Patent GB-299544-A (GB)
Title: An improved automatic base ball game apparatus
IPC: A63F7/06
Filed: 1927-08-09
Abstract: 299,544. Ropp, E. Aug. 9, 1927. Table games.-Apparatus for playing a game simulating base-ball comprises means for pitching a ball over a playing field towards a striking appliance and mechanism controlled by the ball to position movable figures. By the rotation of a handle P, Fig. 1, a metal ball 102 is projected over a playing field F, from a pitcher's box P. B towards a metal bat 30. The bat is mounted on a vertical spindle controlled by a knot B and is operated by the player to hit the ball, which moves over the field and closes one of a series of electric contacts, determined by the strength and direction of the hit, whereby figures C are caused to move around a slot S representing the "diamond" and a marking device I is operated to indicate the score. At the end of five complete innings the pitching handle P is automatically uncoupled and the figures C dropped below the field. Upon the insertion of a coin and the movement of a - slide 63, the pitching handle in recoupled and the marking device is reset to indicate the commencement of a new game. Ball-pitching mechanism. A ball is projected from the pitcher's box P, B for each rotation of the handle P. The handle is mounted on a spindle 42 connected through a clutch 45, eccentric 66, arm 65, and lever 68 to one end of a rod 69, Figs. 3 - - 6. The other end of the rod is connected to a bent arm 77 projecting from a sleeve that is freely rotatable on a shaft 72 and is connected through a crank 106 and link 105, Fig. 5, to a lever 104 projecting into a ball-raising shoot 71. During the first part of a rotation of the handle, the lever 104 is raised, thereby ejecting the top ball from the shoot with a pivoted pitching-arm PA. Spring-pressed catch members 107 prevent the return of the balls down the shoot. During the second half of the rotation of the handle, a pawl 78 mounted on the arm 77, engages a stop 79 on a sector 80, Figs. 4 and 6, and rotates the sector about the shaft 72. A pawl 83 rotates with the sector into engagement with a stop 84 on a second sector 85 attached to the shaft 72. At the end of the rotation, the sector 80 is released from the pawl 78 and returns quickly under the action of a spring 91, thereby rotating the sector 85 and shaft 72, and operating the pitching-arm through a crank 96 and rod 95. The pawl 83 is tripped on reaching the position shown in Fig. 6, thus releasing the sector 85 which returns under the action of a spring 94 to retract the pitching arm. The pitching-arm, in projecting the ball, raises a pivoted flap in the field, the flap returning into position upon retraction of the arm. A spring 97 is introduced into the rod 95 to accelerate the delivery of the ball. The tension of the ball-pitching spring 91 may be varied by a handle 92 under the control of the player's opponent. Electric contacts and ball-returning shoots. The ball, after being hit by the bat 30, either passes through a flexible curtain 286, Fig. 16, surrounding the field, or drops through one of a series of pivoted flaps 291 disposed in hollows in the field. In either case the ball drops on to a pair of inclined metal rods 287 and thence into a shoot 290 communicating with the funnelshaped end 70, Fig. 5, of the ball-supply shoot 103. Each pair of rods 287 is included in a control circuit for the figure-advancing motor and/or marking device, such circuit being closed by the ball as it rolls along the rods. Figure-advancing mechanism. Four figures A - - D, Figs. 19 and 20, are provided, each vertically slidable in a, guide 110 supported by two endless chains 111 that pass around pulleys 115 and are driven by sprocket wheels 113. The arrangement is such that the figures are moved one base for each rotation of the sprocket wheels. A pin 117 projects from each figure through a slot in the guide 110 and engages a ramp 120 leading to an elevated runway R as the figure moves from the homeplate section 119, whereby the figure is raised through the slot S. As the figure advances towards the first base it trips a lever 123 connected to the hit-registering mechanism of the marking apparatus. A figure advancing from third base to the home plate similarly trips a lever 140 to register a run. The corner sections 127 of the runway at first, second and third base are movable outwardly from the slot S, and are operated by the marking apparatus at the end of each innings to drop the figures below the field. The figures normally drop under the action of gravity, but an inclined guide 145 is provided between the third base and the home plate to force the figures downwardly. In the event of a " double advance " hit being made, that is where the figures on base advance two bases and the batter one base only, the ramp 120 is temporarily displaced by an electromagnet DA to prevent the first figure that advances from the home plate from rising through the slot. When a "sacrifice" hit is made, that is.where the batter is out, but the figures on base move one base, the figure representing the batter rises through the slot but is dropped from play before reaching the hit-recording lever 123 by the displacement of a section 124 of the runway by an electromagnet SH. To prevent more than one figure rising on base when a two, three or four base hit is made, a switch-arm 146 is provided at the bottom of the guide 145 and determines which of the figures shall be raised on to' the home plate section 119 and which shall be allowed to pass beneath the section. The switch is normally held by a rod 147 in such a position as to allow the figures to pass beneath the section 119, but when the rod 147 is raised bv the motor-control mechanism or is moved sideways out of engagement with the arm by the magnet DA, the arm moves under the action of a spring to guide a figure on to the section 119. Motor-control mechanism.-The spindle 155 on which the sprocket wheels of the figure-advancing mechanism are mounted is driven by a motor M, Fig. 22, through a worm gear 156, 157. The motor is controlled bv a switch MC which is normally in open position but is closed upon the energization of any one of four electro-magnets BH, Fig. 25. The magnets are supported on a fixed stud 159, on which is rotatably mounted a wheel 191 meshing with a pinion 192 on the spindle 155. The gear ratio is five to one, so that the figures are moved one base for each one fifth of a rotation of the wheel 191. The magnets correspond to strikes resulting in a one, two, three, or four base hit and are arranged at intervals of 72‹ around the circumference of wheel 191 in a counted-clockwise direction from a control point CP. Upon the energization of a magnet by the closing of a pair of contacts 287, Fig. 16, a lever 162 disposed beneath the magnet is released and rotated under the action of a spring 163. A sleeve 167 is thereby raised and a catch 173 lifted to release a lever 174 and allow the switch MC to move under the action of a spring 180 into closed position, in which position it is held by a dog 195. Simultaneously with this operation, one of five studs 188, vertically slidable in the wheel 191, is depressed by an outwardly extending arm 187 on the lever 162. As the wheel rotates, the lever 162 is reset by one of five cams 195 projecting from the wheel, but the stud 188 is held in depressed position by a pawl 193 engaging a slot in the stud. The wheel 191 rotates in clockwise direction and as the depressed stud nears the control point CP, it engages a lever 194 thereby resetting the lever 174 and through rods 199, 201 raising the rod 147 to guide a figure onto the home plate section 119, Fig. 20. At the control point, the stud engages a lever 196 connected to the dog 195, thereby allowing the switch MC to open and causing a brake shoe 185 to contact with a brake disc 186 to prevent overrun of the motor. At the commencement of a rotation of the wheel 191, the retaining pawl 193 of the depressed stud then at the control point, is tripped by a stop 198 to allow the stud to rise into normal position. Scoring and marking apparatus.-The marking apparatus is disposed within an upstanding housing, Fig. 1, at one corner of the field of play. A drum 208, Fig. 11, is rotated behind a window in the upper part of the housing to indicate the number of the innings, the half of the innings being played, and the number of outs that have occurred in that half innings. Other rotatable drums 209 - - 212 are disposed each behind a separate window in the lower part of the housing to indicate the number of hits and runs scored by each side. The drum 208 is attached to a vertical spindle 215 provided at its lower end with a ratchet wheel 214. A spiral spring 216, Fig. 12, contained within a rotatable drum 217 tends to rotate the drum 208 in a clockwise direction. When a circuit is established by a ball through a pair of rods 287, Fig. 16, corresponding to an out, an electro-magnet 0 is energized thereby causing the retraction of a pawl 219 and allowing the wheel 214 and drum 208 to rotate. In order to prevent a rotation of the wheel in excess of one notch, a metal ball O<1> included in the circuit of the magnet 0 is struck by a downward extension O<4> of the armature 221 when the magnet is energized. The ball O<1> rolls up an inclined guide O<2>, thereby breaking the circuit, which is not remade until the struck ball 102 has had time to leave the rods 287. The spring 216 is maintained in tension by rotation of the drum 217, the latter being provided for the purpose with a ratchet wheel 218 engaged and actuated by the pawl-shaped end of a rod 222 connected to the pitching mechanism, Fig. 4. The drum 208 makes one complete revolution in each game of five innings. In order to prevent overwinding of the spring 216, one tooth of the ratchet wheel 218 is deformed, so that after a complete revolution, the rod 222 ceases to rotate the wheel. At the commencement of a new game, the wheel 218 is given an initial rotation