U.S. patent number 3,897,954 [Application Number 05/479,294] was granted by the patent office on 1975-08-05 for automatic card distributor.
Invention is credited to J. David Erickson, Richard A. Kronmal.
United States Patent |
3,897,954 |
Erickson , et al. |
August 5, 1975 |
Automatic card distributor
Abstract
An apparatus for distributing playing cards into two or more
stacks in a pseudo-random fashion so as to simulate the results
achieved by conventional shuffling and dealing of the cards.
Initially, a deck of playing cards is positioned in the apparatus,
successive cards being removed therefrom and projected into a card
channel along which are arranged a plurality of card hoppers to
receive the cards. A logic circuit pseudo-randomly controls the
selection of one of the card hoppers for each successive card, the
specific arrangement of the logic depending on how many stacks are
required, and how many cards in each stack. Additionally, the logic
circuit is so arranged that the probability that a particular
hopper will be selected, relative to the other hoppers varies with
the immediate number of cards present in the particular hopper
relative to the immediate number of cards in the other hoppers
after each card is distributed. When each card hopper has received
a predetermined number of cards the logic circuit is prevented from
further selecting that card hopper.
Inventors: |
Erickson; J. David (Seattle,
WA), Kronmal; Richard A. (Bellevue, WA) |
Family
ID: |
23903403 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/479,294 |
Filed: |
June 14, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
273/149R |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F
1/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63F
1/14 (20060101); A63F 1/00 (20060101); A63f
001/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;273/149R,149P |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Oechsle; Anton O.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Christensen, O'Connor, Garrison
& Havelka
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for distributing playing cards among a plurality of
stacks thereof, comprising:
means defining an elongated card channel, adapted to receive
playing cards and to permit movement of the playing cards
therealong;
means for orienting successive playing cards in series in said card
channel;
a plurality of card hoppers positioned at spaced intervals along
said card channel;
at least one card hopper gate, associated with a first card hopper
for, upon actuation thereof, guiding a playing card moving along
said card channel into said first card hopper;
circuit means having a plurality of output lines each output line
being uniquely associated with one card hopper;
means cyclically energizing said plurality of output lines;
means electrically coupling, when actuated, an energized output
line to a card hopper gate for actuation thereof, said card hopper
gate being associated with the one card hopper uniquely associated
with the energized output connection; and,
means for actuating said coupling means at substantially random
intervals of time, including automatic means for altering the
probability of actuation of each card hopper gate during the
distribution of the playing cards in accordance with the number of
cards remaining to be distributed to each card hopper.
2. An apparatus of claim 1, wherein the probability of card hopper
gate actuation is altered after each card is distributed to a card
hopper.
3. An apparatus of claim 1, including a plurality of card hopper
gates, and where each card hopper gate is uniquely associated with
a card hopper.
4. An apparatus of claim 1, wherein said actuating means terminates
the cyclical energizing of said output connections when a coupling
means is energized, the last output connection energized by said
cyclically energizing means remaining energized.
5. An apparatus of claim 3, including a plurality of coupling
means, and wherein each card hopper having an associated card
hopper gate is coupled to its uniquely associated output connection
through one of said plurality of coupling means.
6. An apparatus of claim 1, including means located adjacent the
card channel for initially positioning a deck of cards, and
including switch means positioned adjacent said card channel, means
for removing each card in turn from said positioning means and
means for propelling each playing card in turn against said switch
means after removal of a playing card from said positioning means,
said energizing means becoming operative upon contact between said
switch means and a propelled card, and wherein said actuating means
is operative to actuate said electrically coupling means upon loss
of contact between said switch means and said propelled card.
7. An apparatus of claim 6, wherein said actuating means includes a
one-shot multivibrator and wherein said coupling means includes a
plurality of AND gates, each AND gate being responsive to the
energization of its associated output connections and said
multivibrator to actuate its associated card hopper gate, said
multivibrator providing an output to each AND gate upon loss of
contact between said propelled card and said switch means.
8. An apparatus of claim 1, including means associated with each
card hopper for accumulating the number of cards immediately
contained therein, said plurality of accumulating means being
updated after each successive card is distributed, and wherein said
probability altering means includes means reponsive to the updated
count for decreasing the amount of time that the output connection
uniquely associated with the card hopper receiving the last
previously distributed card is energized relative to the time of
energization of the other output connections.
9. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein said probability altering means
includes an oscillator adapted to run at a predetermined rate, a
plurality of series-connected bistable elements providing
successive outputs corresponding to the predetermined rate of said
oscillator, and further including a plurality of logic gates
responsive to said accumulating means and the energized output
connection for providing signal outputs on a plurality of parallel
output lines representative of the updated count in said
accumulating means, the next successive output connection being
energized by said cyclically energizing means when the count
indicated by the output of said bistable elements and the count
indicated by said signal output from said logic gates reaches a
predetermined number.
10. An apparatus of claim 1, wherein one end of said elongated card
channel is positioned immediately adjacent said positioning means
which is disposed generally horizontal the card channel extending
in a generally downward oblique direction therefrom, such that a
playing card properly oriented in the card channel moves along the
card channel under the force of gravity.
11. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein said card channel includes a
planar member substantially parallel with and removed slightly from
said card channel and projecting from the one end thereof above
said positioning means, said planar member being so disposed
relative to said card channel that when a playing card is removed
endwise from said positioning means it may be propelled
substantially about one end thereof against the planar member for
orientation thereof in the card channel.
12. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein said planar member includes
two opposed faces, one face facing the positioning means, and
including means positioned on said one face and means for
propelling each playing card in turn against said switch means,
said propelled cards falling away from said switch means and into
said card channel by gravity.
13. An apparatus of claim 1, including means for removing
successive cards from said positioning means and wherein said
removing means includes a rotatable roller positioned adjacent said
positioning means such that an exposed playing card in said
positioning means contacts said roller, wherein said roller upon
rotation thereof removes said contacted card from the positioning
means.
14. An apparatus of claim 1, wherein the card hopper gate is
substantially V-shaped and positioned within said card channel in a
first position which permits cards to move in said card channel
therebeneath, and including means for moving said card hopper gate
to a second position in said card channel such that a playing card
moving in said card channel is guided into the card hopper
associated with the card hopper gate actuated.
15. An apparatus for distributing playing cards, comprising:
means defining a known number of card receiving stations;
means operative to move said playing cards in turn into said card
receiving stations;
means for pseudo-randomly selecting one of said card receiving
stations for each playing card to be distributed;
means responsive to said selecting means for controlling said
moving means so as to move each playing card in turn into its
selected card receiving station;
means periodically determining, during distribution of the playing
cards, how many playing cards have been distributed to each card
receiving station; and
automatic means, including electrical logic means, responsive to
said determining means for periodically changing, during the
distribution of the playing cards, the probability of selection of
each card receiving station, in accordance with the number of
playing cards remaining to be distributed and the number of playing
cards already distributed to each card receiving station.
16. An apparatus of claim 15, wherein said determining means is
operative to determine how many playing cards have been distributed
to each card receiving station after each playing card has been
distributed, and wherein said automatic means is operative to
change the probability of selection of each card receiving station
after distribution of each playing card.
17. An apparatus of claim 5, wherein said moving means includes
means associated with each card receiving station for guiding
playing cards into each card receiving station, and wherein said
selecting means cyclically enables each of said guiding means
during a first period of time, one of said guiding means being
enabled at the conclusion of said first period of time, wherein
each playing card in turn is distributed to said one card receiving
station at the conclusion of said first period of time.
18. An apparatus of claim 17, wherein said first period of time is
pseudo-random in length.
19. An apparatus of claim 18, wherein said selecting means
cyclically enables each of said guiding means for varying
predetermined periods of time during said first period of time,
said predetermined periods of time being controlled in length of
time by said automatic means in accordance with how many playing
cards have been distributed to each card receiving station.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention concerns apparatus for automatically distributing
playing cards, and more specifically, wherein the distribution is
accomplished in a controlled probability manner.
Apparatus for achieving a random or pseudo-random distribution of a
deck of playing cards into stacks are generally well-known in the
art. Included are devices which actually shuffle or interleave the
deck of cards similarly to the operation a human dealer performs to
achieve the desired random distribution, and other devices which
automatically control the distribution of successive cards in a
deck into separate stacks to achieve the same result. Heretofore,
however, such shuffling and/or distribution devices have been
implemented mechanically, resulting in large, complex, and
expensive machines. They are typically cumbersome to operate, and
are subject to frequent breakdowns.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the card distribution
machine of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of
the prior art discussed above.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a
card machine which pseudo-randomly distributes a deck of cards into
a predetermined number of card stacks.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a
card machine which eliminates the requirement for physically
interleaving a deck of cards to provide a pseudo-random
distribution thereof.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a
card machine which changes the probability that a card will be
distributed into a given stack, relative to the other stacks, after
each successive card is distributed.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a
card machine which automatically distributes a deck of cards into a
predetermined number of separate stacks, each stack containing a
predetermined number of cards.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide
such a card machine which is dependable, simple in operation, and
contains a minimum amount of mechanical components.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such a
card machine which uses electronic logic means to control the
pseudo-random distribution of playing cards.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, the cards to be distributed are
initially positioned in a deck holder, from which successive cards
are individually removed and then directed by an orienting means
into a card channel, which is arranged such that the cards move
therein. Arranged along the card channel are a plurality of card
hoppers, the card hoppers having associated therewith card gating
means, which, when actuated, guide a card moving in the card
channel into its associated card hopper. A logic circuit controls
the actuation of the card gating means', and hence the selection of
the card hopper into which the cards are distributed.
More specifically, the logic circuit is actuated in response to a
driving circuit, which is actuated for a random time period
determined by the interval of time a card contacts a switch means
during the card's gravity-controlled fall in the card channel. The
logic circuit, in response to the driving circuit, cyclically
energizes a plurality of logic circuit output lines. The cyclical
energizing of the output lines is slightly altered by the operation
of the logic circuit after each card is distributed in accordance
with a revised probability of card hopper selection for the next
card. When the contact of the card with the switch means is
terminated, the output line which is energized at that point in
time is coupled via a coupling means actuated concurrently with the
termination of switch contact to its associated card gating means
for actuation thereof.
In one aspect of the invention, the logic circuit provides a
controlled probability of actuation of each card guiding means by
reducing the time during which the output connection associated
with the particular card guiding means last actuated is energized
relative to the other output connections.
In another aspect of the invention, the card channel is downwardly
directed from the deck holder, the card guiding means' associated
with the individual card hoppers located along the card channel
being positioned substantially within the card channel, such that
the cards move in the card channel under the force of gravity when
the card guiding means are not actuated. More specifically, means
are provided for propelling each successively removed card against
the switch means, which is positioned at a top end of the card
channel means, the card falling away from the switch means under
the force of gravity into the card channel, with the length of time
that the individual card is positioned against the switch means
being a random time event.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of one embodiment of the card
distribution structure of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the card distribution structure in
FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the logic circuitry which controls the
operation of the card distribution structure of FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the hopper select circuit shown in
simplified block form in FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In achieving a distribution of playing cards into a predetermined
number of separate stacks, the apparatus of the present invention
does not shuffle or interleave the cards. Rather, successive cards
in a deck are pseudo-randomly distributed according to a controlled
probability directly into individual stacks, under the control of
an electronic logic circuit. Although the structure and function of
the present invention will be described in the context of a
standard 52-card deck, and four separate card stacks, (indicating
that the particular card game being dealt has four players) the
invention is by no means limited to such a particular application.
Card decks of greater or lesser number may be conveniently
utilized, as well as other numbers of card stacks, by modifying the
structure and the logic circuit of the preferred embodiment in
accordance with the principles of the present invention.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a deck of cards 11 to be distributed is
initially placed by a user in a deck holder 12 positioned near the
top of the apparatus. The deck holder 12 is in the general form of
a shallow, box-like enclosure, having one face thereof removed for
insertion of the cards. It comprises horizontal bottom member 13,
vertical side walls 15, 15a, and end walls 18 and 19, with end wall
19 having a cut-out portion 19a defined therein for facilitating
insertion and removal of the cards from the holder 12 by the
operator. When the deck of cards is correctly inserted in the deck
holder 12, a portion of the bottom card in the deck rests on the
surface of rotatable roller 14, which extends longitudinally
substantially between side walls 15 and 15a near end wall 18 and
extends slightly into the enclosure through an opening in bottom
member 13. In operation, as roller 14 rotates counterclockwise
under the control of a motor (not shown) the bottommost card 15 of
the deck is ejected endwise out of the deck holder 12 through a
slot 16 in deck holder end wall 18. The card is moved out of the
deck holder 12 over a horizontally disposed plate 17 which is
coplanar with bottom member 13 and disposed adjacent end wall 18.
The card is moved at such a rate that the card proceeds
sufficiently forward to contact pin switch 20, which protrudes
upward from plate 17 at a point approximately the length of a card
away from deck holder end wall 18. Upon contact with pin switch 20
by card 15, a trip lever 22, located in a slot 22a in plate 17, is
actuated, flipping the card 15 up about the one end 24 thereof
adjacent pin switch 20, until the opposite end 26 thereof contacts
card switch 28, which is positioned on an upwardly extending
portion of a card channel 30, as hereinafter clarified.
At this point, the card 15 is longitudinally aligned with the
downwardly sloping card channel 30, which comprises elongated rear
wall 32, the upper end of which substantially mates with plate 17
in the vicinity of the pin switch 20, elongated shallow side walls
34 and 36, which extend away from plate 17 along the longitudinal
edges of the rear wall 32, and a cover portion 37, one end of which
is secured to the free edges 51 and 53 of the side walls 34 and 36
in the vicinity of the upper ends 51a and 53a thereof. The cover
portion 37 is a plate-like projection which extends upwardly from
the upper ends 51a and 53a of side walls 34 and 36, and generally
parallel to rear wall 32. Arranged successively along the card
channel 30 and extending therefrom is a series of card hoppers 38,
40 42, and 44. Each card hopper is a shallow box-like enclosure
slightly larger in outline than a playing card, and includes two
side walls 46 and 48 (labeled with hopper 38 in FIG. 2), which
slope downwardly and extend from the side walls 34 and 36 of
channel 30, a bottom member 50 having one end 50a thereof
coterminal with the free edges 51, 53 of the channel side walls 34,
36, respectively, and end wall sections 52a, 52b located at the
opposite end 50b of bottom member 50. The end wall sections 52a,
52b project normal to bottom member 50 and are connected at one
edge thereof, respectively, to hopper side walls 46, 48. Hopper
bottom member 50 includes a cutout portion 58 extending from end
50b to permit convenient removal of the piled cards.
Each of the card hoppers includes an associated magnetically
actuated hopper gate 60, which is pivotable about two points, 63
and 65 on side walls 34 and 36, points 63 and 65 being defined for
card hopper 38 by the intersections of the card channel side walls
34, 36 with hopper side walls 46, 48. The gate 60 is normally held
in a raised position by a spring 35, the raised position being that
in which gate 60 is maintained away from rear wall 32 so as to
permit the card to slide adjacent the card channel rear wall 32
beneath the hopper gates. Each hopper gate is in the shape of an
inverted V, the free ends 62, 64 thereof being pivotally connected
to the channel 30 in the position defined above. When a hopper gate
is actuated, it is pivoted about free ends 62 and 64 such that the
point 66 of the V-shaped gate rests against the card channel rear
wall 32, thereby guiding the moving card into the card hopper
associated with the actuated hopper gate. Gate 61 is associated
with hopper 44 and is permanently oriented in the channel so as to
result in a stacking of the cards.
Each hopper gate 60 has a suitable magnetic means 68 for actuation
of the hopper gate 60 in response to an electric signal against the
restraining action of spring 35. Only one hopper gate, of course,
is actuated for each card. The bottom hopper 44 does not have a
hopper gate since the card will automatically fall into that hopper
if the first three hopper gates associated with card hoppers 38, 40
and 42, are maintained in the raised position. Thus, a series of
successive electric signals may be used to actuate selected ones of
the hopper gates associated with hoppers 38, 40, and 42, thereby
providing a distribution of the deck of cards originally placed in
the card holder 12 into four stacks, each containing a
predetermined number of cards.
Referring now to FIG. 3, the operation of the logic circuit portion
of the card distribution machine is initiated when reset switch 70
is operated by the user, the reset switch 70 being typically
located on an accessible part of the apparatus. This is
accomplished by the user after a card deck is placed in deck holder
12, and starts the distribution sequence. The operation of reset
switch 70 places a ground on the R (reset) connections of
flip-flops 72, 73, 74, and 75, which together form a 4-bit counter.
When reset by operation of reset switch 70 the successive outputs
of flip-flops 72 through 75 will be 1111. A ground is
simultaneously applied to the respective R (reset) connections of
four-bit registers 78, 79, 80 and 81. Registers 78 through 81 each
are comprised of four serially connected flip-flops, connected such
that upon application of the ground signal to the R connections of
the registers, the signal at the output connections A, B, C, D
respectively, is 0100, (positive logic) which is the binary
complement of 13, using the convention of least significant digit
to most significant digit from left to right, which is the
convention followed in this application for registers 78 through 81
and flip-flops 72 through 75. Each register 78 through 81 will thus
count to 13 before being automatically recycled to its reset
position of 0100. Four registers which count to 13 are used because
the logic circuit of FIG. 3 has been designed to accommodate a
distribution of a 52-card deck into four equal stacks. Other modes
of distribution may be accomplished with different numbers of
registers and different reset configurations. The reset condition
of 0100 for registers 78 through 81 and 1111 for flip-flops 72
through 75 is referred to as the initial logic circuit condition,
and results whenever reset switch 70 is operated.
As will be clarified hereafter, when the reset switch 70 is
operated and released, one of the output lines E, F, G, H of hopper
select circuit 84 will be high and the other output lines all low.
Each of the hopper select output lines E through H goes high in
turn under the control of oscillator 86, the initial high output
line being that line which was high at the termination of the last
previous distribution sequence. The hopper select circuit 84 is
shown more clearly in FIG. 4. The pulse output from oscillator 86
appears at input connection T of flip-flop 88, the output Q of
which is applied to AND gates 91 and 93, and the output Q of which
is applied to AND gates 90 and 92. The Q output from flip-flop 88
is also applied as an input signal to flip-flop 94, which is
identical to flip-flop 88, and which has a Q output connected to
AND gates 92 and 93, and a Q output to AND gates 90 and 91. Thus,
successive pulses from oscillator 86 at input T of input 88 will
result in a high output of successive AND gates 93, 92, 91, and 90,
having outputs E through H, successively. Thus, one of the hopper
select output lines E through H will always be high, while the
remaining output lines will be low.
As stated above, the initial output condition of each register 78
through 81 is 0100, at outputs A through D, respectively. Each
output from each register 78 through 81 is connected as one input
to one of a complex of register AND gates. AND gates 105 through
108 are associated with outputs from register 78, AND gates 110
through 113 with register 79, AND gates 115 through 118 with
register 80, and AND gates 120 through 123 with register 31. The
other input to the register AND gates are the outputs E through H
of hopper select circuit 84. Output line E is connected to AND
gates 105 through 108 along the outputs from register 78; output F
is connected to AND gates 110 through 113 along with the outputs
from register 79; output line G is connected to AND gates 115
through 118 along with the outputs from register 80; and output
line H is connected to AND gates 120 through 123, along with the
outputs from register 81.
The outputs of AND gates 105 through 108, 110 through 113, 115
through 118, and 120 through 123 are connected to a complex of OR
gates. As an example, for a first OR gate complex, the outputs of
AND gates 105 and 110 are applied to OR gate 125, and the outputs
of AND gates 115 and 120 are applied to OR gate 126. The outputs of
OR gates 125 and 126 are then applied to OR gate 127. In a similar
fashion, OR gates 130, 131 and 132 form a second OR gate complex;
OR gates 135, 136 and 137 form a third OR gate complex; and OR
gates 140, 141 and 142 form a fourth OR gate complex, connected as
shown in FIG. 3.
Four EXCLUSIVE OR gates 145, 146, 147, 148 comprise another complex
of gates. Gate 145 has as inputs the output of OR gate 127 and the
output line 72a of flip-flop 72. Gate 146 has as inputs the output
of OR gate 132 and the output line 73a of flip-flop 73. Gate 147
has as inputs the output of OR gate 137 and the output line 74a
from flip-flop 74. Gate 148 has as inputs the output of OR gate 142
and the output line 75a of flip-flop 75. The outputs of EXCLUSIVE
OR gates 145-148 are connected to NAND gate 150, the output of
which controls oscillator 86.
In operation, when reset switch 70 operated, the bottommost card in
deck holder 12 is moved out of the deck holder by the rotation of
roller 14. The ejected card first contacts pin switch 20, whereupon
the card is flipped up to contact and actuate card switch 28, as
explained above. Card switch 28 (FIG. 3), during the time the card
is in contact therewith, places a ground on the connection 98a of
one-shot 98, maintaining it in a quiescent or reset state, and a
ground on connection 96a of oscillator 96, turning it on. As long
as a card physically contacts card switch 28, oscillator 96 will
remain in an on condition.
When energized, oscillator 96 begins to generate output pulses at a
one MHz rate, which pulses are applied on output line 100 connected
to the four-bit counter comprised of series-connected flip-flops 72
through 75. The 4-bit counter driven by oscillator 96 begins to
count at the one MHz rate, providing successive output pulses at
flip-flop outputs 72a, 73a, 74a and 75a. As pointed out above, the
initial logic condition (i.e. alter reset by switch 70) of
flip-flops 72 through 75 is 1111, and the counter counts from that
initial condition.
One and only one of the output lines E through H from hopper select
circuit 84 will be high at any one time. As explained above,
outputs E through H will go high successively. Assuming for
purposes of explanation that hopper select output line E is high
when reset switch 70 is activated, and lines F through H are low, a
logical one will be placed on one of the inputs to each AND gate
105 through 108. AND gates 110 through 113, 115 through 118, and
120 through 123 will have logic zeros from the output lines F
through H of hopper select circuit 84, respectively. Thus, the
outputs of AND gates 110 through 113, 115 through 118, 120 through
123 will also be a logic zero. The outputs of AND gates 105, 107
and 108 are also logic zero, since the register 78 outputs A, C and
D connected thereto, respectively, are also zero in accordance with
the initial logic condition of registers 78 through 81. However,
the output of AND gate 106 is a logic one, since the initial
condition of output B of each register 78 through 81 is a logic
one. This logic one from AND gate 106 is applied to OR gate 130,
while all other inputs to OR gates 125, 126, 130, 131, 135, 136,
140, and 141 are zero. The input to OR gate 132 from OR gate 130 is
thus also a logic one. All other inputs to OR gates 127, 132, 137,
and 142 are logic zero. The outputs of OR gates 127, 132, 137, and
142 are thus respectively 0100, which are in turn applied to
EXCLUSIVE OR gates 145 through 148.
As stated above, the initial logic circuit condition of flip-flops
72 through 75, connected to EXCLUSIVE OR gates 145 through 148, is
1111. After 13 successive counts from oscillator 96, inputs to
EXCLUSIVE OR gates 145 through 148 from flip-flops 72 through 75
will be 1011, respectively. Since EXCLUSIVE OR gate 146 has a logic
one input from OR gate 132, the outputs of all EXCLUSIVE OR gates
145 through 148 to NAND gate 150 will go high for the first time
since the circuit operation was initiated with hopper select output
line E high, forcing the output of NAND gate 150 to go low. The low
output of NAND gate 150 resets the flip-flops 72 through 75 to 0001
through connection C, and simultaneously turns oscillator 86 on,
which in turn increments the hopper select circuit so that line F
goes high and E, G, and H are low.
This logic process is cyclically repeated, with oscillator 86
incrementing hopper select circuit 84 whenever all 4 inputs to NAND
gate 150 go high, as explained above.
The cycle continues as long as card switch 28 is closed, i.e. the
card 15 is in contact with the card switch. As soon as the card
falls a sufficient distance down the card channel 30 to release
card switch 28, the switch 28 resets to its normally open position,
releasing the ground from the connection 96a of oscillator 96, thus
turning it off. Simultaneously, a high signal is applied to
connection 98a of one-shot 98 through inverter 152, setting it for
its predetermined period. During the predetermined set period of
one-shot multivibrator 98, an output signal is applied on line 154
to one input of AND gates 156, 157, 158, and 159, associated with
registers 78 through 81, respectively. Hopper select output line E
is connected as the other input to AND gate 156, while line F is
connected to AND gate 157, line G to AND gate 158, and line H to
AND gate 159. The outputs of AND gates 156 through 159 are
connected, respectively, to the input connections (IN) of registers
78 through 81.
Additionally, the outputs of AND gates 156 through 158 are each
connected to associated hopper gate drive circuits 160, 161 and
162. Hopper gate drive circuits 160 through 162 are identical and
include as an example a transistor 166 connected between ground and
one of the magnetic hopper gate actuators 68. AND gate 159 is not
connected to a hopper gate drive circuit since its associated card
hopper does not have a hopper gate, as explained above.
Assuming for purposes of explanation that hopper select output line
E is high when card switch 28 opens, AND gate 156 will provide an
output signal in response to the signal on line 154 from one-shot
98. The output signal from AND gate 156 will be applied through
resistor 164, and will turn on transistor 166, completing the
circuit for the magnetic hopper gate actuator 68 corresponding to
the first card hopper. As explained above, the actuation of a
particular hopper gate guides the sliding card into the associated
hopper. Hopper gate drive circuits 161 and 162, respectively, are
associated with the second and third card hoppers along the channel
30. Simultaneously with the actuation of drive circuit 160, a
signal is applied from AND gate 156 to its associated register 78,
incrementing the register count by 1 so that it now reads 1100.
This completes the operational sequence of the machine for the
first ejected card. The apparatus is now ready to receive the next
card. As each successive card falls from contact with card switch
28, one of the AND gates 156 through 159 will be actuated, the
output of which actuated AND gate will in turn actuate its
associated hopper gate drive circuit (with the exception of AND
gate 159) and increment its associated register. This process is
repeated until one of the registers 78 through 81 becomes filled
(i.e., its output reads 1111). When the hopper select line E
through H corresponding to the filled register is next energized,
the presence of the 1111 output immediately forces the hopper
select circuit to increment to the next output line, thereby
automatically skipping each register when it is full. Since the
registers 78 through 81 were set initially to a count of 0100, the
output of each register will read 1111 when thirteen counts have
been accumulated. Each card hopper will thus receive 13 cards.
Thus, the initial count of the registers 78 through 81 is
established with consideration of the number of cards which is to
be distributed to the individual hoppers.
The controlled distribution of the individual cards to achieve an
equal chance for all possible permutations of the total number of
cards in a deal is provided by the combination of the switch 28
being closed by contact with the individual cards for a random
time, the very short pulse interval of the driving circuit compared
to the closure of switch 28, and the operation of the logic
circuit. The card switch 28 is closed as long as contact exists
between a card and the switch 28. Due to slight differences in the
weight and orientation of each card as it is propelled against the
switch 28 by lever 22, each card will close the switch 28 for an
amount of time which is randomly distributed over a small interval
of time. Oscillator 96 runs at a relatively high rate (e.g., 1 MHz)
compared with the detectable difference in switch contact time, as
well as the range over which the contact time varies, such that
several cycles of energization of output connections E through H
occur between the smallest detectable difference in switch contact
time. This would ordinarily result in a substantially random
pattern of output connection energization at termination of switch
contact. The logic circuit, however, operates to slightly alter the
probabilities of each output connection being energized upon
termination of switch contact relative to one another.
As an example, if the first card in the deck is distributed to the
hopper associated with register 78 and output line E, in response
to which the count in register 78 is incremented by 1 to 1100, the
outputs of AND gates 127, 132, 137 and 142 will be 1100
respectively, when the next card distribution is initiated. With
oscillator 96 running, only 12 intervening counts are necessary in
order to have all of the inputs of AND gate 150 at a logic one,
which in turn increments hopper select 84 to energize the next
output line F. Since register 79 is still set at its initial logic
condition of 0100, 13 counts are necessary from oscillator 96 in
order to increment the hopper select circuit 84 to energize the
next hopper select line G. Thus, if the first card is distributed
to the card hopper associated with register 78, the output line E
will be energized for a shorter time relative to the energization
time of the other output lines for the next card to be distributed.
Thus, there is a slightly reduced probability of having the
oscillator 96 terminate its operation (when the card falls out of
contact with switch 28) when output line E is energized relative to
the other output lines. The logic circuit thus operates to slightly
alter the probabilities of the actuation of each hopper select
circuit upon the distribution of each card. After the first card
has been distributed to the card hopper associated with register
78, the probability of the next card going in that hopper will be
12/51 and 13/51 for the other hoppers.
Such an arrangement provides substantially a "fair deal", in which
all possible permutations of the cards in a deck are equally
possible during distribution, (as is the purpose as well in
shuffling the cards) within the constraint that the cards must be
distributed into stacks containing a predetermined number of
cards.
The process described above continues until all of the cards have
been distributed into the individual hoppers. At the conclusion of
the distribution, one given hopper select line is high. This line
will be initially high for the succeeding sequence of distribution.
The sequence is repeated by inserting a deck of cards into the
holder 12, and operating the reset switch 70.
Thus, an automatic card distributor has been described which
utilized logic control for controlled distribution of a deck of
cards into a predetermined number of individual stacks, each stack
containing a predetermined number of cards. Certain initial circuit
conditions are established corresponding to such variables as the
number of cards to be used and the number of players. The apparatus
automatically distributes the cards on a controlled basis, the
probability determined by the amount of time an individual card is
positioned against a card switch during its fall along a downwardly
directed channel, and the condition of registers 78 through 81.
Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been
disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, it will be
understood that various changes, modifications and substitutions
may be incorporated in such embodiment without departing from the
spirit of the invention as defined by the claims which follow.
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