U.S. patent number 3,572,703 [Application Number 04/724,154] was granted by the patent office on 1971-03-30 for three dimensional game and vendor apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Chesapeake Automated Products, Inc.. Invention is credited to Henry Thomas Greene.
United States Patent |
3,572,703 |
Greene |
March 30, 1971 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
THREE DIMENSIONAL GAME AND VENDOR APPARATUS
Abstract
A three dimensional game and vending apparatus with opposing
cups attached to a winch mechanism with this mechanism motor
controlled for movement in a horizontal plane by movement of a
rotatable pair of winch drums along a square support shaft mounted
on a carriage mechanism. The drums are mounted on a common
horizontal axis and each drum has protruding pins which engage the
pins on the other drum. A ball or capsule of merchandise is dropped
by the cups on a leaf mechanism which may be adjusted for either
return to the game or dispensed in a vending machine.
Inventors: |
Greene; Henry Thomas (Pasadena,
MD) |
Assignee: |
Chesapeake Automated Products,
Inc. (N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
24909245 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/724,154 |
Filed: |
April 25, 1968 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/448; 212/327;
221/210; 254/294 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F
7/0058 (20130101); A63F 2009/0049 (20130101); A63F
2009/2482 (20130101); A63F 2009/2404 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
9/00 (20060101); A63f 009/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/1 (E)/ ;254/184
;221/210 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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|
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|
|
|
508,937 |
|
1920 |
|
FR |
|
544,333 |
|
1922 |
|
FR |
|
662,305 |
|
1964 |
|
IT |
|
Primary Examiner: Marlo; George J.
Assistant Examiner: Sharpiro; Paul E.
Claims
I claim:
1. A three dimensional game apparatus comprising:
a casing;
a playing surface within said casing;
an article adapted for movement on said playing surface;
lifting means in said casing to grasp said article from said
playing surface;
receiving means in said casing having a portion below said lifting
means in one of its positions with said casing including:
a pivotable leaf means to receive said article on its surface;
motor-driven linkage means connected to said leaf means to pivot
said leaf means in relation to said playing surface;
and bracket means attached to said leaf means and said linkage
means;
said linkage means having at least two intermediate pivot points
along its length;
said bracket means having at least three points of attachment for
said linkage means, one of said points being a pivot point of
attachment and the other two points being alternate points of
attachment; and
whereby connection to one of the alternate points allows return of
said article to said playing surface upon operation of said
motor-driven linkage means and connection to the other of the
alternate points allows dispensing of said article from the
apparatus.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further characterized by mercury
switch means to control movement of said motor-driven linkage means
located on said linkage means, in an upright position when said
linkage means is connected to one of said alternate points of
attachment, and in an inverted position when said linkage means is
connected to the other of said alternate points of attachment.
3. A three dimensional game apparatus comprising:
a casing;
a playing surface within said casing;
an article adapted for movement on said playing surface;
lifting means in said casing to grasp said article from said
playing surface;
receiving means in said casing having a portion below said lifting
means in one of its positions within said casing;
said lifting means including:
a pair of opposing cuplike containers having their open ends facing
each other and attached to each other at a top pivot point;
and a winch mechanism movable in a horizontal plane and having
cables connected to said cuplike containers and including:
a pair of coacting winding drums mounted on a single horizontal
axis each having projecting stop pin means positioned in operative
relation with each other;
one of said drums being a driven drum to be driven by the other of
said drums through said projecting stop pin means;
one of said cables extending from each of said winding drums;
said cable from one of said winding drums connected to said top
pivot point;
said cable from the other of said winding drums having an
intermediate connection point thereon having a connecting cable to
a point on the outer surface of each of said cuplike container;
and
whereby the raising and lowering and the opening and closing of
said cuplike containers is controlled through said cables.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, further characterized by; and
braking means in contacting relationship with one of said winding
drums including spring means between said winding drums.
5. The apparatus of claim 3, further characterized by; and
braking mechanism including spring means in contacting relationship
with one of said winding drums.
Description
The present invention relates to apparatus which may operate as a
game or as a vending machine or which can combine the game portion
as part of the venting apparatus.
In games and vending machines of the three dimensional type which
are manually operated, it is important to overcome disadvantages
inherent in that type of apparatus. This has been done by automated
games which portray the game in its conventional form, but automate
its operation, still leaving certain skills to be required in its
operation. Such automation minimizes the loss and breakage
attributable to participant usage, and requires less floor area and
can be made in a form to permit installation in establishments not
able to accommodate the game in its conventional and original
form.
In addition, the game any be combined with venting apparatus so as
to be used as a novel game vender offering a large choice of
encapsulated merchandise wherein the participant is permitted a
selection of attractively displayed wares while introducing an
amusement factor which should enhance the sale of the
merchandise.
Basically, the present invention is a three dimensional apparatus
which may be operated either as a game or capsule vender or
combination of both, wherein the controlled play can traverse the
full length, depth, and height of the field of play either singly
in each direction, or simultaneously in a direction of combined
directional movement requiring skill which determines the
participant's final tally accumulated during the duration of play.
The time of play is determined by factors such as the participant's
skill, a programmed time limit, or allowing the participant to play
until a capsule is dispensed.
Depending upon the type of game and whether the machine is also a
vending machine, the capsules used may take any of several forms.
If a rolling motion of the capsule is desired, it should be
spherical, of course, as a ball. Either the capsule or ball in play
may be dispensed in a vending machine or the capsule may activate
the machine when it reaches a predetermined position so as to
dispense a different capsule especially made to be vended. Such a
machine may be particularly useful in the vending of flexible
capsule containers designed specifically for merchandising soft ice
creams, frozen custards or other merchandising derivatives of the
ice cream or soft food industry wherein the product can be consumed
by removing an outlet lid or cover and squeezing the encapsulated
contents into the mouth. Such containers may be made in
configurations depicting cartoon or popular characters to further
promote the sales of the products.
Another object of the present invention is to provide the composite
mechanization of an apparatus capable of acquiring and depositing
one or more balls or capsules through the control of a game cup
which operates either independently or concurrently in three
dimensions within a field of play having boundaries which are
defined by the length, height, and depth of a given housing of
economical and durable construction.
Still another object of the present invention resides in providing
a bidirectional winch mechanism which controls, by its revolving
action about a horizontal axis, the vertical position, the opening
and closing, and the lift of a game cup as is required for the
acquisition, transport and release of game balls or capsulated
merchandise.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a leverage
controlled leaf mechanism which may be employed as a game ball
accumulator and dispersion device or a pickproof vending shutter
and as such is convertible to either form by the relocation of a
linking arm.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a
game cup having spherical cups and capable of opening and closing
for the purpose of picking up game balls and capsules.
These and other objects and innovations of the invention will
become apparent in the subsequent description in the following
specification and drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a reduced size perspective view of the composite
three-dimensional convertible game-vending apparatus;
FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are detailed views of the winch and game cup
mechanism;
FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of the carriage assembly;
FIG. 7 is a bottom perspective view of the carriage assembly of
FIG. 6 from the opposite side shown in FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a perspective exploded view of the bidirectional winch
mechanism;
FIGS. 9, 10, 11 and 12 are partially sectioned views of the
leverage-controlled leaf mechanism; and
FIG. 13 is an electrical schematic diagram of the three-dimensional
game-vendor apparatus.
Referring first to FIG. 1, game cups 1 may be positioned and
operated within the height, length or depth dimensions shown by
boundaries 2--3, 2--4, and 5--6, respectively, either independently
or concurrently by manual operation of pushbuttons 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
and 12, which electrically actuate motors 13, 14 and 15, causing
the mechanical movement of game cups 1 in one or both axes of the
horizontal plane and/or the vertical plane respectively within the
three dimensional field of play which is restricted to the limits
of the aforementioned boundaries for the purpose of providing an
electromechanical ball game or vending machine wherein the intent
of the operation is to acquire, transport and deposite balls or
merchandise from the field of play to an accumulator or dispensing
chute.
To attain this object, pushbuttons activated by piano keys 7 and 8
control right and left movement respectively of carriage assembly
16 by running motor 13 clockwise or counterclockwise which results
in the rotation of gears 17 in pinion tracks 18, causing like
rotation of the follower gears 19 which stabilize the carriage when
right or left movement is encountered. Similarly, motor 14 is
caused to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise when pushbuttons
controlled by piano keys 9 or 10 are depressed, thus resulting in
forward or aft movement of the winch mechanism 20 and its
associated drive motor 15. This is effected by the resulting
movement of belt 21 that is attached to mechanism 20 whose movement
corresponds to the rotation of motor 14 and pulleys 22. Support
shaft 23 serves to guide mechanism 20 when movement of mechanism 20
is encountered. Correspondingly, vertical movement of the game cups
1 is controlled by pushbuttons controlled by piano keys 11 and 12,
which causes motor 15 and the driven drum 31 (FIG. 2) of winch
mechanism 20 to rotate either clockwise or counterclockwise. The
bidirectional winch 20 functions to open, close, raise and lower
the game cups 1, as is required to pick up and release game balls
or capsules 45.
Simultaneous operation of two or more of keys 7--8, 9--10 and
11--12 permits the game cups 1 movement to traverse two or three
axes concurrently. Simultaneous operation of opposing positions
within any one of the three axes is prevented by electrical
restraints designed into the electrical switching circuit.
Similarly, electrical limit switches constrain the mechanical limit
in which movement in the horizontal plane may be attained.
FIG. 2, 3, 4 and 5 illustrate the manner in which the winch
mechanism 20 operates to perform its function of controlling game
cups 1. Referring to FIG. 2, the driven winch drum 31 is attached
to and rotates with the drive shaft 32, which derives its torque
from electric motor 15 which is controlled by operation of
pushbutton by keys 11 and 12. The inner surface of clutch drum 33
and a bearing (not shown) mounted in clutch brake plate 34 form a
bearing surface wherein the shaft 32 may freely rotate. Movement of
drum 33 is prevented due to a pushing force acting against end
bearing 38 and the end surface 35 of drum 33, which causes friction
brake washer 36, attached to the clutch drum 33, to act against
brake plate 34 so as to equalize the force set by the compression
spring 37. Clutch drum 33 is caused to rotate in accordance with
the rotation of driven drum 31 when studs 39, attached to drum 31,
engage studs 40 which extend from drum 33. In the angular position
shown, said clutch engagement results in a clockwise rotation of
both drums 31 and 33, thus causing descent of the game cups 1 by
virtue of its gravitational pull against points 42 and 43 which
receive the cables disseminating from drums 31 and 33. Furthermore,
said clutch engagement provides more tension on the cable attached
to juncture 43 than on that cable attached to juncture 42, thereby
causing lift at points 44 which, in turn, causes the two
hemispheres 1 to be positioned open.
A game ball 45 is acquired by the game cups 1 when the drive shaft
32 is reversed from a clockwise to counterclockwise rotation. FIG.
3 shows that counterclockwise rotation of shaft 32 disengages the
driven clutch stud 39 from follower stud 40, thereby causing more
tension on pivot 42 than on pivot 43, since drum 33 is friction
locked in its last position. Thus the lift applied to point 42 is
transferred to pivot point 43, which in turn closes the cups about
the ball 45 by the weight of the gravity-loaded cup hemispheres 1.
Continued counterclockwise rotation of shaft 32, as in FIG. 4,
causes driven studs 39 to engage with studs 40, thereby causing
drum 33 to follow drum 31 which thereafter maintains the relative
tension between the cables 26 attached to points 42 and 43 during
the time game cups 1 are elevated by cable takeup due to the
rotation of drums 31 and 33. The release of ball 45 is accomplished
by again reversing the rotation of shaft 32, as is illustrated in
FIG. 5. Counterclockwise rotation of shaft 32 disengages drum 31
from drum 33, which action causes the gravity-loaded cups 1 to
transfer their load from point 42 to point 43 since drum 33 no
longer rotates. Such action thereby provides lift to pivot point
44, causing the game cups 1 to open and release the ball 45.
Following this action, continued counterclockwise rotation of shaft
32 causes the driven studs 39 to engage with follower studs 40,
thus permitting the game cups 1 to descend to the position shown in
FIG. 2.
The overall mechanization of the game apparatus depicted in FIG. 1
has been described insofar as the mechanics involved in acquiring
and transporting the game ball 45 from playing table surface 24 to
its disposition in pocket 25, or any other objective pertinent to a
given game or vender; however, to make the game more appealing and
to provide greater challenge to the participant, additional
features can be added. In the case of a pool game for example, a
storage rack 27 may be added to display the player's or players'
accumulative score with provisions to release the balls either on
the player's command or game initiation or termination where said
release is mechanized so as to insure uniform ball distribution on
the playing field. This ball release mechanization is fully
described in the portion of the specification that follows, where
details of this mechanism are discussed in connection with FIGS.
9--12. Another feature of the bidirectional winch mechanism not
heretofore mentioned is that when the cable 26 of FIG. 1 is
released for the descent of the game cups 1, such release is
accomplished with an aftward movement of the cable 26 as it unwinds
from the winch drums 31 and 33. This action requires additional
skill on the part of the participant in order to compensate for
this movement when the cups have been positioned over a given
object to be acquired. Another feature that makes the game more
challenging is an electrical program which permits only a limited
time for the participant to deposit the ball in pocket 25 after the
descent command of the cups is initiated by the participant. As
such, failure to manipulate the controls within the prescribed time
limit releases the ball back to the playing field. This feature and
the game duration control (time or play until lose) are described
within the context of the discussion of the electrical control
circuitry.
When conventional momentary push button switches are subjected to
public usage, as is experienced by amusement and vending machines,
extraordinary measures must be taken to protect both the mechanical
and electrical functions of said devices. A further requirement of
the stated employment is that the surface area of the manually
operated pushbutton actuator must be large for easy accessibility
and operation. Such an actuator which fits these specifications is
in the form of piano keys 7--12. Conventional pushbutton switches
may be mounted below keys 7--12 and be enclosed by them so as to be
actuated when any of keys 7--12 are pressed. To accomplish this the
ends of the keys 7--12 within the enclosure of the apparatus may be
hingedly attached with a means to limit the downward travel of the
keys to prevent pressing buttons beyond their limits of travel in
the switches. Rocker switches may be assembled in a like
manner.
The carriage assembly 16 shown in FIG. 1 is shown in simplified
form. A more detailed disclosure of a carriage assembly structure
is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The compact assembly 50 shown in FIGS. 6
and 7 is packaged as a lightweight unit so as to permit its use
either in a console or upright game or vending apparatus. In
operation, the carriage 50 is suspended by pinion tracks 58 and 59,
whose support is sustained by firmly anchoring steel angles 60 and
61 to the inside walls of the housing enclosing the game apparatus.
Spur gears 62, 63, 64 and 65 ride in said pinion tracks 58 and 59
to provide a geared raceway for the carriage 50 when motor 66
drives spur gears 63 and 65 through pulleys 67 and 68 which are
mechanically coupled by belt 69 and shaft 70. Follower gears 62 and
64 coupled by shaft 71 provide carriage balance. Roller bearing 72
and its like member mounted in bracket 56 serve to affix the
carriage gear brackets 54 and 56 to the underside of pinion track
supports 60 and 61, thus preventing gear jumping which would
otherwise occur in transport or rough usage. The idler bearing 83
may be adjusted by releasing nut 73, thence permitting bearing
shaft movement in the slots provided in brackets 54 and 56.
Electrical power and control inputs are provided from an overhead
flexible cable 74, which terminates in a chassis mounted quick
disconnect plug 75. Limit switches 76 and 77 serve to initiate
motor dynamic braking and interrupts the electrical input to motor
66 when the carriage 50 approached either sidewall of the game
housing.
The winch mechanism 20, which slides along square shaft 79 and
support rod 80, is positioned in the longitudinal plane by belt 81,
which is attached to the top of the winch casing 82. Limit switches
97 and 99 are provided to cause cessation of drive when either end
of the winch casing 82 approaches end plates 52 and 53. This is
done by dynamic braking of motor 84, which drives belt 81 through
belt 85 and pulleys 86, 87 and 88. Tension of belt 81 is derived
from the bearing surfaces of the shafts on which pulleys 88 and 89
are mounted. The shaft attached to pulley 89 is made variable in
the longitudinal plane of belt 81 to provide tension adjustment
thereof by tightening eye bearings 90 (one not shown) by means of a
nut affixing the threaded shaft of the bearing. The rotation of the
winch 20 drums is controlled by motor 91 which drives the square
shaft 79 projecting through the winch mechanism 20, by means of
pulleys 92 and 93 that are coupled by belt 94. Each motor bracket
55, 57 and 98 is equipped with a variable adjustment so as to
permit tension control of their respective belt drivers.
FIG. 8 illustrates in detail the assembly of the constituent parts
comprising the winch mechanism 20. The principal parts, some of
which were discussed in connection with FIGS. 2--5, are casing 82,
square drive shaft 79, drive sleeve adapter 101, compression spring
37, steel washers 102, driven drum 31, clutched drum 33, leather
brake washer 36, alignment support rod 80, washer 28, and spacer
rods 103. Casing holes 104 are of such a diameter to permit
clearance of the drive sleeve adapter 101 when the mechanism is
assembled. Thusly assembled, square shaft 79 slides within the
inner square bearing surface of the sleeve adapter 101 whose outer
round surface clears the first boring provided in drums 31 and 33.
A second larger boring is provided in the ends of the drums to
accept the compression spring 37 and the steel washers 102 so as to
permit engagement of studs 39 and 40 when the mechanism is
assembled. The leather brake washer 36 is fastened to the end
surface 35 of drum 33, thereby providing a friction surface against
the inner facing of the end casing. The driven drum 31 is affixed
to the drive sleeve adapter 101 by setscrew 105 as are the cables
wound around each drum set by screws 106. Spacer rods 103 are held
by screws 107 and provided to channel the cables 26 for the proper
alignment of these cables. Likewise, alignment rod 80 maintains the
mechanism alignment within the carriage mount 50 or 16. Assembled,
the device functions the same as described in connection with FIGS.
2, 3, 4, and 5 except that the mechanism now slides longitudinally
upon its own drive shaft 79.
By replacing the cables 26 shown in FIG. 8 with ball chains,
twisting and tangles which occur during operation are prevented,
since each ball link of such chains can swivel about 360.degree..
Corresponding improvements may be made in the carriage assembly 50
shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 by replacing the pulley and belt drive
design with roller chains and sprocket gears. These and other
changes can be made within the spirit of the invention utilizing
the techniques of pneumatics, hydraulics, magnetics, and
electrostatics, but only a preferred embodiment has been
illustrated herein.
A further aspect of the apparatus of the present invention is a
convertible leverage-controlled leaf mechanism which permits the
apparatus herein described to be employed as either a game or
vending machine. FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate the manner in which said
device functions when the apparatus is employed as a game. When the
leaf 111 is in the position shown in FIG. 9, it serves as a rack in
which balls 45 may be deposited subsequent to the participant's
manipulation of placing the balls 45 in an appropriate pocket or
hole 25 (FIG. 1). In this position, lever arms 112, 113 and 114 are
held rigid by virtue of a mechanical brake associated with drive
motor 115. Upon command, coin insertion or other, motor 115
commences to rotate counterclockwise, thereby causing the leaf 111
to pivot on hinge 116 and rotate in an upward direction as a result
of the follower action of lever arms 114, 113 and 112, whose
resultant movement is applied to leaf bracket 117 since lever arm
112 is firmly attached to bracket 117 at points 118 and 119. As the
pivot points associated with lever arms 112, 113 and 114 move to
the extreme right, all balls 45 deposited in the rack leaf 111 are
released back to the playing table surface 24 due to the momentum
resulting from the lift applied to leaf 111 and the gravitational
force established by the elevation of the balls 45 above the table
surface 24, as shown in FIG. 10. Both the torque and elevation of
the leaf 111 are adjusted to permit the balls 45 to travel from
their positions on top of leaf 111 to table surface 24 at such a
velocity as to cause the balls 45 to spin when they encounter ramp
123 on the opposite side of table surface 24. This action results
in a random distribution of all balls on the surface 24 of the
playing field as they are dispersed from the ramp formed by leaf
111. The unidirectional rotation of motor 115 then completes one
cycle of operation and then ceases to rotate when the lever arms
112, 113 and 114 return to the position shown in FIG. 9. This
entire operation is controlled by mercury switch 124. As shown in
FIG. 9, when switch 124 is in the open position, a momentary
excitation of motor 115, through a coin initiated time delay relay,
causes the lever arm 113 to move to the right, consequently causing
switch 124 to close its contacts which become the only source of
electrical power to motor 115 after the time delay relay has become
deenergized. This is further explained in connection with the
electric control circuit schematic diagram of FIG. 14. Continued
counterclockwise rotation of the motor 115 permits the switch 124
to remain closed until such time as the initial start position of
FIG. 9 is approached, at which time switch 124 opens its contactors
and thereby interrupts the input power to motor 115, which
automatically is set into its mechanical brake condition.
The leaf mechanism described above is readily adaptable for
employment as a shutter applicable to vending machines. One change
required is the shifting of lever arm 112 from its connection at
point 119 on leaf bracket 117 to point 120, as in FIGS. 11--12. In
the leverage configuration shown in FIG. 11, mercury switch 124
must also be reversed to cause its contacts to be open in this
normal inactive position to enable it to perform the same function
as previously described. Thus assembled as a shutter, the hinged
leaf 111 now travels in a downward direction when motor 115
commences to rotate counterclockwise, thereby causing capsule or
ball 45, shown in FIG. 11, to fall to depository 128 when the leaf
111 approaches the open position shown in FIG. 12. In the path of
the free fall of the capsule or ball 45 is microswitch 127 which,
upon closing, terminates the vending cycle. In the event that
switch -27 is not closed (indicating that a capsule or ball 45 has
not been dispensed) an electrical control circuit automatically
resets the vending machine for another play, to insure that the
participant receives merchandise for each coin he deposits. An
opening is provided in wall 129 to permit the participant to secure
the vended capsule. As in the game apparatus, motor 115 continues
to rotate until the shutter closed position is approached, in which
position the mercury switch 124 becomes open. Another salient
feature of the shutter device is that when it is in the closed
condition, attempts to secure merchandise by way of the access
opening in wall 129 are foiled. A similar pickproof arrangement can
be made when the shutter is in the open position by attaching a
second leaf perpendicular to leaf 111 so that it extends from the
riser attached to pivot point 116 to wall surface 120 when leaf 111
is in the downward position, thereby providing complete merchandise
security.
Reference should now be made to the electrical schematic diagram
shown in FIG. 13. Switch S1, which may be operated from a
coin-operated mechanism, initiates the controlled machine operation
by the closure of switch S1 which actuates stepper reset coil K1A,
thereby causing both ganged sections of the stepping switch K1-1
and K1-2 to reset to their zero position. Then when the upper
section of switch S1 is returned to its normal position, relay coil
K2 becomes energized and thereby energizes the entire control
circuit by applying power from lines 131 and 132 upon closing its
contactor KC2. The lower section of switch S1 corresponding
actuates relay coil K7 and charges capacitor C6 through diode D1.
This action causes relay coil K7 to close its contactor KC7, which
in turn starts the rack release motor 115. Discharge of capacitor
C6, after switch S1 returns to its normal position sustains the
coil of relay K7 for a time duration necessary for mercury switch
124 to close its contact as a result of rotation of motor 115. Then
relay coil K7 becomes deenergized and switch 124 assumes command of
the rack operation. When the apparatus is operated as a vender,
relay K7 is operated off an auxiliary point of switch K1-1
corresponding to position 133. When the control circuit is thus
energized, the three positioning motors may be operated by the
closure of switches S2, S5, S8, S11 or S12, controlled by piano
keys of FIG. 1. Motors M2 and M3, which control the game cup
positioning in the horizontal plane, are identical in their
operation and therefore the control description of motor M2 is also
applicable to motor M3. Motors M2 and M3 are equivalent to motors
13 or 66 and 14 or 84, respectively, which were discussed in
connection with other FIGS.
Depression of push button switch S5 causes clockwise rotation of
motor M2 by applying electrical power supplied through the lower
section of switch S5 to both motor windings. One winding receives
an in-phase current by the bridging action of the upper section of
switch S5 across capacitor C2, whereas the other winding receives a
leading current established by the series capacitor C3, thus
resulting in a rotating magnetic field causing rotor rotation. If
motor M2 is allowed to continue to rotate in this direction, limit
switch S7 closes and thereby bridges out capacitor C3, which causes
the rotating field to collapse, resulting in rotor lockup herein
termed dynamic braking. Resistors R1 and R2 are placed in series
with the limit switches so as to limit the power dissipation across
the motor when it is in a brake condition. Counterclockwise
rotation of motor M2 involves the operation of switch S8 and limit
switch S6. Such operation is identical to that established for
clockwise rotation. When both switches S5 and S8 are depressed, no
current is supplied to the motor, since the lower section of both
switches S5 and S8 open the AC supply.
Closure of pushbutton switch S2 causes relay coil K3 to close its
contact KC3, which in turn actuates stepper coil K1B through its
normally closed auxiliary contactor KC1B. This action causes the
stepper auxiliary contactor KC1B to open, and thus advances the
wiper of the stepper switch to the first position of the switch. At
this time relay coil K5 becomes energized and closes its contact
KC5 which causes clockwise rotation of motor M1, which action
corresponds to game cup descent. In this state, switch S2 can no
longer be controlled by the operator and the entire subsequent
action is a result of the cam-operated switch S4, whose closure is
made by a cam geared to motor M1. These are cam 95 and switch 96 of
FIGS. 6 and 7. Each closure of switch S4 which corresponds to a
half turn of the winch drums 31 and 33 advances the stepper switch
K1 in a clockwise direction. When the game cup descent operation is
completed, the wiper of the stepper switch advances to position
135, which deenergizes relay coil K5 and energizes relay coil K6,
thus opening contactor KC5 and closing contactor KC6, thereby
causing the motor M1 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction,
resulting in the closure of game cups 1. It is from this time forth
that the skill of the operator is required to place the ball 45 in
the pocket 25 by manipulating controls effecting the horizontal
position before time limit determined entirely by the rotation of
motor M1 ends its cycle. Then ascent of the game cups 1 commences
and continues until the stepper switch wiper advances to position
136, at which time the cups open and release the ball 45 if
acquisition has been made. If the ball 45 drops through the pocket
25, momentary switch S3 actuates time delay relay coil K4, which
closes its holding contact KC4-1 for duration longer than the
advance cycle dictated by the rotation of motor M1. Advance of
switch K1-2 to position 133 causes the game cups 1 to close and
accordingly positions it in the start play position by reversing
the operation of relays K5 and K6. If a game ball 45 has been
dropped through the pocket 25, the stepper switches K1-1 and K1-2
are automatically reset when the wiper advances to position 137 as
a result of the closed contact of KC4-2 of time delay relay coil K4
which bridges the game start switch S1. If the ball 45 does not
drop through the pocket 25, switch S1 must be reset for another
play. This sequence allows the participant to play until he loses.
Another method used to set the duration of the game is to let
switch S3 be a section of switch S1, thus the time delay relay coil
K4 is actuated upon initial operation of switch S1 and as such
permits the playing time to be controlled by setting the time delay
of relay K4. These and many other programmed sequences may be
derived by simple wiring changes of the basic control circuit.
One inherent advantage to the control circuit herein described
resides in the employment of A.C. motors for the control of
bidirectional rotation. This results in an electrically quiet
system which does not radiate energy to interfere with radio and
television reception as is normally experienced when D.C. motors
are employed.
When ice cream vending machines are used in conjunction with the
present invention there is of course refrigeration system required
and a heating plant required for the vending of hot food
stuffs.
It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes
may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and
the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown in
the drawings and described in the specification.
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