GB860170A - Bowling pin elevating mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

860,170. Skittle alleys. AMERICAN MACHINE & FOUNDRY CO. Jan. 29, 1959 [Feb. 27, 1958], No. 3251/59. Class 132(2). Bowling pins are conveyed from the alley pit by a conveyer 12 into a continuously rotated annular channel 28 disposed in a vertical plane which conveys them from a lower pin-receiving station to an upper pin-delivery station, the channel being provided at each pin position with a releasable device for holding the pin in the channel. As shown, the channel has a circular rail 30 which runs on rollers 40, 42, 44, 46 carried on a rigid framework 51, 54, 56, the channel being rotated by motor-driven shaft 64 and belt 60 running in groove 58. Each pin-holding device comprises a nosed lever 74 urged upwards (Fig. 3) to grip the pin 10 by a lever 96 and push rod 70, the lever 96 being moved by a roller 94 running on a fixed cam rail 110 shown in detail in Fig. 4. The rollers move clockwise in Fig. 4 and at the bottom position lie inside the cam rail; as they move up, a ramp 120 causes them to move outside to cause the pins to be gripped until they meet a pivoted gate 142. If it is desired to remove pins from the machine this gate is manually opened so that the rollers 94 pass inside the rail 110 and the pins fall into a discharge shoot 150. If the gate be shut, the rollers pass on to a second gate 122 which can be opened by energization of a solenoid 130 in response to the need of further pins in the pin-setting apparatus. Opening of gate 122 releases pins to this apparatus. If both gates 142, 122 are closed, the rollers are returned to inside rail 110 by a gate 156. U.S.A. Specifications 2,767,983 and 2,767,984 are referred to.