Pyramid roulette

A roulette-type game apparatus with a non-traditional style. A non-traditional resilient indicator is introduced in the game from above two independently rotating disks. The indicators are dropped through a delivery tube onto an elevated surface. The indicators bounce, from that surface and strike the enclosure, then finally strike the rotating disks which contain indicia and corresponding pockets. The indicators bounce around until they come to rest in a pocket, resulting in a randomly selected winning numbers, number combos, or progressive number. All bets are placed on a table. The game apparatus would have some similar bets as roulette with additional chances to win such as a dual indicator outcome similar to a two die outcome in craps, including a chance to win a progressive jackpot.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention generally relates to games of chance and, more particularly, to a roulette game in which the layout is altered from the original game in that there is a plurality of indicia and corresponding pockets on the roulette wheel which consists of a plurality of independently rotating disks and a plurality of indicators released onto an elevated surface producing a more randomized result.

2. Description of Prior Art

Roulette is a very popular game of chance played in casinos throughout the world. The roulette player enjoys a wide variety of betting options and the possibility of getting large payouts. Conventional roulette is played using a roulette wheel with indicia and pockets along the periphery of the wheel. The wheel is turned in one direction and the indicator ball is rolled in the opposite direction in a fixed channel surrounding the rotatable wheel. As the speed of the ball slows, the indicator ball comes to rest in one of the pockets and the indicia and color thereof is compared to the betting area to determine the various payouts.

One of the concerns with conventional roulette is the ability of the operator of the wheel to predetermine where the indicator ball will fall. This ability may favor either the player who is working with the operator to get a larger payout or the casino who wants to prevent players from winning the large payouts. It is desirable to randomize the indicated indicia. Mollo, U.S. Pat. No. 6,047,965, introduces air outputs in the roulette bowl to randomize the travel of the indicator ball. Jones, U.S. Patent Application 2001/0035605, seeks to improve the randomized selection of numbers by introducing a ball blower and a lottery-like numbered ball selector. Another way to randomize the travel of the indicator ball is to introduce the indicator ball from above the roulette wheel onto an elevated rotating surface. The indicator ball is made of a resilient material that will bounce off the rotating surface and strike the walls of an enclosure designed to direct the indicator ball toward the roulette wheel. An enclosure was used in Luehr, U.S. Pat. No. 4,206,921, to retain the indicators within the game while randomizing the result by sequentially turning over the complete game. Unlike Luehr, the present invention introduces the ball through the enclosure giving motion to the indicator by dropping it from above the spinning disks while the enclosure remains stationary.

In traditional roulette the pocket dividers rise above the top of the pocket acting as a paddle to strike the ball and change its direction. The present invention introduces wide bridge-like dividers that allow the indicator ball to roll from one disk to another. This wide surface also provides a way to redirect the motion of the ball when striking the surface from above. These dividers are tapered into each pocket providing an escape for the moving indicator.

Another draw for players is the large payout. In addition to randomizing the travel of the indicator ball, the present invention offers the player many additional betting opportunities and offers a larger payout. Caro, U.S. Pat. No. 5,636,838, describes a roulette wheel consisting of two disks that may turn in opposite directions. This invention depends on the use of an alignment mechanism because there is only one ring of pockets in the game. That invention presented without an alignment mechanism would not provide an adequate result. By adding pockets and indicia on each rotatable carrier the final result is an increase in betting options and ultimately a higher payout for a particular bet.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a new game of chance using a plurality of enclosed disks and introducing a plurality of indicators from above the disks. In the preferred embodiment there are two disks. The disks are numbered one through fifty and colored red or black, alternating the numbers and colors between the two wheels, including a 0 and 00 which are green, as is customary in U.S. roulette wheels. The indicators settle in pockets representing a specific number and color, thus indicating the randomized result. The present invention includes a betting area and a progressive jackpot. The present invention provides the look of roulette and lottery and it increases the betting opportunities by adding craps-like play.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1shows a roulette-type game apparatus with a non-traditional roulette wheel arrangement39and a corresponding betting area29. As shown inFIG. 2, the preferred embodiment of this game uses two disks1and2, two resilient indicator balls3and4, and a rotatable elevated circular surface5, centrally located.FIG. 6shows the wire frame ring9adjacent to the elevated surface5. This assembly is centrally located in the inner disk2and moves with the inner disk2. As shown inFIG. 2, the transparent enclosure6provides access7to manually rotate each of the two disks1and2. A transparent delivery tube8provides for the introduction of the indicator balls3and4and directs the indicator balls such that they bounce off of the elevated surface5. The elevated surface5is adjacent to a wire frame ring9that is accessible outside the enclosure6. The elevated surface5may be textured to further influence the speed and direction of the indicator balls3and4.

The preferred embodiment of the game has two indicator balls; the table ball3and the progressive ball4. The indicator balls3and4are identifiable as the table ball3or the progressive ball4by their distinct color. The indicator balls3and4are kept in play after bouncing from the elevated surface5by the enclosure6which, in its preferred embodiment is shaped like a pyramid to vary the distance from the discs to a striking surface.

Referring toFIGS. 14aand14b, the inner disk2is made up of three sections, the innermost area is a convex surface region10occupying 50% of the disk's surface at a 70° angle and encircled by an adjacent chamfered region11occupying 4% of the disk's surface at a 65° angle with colored numbered sections12laid out in this region11. Adjacent to the chamfered region11is the pocketed ring13along the periphery of the inner disk2. The pockets14are a depth of ½ the diameter of the indicator balls. The width of the pockets14on the inner disk2is 1¼ times the diameter of the indicator balls3and4. The length of the pockets14is 1½ times the diameter of the indicator balls3and4. The pocketed ring13includes wide bridge-like dividers15which act as ramps. The dividers15are tapered to provide a sloped surface16for the indicator balls3and4to escape the rotating pockets14more easily than in the common roulette arrangement.

The outer disk1is made up of three sections, an outer concave surface region17occupying 8% of the disk's surface at a 60° angle which encircles an adjacent chamfered region18occupying 4% of the disk's surface at a 65° angle with colored numbered sections19laid out in this region18. Adjacent to the chamfered region18is the pocketed ring20along the inside edge of the disk. The pockets21have a depth of ½ the diameter of the indicator balls3and4. The width of the pockets21is 1½ times the diameter of the indicator balls3and4. The length of the pockets21is 1¾ times the diameter of the indicator balls3and4. The pocketed ring20includes wide bridge-like dividers22acting as ramps. The dividers22are tapered to provide a sloped surface23for the balls to escape the pockets21more easily than the common roulette arrangement.

In the preferred embodiment, each disk1and2has twenty-five unique numbers24and one of the numbers “0” or “00”25making twenty-six total indicia per disk. The desired number placement on the disk is achieved by placing the sequential numbers every thirteen spaces. The numbers24are placed around the disks1and2in a counter clockwise manner, alternating the numbers between the two disks. The numbers24are placed on the two disks1and2with the bottom of the numbers24facing the pockets14and21. Each disc1and2has odd and even numbers24. The numbers24on the inner disk2are odd up to and including the number25. After25, the numbers are even. The outer disk1is even up to and including the number24. After24, the numbers beginning with27are odd. Color placement on the inner disk2is alternated between red26and black27except for the green25“0”. Color placement on the outer disk1is alternated between black26and red27except for the green25“00”.

FIGS. 6,7, and8present the assembly. The elevated surface5with the adjacent wire frame ring9is supported by a cylinder40extending from the inner disk2. The two disks1and2are supported by a pedestal foot41and centrally located axle42. The two disks1and2rotate on roller bearings43, the use of which is well known in the art. The enclosure6, best shown inFIG. 2, includes a delivery tube8which passes through a wall of the enclosure6and is positioned to allow the indicator balls3and4to strike the elevated surface5. The construction of the disks and assembly of the apparatus may be accomplished using methods well known in the art.

The present invention teaches a game that is different from traditional roulette. In the preferred method of play, a timed sequence expressed by colored lights44controls the pace of the game. The inner disk2is spun in either a clockwise or counter clockwise direction and the outer disk1is spun in the opposite direction. The indicator balls3and4are dropped in a timed sequence into the game from above through the delivery tube8where the indicator balls3and4are directed onto the elevated surface5extending from and rotating with the inner disk2. The indicator balls3and4are then directed to the walls of the enclosure6and finally strike one of the two rotating disks1and2. The bridge-like dividers22allow the balls3and4to travel across providing bridges from one disk to the next. The wide bridge-like dividers22provide a surface for deflecting the travel of the indicator balls3and4back toward the enclosure6. The indicator balls3and4may have a solid or liquid core to vary the action of the game. There is lots of randomized movement of the indicator balls3and4prior to settling into a pocket14or21indicating the randomized number12or24and color26,27, or25selection.

The present invention has a betting area29. SeeFIG. 10. A player may bet on odd, even, red or black, big or small, come or go31. A combo bet of over or under 32 requires adding the indicated numbers shown by both the table ball3and the progressive ball4. A player may also bet on a combo number of 45 47 49 51 53 55 57 59 (33) or bet on two of the combo numbers at a time designated by the chip placement on a c, o, m, b, or o (33). A player may bet on a number combo spot, betting on four combo numbers at a time. A player may place a bet on the first twelve, second twelve, third twelve, forth twelve, first third, second third, or third34. A bet may also be placed on the O area indicating the table ball3or progressive ball4. A player may bet a field35which has three numbers per bet, a big field which has four numbers per bet, a landing strip36which has five numbers per bet, or a table corner37which has two numbers per bet. A player may make a table number bet by betting on a single number between 1 and 50 or the 0's38. Bets may also be made on both the table ball3and the progressive ball4at the same time by placing a bet on the number between the progressive number30and the table number38.