US2197491A - Game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

April 16, 1940'.

w. H. BELLAH 2,197,491

GAME APPARATUS Filed May 22, 1936 6 Shets-Sheet 1 all w. H. BELLAH GAMEM APPARATUS e shets-sheet 2 Filed May 22, 1956 April 1s, 1940.

W. H. BELLAH GAME APPARATUS Filed May .22.

195s 6 Sheets-sheet s 9.2 2cd/M@ gls- W. H. BELLAH GAME APPARATUS Filed May 22, 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 W. H. BELLAH GAME APPARATUS Filed May 22. 1936 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 16, 1940. w. H. BELLAH 2,197,491

:man APPARATUS Filed Hayez. 195e s sheets-sheet s v Patented Apr. 1.6, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE .GAME APPARATUS v william H. neuen, Los Angeles, cani., asignar.

by mesne assignments, to Chicago Patent Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a' corporation of Illinois Application May zz, 193s, serial No. 81,216 7 claims.' (ci. 194 1) This invention relates to a game apparatus of the type in which a. successful player is rewarded by a certain number of free games. T hu's, the invention may be applied to a game of the pin- 5 ball type in which the player inserts a coin or be understoodthat it is notintended to be limited thereto since thefree game control appara-` tus herein described and claimed may be applied to all kinds of games of skill.

According to the present invention I prefer toprovide the game apparatus with a separate and distinct system which I will call herein the con-` trol apparatus, The'two separatesystems are connected, preferably electrically, as will herein- 5 after be more fully described, so that theattain- A further object of the invention is to providey an improvedv free game control system. s i

A further object of theiinvention is to provid an improved coin chute which may be rendered inoperative Vwith respect to withholding a coin.

or token, by suitable mechanism.

A further object of v the invention is to provide an improvedfree game control in which balls I. -oi' the free games as they 'are used .up by the 0 drawings, in which:

'Figure l is a plan view o a game embodying my invention: Fig. '2 is a longitudinal sectional view, on a somewhat larger scale, taken on the line 2--2 of Figfl;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinalsectional view, taken on the line 3-3 of F18. 1; that is. on a plane passing through the control system;

Fig. 4 is a sectional plandetail, taken on the line 4 -4 of Fig.'3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail, taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3;'

Fig. 6 is a, fragmentary sectional view, taken onA the same line as Fig. 3, but on a somewhat larger scale and showing the control balls in a different position;

Fig. 7 is a sectionai plan detail, taken on' the line 1 1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the manner in which a control ball serves'to release the game apparatus for a free game;

Fig. 9 is a simplied view, similar to Fig. '7 but V omitting a considerable amount of the mechanism shown in that figure for ease of description;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view through the coinchute, ltaken on the line lli-I0 of Fig.

Fig. 11 is a vertical sectional fragmentary view, taken on the line |I -il of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary inverted view showing the underside of the coin chute shown in Fig. 10; 2 Y z Fig. 13 is a perspective diagrammatic view showing the relation of the various levers which Vcooperate with'a control ball, and

Fig. v14 is aninvertedl plan view, taken on the line '-I4-|4 of Fig. 2 showing-the underside of the movable board, together with a. wiring diagram and also a diagrammatic showing of the free game control system in relation thereto.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numerallii designates aboard or field of a pin game, which board ,is providedwith a plurality of openings 2i and obstacles, such as pins 22. 'Ihe gaine is played by inserting a coin in the slide 23 which has the effect of moving .forward a board 24 (see Fig. 14). The board 24 is slidably mounted on the underside. of the board by means of guides 25. `Springs 28 normally pull the board 24 forwardly against' abutments 21. Ihe board 24 is provided with openings 28 which are out of alignment with the openings 2| of the board 20... 'I'he board 24 is provided with a bracket 29 which is adapted to be engaged by the coin slide 23 as it moves to its rearmost position, so that the board 24 is moved rearwardly against the action Aof the springs 26. When moved rearwardly to the full extent of the throw of the coin chute 23, the openings 28'are brought into alignment with the openings 2| and u any play balls 30 which may be located in these openings drop through to an inclined board 3|, which delivers the play balls to a transverse chute 32. This transverse chute delivers the balls seriatim to a suitable elevating device 33 which may be actuated periodically by the operator by means of a handle 34.

The ball elevator 33 elevates the play ball into the chute 35 at the right-hand side of the board 20 and the play ball may be projected along the chute by means of a spring impeller 36. The play ball struck by this impeller passes up the inclined chute 35 through a gate 31 and onto the main surface of the board 20.

If skillfully directed, the play ball may be caused to enter one of the openings 2|. If the ball is not played into one of the openings 2| it rolls downwardly towards the front end of the apparatus and comes into contact with an automatic kicking mechanism38 of known type. The kicking mechanism 38 comprises an electromagnet 39 and a pair of contacts diagrammatically shown in Fig. 14 at 40. One of the contacts 40 is carried by an arm 4| which is of magnetic material. The play ball which rolls down to the lowerapex of the board 20 closes the contacts 40 with the result that the electromagnet 39 is energized and the arm 4I is attracted thereby. Thus, the play ball is kicked up the inclined board 20. This kicking operation is continued until the ball is located in one of the openings 2 l.v

The object of the particular game illustrated is to place balls in all of a particular group of holes 2|. These groups are indicated by numerals 42 and arrows 43. Thus, if the player succeeds in lplacing four balls in the four uppermost holes 2| he becomes entitled to two free games. If he places four balls in the four lowermost holes'2l he becomes entitled to two free games. II he places four balls in any of the groups illustrated on Fig. 1 he becomes entitled to two, four, six,

eight or twelve free games, as indicated by the particular number 42 appertaining to the particular group.

Thel board 24 is provided with small openings 44 which are normally lin alignment with the openings 2| of the-board 20. That is, the openings 44 are located rearwardly somewhat with respect to the corresponding openings 28. Through each opening 44 projects the upturned end 45 of resilient strips of metal 45 secured to the underside of the board 24. The location of these strips 46 for the particular groups shown in Fig. 1, is shown in Fig. 14. To complete the understanding of this arrangement, we will consider the uppermost group shown in Fig. 1 and which corresponds to two free games. This group comprises ve strips of metal. The strip on the left, as shown in Fig. 14, is connected .to a wire |02. This strip terminates slightly below the second strip of the series, which is the one having the upturned end 45 projecting into the open# ing 44. 4It will readily be understood that when a played ball 30 rests upon this upturned end. these two strips will be brought into contact. The second strip also has an upturned end 45 which projects upwardly through another opening 44 of the group in question.v The third strip underlies this upturned end and alsounderlies the upturned end. of the fourth stripJghich, like the second strip, has two upturned ends located in openings 44. The fifth strip'of this group underlies one end of the fourth strip and is connected to a commonreturn wire |00.: From this brief.-

description it will be seen with reference to Fig. 14

that when four balls are located in the four uppermost openings 2|, a circuit will be completed between the lines and |02.

From a consideration of Figs. 1 and 14, it will be seen that the completion of any group having a value Aof two f ree games will make connection between the two lines |00 and |02. The completion of a group having a value of four games will result in the completion of a circuit between the line |00 and the line |04. The completion of the group having a value of six games will result in the completion of a circuit between the lines |00 and |06. The completion of the group having a value of eight games will result in the completion of a circuit between the lines |00 and |08. The completion of the group having a value of twelve free games results in the completion of a circuit between the lines |00 and |2. The lines |02, |04, |06, |08 and ||2 are connected respectively to one of the leaves of switches S2, S4, S6, S8 and SI2. These switches are located so as to be closed by balls in a magazine 41 of the free game control unit. Each of these switches comprises a pair of leaves and one of the leaves of each switch is connected to a liney48.

It may here be noted that the-result of the `attainment of an objective is the closing of a conthese circuits or any greater or lesser number of similar circuits. It is to be further noted that these circuits are normally closed by the control balls 49 in the magazine 41 and that they become f in addition to the connections already referred to, is connected to the winding of an electromagnet 55. The other end of the winding is connected by conductor 56 to a ring 51. Within this ring is'located a pendulum 58 which is electrically connected to the conductor 52. When the operator tilts the machine the pendulum 58 makes contact with the ring 51 and completes the circuit, including the battery and the electromagnet 55. When the electromagnet is energized it attracts the latch 59 and the tilting switch 53 is pulled by the spring 60 into a positionwhich separates the contacts 54 and renders the machineinoperative until it is reset by the insertion of a coin or by the utilization of one of. the free games which may be available to the player. When the coin slide 23 is actuated in either of these events, a hook 6| engages a portion of the switch 53 so as to reset the latch 59. leaving the points 54 in contact to energize line |00.' It will be understood that when the switch 5 3ggpens, -the whole machine is deenergized with the single exception of the electromagnet 39 of the kicker 38. The kicker, therefore, continues to operate as long as any ball makes contact with it; that is, until, all the balls on the boardl20 are located Within one ofthe openings 2|.

vshown immediately to the right of the lowermost tooth of the wheel 88 in Fig. 3 moves one step to the right and, consequently, the switch S2 is closed again. The 'star wheel 88 moves slightly in the counter-clockwise direction, this movement being permitted by the relation of the loop 86 to the teeth of the wheel 88. As a 'result of thislimited movement all the balls 48 to the left of the wheel 88 in Fig. 3 move somewhat to the right, but all Athese balls are prevented from rolling down the magazine by the wheel 88. 'Ihis relation is shown in Fig. 61 It may here be noted that one result oi this limited movement of the balls to the forwardside of the star wheel 88 is that the lever 82 is free to move from the position shown in Fig. 7 into the position Shown-in Fig. 9. 'I'his lever and the effect of this movement will be more fully described hereinafter. The circuit being complete through the switch S2 and between the contacts 63 and 64, the solenoid 62 is again energized to discharge a control ball into the chute 66. Upon return of the solenoid 62 the balls to the right of thegstar wheel 88, as viewed in Fig. 3, move up one and the switch S2 is now free to open so that further discharge of balls into the chute 56 terminates.

It will be understood that if a circuit corresponding to four free games is completed onthe board 28, the circuit through the solenoid 62 is completed through the switch S4 and this switch will not open until four control balls are discharged into the chute 66. Similarly, if one of the groups corresponding to six free games is completed on the board 28, the circuit tothe.

solenoid 62 is completed through switch S6 and this switch opens when six balls have been discharged into the chuteI 66. Similarly, when the group on the board 28 corresponding to eight free games is completed, the circuit to the solenoid 62 is passed through the switch S8 and this switch opens after eight control balls have been discharged into the chute 56. Likewise, when the group on the board 28 corresponding to twelve free games has been completed, the circuit to the solenoid 62 extends through the switch SI2 and this switch opens when twelve balls have been ejected into the chute 66.

The boards 28, 24 and 3| are mounted in superposed relation within a cabinet 3, enclosed on its upper side by a sheet of glass 84. 'Ihe front wall 85 V of the cabinet carries the coin slide 23, the ball elevating handle 34 and the handle of the impeller 36. The chutes 35 and 66 are formed by means of bar portions 86 extending from a'forward member 81 which is superimposed upon the board 24. The forward member 81 is provided with a suitable recess for housing part of the kicker 36. It is also provided withY an opening 88 at the forward end of the chute A66 in order to enable the control balls which move down this chute to be transferred into a position above the end of the magazine 41. J/

The board 24 is provided with a tongue at the position 68, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 14. Immediately on the inner side of the tongue at the position 68 there is a long slot 88 to enable the coin slide 23 tomove freely. One corner of this f slot, indicated at |28, is so' located as to allow the ball to drop into the magazine. That is, with 7l reference. to Fig. 14, the control ball is moved by Ias Shown in Fig. 1.

means about to be described, from the position 68 to |28. v The coin slide 23 is mounted adjacent one corner of the cabinet and in this corner is mounted a bracket |2| upon which are pivotally mounted the lever 92 previously referred to, the lever |22 and the lever |23. The forward end of the lever |22 is pulled to the left, as viewed from above, by means of a spring |24 (see (Fig. 7) The rear end of the lever |22 is extended rearwardly and to the right so that its upturned termination |25 lies in the path of the coin slide 23. When the coin slide 23 is moved rearwardly, it engages the upturned end |25 and swings the lever |22 in counter-clockwise direction about its pivot. As the rearward movement of the coinslide 23 continues, the upturned end |25 clears the end of the coin slide 23 and rides along a side |26 of the coin slide. During the nal movement of the coin slide; that is, into a position shown in Fig. 8, the upturned end |25 rides on a cam portion |21 which continues the counter-clockwise movement ofthe lever |22.` l

At its forward end the lever |22 is provided with an upturned web |28 (Figs. 3 and 13) This web is adapted to move freely in aspace |29 left between the position 68 of the board 24 and the front wall of the cabinet. At its upper vend the web |28"carries a rearwardly extending ange |38 which normally lies on the outer side of the` chute 66, as shown in Fig. l. When the lever |22 is swung in counter-clockwise direction as described above, the ange |38 movesacross the chute 66 and delivers a control ball into the position |28 above the forward end of the magazine 41. In such an event the control ball comes into contact with a ange |3| which is normally located on-the right-hand side of the chute 66, The flange |3| is carried by a web |32 on the rear of the lever |23. The web |32 extends upwardly through and works in the portion |28 of the slot 88 shown in Fig. 14.

The lever |23 is held in its normal position by means of a spring v|33 which is connected to the bracket |2|. 'Ihe levers |22 and |23 are provided respectively with projections |34 and |35 which are directedtoward each other. One of these projections, for example the projection |35, has an upturned end |36 for the purpose of insuring contact with the other projection |34. Referring particularly to Fig. 7, it will be notedthat the projections |34 and |35 are so located that they will not make contact when the lever I 22 is moved independently of the rlever |23. That is, if there is no ball in the chute 66 and the coin slide 23 is moved rearwardly to its fullest extent after the insertion of the appropriate coin, thenv the lever |22 alone is swung in counter-clockwise direction. "The lever 23 is not SWllng and the projection |34 moves past the projection |35 without contacting it or its upturned end |36. If, on the other hand, the slide 23 is moved rearwardly to its fullest vextent and a control ball 48 is in the forward 'end of the chute 66, then the lever |23 is swung in counter-clockwise direction by the ball, which is pushed by the flange 38. This movement of the lever |23brings the two projections |34 and |35 into colliding relation and the relationship of these flanges to /the pivots of the two levers 22 and |23 isisuchf/that in the last part of the movement of the levers the forward ends are caused to separate and the ball 48 is thereby freed so that it may fall into the magazine 41. 'I'his relation of the levers is shown in Flg. 8.

The lever |23 is provided with an end which The conductor 52 is connected to a solenoid 52 which forms part of the free game control device. The other end of the solenoid B2 is connected to a contact 63. The wire 48 is connected to a contact B4. The contacts 63 and 6d are adapted to be connected and disconnected by means of an arm 65, the operation of which will appear from the following' description of the free gaine control system. v

The free game control system comprises a chute 6B on the left-hand side of the board 2i. This chute is closed from the rest of the board 2! by a gate 61 so that the balls of the control device and the balls with which the pin game is played never come into contact or commingle. The controlballs are discharged into the chute 6B by an opening 68 near the upper end thereof and they roll down to a position 69 at the forward end from which they are dispensed as the available freegames are played. The control ball thus used passes into the magazine 51 previously referred'tol YAs best shown in Fig. 3, the magazine i1 slopes downwardly from the front of the machine and terminates at a position below the opening 68. The magazine may suitably comprise a three-sided elongated box which is open on -its underside. It is provided on its inner side with a pair ofparallel rails 1d upon which the control balls i9 ride. Owing to the downward and rearward slope of the rails 1S, the balls are closely packed within the magazine and in the event that certain of the balls are removed from the right-hand end of the magazine, the remaining balls will move up to the right. The leaves of the switches S2, Sil, S6, S8 and SI2 are located between the rails 1B and the manner in which these switches are closed by the balls i9 is best shown in Fig. 3. It will be noted that the rails 1D are stepped adjacent the points of Contact of the balls 19 with the upper leaves of these switches so that a ball moving down one of the steps iirmly closes the switch next below the step.

At'the rear end of the magazine i1 is located an upwardly directed conduit 1i which terminates in the opening t8. At the lower end of the conduit 1l is located the solenoid 62 previously referred to. The armature 12 of the solenoid carries at its upper end a rod 13 of non-magnetic material which carries a plate 1li. From the forward side of the plate depends a plate 15. When the solenoid 62 is energized, the armature 12 moves upwardly and the rod 13, together with the plate 1d, is moved up to carry a control ball 39 upwardly into the conduit 1l past a dog 16. When the plate 16 moves upwardly the plate 15 prevents the entrance of a further ball from the magazine d1. into the conduit 1i. The dog 16 is substantially of rectangular construction, being pivoted at the angle so that a short arm extends into the conduit'1l. The long arm extends upwardly and-is normally held in that position by a spring 11.

With reference to Fig. 3 itwill beseen that the dog 1S may swing in the counter-clockwise direction to permit a control ball i9 to move past it. After the control ball is moved past it, the dog 16 resumes the position shown in Fig. 3 'and the downward movement of the ball is prevented. The conduit 1I above the dog 16 is normally lled with control balls 4S. When energiz'ation of the solenoid 62 results in the upward movement of a control ball 49 past the dog 16, a correspond- "ing control ball 49 is discharged at the opening 68 to give the player a free game.

The contactsv 63 .and 64 and the arm 65 are carried by a piece of insulation 18 which is carried by the lower end of the conduit 1l. The rod 13 is provided with a slot .19 and the arm 65 extends through an opening in the wall of the conduit 1l into the slot 19. The contacts 63 and 64 are so located that the presence of a control ball 59 at the lower end of the conduit 1l serves to hold the arm 65 downwardly, thus completing a circuit between the contacts 63 and 64E-. When, however, the arm 13 moves upwardly, the shoulder at the lower end of the slot 1Q engages the arm 65 and breaks the circuit between the contacts`63 and 613. The result is that the solenoid is deenergized vand the armature 12, together with the rod 13, plate 1Q and. plate 1E return toA their initial position. Unless thei circuit is interrupted by the opening of one of the switches S2, S4, S5, S8 or S12, the solenoid 62 continues to be energized and deenergized so that control balls 69 are delivered one after another into the chute 66.

The rod 12 and the parts mounted thereon are prevented from turning by means of a rod which has a major portion parallel to the rod l2, which major portion is slidably received by an opening in plate 82 carried at the lower end of the solenoid 62. When the armature 12 moves upwardly, the rod 8i swings a rod 83 in the counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 3. The rod 83 is pivotally mounted on top of the magazine at 84 and is rigidly connected to a forwardly extending latch 85. IThisV latch is adapted to engage a loop 85. 'Ihe loop S6 carries a forwardly extending integral rod 8l' which terminates in an upturned end 88. The loop 36 and the rod 81 are slidably mounted on the upper side of the magazine l1 and are normally pulled forwardly by means of a spring 89. When the coin slide 23 is moved rearwardly at the beginning of a game, it engages the upturned end da and moves the loop 86 and rod 31 rearwardly into a position in which they are held by the latch 85. The forward portion of the loop 86 is adapted to move into and out of the path of a star wheel 89 rotatably mounted on the upper side of the magazine Q1 and having teeth Q which project through a slot 9i into the interior of the magazine so as to contact the control balls [59.

At the beginning of the'game the control balls 29 are located as shown in Fig. 3; that is, the magazine d1 is full of balls and the first ball at the forward end of the magazine has the position shown in full lines in Fig. 7. The loop 86 is in its rearward or latched position, because the fact that there are no balls in the chute 66 means that the last free game has been expended and the forward movement of the coin slide 23 to play that game has latchced the loop 86 in itsrearward position. The star wheel 89 is arranged so that one of its teeth 90 is directed downwardly, as shown in Fig. 3. The game is started by placing a coin in the coin slide 23 and moving it forwardly so as to clear the board 2l and render the play balls l3l) available. If the player completes the group corresponding to two free games, for example, the circuit through the solenoid B2 is completed and the armature 12 is moved upwardly. This upward movement effects the discharge of one ball into the chute 86. It also eifects the unlatchng of the`loop 86 Vso that it moves forwardly into a position adjacent and rearward of one of the teeth 90. The upward-movement of `the arm 65 causes the deenergization of the solenoid 62 so that the armature 12 moves downwardly again.

lli

extends to the right behind lits pivot. This end of the lever |23 is pivotally connected to a slidable member |31 which cooperates with the coin slide 23 in a manner kwhich will hereinafter be described in greater detail. The lever |23 carries a depending pin |39 which is adapted to engage the lever 92 previously referred to. The lever 92 has at its forward end a depending ange |39 which extends into the forward end of the magazine l|'|. When the magazine is lled.

with control balls, the flange |39 is in engagement with the last inserted ball; that is, the one at the forward end as shown in Fig. 8. When, however, the player makes his objective and a control ball 99 has been elevated into the tube lli, as previously described, and the wheel 99 has become locked, the balls to the right thereof have moved one space to the right as viewed in Fig. 3, then the rearward movement of the balls to the left of the wheel 99 into the relation shown in Fig. 6 moves the forward ball 99 forwardly somewhat so that the lever 92 may move under the action of its spring |99v into the position shown in Fig. 9. The result of this position is to render the coin slide 23 inoperative except by the use of the free ball after it has rolled down the chute 96 to the forward position 99.

For this purpose the lever 92 is provided with an upturned end |9| which is arranged to make contact with an abutment |92 on the underside of the coin slide 23. It will be seen with reference to Fig. 9, that if the coin slide 23 is moved rearwardly the abutment |92 will contact the upturned end |9| of the lever and will thereby become arrested even if a coin is inserted. When, however, the ball has arrived at the forward end of the chute 99, a coin is inserted in the coin slide which is then moved rearwardly, the coin slide actuates the lever |22, the control ball 99 actuates the lever |23 and the depending pin |39 on the lever |23 engages -the lever 92 and rotates it out of its position shown in Fig. 9 into its position shown in Fig. 8. of position of the lever 92 enables the control ball 99 to drop into the forward end of the magazine 9i. The forward edge of the abutment |92 is suitably curved so that this abutment may move past the upturned end |9| when the coin slide 23 is being pulled back.

The coin slide 23 may be of conventional design, for the most part, and may be provided with a complete stroke pawl |93 and other de` vices for rendering the chute inoperative. except by the appropriate coin or token. The coin or token is placed in an opening |99 in the coin slide and it is moved upwardly into a race |99 where the coin is -arrested by a spring |99 for inspection through a suitable opening |9'l.

The upward movement of the coin out of the slide 23is effected by means of a pawl |99 which is pivotally mounted below the coin slide 23. The pawl |99 is provided with a spring |99 which tends to move it into its dotted-line position shown in Fig. l1. In that position the pawl |99 elevates the coin out of the coin slide 23 over the block |59 in which the race |95 is formed. The pawl |99 is providedwith a pin |9| which is adapted to'be engaged by a cam |52 projecting downwardly from the slidable member |3'|. The link or slidable Amember |37 is provided with a slot |53 through which extends a pin |59 carried by a rigid part of the l frame in which the coin slide 23 operates. In its normal position the pawl |48 moves a coin o ut This change into the full line position shown in Fig. 11.

ever, a ball 49 is present at the forward end of the chute 99, the lever |23 is moved in thel manner above described, the link |31 is moved rearwardly and the cam |52 depresses the pawl |99 Consequently when, in the continued rearward movement of the slide 23, the coin reaches a position above the pawl |49, this pawl is inoperative and the coin moves rearwardly into the position shown in Fig. l1. When the coin slide above, in connection with the' various elements of the machine. For convenience of the reader. a brief summary of the operation is given for the purpose of correlating the functions of the several parts. A I

In the initial operation of the machine there are no control balls in the chute 99. The play balls occupy positions in the openings 2| and the magazine Ill is full of control balls and the conduit 2| contains one ball above the plate T9 and five balls above the latch i9. Consequently, all the switches S2, S9, S9, S9 and SI2 are closed. The wheel 99 is latchedas shown in Fig. 3, since the last unsuccessful play entailed the forward movement of the rod 9| and frame 99. 'I'he lever 92 is held by the foremost ball 99 in the position shown in Fig. 8. Consequently, when the player inserts a coin or token inthe opening |99 and moves the coin slide 23 rearwardly, this movement of the coin slide is not prevented by the rearward upturned end MI of the lever 92. The rearward movement of the coin slide 23 swings the lever |22,

' but this movement has no eect owing to the absence of all the control balls from the chute -99. Owing to the fact that the lever |23 is not moved by the leverv |22, the pawl |99 is in the dotted-line. position shown in Fig. 1l and the coin is elevated into the race |99. The forward movementof the coin slide 23 causes it to engage the bracket 29 with the result that the board 29 is moved rearwardly, bringing the openings 29 into alignment with the openings 2|.

The play balls 39 drop through the aligned openings and roll down over the board 3| into the chute 32 where they are available to the player. If the player fails to locate balls in all the holes 2| of one group, then the game is terminated and a coin must be inserted to start a new game. If, however, the player attains an objective; that is, if he locates balls in all the holes 2| of one group, thenV the operation of the solenoid 92 starts and continues until the appropriate number of balls corresponding to that objective havebeen delivered into the chute Y te. As has been previously` described, the met operation of the solenoid 62 unlatches the frame 99 so that it may move into a position to block the wheel 99. The-solenoid continues to operate repeatedly until the'ball immediately on the right of the wheel 99 Aclears the particular switch S2, S9, S9, S9, SI2 of .theenergizing circuit.

On the return ofthe armature l2 after elevating the first ball, the balls to the right of the star wheel 99 move forward one step and the balls to 'theleft of the star wheel 89 move forward part of a step and at least sufficient to enable the lever 92 to' move fromv the position shownin Fig. '7 to its position shown in Fig. 9. As has-heretofore been explained, the result of this change of position of the lever 92 is to abutment bring the abutment 4| into alignment with the |42. When this occurs the player must wait until the first control ball arrives at the position 69 before he can move the coin slide 23 rearwardly. To move the coin' slide 23 at all,

he must have inserted an appropriate coin. The

abutment |4| is rendered inoperative to arrest the movement of the cam |52 and the pawl |48 into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 11, with the result that the coin can be regained by the player after he pulls the slide 23 back.

Although the invention has been disclosed in connection with the specific details of a preferred embodiment thereof, it must be understood that such details arenot intended to be limitative of the -invention except in so far as set forth in the accompanying claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure byv Letters Patent ofthe United States is:.

1. The combination of a game apparatus in which a plurality of playing balls is adapted to be projected over a playing surface, a coin controlled mechanism for rendering the apparatus operable, means normally positioned to effect removal of a coin from said coin controlled mechanism upon actuation thereof, means connected to the coin removal means adapted to render it ineffective, a control ball adapted to be released at a predetermined time in the'playing of the game, means for. releasing the control ball, and means controlled by said coin controlled mechanism upon aVK subsequent v operation thereof adapted to move said control ball into -operative relation with said means for moving the coin removing means to its'inope'rative position.

2. A 4device as in claim .1, vincluding a maga--y zine in said apparatus, a plurality of control balls in the magazine, a runway connected to said magazine, means determining 'the number of balls which may bedelivered from the magazine to the runway, said balls when in said runway being adapted to cooperate with the lmeans for moving the coin-removing means to its inoperative position.

3. A device as in claim 1, including a magazine in said apparatus, a plurality of control balls in the magazine, a runway'connected to said magazine, means determining the number of balls which may be delivered from the magazine control balls as predetermined by the circuit closed.

4.'The combination of a game apparatus including a playing surface having recesses, playing balls adapted to be projected over said surface and to be held in said recesses, a coin controlled mechanism for rendering said apparatus operable to project said playing balls over said surface, means normally positioned to effect removal of a coin from said coin controlled mechanism upon actuation thereof, means connected to said coin removal means for moving it into an inoperative position, a plurality of control balls adapted to be released at apredeterniined stage in the playing of the game, means actuated by locating playing ballsl in predetermined recesses of said playing surface for releasing one or more of said control balls and means controlled by said coin controlled mechanism upon a subsequent operation thereof to move a released control ball into operative relation with said means for moving the coin removing device to its inoperative position.

5. In a free game apparatus a magazine adapted to control a pluralltyof control balls,

`a series of switches adapted to be closed by said balls, locking means .adapted to separate said balls within the magazine, means for elevating the balls from said magazine seriatim, said elevating means including electromagnetic means in circuit with said switches, and means for unlocking said locking means.

6. In a free game apparatus a coin slide. means normally operative to remove the coin from the slide, control balls, a lever movable with said slide adapted to engage and move a control ball, and a lever adapted to be engaged and moved by said control ball, said last leverbeing connected to the means for removing the coin so as to render it, when actuated by a control ball, inoperative.

7. In a free game apparatus a playing surface over which play balls are adapted to be played,

switches on the playing surface adapted to be f closed by said balls, a free game control device comprising switches in circuit with certain of the switches on the playing surface, a solenoid adapted to be energized by simultaneous closing of certain switches on the playing surface andl certain switches on the control device, a

magazine in said control device, control balls therein normally closing said switches of the control device, an armature for said solenoid adapted to elevate control balls therefrom seriatim, contacts adapted to be opened by the upward movement of said armature to break the circuit through said solenoid, whereby intermittent elevation of control balls continues until the circuit is broken by one of said switches 'in the control device, means for rendering the play, balls available to the player, including, means cooperating seriatim with said control'-balls after their elevation and for returning said control balls seriatim to the magazine, a spurwheel adapted to separate the control balls in the magazine into two groups, .and means for locking and,

unlocking said wheel, the switches of the magazine being located in a series near one end of ,the

magazine and said magazine sloping downwardly towards that end.

W.l'.Ll'.l.AM H. BELLAH.

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