Patent GB-917968-A (GB)
Title: Control mechanism for bowling pin spotting machine
Inventor: WALSH RICHARD DAVID
IPC: A63D5/08
Filed: 1961-03-04
Abstract: 917,968. Bowling alleys. AMERICAN MACHINE & FOUNDRY CO. March 4, 1961, No. 7980/61. Class 132 (2). [Also in Group XXXVIII] An electrically controlled bowling alley has means for indicating the numerical total of pin fall after the first ball and optionally also after the second ball. The circuit described is essentially an indicator operating circuit, parts of which are switched into the operating condition at appropriate points in the programme of a master bowling alley control circuit which may be of the kind described in Specification 866,191. Once switch 20 has been closed by the arrival of the first or second ball in the pit, the circuit is under the control of cam 66 on timer shaft, cam 64 on sweep motor shaft 24 and cams on table drive motor shaft 32. The circuit is operated through a stepper relay SR1 having two banks SR1#1 and SR1#2 of ten contacts which are traversed simultaneously by wipers on a common arm. The relay is stepped by stepping coil 54 in series with bank SR1#1. Normal first ball operation: some pins left standing. As switch 20 closes, the wipers of SR1 move from contacts 0 to contacts 1. As the sweeper descends, it closes switch SA1a which steps the wipers from contacts 1 to contacts 2. The descent of the table is delayed by timer motor TM1 which, after the delay to settle pin wobble, closes switch TM1a to step the wipers to contacts 3. When the table reaches its lowest position, the pins which remain standing close their associated switches 28b. The number of standing pins is counted as the number of switches 28b which are closed. Each switch 28b is put, in turn, in series with stepping coil 96 of a stepper relay SR3 having one bank SR3#1 of ten contacts. The closed switches thus each step relay SR3 through one contact and the appropriate lamp 100, indicating the number of fallen pins, is connected to the wiper of relay SR3. The closing of switch TA2a initiates an. automatic stepping cycle for a stepper relay SR2 which connects each switch 28b, in turn, with coil 96. This stepper relay has one bank SR2#1 of ten contacts (two, #1 and #10, of which are shown). The automatic cycle is achieved by a periodic energization of relay coil K1 as triode 52 is made conducting by removing grid bias, thus periodically to close switch K1A and to energize stepping coil 76 of relay SR2. Grid bias is removed initially by opening switch PR6b through relay coil PR6 and subsequently by opening switch 82 operated by relay SR2. As soon as the wiper of relay SR2 moves to its first contact, switch 86 is opened and switch 84 is closed to take over from switch PR6c and thus enable switch TA2a to be opened. Switch PR6d operates switch PR14a through relay coil PR14L to prevent relay coil PR6 from being energized during re-spotting the standing pins when the table again descends and switch TA2a again becomes closed. The automatic cycle is brought to an end by re-opening of switch 84 and the closing of switch 86 as the wiper of relay SR2 returns to its starting contact. A further switch 98 prevents the lamp 100 from being lit until the automatic cycle has finished. Any indicator lamp 88 which is in series with a closed switch 28b is also lit. During re-spotting of the standing pins, the wipers of relay SR1 are moved from contacts 3 to contacts 7 by the successive closing of switches TM1b, SA1a, TA1b and PR3e. Second ball operation. The wipers of relay SR1 are moved from contacts 7 to contacts 8 by the second ball closing switch 20, and from contacts 8 to contacts 9 by the closure of SAla as the master control circuit starts the sweep motor shaft 24. The master control circuit is thereafter temporarily cut out by switch TR1c and table motor 26 is brought under the control of the circuit shown by switch TR1b Switch TR1a prevents switch TM1a from stepping relay SR1 to contacts 10. The table descends and an automatic counting cycle of closed switches 28b is carried out as in the first ball operation. Switches PR12e and PR12c are positioned at the beginning of the second ball operation so that stepping coil 110 of stepper relay SR4 is operated to give the score on lamps 112. Motor reverser R1 is operated by an impulse, on closing switch TA2b, and the motor 26 is driven in a reverse direction to raise the table until switch TA3a is opened to release time delay relay coil TR 1 and re-establish control of motor 26 by the master control circuit. The wipers of relay SR1 are moved to contacts 10 and the master control circuit completes the sweep through. Immediately after bowling the first bell of a new frame, the wipers of stepper relays SR3 and SR4 are returned to their starting positions by energizing relay coil PR13 through contact 1 of bank SR1#2 and the consequent closure of switches PR13b, PR13c and PR13d. Modified operations for, first ball foul, second ball foul, spare and strike are described. Specifications 820,655 and 864,546 also are referred to.