US814897A - Pin spotter and setter for bowling-alleys. - Google Patents

Description

. m. 814,8 97. I PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

.. J. o. BAOKUS. v

PINSPOTTER AND SBTTER FOR BOWLING ALLEYS.

Arruonlon 311.31) 11,111.31, 1905. I

' sums-enm- 1.

\ No. 814,8 97. I PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

'- I J.'G.-BAGKUS. 1

PINSPOTTER AND SETTER FOR BOWLING ALL'EYS.

. APPLIGATIOIN FILED 11.31, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.,

31 wzntoz .To=all whom itimay'cortcern: a

JOHN C. BACKUS, F SMETHRQRT, PENNSYLYANIA. 1 ,Pm SPOTTE'B AND S-ETTER FOR OWLING LLEYS;

Be it known'that I, JQHNC. BAoKUs, aciti 2611 of .the Unitedfitates, residing at Smethfollowing is a-spccification. p s In apparatus-of this character acarrier for 1 to port, the .county of McKean and State of ,Bennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Im roveinents in Pin Spotters and Setters :for l3owling Alleys, of which the the .pinsis .anessential element, and for convemence thessaid carrier is counterbalanced preferably by Wei ht, which. servesto automatically .return it e carrier-to normal positionafter;placingthezpins upon the alley and to prevent a .too rapidde'scent of the carrier when .moving to set the pins.

This invention provides a novel counterbalance forthe carrierwhich exerts a variable modiiying influencethroughout the travel ofthecarrier in; each direction, the resistance adually increasing throughout the firsthalfofthe'descent' of the carrier and'proportionately decreasing as the carrier. complctesitsdownwardtravel to deposit the pins 1 upon the .bed "of the alley.

feriorcushioning the carrier at the limit of its movement ineachidirection and serving to give aniinitial impetus to the counterbalance.onitsireturn-movement forresetting the carrier;

, V combination with.the-carrier, shifting.mech 'anism of peculiarconstruction for arighting The invention also-further contemplates,

the-.pins at the .pro or .time to insure their d sliver-y upon the a ley, said shifting =means consisting .of parallel rods journaled to the carrienand having crank portions opposite to j--'t he.respective pin openings of the carrier and preferably connected in series for simultane .ous .operationand adapted to be actuated when the. carrier .reaches the, predetermined point in its descent to safely a'ndfproperly .placeithe pins upon the bed of the.alley.f

The invention further embodies pin-guides to assureacc'ura'cy in positioning the pins s .For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a when setupon the'alley, said guides comprising yieldablejcomplemental parts which arecontrolled by theQpins both when shifted and when passing fromthe carrier to the alley..

knowledge of the-details of construction of the means for effecting theresult, reference is to be had to the following description and a 2 a1pa y s= n s n hi h.

I gpecification of Letters Patent.

ratus embodying the invention; Fig. "2 is a central longitudinal section of the carrier,

ism. Fig. 3 1s a side view of the counterebal, ance,.buffer., and actuating mechanism for the pin-shifting means, illustrating a portion of the carrier. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the normal position of x the ,parts receivethe pins priorflto placing them upon of a ortion of the pin-carrier,-s owingthe slir'a le pin-gui 'es. showing the relation of the complemental members of the pin-gui( es when clearing the pins after the same have been deposited upon the alley.

Corresponding and like parts are referred reference characters.

The carrier is mounted for vertical move ment and is directed in its descent and ascent v by. guides- 2, which are pendent ,from'an The invention further contemplates a' bufoverhead beam 3 or other suitable support,

struction and is approximatelyof triangular when set, so as to occupy the smallest amount of space possible, Pin-openings 5-are .pro-

cide with the spots or positions of the pins.

cording to its mounting, and preferab remains arallel to a given position and with orotherwiseatta'ched to the guides 2,

; ratented l t [arcti Application 515a use '31, 1905. seen No. 253,133. i

showing" thepin'shifting and guide mechanwhen the carrier; is'elevated and a apted to the bed of the alley. Fig.5 is a to plan view Fig-6 is a ('etail view said guides being braced by means of stays'3.

The carrier 1 may be of any substantial con- 1 I 9 form to correspond to the outline of thepins vided in the-carrier and are located-to c'oin- I 'The carrier is moved toward and from the bed of the alley in any determinate-wayae ,the be of the alley, so as to place ,thepins squarely thereon. Arock-shaft 6 is arra .ed some distanceabove the bed of'the a eytransversely thereof and is mounted in.bear-- ings 7., consisting ofblocksshackled, clipfied, ars are fast' to' end portions of the rock-shaft ti, each'consisting of arms 8 and 9 of different lengths and projecting in. opposite directions. i The'arms 9 are'supplied with weights 1 0,3 1 which serve to counterbalance the carrier. and its load. The Weights 10 may beadjustable f ,:.on the arms 9 to provide for'adjustmentof Figure-1 is .a perspective viewof-an apps- 7 5 to in the following descriptionand indicated in all the views of the drawings by the sameloo } shaft 6, thereby holding the carrier n suspension while placing the pinsthereon and during the time that the alley is in use. The weighted arms 9 are pendent, as shown most clearly in Fig. 1,when the carrier is elevated, and the effect veness of the counterbalance is less than the combined weight of the carrier, pins, and adjunctive parts,so that when the carrier is released and started .on its downward travel it will continue to move by reason of the preponderence of weight until arrested by contact with the bed ,of the alley. As the carrier descends the rock-shaft 6 is turned and the weights 10 move upward and exert an increasing resistance proportionate to the increase of leverage of the arms 9. At the same time the leverage of the arms 8, from which the carrier is suspended, proportionately increase. The leverage of the arms 8 and 9 varies in inverse ratio during the first part of the descent of the carrier until said arms occupy a horizontal position, when the leverage o the arms varies in an opposite ratio during the completion of the downward movement of the carrier. In other words, during the movement of the wei hts from a pendentposition to a horizontal p ane passed through the axis of the shaft 6 their leverage increases, and as said weights pass from said horizontalplane to a perpendicular osition above the shafts 6 their effective everage decreases. This is true of the leverage of the arms 8, only in an inverse order.

A buffer 14 is provided for neutralizing any shock and gradually checking the movement of the carrier in' its travel in each direction. This bufler also serves to give an initial impetus to the carrier upon its return after depositing the pins upon the alley. For convenience the buffer 14 exerts its controlling influence upon the rock-shaft 6, and for this purpose said rock-shaft is supplied with an arm 15, which is fast thereon. The buffer in its simplest form consists of a spring clevis,

one end being connected to the arm 15 and the opposite end to the overhead framework or support, which in the resent instance consists of a transverse ro necting-the guides 2. The upper end of the buffer is attached to the rod or .bar 16 by.

means of a connector 17 loose on said bar, so

as to swing and adapt itself to the directionof strain as the arm 1-5.changes its position .the carrier and journale or' bar 16, con-' incident to the turning of the rock-shaft 6 in its bearings 7. The connection 18 between the buffer and the arm 15 is extensible and comprises a turnbuckle 19, whereby provision is had for var ing the effectiveness of the buffer by regu ating the tension of its spring. When the carrier 1 is elevated, the buffer is under a slight tension, and upon the descent of the carrier and as the same is approaching the limit of its downward travel the buffer is subjected to tension, which serves the dual function of relieving shock and giving an initial impetus to the carrier upon its return stroke, thereby carrying the weights or counterbalances past a dead-point.

Upon the top side of the carrier is arranged a series of abutments or stops 20 and longitudinal ribs 21, the latter -being disposed in parallel relation and the abutments or stops 20 located in line with the forward sides of the pin-openings 5, so as-to engage with the foot of the pins 22 and properly position the- The longitudinal ribs 21 and abutsame. ments 20 may e provided in any manner and constitute means to insure correct position of the pins, so that they may be pro erly and positively set u on the bed of t e alley in the operation of t e machine.

The shiftin' means for arighting the pins comprises ro s 23, arran ed transversely of thereto and 'provided in their length with crank portions 24, upon which the pins rest when placed upon the carrier. The rods 23 may be provided at one or both ends with crank-arms 25, which are connected in series by means of a rod or bar 26, so as to cause the series of rods 23 to turn in unison. Operating rods or bars-27 have acrank connection with one of the rods 23 and are provided with stops 28 to come in contact with corresponding stops 29 and cause rocking ofthe rods 23 as the carrier settles at the limit of its downward travel, with the result that the crank portions 24 areof the rods between the loops being j ournaled to the carrier in any manner, preferably by being mounted in the ribs 21. The open ends of the loops orcrank portions '24 are adjacent to the res ective pin- 0 enings,

thereb permitting t e pins to rea 'ly ass.

throug said opemngs in the operation 0 the ap aratus.

he pin-guides cooperating with the car- 33, referably arranged upon opposite'sides,

neicomprise complemental members 32- and of t e carrier and grouped about the re-' spective pin-openings, usually three comple-- mental members be ng provided to a group,

- --\;although the number maybe-varied. The

' guide members 33 appearas shortflegs and are pivotally connected at their up er'ends to t under side of the carrier an are arranged with reference to the pin-openings and pins so as to touchthe sides of the latter 'and insure their correct position upon the i "spots, of the alley; The guide members 33 arm34, firmly attached thereto and extended upward-through an opening 35 of the carrier and having engagement at its upper end with the sliding guidev member 32. vThe springarm 34 is preferably formed of wire, which s Each of the guide members 32 is slidably mounted upon the carrier and is formed with 'a longitudinal slot 37, through which passes a screw or like fitted fastening 38, by means of which the member is held place and, rep-- erly directed in its reciprocatingor s ding movements. .The endof thegulde member .32 adjacent tofthe pin-openingfi conforms thereto,-as shown most elearlyf1n Fig.- 5, and is provided with a pendent portion 39 to enterthe "pin-(Iipening and provide a sufilcient' ace forfcontact with the pin to extent of su obviateinjury theret0.-, When the carrier is I clear 'of pins, the pivoted guide members' 33 hangm an approximately vertical position,

as indicated mostclearly in Fig.6, and the inner ends of theguide members 32 project a short distance into the pin-openings. When a the pins pass through openingsfi, their lower a is outward, therebymovin'g the/upper ends of T f the spring-arms 34 away from t tapered ends coming in-contact with the. inner ends 'ofthe-guide members'32 force them ings and corres ondin 1y forcing the lower ends-of thegui e mem ers 33 inward, so as s v.to engagewlth and bear against the sides of the lower 'portion'of the pins .to'properly p a si-tion and'steady them,' ,the guide members shownmost clearly in Fig. 2. t V 55 Fig. 1 shows a pin spotter and settercon- A structed in accordance with fthis invention, the parts being shown in the relation which r, they assume when the carrier is elevated 6 above the pin end 40 of the bowling-alle to,

32 51 M133 assuming the relative positions as receive the pins reliminar to placing t em upon the spots 0 the alley ed. It beingTasiz'sumed that the carrier is loaded with a set',of' pins and it beingrequired to deposit the same upon the alley, theveeights 10 are moved.for-- warda slight distance to *break the iointof stops 29 the pin-shifting mechanism auto.- matically returns to a normal position, this ev pin-openpass a pe endicular line extending through the axis 0 the shaft 6, when the carrier W111 descend by reason of excess of Weight. .As

the carrier ap roaches the bed of the alley contact wit from a recumbent into a' vertical position, when by gravitative force they slip through As the pins .pass through their respective openings the uide members 32 are moved outward and t e lower'ends of the uide members 33 are forced inward, ,byyielding pressure, vdue to the sprin -arms '34,there-=. ycentr'alizing and correct y positionin the pins upon the alley. At this time the. weights- 10 have moved from a pendent osition into a i an upright osition "and the roc shaft 6 has coiled intermediate of its ends, as shown at- 36, toincrease the resiliency ofthe. arm.

made aha f-revolution, so' as to throw-the arm from a forward ositionto a rearward h a position, with the resu t that the buffer 14 is subjected to tension .both to ease the final downward movement ofthe carrier and to throw the weights 10 forward of a line pass- 'ing vertically through the axis of the shaft6,

S as to give an initial impetus -'to the carrier on its upwardmovement when returning to a .the carrier, and the upper ends of the links 12 i l the pin-openings-b and-settle upon the alley.

normal; osition; The action of the buffer when being momentarily subjectedto tension andreacting to start the carrier on its return travel results in a pause in the movement of 10 thecarri'er sufiicient to steady the'pins upon a the alley and insure their correct position. As the carrier begins its ascentand the stops-28 of the rods 27'tend to move away from the,

being due to the; weightjofthe crank portions 24, which ineline-sufiiciently to causethem to gravitate when releasedv from the pins and the action of the cobperatin stops 28 and 29..

-'When the carrier is'relieve of the weight of the pins, .it is automatically returned to a force of the weights or counterbalance 10.

5 When the carrier be ins its upward-movement, the guidemem ers 32 slide downward (normal position .by reason of the superior upon the rapidly-converged sides of the pins,

thereby permitting the lower ends 1 of' the guide members 23 to swing'outward, so as to clear the pins. "Should it become necessary or a player demand the lowering of the car-' the guide members 32 are moved outward the lower ends of the guide, members 33 are pressed inward, thereby shiftin any ofgthe pins that may have-become disp aced. It is to be understood that under these conditions the carrier is lowered by overcoming the g perior wei ht of the counterbalance 10, which may be e ected by hand, as by pulling upon' the arms 8 or in any elective way.

Havin thus described the invention, what is claime as new is 1. In apparatus for placing pins upon the bed of a bowling-alle the combination of a carrier for receiving t e pins and movable to ward and from the bed of the alley, a variable counterbalance therefor, and connecting means between said carrier and counterbalance having a variable effective leverage.

2. In apparatus for placing pins upon the bar, and connecting means between the up per arm of said bar and the carrier.

3. In apparatus for placing pins upon the.

bed ofa bowling-alle the combination of a carrier for receiving t e pins and movable toward and from the bed of the alley, a rockshaft, bars fast to opposite end portions of the rock-shaft to turn therewith and comprisin up er and lower arms, a weight: at-

tache ,to t e lower arm ,of the bars, and condirection and serving. to impart an initial n'ecting means between the upper arm of said bars and the carrier. a

4. In apparatus for placing pins upon the bed of a bowling-alley, the combinatlon of a car icr receiving the pins and movable toward and from the bed of the alley, a counterbalance for the carrier, and means for checking the movement of the carrier in each movement to the carrier uponits return travel.

5. In mechanism for spottin and setting pins of a bowling-alley, the com ination of a carrier movable toward and from the bed of the alley and adapted to receive the pins, a bar pivotally supported between its ends and normally occupying an a proximately vertical position, a counterballmce connected to thelower arm of said bar, means connectin the upper arm of the bar with the carrier, an means operatively connected with said bar for easing the movement of the carrier in each direction and imparting an initial impetus thereto on its return travel.

- 6. In mechanism for s otting and setting pins of a bowling-alley, t e combination of a carrier movable toward and from the bed of the alley and adapted to receive the pins, a rock-shaft having an arm projected therefrom, a counterbalance for the carrier con nected with said rock-shaft to impart movement thereto, a buffer having connectio'njat one end with the arm of the rock-shaft, and

means loosely connecting the other end of the buffer with an overhead support and mov- 'ings.

able to adapt itself to the direction of strain as the buffer changes-its angular direction.

7. In mechanism for s ottin and setting pins of a bowling-alley, t e com ination of a carrier movable toward and from the bed of the alley and adapted to receive the pins, a rock-shaft, a counterbalance for the carrier having connection with said rock-shaft, an arm projected from the rock-shaft and fast thereto, and means having connection with said arm for easing the movement of the carrier in each direction of its travel and serving to give an initial impetus thereto on its return movement.

8. In mechanism for s ottingand. settingpins of a bowling-alley, t e combination of a carrier movable toward and from the bed of the alley and adapted to receive the pins, a

rock-shaft, bars fast to opposite end portions of the rock-shaft and normally occupying a vertical position, weights attached to the lower ends of said bars, means connecting the upper ends of the bars with said carrier an i arm fast to and projected frdm" the rockshaft, an overhead support and a buffer having one end connecte .to said arm and its opposite end loosely connected to said over-- 10. In a gin spotting and setting mechanism for bow 'ing-alle s, the combination of a carrier provided wit pin-openings and movable toward and from the bed of the alley, rods j ournaled' to the carrier and having portions bent into loop form to provide crank portions, and actuating means for turning the rods to throw the loop-shaped crankportions into an approximatel upright positlon for arighting pins and e ectlng discharge thereof through said pin-openings.

. 11. In a pin spotting and settlng mechanism for bowling-alle s, the combinatlon of a carrier provided wit pin-opemngs and movable toward and from the bed of the alley, rods journaled to 'the carrier andhav ng crank portions for arighting and effecting discharge of the pins through said pin-openings, means connectin the rods for simultaneous movement, an actuating means for turnin the rods.

,12. n a pin spotting and setting mechantheir dischargethrough said pin-openism for bowling-alleys, the combination of a carrier provided witlnpin-openings and movable toward and from the bed ofthe alley,

pin-shifting means mounted upon the car-' rie'r for effecting a discharge'of the pins upon the bed of the alley, an operating-rod connected with the pin-shifting means and .pro vided with a stop, and a corresponding stop projected from the overhead framework.

14'. In a pin spotting and setting mechan ism for bowling-alle s, the combination of a 4 car ier adapte carrier provided wit pin-openings and movable toward and from the bed of the alley, pin-shifting means mounted upon the carrier to effect delivery of the pins upon the bed of the alley, slotted extensions projected from the overhead framework, and operating-rods connected to' thepin-shifting means and passed through the slots of said extensions and provided with stops tov efiect actuation of the pin-shiftin means when the carrier has nearly reache the limit of its movement toward the bedof the alley. I Y

15. Inmechanism for spottin 'and setting pins of bowlin -alleys, the com ination of a to receive the pins and'movable toward and from the bed of the alley and provided with pin o enings, and pinguides for the openings 0 the carrier com prising u per-and lower complemental parts or mem ers arranged, respectively, above I and below the carrier.

- 16. In mechanism for spottin and setting- .pins of bowlin -alleys, the com ination of a carrier adapte to receive the pins and movable toward and from the bed of the alley and provided with in-openings, pin guides for the o enings of t e carrier comprising uper and ower complemental parts or memers, and spring connections between the a.

complemental gui'de-members.

. 17. In mechanism for spottin and setting pins of bowlin -alleys, the com inat'ion of a carrier adapte to receive the pins and movable toward and from the bed of-the alley and provided with in-openings, pin-guides for the openings of t e carrier comprising upper and lower members or parts, and con-' necting means between corresponding upper and lower members to efiect a simultaneous 'pins of bowlin {a and provided with j n testimony whereof movement thereof in opposite directions, -said movement being controlled by the pins in their passage through the pin-openings:;

-18..In mechanism for spottin and setting pins of bowlin -"alleys',-the combination of a carrier adapted to receive the pins and HJOVT able toward. and-fro11'1,tl1e bed of the alley and plrovided with in-openings, pin-guides for t e openings 0 the carrier comprising complementalup'per and lower members, the upper members being the lower members pivotally mounted, and

connecting'means between corresponding up-" per and lower members to effect simultaneous movement thereof in opposite directions. 19. In mechanis for spottin and'setting lie ys, the com ination ofa carrier adapte to receive the pins and mov in-openings, pin-guides for t e openings 0 the carrier com rising complemental members, one set of sai members beingarran ed above the carrier and the other set locatdbelow the carrier, and connecting means between corresponding u per and lower members extended across the p ane of thecarrier to effect simultaneous moveslidably mounted and I able toward and from the-bed of the alley 4 and royided with ment of said members in opposite (lirections.

20. In mechanism for spotting and setting pins of bowlin '-alleys, the combination of -a carrier adapte to receive the pins and movable toward and from the bed of the alley for the o enings of t e carrier comprising up er slidable members and lowerpivoted memers, and spring-arms attached to the p1v- 'ot'ed members and extended through openings of the carrier and engaged with the sliding members, whereby corresponding members receive a simultaneous movement in posite directions and are controlled by pins in their passage 1ngs.

21,. ,In mechanism forr spotting and setting pins of bowlin -alleys, the com ination of'a carrier adapted able toward and from and provided with in -gui'des mounte u on the carrier and aving their inner en portions extended into the respective pin-openings to be engaged by the pins, and spring means normallytendin to press the movable pin-guides inward.

afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHNQBACKUS. [1 8.1

Witriesseszg v 3 V. B. HIL YARn through the pin-openm-openings, pin-guides to receivethe pins and movthe bed of the alley in openings, movable

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