Patent GB-518760-A (GB)
Title: Game or amusement apparatus
IPC: A63D13/00
Filed: 1938-03-21
Abstract: 518,760. Control of motors; switches with metal ball contacts. SWAN, J. C. K., and ROY, C. M., (Representative of ROY, H. B.). March 21, 1938, No. 8604. [Classes 38 (iii) and 38 (v)] [Also in Groups XV and XVIII] Game apparatus comprises a plurality of means each adapted when in co-operation with a ball to permit actuation of one of a number of devices, e.g., lamps or other indicators, said means being arranged in a plurality of groups, and means for distributing balls, one and only one to each of said groups, to co-operate with one of the means in each group to actuate one device in each group. The drawings show an apparatus for forecasting (football match) results obtained by a random distribution of the balls by a machine. The apparatus is housed in a cabinet 1 having 3-pole switches 7 which control the circuits of two sets of lamps in panels 4, 5. The switches have three positions, upper (home win), middle (away win) and lower (draw). The player adjusts the switches, whereupon the lamps in panel 4 light in accordance with his selection. He then inserts a coin in the slot 3. The coin effects a random distribution of balls which light lamps in panel 5 thus fortuitiously selected. The correspondence between the player's forecast and the machines random selection is shown by lamp 6 and the number correct by lamps 8. A card or other token may be issued from the machine showing the number of correct results forecast. The coin drops down a shoot 37 and tilts a pivoted beam 38 to make a contact 40 which starts an electric motor 41. This motor, via cam 43, lever 44 and link 45 rocks a pivoted tray 10 divided into three compartments each containing balls of three sizes. Into each of twelve tapering sockets 19 drops one ball. Each socket is blocked by a plunger 22 the top of which reaches to just below the surface of the tray so that only one ball will be accommodated. The tray may be rocked several times, to ensure that each socket receives a ball. Projections 21 agitate the balls on their way to the sockets. The tray comes to rest sloping downwardly from the sockets. The plunger 22 are now lowered, via cam 46, levers 47, 49 and link 48, to the position shown in Fig. 3, and each ball drops in its socket a distance determined by its diameter. The balls bridge electric contacts 18 and 20R, 20A and 20G. Each switch 7 is in two halves 7x, 7y, Fig. 5, controlling lamps 25 and 24 situated behind the panels 4 and 5 respectively. When contacts 26 and 30 are made, twelve lamps 25 and twelve lamps 24 are lit. Setting of the switch-halves 7x in any position by the player also sets the switch-halves 7y in the same position. If the position of a switch-half 7y corresponds with the position of the ball in the relevant socket, a lamp 34 panel 6 also lights. The number of lamps 34 lit is recorded by a counter behind panels. The apparatus shown gives three cycles of operation for each insertion of a coin, an interval occurring before each showing of the selection made by the tray to enable the player to make his own selection, Fig. 2, shows the apparatus at rest before the insertion of a coin. The motor 41 drives a shaft 42 which drives through gearing 50 a shaft 51 which makes one revolution while the shaft 42 makes three. For each revolution of the shaft 42 the cams 43 and 46 give one selection by the tray. Before each selection the cam 46 lifts the plungers 22 to eject the twelve balls remaining in the sockets from the previous operation. When the motor 41 starts a cam 52 on the shaft 51 closes a switch 53 to start a timing motor 54 driving a shaft 55, a crank disc 56 on which withdraws a bar 57 and allows the coin to roll from the tilted beam 38. The switch 40 thus opens, but the circuit of the motor 41 has in the meantime also been closed by a switch 58 controlled by a cam 59 on the shaft 51. Depressions 1, 2, 3 in the cam 59 correspond to the intervals between the cycles of operation. The switch 26 is closed by the cam 159 when the shaft 51 begins to rotate and remains closed throughout the three cycles. The switch 30 is closed three times in one revolution of the shaft 51 by a cam 60; while this switch is closed the notch 1 in the cam 59 allows the contact 59 to remain open and the motor 41 is stopped. At the end of a cycle (say 1 2/3 minutes) a cam 64 operated from the motor 54 (which runs continuously during the three cycles, since its switch 53 is closed) closes a switch 66 to restart the motor 41. At the end of the third cycle the switch 58 remains open in the notch 3 of the cam 59. All circuits are now broken by the cam 64 which, closing the switch 66 for the third time, momentarily restarts the motor 41 which rotates the shaft 51 until the switch 58 drops into the depression S in the cam 59 and the switch 53 of the timing motor 54 is opened by the cam 52. The operation may be pneumatic, e.g., a ball may close an aperture in a tube to form a vacuum to operate a device connected to that tube. The connections between the contacts 20R &c. and the lamps 24R &c. may be arranged irregularly. In a modification each division of the tray 10 comprises three pockets each open at one side and each division contains only one ball.