Patent GB-866191-A (GB)
Title: Bowling pin spotting machine
IPC: A63D5/08
Filed: 1957-10-29
Abstract: 866,191. Skittle alleys. AMERICAN MACHINE & FOUNDRY CO. Oct. 29, 1957 [Oct. 30, 1956], No. 33773/57. Class 132(2). The invention relates to an electrical control system for a skittle alley in which pins cleared from the alley by a sweeper arm are led to a vertical conveyer under the control of a solenoid 18 which delivers the pins to a distributer operated by a motor 10 which places the pins in compartments of a table which lowers the pins to the alley and automatically respots them. The table is driven by motor 31 which rotates a shaft 34 carrying a cam 35 operating the contacts TA1a to TA1c. One rotation of the shaft completes one down and up movement of the table. The sweep arm is driven by a motor 24, a shaft 28 carrying a cam 84 operating contacts SA1a, SA1b. A timer motor TM1 drives cam 77 operating contacts TM1a, TM1b. The pins as they are fed from the distributer to the table are sensed by a counting switch having open and closed contacts 16b, 16a. As the table descends grippers open on to the pin positions and if a pin is gripped open appropriate contacts 30a and close contacts 30b. For control a six-bank stepper relay is used as described hereafter with reference to the particular functions performed. The relay is actuated by coil 64 causing the wiper arms to move one step along the banks. Normal first ball operation: some pins left standing. As the ball leaves the alley it closes the contacts of switch 26. Coil 64 is energized through line 76, closed contacts SA1b, switch 26 and contact O of bank 5 of the stepper relay. Wipers move to contact 1. Coil CR3 is energized through line 78, contact 1 of bank 1 and line 76, and closes associated contacts CR3a connecting the sweep motor 24 across mains 36, 38. Shaft 28 rotates until the sweep arm is approaching a guard position across the bowling alley when cam 84 causes the contacts SA1a to close, and coil 64 is energized through these contacts. Wipers move to contact 2. Coil CR3 is still energized through contact 2 of bank 1 and contacts SA1a until the guard position is reached and cam 84 opens SA1a when the motor stops. Timer motor coil TM1 is energized through contact 2 of bank 4, closed contacts PR2a, contact 2 of bank 6, closed contacts TA1c and line 76. There is a pause of 2“ seconds while any possible pin wobble stops as cam 77 rotates then contacts TM1a are closed energizing coil 64. Wipers move to contact 3. The timer motor continues to be energized through contact 3 of bank 4. Coil CR2 is also energized through contact 3 of bank 2 and closed contacts PR3d, and closes contacts CR2a, putting table motor 31 across the mains 36, 38. The table moves down, grips any standing pins; opening the contacts of switches 30a, and raises the pins clear of the alley. After 3“ seconds the timer cam 77 opens contacts TM1a and closes TM1b energizing coil 64 through TM1b and contact 3 of bank 5. Wipers move to contact 4. The timer coil is de-energized, sweep motor coil CR3 energized through SAlb and contact 4 of bank 1 and the sweep arm clears fallen skittles from the alley returning to the guard position. The table motor continues and starts the descent to respot the lifted pins. On attaining the guard position contacts SA1a are closed and coil 64 energized. Wipers move to contact 5. Table completes respotting and returns, when approaching rest position cam 35 closes TA1a, TA1b keeping table motor on through the by-pass including TA1a and energizing coil 64. Wipers move to contact 6 and immediately move to contact 7 since contact 6 on bank 5 is also connected through TAlb. Table motor continues to operate until the table is in the rest position when TA1a opens. Sweep motor is energized through SA1a and contact 7 of bank 1 until the sweep is drawn up from the guard position to rest when cam 84 opens contacts SA1a. The machine is now ready for a second ball. Second ball. The ball on leaving the alley operates switch 26. Coil 64 is energized through contact 7 of bank 5. Wipers move to contact 8. The sweep motor is energized through coil CR3 and contact 8 of bank 1. When the sweep arm approaches the guard position across the bowling alley cam 84 closes contacts SA1a energizing coil 64 through these contacts. Wipers move to contact 9. The sweep motor continues to operate through contacts SA1a until the guard position is assumed and cam 84 allows contacts SA1a to open. The timer motor TM1 operates through contact 9 of bank 4 and contact 9 of bank 6 and the shaft 77 rotates for 2“ seconds while pin wobble stops. TM1a then closes and coil 64 is energized. Wipers move to contact 10. The timer motor operates through contact 10 of bank 4 and contacts TM1a until on the completion of one revolution of the cam 77 contacts TM 1 a close. The sweep motor coil CR3 is energized through closed contacts SA1b and the sweep arm clears deadwood from the alley and returns to the guard position, contacts SA1b being then opened and SA1a closed. The coil PR2 is energized through contact 10 of bank 6, placing the spotting control solenoid 32 in parallel with table motor 31, by closing contacts PR2a, contacts PR2b, PR2c also being closed. When the sweep has completed its clearance of deadwood, table motor coil CR2 is energized through contact 10 of bank 2, contacts PR2b and contacts SA1a. The table descends, new pins are spotted and the table rises whereupon cam 35 closes contacts TA1a, TA1b. Contacts TA1a keep coil CR2 energized until the table reaches the rest position. Contacts TA1b energize coil 64. Wipers move to contact O. Sweep coil CR3 is energized through contact O of bank 1 until the sweep arm is in the home position when contacts SA1a open. The machine is now ready for the first ball of a new frame. Superimposed on the spotting operation is the pin feed by the pin distributer to the table under the control of solenoid 18 operated by relay PR1 which closes contacts PR1a. The relay PRl is connected between lines 74 and 76 through the normally open contacts 16b of the mechanically operated pin counting switch. To initiate the feed, when spotter control coil PR2 is energized contacts PR2d close energizing PR1 1 through either TA1b or TAlc. When a pin passes switch 16 contacts 16b close and PR1 is energized until ten pins are fed to the table. The pin spotting coil PR2 is held energized through contacts PR2c and normally closed contacts 16a of the pin counter switch. If a frame has been completed and a first ball bowled without a pin having been delivered past switch 16 then the normal first ball operation described above is held up since on the wipers reaching contact 2 the timer motor TM1 is open circuited by contacts PR2a until a pin passes switch 16 and opens contacts 16a deenergizing coil PR2. For when, on the first ball of a frame, all ten pins are struck the machine incorporates a relay PR4 which is energized when the switches 30a are all closed and which leads to the spotting of ten new pins and the resetting of the wipers at contact O, ready for a new first ball. When a first ball foul is rolled a switch 86 is closed energizing a relay PR3. The introduction of the relay into the cycle causes the spotting of ten new pins and the setting of the wipers at contact 7 ready for a new second ball. A lamp circuit is associated with bank 3 of the sweeper relay indicating the number of pins remaining standing after each ball and whether all have been struck or a foul has been bowled. If pins remain upright but have moved out of reach of the pin grippers, after a first ball, a pressure switch 94 is operated as the table descends against the pins and circuit breaker coil CB1 is energized. Manual resetting of the machine is then necessary. Frames are counted by energization of coil CR5 through contact 1 of bank 6 once each cycle of two balls. The machine may be manually cycled by operation of switches 96, 98. Specification 820,655 and U.S.A. Specifications 2,683,602, 2,767,983, 2,767,984 and 2,821,395 are referred to.