Changeable score
control and display mechanism
US 2932517 A
Images(4)
Description (OCR text may contain errors)
April 12, 1960 D. E. HOOKER ETAL 2,932,517
CHANGEABLE SCORE
CONTROL AND DISPLAY MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed
Dec. 31, 1954 INVENTORS DONALD E. HOOKER
CHARLES T. BRElTENSTElN BY ATT'Y.
April 1960 D. E. HOOKER ET AL 2,932,517
CHANGEABLE SCORE
CONTROL AND DISPLAY MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 31, 1954 FIG.3
F l G. 4
I NVENTO'RS DONALD E. HOOKER CHARLES I BREITENSTEIN BY WATT April
1960 D. E. HOOKER ETAL 2,932,517
CHANGEABLE SCORE
CONTROL AND DISPLAY MECHANISM Filed Dec. 31, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS
DONALD E. HOOKER CHARLES T.
BREITENSTEIN April 12, 1960 D. E. HOOKER
ET AL CHANGEABLE SCORE CONTROL AND DISPLAY MECHANISM Filed Dec. 31, 1954 4
Sheets-Sheet 4 9 0 C; Q) 53A 99 O m Q9 7 16 (L 83 15. r60
SELECTOR SWITCH FIG.7
i seen:
CONTROL swncn uzms 85A 74A mjm 740 74c 14; ms
BANK
INVENTORS DONALD E HOOKER CHARLE 1: BREITENSTEIN BY W AT'il'Y.
Sitts
CHANGEABLE SCORE CONTROL AND DISPLAY MECHANISM Application December 31, 1954,
Serial No. 478,992
7
Claims. (Cl. 273-119) The
present disclosures relate to improvements in amusement apparatus providing a shiftable score display or annunciator panel, and shifting
mechanism therefor, of general application but especially useful in conjunction
with ball rolling games and the like.
One of the more
detailed features of the disclosed invention is the provision of a changeable
score panel, for instance, a so-called bingo card having one or more columns of
numbers carried on a shiftable panel member capable
of being moved back and forth to change the display of numbers thereon in
relation to the remaining set of numbers found on such cards.
Another feature is the
provision of a shifting mechanism for such a changeable display card and
employing a rockable drive arm, a center-position
spring means therefor, electromagnetic means for rocking the arm off center to
positions on opposite sides of its center position, electromagnetic means for releasably latching the arm in either of the off-center
positions, and certain supervisory switch means cooperable
therewith for controlling various circuits employed in the actuation thereof
and the appertaining game apparatus, together with a linkage for transmitting
the movements of the rocking arm to one of the shiftable
display panels.
Still further objects
relate to a selective control circuit for shifting the number carriers and
changing the connections of appertaining display lamps to certain ball
switches; and to feature switch means controlled by the number of balls played
for rendering the selective circuit operable; and to the provision of
releasable latch means for the number carriers.
Additional aspects of
novelty and utility relate to details of the construction and combination of
parts hereinafter described in view of the annexed drawings, in
I which:
Fig. 1 is a front
elevation of a shifting unit;
Fig. 1A is a
fragmentary vertical elevation of a modified form of the device of Fig. 1;
Fig. 2 is a rear
elevation of the shifting unit;
Fig. 3 is a side
elevation of the shifting unit;
Fig. 4 is a
perspective view of a shifting unit and a shiftable
number or display panel actuated thereby;
Fig. 5 is a
fragmentary front elevational view of a back mounting
panel and a number display panel with one shiftable
number carrier in normal operative position relative thereto;
Fig. 6 is a cross
section through the structure of Fig. 5;
Fig. 7 is a schematic
circuit diagram.
The shifting mechanism
shown in Fig. 1 consists of a base plate 10 upon which is pivotally mounted at
11 a T-shaped shifting or rocker arm 12 having oppositely divergent lever arms
13 and 14 each yieldingly connected to a corresponding solenoid plunger 13A or
14A, respectively, by spring means 133 or 14B.
The rocker arm 12 has
three positions: full left, full right, and center; and is shown in Fig. 1 in
the full left position, which is determined by a stop lug 15 struck up from a
plate member 17 attached to the base plate, and
rent shift toward the right.
Solenoid coils 13C and
14C respectively attract the lever-arm plungers 13A and 14A when appropriately
energized.
The normal, centered
position of the rocker arm 12 is midway between the two stops 15 and 16, the
rocker arm being yieldingly urged into this centered position by action of a
set of centering springs 19 and 20 coacting with a
directional lever 21 behind the rocker arm and having a U-shaped offset 22
which extends around to the front face of the rocker arm and is co-axially
mounted with the rocker arm on its main pivot 11, in such manner that the bight
or attaching web 23 of the U-shaped offset is engaged by the upward rocker
extension 12B therein when the rocker shifts clockwise, as in Fig. 1, thereby
carrying the directional or spring lever 21 with it to turn also in a clockwise
sense, thus tensioning the first spring 19, as in the full left shift shown in
Fig. 1, but leaving the second spring 20 substantially relaxed in this action.
In the aforesaid
clockwise shifted condition of the rocker lever shown in Fig. 1 with the
centering spring 19 under tension, presumably as a result of energization of solenoid 13C, the rocker lever would at
once return to center position upon de-energization
of said solenoid; and to prevent this, a releasable latch means is provided in
the form of an electromagnet 28 carried on an offset foot ledge 10A of the main
base plate, and having an armature 29 normally elevated by its spring 24 to
engage in a notch 26A or 26B on a latch plate 26 attached as at 27 to the
rocker arm 12.
Thus, the rocker arm
is automatically latched in either the left or right shift position by the
engagement of latch armature 29 in one or the other of the notches 26A or 26B
presented thereto by the corresponding angular displacement of the rocker and
the latch plate 26.
When solenoid 14C is
energized, the shift will be counterclockwise, and this will tension the second
centering spring 20 for return of the rocker to centered position upon release
of the latch means, as by energization of the latch
coil 28 to withdraw the latching armature 29 from notch 263.
It will be observed in
Fig. 1 that the upper ends of the two centering springs 19 and 20 are
respectively attached to an offset flange 21A (Fig. 3 also) of the directional
lever 21, whereas the lower ends of these two centering springs are
respectively anchored as at 19A to the base plate and at 20A to the rocker arm.
Thus, one of the springs 20 tends to pull the directional lever counterclockwise
when the rocker lever turns counterclockwise, but in this direction of movement
of the directional lever the latter is almost at once stopped by an offset stop
lug 21B (Figs. 1 and 3) struck out from lever 21, and which bears down against
the upper edge of the base plate 10 to prevent spring 20 from pulling the
directional lever any substantial distance when the rocker shifts
counterclockwise.
But when the rocker
arm shifts clockwise, its upper extension 128 carries the directional lever with
it and this tensions the first centering spring 19 because the latter is
anchored at 19A on the base plate.
Supervisory switch
means actuated by the rocker means includes a stack switch 30 (Fig. I) mounted
at the top of the base plate and operable by the upper end of the rocker and
more particularly the cammed and 123 thereof, which
cams the switch contacts thereof open only when the rocker lever is in its
centered position. 1
Another supervisory
stack-type switch 34 is mounted at the lower part of the base plate for
operation by the r 3 armature 29; the contacts of this switch being closed only
when the armature is downwardly positioned in unlatching condition.
Carried on the rear
side of the shifting unit (Fig. 2) isa commutating
switch including an insulating plate 35 attached to the two'lever
arms '13 and met the rocker "by long pins 36 extending through oversize
slots 37 ina stationary insulating contact panel 39
attached as at 39A (Fig. 3, also) to the back of the base plate, said long pins
36 also continuing through other aligned slots 38 ('Fig. l) in said base plate
for attachment to said lever arms 13 and 14.
Carried by the rocking
contact plate 35 are a plurality of wiper fingers 40A 46E adapted to engage
stationary contacts 41 variously in the three angular positions thereof which
correspond to the threeoperating positions of the
rocker leverlZ.
1 Connection is made
with the several commutator switch wiper fingers WA
49E by means of flexible conductors (not seen) carried within a spring shield
"43 and brought out (not seen) to terminal lugs 44 as re- 7 piece,
solenoid plunger 25X moveableback and forth in the
horizontally aligned bores of two-solenoid coils 13CX and MCX, there being a
notch 25A' in the common plunger into which fits a coupling pin lfiX on the rocker The alternate energization
of solenoids 13CX and 14CX will shift the common plunger back and forth and
oscillate the rockerlZX between the centered, rightor left-shifted positions, required of the rocker
shown in Fig. l; and in this and other respects the action of the centering
springs 19X, 20X and the latch plate 26X in the modification of Fig. 1A is
substantially the same as for the form of Fig. l. Referring to Fig. 4, the shiftable score display means consists of a simple stamping
48 having opposite parallel grooves in which an elongated number strip 50 is slidably"seated, said strip being preferably of
light-Weight translucent plastic and having score numbers delineated thereon
for rear illumination, as will appear.
A slide-actuating
linkage comprising an ofiset lever 52 is connected as
at 53 to the top of the display slide and as at 54 to the lower end 12A of the rockable shift lever '12,*the appertaining shift unit for
which is mounted on a carrier plate 55 adapted to be secured to the back of a
light board 56, such as shown fragmentally in Figs. 5 .and6.
For reasons which will
appear in conjunction with the description of Fig. 5, three complete shifting
units for "three nurnbcr display slides are
mounted on each carrier plate, although for simplicity only one such unit,
including the two solenoids 13C, NC, is shown on the carrier 'in'Fig. 4. Accordingly, each carrier plate in commercial
embodiments of the device is provided with three elongated slots through each
of which one of the rocking lever ends, such as 121%., can project for
connection to the appertaining display slide 5t]; however, in Fig. 4 only two
of these slots 55A, 55B are visible, and as stated, only one shifting unit and
its display slide 50 are shown.
Referring
now to Fig. 5, the complete assembly shown in'Fig. 4 is assumed to be mounted on the wood back
.panel 56, and the slide channel is secured to the front face of this board as
by screws 49, thereby disposing the slidable display
member 50 between said back or light ,panel 56-and the
front coverglass 57 in alignment with a vertical
column of clear number openings 58 so that the numbers on the'slide
5i) can'be viewed therethrough.
Upon the glass panel
57 there is delineated (as by silk screen transfer) a score card 59, which in
the present case is analogous to the card? used inplaying bingo, and which is characterized by having five
horizontal and five vertical rowsof numbers, of
which. the i'aforesaid
column of openings 58, together with the numbers on the appertaining slide 50,
constitute one of the vertical columns. 7
In practice, there
will preferably be at least two more of the shiftable
vertical number slides .and channels 48X-5GX; positioned as indicated in dotted
lines; and while in some games all five vertical number columns are made shiftable, in the present embodiment only the first three
columns are intended to be shiftable and the two
remaining columns have permanently delineated numbers 6t) screened thereon.
All score or display
numbers, whether on the slide 50 or of the permanent variety 6d, are
illuminated from behind by lamps 61 (Fig. 6) seated in the back panel 56 and illuminated'in response to the players scoring progress in
playing the game, as will further appear.
The circuit means of
Fig. 7 depicts one controlembodimcnt of the
changeable score display apparatusin a ball-rollinggame having a plurality of ball-operated score
switches "70A, 78B, 70C 70G arranged in known manner on a ball-rolling
board 71 and connected byconductors 72 toactuate score control means such as the corresponding
relays 73A,"73B 736, etc., the relay contacts 74A, 74B 7 86 of which are eachrespectively connected by conductors'75 to correspondingcommutator switch contacts 41A, 41B 41G
variously engaged, as heretofore described, by the wiper fingers 40A, 40B 46E,
depending upon which positionthe rocker lever lloccupies.
Each of the wiper
contacts is in turn respectively connected by conductors 76 to oneof the lamps 61A, 61B ME in the columnar set associated
with the shiftable number panel 50.
In the illustrative
embodiment of the gamein Fig. 7 the player is
allotted, say, five balls, indicated at-79, which at the beginning of each
round of play'willbe lined up in a serving trough for
automatic delivery one at a time, in known manner, to shooting position before
a ball plunger '77, by which they are launchedtonto
the board 71 to actuate such of the ball score switches which will illuminate
corresponding score lamps via conductors 75, commutator
switch means 35, 40A 40E,
conduotors 76 to the appropriate score lamps 61A. 61E,
depending on which ball switches are actuated and the position of the commutator switch means.
After the player has
shot a certain number of balls,
say three, a ball'trough switch 78 will be closed because of the absence
of a ball at third position, thereby connecting power 80 via conductor 81 to
selector switch contact 82, which the player may now turn to anyone of the
three selecting positions to engage one of the contacts 83, 84, connecting to
the control coils of the shifting unit. In the normal or central position of
the selector switch contact 82 on contact 84 the aforesaid connection from
power source 80 is extended via conductor 84A, through the (now-open)
supervisory switch 30 and the conductor 30A to the latch coil 23. The
supervisory switch 30 is held open by lever 12 when the rocker arm 12 is
centered, and consequently the latch coil need notbe
wastefully energized all the while the selector switch stands in normal or
centered position.
Should the player turn
the selector switch contact '82 to contact 83 the aforesaid extension of power
from source 80 would be connected via conductor'83Ato the common return or
,ground, as at '34B,,wherebyrto ;en-
ergize
the shift solenoid coil 13C, which will cause the shiftable
number display member 50 to move to one of its ofi-center
or elf-normal positions and change the score indicia or numbers aligned before
the vertically linear set of five lamps 61A 61E, thus changing the numbers
displayed in that particular column.
Should the player turn
the selector switch contact 82 into engagement with the contact 85, the
previously described power connection from source 80 through the ball-trough
supervisory switch means 78 would be extended via conductor 85A to energize
shift solenoid 14C, it being again assumed that beforehand the rocker arm 12
was still in central position to cause closure of the latch supervisory switch
34, as above described, to complete the energizing circuit for said solenoid to
common return connection or ground 34B.
It is thus important
to observe that when the rocker lever 12 is centered the latch plate 26, by
reason of its arcuately-extended edge 26A (Fig. 1),
will depress the latch armature 23 sufiiciently to
cause closure of the supervisory latch switch 34, which, as stated above, is in
the common ground or return circuit to 34B of both shift solenoids 13C, 14C,
and must therefore be closed before either of said coils can be energized in
any event; in other words, said solenoids cannot be actuated unless the rocker
arm 12 is in central position to close supervisory switch 34, as aforesaid.
Energization of either shift solenoid 13C or 14C by operation of the
player-actuated selector switch means, as aforesaid, will cause an up or down
shift of the display panel 50 and change the numbers available or displayed in
the appertaining column.
Each indicia number on
the score panel has a corresponding ball switch 79A 706, and therefore,
whenever the displayed number changes the ball switches must also be changed
and correlated to the new numbers, and this is the function of the commutator switch means 35, 40A 40B, and contacts 41A 41G,
which (as shown in Fig. 7) connect via conductors 75 to corresponding score
relay switches and hence via conductors 72 to appertaining ball switches.
When the game of bingo
is intended, the scoring object is to light up any five numbers in a straight
line-either vertical, horizontal, or diagonal-in the columnar array shown on
the score panel 57.
Accordingly, a player,
after shooting the initial three balls (or Whatever other number may be
permitted depending upon the placement of the Feature trough switch 78) may
decide that his chances of completing certain linear number sets would be
improved if he could change the ball switches (and hence the corresponding
score numbers) available for further scoring with the remaining two balls.
The game feature
(controlled by switch 78) is the opportunity to improve or at least modify the
existing scoring possibilities after shooting a predetermined number of the
allotted balls and is effected in the manner and by
the selectively shiftable number-display and
commutating switch means above described.
We claim:
'1. In a ball-rolling
game, in combination, ball-operated score switches; a score display panel
having columnar score numbers arranged thereon to be illuminated by lamps; a
set of lamps arranged linearly in a column and connected for illumination under
control of certain corresponding ones of said score switches; said lamps being
predetermined in number, and said score numbers being carried in a linear
columnar sequence on a member shiftable before said
lamps in parallelism with the linear columnar axis thereof, and said numbers
being different and in excess count to the number of lamps in said column such
that shifting of said shiftable member into any of
several predetermined display positions will align a ditferent
set of display numbers with said set of lamps; and electromagnetic shifting
mechanism connected with said shiftable member and
selectively operable to mate the same into any of said display positions.
2. In a ball game
having ball-operated score switches, changeable score display and control means
comprising: a score display panel having score indicia arranged in a sequence
in columns thereon and lamps for illumination of each indicium; at least one of
said columns having a predetermined number of sequential indicia; circuit means
controlled by said score switches and connected to illuminate said lamps in a
predetermined scoring pattern responsive to ball-operation of certain of said
switches; the display indicia for said one column being carried on a linearly shiftable member mounted to move back and forth in opposite
directions from a centered display position to at least two opposite off-center
display positions, said shiftable member having diiferent indicia in excess of said predetermined number to
present a different set of columnar indicia in each of the three shifted
display positions thereof; selectively-operable electromagnetic drive means
linked with said shiftable member and operable to
shift the latter to any of said three display positions; and selector-switch
means connecting with said electromagnetic means and operable to shift the shiftable member to a selected one of said display
positions.
3. In a ball-rolling
game, score switch means actuated by rolled balls; numbered score lamps and.
circuit means connecting each of the same for actuation by predetermined ones
of said score switch means, the numbering for certain ones of said lamps being
carried on a shiftable member mounted to move
relative to said certain lamps; and electromagnetic shifting mechanism
operatively associated with said shiftable member and
including selec*' tively energizable means for moving said shiftable
member into any of a plurality of display positions, the aforesaid numbering oarried thereby for the appertaining lamps being different
in each of said positions; means for selectively actuating said shifting
mechanism; circuitchanging means connected for
operation to change operating connections between said certain lamps and
certain of said score switch means; and means operating concomitantly with each
shifting operation of the shiftable member for
actuating said circuit-changing means.
4. In a ball-rolling
game, score switches actuated by rolled balls; numbered score lamps and circuit
means connecting each of the same for actuation by predetermined ones of said
score switches, the numbering for certain ones of said lamps being carried on a
shiftable member mounted to move relative to said
certain lamps; and electromagnetic shifting mechanism operatively associated
with said shiftable member and including selectively energizable means for moving said shiftable
member into any of a plurality of display positions, the aforesaid numbering
carried thereby for the appertaining lamps being different in each of said
positions; together with commutator switch means,
drivingly interconnected for coaction with said shift-ing
mechanism, and circuits controlled thereby for each of said certain lamps
whereby the latter are connected to certain corresponding score switches in
each of the several shifted positions of the shiftable
member; and player-controlled selector switch means connecting with said
electromagnetic shifting mechanism and operable to actuate the latter to move
the shiftable member into any of its shifted
positions.
5. In a ball-rolling
game, score switches actuated by rolled balls; a supply of balls, predetermined
in number, to be rolled and means for aligning said number of balls in position
for successive rolling; a feature switch positioned relative to said aligning
means for feature operation under control of the balls therein responsive to
withdrawal of at least a certain number of balls from said number; a selector
switch connected for effective operation by said feature operation of said
feature switch; an array of score numbers and lamps for separately illuminating
the same, certain of said numbers being fixed in the array and certain
changeable numbers being carried on a shiftable
number carrier moveable into a plurality of shifted positions to change the
numbers illuminated by the appertaining lamps; score-circuit means normally
interconnecting certain lamps with certain score switches; shifting mechanism
drivingly connected with said number carrier and operable to move the same into
any of a plurality of shifted positions; selectively operable electromagnetic
actuating means for said shifting mechanism and connected with said selector
switch means for selective operation by the latter to move the number carrier
to, any of said shifted positions when the selector switch means is operated
under the condition where it has been rendered effective as aforesaid by said
feature switch; and commutator switch means actuated
by said shifting mechanism in step with movements thereby of the shiftable number carrier for changing the connection of the
lamps appertaining to said carrier numbers to different corresponding score
switches in each of the several shifted-positions of the carrier. 7
6. In a ball-rolling
game having ball-operated switches and circuit means controlled thereby for
illuminating score'lamps, a score card analogous to a
bingo card and comprising numbers positioned in a square array along
rectangular coordinate lines on a panel, and individual score lamps for
illuminating each number position, the numbers in certain lines being fixed,
and certain other lines having a shift able number carrier aligned therewith
with numbers therein in excess of the number of positions for the appertaining
line, said carriers, each being shiftable to a
plurality of positions equal to said excess number plus one to change the
display of numbers in the appertaining l-ine;
mechanism operable to shift each said carrier to any of its shifted positions;
circuit connections from certain ball-operated switches to certain individual
score lamps, together with commutator switch means
operatively associated with each said carrier and operative in each shifted
position thereof to change the connection of the appertaining score lamps for
operation by predetermined ones of said ball-operated switches differing in
identity from the ball-operated switches connected by the other shifted
positions of said carrier.
7. Game apparatus
comprising: score switches actuated by playing pieces; numbered score lamps
arranged in a predetermined pattern and circuit means connecting said lamps for
actuation by predetermined ones of said score switches, the numbering for
certain of said lamps being displayed in respectively fixed positions, and the
numbering for certain others of said lamps being carried and dis played in a
certain arrangement on a member which is movable relative to the fixed numbers
in said pattern such that movement of the movable member into any of several
selectable positions will change some of the numbers contained at certain
positions in said pattern without altering said predetermined pattern;
electrically driven means having driving connection with said movable member
for moving the latter into any of said selectable posi
tions; an actuating circuit for energizing and deenergizing said electrically driven means to effect
movement of the movable member to any of said selectable positions; together
with commutator switch means drivingly interconnected
to move in coaction with said movable member and connected to control circuits
for the said certain other lamps whereby the latter are automatically connected
with particular corresponding score switches differing at least in part in each
of the selectable positions of the movable member.
References Cited in
the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS I,
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* Cited by examiner
Referenced by
|
Citing Patent |
Filing date |
Publication date |
Applicant |
Title |
|
Mar 12, 1956 |
May 15, 1962 |
American Nat Bank
And Trust Co |
Selectively
changeable score indicating and display means |
|
|
Sep 12, 1961 |
May 11, 1965 |
Gilbert Cates |
Board game apparatus |
|
|
Jul 6, 1965 |
Sep 3, 1968 |
Walter M. Burnside |
Matrix
transformation game device |
|
|
Sep 8, 1975 |
Nov 23, 1976 |
Bally Manufacturing
Corporation |
Changeable display
apparatus |
|
|
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Matrix
transformation pin ball machine with score multiplier option |
* Cited by examiner
Classifications
|
U.S. Classification |
|
|
International
Classification |
|
|
Cooperative
Classification |
|
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European
Classification |
A63B71/06 |