Patent GB-1000902-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for automatically recording the progress of a pin bowling game
IPC: A63D5/04
Filed: 1961-07-05
Abstract: Apparatus for automatically recording on a score sheet, the progress of a fun bowling game, includes means for detecting and registering the number of pins knocked down after each bowl, score accumulating means for printing the accumulated score in each successive frame as the game progresses and printing mechanism responsive to the score accumulating means for printing the accumulated score in the score box appropriate to the frame according to the player and the stage of the game.  The apparatus which is described for a ten pin game with ten frames, also includes means for printing an indication of the number of pins knocked down by each ball in a respective ball results box of the score box for the player of the frame being played.  The detecting means consists either of photocells, one under each pin, which are selectively illuminated by the fall of the pins to actuate relays to indicate the number of fallen pins, or alternatively of three coils which after a ball is rolled are swept transversely across the pin area of the ball alley; in the latter case each pin contains a permanent magnet at its upper or lower end, depending upon whether the coils move above or below the pins, and the standing pins each induce an impulse in one of the coils; these impulses after subtraction from 10 give the number of fallen pins.  The results and the accumulated score are registered on indexes which are used to control printing wheels. The score sheets are printing on paper from a roll which is moved to present a new sheet after each game and each sheet has 10 frames for a plurality of players, the players being indicated vertically and the frames horizontally.  The printing mechanism is carried by two carriages so that it can be traversed first vertically to the successive player lines and then horizontally to the next frame.  The basic sequence is to print the result for the first ball, then the result for the second ball and then the accumulated score.  This basic sequence is varied when a strike is made (all ten pins knocked down by the first ball of a frame), or a spare (all ten pins knocked down by two balls of a frame).  The result for a strike is the number of pins knocked down by the strike ball and the next two balls played by the player, hence when a strike is made a symbol is printed in the first ball results box and the printing of the accumulated score is deferred until the next two balls are rolled, when this happens, the result for the new frame is first printed and then the frame traverse carriage is moved back one frame if the two balls are played in the next frame or two frames if the original strike was followed by a strike in the next frame, to allow the accumulated score which is now known, for the original strike frame, to be printed; the frame carriage is then returned to the frame in play.  In the case of movement of one frame, the score for the frame just played is then added to the previously accumulated score and the new p  total printed in the frame just played.  In the case of two or more strikes in succession, the procedure is more complicated since another ball must be rolled before the accumulated score for the second strike can be printed by back movement of the frame carriage, and similarly for subsequent strikes.  However many strikes are made in succession, the procedure is to move the carriage back to the frame in which a strike was made, to print the accumulated score to that point immediately two balls have been subsequently rolled and the result for the second ball printed in the result box.  In the case of a spare, since the result for a spare is ten plus the number of pins knocked down by the next ball, the procedure is to print the result for the ball and then since the accumulated score for the previous frame is now known, to move the frame carriages one frame back to print the accumulated score; it is then returned to the frame in play, to allow for rolling the second ball.  The procedure for a spare followed by a strike and other combinations is similar.  In the tenth frame to allow for the two bonus balls that are rolled when a strike is made on the first ball, or the single bonus ball allowed when a spare is made on the second ball there are three results boxes and the total score is printed immediately after the result for the third ball is printed.