US2969236A - Bowling pin respotting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 24, 1961 .1. ZUERCHER BOWLING PIN RESPOTTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

FIG. 3 I

INVENTOR JOHN ZUERCHER ATTORNEY Jan. 24, 1961 J. ZUERCHER 2,969,236

BOWLING PIN RESPOTTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR JOHN ZUERCHER ATTO NEY Jan. 24, 1961 J. ZUERCHER 2,969,236

- BOWLING PIN RESPOTTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 15, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet '3 I. INVENTOR Z JOHN ZUERCHER BOWLING PIN RESPOTTING APPARATUS John Zuercher, Mansfield, Ohio, assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Jan. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 709,028

4 Claims. (Cl. 27 3-42) This invention relates to bowling pin spotting machines, and more particularly to improvements in mechanism for spotting and respotting bowling pins on the playing bed of a bowling alley.

According to the invention there are provided ten sleeve like respot units in substantially triangular configuration. Ten units are employed since this number conforms with the number of pins customarily used in bowling. However, a diiferent number of respot units could be used if desired. The respot units are pivotally mounted on the spotting-respotting table of an automatic pin spotting machine and are characterized by the provision of a pivotally mounted lever arm inside each of the units which when contacted by tne head of a standing pin causes a pivotally mounted yoke, also inside the unit to move into gripping relationship with the neck of the standing pin.

In the illustrated embodiment, the spotting-respotting table is also provided with a plurality of pin spotting devices and is adapted to be raised and lowered relative to a bowling alley during the cyclic operation of tne associated machine. During the spotting cycle, the table is lowered and bowling pins are delivered from the several spotting devices onto the alley wnere they remain in standing triangular playing arrangement pending the rolling of the first ball of a frame. following this operation, the table is again lowered and the respot units are actuated to grip any standing pins. The table is then raised and the alley is swept of dead wood or fallen pins, after which the table is returned to a position adjacent the alley so that the respotting units can effect the delivery of pins held thereby to the alley in the positions occupied before being gripped and lifted.

It is therefore an ob ect of the present invention to provide novel pin actuated mechanism for gripping and placing bowling pins in standing position on a bowling alley.

It is a further object of this invention to provide novel respotting devices for a bowling pin spotting machine employing a pin actuated gripping yoke.

An added object of the present invention is the provision of novel respotting machine employing a minimum of moving parts.

Another object of this invention is to employ novel respotting devices each in a bowling pin spotting machine, provided with a pin-gripping yoke into and out of gripping position for respotting bowling pins in standing position on a bowlng alley after the first ball and before the last ball of a frame has been rolled.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain combinations and constructions which will be hereinafter fully described, and then set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like parts:

tates Patent Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view taken along line 22, Figure 1.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation of the invention illustrated in pin-gripping position.

Fig. 5 is a detail view, partly in section of the invention illustrated in pin-release position.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a pin spotting table of a bowling pin spotting machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the pin spotting table embodying the invention shown in Fig. 6.

Referring specifically to Figures 6 and 7, the preferred embodiment of tne invention is shown mounted on the pin spotting table T of an automatic bowling pin spotting machine. Ten units of the inventions, designated generally 10, are shown mounted in substantially triangular configuration on table T. This corresponds to the usual member and arrangement of bowling pins 11 as placed in playing position on tne playing bed of alley A. However, more or less units in other arrangements may be used, if desired.

Table T is mounted for vertical movement to and from the playing bed of alley A and to and from a dwell position thereabove during the spotting and respotting cycles of the associated machine. The movement of table T is controlled by the control systems (not shown) of the associated machine. It will be understood that during the respotting cycle, table T is required to make two movements to and from the playing bed of alley A. After the first ball has been rolled, table T moves downwardly to engage any standing pins 11 on alley A and elevate them to a position above alley A to allow the sweep mechanism (not shown) to clear fallen pins or deadwood off the alley. After the sweep mechanism has cleared the alley of deadwood, the table T is again moved to the alley A to deposit the elevated pins 11 to their former positions on the alley A. This process is repeated until the last ball of a frame is rolled, at which time, the sweep mechanism (not shown) removes all pins 11, standing and fallen, and the machine proceeds to a spotting cycle.

During a spotting cycle, table T puts a full complement of pins 11 in playing configuration on alley 11 for a new frame. In the game of ten pins two balls usually constitute one frame. However, in the game of duckpins and candlepins, three balls constitute one frame, thus requiring two respotting cycles per frame as compared to the single respotting cycle per frame required in the game of ten pins. The invention is equally adaptable to either requirement, the control mechanism (not shown) of the associated machine controlling the proper cycling of table T.

Table T may be similar in construction and operation to that shown in Halloway et al. Patent 2,781,195 for Bowling Pin Spotting and Respotting Mechanism. Only so much of the structure thereof as is necessary to a proper understanding of the present invention is included herein.

As table T is moved downwardly at the start of the respotting cycle, shafts 12 carried by table T in bearings 14 are pivoted to move units 10 mounted thereon as shown in Figure 7 into vertical pin-engaging position as shown in Figure 6. When table T approaches alleyA, pins 11 standing thereon are engaged by units 10 for elevation with table T when it starts its upward movement and its return to dwell position. After the sweep mechanism (not shown) has removed the deadwood from alley A, table T, with the pins 11 still held by units 10 moves downwardly towards alley A. As table T approaches alley A for the second time during the respotting cycle, pins 11 are released by units in standing respotted positon on alley A to await the rolling of the next ball of the frame. When table T returns to dwell position at the end of the respotting cycle, shafts 12 are again pivoted to move the units 10 out of the path of action of the pin spotting units (not shown) also carried by table T.

Since each of the ten units 19 is identical in construction and operation, a detailed description of only one of the units 10 is set forth hereinbelow in the interests of brevity.

A unit 10 embodying the invention comprises a sleevelike housing 16 provided with an elongated neck portion 18. Unit 10 is secured at the top of neck 18 to shaft 12 in a pre-determined position thereon corresponding to one of the pin spotting positions on alley A. When table T is moved downwardly at the start of the respotting cycle, shaft 12 is rotated such that housing 16 will be directly over its asosciated pin spot when table T is adjacent alley A.

Housing 16 is also provided with a bottom and outwardly flanged guide aperture 26 and guide 22. Guide 22 extends upwardly from aperture 20 inside housing 16. Guide 22 has a curved surface to coact with the opposite inner wall of housing 16 to accommodate the head and neck of pins 11 inserted therein. Flared aperture 20 is large enough to admit the head and neck of pin 11 but not the body portion thereof. Aperture 20 having flared edges, can accommodate pins 11 which have slightly offspot due to play on alley A.

A generally U-shaped elongated channel 24 is loosely mounted at one end on shaft 26. Shaft 26 is rotatably mounted in housing 16, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. A generally U-shaped elongated inner channel is pivotally mounted on sleeve 23 inside channel 24 and is biased against the top of guide 22. Spring 29, encircling collar 27, has one end resting on inner channel 25 and its other end against the edge of outer channel 24 as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5. Thus spring 29 urges channels 24 and 25 into position atop guide 22 and tends to maintain channels 24 and 25 in the same relative position,

A trip member or lever 28 is pivotally mounted on shaft 30 which is carried and supported by the free ends of the upright flanges of U-shaped channel 24. A stud 32 is also mounted on member 28 and forms the anchor for one end of spring 34, while the other end of spring 34 is fastened to shaft 26. Spring 34 tends to maintain a substantial upright finger 33 of member 28 in generally the position shown in Figure 1.

Inside housing 16 adjacent the neck portion 18 thereof is pivotally mounted a yoke 40 having two depending arms 42 and 44 provided at the bottom thereof with pinengaging means; such as, inwardly extending protrusions 46 and 48. Yoke 40 is loosely mounted on shaft 50 suitably secured in bearing 51 in housing 16. Mounted on the cross-piece 52 of yoke 40 directly above the upright finger 38 of member 28 is block 54 provided with two camming surfaces 56 and 58 and edges or lips 57 and 59 respectively as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5. Block 54 may be secured to yoke 40 as by welding or may be formed integrally therewith. A compression spring 60 encircles shaft 50 and is confined between one end of yoke 40 and the inner wall of housing 16 creating frictional drag or resistance to pivotal movement of yoke 40. Arm 42 of yoke 40 is provided with a substantial L-shaped latch 62 extending outwardly therefrom. When yoke40 is in nonoperative position shown in Figure 1, a dog 64 on the outer wall of channel 24 fits into latch 6-2 locking yoke 40 in non-operative position. Spring 66 circling shaft 26 with one end bearing against dog 64 and the other end against the top of housing 16 tends to hold the yoke in locked position when unit 10 is non-operative.

As unit 10 on table T is moved adjacent alley A at the start of the respotting cycle, the neck of a pin 11 standing on its associated pin spot will enter aperture 20 of housing 16 between guide 22 and the outer shell of housing 16 (Figures 3 and 4). As table T and housing 16 continue to move downwardly, the top of pin 11 will move relatively upwardly in housing 16 contacting inner channel 25 resting on guide 22. Channel 24, through the action of spring 29, will be rotated upwardly with channel 25 about shaft 26, unlocking dog 64 from latch 62 of yoke 40. As channel 24 rotates upwardly, so will member 28. When member 28 rotates upwardly, its upright finger 38 contacts and rides on surface 56 of block 54 until it contacts edge 57. As pin 11 continues to move bracket 24 and hence lever 28 upwardly, arm 38 contacting edge 57, arms 42 and 44 of yoke 40 are urged into substantially vertical pin-engaging position adjacent the neck of pin 11 inserted in housing 16 as shown in Figure 4.

Spring 29 also operates to take up any differential in the event that, through misalignment of the parts of unit 10 or a variation in pin heights, channel 25 is still moved upwardly after yoke 40 has been brought to vertical or operative position. If this occurs, channel 25 will continue to rotate about shaft 26 while channel 24 supporting member 28 will be halted thereby. This causes a tension force to be induced in spring 29 which tends to return channel 25 to its position adjacent channel 24. It will be appreciated that by having this resilient connection between channels 24 and 25, rather than a rigid connection, no jamming or damage to unit 1% will result from a misalignment or variation in pin heights.

As table T and housing 16 move away from alley A to allow the sweep (not shown) to clear the deadwood off the alley A, pin 11 will tend to drop out of or move relatively downward in housing 16 until its neck is wedged against protrusions 46 and 48 of arms 42 and 44, (Figure 4) adjacent aperture 20 in which position pin 11 will be elevated by table T to dwell position above alley A. When pin 11 moves downward in housing 16 spring 29 returns channels 24 and 25, lever 28 to their rest or inoperative position adjacent guide 22 (Figure 3).

After the operation of the sweep (not shown), table T moves downwardly again. As table T approaches alley A, the butt end of pin 11 protruding from housing 16 will contact alley A first causing pin 11 will again contact inner housing 16. The top of pin 11 will again contact inner channel 25 pivoting channels 24 and 25 upwardly about shaft 26. Member 28 will also be pivoted upwardly again. However, since yoke 40 is in substantially vertical position, the upright finger 38 of member 28 will now contact and ride on surface 58 of block 54 until it engages edge 59. As table T continues to move downwardly, channels 24 and 25 hence member 28 are moved upwardly by pin 11. Finger 38 contacting edge 59 now causes arms 42 and 44 of yoke 40, no longer wedged against the head of pin 11, to swing away from pin 11 into non-operative position, as shown in Figure 5L This releases pin 11 from unit 10 and when table T moves upwardly at the end of the respotting cycle, pin 11 will be left standing in its respotted position on alley A.

As the arms 42 and 44 are moved into non-operative position, dog 64 is urged by spring 66 into latch 62 and channels 24 and 25 and member 28 are returned to position adjacent the top of guide 22 until activated by a standing pin 11 on the next respotting cycle of table T.

The above description of operation relates to the use of the invention solely as a respotting device. It will be appreciated that the invention can also be used for both spotting and respotting pins in playing arrangement on the playing bed of a bowling alley.

A full complement of pins can be inserted in units 10 either manually or by suitable means such as is disclosed in Bates Patent 2,388,703 for Bowling Pin Spotting Ma: chines.

The machine is then operated to effect the desired movement of table T to spot and respot pins in playing arrangement on the alley, as described previously hereinabove.

What I claim is:

1. A bowling pin-respotting mechanism for use with a vertically moving pin-spotting table of a bowling pin-spotting machine, comprising a housing, means pivotally mounting said housing on said table, a gripper, means pivotally mounting said gripper in said housing, an inner and an outer channel, means pivotally mounting said channels inside said housing, resilient means to eifect co-action between said channels, a cam mounted on said outer channel, and a pair of cam surfaces mounted on said gripper, said inner channel being mounted to engage a bowling pin inserted in said housing on said table when said table is moved vertically, whereby upon the relative upward movement of said pin said channels and said cam are moved upwardly, said cam traveling on said surfaces to move said gripper into and out of pin-engaging position adjacent said pin as said table is moved successively to ward said alley.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said resilient means includes a spring, the opposite ends of which contact said channels whereby said channels are urged thereby into co-acting engagement, the resiliency of said spring being operative to prevent damage to said housing and associated mechanism by variation in heights of said engaged pins.

3. A bowling p-in respotting mechanism for use with the pin spotter table of a bowling pin spotting machine, said table adapted to be moved vertically to and from the playing bed of a bowling alley, comprising a housing, means pivotally mounting said housing on said table, said housing provided with a bottom opening into which the head of a bowling pin standing on said alley is inserted as said table is moved toward said alley, a lever, means pivotally mounting said lever adjacent said opening for engagement by said pin inserted in said housing, a yoke, means pivotally mounting said yoke in said housing for movement by said lever, said lever com-prising a pair of substantially U-shaped channels, a bracket pivotaliy mounted on one of said channels adjacent said yoke, and resilient means connecting said channels and urging them into coacting engagement whereby said yoke will be caused to move by said bracket into and out of gripping position adjacent a pin as said table is successively moved toward said alley.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said resilient means includes a spring, means mounting opposite ends of said spring adjacent each of said channels, said spring being operative to permit relative movement between said channels after said yoke has been moved into or out of gripping position whereby damage to said housing and its associated mechanism by variation in heights of said engaged pins is prevented.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,388,708 Bates Nov. 13, 1945 2,726,068 Patterson et al Dec 6, 1955 2,781,195 Holloway et al. Feb. 12, 1957

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