Patent GB-1259572-A (GB)
IPC: A63D5/04
Filed: 1970-01-27
Abstract: 1,259,572. Ten-pin-bowling scoring apparatus. BRUNSWICK CORP. 27 Jan., 1970, No. 3999/70. Headings G4B and G4D. Scoring apparatus specifically intended for ten pin bowling where two teams each play successive team "frames" (see below) on alternate ones of a pair of lanes, comprises a calculating and printing machine for each team, a main programming unit which passes pinfall information from both lanes to the correct team machine, and an auxiliary programming unit which allows information from both lanes to pass to the correct team machine in the event that players of the same team are utilizing both lanes. In each calculating machine a print assembly carriage (see below) moves automatically and sequentially from one bowlers' score registering mechanism to another at the completion of each bowlers' "frame", the completion of the sequence completing a team "frame". Normally the cross-lane control of the main programming unit, see Figs. 29B, 29F, 30 (not reproduced), does not occur until each machine has completed the above mentioned sequence. However, in the event, say, of bowler 5 still completing a "frame" on the right hand lane while bowler 1 of the same team starts the next team "frame" on the left hand lane the main programming unit will condition the auxiliary programming unit, see Fig. 29C (not reproduced), to act as an interin programmer and feed pinfall information to the correct team machine with suitable modification of the print carriage sequence. Keyboard.-Switches (1368), Fig. 28 (not shown), determine the pin carriage sequence, keys 1370 breaking of the sequence, e.g. for late arrival of a bowler, and among other keys are those allowing manual entry of pinfall information to the calculating machine. The calculating machine.-Each bowler bowls two balls in an attempt to knock all ten pins down, the bowling of two consecutive balls constituting a "frame". If all ten pins are knocked down by the first ball, a "strike" is recorded and a second ball is not bowled, if all ten pins are knocked down by the two balls of the frame a "spare" is recorded and if less than ten pins fall a "miss" is recorded. In the case of a "strike", the score in the "frame" in which it occurs is not known until the scores of the next two balls bowled have been added and in the case of a "spare" the score of the succeeding ball. The maximum score in a frame is thus 30, being three successive "strikes". The calculating machine is specifically adapted to compute, register and print bowlers' "frame" scores and to "memorize" part scores of "strike" or "spare" "frames" while a succeeding "frame" or "frames" are played. For example, if a first "frame" is a "strike", a second a "spare" and a third a "miss", the score of the first "frame" is known at the end of the second "frame", the score of second "frame" after the first ball of the third, and the third after completion thereof. Six racks 10, Fig. 3, for each bowler, are from left to right, a special-symbol printer, a first ball information printer, a second ball information printer, a hundreds rack, a tens rack and a units rack. The last three are each associated with accumulator gears 26, Fig. 2, engaged on leftward movement of the racks, and as shown, gear 26 has a tooth 41 which operates "tens carry" mechanism 42-59. The setting-up movement of the second, third and sixth racks is controlled by slides 29. The sixth rack is only used to enter values 0-9, a "strike" or ten score being entered in a "memory" unit 31, Figs. 2 and 4, which is moved one notch 36 rightwards for a strike and controls setting of the tens rack by means of a depending block 32. A further "memory" device or latch 136, Fig. 8, is moved one notch rightwards for a "spare'' score. When a previous frame is to be completed after bowling the first ball of a succeeding "frame", namely, after a "spare" or after two "strikes", either surface 154 of unit 31, which has moved two notches rightwards, is contacted by a sensing element 102 surface 160 of latch 136 which has moved one notch rightwards. Surface 160 is at the same level as surface 154. Sensing element 102 and a -further element 101 are vertically reciprocated at each machine cycle, restriction of downward movement or element 102 as just outlined causing an addprint operation. Only on scoring a "spare" does the second ball not give rise to an add-print operation, and then provided that the spare is not preceded by a "strike". When a "spare" is preceded by a "strike", unit 31, Fig. 4, is one notch to the right and surface 158 is contacted by sensing element 101 and surface 160, Fig. 8, of latch 136 is contacted by element 102; an add-print operation in initiated. Other add-print operations are inhibited or initiated by cooperation betweeen elements 101, 102 and surfaces 154, 56, 158 and 160. Entry of pinfall informations.-The pins in the pit are scanned by apparatus described with respect to Figs. 53A, 53B, and 54 (not reproduced), and pin-count signals therefrom actuate solenoids 1768, 1770, Fig. 32, corresponding to the left and right lanes respectively, which swing respective bails 1780, 1814 through angles proportional to the counts. Bail 1780, Fig. 31, via extensions 1804 and 1798 rock notched plates 1850, 1852 and 1842, 1844 respectively and bail 1814 similarly rocks plate pairs 1854, 1850 and 1834, 1836. As shown, plates, 1834, 1836 are in line with actuating mechanism 1838, 1840, 1876, 1892 for adjusting slides 29 of the right-hand lane calculating machine and plates 1842, 1844 are similarly in line for the left-hand machine. Frame 1760 on which bails 1780, 1814 and their associated mechanism are mounted is translatable to bring plates 1850, 1852 in line with the right-hand machine and plates 1854, 1856 in line with the left hand machine, i.e. pinfall information from the left lane (bail 1780) is entered into the righthand machine and pinfall information from the right lane (bail 1814) is entered into the lefthand machine. A typical plate, plate 1834, Fig. 33, rocks clockwise with movement of extension 1824 under the action of spring 1866 a number of increments corresponding to the pin count and this count is sensed by an ear 1838 which engages an appropriate step on section 1850. Such sensing sets an appropriate slide 29 via the abovementioned actuating mechanism. Plate 1834 carries numbers on indicating section 1852 visible through aperture 1854. Typically, plate 1834 moves for first ball information and plate 1836 for second ball. Print wheel assembly.-This assembly comprises print wheels 71-76, Fig. 7A, rotated by print head racks 84 which are set via gears 86 and sectors 97, Figs. 2 and 6. The setting motion for a total or subtotal occurs when racks 10, Fig. 2, engaged with accummulator gears 26 move to the right to bring teeth 41 on the gears into contact with stops 42, i.e. the movement of each rack 10 corresponds to the number previously set in each associated gear 26. Subsequent leftward movement of racks 10 is with engagement thereof with both gears 26 and sectors 97, thereby re-setting the gears and entering the appropriate amounts into the print wheels. Print wheels 71-76, Fig. 7A, are mounted in a frame 96 of a carriage movable laterally of the machine on a shaft 1138, such movement being from alignment with one bowlers' set of six racks 10 and score card 92, Fig. 6, to another such set. At each lateral position of the carriage, frame 96 is movable horizontally relative to a shift 99 and rotatably thereabout to bring print wheels 71-76 successively on to vertically arranged panels of card 92 for "frame" scores, see Fig. 1 (not reproduced). The horizontal movements is determined by a gear on shaft 99 engaging teeth 820 and an ear 822 engaging one of steps 826 on a clockwise rotated blocking plate 824. Continued rotation of shaft 99 after ear 822 has engaged a step 826 causes movement of the whole print wheel assembly. To print in a previous "frame" position, i.e. after a "strike" or "strikes" or a "spare", a shaft 834 is rocked counter-clockwise one or two increments. Team totalizer.-This is mounted on the print carriage and comprises four gears 1954, Fig. 5, moved into engagement with sectors 97, Fig. 2, by rotation of a flat shaft 1962 during a total operation and clockwise rocking of the sectors. A tens-carry mechanism 1964, 1968 does not operate until gears 1954 are moved from engagement with sectors 97 to their inoperative position when any member 1968 tripped by a tooth 1964 contacts a latch 1978 to move it and thereby release a spring urged plate 1980. Such plates when released rock clockwise thereby imparting a one tooth movement to the next higher order gear. The totalizer is cleared in a manner similar to that of accumulators 26, Fig. 2. Special operations.-The apparatus is comprehensive and includes mechanism to deal with substantially all game eventualities, such as correction and handicap entries, recording of "splits" and bowlers bowling out of sequence.