US3522946A - Chute and an indicia bearing ball for indexing and readout therein - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 4, 1970 J. sosco 3,522,946

I GHUTE AND AN INDICIA BEARING BALL FOR INDEXING AND READOUT THEREIN Original Filed July 18, 1966 IINVENTOR.

States Patent ()fi i 3,522,946 Patented Aug. 4, 1970 3,522,946 CHUTE AND AN INDICIA BEARING BALL FOR INDEXING AND READOUT TIEREIN Joseph Bosco, 31 Summer St., Everett, Mass. 02149 Original application July 18, 1966, Ser. No. 566,188, now Patent No. 3,464,698, dated Sept. 2, 1969. Divided and this application June 18, 1968, Ser. No. 737,908 Int. Cl. A63f 1/18 US. Cl. 273-138 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hollow spherical body having a plurality of convex, dome-shaped indicia bearing members upon its outer surface used in combination with a chute to form a chance readout device. The chute has an entry opening for receiving the body. Indexing elements in the chute position the body with one dome-shaped member positioned in front of a readout window consisting of a movable magnifying lens having a detent centered thereon, which when moved, depresses the facing dome-shaped member by means of the detent so as to cause the dome-shaped member to be depressed into the spherical body. A light in the chute illuminates the body and a hinged door at the bottom of the chute cooperates with the movable magnifying lens to permit discharge of the indexed body from the chute.

The present invention, a division of copending application Ser. No. 566,188, now Pat. No. 3,464,698, relates to a numbers game, and more particularly it relates to a means of rolling upon an inclined chute a spherical ballshaped hollow member which upon its outer surface carries a plurality of convex dome-shaped protrusions which are imprinted with a series of signs or numerals.

More particularly this invention relates to the games called bingo, lotto, blitz and beano, and more particularly to the manner of playing the same. Generally the rules of the game provide that each player is given a card upon which the numbers from 1 to 75 are imprinted in various combinations, in a checked pattern and in such a manner as to provide five numbers running in horizontal rows, and five numbers running in vertical rows, a total of 25 numbers. As the game progressess the caller draws marked disks from a bag or a box with each disk marked with a single number (from 1 to 75). As the numbers are read by the caller, the players cover the numbers called upon their cards with a plastic or a paper disk.

While the present invention utilizes the same general rules and principles of the games already in vogue, how ever it will dispense with the numbered disks and the callers chart and in its place will substitute the ballshaped member above mentioned. In the latter case the numbers of the callers chart are imprinted upon the dome-shaped protrusions on the ball. The ball of the pres ent invention may be nick-named Bingo-Ball or may be given any other popular name. The ball is rolled down an inclined plane or a chute until it comes to a stop. The number that shows on the ball facing the playing public is the winning number.

The numbers on the ball must be sulficiently large to permit visual observation by the caller and the playing public. Each dome-shaped protrusion in the ball prior to the start of each new game exposes one single number (from the group of numbers 1 to Referring to the ball itself, the latter may be formed of two separate semispherical sections, each section having a larger threaded flange. However, other methods of fastening the two semispherical sections also may be provided. During the play, by means of a device to be described later or by means of the operators finger, each number called upon the dome shaped ball will be depressed. To reset the depression, the two semi-spherical members will be taken apart and the depressed dome-shaped member will be returned to its original convex position. To call or to draw the numbers upon the ball the operator will roll the latter down an inclined surface or an inclined chute. The chute at its lowermost end (bottom) would be provided with a recessed area where the ball will come to a stop adjoining a window with a lense which will enlarge the number upon the ball (one number at a time).

Where the ball comes to rest will be provided a recessed opening wherein the corresponding numbered protrusion in the ball will anchor itself for the purpose of indexing.

Furthermore, in the window where the ball comes to rest, there may be a handle or a swinging plate which will support a convex lense or a magnifying glass. The plate or the lense will be swung in an arc downwardly and against the circumference of the indexed ball. In this action one single number upon the surface of the ball will be showing through the lense at one time. The plate or the lense has a detent in the center. Further movement of the plate or the lense by said handle will depress the protrusion or the convex member upon the surface'of the ball in a direction inwardly within the ball to help register the number which has been indexed.

With the game in progress, after having depressed several dome-shaped protrusions certain areas in the ball will become more sparsely covered with un-depressed protrusions. Then the likelihood that a number will always register in the center of the window will become rarer. To alleviate this condition a plurality of openings will be provided instead of one in the center. These holes will be contained in two or three co-centric circles upon the lense or the window. In this manner if a number does not concide with the hole in the center then the nearest number showing through an adjacent hole Will be called. Not to provide the additional openings will require many throws of the ball into the inclined chute before a number hits dead center in the central hole in the lense to delay the progress of the game.

Accordingly one object of the present invention is to provide an inclined chute for rolling an indexed ball and means for arresting the movement of the ball for indexing purposes.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an inclined chute to roll a ball-shaped body which upon its outer circumference is beset with a plurality of domeshaped arcuate members having numbers imprinted thereon. And a stop to arrest the movement of said body when it reaches the bottom of the chute.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a means for passing a light beam through the transparent ball for indexing purposes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a convex lense in said chute to magnify the numbers which are imprinted upon the outer circumference of said ball.

Another object of the present invention is to provide in said lense means for depressing the dome-shaped protrusions in said ball to register the numbers called.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an inclined surface on which the ball may roll and a stop in the bottom of said surface to bring the ball to a stop for indexing purposes.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction, and the combination of parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, references will be made to the accompanying drawings, where like character numerals denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views in which:

FIG. 1 is a section through the device showing the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the magnifying lense;

FIG. 3 is a section through the dome-shaped ball showing one of the dome-shaped members depressed.

It is understood that the present form of disclosure is merely for the purpose of illustration, and that there might be various modifications thereof, without departing from the spirit of the invention as herein set forth.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the device, made in accordance with the present invention, best seen in FIG. 1, comprises, in combination the inclined chute 21 preferably made of a circular cross-section. At its upper end 22 the chute 21 has a circular (or rectangular) opening 23, and at its lower end the chute 21 has a circular base 24. The latter by means of the hinge 25 is hingeably supported to the chute 21. A spring (not shown) may be provided to hold the base 24 in the position substantially as shown in FIG. 1.

The chute 21, in its front end 26, may be provided with an opening (circular or elongated). A bracketed member 28 may be secured in the upper section of the wall of the chute 21 and directly over the opening. Also a flanged member 29 by means of the pin 30 may be hingeably held by the bracket 28. It can be seen that a lense 31 (of substantial proportions) may be supported within the flanged member 29. Furthermore, a manually operable handle 32 may be mounted to the flange 29 by means of the mounting member 33. The operation upon the handle 32 (in the direction shown by the arrow A) will hinge the lense 31 in its mounting 29 (in the direction shown by the arrow B). A finger or a detent 34 may be held to the lense 31 in the center section thereof (substantially as indicated in FIG. 1). The operation of the detent 31 will be described in detail later.

From FIG. 1, it may be discerned that in the rear of the lense 31, and behind the chute 21, there is provided an opening 35 into which is mounted a housing 36 for the purpose of supporting the electric bulb 37 in its socket 38, substantially as shown. By means of an electric cord and switch (not shown) the light 37 may be turned on and off as desired.

Further reference being made to the device, it can be seen from FIG. 1 that a spherical body 40 may be contained within the chute 21 substantially as shown. The body 40 fits snugly within the chute 21 and may be conveniently rolled down the chute through the opening 23. As the ball tumbles to the bottom of the chute, it reaches the base 24 in a pell-mell fashion. However its further descent is arrested by the base 24. The hinging base 24 may be provided shelve member G. The latter is formed with a number of concave grooves or recessess so shaped as to receive the dome-shaped convex members 39. The member G serves as an indexing device and will permit the ball 40 to align itself centrally in respect to the lense window 31 and the finger detent 34, substantially as indicated in FIG. 1.

The spherical-body 4% may be provided upon its outer surface with a plurality of dome-shaped arcuate members 39 in number). It can be discerned that the spherical body 40 may be formed of a pair of identical semispherical shells 41 and 42, respectively, joined to one another at their margins 43 and 43a, by means of the large circular ring or flange 44. However, a joining ring may not be necessary and the shells may be joined instead to one another directly (pasted). For instance, one side of the ring 44 may be pasted to one shell 41, while the other shell 42 at 46 may be provided with an outer thread. By means of the pair of threads the semispherical shells may be joined to one another so that the shell 41 is joined to the shell 42 to form a full sphere or the ball 40. In similar fashion one shell may be provided at its margin with an outer (male thread) while the opposite shell may have an inner (female thread). The shells 41 and 42 may then be joined to one another by threading the male thread into the female thread (not shown).

In FIG. 3 the ball 40 is shown in greater detail to disclose its construction and mode of operation. It can be discerned that each shell 41 and 42 of the ball 40 is provided with dome-shaped extrusions 39 (75 in number) spread around the outer circumference of the ball or the sphere 40. The operator inserts the sphere 40 into the chute 21 several times during the course of the game and the game proceeds until a winner is announced. The game thus ends. Subsequently the called numbers are carefully checked with the depressed surfaces upon the Bingo Ball. Then the winner is given the prize. Now the game is ready to proceed again. Prior to this the depressed surfaces must be returned to their original position. To this effect the shells are separated from one another and by means of the finger the operator (or the caller) returns the depressed dome-shaped surfaces to their original position. Then the shells 41 and 42 are joined again to one another to form the original sphere 40. Subsequently the sphere 40 is rolled into the chute 21, to start a new game.

A careful examination of the foregoing description in conjunction with the present invention as illustrated in the drawings, will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty, sufficient to clarify the construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Minor changes in shape, size and materials, and rearrangement of parts, may be resorted to in actual practice, as long as no departure is made from the invention claimed.

Having described my invention in detail, what I claim as new and novel is the following:

1. A chance readout device comprising a hollow spherical body having a plurality of convex, dome-shaped indicia bearing members upon its outer surface; a chute having entry means for receiving said spherical body; means in said chute cooperating with said domed shaped members for indexing said body relative to readout means; and means for operatively associating said readout means with a dome-shaped member when said body is indexed.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said readout means includes a magnifying viewing lens.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said lens includes a detent mounted substantially in the center thereof and extending toward said body when the readout means is operatively associated with the said dome-shaped member to depress the dome-shaped member indicated thereby.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said body is transparent; and light means mounted on said chute to illuminate the indicia on the dome-shaped members when the body is in its indexed position.

5. The device of claim 1 further including a hinged base means mounted on the lower portion of said chute cooperating with the readout means to aid in the removal of said body from said chute.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the means for op eratively associating said readout means with said chute and said hinged base means is manually operable by 906,932 handle means. 2,031,240 References Cited 2,362,064

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,521,703

563,170 6/1896 Haley et a1. 700,589 5/1902 Webb 273-139 858,666 7/ 1907 Myer.

6 Riblet a 273-213 X Van Deest. Giesinger. Emmit.

5 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner

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