US627712A - Bowling-alley. - Google Patents

Description

,4 Patented ldne 27, |899. G. W. WEMPLE. BowLlNG ALLEY.

[Applicationrled Nov. 14, 1898..

4 ySheets-Sheet l.

No Model.) v

George WWmpLe,

Wnesses:

No. 627,7!2. Ptented l'une 27;l |899. G. W. WEMPLE.

BOWLING ALLEY.

(Application filed Nov. 14, 1898.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4,

(N0 Modem.

nv MNA-w L /o... "i n e L ....4 IJ f/ A, Y HN N m. z Y w Q. S.

" NITED STATES.-

.PATENT OFFICE.,

4encuen W. WEMPLE, oF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOWLING-ALLEY.

srncirrcaron forming pm of 'Letteisat'ent Noyes?, 712, dated June 2r, 189e.

i Application llledNovemher 14, 1898. Serial No. 696,405. (No model.)

T0 {LIZ-whom, it may concern,.- Beit known that I, GEORGE W. WEMPLE,

.f vof Boston, in'the county of Sutfolkand State y novel features of construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the accompanying drawings and to the claims hereto appended and in which y my invention is clearly pointed out.

depressed positions with a portion of the cover of the said frame removed. Fig. 2 is a sec; tional elevation of the same, except that all the pins are standing, the cutting-plane being on line 2 2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aside elevation with all the pins standing. Eig. 4 is a section on line 3 31011 Figfl, looking toward the left of Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a section on line 4 4 on Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a, section on line-5 5 on Fig. 1, looking toward theleft of saidgfigure. Fig. 7 is a section on line 6 6 on Fig. l,

- looking toward thev left of said igure; and

Fig. 8 is a partial section on line 7 7 on Fig. 1. 'In the drawings, A is the alley proper, B

- I the glitters on each side of the alley, and H the partition-boards between two adjacent alleys, all of well-known construction. v

'D is an abutment extending transversely across the rear end of the valley and gutters and has setin or secured to its front side elasalley A and gutters B, the bottom of which is slightly downwardly inclined from the front toward the rear, and at a distance above the upper surface of said alley, at its lowest part, somewhat greater than the diameter of the ball to be used, which may be larger or smaller, but a four-and-onehalf-inch ball is preferable. The chamber of said frameis divided into a series of compartments E', E2,

E9, E4, E5, E", E7, E, and E9 by vertical partitions d, d", d2, d3, d4, d5, d, and 017, as shown in Fig. 1. In suitable bearings in said partitions is mounted a rod e, which extends through all of said partitions and has mounted thereon the pins e', e2, e3, and e4 and the short levers j', f', and f2, all so arranged as to be independently movable about said rod. Another rod g extends through` the partitions d', d2, d3, d4, d5, and d and has mounted thereon the pins ei, e6, and e7, and a rod g' is mounted in bearings in the partitions d2, d3, d, and di and has mountedthereon the pins eB Yand eggand a rod g2, mounted in bearings in the partitions d3 and d, has mounted thereon the pin el".4

The pin e5 is connected at lever y",and in like manner the pins e6 and e'r /are connected-to the dummy levers f' and f2,

respectively.

.The pins e2 and e8 have their lower ends connected together -by the link h', and the pin cwhas set in its lower end a stud i, which `its lower end the links h'to the lower end of the dummy' projects laterally therefrom through the curved slot t' in the partition cis and has conpins e2 and es, so that they must both fall together.

F is arod extending transversely throughV l all of the partitions from d to (i2-upon which is mounted, so as to be freely movable about its axis, a-series of trip-levers F' corresponding in number to the number of the compartments E1 to Es and arranged normally in an K inclined position, with their rear ends pro# jecting below the bottom ot the said frame in positions to be struck bythe ball when rolled beneath. them', and thus causesaid rear endstdbe ,raised and act upon one of the reo pins te cans-ea er it, with others, .to fan into x each other when the xo'. the pins e', c2, e3, anche4 and the short levers or dummies'jlf', andf2 have secured to the front sides of their lower arms the rearwardlycurved springsj', the convex sides of said springs jland j' being in near proximity to pins are set up, so that when the ball is rolled beneath any one ot' the said trip-levers and lifts its rear end the spring j, acting upon the spring j' with a yielding pressure, lmoves the pin to which said zospring j is secured about the rod e and causes it to fall toward the front into the inclined position shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7. G is a rocker-shaft mounted in bearings in the partitions dto di and having;

ends of which carryf the rod la, which when raised by a partial rotation of the shaft G acts upon the pins e", e2, c3, and r4 and the dummies f f,f,` and f2 to raise them, and through them 3o all the other pins, into a standing position slightly inclined toward the rear from a perpendicular, in which positions said pins and levers abut against the rear ends of the slots in the topcovering l of said frame E,as shown 354 ,in Figs. 4, 5, and 15.

j The rocker-shaft il has secured to one end` `thereof the lever G', to the movable end of which is connected oneend of theceiled spring G2, the other end of which is con 4o nected to the cord or chain G3, which passes 45 the gutter B, as shown in Fig. 3.

The lever il; has" a short arm 701,. to the free end of vwhich is pivoted one endet the link l, .the opposite end of which is pivoted to the movable end of the arm l', rmly secured to 5o the end ot" the rockerfshaft I?, mounted in suitable bearings in 4said partitions d to Z7 and having set in or securedto its upper side as many trip-arms Z3 as ,there are compartments between the partitions 1.! and (ZT.

A rod 'm extends through `the partitions d `to (i7 and .has suspended therefrom in each' Acompartment 'Eico Es a locking-plate m', the lower end of which is pressed toward the rear by the spring m2, set in the rod m3, so that 6o when the i'ront end of a trip-lever I1" is de- 4pressed by the bail coming in contact with its rear padded end the lower end of the plato m is moved over the front end of said tripleyer' and locks it in said depressed. posi- `tivi-5 'tion,in which position said parts remain until the rod k3 is again raised to set up the pins by the operation oi' the handdcver G, when position shown vin the lefi'tpor-'Vl irml y Se-A 25 cured thereon the arms fc, 7c', and k2, the free the trip-arm Z3 moves the lower end of the plate m' toward the front and releases the tri p-lever F.

The partitions d to d7 have slots n formed inl their upper edges, in the bottoms of which the rod k3 rests when in its normal position, and the coverIof the said frame E is slotted to allow the upward passage of said rod 1.13 when it is desired to raise or set up the pins.

J is an elbow-lever fulcrumed at the end of its horizontal arm within the comparment E5,

. with its other arm projecting upward to the 4upper side of the cover I of the structural frame E and having secured therein at its bend the rod J', which extends through slots .l2 in the partitions d to d? and is connected at its ends to the front ends of the levers J, lirmly secured near the middle of their lengths .upon the rocker-shaft K, the rear arms of said levers J being weighted to counterbalance saide rod J', so as to normally maintain said rod in its raised position, as shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7. The lower ends of the pin cd and the short dummylever f' being connected together by the links h3, as set forth, when the ball strikes the trip-lever F' in the cc1npartment E5 the upward movement of'its rear end causes the spring j thereon to act upon the spring it and the pin e to i'all, and the heavypin e, the upper end of which is weighted with load o, falling upon the ripper end of the bent lever J, depresses the rod J' and the front ends ot' all of the trip-levers F', thereby causing all of the pins to fall and producing a ten strike. In like manner the pins el and e7 be, ing respectively connected bylinks h to the dummy levcrsfandffi, and there being just above the levers li" in the compartments E3 and ET the pivoted levers or plates L,`hav ing set n their front ends the horizontal rods p, which project therefrom through slots vp' in the partitions separating saidcomparu ments f'roin'those upon each side thereof and over the trip-levers F' in said contiguous compartments, it the ball is rolled so as to come in Contact with the trip-lever F' in the compartment .E3 and cause the pin to fall it strikes upon the arm L', projecting upward from the pi voted plate Land de presses the forward end tl1ereoi`,cansng it to engage the triplever beneath it and the rod .7. to engage the trip-levers in the compartments E?? and E4, depressing said three triplevcrs and insuring the falling ot' the five pins e', c2, e, e, and c', and ii' the ball strikes the tripdcver F', that is located in the compartment E?, the four pins e, e4, e7, and e will fall. If the ball is so rolled as to strike only the trip-lever F' located in the compartment EL er E only one pin will fall, or if the ball is so rolled as to strike only the tripdever F' located in the compartment E orE4 two' or three pins, respectively, will fall. lf, however, the ball is so rolled as to come in contact with the two triplevers ll" located in the compartments E3 and E4 five pins wiil fall, and it the ball is so rolled as' to Contact y" on the dummy lcverf to cause IIC with the tw'o trip-levers located in the compartments E and E7 or E7 and Es four pins will fall.

' L Mis a wooden rod or bar extending through,

5 the several compartments E to E8 and has secured thereon in each compartment a cushion 'r of felt to limit the upward movements f the rear ends of the trip-levers F and diminish the shock of the blow thereof. A felt .ro cushion lr is also provided beneath the front mfend of Yeach trip-lever F', as shown in Figs.

4, 5, and 6. v z

, vStop-bars s, .9',and s2 extend across the Va- 'rions compartments at the upper edges of x the partitions d to di and have secured to Y their upper sides felt cushions t to limit the downward movements of the pins e to el and diminish the shock of the blow produced thereby.

so An elastic arm u, preferably of rubber, is

` pivoted` to the front of the frame Eby vthe.

' clamp u in line withl the center of the compartment E, which normally remains in the pendent position shown in Figs. 2, 5, 6, and

E5 7,-inwhich position it tends to deflect the ball.

to the `right or left if it is struck thereby in any other Way than directly in itscenter; but when not" desired it may be turned upward into a horizontal position, where it cancj not be struck by the bali, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The ball afteracting uponl a tripleiler. F ,comes incontact with. the cnshionb, lor if it misses the trip-levers F and falls into the gutter B it comes in contact wth the 3g cushions C, and in either case the rea tion of v said cushions causes the ball to be returned A to the frontend of the alley. .Wh/en ,the player has completed his turn, aproper forward movementof the hand-lever will set up I 4o all of the fallen pins, whether all or only a portion of them are down. f

By the useofmy invention the'services of a man or boy to set up the pinsand return the ballsv` is 4rendered entirely unnecessary which is lost while waiting for the pins to'be set up-in the old way. f

That I claim as new, and desireto secure f by Letters Patent of the United States, is- 5o l. In a bowlingfalley the combination of the ball-rolling surface or alley proper; a chambered frame located above said alley with its' bottom ata distance fromsaid alley somewhat greater than the diameter of the ball to be used; a' series of tenpins carried by said framefwith their lever ends within said chambored frame and their main bodies projecting above said frame, and arranged to fall from a nearly perpendicular position to a nearly hori- 6o zontal po'sitiong'al series ot seven trip-levers pvoted to said 'frame with their rear ends normallybelow the bottom of said frame and in close proximity to each other; and means intervening lbetween said trip-levers and pins whereby an upward movement of the rear end of vone of said trip-levers caused by the con- A 45 anda considerable saving in time is madeg/ tact of the ball therewith willcause one or more of said pins to fall.

2. In a bowling-alley the combination with^ a ball-rolling, surface or alley proper, of a 7o chamhered frame supported above said alley with its bottom at a distance from said ballrollin g surface somewhat greaterk than the diameter of the ball to bev used; aseri'es of tenpins arranged in the usual order relative to each other and pivoted to said frame so as to be movable about said pivotal connection' from a nearly-horizontal position toa position slightly inclined to therear from a perpendicular position; a series of seven trip-levers pivoted within said frame with their rear ends 'projecting below the bottom ofsaid frame and in close proximity to' each other so that a ball rolled along the surface of the alley to the rear end thereof will contact with and raise the rear end'of one or more of said trip-levers; and means interposed between'said pins and leverswhereby the passage of a ball beneath said frame tothe rear of said alley will cause one or more of said pins to fall. j l

3. The combination of a ball-rolling surface or alley; a yseries of tenpins arranged in the usual jorder relative to each other; three dummy levers alternating'with the pins-in the rear-`row, said pins and dummies being permanently mounted upon pivot-al axes a chambered framefor su pportin gsaid pins andjdummies, supported above said alley with its bottom at a distance therefrom somewhat greater than the diameter of the ball to be used; a downwardly-projectin g curved springsecured to the lower end ot' each of said tenpins and dummies; a series of seven trip-levers pivoted within said frame with their rear ends "normally projecting below the bottom of said /f-rame to a point distant from the alley-surf face less than the diameter of the ball to be used; and an upwardly and forwardly curved spring secured tothe upper surface of the frear end of each of said trip-levers, with its convex surface in close proximity to the con- Vex surface of the spring on one of the pins or a dummy in such'a manner that when one of said trip-levers is struck bya ball and moved about its pivot its spring acting upon the spring on the pin or dummy imparts anl elastic or yielding pressure to said pin or dummy tocause it to fall.

4; The combina-tion in a bowling-alloy, of a ball-rolling surface or lalley; a chambered frame divided into a series of compartments and` supported above said alley-surface with` its under side ata distance above said alley somewhat greater than the diameter of the ball'to be used; a series of tenpins pivoted near their lower ends in said compartments ywith the greater part-of their lengths projecting above said frame and three dummy levers pivotally mounted on said frame betweenthe pins in therear row; a series of seven trip-1evers pivotally mounted insaid compartments lnormally in an inclined position with their rear 'ifiv IOO ends projecting below the bottom of said frame to a point distant from the alley-surface less than the diameter of the ball to be used and in close proximity to each other; means intervening between said trip-levers and pins and dummies whereby an upward movement of the rear end of a trip-lever will cause one or more of said pins and dummies to fall; and an elastic cushion at the rear end of the alley for automatically returning the ball to the front end of the alley.

5. The combnation'in a bowling-alley of a ball-rolling surface; a pin-supporting frame supported above said surface with its bottom at a distance from said surface somewhat greater than the diameter of the ball to be used; the series of pins e, e2, es, e, e5, e, el, es, e9, and el, pivotally mounted in said frame, the three dummies ff and f2 pivotally mounted in said frame between the pins e', e2, e3, and e4; the links h, h, connecting the lower ends of the dummies f and f2 to the lower ends of the pins e5 and e7 respectively; the links h connecting the lower ends of the pins e and e3 with the lower ends of the pins ea and e9; the link h2 connecting one of the pair Iof pins e2 e to `the pin cw; the links h3 connecting `the lower end of the dummy f to the lower end of the pin ci; a series of trip-levers pivotally mounted in said frame one beneath each of the pins c' e? c3 and e and each of the dummies, with their rear ends projecting below the bottom of said frame to; a level distant from said ball-rolling surface less than the diameter of the ball to be used, and niclose proximity to each other; and spring-con tact arms on said trip-levers the pins e' c2 es and e4 and the dummies j' j" and f2 all constructed, arranged and operating substantially as described. j

6. The combination in a bowling-alley, of a ball-rolling surface; a pin-carrying chambered frame supported above said ball-rolling surface, with its bottom at a distancefrom said surface greater than the diameter of the ball to be used and divided into a series of compartments; a series of seven triplevers pivotally mounted iu as many of said compartments, one in each, in inclined positions with their rear ends projecting below the bottom of said frame and to a level above said ball-rolling surface a distance less than the diameter of the ball to be used; the tenpins e, c2, c3, e", e, e, e7, ci, e, and el", and the dummies jQjQj' all pivotally mounted in said frame; the curved springsj on said trip-levers; the curved springsj" on the pins e", c2, e, and c", and. the dummies ffandfi; the linlrs 7L connecting the dummy f and the pin e5; the links h, and 71.2 connecting the pins e2, es, and ew; the plate L provided with the upwardly projecting arm L pivotally mounted beneath the pin ci and dummyfin position to contact with a trip-lever; and rod p set in its front end and projecting from both edges of said plate into positions to contact with the trip-levers in the next compartment on each side of the one in which said plate is mounted all constructed arranged and operating substantially as described forthe purpose specified.

7. The combination in a bowling-alley, of a ball-rolling surface; a pin-carrying chambered frame divided into aseries of compartments and supported above said surface with its bot- 45' tom suiiiciently removed from said surface to permit the passage of the ball between said surface and frame; a series of seven trip-levers pivotally mounted in said compartments in inclined positions with their rear ends projectingin to the space between said frame and said ball-rolling surface to a level distant from said surface less than the diameter of the ball to be used; the tenpius e', e2, es, e, e, e, e7, es, e, and el, and the du1nmiesf,f,f2, all pivotal] y mounted in said frame; the curved springs j on said trip-levers; the springs j on said dummies and the pins e e2 es and e4; links connecting the dum my f .2 and the pin e7; links connecting the pins eil and e9; the pivoted plate L provided with the upwardly-projecting arm L' and the rod p set in its front end and projecting laterally therefrom as shown, said plate being mounted in the compartment beneath the'pin e7 and the dummyf2 and adapted to be acted upon by the pin e7 to move it into contact with and vibrate the trip-lever beneath it and one on each side thereof and thus insure the falling of the four pins e3 e4 e7 and 'e9 substantially as described.

8. The combina-tion in a bowling-alley of a ball-rolling surface; a chambered pin-supporting frame arranged above said surface with its bottom at a distance therefrom greater than the diameter of the ball to be used; a series of tenpins c', e2, e3, e, e5, e, e", es, e9, and elo, and the dummies jf f and f2 all pivoted to said frame; a series of seven trip-levers pivotally mounted in said frame beneath the pins e' e363 and et* and said. dummies, with their rear ends projecting below the bottom of said frame into positions to be struck by a bali rolled beneath them on the alley; the springs j secured on said levers; the springs jsecurcd on the pins e', e2, c, and e1; and on the dum-A miesjiffi; the'bentleverJpivotally mounted beneath thepin cil; the two-armed Weighted levers J 3; the rocker-shaft K upon which said levers J and J3 aro mounted; and the rod J connecting-the movable ends of said lever J" and the elbow of the lever .l and arranged to bear upon and depress all of said. trip-levers, whenthe pin e falls upon the upper end of the leverJ, and thus cause all of said pins to fall.

9. 'lhe combination in a bowling-alley, of a ballsrolling surface; a chambered frame arranged above said surface with its betteln at a distance therefrom greater Vthan the diameter of the ball to be used; a series of tenpins e', e2, ci, c2c, e, elysa, e?, and ew; and the dummy 'levers jij/"f, andfz, all pivctally mounted upon said frame; a link connecting the dummy f to the pin ci; links connecting 'ICO the pins e2, es, and elo,- a link connecting the dummy f to the pin e6; a link connecting the pin e8 to the pin e9; a link connecting the dummy f2 to the pin e7; a series of trip-levers F' pivotally mounted in said frame beneath the pins e' e2 es and e* and the dummies f, j',

' and f2, with their rear ends projecting below the bottom of said frame into positions tobe struck by a ball rolled beneath said frame on said ball-rolling surface or alley; a spring j.

secured tothe rear end of each of said triplevers; a spring j mounted upon each of said rocker-shaft G; a plurality of arms firmly secured upon said shaft the rod k3 connecting the movable ends of said arms in a position to act upon said dummies and the pins e', e2, es, and e4, or any of them that are in a fallen position to raise them; the lever G firmly secured upon the end of said shaft G; the handlever G4 located at the front end of the alley; and means connecting.,r said hand-lever with the movable end of the lever G whereby a forward movement of the hand-lever will cause an upward movement of the rod k3 and a consequent raising of all fallen pins.

l0. The combination of a ball rolling or alley'surface; a chambered frame arranged above said alley-surface with its bottom at a distance therefrom greater than the diameter of the ball to be used; a series of tenpins and three dummies pivotally mounted in said frame; a series of trip-levers pivotally mounted in said frame beneath said dummies and with said trip-T vers to lock them; the rockershaft l2 provided with arms L3 corresponding in number to the plates m; and means for oscillating the shaft Z2 to move said plates m' toward the front and unlock said trip-plates. 11. In a bowling-alley having a series of tenpins pivotally mounted upon a frame raised above the ball-rolling surface the combination with said pins of trip-levers pivotally mounted in said frame in positions to be struck by the ball when rolled along said snrface means intervening between said levers and pins whereby the upward movement of the rear end of a trip-lever will cause one or 55 more of said pins to' fall; and the pendent A elastic arm u pivotally secured to the front of said frame directly above the center longitudinal line of the alley as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 7th day of November, A. D. 1898.

- GEORGE W.' WEMPLE.

Witnesses: l

N. C. LOMBARD, JOHN W. Ronms.

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