Abstract:
A blocking mechanism for a table-type amusement game, and a table-type amusement game equipped with a blocking mechanism. The blocking mechanism utilizes a series of blocking pins goes from a closed position, which blocks a playing piece from scoring to an upper open position, which permits the playing piece to score. The blocking mechanism may be manually or electrically operated. When the blocking mechanism is electrically operated, it may be activated by the insertion of a coin into a coin and/or bill acceptor of the type found on table-type amusement games.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 13/165,020, filed Jun. 21, 2011, for Blocking Mechanism for Amusement Game. Application Ser. No. 13/165,020 is pending as of the filing date of the present application. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to amusement games. More particularly, the present invention relates to table-type amusement games. Most particularly, the present invention relates to a blocking device which will prevent the table-type amusement game from being played without the payment of the fee for playing the game. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     For as long as there have been amusement table games, there have been efforts on the part of certain people who wish to use the amusement game table to play the game without the payment of the required fee. 
     Previous solutions for this type of problem have either been relatively expensive, or easily defeated. For example, for shuffleboard type table games there is known in the art a mechanism that does not release the shuffleboard pucks to the player until the fee is deposited, and then does not return the puck to the player once the game is completed. Similarly, for bowling table-type games, a bowling ball will not be released to the player until the fee is deposited, and then after a certain number of frames, the ball will not be returned to the player. 
     Other blocking mechanisms for “shuffleboard-type” games are known, but may be easily forced from their closed position to their open position, allowing the games to be played without the patrons paying. 
     For the above reasons, those skilled in the art continue to search for a simple and less expensive solution to the problems in the art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a novel and unique solution to the above-mentioned problems in the art by providing an automatic blocking mechanism which prevents the playing piece of table-type amusement games, such as tabletop bowling and tabletop shuffleboard, from being played without payment of the requisite fee. A blocking means which is operated upon depositing the fee into a coin and/or bill acceptor of a tabletop amusement game, remains in its closed position before the fee is deposited, opens when the fee is deposited, and closes again after the game is completed, whether by a certain event occurring, such as the playing of a certain number of innings, frames, etc., elapsing of a certain amount of time, or other events. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above, as well as other advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view, partially cut away, of a construction embodying the present invention mounted on a shuffleboard type amusement game immediately in front of the bumper bar, whereby the blocking pins prevent the playing of the game when they are in the down position. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view taken from the underside of a construction embodying the present invention and showing the blocking pins in their raised position. 
         FIG. 2A  is a bottom perspective view of a construction embodying the present invention showing the blocking pins in their lowered position. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a construction embodying the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of one end of the construction shown in  FIG. 3 , partially cut away. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the other end of the construction shown in  FIG. 3 , partially cut away. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view, partially cut away, of the blocking mechanism. The blocking mechanism is shown in its down or closed position. Due to spring pressure on the blocking pins, they are all in a position close to the playing surface of the amusement game, blocking any playing piece from passing through. Any attempt to raise one or more blocking pins leaves the other pins down, effectively blocking any playing pieces from passing through. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a blocking mechanism construction embodying the present invention, generally designated the numeral  10 , mounted on a conventional bumper type shuffleboard amusement table game  12 . The blocking mechanism  10  is mounted above the playing surface  14 , immediately in front of the bumper  16 . An electronic scoreboard  20 , of a type well known in the art, is provided to keep score while the game is being played. 
     In a preferred embodiment, when the blocking mechanism  10  is in the down position, the blocking pins  22  are in front of the shuffleboard bumper  16 , thus preventing the puck  18  from bouncing off the bumper  16 , hence preventing play. When the fee is paid to the coin and/or bill acceptor, the blocking pins  22  move to the up position, thus allowing play. 
     With reference to  FIG. 2 , the blocking pins  22  are shown in their raised position (open status). In the Open Status, the pins are retracted up into the blocking mechanism  10 , and are out of the way of the puck  18 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 2A , the blocking pins  22  are shown in their lowered position (Closed Status). In the closed status, the pins are lowered and will interfere with the puck  18 . Also shown is a first or left-hand base portion  24  having a left-hand mounting plate  24 A, and a second or right-hand base portion  26  having a right-hand mounting plate  26 A. A cover  28  is also shown. 
     With reference to  FIG. 3 , there is shown an exploded view of the improved blocking mechanism  10 . The blocking pins  22  all rest on and protrude through a plurality of pin openings  30  in a horizontal support bar  32 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 6 , it can be seen that shaft sleeves  31  are provided above each pin opening  30  to help guide the blocking pins  22  up and down therein. The top of each blocking pin  22  has a reduced portion  22 A to which a spring mounting plate  34  is attached thereto. Each spring mounting plate  34  has a pair of hooks  34 A. A pair of springs  38  is mounted between the horizontal support bar  32  and the hooks  34 A to make the blocking pins  22  spring-loaded. The combination of the horizontal mounting bar  32 , blocking pins  22 , spring mounting plates  34  and springs  38  comprise the blocking means of the present invention. 
     It can be seen that a blocking pin  22  may be forced up to try to push a puck  18  therethrough, but the other pins  22  would still be down and the puck  18  would not be able to bounce off the bumper, thereby completely defeating those who wish to play the game without paying the fee. Referring now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , it can be seen how the horizontal support bar  32  is reciprocated by the lifting or reciprocating means  36  with respect to the guide plate  44 . A motor mounting plate  42  is provided which is attached to the first or left-hand base member  24 . Motor  48  is attached to the motor mounting plate  42 . The motor shaft  48 A protrudes through the shaft opening  46 . There is fixedly mounted to the motor shaft  48 A a driving gear  50 . To the driving gear  50  is mounted a first or left crankshaft  52 , which has cam follower  54  mounted thereon. The cam follower  54  is rotatably mounted to the driving gear  50  and the grooved portion  54 A thereof is sized to fit into the oblong opening  56 A in the first or left pull plate  56 . As the driving gear rotates, the lifting shaft  58  will reciprocate in a vertical direction lifting the horizontal support bar  32  away from the guide plate  44 . A crossbar  60  connects the lifting shaft  58  to the horizontal support bar  32 . 
     The lifting shaft  58  is constrained to move in a vertical direction by the shaft sleeve  59  ( FIG. 3 ) which is mounted to shaft sleeve seat  61 . Vertical motion is limited by the left pull plate  56  being physically below the shaft sleeve seat  61  when the blocking mechanism  10  is assembled condition. 
     In order to provide for synchronized motion, so that the horizontal support bar  32  will raise and lower smoothly, a similar construction is provided at the other end of the horizontal support bar  32 . The driving gear  50  drives a driven gear  62  which is fixedly attached to a shaft  64  rotatably mounted in a bearing base  66 . At the right-hand end or second end of the blocking mechanism  10 , the shaft  64  is rotatably mounted through a second bearing base  66 A and has a second gear  68  fixedly mounted to the end thereof. There is a cam follower  70  rotatably mounted to the crankshaft  69  which moves in the oblong opening  70 A of the second or right hand lifting plate  72 . Rotation of the shaft  64  causes the second or left-hand pull plate  72  to reciprocate up and down at the same speed as the left hand pull plate  56 . The second or left-hand pull plate is attached to the second or right-hand lifting shaft  74  which is attached by a crossbar  60 A to the horizontal support bar  32 . 
     To enable the position of the blocking pins to be determined, an upper photosensor  76  and a lower photosensor  78  are provided. An activating member  80 , which rises and lowers with the reciprocation of the second or right-hand pull plate  72  will tell the photosensors ( 76 ,  78 ) where the position of the horizontal support bar  32  and thus, the blocking pins  22  are. The upper photosensor  76  and the lower photosensor  78  are carried on a sensor bracket  83  which is mounted in the mechanism by means well-known in the art. 
     If desired, the blocking mechanism  10  of the present invention may be converted into an autoclose blocking system by providing circuitry which detects when the power is on or off. If the power is turned off, or if the device is unplugged, the autoclose blocking system sends a signal to the motor  48  to return the pins to their down position, thus, completely prohibiting play. The power for this action is stored in the capacitors  84  for the autoclose blocking system. These are mounted by a fixing plate  86  to the second or right-hand base member  26  ( FIG. 3 ). It may also be mounted in other desired positions depending on the application. The electronics for such a system are carried by the printed circuit board  82 , and are well within the skill of those in the art. 
     An activation means  90 , which may be such as a coin and/or bill acceptor, will accept the players&#39; money and start rotating the motor  48  and drive gear  50 . The photo sensors will allow the motor to run until the activating member  80  breaks the open space adjacent the upper photo sensor, causing the motor to stop in the up position, where the shuffleboard puck may be played. After the occurrence of a pre-determined event, the motor  48  will rotate the drive gear  50 , moving both ends of the horizontal support bar down. When the activating member  80  breaks the open space adjacent the lower photo sensor, an electronic signal causes the motor to stop in this position. The blocking pins  22  are now in their lower position, preventing the pucks  18  from striking against the bumper, thus preventing play. 
     While the present invention is illustrated in connection with a shuffleboard game, it is well within the scope of the present invention that it be used on the many types of amusement games which are coin-operated, and have a playing surface. 
     By carefully investigating the problems present in the art concerning obtaining payment for amusement games, we have developed a unique and novel invention which solves many problems in the art. 
     In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the present invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiments. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.