Patent GB-675055-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to an apparatus for lifting a bowling ball
IPC: A63D5/02
Filed: 1950-04-19
Abstract: 675,055. Skittle alleys. BRUNSWICK-BALKE-COLLENDER CO. April 19, 1950 [Oct. 5, 1949], No. 9595/50. Class 132 (ii). Apparatus for lifting a bowling ball from adjacent the pit floor of an alley to an elevated ball return track, comprises means for supporting a ball lifting cage in an elevated rest position adjacent the return track and support operating means for lowering the cage to receive a ball and lifting the cage with the ball to the elevated position. Two alleys 1 have at the rear pits 2 and have a common return balltrack 5 located between them, the alleys being bounded by walls 3 having upstanding parts 7 enclosing the ball lifting mechanism and being fitted with a top hood 171. A bowling ball 6 rolling through an aperture 9 in the wall 3 falls on to a cradle 10 and depresses a boss 14 on an arm 15 connected by a cord 16 to a lever 33 which initiates the closing of a single revolution clutch disposed between a continuously acting motor 26 and an output shaft 29 carrying a crank 28. This crank is pivoted to a link 30 having a pin and slot connection 32 with a lug 17b on an arm 17 pivoted at 18, carrying at one end a counterweight 20 and carrying at the other end a ball cage 19. This comprises side walls 21 having between them a fixed ball retaining member 23 and a springy member 24 pivoted at 25 and movable between a pin stop 24a and a plate 22. The clutch having been engaged, the crank 28 begins to rotate and depresses the arm 17 until the members 23, 24 ride over a ball 6 on the cradle 10 whereupon the arm 17 starts to rise and lifts the ball up to the top and sets it on the top part 5a of the track 5. The weight 20 is not sufficient to counterbalance the whole of the arm 17 and the pin and slot connection 32 ensures that the bottom part of the downward traverse of the arm 17 will be by gravity only so that if the pin boy should have his arm in the aperture 9 he will not be injured. As an additional precaution, the walls 21 of the cage are cut away at 21a. In a modified form, Fig. 8, the side walls 3 are cut away at 9<SP>1</SP> and a ball can run from the pit on to a cradle 53 carried on a tube 50 pivoted at 51 and connected at 91 to a cable 90 which, when a ball comes on the cradle, engages through a lever 92 the clutch between the motor 26 and the shaft 29. This shaft carries the crank 28 connected bv a rod 86 to a lower sheave block 75 round which passes a cable 68 also passing over an upper fixed sheave block 71 and a pulley 70 and being connected to a crossbar 69 on the ball-cage 55 The lower sheave block 75 carries a counterweight 83. The cage 55 has wheels 60 running in channels 61 and comprises two side-plates 56 cut away at 56a and mounting between them pivoted ball retaining fingers 63, 64 the movement of which is limited by stops. When a ball lands on the cradle 53, the clutch is engaged and the cage 55 drops, picks up the ball on the fingers 63, 64 and rises again. Pivoted to the main frame at 97 is a member having two fingers 95, 96, the latter of which, when the cage rises, is engaged by the crossbar 69 and is thus pivoted round to cause the finger 95 to eject the ball on to the track 5. The clutch is the same as that described in Specification 671,733.