during the return ofthe Y ballby the propeller along the lowerrunway See'Fi'gure 6.'

vertical movement of the ybearing member? 19 with yandyagainst theaction of the springs f are deflected from the distal end-of the upper runway onto the corresponding end' ofthe lower runway and at tlie'sameftime to co1npensate for slight variations in the 'diameter of the balls -a-'.x f

The` drum or impeller 14 is adapted be rotated yin the direction indicated by arrow l y, 10ov In otherl words the purpose of this relative a2- Figure 5, at a relativelyihigh:speedfork r propelling theballf-a from the distalfend forwardly onto the platform 8-with force to vdisplace the lpins y e videdwith a pulley 25 connected by a belt 26 to another kpulley 27 on the shaft of an1electric V*motor 28, as .shown more clearly yinV Figures 4v and 5.

The motor 28 is enclosed in a suitable hou's#` l y y suflicient f` For this latter purpose oney end,preferably the right hand end,4 of the shaft l5 is pro,-

vibrations of the motor to the supporting frame 3 for the runways l and 2, it being understood that under these conditions the belt 26, Figure 5, will pass through `a suitable opening 29 in alined portions of the defiector block 4, as shown more clearly in Figure 4.

It will be noted upon reference to Figures 1, 2 and 4 that ythe drum-supporting standards 21 are secured by bolts 3l or equivalent fastening means to the floor upon which the frame 3 is mounted, but independently of said frame so as toreduce to a minimum the transmission of vibrations or other movements of the drum to' said frame, due tothe fact that the openings l6through which the bearing members 17 extend are sufliciently large to prevent contact of said bearing members. with any part of the supporting frame 3. v Y

The upper bearing members 19 are held against lateral displacement by guide-plates 32 which are secured by screws 33 or equivalent fastening means to the outer side faces of said upper bearing member` 19 to extend downwardly in over-lapping relation to the outer faces of the lower bearing members 19, the upper inner portions of the standards 21 being provided with recesses 34 in which the guide-plates 32 are movable as the drum 14 and bearing member 19 are moved Vvertically during the driving operation of the ball a. (See Figs. 4 andp7.)

The main frame 3 and runways 1 and 2 are preferably divided at 35 intermediatev their ends to form separate lengthwise sections and, if desired, they may be spaced longitudinally and anothersection interposed when it is desired to increase the length of the bowling alley, said sections being firmly clamped together end to end by ,clamping plates 36 which are secured to the outer faces of the upright side walls Vof the adj acent ends of the sections by bolts 37 or equivalentreleasable clamping means.

The upright side walls of the main frame 3 are provided with lower and upper rails 38 and 39 which yare arranged in vertically spaced parallel relation to form an intervening space 4() extending nearly the full length of the upper runway 1 thus permitting access to the lower runway to remove any ball which may fail to return to the proximal end of the bowling alley.

For a similar purpose one of 'the upright sidewalls, in this instance the left hand side, is provided with a lengthwise opening A41 in a plane belowthe pin-supporting platform 8 and having its forward end enlarged at 41 to permit the removal of the ball by hand in case the latter should-fail to return to the proximal deflector block 6.

The lower and upper rails 38 `and 39 project upwardly a limited distance above Vtheir respective runways 1 and 2 toprevent lateral displacement' of the played ball from said runways.

The front end of the layers stand 10 is provided with an upward y projecting guardrail 10 to reduce the liability of accident to the player by stepping o'from that end of the stand. Y

.The upper bearing members 19 are provided with suitable oil ducts 44 leading from adjacent bearings 17 to suitable oil cups 45 as shown more clearly in Figure 6.

Suitable means is provided for centering the bowling pins b in proper relation upon the supporting platform 8 and for this purpose ythe platform is providedwith a plurality of, in vthis instance ten vertical openings 46, one for each of the bowling pins 7) forreceiving a corresponding number of centeringstuds 47 which are adapted to enter sockets b in the lower ends of the pins and, as shown in Figure 8, are automatically forced upwardly into said sockets by springs 48,*b`ut are adapted to be drawn downwardly by electro-magnets 49, the latter being incorporated in the platform 8.

Under this construction, however, it will be necessary to have the several magnets energized during the playing operation, which, of course, is'of longer duration than the operation of restacking lthe pins upon the platform, and it would, therefore, be preferable to provide means whereby the centering studs will be moved to their operative positions only during the restacking operation, and in Fig. 10 I have shown a preferred construction for accmplishin g the latter result.

Thus, in Fig. 10 l have shown each centering stud-47 as movable in the vertical opening 46 and adaptedto drop to its inoperative position under its own vweight when the electro-magnet 49 is de-energized, thereby omitting the-spring 48, shown in Figure 8.

In both of these devices, however, the centering studs 47 are provided with pendant armatures or plungers 50, each of which, together with its corresponding electromagnet 49, constitutes a solenoid.

In Figure 8 the plunger 50 and its center stud 47 is arranged to be drawn downwardly by the 'energizing of the magnet 49 for withdrawing the stud from its operative position, but in Figure 10 the plunger is arranged to be drawn upwardly by the energizing of its electro-magnet 49 for moving the center stud to its operative position during the operation .of stacking the bowling pins upon the platform 8, thereby assuring the proper position of said pins ready for the player; In both modifications shown in Figures 8 and 10 the windings of the electro-magnets will be connected, preferably in parallel, in an operating circuit` 51 deriving current from a suitable source of electric energy such as a battery B, Fig. 9, said circuit being provided with an electric switch 52 normally opened llO by"a` spring 53, but adaptedtobe closed atthe will of the operator for simultaneously energizing all of the magnets 49.

The ymovable memberofzthe switch 52 .preferably mounted upon ,one side, in this in-v stance thel leftl hand side ofthe frame Sclosely adjacent the platform 8 where it may be operated by hand or by the knee of theplayer when restaclring the bowling pins'.

Operation f Assuming that the bowling kpins b are stacked upon the platform 12, then the player lstanding upon the iioor adjacent the platform 8 and storage shelf 12 will Vlirst close k,the switch 52 by hand or `bythe kneeto raise all of the central plungers 47 which will beheld in their raised positions aslong as the switch 52`is closed and during which` the bowling pins b will be taken from the shelf v12 and` placed upon the platform'S with the pins 47 engaged in the sockets b of the corresponding bowling pins. l v

When the bowling pins are properly setthe switch k52 is allowed to openjby the action of its retracting spring 53 thus permittingthe centering studs 47 to drop below the .upper surface of the platform 8.

With the ball in hand the player then takes his position upon the stand 10 lwith onefoot upon the portion 6 and aftery visually selecte 'Y ing a point in the distal deflector block 4 to f which ythe ball is to be directed to make` the proper play, throws the ball across the intervening space between the stand 6' and upjper runwayl toy cause the ball to vtravel along said runway to thedistal endthereof where it is deiiected downwardly and forwardly by the deflecting surface 5 onto the rear end of thelower runway 2. c.

The impeller drum 14 being rotated in the direction indicated by arrow X will thenl enf gage the upper face of the ball and roll the same forwardly along the runway 2 with suficient force to` cause it to return upwardly and forwardly along the proximal deflector surface 7 and on to the platform 8 for displacing the bowling pins, thus completing one play which may be repeated until all of the pins are displaced. ,Y It will be observed that the axis of rotation ofthe drum 14 is carefully placed'at right angles to the center lines of both run-4 ways 1 and l2 so that when the ball is directed alongthe upper runway to any par'- ticular point of the distaldeiiector block 4 it will engage the underside Vofthe drum 14 at a point in substantially'k the same Avertical `plane asthat selectedby the player on the deiiector block 4, thus causing the impeller drum 14 to impel the ball along the lower runway and upon the pin-supporting, platform 8 in thefsame longitudinal vertical' plane previously selected.

` In this manner the accuracy of the play willldefpend entirely .upon lthe `accuracy of throw ofthe bally to .the pointselected inthe rdistal,deflector block;l

' It is also evident that the player and restaclr-the bowlingpins from the stands lO'and-, thereby dispensing :with the serv-f i365 0f a pin-boy and correspondingly reducing lthe dangers incidentalk yto the operationv ofl the/displaced bowling pins. v

Y Thus, tlieeplaying Yofjthe ball ,along Upper runway and thek action of the ballupon the bowlingpins arefvisible 'to the player'-v the* fronia-'playing position,` and -fowingto the fact that the returned exposed ballsandidisf placed pins alwaysmove rearwardly away `from the player, reducesto a minimum they dangerincidental to such operations.

It is evident, however,that somechanges maybeV made inthe construction ofthe apy paratus without this invention.

What I claim is departing-from the spirit yof 1. In a bowling alley, an outgoing runway 'f c and an underlying return runway, means for deiiecting the ball from the distal end ofthe upper runway onto the adjacent Vend ofthe s llower runway, and a rotary impeller arranged to engagethe upper face of the downwardly along the return runway, and means for supporting the l impeller independently of both runways.

3. Ina bowling alley, an outgoing runway and an underlying return runway, means for deiectingthe ball from the distal end ofthe upper runway' onto the adjacent end of the' lower runway, and a rotary impelller ar'- ranged to engage the upper face of the downwardly ,deiiected ball for impellingsaid `ball along thereturn runway, said impeller being spring-pressed downwardly to cause it to fric# tionally engage the ball and to permit it to move upwardly by the ball as the latter passes Y between'the impeller and lower runway.;

4. A bowling Valleyy composed of' sections arranged end to end, and releasable means `for holding said sections 1n operative relation, said alley having an outgoing upper l runway and an underlying` return runway,`

lower runway a pin supporting platform yat `means at the distal end ofthe upper runway for deflecting ythe ballr therefrom onto the mal end of the lower runway ontosaid plat-p'` form'for displacing thep'ins,

5. ,In a bowling alley, "a krunway for the 1.2.5 the proximal end of the upper runway, and

means 'for deiiecting the ballfrom the proxiballs, and a power-driven rotary impeller for Vfri'c'nionally engaging the upper side of the balls and propelling the same along said runway. y 5 `V6. In a bowling alley,- a runway for the balls, and a power-driven rotary impeller for' frictionally engaging the upper side of the balls and propelling the same along said run= way, and means for'supporting said impeller 10 independently of the runwayV to reduce the' liability of transmission of vibration of said imnreller to the runway.

Witness whereof-I have hereunto set my 'y hand JChis 5th day of June 1931. 15 V HENRY K. HESS

Images