US2911218A - Bowling alley pin resetting machine - Google Patents

Description

NOV'- 3, 1959 B. scHERzlNGER BOWLING ALLEY PIN REsETTxNG MACHINE 17 sheets-sheet i Filed Aug. 1e, 1955 NOV 3, 1959 B. scHERzlNGER 2,911,218

BOWLING ALLEY PIN RESETTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheet 2 183 785 /86 184 x4# 5 4 14' 5 -O -197- I3 9 1 rt l 9 Y Li., QTL 2% 46 727 727 727 7127746 i0 NVENTOR.'

.Enano Sherz/cng/er,

ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 3, 1959 B. scHERzlNGER 2,911,218

l BOWLING ALLEY PIN RESETTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheet 5 lirjuno herz/vngr,

BY ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 3, 1959 B. scHr-:RzlNGER 2,911,218

BOWLING ALLEY PIN RESETTING MACHINE' 17 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 16, 1955 /N VE N TOR:

Br/uno .Scherzi/219,492',

wlmwufgya @JMW ATTORNEY B. SCHERZINGER BOWLING ALLEY PIN RESETTING MACHINE Nov. 3, 1959 17 SheetswSheet 5 Filed Aug. 16, 1955 /Nl/ENTOR:

Bzguno Sphez'zp'nqgr,

dcbvw ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 3, 1959 B. scHERzlNGER BOWLING `LLEY PIN RESETTING MACHINE 17 Sheets-Shea?l 6 Filed Aug. 16, 1955 ATTORNE YS.,

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BOWLING ALLEY PIN RESEITING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheet '7 /N VEN TOR.'

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MMJMJ MW ATTORNEYS;

Nov. 3, 1959 B. scHERzlNG-ER BOWLING ALLEY PIN RESETTING MACHINE 17 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Aug. 16, 1955 /N VEN Tok ATTORNEYS.

BY MM) Nov. 3, 1959 B. scHERzlNGER 2,911,218

BOWLING ALLEY PIN RESETTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheet 9 /NVENTOR Mw, @dgl www NOV 3 1959 B. scHERzlNGER 2,911,218

l BOWLING ALLEY PIN RESETTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheetl 10 Fvg .20.

/Nl/ENTOR.

.Br/uno Scherz/79pm ATTORNEYS..

Nov. 3, 1959 B. scHERzlNGER BOWLING ALLEY PIN RESETTING MACHINE 17 Sheets-Sheet l1 Filed Aug. 16, 1955 /NVENTORI Bry no Spherz/ing,

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Nov. 3, .1959 B. scHERzlNGER 2,911,218

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Nov. 3, 1959 B. scHx-:RzlNGER 2,911,218

BOWLING ALLEY PIN RESETTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 1e,v 1955 1v sheets-sheet 1s /N VENTOR.'

Br/uno Sherzcnlger, (Swim, BY a 1 L0 ATTORNEYS.

NOV- 3Q 1959 B. scHERzlNGER 2,911,218

BOWLING ALLEY PIN RESETTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16, 1955 17 shams-snee*b I4 Nov. 3, 1959 scHERzlNGER 2,911,218

BOWLING ALLEY PIN RESETTING MACHINE Filed Aug. i6, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheet 15 Fig. 32.

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ATTURNE YS Nov. 3, 1959 B. scHERzlNGER 2,911,218

BOWLING ALLEY PIN RESEITING MACHINE Filed Aug. 1e, 1955 1v sheets-sheet 1v ATTORNIEYS.

United States Fatent Zlil Patented Nov. 3, 1959 free BOWLING ALLEY PEN nnsnr'rnso MACHINE Application August 16, 19,55, Serial No. 528,711 Claims priority, application Canada September 177, 1954 Claims. (Cl. 273-43) This invention relates to improvements in machines for resetting the pins in a bowling alley between frames and sweeping the alley clear of fallen pinsV and balls during the balls of a frame.

The invention is concerned with a machine suitable for use with pins of the type having a projecting peripheral band, i.e. the type of pin used in the ive-pin game, and

f as furnishing an example of the invention, may for convenience be divided into live sections, these sections bemgv in turn sub-divided into individual mechanisms or parts. T he-ve main sections are broadly as follows:

(A) The pin setting unit-this comprises five individual pin holding mechanisms;

(B) An alley sweeping mechanism and the control linkages for such mechanism;

(C) The pit clearing unit which acts to clear the pit of balls and pins and to feed them to the fourth section (D);

(D) The reloading wheel and its associated parts which receives the pins and balls, feeds the latter to the return rails and the former to the fifth section (E); and

(E) The conveyor and recharging unit which feeds the pins back to the pin setting unit and arranges the travel of individual pins to the several pinv holding mechanisms. l

Inevitably, there will be some overlap between sections and no attempt has been made to set up rigid divisions. It is believed, however, that understanding of the machine will be greatly facilitated by reason of this sectionalization, and, in the description which follows, each seiction will be described'both in structure and operation, before consideration is given to the next section. Then finally, the overall operation of the machine will be described.

ln the preparation of the annexed drawings illustrating the machine, to which reference will be made in the description, the same policy has been followed. There are a few views of the whole machine to show the interrelation of the various sections, andra number of fragmentary views each concerned with one particular section at a time. n

The complexity of the machine has led to some of the details shown in a view concerned, for example, with the operation of a particular part, being omitted from other views in which the same part may appear, but which are furnished primarily to illustrate the operation of other parts. It follows that exact correspondence does not always exist between the various figures, but it is believed that such sacrifice has been made to the benefit of a clear appreciation of the important features of operation of the machine as a whole.

In these annexed drawings: Figure l shows a general side view of the whole machine with the parts in withdrawn or rest positions;

Figure 2 shows a general end view of the whole machine as seen from the bowling alley itself, i.e. from the right in Figure l;

Figure 3 is a fragment of the view of Figure l, showing section (A), the pin setting unit, in itsjlowered position for Action l, i.e. the action whereby the alley is cleared of fallen pins before completion of a frame by the bowler;

Figure 4 is in tum a fragment of the pin setting unitV illustrating operating parts not shown in Figure 3;

Figure is a fragmentary side View of the alley sweeping mechanism that forms section (B');

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5, showing the alley sweeping mechanism in a different position;

Figure 7 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of an individual pin holding mechanism;

Figure 8 is a side view of the pin holding mechanism of Figure 7, showing details of the holding and release mechanism;

Figure 9 is a further side View of the pin setting unit, showing the same in a retracted position in which it receives pins from section (E), the recharging unit therefor;

Figure l0 is a view similar to Figure 9, showing the pin setting unit in a lowered position just preparatory to Action 2 in which a fresh set of pins is set up for the next frame of balls;

Figure ll is a view generally similar to Figure 10 but with the parts in the positions assumed a moment later, exactly at the moment of resetting;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary exploded view of the parts seen in Figure 4, demonstrating their operation at the moment of resetting seen in Figure 11;

Figure 13 is a fragmentary section on the line XIII- XIII in Figure l0;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary side view of the machine showing principally section (C), the pit clearing unit, but also including parts of the pin setting unit;

Figure 15 is a view ofthe pit clearing unit of Figure 14 in a second position; i

Figure 16 is a fragmentary view of a detail of the mechanism shown in Figure 4;

Figure 17 is a side view of the parts shown in Figure 16;

Figure 18 is a view similar to Figure 16, but showing the parts in different positions; i

Figure 19 is a side view of section (D), the reloading wheel;

Figure 20 isfa' fragmentary plan view of the top of the reloading wheel seen in Figure 19, and associated parts;

Figure 21 is a detail end view of a part of the reloading Wheel as seen from the right of Figure 19, demonstrating the method by which a misaligned pin is repositioned.

Figure 22 is an end view of the whole reloading wheel as seen from the righthand side of Figure 19;

Figure 23 is a sectional View of the wheel shown in Figure 19, showing details of the pin gripping parts; i

Figure 24 is a side view of the parts sho-wn in Figure 23; v

Figure 25 is a view similar to Figure 23, showing the parts in a second position;

Figure 26 is a side View of the parts shown in Figure 25;

Figure 27 is a general plan View of the whole machine, showing more particularly the conveyor and recharging unit, section (E) and its relationship to the preceding section, the reloading wheel;

Figure 28 is a plan view of the recharging unit alone A in a rst operating position;

Figure 30 is a side fragmentary view of the parts shown in Figure 29, including also details of a linkage between these parts and the pin setting unit;

Figure 31a is a view similar to Figure 29 showing the parts in different positions;

Figure 31h is a further view similar to Figure 29 showing the parts in still further positions;

Figure 32 is a section on the line XXXII-QQQQI in Figure 31a;

Figure 33 is a plan view similar to Figure 28, showing the operation of the parts when in the position of Figure 31a;

Figure 34 is a time plan diagrammatically illustrating the operations of the pin setting unit;

Figure 35 is a fragmentary plan view of the driving and transmission parts of the machine; and

Figure 36 is a side view of the parts seen in Figure 35, as seen from the bottom of such latter figure.

As best appreciated from the general views of Figures l, 2 and 27, the machine is situated at the remote end of a bowling alley 1, the pin setting unit being supported over the ive pins 2 by a suitable straddling framework 3. The alley 1 has the usual gutters 4 at each side and a pit 5 at the rear. The return rail whereby the balls are returned to the bowler is shown by the reference numeral 6.

The construction of the pin setting unit (A) will now be described with particular reference to Figures 1, 3 and 4. Five pin holding mechanisms 7 are secured to a carriage 3 in a triangular array corresponding to the arrangement of the pins 2 so that one such mechanism 7 is disposed above the position occupied by each pin. The carriage 8 is mounted on the main framework 3 of the machine for vertical straight line motion from the retracted position shown in Figure 1, to various lowered positions, that of Figure 3 for example. True vertical movement of the carriage 8 is ensured by a pair of link mechanisms each consisting of two pairs of parallel links 9 and 10 pivotally connected together by means of a link 11, a further link 12 pivotally connecting one of the links 9 to the framework 3 of the machine. These parts can also be seen in Figures 2 and 27. The free ends of links 16 are secured to a bracket 13 fixed to the framework 3, and the free ends of the links 9 are secured to a bracket 14 attached to the movable carriage 8. This latter bracket 14 carries a roller 15 that runs along a surface 16 of the former bracket 13. These parts are duplicated on the remote side of the machine as it is seen in Figures 1 and 3, as may be observed from Figures 2 and 27.

While the parallel link mechanisms ensure accurate straight line vertical movement of the carriage S, they do not impel such carriage. This latter function is carried out by a crank arm 17 connected to the bracket 14 on the carriage S by a connecting rod 18. These parts are similarly duplicated on the remote side of the machine, but, for simplicity, only one set of parts will be described. At this point reference should be made to any one of Figures 9, and ll and Figures 35 and 36 for illustration of the means driving the crank arms 17, since these parts have been omitted from Figures 1 and 3.

Each crank arm 17 is rigidly secured to one end of a shaft 17 extending across the machine. Near the centre of this shaft 17' is mounted a sprocket wheel 19 connected by means of a chain 20 to a further sprocket wheel 21 mounted on a sleeve 21 (Figure 35) freely rotatable about a transverse shaft 23, to each end of which is secured an arm 22. The two arms 22 carry the shaft 17' on which the crank arms 17 are mounted. These arms 22 are rocker arms, their oscillation being controlled by means later to be described. There is also secured to approximately the centre of the shaft l23, a further '4 arm 22 carries an extension 63 bearing a cam follower 62 which, as later described, cooperates with a cam 61.

The carriage S is capable of two types of vertical downward motion. The first type of motion, which is employed for Action 1 of the pin setting unit, i.e. the action desired when the alley is to be cleared of fallen pins` before completion of a frame of balls, is brought about by rotation of each crank arm 17, with the rocker arms 22 and 22 held stationary in their upper position, i.e. as shown in Figure l. Figure 3 indicates this action, the crank arm being shown in this latter figure after a onehalf revolution from the position shown in Figure 1. Such rotation of the crank arms 17 which brings the carriage 8 to the position shown in Figure 3, ensures that pivotally mounted grippers 27 arranged at the bottom of the pin holding mechanisms 7 then come into register with the necks of any erect pins 2. Any fallen pins such as the one shown at 2 in Figure 3 are out of reach of such grippers 27. The grippers 27 each consist of a bar extending between a pair of fingers, as best seen from Figure 2. On the other hand, reference should be had to Figure 4 to observe their ope-ration, from which figure it will be seen that the rocker arm 22 supports at its end a cam 29 connected to rotate with the shaft 17 driving the crank arms 17. This cam 29 is also seen in Figures l2 and 35. In the position shown in Figure 4, the rise of this cam 29 is bearing against a cam follower 30 mounted on a lever 31 pivoted to an extension of the arm 22 at 32. The free end of this lever 31 is connected by means of articulated links 33 to a gripper actuating mechanism shown generally in Figure 4 at 34. This mechanism is connected by a rod 35 to one of the grippers 27. The other gripper 27 is arranged to rotate with the rst such gripper by means of a connecting rod 36. A spring 56 acts to keep the links 33 normally inwardly articulate Details of the gripper actuating mechanism 34 are shown in Figures 16, 17 and 18. The mechanism comprises a main plate mounted to rotate about a central axis 131. A pair of levers 132 is also mounted to rotate about this axis 131, each of such levers being pivoted to a further lever 133. The two levers 133 are pivotally connected together and to the lower link 33 at the point 134. The plate 130 bears a pin 135 projecting into an aperture 136 formed in a further plate 137, termed the switch plate, mounted in a plane parallel to that of the main plate 13?, but arranged to pivot about an axis 138 extending parallel to but above theaxis 131. The rod 35 is connected to a lower point on the plate 130. The levers 132 each carry a spring-urged pawl 139 adapted to co-operate with respective recesses in the plate 130. A pair of springs 141 connect the points of connection of the levers 132 and 133 to xed points on the carriage 8, so that the levers 132 are urged to rotate downwardly and outwardly about their axes 131.

Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Figure 16, relaxation of tension in the lower link 33 will permit such downward movement of the levers 132 and ultimately the righthand pawl 139 will fall into its recess 140. Subsequent upward movement of the links 33 will act to draw this righthand pawl 139 upwardly and thus rotate the plate 13%) in an anti-clockwise direction, thus pulling the rod 35 to the right and bringing the grippers 27 into engagement with the neck of a pin 2. Figure 18 shows the parts of the gripper actuating mechanism 34 with this operation partly completed. The plate 137 is canted to the left and thus prevents left-hand pawl 139 entering the left-hand recess 140. As the parts move towards the extreme upward position (ie. as shown in Figure 16 except that the plate 130 will now be in its opposite position with the righthand recess 141i higher than the lefthand recess 140), the pin 135 presses against an edge of the aperture 136 so as to swing the switch plate 137 to the right, pivoting about the axis 138. The effect of this movement of the switch plate 137 is to bring a portion of its periphery into register with the righthand recess l140 (thus forcing the pawl 139 which has until now been engaged in the righthand recess 140 out of such recess) While leaving clear the lefthand recess 140 sovthat on the next downward movement of the links 33 the lefthand pawl 139 can fall into its recess, whereas the righthand pawl 139 is prevented from similar movement. This ensures that the next upward pull on the links 33 acts to reverse the movement just taken place, pushing the rod 35 to the left and releasing theznecks of the pins 2. Thus, successive upward movements of the lower link 33 act respectively to engage and release the grippers 27 from the pins 2. Only one mechanism 34, containing the parts just described, is included in the machine, the rod 35 acting on the grippers 27 of each of the pin holding mechanisms '7, by suitable linkage connections not shown in detail.

The timing of the various parts in such that when the machine is set for Action l (see the lower diagram of the time-plan shown in Figure 34), the carriage 3 moves downwardly from the Figure 1 position to thev Figure 3 position; the grippers 2'. are operated to grasp the 'necks of any pins still standing; the carriage rises again due to continued rotation of the crank arm 17, lifting such pins with it clear of the alley; the alley sweeping mechanism operates to sweep any fallen pins or any balls remaining on the alley into the pit; the alley sweeping mechanism is retracted; the carriage descends again to reset the pins previously picked up;,and finally the carriage 8 is withdrawn upwardly. The alley is then ready for the remaining balls ofthe frame to be played. y

The construction and operation of the alley sweeping mechanism will now be described with reference to Figures l, 2, 3, 5, 6', 27, 35 and 36. This mechanism consists essentially of a pair of parallel link mechanisms arranged one on each side of the machine. Only the link mechanism on the near side of the machine is seen in Figures 1, 3, 5 and 6 and only this mechanism will be described, it being understood that the mechanism on the remote side is identical. Each such'parallel link mechanism consists of parallel links 4l) and 41 connected respectively at each end to parallel links 42 and 43, the link 43 extending downwardly from its connection to the link 41 to provide an extension 44. A sweeping bar 45 on two rolling castors 45 extends across the machine between the two members 44 and sideways extensions 46 are also provided in register with the gutters 4. These gutter-clearing extensions 46 are shown in Figures 2 and 27, having been omitted from the other views for the sake of simplicity. The link 4l) is secured at its end remote from its connection to the link 43, to the inner surface of the bracket i135 at the point 47, so that the whole mechanism rotates about such point. The driving means for the alley sweeping mechanism consists of a chain 25 driven from a sprocket wheel 24 mounted on a sleeve 24 (Figure 35) rotatable about the shaft 23, this chain 25 driving over idler sprocket wheels 49 to a sprocket wheel 50 mounted on a shaft 50 the ends of which carry crank arms 51 which each drive one of the parallel llink mechanisms through a connecting rod 52 pivotally secured to the link 4i?. The link 42 carries on an extension a roller 53 cooperating With a cam surface 54 (see Figure 6) on the bracket 13. A spring 55 connects intermediate points of the links 40 and 42.

The withdrawn position of the alley sweeping mechanism is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, with the bar 45 raised well clear of the alley 1 and the pins 2 thereon. As above explained and as illustrated in the lower diagram of the time-plan of Figure 34, a downward and rearward sweeping movement of the alley sweeping mechanism is coordinated with the Action l movement of the pin setting carriage. The iirst stage in this movement is shown in Figure 5, the crank arm 51 having moved the mechanism downwardly until the rollers 45 bear against the surface of the alley 1. By this time the roller 53 has begun to ride upwardly on thev cam surface 54 so as to rotate the link-42 clockwise about its connection to the link 40. This motion is transmitted through the link 41 to the link 43 and its extension 44 so that the latter is moved to the left in Figure 5 as the crank arm 51 .con tinues to rotate and move the link 40 clockwise about its pivotal point 47. Finally, the parts assume the position shown in Figure 6, the sweeping bar 45 having by this time swept any fallen pins 2 and any balls remaining on the alley or in thev gutters into the pit. Continued rotation of the crank arm 51 returns the parts to their initial position, the spring 55 ensuring that the roller 53 is pressed against the cam surface 54.

At the conclusion of a frame of balls the machine is required to reset ve pins in their appropriate positions on the alley, and this is accomplished by a different operation of the carriage S and the parts supported thereon, termed Action 2. The sequence of events of Action 2 is illustrated diagrammatically in the upper portion of the timeplan of Figure 34. For consideration of details of the movements of the parts during Action 2 reference should be made particularly to Figures 9, l0, l1, 12 and 13. In this action there is oscillation of the rocker arms 22 and 22 in addition to rotation of the crank arms 1'7, so that the point of connection betwen each crank arm 17 and its connecting rod 18 follows the path indicated in Figure 11 by the arrows and lines 60, control of the oscillation of the rocker arms 212 and 22 which are all fixed on the shaft Z3 being provided by the cam 61 (see especially Figure 4, Figure 10 or Figure 12) acting on the cam follower 62 mounted on the extension 63 of the rocker arm 22. Commencing in the withdrawn position shown in Figure 9, the carriage 8 is' lowered by the simultaneous rotation of the crank arms 17 and downward oscillation of the shaft 17 -by the rocker arms 22 and 22' until the parts assume the position shown in Figure 10 with the carriage 8 positioned slightly above the surface of the alley 1. At this point a pair of co-operating surfaces 641and 65 provided respectively on the links 9 and 10 of the parallel link mechanism of the carriage come into contact with one another as illustrated in Figure 13. The purpose of these parts, which it will be seen tend to bind together as the carriage is nally lowered the last few inches from the Figure l() position to that shown in Figure 11, is to ensure positive locking of the carriage 8 in its exact position for the actual pin resetting operation. As appears from Figure l1, each of the pin holding mechanisms 7 is actuated when the carriage 8 assumes its lowermost position, to deposit live pins on the alley 1 in register with spikes 66 which at this time are projecting upwardly through holes in the iloor of the alley 1 to engage recesses in the bases of the pins 2. These spikes 66 form part of a conventional bowling alley, being mounted on a common plate 67 connected to a lever 63 pivoted at 69. With the present machine the lever 6% vis controlled at its free end -by a further lever '70 operated in the manner later to be described.

For the purpose of illustration, two of the pin holding mechanisms 7 are shown in Figure 11 with the pins released therefrom, while the third such mechanism shows its pin just at the moment of release, although, of course, in fact, all the pins are released simultaneously.

The release mechanism of the individual pin holding mechanisms 7 is shown in detail in Figure 8. While in position in the mechanism 7, the pin 2 rests with its rubber band 71 against a pair of pads 72 mounted at the lower ends of levers 73, each such lever being pivoted at 74 to an intermediate point on a further lever 75 and being urged to rotate by a spring (not shown) operative to move the pads 72 inwardly towards one another. The pads 72 are arcuate suciently to follow the circumferential contour of the pin 2. One end of each lever 75 is connected to a link 76, 77 respectively, and these two links are connected to opposite ends of a centrally pivoted arm 7 8 rotation of which is controlled by a rod 79 shown

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