U.S. patent number 3,655,199 [Application Number 05/053,244] was granted by the patent office on 1972-04-11 for motor driven rotatable drum chance device.
Invention is credited to Haruo Ohki.
United States Patent |
3,655,199 |
Ohki |
April 11, 1972 |
MOTOR DRIVEN ROTATABLE DRUM CHANCE DEVICE
Abstract
An amusement device is disclosed which essentially comprises a
plurality of display drums each provided on its peripheral surface
at circumferentially spaced positions with combinations of symbols,
a drum actuating means connected with an electric motor for driving
said drums and a drum braking means associated with a push-button
arrangement for stopping rotation of the drums successively so as
to pair or match the symbols on one drum with those on another, and
a handle lever for releasing the depressed push-buttons and
resuming rotation of the drums.
Inventors: |
Ohki; Haruo (Shiratari,
Katsushika-ku, Tokyo, JA) |
Family
ID: |
14517740 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/053,244 |
Filed: |
July 8, 1970 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Nov 20, 1969 [JA] |
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44/109729 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
273/143R |
Current CPC
Class: |
G07F
17/34 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G07F
17/34 (20060101); G07F 17/32 (20060101); A63f
005/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/138A,143R,143A,143B,143C,143D,143E,1E ;46/2,3,4,5 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Oechsle; Anton O.
Assistant Examiner: Kramer; Arnold W.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An amusement device comprising, in combination, a generally
rectangular casing, a plurality of drums each rotatably mounted on
a common shaft secured to the side walls of said casing and having
on its periphery at circumferentially spaced positions various
combinations of symbols such as for example pictures, letters,
numerals and the like; a drum actuating mechanism including a drive
roller connected via reduction gears to a motor and a plurality of
transmission means, one for each drum, normally engaged with said
drive roller and a drum to rotate the latter; a braking means for
each drum each braking means including a cam wheel having a
plurality of circumferential grooves and secured to one side of the
drum and a stop means disposed for engagement with said cam wheel
to discontinue rotation of the drum; a like plurality of movable
means each carrying rotatably thereon one of said transmission
means and one of said braking means and each having provided
therewith an electrical contact strip for engagement with a mating
contact leading to a like plurality of motor energization circuit;
a block members; a like plurality of push-buttons projecting
externally of the front wall of said casing each connected with a
respective block member for operative association with a respective
movable means, each of said push-buttons, when depressed, causing
its associated transmission means to disengage from said drive
roller and respective drum surface, the associated braking means to
engage with its cam wheel, and said respective contact strip to
disengage from said mating contact thereby switching the
corresponding portion of the motor energization circuit into an
open position; a shaft journalled for rotation between the side
walls of said casing subjacent said push-buttons; a rectangular bar
fixedly mounted on said shaft; a handle lever secured to one end of
said shaft and extending externally of one side wall of the casing;
a resilient means normally urging said handle lever into normal
position; and said rectangular bar comprising a push-button release
means engageable with said plurality of movable means to release
the push-buttons from their respective movable means.
2. An amusement device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said
drums is provided with a toothed periphery for meshing engagement
with its respective transmission means including a pinion rotatably
mounted on said respective movable means.
3. An amusement device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said cam
wheel is provided around its periphery with a plurality of recesses
for engagement with said associated braking means including a
roller rotatably mounted on each said movable means.
4. An amusement device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said recesses
correspond in number to said symbols on each drum and register in
position therewith.
5. An amusement device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mating
contact extends from a resilient plate member and cooperates with
each said contact strip to form an automatic switch means for
opening and closing the motor energization circuit.
6. An amusement device as claimed in claim 5 wherein said resilient
plate member is disposed to normally urge each of said push-buttons
into non-depressed position.
7. An amusement device as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said
movable means is disposed in supported relation to its respective
block member and vertically movable by said rectangular bar upon
manual operation of said handle lever.
Description
This invention relates to an amusement device and has particular
reference to such device which is designed for playing by matching
or pairing suitable combinations of symbols provided thereon.
The present invention has for an object to provide an amusement or
toy device of the class described which is very simple in
construction and easy in operation, and which may be further built
compact to adapt itself for use by children. This object together
with other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the
following description taken in connection with the accompanying
drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an amusement device embodying
the invention;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the same;
FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the device with the rear cover
removed to expose its interior components;
FIG. 4 is a side view of a drum actuating mechanism shown as in its
operative position;
FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, but with the drum actuating
mechanism in its inoperative position;
FIG. 6 is an exploded, perspective view of the essential operative
parts forming the drum actuating mechanism; and
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a handle lever and its associated
parts.
Briefly stated, the device according to the invention comprises a
generally rectangular casing, a plurality of drums each rotatably
mounted on a common shaft secured to the side walls of said casing
and having on its periphery at circumferentially spaced positions
various combinations of symbols such as for example pictures,
letters, numerals and the like; a drum actuating mechanism
including a drive roller connected via reduction gears to a motor
and transmission means normally engaged with said drive roller and
each drum to rotate the latter; a braking means including a cam
wheel having a plurality of circumferential grooves and secured to
one side of the drum and a stop means disposed for engagement with
said cam wheel to discontinue rotation of the drum; a movable means
carrying rotatably thereon said transmission means and said braking
means and having provided therewith an electrical contact strip for
engagement with a mating contact leading to a motor energization
circuit; a block member; a plurality of push-buttons projecting
externally of the front wall of said casing and connected with said
block member for operative association with said movable means,
each of said push-buttons, when depressed, causing said
transmission means to disengage from said drive roller and drum
surface, said braking means to engage with said cam wheel, and said
contact strip to disengage from said mating contact thereby
switching the motor circuit into an open position; a shaft
journalled for rotation between the side walls of said casing
subjacent said push-buttons; a rectangular bar fixedly mounted on
said shaft; a handle lever secured to one end of said shaft and
extending externally of one side wall of the casing; a resilient
means normally urging said handle lever into normal position; and a
push-button release means fixedly mounted on said shaft and
engageable with said movable means to release the push-buttons from
said movable means.
Referring now to the drawings and to FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular,
there is shown an amusement device 10 embodying the present
invention and comprising a casing 11 which may be generally
rectangular for accommodating therein the various components and
parts of the device and which is formed by a front cover 12 and a
rear cover 13. The front cover 12 is provided with a display window
14 to expose to a view a portion of the peripheral surface of each
of a plurality of drums 15 mounted for rotation on a common shaft
16 between the side walls of the casing 11. Each drum 15 shown by
imaginary line in FIG. 1 is provided on its periphery at
circumferentially spaced positions with suitable combinations of
symbols 17 such as a dice as shown which are successively viewable
through the window 14 as the drums rotate. The front cover 11 is
further provided with as many push-buttons 18 as are the drums 15
for stopping the rotation of the latter in a manner hereinafter
described. Designated at 19 is a rotatable handle lever operatively
associated with a release means later described for releasing the
push-buttons to resume rotation of the drums.
Referring to the rest of the figures, each drum 15 is shown as
associated with its actuating and braking means including a
vertically movable plate member 20 having an elongated slot 21 in
which the shaft 16 is inserted and along which the member 20 is
guided for vertical movement. The member 20 carries a braking
roller 22 rotatably at the upper end thereof adjacent to the slot
21 and has an arm 23 pivotal as at 24. The arm 23 has on its free
end a transmission roller or pinion 25 for delivering rotational
power from a drive motor M to associated drum 15 through a group of
reduction gears collectively designated by numeral 26. The pinion
25 preferably in the form of a rubber roller is positioned to be
engageable with a drive roller 27 mounted on a shaft 28 driven by
the gears 26 connecting to the motor M. The transmission pinion 25
is also engageable in meshing relation with a peripherally toothed
surface 15' of the drum 15, or may alternatively be arranged to
engage with a non-toothed peripheral area of the drum 15. The
engagement of the pinion 25 with the drive roller 27 and
simultaneously with the drum surface is determined by the position
of the movable plate member 20 which is controlled by a push-button
release member later described. The braking means for discontinuing
rotation of the drum 15 essentially comprises a braking roller 22
rotatably mounted on the upper end of the movable plate member 20
and positioned to be engageable with a cam wheel 29 secured to one
side of the drum 15 when the member 20 is held in raised position
as shown in FIG. 5. More specifically, the cam wheel 29 is provided
with circumferential recesses or grooves 29a for engagement with
the braking roller 22. The number of these grooves 29a correspond
to the number of symbols 17 on each drum. The grooves 29a are
positioned to register with the symbols on the drum, so that as the
braking roller 22 engages with any particular groove, the drum
stops instantaneously with a predetermined one of the symbols 17
stationarily viewable through the window 14.
As better seen in FIG. 6, the plate member 20 is provided at its
lower end with a projecting part 30 disposed in abutting relation
to a block member 31 connected with the push-button 18 and another
projecting part 32 subjacent the part 30 and disposed in abutting
relation to a rectangular bar 33 (FIG. 7) fixedly mounted on a
shaft 34 on one end of which shaft the handle 19 is supported. The
block member 31 has a land 31a for bearing thereon the part 30 of
the plate member 20 when the drum 15 is held in rotation with the
push-button 18 is normally released position and with the handle 19
in upright position. The block member 31 has a recess 31b adjacent
the push-button for bearing thereon the part 30 when the
push-button is depressed against tension of a resilient plate 36.
This plate has one end 36a inwardly bent and disposed for
engagement with a projection 37 extending from the movable plate
member 20 and the other end 36b connected to the rear end of the
block member 31 and normally urging the latter towards the
push-button 18. Lead wires 38 connecting between the motor M and a
power source such as a storage battery B are also connected to the
resilient plate 36, forming an activation circuit for the drum 15.
It will be understood, therefore, that the plate 36 and projection
37 constitute an automatic switch to open and close the motor
energization circuit. It will be further understood that there are
provided as many of these switches as there are drums 15 and these
switches are connected in parallel between the motor M and power
source B, so that the drums may be stopped at different times and
independently one from the other.
Designated at 39 is an electrically insulating member secured to a
frame member 40 by means of clamping screws 41. The resilient plate
36 has a hook 42 to secure this plate to the insulating member 39
as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5.
Designated at 43 and shown in FIG. 7 is a coil spring spanning
between the drum shaft 16 and handle supporting shaft 34 for
returning the handle 19 to normal upright position.
Designated at 44 is a spring secured as at 44' to the movable plate
member 20 for positioning the arm 23 normally against an abutment
45 subjacent the projection 37. Another spring 46 is provided for
normally urging the movable plate member 20 downwardly as seen in
FIGS. 4 and 5.
With this construction, the amusement device operates in the
following manner. The handle lever 19 is first pulled in the
direction of an arrow as shown in FIG. 2 thereby lifting the
movable plate member 20 to return all push-buttons 18 to normal
non-depressed position and at the same time allowing the resilient
plate 36 to contact the projection 37 of the member 20, whereupon
the motor M is started to drive all drums 15 simultaneously through
the transmission means 25. Upon releasing of the handle 19, it
returns to normal upright position by the action of the spring 43.
However, the movable plate member 20 is still held in raised
position with its part 30 ridden over the land 31a of the block 31,
thus maintaining the motor circuit in an energizing state. In this
position of the device, the braking roller 22 is disengaged from
the cam wheel 29 and the transmission pinion 25 is brought into
engagement with both drive roller 27 and drum 15 to actuate the
latter as seen in FIG. 4. While the drums 15 are thus held in
rotation, the push-buttons 18 may be successively depressed
whereupon the block member associated with the depressed button 31
retracts against the tension of the resilient plate 36 until the
movable plate member 20 descends with its lower end part 32 fallen
into and stopped at the recess 31b of the block 31 as shown in FIG.
5. In this position of the device, the resilient plate 36
disengages from the projection 37 and the braking roller 22 engages
the particular groove 29a of the cam wheel 29, while the
transmission pinion 25 is separated from the drive roller 27 and
from the drum surface so as to discontinue rotation of the drum 15
corresponding to the push-button which has been depressed. The drum
15 stops in this manner with a certain of symbols 17 exposed to a
view through the window 14.
Having thus described the invention, it is to be understood that
the invention is not to be limited to the specific form and
construction described herein above and shown in the accompanying
drawings, but various changes and modifications as obvious to one
skilled in the art may be made therein without departing from the
scope of the appended claims.
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