US2607621A - Off-spot locator and spare pickup for bowling machines - Google Patents

Description

OFF-SPOT LOCATOR AND SPARE PICKUP FOR BOWLING MACHINES Ah. 19, 1952 T. c. PULVINO 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Dec. 8. 1949 Thomas C. Pulw'no IN V EN TOR.

Aug. 19, 1952 'r. c. PULVINO OFF-SPOT LOCATOR AND SPARE PICKUP FOR BOWLING MACHINES Filed Dec. 8, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Fig.3.

Thomas 6. Pu/w'no INVENTOR.

Patented Aug. 19, 1952 This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in bowling pin respotting devices, andmore particularlypertains to a bowling pin pickup device.

.An important object of this invention is to pro vide a bowling. pin pickup device which willautomatically retain a bowling pin thrust therein and selectively discharge a. bowling pin therefrom.

Another object of this invention in accordance with they foregoing object, is to provide a bowling pin pickup device which will not damage the bowling pins, which is of simple construction yet durable and highly efficient for the purposes intended. I v I An important feature of this invention resides in the provision for a bowling pin pickup device havinga unidirectionally yieldable bowling pin constriction therein. I

Another important feature of this invention resides in theprovision for means for selectively opening the constriction to discharge bowling pins therefrom. i

Anothenfeature of this invention resides in the -provision'for fingers having bifurcated pin embracing ends.

These, together with various ancillary objects and featuresare attained by this device, a preferred embodiment of which hasbeen illustrated by way ofexample only in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a perspective elevational view of the bowling pin pickup device shown engaging a bowling pin. v

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational side view of the bowling pin pickup device, showing details of bowling pin engaging fingers. v V

Figure 3 isa fragmentary elevational top view of thebowling'pin pickup device when engaging a bowling'pin shown in section.

"Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of a bowling pin respotting board towhich the bowling pin pickup device is to be attached.

In bowling, after the first ball has been rolled, all pins which have been knocked down, generallytermed deadwood, must be removed, and all pins remaining upright either in their original positions or laterally shifted therefrom, must remain in their newly acquired positions pendingthe rolling of, the second ball.

I order to facilitate the removal of the deadwood there is generallyprovided a means for raisingfthe upright pins, thereby permitting the deadwood to be swept ofi the alley, the pins then being replaced to the positions from which they were sed- F r t sn o h r s ene y:

v Thomas 0. Ifulvino, Rochester, N. Y.

Application December 8, 1949, $eria1 No. 131,874 7 Claims (01. 294-88) provided a respotting board to which a bowling ball pickup device is attached for limited lateral movement relative thereto. .1 i

In operation; the bowling pins which remain upright after the first ball is rolled and whichhave shifted from their original position by reason of impact from the bowling ball or from another bowling pin, contact the bowling pin pickup device in such a manner as to laterally shift the pickup device relative to the respotting board thereby aligning the pickup device with the off-center bowling pin. The pickup device then engages the bowling pin so that when the respotting board is raised, the bowling pin. is also raised, thereby permitting the deadwood to be swept away, after which the respotting board is again lowered and the pin discharged in the position from which it was raisedL; Bowling pin pickup device Referring now to the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals designatesimilarparts throughout the various views, the bowling pin pickup device, indicated generally by the numeral [0, and to which this invention relates, is shown;

in Figure 4. attached to a bowling pin respotting board l2.

Inorderto facilitate the shifting f th bowling pin pickup device In relative to the respotting board'lz, the pickup device In is provided with a downwardly and outwardly flared member which is preferably of the form of a frusto-conical section 14, the upper portion of the frustum l4 receiving a sleeve l6 thereon, the sleeve being secured to the frustum, I4 in any desired manner. If the bowling pin, indicated generally by the numeral 18, is off-center" from its original position, the head of the bowling pin [8 will engage the frustum l4 and cause a lateral shifting thereof relative to the bowling pin respotting board I2, the lateral shifting being permitted by the means by which the pickup device is attached to the respotting board, which attachment is well known to thoseskilled in the art and forms no part of this invention. a

7 Attached to the sleeve It in any suitable manner, as by thenbrackets2u are radially disposed pin engaging fingers 22. The brackets 20 preferably have arcuate shaped legs 24 ;-which embrace the sleeve. l5 and are attached-;theretoby means of fasteners 26, together with outwardly.

extending parallel arms 28 between each pair of which are pivotally received, by means of ;the.

pivot pin 30 which is journaled in the arms 28,- the bowling pin engaging fingers; 22. I;

Secured to, in any desired manner such as by welding, and laterally spacing the rear portions of the arms 28, is a block 32. To the block 32 is fastened, as by the bolt 34 and washer 36, an arcuate resilient spring member 38 which slidably engages the finger 22 so as to yieldingly urge the latter downwardly. A detent pin 40 which is securedin, or formed as part of the finger 22 engages the upper portion of the arms 28 so as to limitdownward movement ofthe fingers 22 to a preferably horizontal position.

A solenoid 42, of known construction, and havsleeve for receiving and retaining the upper poring a plunger 44 reciprocably mountednwithin its includingjradially disposed vertically pivotal fincore is provided, the plunger being yieldingly urged outwardly by a spring 46 or the like, which spring is secured to the outward end of the plunger 44. The solenoid 42 is attached to the arms 28 by a preferably U-shaped bracket 48 having longitudinal s1ots50 in its upper portion, which slots receive the .arms 28, apertures 52 being provided in the opposite ends of the UV-shaped bracket to slidably receive and guide the plunger 44, the bolt 3,4,being received in the.

which forms no part of this invention, are pro-.

vided for the solenoid 42-, whereby the solenoid may be selectivelyv actuated to disengage the fingers 22 from the bowling pin l8.

7 In operation, the pickup device I is lowered overthe-bowlingpin18, thereby causing a lateral shifting-'of-the pickup devicerelative tothe board l2" aspreviously discussed, the bifurcated pinengaging extremities 60 of the fingers 22 contactingthe rounded head 62 of the bowling pin-18;the fingers 22being thereby pivoted upwardly and outwardly. As the neck 84- of the pin I B is 'guidingly contacted by theextremities downwardly by the springs 38,-the-inwardends of fingers beingso positioned as to loosely-receive the neck- 'ofthe bowling-pin therebetween'. 7 As the downward pivoting of thefingers 22- is limited by the pin All engaging'the arm-28, thepin- 18 will be raised as the pickup device-I0 is raised, the head 62 of the pin [-8 being toolargeto-pass through the constriction formed by the fingers Release of the pin I8 isaccomplished by-first lowering the pickup device l0 and then energizing the solenoid 42 to thereby actuate the plunger 44- against the spring 46, the flange 52- of the plunger engaging the projection 56 of the fingers 22-'-to thereby upwardly pivot'the fingersand' disengage the pin I8 whereupon the pickup device- 0-maybe raised, leavingthepin I8 in substantially the position from-Whichit was removed.'- T i rrom the foregoing, it is believed that the construction and operation of the device-will bereadily understood and further explanationisbelieved to be" unnecessary. *Howeven since numerous modifications will readily occur to thos skilled'in-the art after a consideration of I the foregoingspecification and I accompanying 441s provided, at its inner end,

: tion, Ofja; bowling pin therein, said constriction gers, means attached to said fingers limiting downward'pivotal movement thereof below a horsleeve for selectively pivoting said fingers upwardly and outwardly to discharge a bowling pin from said constriction, said release means including-asolenoid, a plunger operated-by said solenoid, said plunger operatively engaging said; fingers to positively releasev said constriction,

2. In a movable bowling pin respotting'board; a pickup device attached to said board for limited lateral movement relative'theret' said device comprising a frustum, a sleeve on said frustum, a unidirectionally yieldable constriction ill-Said sleeve for receiving and retaining theupper portion of a bowling pin therein, said constriction including radially disposed vertically pivotal. fln-- gers, means attached to saidfingers limitingdownward pivotal movement" 1 thereof, releasemeans attached to said sleeve for selectively -piv-' oting said fingers-upwardly and outwardly to-discharge abowling pin from said constrictiom said release means including -a-solenoid-, a plunger operated by said solenoid, saidsolnoid liaving a flangethereon, a shoulder on lower portion of said finger,- said flange engaging said shoulder upon actuation of said solenoid to positively -'I'e' lease said constriction. l

3. A bowling pin pickup; devicefcompris'ing' a downwardly flaredhousing, a unidirectio-r-i'ally yieldable constriction on the upper end of=said-' housing for receiving and; retaining the-upper end of a bowling pin, said constriction-including; a plurality'of' elongated fingers each havingabowling pin-engaging end, arms on said housing; vertically pivotally attaching said fingers-"adjacent the smaller end of'said housing,'saidfingers extending radially inwardly of said-housing and, forming a constriction, pins on said fingers em gaging said arms for supporting said fingers, in a horizontally disposed position, saidfingers being so constructed andarranged tozverticallypivot' upwardly when the head of a bowling pin is passed therethrough and'pivot downwardly into a horizontally disposed position whe'nthe neck "of a bowling pin, is 'received'between said fingers to prevent withdrawal of the pin'from the pickup; device, and means forselectively vertically-p ivat ing said fingers'into their-bowling pin-releasing position, said last-mentioned means-includinga solenoid disposed adjacent each" of saidfin'gers,'- a plunger actuated by Bach-0f ai no seach engaging onefof-saidflngers tof vertically' pivotsaidflngers: l

4. A bowling pin-piokup device comprisi a downwardly flared housing; a-unieireietioneny yieldable constriction onthe upper end of said housing for receivingand retaining tlfe' uppr'end off a; bowling{pin-,-- said constriction includi plurality-of 'elongated fingers each havin b0 ing pln -engag'ln g-endg' arms ori saie housing tiertically pivotally attaching said fingers adjacent the smaller end of said housing, said fingers extending radially inwardly of said housing and forming a constriction, pins on said fingers engaging said arms for supporting said fingers in a horizontally disposed position, said fingers being so constructed and arranged to'vertically pivot upwardly when the head of a bowling pin is passed therethrough and pivot downwardly into a horizontally disposed position when the neck of a bowling pin is received between said fingers to prevent withdrawal of the pin from the pickup device, and means for selectively vertically pivoting said fingers into their bowling pin releasing position, means yieldingly urging said fingers into their horizontally disposed pin engaging position.

5. A bowling pin pickup device comprising a housing having circumferentially spaced openings therein, a pair of relatively spaced arms attached to said housing adjacent each of said openings and extending radially outwardly therefrom, a bowling pin engaging finger vertically pivotally mounted between each of said pairs of arms, means engaging said fingers to limit downward swinging movement of said fingers below a horizontal position, said fingers being so constructed and arranged to vertically pivot upwardly when the head of a bowling pin is passed therebetween and pivot downwardly into a horizontally disposed position when the neck of a bowling pin is received therebetween, a solenoid carried by said arms, and a plunger actuated by each of said solenoids and engaging one of said fingers to vertically pivot said fingers to their pin release position.

6. A bowling pin pickup device comprising a housing having circumferentially spaced openings therein, a pair of relatively spaced arms attached to said housing adjacent each of said openings and extending radially outwardly therefrom, a bowling pin engaging finger vertically pivotally mounted between each of said pairs of arms, means engaging said fingers to limit downward swinging movement of said fingers below a horizontal position, said fingers being so constructed and arranged to vertically pivot upwardly when the head of a bowlin pin is passed therebetween and pivot downwardly into a horizontally disposed position when the neck of a bowling pin is received therebetween, a plurality of U-shaped brackets each having a pair of slot in the web thereof, said slots extending perpendicular to the legs of said bracket and receiving a pair of said arms, means connecting the ends of said pairs of arms remote from said housing to each other, means securing said connecting means to the bracket, a solenoid disposed between the legs of each of said brackets, and a plunger actuated by said solenoids and engaging said fingers to vertically pivot said fingers into their pin release position.

7. A bowling pin pickup device comprising a housing having circumferentially spaced openings therein, a pair of relatively spaced arms attached to said housing adjacent each of said openings and extending radially outwardly therefrom, a bowling pin engaging finger vertically pivotally mounted between each of said pairs of arms, means engaging said fingers to limit downward swinging movement of said fingers below a horizontal position, said fingers being so constructed and arranged to vertically pivotupwardly when the head of a bowling pin is passed therebetween and pivot downwardly into a horizontally disposed position When the neck of a bowling pin is received therebetween, a plurality of U-shaped brackets each having a pair of slots in the web thereof, said slots extending perpendicular to the legs of said bracket and receiving a pair of said arms, means connecting the ends of said pairs of arms remote from said housing to each other, means securing said connecting means to the bracket, a solenoid disposed between the legs of each of said brackets, and a plunger actuated by said solenoids and engaging said fingers to vertically pivot said fingers into their pin release positions, a leaf spring carried by said means for securing said connecting means to said bracket, said leaf spring engaging said finger and yieldingly urging it into a horizontally disposed position.

THOMAS C. PULVINO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,308,255 Penwell et al July 1, 1919 1,652,597 Ayers Dec. 13, 1927 2,026,071 Stolp et al Dec. 31, 1935 2,283,614 Schmidt May 19, 1942 2,353,189 Rundell July 11, 1944

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