Abstract:
A programmable card handling machine with a display and appropriate inputs for adjusting the machine to any of a number of games comprises inputs including a number of cards-per-hand selector, a card game selector, a number of hands delivered selector and a trouble-shooting input. These features also provide for interchangeability of the machine for many different games, for many types of cards or decks and in different locations thereby reducing the number of back-up machines or units required at a casino. The display may include a game mode or game selected display, and use a cycle rate and/or hand count monitor and display for determining or monitoring usage of the machine. The card handling machine is capable of randomly selecting numbers of cards to be delivered in a hand of cards to players and a dealer during a round of a casino table card game.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/057,712, filed Feb. 14, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,261,294, issued Aug. 28, 2007, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by this reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to devices for handling cards, including cards known as “playing cards.” In particular, the invention relates to an electromechanical card handling machine for organizing, delivering or arranging playing cards into a plurality of hands, wherein each hand is formed as a selected number of randomly arranged cards and different numbers of cards may be provided to different hands on a random basis. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Wagering games based on the outcome of randomly generated or selected symbols are well known. Such games are widely played in gaming establishments such as casinos and the wagering games include card games wherein the symbols comprise familiar, common playing cards. Card games such as twenty-one or blackjack, poker and variations of poker and the like are excellent card games for use in casinos. Desirable attributes of casino card games are that the games are exciting, they can be learned and understood easily by players, and they move or are played rapidly to a wager-resolving outcome. 
     From the perspective of players, the time the dealer must spend in shuffling diminishes the excitement of the game. From the perspective of casinos, shuffling time reduces the number of hands played and reduces the number of wagers placed and resolved in a given amount of time, thereby reducing revenue. Casinos would like to increase the amount of revenue generated by a game without changing games, particularly a popular game, without making obvious changes in the play of the game that affect the hold of the casino, and without increasing the minimum size of wagers. One approach to speeding play is directed specifically to the fact that playing time is decreased by shuffling and dealing events. This approach has led to the development of electromechanical or mechanical card shuffling devices. Such devices increase the speed of shuffling and dealing, thereby increasing playing time. Such devices also add to the excitement of a game by reducing the time the dealer or house has to spend in preparing to play the game. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,513,969 (Samsel, Jr.) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,367 (Howard) disclose automatic card shufflers. The Samsel, Jr. patent discloses a card shuffler having a housing with two wells for receiving stacks of cards. A first extractor selects, removes and intermixes the bottommost card from each stack and delivers the intermixed cards to a storage compartment. A second extractor sequentially removes the bottommost card from the storage compartment and delivers it to a typical shoe from which the dealer may take it for presentation to the players. The Howard patent discloses a card mixer for randomly interleaving cards including a carriage supported ejector for ejecting a group of cards (approximately two playing decks in number) which may then be removed manually from the shuffler or dropped automatically into a chute for delivery to a typical dealing shoe. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,712 (Lorber et al.) discloses an automatic shuffling apparatus designed to intermix multiple decks of cards under the programmed control of a computer. The Lorber et al. apparatus is a carousel-type shuffler having a container, a storage device for storing shuffled playing cards, a removing device and an inserting device for intermixing the playing cards in the container, a dealing shoe and supplying means for supplying the shuffled playing cards from the storage device to the dealing shoe. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,453 (Stevens et al.) discloses an apparatus for automatically shuffling cards. The Stevens et al. machine includes three contiguous magazines with an elevatable platform in the center magazine only. Unshuffled cards are placed in the center magazine and the spitting rollers at the top of the magazine spit the cards randomly to the left and right magazines in a simultaneous cutting and shuffling step. The cards are moved back into the center magazine by direct lateral movement of each shuffled stack, placing one stack on top of the other to stack all cards in a shuffled stack in the center magazine. The order of the cards in each stack does not change in moving from the right and left magazines into the center magazine. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,954 (Erickson et al.) discloses the concept of delivering cards one at a time into one of a number of vertically stacked card shuffling compartments. The Erickson patent also discloses using a logic circuit to determine the sequence for determining the delivery location of a card, and that a card shuffler can be used to deal stacks of shuffled cards to a player. U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,140 (Huen) discloses a card dispenser that dispenses or deals cards in four discrete directions onto a playing surface, and U.S. Pat. No. 793,489 (Williams), U.S. Pat. No. 2,001,918 (Nevius), U.S. Pat. No. 2,043,343 (Warner) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,312,473 (Friedman et al.) disclose various card holders, some of which include recesses (e.g., Friedman et al.) to facilitate removal of cards. U.S. Pat. No. 2,950,005 (MacDonald) and U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,670 (Cassady et al.) disclose card sorting devices which require specially marked cards, clearly undesirable for gaming and casino play. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,770,421 (Hoffman) discloses a card shuffling device including a card loading station with a conveyor belt. The belt moves the lowermost card in a stack onto a distribution elevator whereby a stack of cards is accumulated on the distribution elevator. Adjacent to the elevator is a vertical stack of mixing pockets. A microprocessor preprogrammed with a finite number of distribution schedules sends a sequence of signals to the elevator corresponding to heights called out in the schedule. Each distribution schedule comprises a preselected distribution sequence, which is fixed as opposed to random. Single cards are moved into the respective pocket at that height. The distribution schedule is either randomly selected or schedules are executed in sequence. When the microprocessor completes the execution of a single distribution cycle, the cards are removed a stack at a time and loaded into a second elevator. The second elevator delivers cards to an output reservoir. Thus, the Hoffman patent requires a two-step shuffle, i.e., a program is required to select the order in which stacks are loaded and moved onto the second elevator and delivers a shuffled deck or decks. The Hoffman patent does not disclose randomly selecting a location within the vertical stack for delivering each card. Nor does the patent disclose a single stage process, which randomly delivers hands of shuffled cards with a degree of randomness satisfactory to casinos and players. Further, there is no disclosure in the Hoffman patent about how to deliver a preselected number of cards to a preselected number of hands ready for use by players or participants in a game. Another card handling apparatus with an elevator is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,085 (Johnson et al.). U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,743 (Nicoletti) discloses a playing card dispenser including an inclined surface and a card pusher for urging cards down the inclined surface. 
     Other known card shuffling devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,778,644 (Stephenson), U.S. Pat. No. 4,497,488 (Plevyak et al.), U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,807,884 and 5,275,411 (both Breeding) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,695,189 (Breeding et al.). The Breeding patents disclose machines for automatically shuffling a single deck of cards including a deck-receiving zone, a carriage section for separating a deck into two deck portions, a sloped mechanism positioned between adjacent corners of the deck portions, and an apparatus for snapping the cards over the sloped mechanism to interleave the cards. 
     The Breeding single deck shufflers used in connection with LET IT RIDE® Stud Poker are programmed to first shuffle a deck of cards, and then sequentially deliver hands of a preselected number for each player. LET IT RIDE® stud poker is the subject of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,288,081 and 5,437,462 (Breeding), which are herein incorporated by reference. The Breeding single deck shuffler delivers three cards from the shuffled deck in sequence to a receiving rack. The dealer removes the first hand from the rack. Then, the next hand is automatically delivered. The dealer inputs the number of players, and the shuffler deals out that many hands plus a dealer hand. The Breeding single deck shufflers are capable of shuffling a single deck and delivering seven player hands plus a dealer hand in approximately 60 seconds. The Breeding shuffler is a complex electromechanical device, which requires tuning and adjustment during installation. The shufflers also require periodic adjustment. The Breeding et al. device, as exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,068,258; 5,695,189; and 5,303,921, is directed to shuffling machines for shuffling multiple decks of cards with three magazines wherein unshuffled cards are cut then shuffled. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,460 and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2003/007143A1 disclose a carousel-type card shuffler that forms subgroups of cards in a plurality of compartments. Hands are formed in one compartment or in two compartments. The shuffler can be operated as a continuous shuffler for supplying cards to games such as baccarat and twenty-one, or as a hand-forming shuffler for delivering randomized hands of cards to specialty games such as LET IT RIDE® stud poker, pai gow poker and the like. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,981 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,651,982 disclose a card randomizing shuffler that delivers cards to a randomizing chamber. The cards are supported by an elevator and are lifted to a randomly determined height. Stationary gripping arms grasp a portion of the stack, and then the elevator lowers, creating a gap to insert the next card from a feed tray. This structure delivers batches of cards, although it could be programmed to deliver hands. 
     Although the devices disclosed in the preceding patents, particularly the Breeding machines, provide improvements in card shuffling devices, none discloses or suggests a device and method for providing a plurality of hands of cards, wherein the hands are ready for play and wherein each comprises a randomly selected arrangement of cards, without first randomly shuffling the entire deck. A device and method that provides a plurality of ready-to-play hands of a selected number of randomly arranged cards at a greater speed than known devices without shuffling the entire deck or decks would speed and facilitate the casino play of card games. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The presently described technology provides an electromechanical card handling apparatus and method for creating or generating a plurality of hands of cards from a group of unshuffled cards wherein each hand contains a predetermined or randomly determined number of randomly selected or arranged cards. The apparatus and, thus, the card handling method or process, is controlled by a programmable microprocessor and may be monitored by a plurality of sensors and limit switches. While the card handling apparatus and method of the present invention is well suited for use in the gaming environment, particularly in casinos, the apparatus and method may find use in homes, card clubs at charitable gaming events and at parties. 
     In one embodiment, an apparatus provides for moving playing cards from a first group of unshuffled cards into shuffled hands of cards, wherein at least one and usually all of the hands contains a random arrangement or random selection of a preselected number of cards. A random number of cards is provided in at least one hand at some time during one or more rounds of play of a game, and the number of cards, frequency of events, and location of events can be predetermined or randomly determined by operation of software or hardware in the shuffler or associated with the shuffler. One exemplary apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a shuffling mechanism that randomizes the first group of cards into a single batch of randomized cards or into smaller multiple groups of randomized cards (e.g., at least some smaller groups comprise two or more cards, but less than all the cards in the first group of cards), a hand delivery system that delivers groups of at least two cards as hands (although delivery to the tray may be one card at a time) or partial hands to a delivery tray, and a processor that randomly determines that during play of rounds of a game (not necessarily every round, although that is possible), at least one hand or partial hand has a number of cards that differs from a number of cards provided to other hands or partial hands in that same round or in another round of a single game. 
     Another available feature within the presently described technology is that it provides a programmable card handling machine with a display and appropriate inputs for adjusting the machine to any of a number of games wherein the inputs include a number of cards per hand selector, a card game selector, a number of hands delivered selector and a trouble-shooting input. Additionally, when there is an elevator used to assist in card movement, there may be an elevator speed adjustment and sensor to accommodate or monitor the position of the elevator position as cards wear or become bowed or warped. These features also provide for interchangeability of the apparatus, meaning the same apparatus can be used for many different games, for many types of cards or decks and in different locations thereby reducing the number of back-up machines or units required at a casino. The display may include a game mode or game selected display, and use a cycle rate and/or hand count monitor and display for determining or monitoring the usage of the machine. 
     Another feature of the presently described technology is that it provides an electromechanical playing card handling apparatus for more rapidly generating multiple random hands of playing cards, and for providing the random hands in diverse formats and counts. The preferred device completes a cycle in approximately 30 seconds, which is double the speed of the Breeding single deck shuffler disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,807,884 and 5,275,411, which has achieved significant commercial success. Although some of the groups of playing cards (including player and dealer hands and discarded or unused cards) arranged by the apparatus in accordance with the method of the present invention may contain the same number of cards, the cards within any one group or hand are randomized, as by being randomly selected and placed therein or by being selected from a randomized reordered set of playing cards and fed as hands, as cards building a hand one card at a time, or fed to compartments where further randomized sets of cards, including hands, may be formed. Other features of the presently described technology include a reduction of set-up time, increased reliability, lower maintenance and repair costs, and a reduction or elimination of problems such as card counting, possible dealer manipulation and card tracking. These features increase the integrity of a game and enhance casino security. 
     Yet another feature of the card handling apparatus of the presently described technology is that it converts a single deck or multiple decks of unshuffled cards into a plurality of hands ready for use in playing a game, including games where different numbers of cards can be or are required to be provided to different players&#39; hands or a dealer&#39;s hand, even where that different number of cards may be provided randomly to players&#39; or the dealer&#39;s hands. The hands converted from the initial deck or decks of cards are substantially completely random, i.e., the cards comprising each hand are randomly selected or provided to be placed into that hand. 
     To accomplish this random distribution, a preferred, non-limiting embodiment of the apparatus includes a number of vertically stacked, horizontally disposed card receiving compartments one above another into which cards are inserted, one at a time, until an entire group of cards is distributed. In this preferred embodiment, each card receiving compartment is filled (filled to the assigned number of cards for a hand, and with the residue of cards being fed into one or more discard compartments, for example), regardless of the number of players participating in a particular game. For example, when the card handling apparatus is being used for a seven-player game, seven player compartments, a dealer compartment and at least one compartment for cards not used in forming the random hands to be used in the seven-player game are filled. After the last card from the unshuffled group is delivered to a last hand forming compartment still lacking cards, the hands are ready to be removed from the compartments and put into play, either manually, automatically, or with a combined automatic feed and hand removal. In some cases, the discard rack or racks have received all unused cards when hands are unloaded, but in other cases, hands unload before all discards are loaded into the discard rack. 
     The device can also be readily adapted for games that deal a hand or hands only to the dealer, such as Daniel Jones and David Sklansky&#39;s HOLD &#39;EM CHALLENGE® poker game, described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,025. 
     The device of the presently described technology may include jammed card detection and recovery features, and may include recovery procedures operated and controlled by the microprocessor. 
     Generally, the operation of card handling apparatuses of prior art shufflers has formed a fixed number of hands of cards corresponding to the maximum number of players at a table, plus a dealer hand (if there is a dealer playing in the game), with each hand being of a specific predetermined number of cards, and usually an equal number of cards, plus a discard pile. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,411 describes a shuffler and associated devices particularly for use in the play of pai gow poker. The device deals hands of a predetermined number (seven) of cards and then ejects all remaining (four cards, and the deck has 52 cards plus a joker) cards. The patent refers to other devices in patent literature as follows. “U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,513,969 (to Samsel, Jr.) and 4,515,367 (to Howard) disclose automatic card shufflers. The Samsel, Jr. patent discloses a card shuffler having a housing with two wells for receiving two reserve stacks of cards. A first extractor selects, removes and intermixes the bottommost card from each stack and delivers the intermixed cards to a storage compartment. A second extractor sequentially removes the bottommost card from the storage compartment and delivers it to a typical shoe from which the dealer may take it for presentation to the players. The Howard patent discloses a card mixer for randomly interleaving cards including a carriage supported ejector for ejecting a group of cards (approximately two playing decks in number) which may then be removed manually from the shuffler or dropped automatically into a chute for delivery to a typical dealing shoe. Neither of the Samsel, Jr. or Howard patents discloses a dealing module for dealing hands of a predetermined number of cards depending on the rules and procedures of the game being played, and neither discloses a display means for displaying game-related information to players.” 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,586,712 (to Lorber et al.) discloses an automatic shuffling apparatus directed toward reducing the dead time generated when a casino dealer manually has to shuffle multiple decks of playing cards. The Lorber et al. apparatus has a container, a storage device for storing shuffled playing cards, a removing device and an inserting device for intermixing the playing cards in the container, a dealing shoe and supplying means for supplying the shuffled playing cards from the storage device to the dealing shoe. The dealing shoe is typical, being designed to dispense or allow the dealer to extract and deal one card at a time. The Lorber et al. apparatus is designed to intermix cards under the programmed control of a computer, but does not disclose or suggest how to provide a dealing module for automatically, sequentially dealing or forming hands having a predetermined number of cards or a display means for displaying game-related information to players. 
     This description is indicative of the fact that many games require precise and regular numbers of cards dealt to specific positions and describes the provision of predetermined numbers of cards to each position (e.g., players, dealer and community cards). U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,411 specifically states that “(a)lthough the devices disclosed in the preceding patents, particularly the Breeding card shuffling machine, provide significant improvements in card shuffling devices, such devices could be improved further if they could be equipped with a dealing module for receiving shuffled cards and for automatically dealing from the shuffled cards a number of hands one after the other, wherein each hand dealt by the module contains a predetermined, selected number of cards. Shuffling machines could also be improved if they could be adapted to facilitate playing a specific game selected from a group of different wagering games, and to display game-related information to the players.” This again reinforces the fact that a predetermined and selected number of cards is provided for each hand. 
     For a typical casino table having seven player stations, some of the devices would preferably have nine compartments (if there are seven players and a dealer) or eight compartments (if there are seven players and no dealer playing in the game), wherein each of seven player compartments contains the same number of cards. Depending upon the nature of the game, the compartments for the dealer hand may have the same or a different number of cards as the seven compartments, and these numbers would be fixed into the program performed by the shuffler, and the discard compartment may contain the same or a different number of cards as the player compartments and/or the dealer compartment, if there is a dealer compartment. Most preferably, the device according to the present technology is programmed to deliver hands until the dealer (whether playing in the game or operating as a house dealer) presses an input button or until the shuffler registers that there are insufficient cards remaining to form a complete hand, or that a predetermined limit of a number of hands has been reached. Any other information or state in the machine indicating that all remaining cards should be removed from the shuffler is also suitably used in the practice of the present technology. The dealer input may tell the microprocessor that the last hand has been delivered (to the players or to the players and dealer), and then the remaining cards in the compartments (excess player compartments and/or discard compartment and/or excess card compartment) will be unloaded into the output or discard compartment. The discard, excess or unused card hand (i.e., the cards placed in the discard compartment or slot) may contain more cards and, thus, the discard compartment may be larger than the other compartments. In a preferred embodiment, the discard compartment is larger than the other compartments and is located in the middle of the generally vertically arranged stack of compartments to minimize travel distances of the rack. 
     Another feature is that the apparatus of the presently described technology may provide for the initial top feeding or top loading of an unshuffled group of cards, thereby facilitating use by the dealer. The hand receiving portion of the machine may also facilitate use by the dealer, by having cards displayed or provided so that a dealer is able to conveniently remove a randomized hand from the upper portion of the machine or from a tray or platform extending forwardly from the machine or to expose the cards to a vertical or nearly vertical access (within 0° to 30° or 0° to 50° of horizontal, for example) by the dealer&#39;s hand. 
     An additional feature of the card handling apparatus as presently described is that it facilitates and significantly speeds the play of casino wagering games, particularly those games calling for a certain, fixed number of cards per hand (e.g., CARIBBEAN STUD®, LET IT RIDE®, pai gow poker, TRES CARD™ poker, THREE CARD POKER®, HOLD &#39;EM CHALLENGE® poker, stud poker games and the like, and new games and bonus events in games, or random bonus or play events where random numbers of cards in excess of or less than the standard number of cards are provided to one or more players or a dealer), making the games more exciting and less tedious for players, and more profitable for casinos. The device of the present invention is believed to deliver random hands at an increased speed compared to other shufflers. 
     In use, the apparatus of the present invention is operated to process playing cards from an initial, unshuffled or previously used group of cards into a plurality of hands, and where each hand (and especially each player hand) enables the provision of hands with different numbers of cards, players&#39; hands with different numbers of delivered cards, and even the random provision of hands with different numbers of cards to players or to dealers, or to players and dealers. The random number may be larger or smaller than the number of cards standardly provided to players and/or dealers. 
     For example, in a five card stud game, where exactly five cards are dealt and used by players and the dealer, a random number generator may provide six cards to a player or dealer on a random basis or on a set or random frequency (e.g., every ten hands or on a randomly selected number of hands), and/or may provide four cards to a player and/or a dealer on a random basis or on a set or random frequency. It should be understood that the term “unshuffled” is a relative term. A deck is unshuffled a) when it is being recycled after play and b) after previous shuffling before a previous play of a game, as well as c) when a new deck is inserted into the machine without ever having been previously shuffled. The first step of this process is effected by the dealer placing the initial group of cards into the card receiver of the apparatus. The apparatus is started and, under the control of the integral microprocessor, assigns each card in the initial group to a compartment (randomly selecting a compartment for each card), based on the selected number of hands, and a selected number of cards per hand. 
     Each hand is contained in one or several separate compartments of the apparatus, and each is delivered (upon the dealer&#39;s demand or automatically) by the apparatus from that compartment to a hand receiver or platform for the dealer to distribute it to a player. Although in one embodiment a complete hand is formed in a single compartment, more than one compartment can be provided so that a final complete or partial hand is formed (e.g., in a delivery tray) from subgroups of cards formed in two or more compartments. The subgroups are then combined in the delivery tray to form a hand. The number of hands created by the apparatus within each cycle is preferably selected to correspond to the maximum number of hands required to participate in a game (accounting for player hands, dealer hands, or house hands), and the number or quantity of cards per hand is programmable according to the game being played. 
     Each time a new group of unshuffled cards, hand shuffled cards, used cards or a new deck(s) of cards is loaded into the card receiver and the apparatus is activated, the operation of the apparatus involving that group of cards, i.e., the forming of that group of cards into hands of random cards, comprises a new cycle. Each cycle is unique and is effected by the microprocessor, which microprocessor is programmed with software to include random number generating capability. The software assigns a number to each card and then randomly selects or correlates a compartment to each number. Under the control of the microprocessor, the elevator aligns the selected compartment with the card feed mechanism in order to receive the next card. The software then directs each numbered card to the selected slot by operating the elevator motor to position that slot to receive a card. 
     The present technology also describes a unique method and component of the system for aligning the feed of cards into respective compartments and for forming groups of randomly arranged cards. The separators between compartments may have an edge facing the direction from which cards are fed, that edge having two acute angled surfaces (away from parallelism with the plane of the separator) so that cards may be deflected in either direction (above/below, left/right, top/bottom) with respect to the plane of the separator. When there are already one or more cards within a compartment, such deflection by the edge of the separator may insert cards above or below the card(s) in the compartment. The component that directs, moves, and/or inserts cards into the compartments may be controllably oriented to direct a leading edge of each card towards the randomly selected edge of a separator so that the card is inserted in the randomly selected compartment and in the proper orientation (above/below, left/right, top/bottom) with respect to a separator, the compartments, and card(s) in the compartments. The addition of the separators to each compartment is believed to increase the randomness in an order of cards within a hand. 
     The apparatus of the present technology is compact, easy to set up and program and, once programmed, can be maintained effectively and efficiently by minimally trained personnel who cannot affect the randomness of the card delivery. This means that the machines are more reliable in the field. Service costs are reduced, as are assembly costs and set up costs. The preferred device also has fewer parts, which should provide greater reliability than known devices. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent and understood with reference to the following specification and to the appended drawings and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view depicting the apparatus of the present invention as it might be disposed ready for use in a casino on a gaming table. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view depicting the apparatus of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a front perspective view of the card handling apparatus of the present invention with the exterior shroud removed. 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the present invention with the shroud and other portions of the apparatus removed to show internal components. 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevation view, largely representational, of the transport mechanism of the apparatus of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5A  is a detailed cross-sectional view of a shelf of one example of the invention. 
         FIG. 5B  is a cross-sectional view of a shelf with cards fully inserted. 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded assembly view of the transport mechanism. 
         FIG. 7  is a top plan view, partially in section, of the transport mechanism. 
         FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the pusher assembly of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a front elevation view of a first rack and elevator assembly of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded view of the rack and elevator assembly. 
         FIG. 11  depicts an alternative embodiment of the shelves or partitions for forming the stack of compartments of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  depicts the card stop in an open position. 
         FIG. 13  depicts the card stop in a closed position. 
         FIG. 14  is a simplified side elevational view, largely representational, of the first card handler of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is an exploded view of the hand receiving assembly of the apparatus of the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is a schematic diagram of an electrical control system for one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 17  is a schematic diagram of the electrical control system. 
         FIG. 18  is a schematic diagram of an electrical control system with an optically isolated bus. 
         FIG. 19  is a detailed schematic diagram of a portion of the control system illustrated in  FIG. 18 . 
         FIG. 20  schematically depicts an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention. 
         FIGS. 21A and 21B  are flow diagrams depicting a homing sequence. 
         FIGS. 22A-22C  are flow diagrams depicting a sequence of operation of the present invention. 
         FIG. 23  shows a side cutaway view of a rack comprising a series of compartments with separators having two acute surfaces on an edge of the separators facing a source of cards to be inserted into the compartments. 
         FIG. 24  shows an enlarged image of three adjacent acute surface edges of separators in the rack of separators. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     This detailed description is intended to be read and understood in conjunction with appended Appendices A, B and C, which are incorporated herein by reference. Appendix A provides an identification key correlating the description and abbreviation of certain non-limiting examples of motors, switches and photoeyes or sensors with reference character identifications of the same components in the figures, and gives the manufacturers, addresses and model designations of certain components (motors, limit switches and sensors). Appendix B outlines steps in a homing sequence, part of one embodiment of the sequence of operations as outlined in Appendix C. With regard to mechanisms for fastening, mounting, attaching or connecting the components of the present invention to form the apparatus as a whole, unless specifically described as otherwise, such mechanisms are intended to encompass conventional fasteners such as machine screws, rivets, nuts and bolts, toggles, pins and the like. Other fastening or attachment mechanisms appropriate for connecting components include adhesives, welding and soldering, the latter particularly with regard to the electrical system of the apparatus. 
     All components of the electrical system and wiring harness of the present invention may be conventional, commercially available components unless otherwise indicated, including electrical components and circuitry, wires, fuses, soldered connections, chips, boards, microprocessors, computers, and control system components. The software may be developed simply by hired programming without undue experimentation, the software merely directing physical performance of components without unique software functionality (that is, the components are physically moved in a normal manner, but moved to effect different card count results), although unique applications of software are described. For example, random number generation or pseudo-random number generation by software is known in the art, but it has not been heretofore used to randomly determine a) when a number of cards in a hand is to be varied, b) by how many cards (even within fixed parameters) a number of cards in a hand is to be varied from a standard, c) whether a player&#39;s hand or a dealer&#39;s hand is to be varied, or d) to randomly select between the dealer and the player when a number of cards in a hand is to be varied. 
     The presently described technology includes a method that may be performed on card shuffling, card randomization or hand forming apparatus. One apparatus of the technology described herein provides hands of playing cards in a casino table card game and may comprise a container for a random group of playing cards; a card moving system for moving playing cards from the random group of playing cards, one playing card at a time to a delivery tray to form a hand of playing cards; and a processor randomly selecting how many playing cards will form a hand in the delivery tray. 
     At least some of the apparatus within the technology described herein may alternatively or differently be described as an apparatus for providing hands of cards in a casino table card game comprising a container for receiving a first group of cards; a system for forming random subsets of playing cards within the apparatus; a card moving system for moving the random subsets of cards to a delivery tray to form hands of cards; and a processor controlling the card moving system. 
     The processor may contain a program (in hardware or software) that randomly selects at least one variation from the group consisting of: a) a number of cards in a hand of cards formed in the delivery tray; b) a hand in which a random number of cards will be provided; c) when player hands and a dealer hand are provided, whether a player hand or dealer hand will receive a random number of cards; and d) a frequency at which random numbers of cards will be provided to at least one hand. The processor may randomly select a number of cards from within a defined range that will be provided to at least one hand in the casino table card game. The processor may randomly select a hand that is to contain a random number of cards. The processor may randomly select a hand that is to contain a random number of cards from within a predetermined range of numbers of cards. The apparatus may operate so that only player hands, only dealer&#39;s hands, or both players&#39; and dealer&#39;s hands, and even community cards may be selected to contain a random number of cards. The processor may be programmed or hard-wired in a wide variety of ways to accomplish delivery of card hands or cards with a randomly determined number of cards in the hand. 
     Apparatus within the generic concepts described herein may also be described as being for randomizing playing cards and forming hands of playing cards comprising: a receiving area for a first set of playing cards; a randomization area wherein the first set of cards is randomized; a processor for controlling at least the randomization area; and a delivery tray where individual hands of playing cards are delivered or formed as a hand within the delivery tray; wherein the processor randomly selects a number of cards to be delivered or formed within the delivery tray. The apparatus may deliver only player hands, only dealer hands, only community cards or combinations of these hands and groups of cards formed in or delivered to the delivery tray. 
     A method of providing hands of playing cards for use in a casino table card game may also be practiced on the apparatus. The method may comprise: randomizing a first group of cards within an apparatus; and providing hands of a number of randomized cards for delivery to locations on a casino game table; wherein the number of randomized cards is randomly determined. The method may include determining the number of randomized cards in each hand from within a predetermined range of numbers of cards. The method may include an underlying game play procedure in the casino table card game that is played with players using a specific number of cards to form poker-type hands, and the random number of cards to be determined is selected from the group consisting of the specific number of cards, fewer than the specific number of cards, and more than the specific number of cards. The method may also include an underlying game play procedure in the casino table card game that is played with players using a specific number of cards to form poker-type hands, and the random number of cards to be determined is selected from the group consisting of a) the specific number of cards and b) more than the specific number of cards. The method may be practiced wherein a randomized group of cards is formed within the apparatus and cards are delivered one at a time to the delivery tray to form individual hands, or wherein hands of random cards are formed within the apparatus and the hands of random cards are pushed onto the delivery tray. The groups of cards pushed into the delivery tray (one at a time or in groups) may be complete hands of cards or partial hands of cards. 
     Generally, unless specifically otherwise disclosed or taught, the materials for making the various components of the present invention are selected from appropriate materials such as metal, metallic alloys, ceramics, plastics, fiberglass, composites and the like. 
     In the following description, the Appendices and the claims, any references to the terms “right” and “left,” “top” and “bottom,” “upper” and “lower,” and “horizontal” and “vertical” are to be read and understood with their conventional meanings and with reference to viewing the apparatus from whatever convenient perspective is available to the viewer, but generally from the front as shown in the figures. 
     A method is provided wherein a first group of cards (e.g., usually at least one or exactly one deck of playing cards) is provided (as in a card group input area) for randomization and provision as individual hands or individual partial or “initial” hands of playing cards in a casino table card game, preferably a live casino table card game. The first group of cards is randomized in either forming a randomized group comprising all of the cards in the first group of cards or by forming randomized subgroups of cards, with each subgroup having fewer numbers of cards than the first group of cards. The total number of cards in the subgroups of cards may be equal to the number of cards in the first group, or less than the number of cards in the first group of cards (e.g., with remnant cards, or excess cards not to be used in a game or round of play temporarily retained in a card group input area or moved with or without randomization to a discard or excess card compartment). A program is associated with a processor that controls the card randomization device or system that can be programmed to provide varying numbers of cards in hands to be delivered to players, to dealers, to community cards (e.g., to a flop) or to players and/or dealers. For example, in certain games it may be a feature that where a standard number of cards are usually dealt to a player or dealer (e.g., three cards, four cards, five cards, six cards or seven cards), the program may direct the shuffler to form a single hand with one to seven cards fewer than or greater than the standard number. This would provide a new feature in games, a random number of cards in hands, whether player hands or dealer hands or both. For example, if a game within the genre of five-card stud poker were being played, the random provision of six or seven cards (or any number greater than five cards) to a player would offer an exciting and unexpected, yet anticipated advantage. Similarly, the provision of only three or four cards (or any number less than five cards) to a player would be a temporary disappointment, but part of the anticipation in the play of casino table games. This disappointment could be offset by special bonuses for ranked hands in the hand with fewer cards. For example, in the five-card stud poker game, three-of-a-kind with only three cards might automatically provide a bonus of at least 5:1, 10:1, 20:1 or more (as is more typical in THREE CARD POKER® games), while a bonus award for three-of-a-kind in a five-card poker game is ordinarily only about 3:1. 
     When the dealer is randomly provided with a number of cards different from the standard number, more cards for the dealer&#39;s hand become disadvantageous to the player, and fewer cards can become more advantageous to a player. The rules of the game may or may not allow for five-card flushes and four-card straights to tie five-card hands of equal rank according to other rules of poker (e.g., the highest card in a flush or straight provides the final basis of rank). 
     A desirable element in this practice of the described technology is assurance of randomness and the lack or predictability in the event of providing and assigning hands of different numbers of cards to players and/or to dealers. This is why some random determination (as with a random number generator, including both hardware and/or software, internal to the shuffler or provided from an external source) of the frequency and position, and even number of cards is desirable. For example, it would be undesirable, but possible, especially where there is a full table (and possibly only where there is a full table) to provide a player hand with a different number of cards every ten hands, or on average every ten hands (or any other specific number). If players know that every tenth hand will have more cards (at a table or for a player), betting strategy would be greatly altered, usually to the disadvantage of the casino. Therefore, randomness may or should be applied to how frequently a different number of cards is to be provided, the number difference that will be available (e.g., in a five-card game, whether 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 of cards, or fewer or more cards, are to be provided to hands with different number of cards), whether a player or whether a particular player or the dealer, or only among players is to receive the hand with the different number of cards. Once these concepts have been developed and considered as in this patent, the application of random number generation to these features by software and/or hardware can be performed by the skilled artisan. 
     A method is provided for randomly mixing cards comprising:
         a) providing at least one deck of playing cards;   b) removing cards one at a time from the at least one deck of cards;   c) randomly inserting each card removed one at a time into one of a number of distinct storage areas, each storage area defining a distinct subset of cards;   d) randomly determining a number of cards to form at least one distinct subset of cards such that at least one of the storage areas receives at least two randomly inserted cards one at a time to form a random, distinct subset of at least two cards, and the total number of cards within the random, distinct subset of at least two cards was randomly selected from within a range of numbers of cards or parameters.       

     The terminology “range of parameters” indicates that the selection is not, and cannot be, between zero and infinity in a card game. The uppermost end of the range cannot exceed the total number of cards in the at least one deck, and cannot exceed a number of cards that would prevent other players and a dealer, where present, from receiving a necessary number of cards to play in the underlying card game. For example, with seven players and a dealer in a five-card stud poker game, each player and a dealer may receive five cards, using a total of 40 cards out of the 52 cards in a standard 52-card poker deck. There are still 12 cards available, above the absolutely necessary 40 cards with seven players and a dealer, so the limits on possible numbers of cards within which the number may be randomly chosen are theoretically between zero (cannot deal fewer than zero cards) and 17 cards (the five original cards basic to the game and the 12 remaining cards). It is possible that if more than one hand may be randomly selected within a round of play and fewer than five cards may be dealt, that the range could exceed 17 cards, but the concept of the limits of the range is still clear. 
     A method is provided for randomly mixing cards comprising:
         a) providing at least one deck of playing cards;   b) removing cards one at a time from the at least one deck of cards;   c) randomly inserting each card removed one at a time into one of a number of distinct storage areas, each storage area defining a distinct subset of cards;   d) at least one of the storage areas receiving at least two randomly inserted cards one at a time to form a random, distinct subset of at least two cards, the distinct subset of at least two cards is provided to players or a dealer, and the number of cards in the subset is randomly chosen from within a range of a number of cards.       

     Cards in random, distinct subsets may removed from at least one of the distinct storage areas. The cards removed from at least one of the distinct storage areas may define a subset of cards that is delivered to a player as a hand. One set of the cards removed from at least one of the distinct storage areas may also define a subset of cards that is delivered to a dealer as a hand. Distinct subsets of cards may be removed from at least one distinct storage area and be delivered into a receiving area. Each distinct subset of cards may be removed from the storage area and delivered to a position on a gaming table that is distinct from a position where another removed subset is delivered. All removed subsets may be delivered to the storage area without removal of previous subsets being removed from the receiving area. At least two received subsets each may become hands of cards for use in a game of cards. 
     Referring to the figures, particularly  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  4 , the card handling apparatus  20  of the present invention includes a card receiver  26  for receiving a group of cards, a single stack of card receiving compartments  28  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) generally adjacent to the card receiver  26 , a card moving or transporting mechanism  30  between and linking the card receiver  26  and the compartments  28 , and a processing unit, indicated generally at  32 , that controls the apparatus  20 . The apparatus  20  includes a second card moving mechanism  34  (see  FIG. 4 ) for emptying the compartments  28  into a second card receiving platform  36 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , the card handling apparatus  20  includes a removable, substantially continuous exterior housing, casing or shroud  40 . The exterior design features of the device of the present invention are disclosed in U.S. Design Patent No. D414,527. The shroud or casing  40  may be provided with appropriate vents  42  for cooling, if needed. The card receiver or initial loading region, indicated generally at  26 , is at the top, rear of the apparatus  20 , and a deck, card or hand receiving platform  36  is at the front of the apparatus  20 . The platform  36  has a surface  35  for supporting a deck, card or hand. The surface  35  allows ready access by a dealer or player to the deck, card or hand handled, shuffled or discharged by the apparatus  20 . Surface  35 , in one example of the present invention, lies at an angle with respect to a base  41  of the apparatus  20 . That angle is preferably approximately 5° with respect to the horizontal, but may also conveniently be at an angle of from 0° to up to ±60° with respect to the base  41 , to provide convenience and ergonomic considerations to the dealer. Control inputs  44  and/or display features  44 A are generally located toward the rear or dealer-facing end of the apparatus  20 . 
       FIG. 2  provides a perspective view of the rear of the apparatus  20  and more clearly shows the display features  44 A and control inputs  44 , including power input module/switch and a communication port.  FIG. 3  depicts the apparatus  20  with the shroud  40  removed, as it might be for servicing or programming, whereby the internal components may be visualized. The apparatus  20  is shown as including a generally horizontal frame floor  50  and internal frame supports for mounting and supporting operational components, such as upright  52 . A control (input and display) module  56  is cantilevered at the rear of the apparatus  20 , and is operably connected to the operational portions of the apparatus  20  by suitable wiring  58 . The inputs  44  and display features  44 A of the module  56  are fitted to corresponding openings in the shroud  40 , with associated circuitry and programming inputs located securely within the shroud  40  when it is in place as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     Card Receiver 
     The card receiver or card loading region  26  includes a card receiving well  60 . The well  60  is defined by upright, generally parallel card guiding sidewalls  62  (although one or both sidewalls  62  may be sloped inwardly to guide the cards into position within the well  60 ) and a rear wall  64 . The card loading region  26  includes a floor surface  66  that, in one example of the present invention, is preferably pitched or angled downwardly toward the front of the apparatus  20 . Preferably, the floor surface  66  is pitched from horizontal at an angle ranging from approximately 5 degrees to 20 degrees, with a pitch of about 7 degrees being preferred. A removable, generally rectangular weight or block  68  is generally freely movably received in the well  60  for free forward and rearward movement along the floor surface  66 . Under the influence of gravity, the block  68  will tend to move toward the forward end of the well  60 . The block  68  has an angled, card contacting front face  70  for contacting the face (i.e., the bottom of the bottommost card) of the last card in a group of cards placed into the well  60 , and urges cards (i.e., the top card of a group of cards) forward into contact with the card transporting mechanism  30 . The card contacting face  70  of the block  68  is at an angle complimentary to the floor surface  66  of the well  60 , for example, an angle of between approximately 10 degrees and 80 degrees, and this angle and the weight of the block keep the cards urged forwardly against the transporting mechanism  30 . In one embodiment, card contacting face  70  is rough and has a high coefficient of friction. The selected angle of the floor surface  66  and the weight of the block  68  allow for the free-floating rearward movement of the cards and the block  68  to compensate for the forces generated as the transporting mechanism  30  contacts the front card to move it. In another embodiment, a spring is provided to maintain tension against block  68 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the well  60  includes a card present sensor  74  to sense the presence or absence of cards in the well  60 . Preferably, the block  68  is mounted on a set of rollers  69  ( FIG. 5 ), which allows the block  68  to glide more easily along floor surface  66  and/or the floor surface  66  and floor contacting bottom of the block  68  may be formed of or coated with suitable low-friction materials. 
     One format of shuffling device, but not the only format of shuffling device, that can be used in the described technology may comprise a generally vertical stack of horizontally disposed card receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver (the vertical stack generally is vertically movable), an elevator for raising and lowering the stack, a card moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack for moving cards, one at a time, from the card receiver to a selected card receiving compartment, and a microprocessor that controls the card moving mechanism and the elevator so that each card in the group of unshuffled cards is placed randomly into one of the card receiving compartments. Sensors monitor and may trigger at least certain operations of the apparatus, including activities of the microprocessor, card moving mechanisms, security monitoring, and the elevator. The controlling microprocessor, including software, randomly selects or identifies which slot or card receiving compartment will receive each card in the group before card handling operations begin For example, a card designated as card  1  may be directed to a slot  5  (numbered here by numeric position within an array of slots), a card designated as card  2  may be directed to slot  7 , a card designated as card  3  may be directed to slot  3 , etc. 
     Card Receiving Compartments 
     A first preferred assembly or stack of card receiving compartments  28  is depicted in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , and for purposes of this disclosure this stack of card receiving compartments is also referred to as a rack assembly or rack  28 . The rack assembly  28  is housed in an elevator and rack assembly housing  78  generally adjacent to the well  60 , but horizontally spaced therefrom (see  FIG. 4 ). An elevator motor  80  is provided to position the rack assembly  28  vertically under control of a microprocessor, which microprocessor is generally part of the processing unit  32 . The assembly could also be a carousel-type or fan-type compartment assembly. The motor  80  is linked to the rack assembly  28  by a timing belt  82 . Referring now to  FIG. 10 , the rack assembly  28  includes a bottom plate  92 , a left-hand rack  94  carrying a plurality of half shelves  96 , a right-hand rack  98  including a plurality of half shelves  100  and a top plate  102 . Together the right- and left-hand racks  98 ,  94  and their respective half shelves  100 ,  96  form individual plate-like shelf pieces  104  for forming the top and bottom walls of individual compartments  106 . 
     Preferably, the rack assembly  28  has nine compartments  106 . Seven of the nine compartments  106  are for forming player hands, one compartment  106  forms dealer hands and the last compartment  106  is for accepting unused or discard cards. It should be understood that the device the present invention is not limited to a rack assembly  28  with seven compartments  106 . For example, although it is possible to achieve a random distribution of cards delivered to eight compartments with a fifty-two card deck or group of cards, if the number of cards per initial unshuffled group is greater than fifty-two, more compartments than nine may be provided to achieve sufficient randomness in eight formed hands. Also, additional compartments may be provided to form hands for a gaming table having more than seven player positions. For example, some card rooms and casinos offer stud poker games to up to twelve people at a single table. The apparatus may then have thirteen compartments, as traditional poker does not permit the house to play, with one compartment dedicated to collect unused cards. 
     In each example of the present invention, at least one stack of unused cards is formed, which may not be sufficiently randomized for use in a card game. These unused cards should be returned to the card receiver for distribution in the next cycle. 
     The rack assembly  28  is operably mounted to the apparatus  20  by a left-side rack plate  107  and a linear guide  108 . The rack assembly  28  is attached to the guide  108  by means of a guide plate  110 . The timing belt  82  is driven by the motor  80  and engages a pulley  112  for driving the rack assembly  28  up and down. A Hall effect switch assembly  114  is provided to sense the location of the rack assembly  28 . The rack assembly  28  may include a card present sensor  116  mounted to an underside of the rack assembly housing  78  (see  FIG. 4 ) and which is electrically linked to the microprocessor. 
       FIG. 9  depicts a rack assembly  28  having nine individual compartments  106  including a comparatively larger central discard compartment  120  for receiving discard or unused cards.  FIG. 7  provides a top plan view of one of the shelf members  104  and shows that each includes a pair of rear tabs  124 . The tabs  124  align a leading edge of the card with the opening of the compartment  106  so that the cards are moved from the transporting mechanism  30  into the rack assembly  28  without jamming. 
       FIG. 11  depicts an alternative embodiment of plate-like shelf pieces  104  comprising a single-piece plate member  104 ′. An appropriate number of the single-piece plate members  104 ′ corresponding to the desired number of compartments  106  are connected between the sidewalls of the rack assembly  28 . The plate member  104 ′ depicted in  FIG. 11  includes a curved or arcuate edge portion  126  on the rear edge  128  for removing cards or clearing jammed cards, and also includes the two bilateral tabs  124 , also a feature of the shelf pieces  104  of the rack assembly  28  depicted in  FIG. 7 . The tabs  124  act as card guides and permit the plate-like shelf pieces  104  forming the compartments  106  to be positioned effectively as closely as possible to the card transporting mechanism  30  to ensure that cards are delivered into the selected compartment  106  (or  120 ) even though they may be warped or bowed. 
     Referring back to  FIG. 5 , an advantage of the shelf plates  104  (and/or the half shelves  96 ,  100 ) forming the compartments  106  is depicted. Each shelf piece  104  includes a beveled or angled underside rearmost surface  130  in the space between the shelf pieces  104 , i.e., in each compartment  106 ,  120 . The distance between a forward edge  132  of the beveled surface  130  and a forward edge  134  of a shelf piece  104  preferably is less than the width of a typical card. As shown in  FIG. 5A , a leading edge  136  of a card being driven into a compartment  106 ,  120  hits the beveled surface  130  and is driven onto the top of the stack of cards supported by the next shelf piece  104 . As shown in  FIG. 5B , when the cards are fully inserted, a trailing edge  133  of each card is positioned between adjacent forward edges  132 . To facilitate forming a beveled surface  130  at a suitable bevel angle  135  and of a suitable size, a preferred thickness  137  for the plate-like shelf pieces  104  is approximately 3/32 of an inch, but this thickness  137  and/or the bevel angle  135  can be changed or varied to accommodate different sizes of cards, such as poker and bridge cards. Preferably, the bevel angle  135  is between 10 degrees and 45 degrees, and most preferably between approximately 15 degrees and 20 degrees. Whatever bevel angle  135  and thickness  137  are selected, it is preferred that cards should come to rest with their trailing edges  133  rearward of the forward edge  132  of the beveled surface  130  (see  FIG. 5 ). 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the front portion of the rack assembly  28  includes a solenoid or motor operated gate  144  and a door (card stop)  142  for controlling the unloading of the cards into the second card receiving platform  36 . Although a separate, vertically movable gate  144  and card stop  142  are depicted, the function, stopping the forward movement of the cards, could be accomplished either by a lateral moving gate or card stop alone (not shown) or by other means. In  FIG. 13 , the gate  144  is shown in its raised position and  FIG. 12  depicts it in its lowered open position. The position of the gate  144  and stop  142  is related by the microprocessor to the rack assembly  28  position. 
     Card Moving Mechanism 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4 ,  5  and  6 , a preferred card transporting or moving mechanism  30  is positioned between the card receiving well  60  and the compartments  106 ,  120  of the rack assembly  28  and includes a card pick-up roller assembly  149 . The card pick-up roller assembly  149  includes a pick-up roller  150  and is located generally at the forward portion of the well  60 . The pick-up roller  150  is supported by a bearing-mounted axle  152  extending generally transversely across the well  60  whereby the card contacting surface of the roller  150  is in close proximity to the forward portion of the floor surface  66 . The roller  150  is driven by a pick-up motor  154  operably coupled to the axle  152  by a suitable continuous connector  156  such as a belt or chain. In operation, the front card in the well  60  is urged against the roller  150  by block  68  that when the roller  150  is activated, the frictional surface draws the front card downwardly and forwardly. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the preferred card transporting mechanism  30  also includes a pinch roller card accelerator or speed-up system  160  located adjacent to the front of the well  60  between the well  60  and the rack assembly  28  and forwardly of the pick-up roller  150 . The speed-up system  160  comprises a pair of axle-supported, closely adjacent speed-up rollers, one above the other, including a lower roller  162  and an upper idling roller  164 . The upper idling roller  164  is urged toward the lower roller  162  by a spring assembly  166 . Alternatively, it may be weighted or drawn toward the lower roller by a resilient member (not shown). The lower roller  162  is driven by a speed-up motor  167  operably linked to the driven lower roller  162  by a suitable connector  168  such as a belt or a chain. A mounting bracket  170  for the speed-up rollers  162 ,  164  also supports a rearward card-in sensor  174  and a forward card-out sensor  176 .  FIG. 5  is a largely representational view depicting the relationship between the card receiving well  60  and the card transporting mechanism  30 , and also shows a card “C” being picked up by the pick-up roller  150  moving in rotational direction  151  and being moved into the pinch roller system  160  for acceleration into a compartment  106  of the rack assembly  28 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the pick-up roller  150  is not continuously driven, but rather indexes and includes a one-way clutch mechanism. After initially picking up a card C and advancing it into the pinch roller system  160 , the motor  154  operably coupled to the pick-up roller  150  stops driving the roller  150 , and the roller  150  free-wheels as the card C is accelerated through the pinch roller system  160 . The speed-up pinch roller system  160  is preferably continuous in operation once a hand-forming cycle starts and, when a card is sensed by the adjacent card-out sensor  176 , the pick-up roller  150  stops and free wheels while the card is accelerated through the pinch roller system  160 . When the trailing edge of the card is sensed by the card-out sensor  176 , the rack assembly  28  moves to the next position for the next card and the pick-up roller  150  is re-activated. 
     Additional components and details of the transporting mechanism  30  are depicted in  FIG. 6 , an exploded assembly view thereof. In  FIG. 6  the inclined floor surface  66  of the well  60  is visible, as are the axle-mounted pick-up roller  150  and pinch roller system  160 , respectively, and their relative positions. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the transporting mechansim  30  includes a pair of generally rigid stopping plates including an upper stop plate and a lower stop plate,  180 ,  182 , respectively. The plates  180 ,  182  are positioned between the rack assembly  28  and the speed-up system  160  immediately forward of and above and below the pinch rollers  162 ,  164 . The stop plates  180 ,  182  stop the cards from rebounding or bouncing rearwardly, back toward the pinch rollers  162 ,  164 , as they are driven against and contact the gate  144  and/or the stop  142  at the front of the rack assembly  28 . 
     Processing/Control Unit 
       FIG. 16  is a block diagram depicting an electrical control system  46 , which may be used in one embodiment of the present invention. The control system  46  includes a controller  360 , a bus  362 , and a motor controller  364 . Also represented in  FIG. 16  are inputs  366 , outputs  368 , and a motor system  370 . The controller  360  sends signals to both the motor controller  364  and the outputs  368  while monitoring the inputs  366 . The motor controller  364  interprets signals received over the bus  362  from the controller  360 . The motor system  370  is driven by the motor controller  364  in response to the commands from the controller  360 . The controller  360  controls the state of the outputs  368  and the state of the motor controller  364  by sending appropriate signals over the bus  362 . 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the motor system  370  comprises motors that are used for operating components of the card handling apparatus  20 . Motors operate the pick-up roller, the pinch, speed-up rollers, the pusher and the elevator. The gate and stop may be operated by a motor, as well. In such an embodiment, the motor controller  364  would normally comprise one or two controllers and driver devices for each of the motors used. However, other configurations are possible. 
     The outputs  368  include, for example, alarm, start, and reset indicators and inputs and may also include signals that can be used to drive a display device (e.g., an LED display, not shown). Such a display device can be used to implement a timer, a card counter, or a cycle counter. Generally, an appropriate display device can be configured and used to display any information worthy of display. 
     The inputs  366  are information from the limit switches and sensors described above. The controller  360  receives the inputs  366  over the bus  362 . 
     Although the controller  360  can be any digital controller or microprocessor-based system, in a preferred embodiment, the controller  360  comprises a processing unit  380  and a peripheral device  382  as shown in  FIG. 17 . The processing unit  380  in a preferred embodiment may be an 8-bit single-chip microcomputer such as an 80C52 manufactured by the Intel Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif. The peripheral device  382  may be a field programmable micro-controller peripheral device that includes programmable logic devices, EPROMs, and input/output ports. As shown in  FIG. 17 , peripheral device  382  serves as an interface between the processing unit  380  and the bus  362 . 
     The series of instructions are stored in the controller  360  as shown in  FIG. 17  as program logic  384 . Preferred instructions include a random number generator executed in hardware, software or a combination thereof that randomly selects a) a hand to receive fewer or more cards than a pre-programmed or base number of cards and b) the number of extra or fewer cards to be dispensed. The instructions may include frequency of such random events, and when cards are dealt to a known number of positions at a table (e.g., known by either dealing to all positions in pai gow poker, or to a specific number of positions where players and dealer are known to be in a particular round of the game), the instructions may include random selection of positions for receiving hands. In a preferred embodiment, the program logic  384  is RAM or ROM hardware in the peripheral device  382 . (Since the processing unit  380  may have some memory capacity, it is possible that some or all of the instructions may be stored in the processing unit  380 .) As one skilled in the art will recognize, various implementations of the program logic  384  are possible. The program logic  384  could be either hardware, software, or a combination of both. Hardware implementations might involve hardwired code or instructions stored in a ROM or RAM device. Software implementations would involve instructions stored on a magnetic, optical, or other media that can be accessed by the processing unit  380 . Under certain conditions, it is possible that a significant amount of electrostatic charge may build up in the card handling apparatus  20 . Significant electrostatic discharge could affect the operation of the card handling apparatus  20 . It is preferable to isolate some of the circuitry of the control system from the rest of the machine. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a number of optically coupled isolators are used to act as a barrier to electrostatic discharge. 
     As shown in  FIG. 18 , a first group of circuitry  390  can be electrically isolated from a second group of circuitry  392  by using optically coupled logic gates that have light-emitting diodes to optically (rather than electrically) transmit a digital signal, and photo detectors to receive the optically transmitted data. An illustration of electrical isolation through the use of optically coupled logic gates is shown in  FIG. 19 , which shows a portion of  FIG. 18  in greater detail. Four Hewlett-Packard HCPL-2630 optocouplers (labeled  394 ,  396 ,  398  and  400 ) are used to provide an 8-bit isolated data path to the output devices  368 . Each bit of data is represented by both an LED  402  and a photo detector  404 . The LEDs  402  emit light when energized and the photo detectors  404  detect the presence or absence of the light. Data may thus transmit without an electrical connection. 
     Second Card Moving Mechanism 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 8 , the apparatus  20  includes a second card moving mechanism  34  comprising a reciprocating card compartment-unloading pusher  190 . The pusher  190  includes a substantially rigid pusher arm  192  in the form of a rack having a plurality of linearly arranged apertures  194  along its length. The arm  192  operably engages the teeth of a pinion gear  196  driven by an unloading motor  198 , which is in turn controlled by the controller  360 . At its leading or card contacting end, the pusher arm  192  includes a blunt, enlarged card contacting end portion  199 . The end portion  199  is greater in height than the space between the shelf members  104  forming the compartments  106  to make sure that all the cards (i.e., the hand) contained in a selected compartment  106  are contacted and pushed out as it is operated, even when the cards are bowed or warped. The second card moving mechanism  34  is operated intermittently (upon demand or automatically) to empty full compartments  106  at or near the end of a cycle. 
     Second Card/Hand Receiver 
     When actuated, the second card moving mechanism  34  or pusher  190  empties a compartment  106 ,  120  by pushing the group of cards therein into a card receiving platform  36 . The card receiving platform  36  is shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  4 ,  14  and  15 , among others. 
     Referring to  FIG. 15 , the second card or hand receiving platform  36  includes a shoe plate  204  and a solenoid assembly  206 , including a solenoid plate  208 , carried by a rear plate  210 , which is also the front plate of the rack assembly  28 . In an alternate embodiment, a motor drives the gate. The shoe plate  204  also carries an optical sensing switch  212  for sensing the presence or absence of a hand of cards and for triggering the microprocessor to drop the gate  144  and actuate the pusher  190  of the second card-moving mechansim  34  to unload another hand of cards from a compartment  106 ,  120  when the hand receiving platform  36  is empty. In a first preferred embodiment, the player hands are unloaded sequentially. After the dealer receives his hand (typically the dealer hand is delivered last, except in one of the seven possible distributions in pai gow poker), he or she presses a button, which instructs any remaining hands and the discard pile to unload. According to a second preferred embodiment, the microprocessor is programmed to randomly select and unload all player hands, then the dealer hand, and last the discard pile. The shuffler may also be equipped to receive signals from other devices, such as bet sensors, so that only a number of hands in play is dispensed, and then all remaining cards are automatically unloaded. 
       FIG. 14  is a largely representational view depicting the apparatus  20  and the relationship of its components including the card receiver  26  for receiving a group of cards for being formed into hands, including the well  60  and block  68 , the rack assembly  28  and its single stack of card receiving compartments  106 ,  120 , the card moving or transporting mechanism  30  between and linking the card receiver  26  and the rack assembly  28 , the pusher  190  for emptying the compartments  106 ,  120 , and the second card receiving platform  36  for receiving hands of cards. 
     Alternative Embodiments 
       FIG. 20  represents an alternative embodiment of the presently described technology wherein a card handler  200  includes an initial staging area  230  for receiving a vertically stacked deck or group of unshuffled cards. Preferably beneath the stack is a card extractor  232 , which picks up a single card and moves it toward a grouping device  234 . The picked up card moves through a card separator  236 , which is provided in case more than one card is picked up, and then through a card accelerator  238 . The grouping device  234  includes a plurality of compartments  240  defined, in part, by a plurality of generally horizontally disposed, parallel shelf members  242 . In one embodiment there are two more compartments than player positions at the table at which the device is being used. In one preferred embodiment the grouping device  234  includes nine compartments  240  (labeled  1 - 9 ), seven of which correspond to the player positions, one of which corresponds to the dealer&#39;s position, and the last of which is for discards. The grouping device  234  is supported by a generally vertically movable elevator  244 , the height of which is controlled by a stepper motor  246 , linked by means of a belt drive  248  to the elevator  244 . A microprocessor  250  randomly selects the location of the stepper motor  246  and instructs the stepper motor  246  to move the elevator  244  to that position. The microprocessor  250  is programmed to deliver a predetermined number of cards to each compartment  240 . After the predetermined or randomly determined number of cards is delivered to a compartment  240 , no additional cards will be delivered to that compartment  240 . 
     Each time a group of unshuffled cards is handled by this embodiment of the presently described technology, the order in which the cards are delivered to the compartments  240  is different due to the use of a random number generator to determine which compartment  240  receives each card in the group. Making hands of cards in this particular fashion serves to randomize the cards to an extent sufficient to eliminate the need to shuffle the entire deck prior to forming hands. A feature of the embodiment of the present invention depicted in  FIG. 20  is a card pusher or rake  260 A. The rake  260 A may be either an arm with a head which pushes horizontally from the trailing edge of a card or group of cards, or a roller and belt arrangement  260 B that propels a card or group of cards by providing frictional contact between one or more rollers and a lower surface of a card or the bottom-most card. The purpose of the rake  260 A is to move the cards toward an open end of the elevator  244 . In this embodiment of the invention, the compartments  240  are staggered so that if the card rake  260 A only pushes the dealt cards a portion of the way out the dealer can still lift out each hand of cards and deliver the hand to a player. The rake  260 A can also be set to push a hand of cards completely out of a compartment  240  whereby the cards fall onto a platform  262 . The hand delivered to platform  262  may be then removed and handed to the player. A sensor (not shown) may be provided adjacent to the platform  262  whereby an empty platform is sensed so that the rake  260 A pushes or propels another hand of cards onto the platform  262 . This same random number generator or a separate random number generator may be used in the practice of the presently described technology to randomly select how many cards will go into a hand, which hand(s) will receive a random number of cards, how frequently a random number of cards will be provided, which player will receive the random number of cards, whether a player or a dealer will receive a hand with a random number of cards, and the like. 
     In another embodiment the microprocessor  250  is programmed so that the card rake  260 A moves the cards to a point accessible to the dealer and then, upon optional activation of a dealer control input, pushes the cards out of the compartment  240  onto the platform  262 . 
     In a preferred embodiment of the device depicted in  FIG. 20 , although the microprocessor  250  can be programmed to deliver a different number of cards to the dealer compartment than to the player compartments, it is contemplated that the microprocessor  250  will cause the card handler  200  to deliver the same number of cards to each compartment  240 . The dealer, however, may discard cards until he or she arrives at the desired number of dealer cards for the particular game being played. For example, for the poker game known as the LET IT RIDE® game, the players and dealer initially receive a three-card hand. The dealer then discards or burns one of his cards and plays with the remaining two cards. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 20 , nine card compartments or slots are depicted. The card extractor/separator combination delivers a selected number of player cards into each of the compartments labeled  1 - 7 . Preferably, the same number of dealer&#39;s cards may be delivered into compartment  8 . Alternatively, the microprocessor  250  can be programmed so that compartment  8  will receive more, fewer, or the same number of cards as the players&#39; compartments  1 - 7 . In the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 20 , card receiving compartment  9 , which may be larger than the others, receives all extra cards from a deck. Preferably, the MPU instructs the card handler  200  to form only the maximum number of player hands plus a dealer hand. The number of cards delivered to each position may depend upon the game and the number of cards required. 
     Operation/Use 
     With reference to  FIGS. 21A ,  21 B and  22 A- 22 C, and Appendix C, which depict an operational program flow of the method and apparatus of the present invention, in use, cards are loaded into the well  60  by sliding or moving the block  68  generally rearwardly. The group of cards to be formed into hands is placed into the well  60  generally sideways, with the plane of the cards generally vertical, on one of the long side edges of the cards. The block  68  is released or replaced to urge the cards into an angular position generally corresponding to the angle of the angled card contacting face of the block  68 , and into contact with the pick-up roller  150 . 
     According to the presently described technology, the group of cards to be formed into hands is a single deck of standard playing cards. Depending upon the game, the group of cards can contain one or more wild cards, can be a standard deck with one or more cards removed, can comprise a special deck, such as a canasta or SPANISH 21® deck, for example, can include more than one deck, or can be a partial deck not previously recognized by those skilled in the art as a special deck. The present invention contemplates utilizing any group of cards suitable for playing a card game. For example, one use of the device of the present invention is to form hands for a card game, which requires the use of a standard deck of cards with all cards having a face value of 2-5 removed. The card handling device of the present invention may also be used for card games that deliver a fixed number of cards to each player. For example, the LET IT RIDE® stud poker game requires that the dealer deliver three cards to each player, and three cards to the dealer. For this application, the microprocessor is set so that only three card-hands are formed. 
     When the power is turned on, the apparatus  20  homes (see  FIGS. 21A and 21B  and Appendix B). The start input is actuated and the process cycle begins. As the cards are picked up, i.e., after the separation of a card from the remainder of the group of cards in the well  60  is started, a card is accelerated by the speed-up system  160  and spit or moved past the plates  180 ,  182  into a selected compartment  106 ,  120 . Substantially simultaneously, movement of subsequent cards is underway. The rack assembly  28  position relative to the position of the transporting mechanism  30  is monitored, selected and timed by the microprocessor whereby a selected number of cards is delivered randomly to selected compartments  106  until the selected number of compartments  106  each contain a randomized hand of a selected number of cards. The remainder of the cards is delivered to the discard compartment  120 . Because the order in which the cards are delivered is completely random, the apparatus  20  may or may not deliver all cards in the initial group of cards to all compartments  106  before the first player hand is pushed out of its compartment  106 . 
     When all the cards have been delivered to the compartments  106 , upon demand or automatically, the pusher  190  unloads one randomly selected hand at a time from a compartment  106  into the second card receiving platform  36 . The pusher  190  may be triggered by the dealer or by the optical sensing switch  212  associated with the second card receiving platform  36 . When the last hand is picked up and delivered to players and/or dealer, the larger discard compartment  120  automatically unloads. It should be appreciated that each cycle or operational sequence of the card handling apparatus  20  goes through an entire group or deck of cards placed in the well  60  each time, even if only two players, i.e., two hands, are used. 
       FIG. 23  also shows a clearly optional method of controlling the entry of cards into a rack  3  of card receiving compartments  13 . A card delivery system  15  is shown wherein two nip rollers  17  accept individual cards  19  from a stack of cards  16  and direct the individual cards  19  into a single card receiving compartment  13 . As shown in a lower portion of  FIG. 23 , a single card  9  is directed into one of the card receiving compartments  13  so that the individual card  9  strikes one of the acute angle surfaces  21 A,  21 B, respectively, of a separator  23 . The single card  9  is shown with a double bend  11  caused by the forces from the single card  9  striking the acute angle surface  21 A,  21 B and then the top of cards  7  already positioned within the card receiving compartment  13 . The card delivery system  15  and/or the rack  3  may move vertically (and/or angularly, as explained later) to position individual cards (e.g.,  9 ) at a desired elevation and/or angle in front of individual card receiving compartments  13 . The specific distance or angle that the card delivery system  15  and/or rack  3  moves are controlled (when acute angle surfaces  21 A,  21 B of the separators  23  are available) to position the individual card  9  so that it deflects against a specific acute angle surface  21 A,  21 B. 
     An alternative method of assisting in the guidance of an individual card  9  against an acute angle surface  21 A,  21 B is the system shown that is enabled by bars  2  and  4 . The bars  2  and  4  operate so that as they move relative to each other, the separators  23  may swivel around pins  6  causing the separators  23  to shift, changing the effective angle of the deflecting acute angle surfaces  21 A,  21 B with respect to individual cards  9 . This is not as preferred as the mechanism by which the rack  3  and/or the card delivery system  15  move relatively vertically to each other. 
       FIG. 24  shows a blown-up view of a set of three separators  23 . These separators  23  are shown with acute angles (less than 90° with respect to horizontal or the plane of the separator  23  top surfaces  29 ) on both sides of the separators  23 . An upward deflecting surface  27  and downward deflecting surface  25  are shown on each separator  23 . In one section of  FIG. 24 , a single card  9   a  is shown impacting the upward deflecting surface  27 , deflecting (and bending) individual card  9   a  in a two-way bend  11   a , the second section of the bend  11   a  caused by the impact/weight of the cards  7  already within the compartment  13   a . In a separate area of  FIG. 24 , a second individual card  9   b  is shown in compartment  13   b , striking downward deflecting surface  25 , with a double bend  11  caused by deflection off the surface  25  and then deflection off the approximately horizontal support surface  29  (or if cards are present, the upper surface of the top card) of the separator  23 . The surface  29  does not have to be horizontal, but is shown in this manner for convenience. The card delivery system (not shown) moves relative to the separators  23  (by moving the card delivery system and/or the rack (not shown in entirety) to position individual cards (e.g.,  9   a  and  9   b ) with respect to the appropriate surfaces (e.g.,  25  and  27 )). 
     The capability of addressing cards into compartments at either the top or bottom of the compartment (and consequently at the top or bottom of other cards within the compartment) enables an effective doubling of potential positions where each card may be inserted into compartments. This offers the designer of the device options on providing available alternative insert positions without adding additional card receiving compartments. More options available for placement of cards in the compartments further provides randomness to the system without increasing the overall size of the device or increasing the number of compartments. 
     In this embodiment of the described technology, the original rack has been replaced with rack  3  consisting of ten equally sized compartments. Cards are delivered in a random fashion to each rack. If the random number generator selects a compartment that is full, another rack is randomly selected. 
     In this embodiment, each stack of cards is randomly removed and stacked in platform  36 , forming a randomly arranged deck of cards. Although ten compartments is a preferred number of compartments for shuffling a fifty-two card deck, other numbers of compartments can be used to accomplish random or near-random shuffling. If more than one deck is shuffled at a time, more compartments could be added, if needed. 
     Although a description of preferred embodiments has been presented, various changes including those mentioned above could be made without deviating from the spirit of the presently described technology. It is desired, therefore, that reference be made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention. 
     It is clear from the above-described examples and embodiments that a number of different shuffling mechanisms can be used to randomize the cards, either before or during hand randomization. For example, RANDOM EJECTION SHUFFLER™ devices (e.g., as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,722,974; 6,651,985; 6,299,167; 6,270,404; 6,165,069; 6,019,368; 5,676,372; and 5,584,483) could be used to randomize either all or part of the group of cards (e.g., one or more decks) to be shuffled, and then a hand of randomly determined numbers of cards could be formed by removing cards individually or as a group from the randomized all or part of the group, or by feeding random numbers of cards to a delivery tray. Other examples of useful formats of shufflers have been described above, including but not limited to U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,411 (Breeding), U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,655,684; 6,651,982; 6,651,981; 6,588,751; 6,588,750; 6,568,678; 6,325,373; 6,254,096; 6,149,154; 6,139,014; 6,068,258; and 5,695,189 (Breeding et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,460 and U.S. Patent Application Publication 2003/0071413A1 (Blaha et al.); and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,683,085 and 6,267,248 (Johnson et al.). These embodiments include speeding up shuffling time and hand delivery time by having hands either simultaneously formed and shuffled or formed from a smaller sub-set of randomized/shuffled cards. These techniques eliminate or reduce the waiting for a complete group of cards to be randomized before hands are formed. 
     The device that either a) forms hands or b) forms hands and randomizes cards has a processor with one or more random number generators that can determine any of the following functions: a) the number of cards per hand; b) the frequency of occurrence of extra or fewer cards in a hand; c) the number of extra or fewer cards in a hand; d) a location to which to deliver each card; etc. The random number generator (RNG) may be programmed or hard-wired to operate within certain parameters, such as random frequency but no more often than every 100 hands; random numbers of cards, but no more than X cards and no fewer than Y cards, etc. 
     Specific devices within the generic scope of the disclosed technology can advantageously be used to provide new and exciting features to a card game based on the chance or random occurrence of fewer or extra cards to a player, dealer, community cards or combinations of the three. 
     Prior to the use of a random number generator to determine the number of cards in a hand, it was not even possible to offer such games, except if one had used an external device such as a prize wheel (also known as a candy wheel) to determine the random events such as player/dealer/community card positions and the number of cards to be received. Applicants are not aware of even that existence in commercial practice. Using such a device would provide security risks and potential for abuse or fraud. For example, particularly good card(s) could be passed by the dealer, the spin of the wheel could be manipulated, and the like. 
     Although it is desirable to include the random number generating functionality within the shuffler, it is also possible to provide such a function in an external computer or in a separate intelligent component (such as a G-Mod) in network or other form of communication with the shuffler. G-Mods and other formats of architecture are described in copending U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 10/880,408 and 10/880,410, both filed on Jun. 28, 2004, which are incorporated herein by reference. For example, a gaming table might contain an automatic shuffler, hand forming device (integrated with or separate from the shuffler), a random number generator (RNG), and/or a plurality of bet sensors, each communicatively connected to an external micro-processor or field programmable gate array with network or system or individual component communication capability. The RNG could select a random number and transmit that number over a line or network to the shuffler to tell the shuffler when to dispense more or fewer cards and how many more or fewer cards to dispense. 
     The RNG function could also reside in a table game computer, pit computer or any other on-line or networked computer and be capable of sending instructions to the shuffler and/or hand-forming device. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 APPENDIX A 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Switches and Sensors (Inputs) 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 Item 
                 Name 
                 Description 
                   
               
               
                   
               
               
                 212 
                 SCPS 
                 Shoe Card Present Sensor 
                 Omron * EE-SPY 302 
               
               
                 116 
                 RCPS 
                 Rack Card Present Sensor 
                 Optek * OP598A OP506A 
               
               
                   
                 RHS 
                 Rack Home Switch 
                 Microswitch * SS14A 
               
               
                   
                 RPS 
                 Rack Position Sensor 
                 Omron * EE-SPZ401Y.01 
               
               
                   
                 UHS 
                 Unloader Home Switch 
                 Microswitch * SS14A 
               
               
                   
                 DPS 
                 Door Present Switch 
                 Microswitch * SS14A 
               
               
                   
                 PCPS 
                 Platform Card Present Sensor 
                 Omron * EE-SPY401 
               
               
                 170 
                 CIS 
                 Card-In Sensor 
                 Optek * OP506A 
               
               
                 176 
                 COS 
                 Card-Out Sensor 
                 Optek * OP598A 
               
               
                   
                 GUS 
                 Gate Up Switch 
                 Microswitch * SS14A 
               
               
                 44 
                 GDS 
                 Gate Up Switch 
                 Microswitch SS14-A 
               
               
                   
                 SS 
                 Start Switch 
                 EAO * 84-8512.5640 84- 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 1101.0 84-7111.500 
               
               
                 154 
                 POM 
                 Pick-off Motor 
                 Superior * M041-47103 
               
               
                 166 
                 SUM 
                 Speed-up Motor 
                 Superior * M041-47103 
               
               
                 80 
                 RM 
                 Rack Motor 
                 Oriental * C7009-9012K 
               
               
                 198 
                 UM 
                 Unloader Motor 
                 Superior * M041-47103 
               
               
                   
                 FM 
                 Fan Motor 
                 Mechatronics * F6025L24B 
               
               
                 143 
                 GS 
                 Gate Solenoid 
                 Shindengen * F10308H 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 w/return spring 
               
               
                   
                 GM 
                 Gate Motor 
                 NMB 14PM-MZ-02 
               
               
                   
                 SSV 
                 Scroll Switch-Vertical 
                 EAO * 18-187.035 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 18-982.8 18-920.1 
               
               
                   
                 SSH 
                 Scroll Switch-Horizontal 
                 EAO * 18-187.035 
               
               
                   
                   
                   
                 18-982.8 18-920.1 
               
               
                   
                 AL 
                 Alarm Light 
                 Dialight * 557-1505-203 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Display 
                 Noritake * CU20025ECPB - UIJ 
               
               
                   
                 Power Supply 
                 Shindengen * ZB241R8 
               
               
                   
                 Linear Guide 
                 THK * RSR12ZMUU + 145M 
               
               
                   
                 Comm. Port 
                 Digi * HR021 - ND 
               
               
                   
                 Power Switch 
                 Digi * SW 323 - ND 
               
               
                   
                 Power Entry 
                 Bergquist * LT - 101 - 3P 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 APPENDIX B 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 Homing/Power-up 
               
             
          
           
               
                 i. 
                 Unloader Home 
                 UHS Made 
               
               
                   
                 Return unloader to home position. If it times out 
                   
               
               
                   
                 (jams), turn the alarm light on/off. 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Display “UNLOADER NOT HOME” 
                   
               
               
                   
                 “UHS FAULT”. 
                   
               
               
                 ii. 
                 Door Present 
                 DPS Made 
               
               
                   
                 Check door present switch (DPS). If it&#39;s not made, 
                   
               
               
                   
                 display “Door Open” “DPS Fault” and turn the 
                   
               
               
                   
                 alarm light on/off. 
                   
               
               
                 iii. 
                 Card-Out Sensor (COS) Clear 
                 COS Made 
               
               
                   
                 If Card-Out sensor is blocked: 
                   
               
               
                   
                 A. Check if Rack Card Present Sensor (RCPS) 
                   
               
               
                   
                 is blocked. If it is, drive card back (reverse both 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Pick-off Motor (POM) and Speed-up Motor (SUM)) 
                   
               
               
                   
                 until COS is clear. Keep the card in the pinch. 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Align rack and load card into one of the shelves. 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Then go through the rack empty sequence (3 below). 
                   
               
               
                   
                 B. If Rack Card Present Sensor (RCPS) is clear, 
                   
               
               
                   
                 drive card back towards the input shoe. 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Turn both the Speed Up Motor (SUM) and the 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Pick Off Motor on (reverse) until Card-Out Sensor 
                   
               
               
                   
                 is clear plus time delay to drive the card 
                   
               
               
                   
                 out of the pinch. 
                   
               
               
                 iv. 
                 Gate Up 
                 GUS Made 
               
               
                   
                 Move reck up until the rack position sensor 
                   
               
               
                   
                 sees the top rack (RPS on). Gate up switch 
                   
               
               
                   
                 should be made (GUS). If not, display 
                   
               
               
                   
                 “GATE NOT UP” “GUS FAULT” and turn 
                   
               
               
                   
                 the alarm light on/off. 
                   
               
               
                 v. 
                 Rack Empty and Home 
                 RCPS Made 
               
               
                   
                 Check Rack Card Present Sensor (RCPS). 
                 RHS Made 
               
               
                   
                 If blocked, see emptying the racks. Return  
                   
               
               
                   
                 back home when done. 
                   
               
               
                   
                 INTERLOCK: Do not move rack if Card-Out sensor 
                   
               
               
                   
                 is blocked (see 2 to clear) or when door is not 
                   
               
               
                   
                 present. 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Emptying the racks: Go through the card 
                   
               
               
                   
                 unload sequence. Move rack down to home position. 
                   
               
               
                   
                 Energize solenoid. Move rack through the 
                   
               
               
                   
                 unload positions and unload all the cards. 
                   
               
               
                 vi. 
                 Input Shoe Empty 
                 SCPS Clear 
               
               
                   
                 If Shoe/Card Present Sensor (SCPS) is blocked, 
                   
               
               
                   
                 display “remove card from shoe” or “SCPS fault” 
                   
               
               
                   
                 and turn the alarm light on/off. 
                   
               
               
                 vii. 
                 Platform Empty 
                 PCPS Clear 
               
               
                   
                 If Platform Card Present Sensor (PCPS) is blocked, 
                   
               
               
                   
                 display “remove card from platform” or 
                   
               
               
                   
                 “PCPS Fault” and turn alarm light on/off. 
                   
               
               
                 viii. 
                 Card-In Sensor (CIS) Clear. 
                 CIS Made 
               
               
                   
                 If Card-In Sensor (CIS) is blocked, 
                   
               
               
                   
                 display “remove card from shoe” or 
                   
               
               
                   
                 “CIS fault” and turn the alarm light on/off. 
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 Start Position 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Unloader Home 
                 UHS Made 
               
               
                   
                 Rack Home 
                 RHS Made 
               
               
                   
                 Rack Empty 
                 RCPS Made 
               
               
                   
                 Door In Place 
                 DPS Made 
               
               
                   
                 Card-In Sensor Clear 
                 CIS Made 
               
               
                   
                 Card-Out Sensor Clear 
                 COS Made 
               
               
                   
                 Gate Up 
                 GUS Made 
               
               
                   
                 Platform Empty 
                 PCPS Clear 
               
               
                   
                 Input Shoe Empty 
                 SCPS Clear 
               
               
                   
                 Start Button Light On 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                 APPENDIX C 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Recovery Routine 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 Problem: 
                 Card Jam-COS blocked too long. 
               
               
                 Recovery: 
                 1. Stop rack movement. 
               
               
                   
                 2. Reverse both pick-off and speed-up motors until 
               
               
                   
                 “COS” is unblocked. Stop motors. 
               
               
                   
                 3. If “COS” is unblocked, move rack home and back to 
               
               
                   
                 the rack where the cards should be inserted. 
               
               
                   
                 4. Try again with a lower insertion point (higher rack) 
               
               
                   
                 and slower insertion speed. If card goes in, continue 
               
               
                   
                 insertion. If card jams, repeat with the preset positions, 
               
               
                   
                 auto adjust to the new position. If jams become too 
               
               
                   
                 frequent, display “check cards”, replace cards. If it 
               
               
                   
                 doesn&#39;t, 
               
               
                   
                 repeat 1 and 2. 
               
               
                   
                 5. If “COS” is unblocked, move rack up to the 
               
               
                   
                 top position and display “Card Jam” and turn 
               
               
                   
                 alarm light on/off. 
               
               
                   
                 6. If “COS” is not unblocked after 2 or 4, display 
               
               
                   
                 “card jam” and turn . . . (do not move rack to up position). 
               
               
                 Problem: 
                 Unloader jams on the way out. 
               
               
                 Recovery: 
                 Move unloader back home. Reposition rack with a small 
               
               
                   
                 offset up or down and try again, lower speed if necessary. 
               
               
                   
                 If unloader jams, keep repeating at the preset location, set a 
               
               
                   
                 new value based on the offset which works (auto adjust).