Patent GB-702369-A (GB)
Abstract: 702,369. Chance apparatus. CROMPTON, A. J. L., and WHITE, J. Dec. 12, 1952 [April 28, 1952], No. 10604/52. Class 132(2) Chance apparatus comprises a rotatable member adapted to move through successive positions to bring a series of names successively into view and having a device for repeatedly stopping rotation of the member for the purpose of selecting names haphazardly, means being provided for rendering said stopping device effective only at selected positions of the member, the selected positions being variable to enable different groups of names to be made available for selection at different stages of the game. Legends 50, e.g. the names of football teams are carried on the periphery of a drum 1 and are displayed, one at a time, when the drum is stopped, at a window 2 in a casing which is also provided with push - button operating switches 34 and indicator lights 18 denoting the legends and lit up when a legend appears in the window 2, the light remaining on until the game is finished. The drum is driven by a continuously rotating motor 3 through a clutch 4 which is disengaged when its actuating coil 4a is energized. At the start of a game, the apparatus is in the condition shown in Fig. 8. In operation, a player operates his pushbutton 34 which energizes a coil 30 to cause armature 32 to contact contact 31. A circuit is then made through armature 32, coil 21 and contacts 58 so that coil 21 can, through a pawl, advance a contact arm 25 through one step over contacts 26. Coil 21 also causes its armature to break contact 52 to break the supply to the coil 4a which thus allows the clutch 4 to engage and the drum is rotated. Simultaneously contact 53 is made to energize a trip coil 11, the armature 10 of which is thus freed from latching an armature 6, the tongue 7 of which is thus withdrawn from the teeth 8 of a justifying wheel 9 rotating with the drum 1. Retraction of armature 6 breaks contacts 58 to deenergize the coils 11 and 21, the armature 10 being latched in attracted position by the retracted armature 6. A switch arm 12 rotates with drum 1 over stationary contacts 13 which are connected each to the coils 14 of registering switches 15 which have normally closed contacts 16 and normally open contacts 17, the latter being in series with the lights 18. Coils 14 and the contacts 16 are connected in groups by wires 43, 44, 45 to a connection box 47 from which lead wires 49, 57 to a first and a second series respectively of contacts 26. By altering the connection in box 47, a different series of lights 18 and contacts 13 can constitute the first part of the game. When push-button 34 is released, a dash-pot or the like delays the deenergization of coil 30 but, when this occurs, a circuit is made through coil 5 which attracts armature 6 to justify the drum 1, to energize the clutch-operating coil 4a and to release the armature 10, as soon as the wiper 12 reaches a contact 13 which is connected to both a contact 26 of the appropriate series and a coil 14 which has not been previously actuated. The retraction of armature 10 makes contacts 59 to put a shunt 60 across coil 5, the increased current through the appropriate coil 14 operating the switch 15 to light the appropriate indicator 18 and to break the contacts 16 of that particular coil 14. The switches 15 remain actuated until reset at the end of the game. When the pushbuttons 34 have been operated as many times as there are contacts 13 or 26 the apparatus is reset by the operator making a switch 42. This energizes a coil 22 which withdraws a pawl from the ratchet operated by coil 21 to allow the arm 25 to return to start position under spring influence to open the reset circuit at con-- tacts 28, 29. Meanwhile, coil 22 has made switches 54, 55, the latter of which completes a holding circuit for coil 22. The former energizes a motor 38 which has a shaft 37 carrying a first cam for resetting the switches 15 and a second cam 40 having a dip 41 which, at the end of one revolution of the shaft, allows the holding circuit of coil 22. to be broken at 39. Either the drum 1 or the indicator lights 18 can be dispensed with. Each player has cards bearing legends and provided with tear-off tabs 61, Fig. 3, to denote when one of his legends has been displayed. The alterations of the connections in box 47 may be effected automatically by means driven by the shaft 37 or such means may give additional alterations in the connections.