U.S. patent application number 10/702920 was filed with the patent office on 2005-05-12 for flush mounted discard rack.
Invention is credited to Nichols, Christopher, Ungaro, Mark Curran.
Application Number | 20050098952 10/702920 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34551775 |
Filed Date | 2005-05-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050098952 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ungaro, Mark Curran ; et
al. |
May 12, 2005 |
Flush mounted discard rack
Abstract
A device used for the discarded cards on a live casino gaming
table. The device is used to hold the used playing cards after
being played in a pass or hand of a card game preferably Black
Jack, 3 Card Poker, Poker, Pai Gow Poker or any other game of
chance.
Inventors: |
Ungaro, Mark Curran; (Las
Vegas, NV) ; Nichols, Christopher; (Las Vegas,
NV) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MARK C. UNGARO
2144 TONA CIR
LAS VEGAS
NV
89109
US
|
Family ID: |
34551775 |
Appl. No.: |
10/702920 |
Filed: |
November 7, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/309 ;
273/149R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 1/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
273/309 ;
273/149.00R |
International
Class: |
A63F 001/12 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A device that is used in handling playing cards of a live casino
game that is embedded into the table surface.
2. A device used for accepting discarded hands of a card game so
as: a. to protect the live casino game from cards being counted
after they have been used in a previous hand. b. to protect any
marked or dubbed playing cards that have been used in a previous
play from being counted or observed and re-shuffled to use in
future play of a casino card game.
3. A device used for holding and accepting cards of a live casino
game so as the cards can be re-introduced into action with a
minimum of difficulty.
4. A device used on a live casino gaming table to reduce clutter
and increase visibility of a live casino gaming table using playing
cards.
5. A device used on a live casino gaming table by means of
accepting discarded playing cards so the cards cannot be observed
by players who have intentions of cheating the game for which the
cards are being used.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] All existing games of chance use a discard rack to hold the
used cards after a hand has been dealt or played. All discard racks
are usually fixed or placed to the right side of the dealer. When a
dealer deals a hand to the player or players and a decision has
been made depending on the out come of the game.
[0002] Black Jack, for instance, is the most popular game of all.
Black Jack's popularity is so high because, if played right, the
odds are much higher than in any other casino game. The rules vary
little from area to area and from casino to casino. Black Jack is
played only against the dealer not against other players. The main
objective in Black Jack is to get a hand higher than the dealer's
without going over 21. Some professional Black Jack players count
the cards that are discarded in the discard rack and then count the
cards that have been played and can pace themselves accordingly.
Most casinos have table limits from as low as $1 up to $100. The
values of the cards in Black Jack from two to ten are face value.
Jacks, Queens and Kings count as ten and the Ace will either count
eleven or one. Most card counters always look for the penetration
of the deck that is being dealt and then bet a much higher average
bet when it is beneficial for them. All this is done by counting or
averaging the cards that have been dealt. The card player today is
savvier to the game because he or she can see the discards in the
standard discard rack and count backwards; therefore, putting the
house on an uneven playing field. The device disclosed in Cranford
(U.S. Pat. No. 20,020,072,419) "automatic discard rack" is used for
holding and mixing cards after they have been in play. The device
includes features for randomly picking up a portion of cards placed
in the rack to allow other cards to be inserted into and randomly
mixed by his device. The device clamps, moves up and down and is
sensed by electronic means for movement. The device also needs a
controller for all movements of the cards. The device has many
moving parts and is more prone for overhaul. The Flush Mounted
Discard Rack has only three moving parts: the plunger and two
spring loaded doors. A light emitting diode and an infrared
phototransistor can be added to sense the depth of the cards to let
the dealer know that the devise is full and needs to be emptied for
re-shuffling. The electronic portion can be powered by a 9 volt
battery.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The invention is designed to put all players and the house
on an even playing field. By the flush mounted discard rack being
embedded in the table surface, the cards cannot be seen or observed
by the player or dealer. The dealer simply deals the cards as
standard practice to the players. When the hand is finished, the
dealer simply inserts the discarded cards in the same style discard
rack. Except that the new device has a bottom that will accept
quite a few decks more if necessary. The bottom of the Flush
Mounted Discard Rack has a section that moves downward as the cards
enter the rack. The weight of the cards drives the bottom down as
it fills. The device is designed to accept from one deck to nine
decks of cards depending on the house's preference. By having the
device in service on the table, there can no longer be an advantage
by the dealer or the player. When a dark or solid colored shoe is
being used for dealing the cards, you cannot see the cards from the
side or top of the shoe. A card counter utilizes the favor ability
of the un-played cards in the shoe to determine the size bet to
place. It also works in reverse for the discard rack. A card
counter may play all hands, and bet a minimum bet whenever the
count is critical, and bet heavily whenever the count is positive.
A key portion of the card counter advantage is gained by betting
when conditions are favorable. By using a strategy such as the high
low strategy, the card counter has better information on the
composition of the cards remaining in the shoe. Therefore, the
player or dealer has to wait until that hand is finished and
discarded. Cards are counted when they are discarded. By observing
the cards dealt, one can estimate what cards are likely to come out
of the shoe. The odds are much greater as the cards pile up in the
discard rack. By using the device, there is no counting the
cards.
BREIF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] FIG. 1. depicts the receiver portion of the unit that is
embedded in the table.
[0005] FIG. 2. depicts the discard rack itself with the card shelf
30 floating inside the rack.
[0006] FIG. 3. is a side view of the device embedded in the playing
surface 32
[0007] FIG. 4. is a top view of playing surface with the device
installed.
DETAILED DISCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The Flush Mounted Discard Rack 10 is placed in the table
surface 32 and ready for the acceptance of discarded cards 38. As
the dealer plays and uses the up the cards in the finished hands
dealt to the players by the existing shoe, he deposits the cards in
the device 10. The cards will hit the backstop portion 18 of the
inside portion 20 and fall directly onto the card shelf 30. As the
cards 38 build up and get heaver, the shelf 30, at the center of
the inside portion 20, will depress by means of the plunger 26
compressing the spring 36 in side the plunger receiver tube 40. The
sensors 34 will alert the dealer that the inside portion 20 is full
and needs to be emptied. As the dealer removes the inside portion
20, the spring loaded doors 24 hold the cards in position so as not
to let the cards fall out of the front of the device as the inside
portion 20 is removed from the rack 10. The doors 24 are designed
so as to let the cards pass uninterrupted. After the cards pass or
are pulled thru the doors 24, the doors spring shut allowing the
inside portion 20 to be replaced back into the rack 10. At this
point in time, the device is ready for the process to start over
again.
* * * * *