Patent ID: 6120024
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: A63F,G07C

Abstract:
A ball drawing apparatus including:(a) a reading tube having an internal diameter sufficient to receive a ball to be read;(b) a reading gate at an outlet end of the reading tube, the reading gate normally biased to a closed position in which the ball is prevented from exiting the reading tube, the reading gate also being movable to an open position in which the ball is enabled to exit the reading tube;(c) a ball reader unit for reading the ball in the reading tube to provide a ball identifying signal; and(d) a control computer operatively connected to the ball reader unit and to the reading gate, the control computer receiving the ball identifying signal from the ball reader unit, determining if the ball identifying signal is valid, and signaling the reading gate to move from the closed position to the open position in response to a valid ball identifying signal from the ball reader unit.