US2212736A - Amusement device - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 27, 1940. H. c. HANLr-:Y ET AL AMUSEMENT DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 5, 1939 INVENTORJ and Harry C. Han/ey dose/Db A. oqenberqer BY PMX, ATTORNEYs Aug. 27, 1940. H. c, HANLEY Er AL AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed June 5, 1939 2 sheets-sheet l,2

INVENTOR ey and /7 f4. Posenberger ATTORNEYJ Harry C? Han] dose/o f @my Y times insured.

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Patented Aug.v 27, A1940 Harry C. Hanley, Grosse Pointe Park, and Joseph A. Rosenberger, Detroit, ,Mich., assignors to NeWEra Sales Machine Company, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application June.5, 1939,'Serial No. 277,532

'i7 claims. (crave-145) This invention relates to an improved amusement device.` This application is a continuation of our application Serial No. 176,952, filed No-` vember 27 1937.

An-object is to. provide improved amusement or game mechanism adapted for the playing of, a

plurality of dierent games and which Vis adapt# able for use by one or any number of players.

Another object is to providev mechanism of this character which is simple, inexpensive, and

interesting. A meritorious feature of the invention is that the operating parts of themechanism are power driven Abut are subject to control by a player using the same.`

A further object is to provide mechanism Vof the character setiorth which will utilize game tokens which diif'er in kind. Dice cubes, balls, 4marbles,or game tokens of a different character vor shape may beemployed with the mechanism described. The mechanism will function to throw or distribute tokens, whichever kind may be used.

More particularly, an improved feature coinprises a rotatable disc and associate d walls adapted upon rotation ofthe disc to throw off or distribute game tokens onto a table or other receiver where the result of the throw or distribu` tion is read. The rotatable disc and associatedl walls are of such a character that the tokens are thoroughly tumbled and mixed beforethey are thrown vor distributed onto the receiver or table.

The yrotation of the disc' is subject to co ntrol of the player wherebythe character of the tumbling and throw of the tokens mayV be' varied at Will.

receiver to the rotatable disc. tokens from the table to the conveyor is Delivery of the subj ect to the control of the Iplayer and such delivery is further synchronized with the movement of the` conveyor wherebyV accurate functioning is at all Other objects, advantages and meritorious fea-V tures of our amusement mechanism `will more fully appear'from the following description, ap-

pended'i claims, and accompanying drawings,

wherein:

Fig. l isa top bodying our invention.

plan view of mechanism em` Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly broken away of the structure shown in Fig..'1.

Fig. 3v is a cross'sectional'view taken line'3-'3 of Fig; 2, and

' this `exit across the disc 2li toa point adjacent the wall, ltotation of the disc is counterclockwise Fig. 4 is van enlarged fragmentary elevatio `partly in section of the token receiving end of the conveyor and the token discharge leading friction driving element I8 is carried by the motor shaft; This driving element is supported in avertical plane -and frictionally engages for d driving a horizontally disposed frictional element 25 which is keyed to a vertical shaft 22 as shown in Fig. y2. Theupper end of this shaft 22 Yhas a rotatable disc'2l' Xed thereon for rotation therewith. The lower end of the shaft is mounted within abearing 26. Other suitable bearings for the shaft, such -as 28, are provided. The disc 24 is the disc upon which the game tokens are deposited. Upon rotation of this disc the tokens are thrown off by the'disc or distributed by it as hereinafter described.

The disc'Z has associated -with it inner and outerwalls. The inner wall is represented by a drum 30 which is here shown-as carried by the disc to rotate therewith. The outer wall is represented'by an enclosure or the like 32 which forms a part of the stationary stand. This outer wall is of' an irregular contour as shown in Fig. l but generally it'is arranged abouty the circumference of the disc24. The inner and outer walls may be provided with cushioning covering material such as sheet rubber or the like indicated in 'Fig'. k2 as 34. The floor or top of the disc .might be likewiseiso provided.v

'I'he outer wall is cut away as at 36 providing an exit for game tokens thrown off by the disc 24 and there is a wallr portion 38 which is here shown as a continuation of the outer wall ritself that' extends from a point adjacent an edge of "Zio , it vinner wall 30.1 This wall 38 follows for a short 4distancefsuch as 4U the curvature of the wall 30 and thenturns outwardly as at 42 to the line of thefouter wall proper asshown in Fig.`l. This outer 'wall is made up of-a succession of relatively angul'arly arranged` sides as will appear fromiFig; 1.: j These rsides might be said to approximatetangents to the contour ofthe inner as illustrated.

Adjacent to the exit 36 from the disc is a play-v ing table. This table is surrounded by an upright wall or enclosure 46. The table wall 46 and the wall 32 that surrounds the disc are shown as of the same height and may be covered with a removable glass top 48. As here shown the table or receiver for the tokens thrown from the disc 24 is made up of a plurality of tiltably supported panels 58. Six of these panels are here shown and each panel is journaled at its ends for tiltable movement as shown in dotted outline in Figs. 2 and 3. In Fig. 3 a panel 58 is shown as provided at each end with a pivot support 52. An arm 54 depends from each pivot 52 and these several arms are connected at their lower ends by a link 56, which link is adapted to be actuated by a manually operable handle 58. When the handle is in the position shown in solid line in Fig. 2 the panels lie flat and form a aft table top. When the handle is'moved to the position shown in'dotted outline in Fig. 2 the several panels are vtilted as shown in dotted outline position of the two end panels. In Fig. l the panels are in position to receive the tokens thrown4 from thevdisc 24. They are then tilted to the position shown in the dotted outline indication of the handle to discharge such tokens from the table for conveyance back to the rotatable disc.

Positioned belowvthe table is a hopper indicated as 68. This hopper is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and the delivery end thereof is shown in Fig. 4. It is carried by theframe. It receives the tokens discharged from the table upon the tilting of the panels. These tokens slide down over its walls to its delivery outlet 62. 'I'his outlet is controlled by a flap valve 64. This valve is pivoted for swinging movement upon pivot rod 66. Its actuation will be hereinafter described but the outlet from the hopper discharges onto an inclined track or plane 68 that circles about so as tordischarge into the enclosure or tubular wall 18 of an elevator or conveyor mechanism.

The conveyor mechanism comprises an endless belt I2 mounted at its lower end upon a drive Wheel 74 which is carried by a drive shaft 16. The belt extends at its upper end over an idler 19. The shaft 'i6 is suitably supported upon the .frame in bearings provided therefor and carries a drive pulley 18. This drive pulley 18 is driven by a belt 88 from a pulley 82, which pulley 82 is mounted upon the same shaft as pulley 84 which pulley 84 is driven by a belt 86 from the pulley 88` which is mounted upon the motor shaft alongside of the friction disc |8.

The delivery conveyor belt 12 is provided with ns or lift devices 98 secured thereto in spaced apart relationship therealong as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. It travels through the enclosure 18 heretofore mentioned and rides over a supporting wall or sheet 82 shown in Fig. 4. This wall 82 is carried by supports 84.

The tokens which are collected in the hopper von the tilting of the table leaves 58 are held therein by the flap valve 64 until the conveyor lifts or fins 98 arrive in proper position to receive them from the inclined chute 68. The floor of this chute slopes downwardly and inwardly so as- Figs. l and 2 as |88.

`to rest.

and will not arrive at such a time as to clog or jam such n.

This synchronization of movement of the flap valve 64 with the running of the conveyor belt is accomplished by a trip arm 96 pivoted at 98 upon its support on a part of the frame. This arm is held by a spring |88 to the position shown in Fig. 2 so that the end of the arm will be in position to be engaged by each fin 88 as the fin passes thereover. The arm is tilted by the moving iin against the resistance of the spring |88 as shown in Fig. 4. The arm pivot 98 has mounted thereon an arm |82 connected by a link |84 with another arm |86, which arm |06 is secured to the end of the nap valve pivot 66 as shown in Fig. 3. This mechanism is so arranged that by virtue of the proper spacing of the ns 98 on the belt 'I2 the valve 64 is opened to discharge tokens held in the hopper by it onto the chute 68 to be picked up by a 1in when it passes therethrough. l Y

The conveyor lifts the tokens to its upper end adjacent the table 24 where they are discharged therefrom onto an inclined chute indicated in This inclinedA chute extends out to a point adjacent the periphery of the disc 24 so that the tokens slide thereover onto the disc 24.

The motor is connected up in a conventional manner with a suitable source of electric current and a control switch ||8 is provided which includes a rheostat so that the motor may be turned off or on and, in addition, may be speeded up from a slot on position to one of increasingly rapid rotation. This structure is1 conventional and is not illustrated in detail. It will b eapparent that through the use of it the speed of the rotating disc 24 may be regulated and that as a result of such regulation the rapidity of tumbling andthe impetus of throw of the tokens can be varied at will. f y

The receiving table is made up of thetiltable panels or leaves 58 and may be marked off in a series of blocks or squares as indicated by the lines shown in Fig. 1. These squares may be given different values to indicate different scores depending upon which squares the tokens come panels may be provided with pockets or recesses ||2. Different values may be assigned to these recesses. The panel 58 whichis immediately adjacent the rotating disc has a plate portion ||4 which projects into the exitv from the rotating disc and has an edge that conforms with the curvature of the discas shown in Fig. 1 and this plate portion tilts with the panel as shown in Fig. 2.` This structure vinsures that any tokens thrown from the` disc will be discharged into thehopper. f y

In the operation of this mechanismV any number of players may playtogether or one player may operate it alone. Conventional dice may be used and thrown out upon the tableI and read in the ordinary manner without any attention being paid to themarked 01T blocks or tothe recess |2. On the other hand, balls might bev used and thrown across the table and given a reading dependingupon which pockety 2 they fell into. These pockets would have diierent values. A further -method would be tol have tokens indic-ating other things than the markings on conventional dice and these values-might be read or they might be aggregated with values assigned tothe blocks on'.the panels. Tokens .of widely Certain of the squares or one of the.

varying kind and character may-be employed. u

to many games of this character. and that itmay be set going and continued as desiredand that control canibe regulated if and whenadesiredand that it is capableof. many uses,

The endless conveyorrbelt vI2 with its surround.

ing enclosure 10. and the rotatabletoken deliveringdisc 24 with its surrounding side walls provides game token conveyingand advancing mech' anism which is power driven and adapted to. con-v vey and advance the playing tokens from they combination, a rotatable:disc, a table arranged adjacent thereto to receive game tokens thrown:

01T by the disc in itsv rotationand. a conveyor having an-entranoe positioned to receive. tokens from said table and having adischarge positioned to deliver tokens conveyed thereby upon said disc. 42. An amusement mechanism comprising, in

combination, a rotatable disc, a table arranged adjacent thereto yto receive game tokens Vthrown ofi by the disc in its rotation, saidtable made up of a plurality'of'tilta'bly supported panelameans operable to tilt said panels, a conveyor having an intake positioned below said table to receive tokens therefrom upon tilting of the table panels, saidconveyor extending to a point adjacent to saiddisc and having an outlet adapted to deliver conveyed tokens..

3. An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotatable disc, aLtable arranged adjacent thereto to receive gametokens thrown off by the disc in` its rotation, said table made up of a plurality of tiltably supported panels', .means operable to tilt said panels, ahopper disposed below said table to receive tokens'therefrom on tilting of the table panels, said hopper having a discharge outlet, and means controlling thedelivery of tokens through said outlet.

4. An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a rotatable disc, a table *arranged adjacent thereto to receive game-tokens thrown oilby the discin its rotation, said table madeup cf a plurality of tiltably supported panels, means operable to tilt said panels, a hopper disposed v'below said table to receive tokens therefrom on tiitingof the table panels, said hopper having a discharge outlet, a conveyor having an intake positioned to` receive theV game tokens passing..

through said outlet, said conveyor extending to a point adjacent to the rotatable disc and having an outlet-adapted to deliver said tokens upon said disc, and means synchronized with the movement of the conveyor controllingthe movement of tokens throughsaid outlet.

5.- An amusement mechanism` comprising, in n combination, a horizontally rotatable disc, wall structure associated-withthe disc extending-upwardly thereaboveto prevent game tokens carried by the disc from leaving the disc, said wall "provided withlan opening affording an exit forgame tokensthrown off'by the disc mits-rota.- tion, a table. positionedadjacent to said. exit to receive game tokens thrown from the disc through said opening, saidtable consisting of aplurality of tiltably supportedpanels, means. operable to tilt' said panels, a hopper. lpositioned below the table to receive tokens therefromnpon the tilting of .the table panels, .said hopper having a vdis- Y cliarge outlet; Ya conveyory havingA an.intake ,posi-L tionedT to receiveifthectokenslpassing, through said-V outlet; saidz'conveyor, extending toa.,point adjacent to-the rotatable disc'and having an outlet. adapted to deliver the tokens conveyed to saidl disc;

6; An amusement mechanism'y comprising, in, combination, ahorizontally rotatable disc, inner andiouterr sidewalls associated with said disc extendingl upwardlyv thereover, the inner walll positioned .axially thereof`= and` carried thereby. the fouter wail positioned marginally thereabout,. said outer walllbeing stationary. and having an openinggproviding an exit for game tokens thrownf on by the disoin its-rotation, a wall extending from saidouter wall adjacent to said exit across the disctoa p oint adjacent the inner wall,.a

table positioned adjacent to said exit'to receive n gamev tokens thrownffrom the disc, said table consisting. ofiv a plurality of v.tiltably supported panels, ,means operable to tilt said panels, afhop-f per positioned below the table to receive tokens therefrom upon the rtilting oi the table panels, said hopper having a discharge outlet, a coneA veyor having-an intake positioned to receive thetokens passingthrough said'outlet, said conveyor extendingy to a point adjacent to the rotatable disc and having'an outlet adapted to delivery the tokensconveyedto said disc, means operable todrive saidv rotatable disc and conveyor, valve means controlling the movementl of tokens through the hopper `outlet-onto the conveyor, andY mechanism synchronizingsaid valve means with the movementothe conveyor.

'7. An amusement mechanism comprising, in. combination, a horizontallyfrotatable disc, inner and outer sidewalls associated withv said discv extending upwardly thereabove, the inner wall positioned axially` thereof and rotatable there-v with, the outer wall positioned marginally thereabout,.said outer wall being stationaryfand lhaving 'an opening providing an exit for game tokens thrownoff by. the disc in its rotation, a` wall extending from said. outer wall adjacent to `said exitacrossthe disc to a point adjacentthe inner controlling the delivery of tokens throughsaid.

hopper outletontothe conveyor belt, mechanism synchronizingr the, opening ofthe said valvemeans with thetravel oi-the conveyor, and power means. coupled-with-the rotatable discs andwith the conveyorv to drive them.

8. An. amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, .a horizontally rotatable disc, inner and outer sidewalls associated with said disc, the inner wall. positioned axiallythereof and rotatable therewith, the outer wall positioned marginally thereabout, said outer Wellbeing stationary and having an opening providing an exit for game tokens thrown 01T by the disc in its rotationalwall extending from said outer wall adjacent to saidexit across the disc to a pointA adjacent the inner wall, a table positioned adjacent to'. saidleirit. to.' receive game tokens vthrown from the disc, saidtable consisting of a plurality of tiltably supported panels, means operable to tilt said panels, a hopper positioned below the table to receive tokens therefrom upon the tilting of the table panels, said hopper having a discharge outletand an endless conveyor belt provided with spaced apart elevator fins communicating at one end with the hopper to receive tokens delivered through the hopper outlet and communicating at the opposite end with the disc to -deliver said tokens through a chute to the disc, valve means controlling the delivery of tokens through said hopper outlet onto the conveyor belt, power means coupled with the rotatable disc and with the conveyor to drive them, valve mechanism controlling the delivery of tokens through the hopper outlet to the conveyor, and means actuated periodically by the movement of the conveyor to actuate said valve means to deliver tokens onto the conveyor.

9. An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a horizontally rotatable disc, inner and outer side walls associated with said disc and extending upwardly thereabove, the inner wall positioned axially thereof, the outer wall being stationary and positioned marginally thereabout, said outer Wall having an opening providing an exit for game tokens thrown off by the disc in its rotation, a wall extending from said outer wall adjacent to said exit across the disc to a point adjacent the inner wall, a table positioned adjacent to said exit to receive game tokens thrown from the disc, said table consisting of a plurality of tiltably supported panels,

".means operable to tilt said panels, one of said tiltable panels provided with a portion extending into said exit and terminating in a margin adjacent to said rotatable disc and conforming to the curvature thereof.

10. An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a horizontally disposed rotatably mounted token tumbling disc, inner and outer side walls associated with the disc extending upwardly thereabove and spaced apart radially of the disc defining an approximately annular portion of the disc over which game tokens carried by the disc are tumbled during the rotation of the disc, said outer side wall being stationary and including a circumferential succession of relatively angularly arranged side wall areas each disposed approximately parallel to a tangent to the margin of the disc, said outer wall being provided with an opening through which said tokens are thrown from and by the disc, and a token receiving and viewing table arranged adjacent to the disc and the opening through said side Wall to receive game tokens from the disc through said opening.

11. An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a horizontally disposed rotatably mounted token tumbling disc, inner and outer side walls associated with the disc extending upwardly thereabove and spaced apart radially of the disc defining an approximately annular portion of the disc over which game tokens carried by the disc are tumbled during the rotation of the disc, said outer side wall being stationary and including a circumferential succession of relatively angularly arranged side wall areas each disposed approximately parallel to a tangent to the margin of the disc, said outer` wall provided with an opening through which said tokens are thrown from and by the disc, and a token receiving and viewing table arranged adjacent to the4 disc and the opening through said side wall to receive game' tokens from the disc through said opening, said innerv side wall being rotatable with the disc, and a supplemental wall portion extending from an edgeofthe opening through the outer side wall across the disc to a point adjacent to the inner .side wall :to direct tokens being tumbled by the disc through said opening.

12. The invention as denedin claim 10 characterized in that means isprovided for conveying game tokens from the tab-le back onto the 13. An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a game token receiving and viewing table top provided with a plurality of tiltably supported table top panels, a hopper positioned below said table to receive game tokens therefrom upon the tilting of the panels, means operable to tilt said panels, said hopper having a discharge outlet, valve means controlling said outlet, and game token advancing mechanism communicating with said outlet to receive game tokens therefrom and adapted to advance and throw said tokens onto said table.

14. An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a game token receiving and viewing table top provided with a tiltably supported table top panel, a side wall surrounding said table top, a hopper disposed below said tiltable panel to receive game tokens therefrom upon the tilting of the panel, means operable to tilt said panel,

said hopper having a discharge outlet, game token conveying and advancing mechanism communicating with said outlet to receive game tokens therefrom and communicating through an opening in the wall about the table to deliver game tokens thereupon, said game token advancing and conveying mechanism adapted to advance game tokens received from said hopper onto said table.

15. An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a game token receiving and viewing table top provided with a tiltably supported table top panel, a side wall surrounding said table top, a hopper disposed below said tiltable panel to receive game tokens therefrom upon the tilting of the panel, means operable to tilt said panel, said hopper having a discharge outlet,

game token conveying and advancing mechanism communicating with said outlet to receive game tokens from the hopper and communicating through an opening in the wall about the tab-le to deliver said tokens thereupon, valve means controlling the dischargeof tokens from the hopper to said conveying means, power means coupled with said Valve to actuate the same, said power means coupled with said game token conveying and advancing means to advance said tokens received from the hopper and to throw them upon said table top.

16. An amusement mechanism comprisingy in combination, a game token receiving and viewing table top having a tiltably supported top panel, a hopper disposed below said tiltable panel to receive game tokens discharged therefrom, said hopper having a discharge outlet, game token conveying and advancing mechanism including an enclosure extending on an upward incline from said outlet to a point adjacent to the table top,` valve means controlling the discharge of tokens from the hopper to said conveying and advancing mechanism, power means controlling the operation of said valve and controlling the operation of said conveying and advancing mechanism to elevate tokens from the outlet of the hopper through the enclosure to a level with the table top and to throw said tokens onto said table top'.

17. An amusement mechanism comprising, in combination, a game token receiving and view- 5 ing table, a game token discharge passageway v communicating with the tab-1e to receive game lmeans communicating with said discharge pas-` sageway to receive game tokens therefrom and l communicating with the table to deliverv game tokens thereto, and means controlling the de-` livery of game'tokens fromsaid discharge passageway of said gamertoken conveying and advancing means. Y

HARRY C. HANLEY.

JOSEPH A. ROSENBERGrER.k v

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