Patent GB-921619-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in automatic bowling pin setting machine
Inventor: DOWD HOWARD MATHEW
IPC: A63D5/08
Filed: 1960-07-27
Abstract: 921,619. Skittle alleys. BOWL-MOR CO. Inc. July 27, 1960, No. 26072/60. Class 132 (2). In an automatic pin-setter for a skittle alley, swept pins are raised by an elevator and deposited in a receiver holding ten pins which are deposited in a store from which a set of pins is dropped when required into a positioning board provided with ten holders each closed at the bottom by two half cups which support the pins by their bottoms during a setting operation and by their heads during a resetting operation, the half-cups being movable in opposite directions for opening and closing. Pit (Figs. 1a and 2a). Dead wood is moved from the alley bed into pit B by a sweep and by continuously moving gutter conveyers J operated by motor M1 The peripheral parts of the pit slope downwards to a central rotating platform C also driven by motor M1 which carries the pins and balls round in a clockwise direction. A central transverse pad 196 in the pit causes dead wood to drop on to the platform C and across the upper half of the platform, as shown in Fig. 1a has a bottom roller 200 spaced above the platform by a distance greater than the pin diameter but less than the ball diameter. This diverts balls to trough 190 from which they are lifted by a ball elevator E ( see below). Pins under the influence of centrifugal force migrate to the periphery of platform C and ultimately pass through aperture 146 in the rear wall 14 of the pit to pin elevator D (see below). Ball elevator E (Fig. 2a). This consists of a forwardly-facing, vertical U-shaped channel 160, 162 provided with a pair of side chains 170 driven by a motor M3 and spanned by bars 184 disposed across the open side of the channel. These bars engage under balls in trough 190 and roll them up the rear wall of the channel until they meet an inclined part 166 which forces them off the bars into return run-way 202. The rear wall of the channel has an aperture 164 which is not in contact with the balls but if a pin should have found its way into trough 190 and up the conveyer it can move part way into the aperture and fall clear of bars 184 down the channel. A pivoted flap 214 just below aperture 164 intercepts the falling pin and diverts it out of the channel, whereupon it is guided by an oblique plate 216 to fall again on to turn-table C in the pit. Flap 214 is pivoted upwards by rising balls and pins and falls back to intercepting position after they have passed. Pin elevator (Figs. 1a 2a, 2b). This consists of a channel which runs transversely behind the lower part of rear wall 14 of the pit, then vertically upwards, and then obliquely forward across the top of the pit to a discharge point above the pin receiver. The three sections are denoted by 26, 28 and 30 respectively. Along each side of the channel run chains 32, 34 spanned by yokes 36 shaped as shown to pull the pins along by their heads. Pins passing through aperture 146 in pit rear wall 14 fall on to the yokes moving in channel part 26 and carried to the discharge point 92 at the extremity of channel part 30 where they are automatically released from the yokes to drop into the pin receiver. Any pins entering the conveyer wrong way round are corrected at the junction of channel parts 26, 28. Chains 32, 34 are driven only when pins are required by the receiver by motor M2. Sweep (Figs. 2b, 2c). Along each side of the alley above the bed thereof extend beams 260 having upwardly-extending front portions 264 and provided with rails 261 along which trolleys 312 are pulled by chains 296 driven by motor M4. The trolleys are coupled to the chains by pivoted pin and slot arrangements 306, 318 so that as the chains make a complete circuit, the trolleys move from front to back and then from back to front along rails 261. Suspended from each trolley is a link 320 the lower ends of which are joined by sweep board 330. This is connected by pin and slot means to links 320 so that if it should hit a pin as it descends it will not jam. Fig. 2c shows the sweep in stowed and sweeping positions (full and broken lines). As it moves it operates switches to prevent operation of the pin setter while the sweep is in the way and to stop itself in stowed position. Pin receiver (Figs. 2b and 10). Above the alley bed is mounted a rotatable array of ten cylindrical holders G1 . . ., in which the pins are held by detents 368 carried by a common ring 366. The array is rotated to bring the holders in turn under discharge point 92 of the pin conveyer and is driven step by step from the pin conveyer drive through a special clutch. When a pin drops into a holder it actuates a switch SW8 to advance the array one step by engaging the clutch but if the receiver be full this action is interrupted and the pin conveyer is stopped. When all ten holders have their pins, and pins are required by the setter, a solenoid 51 is energized to withdraw all the detents from the holders so that the set of pins can drop into the pin store. Pin store (Fig. 14). Disposed beneath the receiver is a stationary array of pin-holders 492 arranged directly above the pin positions on the alley bed. Pins dumped from the receiver are guided into holders 492 by shoots 498 appropriately disposed and are prevented from dropping out of the holders by retainers 504 mounted on strips 500 forming a network which is retracted at the appropriate time in the cycle to allow the pins to drop on to the positioning board 530. Positioning board (Figs. 2b and 14). The board 530 is mounted on the bottom ends of three rack bars 532, 533 which are vertically slidable in the fixed frame of the machine and which are driven by cog wheels rotated through suitable gearing from a bull gear 560. This gear is rotated to and from by a chain 574 and crank 576 driven by a motor at the appropriate time. Beneath each holder 492 of the pin store, the board 530 has an aperture 600 in which are slidably mounted two half-cups 608, 610 so formed as to fit the base of a pin but which are cut away to present two edges 616 spaced apart, when the halves are closed, a distance greater than the pin neck diameter but less than the pin head diameter. All the half-cups 608, 610 are coupled together in two sets, the sets being moved in opposite directions by common cam means to open and close the cups at appropriate times. In operation, after the first ball, crank 576 is rotated to lower the board but, when it reaches the level of the heads of any standing pins the halfcups 608, 610 have been opened and an arm is introduced into the path of a projection 568 on bull gear 560 and stops further descent of the board. The half-cups are closed on to the heads of standing pins and chain 574 goes slack. As the crank 576 continues to rotate the slack in the chain is taken up and the board is lifted to its top position. Sweep 320 then moves along the alley bed to sweep dead wood into the pit and returns to raised position. The board 530 descends again to intermediate position, the half-cups open to deposit the pins in the bed, and then the board rises to top position the cups closing. After the second ball, the sweep moves to clear the bed, retainers 504 are retracted to allow ten pins to drop from the store to the cups 608, 610 and the board descends. This time rotation of bull gear 560 is not interrupted and the board descends to the bed, the cups open to deposit the pins and the board rises to top position. An electric control circuit is described.