Patent GB-435075-A (GB)
Title: Game apparatus
IPC: G07F17/38
Filed: 1934-10-06
Abstract: 435,075. Table games; coin-freed apparatus. STANDARD TICKET GAMES CORPORATION, 353, North Crawford Avenue, Chicago, U.S.A. Oct. 6, 1934, No. 28684. Convention date, June 28. [Class 132 (ii)] [See also Group XVIII] A game apparatus of the kind in which a playing surface is provided with holes of various scoring values through which balls are caused to roll, incorporates a member (for example, a paper web) adapted to receive an imprint, and means, automatically actuated by balls passing through the scoring holes, for recording the score of the game upon a portion of the above-mentioned member after a predetermined number of balls have been played. The printed portion is automatically severed from the web and delivered to the player in the form of a ticket. The balls are elevated from a magazine by means of a pocketed wheel 36, Fig. 3, and run out one at a time to a position in front of a projector 24, the pocketed wheel being operated one step by a ratchet mechanism 43 each time the player depresses a handle 33. The shaft 41 of the pocketed wheel winds-up a main spring 168, Fig. 6. The player projects the ball up a side channel 23, Fig. 1, whence it rolls down the board 21 ; if the ball falls through one of the holes 22 it passes down a corresponding runway leading to the magazine and in its course falls upon and rocks a lever 28, Figs. 6 and 11, carrying a timing pinion 59. The movement of the lever withdraws a latch bar 61 from a row of main timing wheels 56 secured to a shaft 55 carrying a printing drum 34. The movement also places the timing pinion 59 in gear with its main timing wheel 56. After release, the timing wheels and printing drum are rotated by the main spring 168 until arrested by the return of the latch bar 61 under the control of the timing pinion 59 and a cooperating timing lever 63. The time during which the main gear wheels are free to rotate and consequently the extent of the rotation of the printing drum 34 differs for the different timing mechanisms associated with' the different holes in the playing board. The action is repeated for successive balls and the printing drum is thus rotated step by step to accumulate the scores accruing from the projection of a predetermined number of balls. The forward movements of the timing wheels 56 are transmitted to a score indicating dial 162 visible through an opening 165, Fig. 1. As the balls proceed to the magazine they actuate a spring-pressed escapement step-by-step until, after a predetermined number of balls has passed, the escapement disengages a trip and allows a further spring to advance a pivoted platen and press the paper web against the printing drum, the edge of the platen co-operating at the same time with a stationary knife to sever the printed ticket from the web. The ticket falls down a shoot to a delivery outlet accessible to the player. Each time the ballelevating hand lever 33 is depressed the shaft of the ball-elevating wheel drives a webadvancing roller to feed the paper forward. On pushing-in the coin slide 124, Fig. 1, a link and gear mechanism re-sets the escapement mechanism used to liberate the printing platen, unlatches the timing wheels 59 to allow them to be zeroized by the spring 168 and unlocks the elevator wheel 36 for further operation. To prevent a player from operating the apparatus fraudulently by tilting the same, a pendulum within the casing is arranged to liberate a weighted member if the casing is tilted, and interpose a shield between the printing drum and the platen thus preventing a printed record from being obtained. At the same time a screen moves over the score-indicating dial 162 to obscure the readings. The pendulum mechanism is re-set by the normal operation of the apparatus after insertion of a coin.