Improvements in Bowling Alleys.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Apr., 1890-Accepted, 26th July, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bowling Alleys.
A communication from THOMAS HECTOR ROBERTS, of the Town of Owensound, in
the County of Grey, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, Gentleman.
1, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, M.L.M.E.,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of the invention is, first, to design a noiseless bowling alley in which
every ball will return to the bowler after passing the pins; secondly, to design
simple mechanism by which the pins may be re-set from the bowling end of the
alley; and thirdly, to design simple means by which the balls may be raised to the
level of the bowler's hand without the necessity of him stooping; and it consists
essentially, first, of a horizontal bowling alley preferably covered with linoleum or
similar material, the surface of the alley being above the surface of a slanting floor
formed between a re-bounding cushion and the end of the alley, the said end of the
alley being curved or angled towards its edge or edges and towards a channel or
channels formed on one or both sides of the said alley, and slanting downwardly
towards the bowling end of the said alley; secondly in a light spindle extending from
the end of each pin and through a plate or bar above the alley, a sphere or hemisphere
being fixed to each spindle, a cup-shaped recess formed in the plate or bar to receive
the sphere or hemisphere fixed to the spindle, and a weight fixed to the upper end of
the spindle to counterbalance the pin when it is knocked out of its vertical position,
said spindle being connected directly or indirectly with a cord extending to the
bowling end of the alley; and thirdly in providing a cage into which the balls run,
at the end of the return channel the said cage when full being raised by a rope handy
to the bowler, to the level of a box secured above the channel, into which box the
balls are dumped; the whole being otherwise arranged substantially as hereinafter
more particularly explained.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an alley constructed in accordance with this
invention.
Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the said alley.
Fig. 3 is a view of a noiseless pin made in accordance with this invention.
In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different
figures.
A represents the bowling alley which is covered with linoleum, cork, or other
similar material on which the balls may be dropped without making a noise.
B is the end of the alley on which the bowler stands when delivering the ball.
D is a floor placed between the rebounding cushion, E, and the end of the alley A.
This floor D slants downwardly from the cushion E to a point below the surface of
the alley A, the end of which is curved or angled towards its edge or edges so that
every ball as it falls off the end of the alley A. onto the slanting floor D will be
directed towards the channel F made near the edge and below the surface of the
bowling alley A. This channel F slants towards the end B of the alley in order that
every ball when it falls onto the slanting floor D will return by the channel F to the
cage f. When the cage f is full of balls it may be raised by the cord which passes
up over suitable pulleys and then down to a point convenient to the bowler. At a
certain height the ends of the cage strike the stops and i when the cage being held
in an oblique position the balls roll into the receiving box ; which is supported by the
j
rods k at a convenient height above the slanting channel F. In order to prevent the

page_text: balls rolling under the cage f when it is elevated I secure at the end of the cage f
next the channel F the downwardly projecting board l.
I prefer that the pin end of the alley A should be doubly inclined or otherwise
so shaped so as to slope to both sides so that there will be a channel F on each side
of the alley A.
In order to prevent a noise by the falling of the pins, I form a series of rubber
rings a around each pin G and I also line the channel F and other parts against
which the balls may come in contact, with cork or other soft material.
In addition to the channel F I form inner channels G' which are merely intended
to receive any balls which may fall off the alley as they are being bowled. These
channels Gmay either be horizontal or they may slant slightly towards the pin end
of the crease so as to carry the balls towards that end.
My correspondent does not confine himself to the exact shape of the plates Jas
various equivalents for the said plates might be suggested by any mechanic.
A sphere or hemisphere K is fixed to each spindle I and fits into a cupped recess,
made in the plate J or its equivalent.
Lis a weight fixed to the upper end of the spindle I and designed to overbalance
and carry into a substantially horizontal position the pin G when the said pin is
knocked out of its vertical position by a ball striking it. Each pin G has secured
above it on the spindle I the knocker g¹ which is designed to receive the blow from
its adjacent pin when knocked down.
A cord M is fixed to the end of each spindle I and is connected to the cross-head N..
This cross-head is carried in suitable guides as indicated and a cord O is attached to
it and after passing over suitable pulleys is carried to a point at or near the bowling
end of the crease as indicated in fig. 1.
When the pins G have been knocked out of their vertical position they can be all
re-set by simply drawing upon the cord O which raises the cross-head N and as all the
pins are connected to this cross head by their respective cords M and spindles I
they are simultaneously set into the vertical position indicated and are independently
supported so that one pin may be knocked over without interfering with the
others.
With the view of more effectually guiding the pins G into their vertical position.
a plate Q is fixed immediately above the ends of the spindles I through which. plate.
the cords M must pass before they reach the cross-head N.,
Guiding tubes P are fixed to the plate Qaround each hole through which the
cords M pass.
When the pins G are in the vertical position indicated the cords M
are slack so as not to prevent the pins upsetting when they are struck with a ball.
When the cross-head N is elevated for the purpose of raising the pins the cords M
are made tant drawing the pins G into a vertical position. The plate Q acts as a stop
to prevent the pins G being elevated more than is sufficient to place each one, into a
vertical position.,
From this description it will be noticed that a bowling alley made in accordance
with this invention will not only be practically noiseless, but that, a game may be
enjoyed without any. trouble of re-setting the pins or returning the balls bowled
towards them as the pins may he re-set in the manner described and the balls returned!
to the bowler by the slanting channels and cage illustrated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained. the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what, manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign.correspondent; I declare that what I claim is
·
1. A horizontal, bowling alley-Awith its surface above the surface of a slanting
floor: D formed at, the pin end of the crease A which end is curved or angled towards:
its edge or edges, in combination with a channel or channels. F formed on one or
both sides of the alley and slanting downwardly towards the bowling end. of, the-saidi
alley substantially as and for the purpose specified..

page_text: 2. A horizontal bowling alley A with its surface above the surface of a slanting
floor D formed between a rebounding cushion E and the pin end of the alley A which
end is curved or angled towards its edge or edges in combination with a channel or
channels F formed on one or both sides of the alley and slanting downwardly towards
the bowling end of the said alley substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. A horizontal bowling alley A with its surface above the surface of the slanting
floor D formed between a rebounding cushion E and the pin end of the alley A in
combination with the channel F having a cage provided with a downwardly-
projecting board the said cage being raised to the height of the box j by the rope g
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4. A horizontal bowling alley A having on one or both sides of it a channel or
channels F slanting towards the end B of the recess A and a channel or channels G¹
slanting towards the pin end of the alley in combination with a slanting floor D set
below the surface of the pin end of the alley A which is curved or angled towards the
channels F substantially as and for the purpose specified.
5. One or more pins G arranged on a bowling alley A each pin having a light
spindle I extending from its end and projecting through a plate J supported above
the pin end of the alley in combination with a sphere or hemisphere K fixed to each
spindle I and fitting into cupped recesses made in the plate J a counterbalance
weight L fixed to the upper end of the spindle I substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
6. One or more pins G arranged on a bowling alley A each pin having a light
spindle I extending from its end and projecting through a plate J supported above
the pin end of the alley in combination with a sphere or hemisphere K fixed to each
spindle I and fitting into cupped recesses made in the plate J a counterbalance
weight L fixed to the upper end of the spindle I and a knocker g¹ fixed to the lower
end of the spindle I above the pin G substantially as and for the purpose specified.
7. One or more pins G arranged on a bowling alley A each pin having a light
spindle I extending from its end and projecting through a plate J supported above
the pin end of the alley a sphere or hemisphere K fixed to each spindle I and fitting
into cupped recesses made in the plate J a counterbalance weight L fixed to the
upper end of the spindle I and a knocker gl fixed to the lower end of the spindle I
above the pin G in combination with a cord M fixed to each spindle I and connected
at its other end with a cross-head N which is operated as described by the cord O
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
8. One or more pins G arranged on a bowling alley A. each pin having a light
spindle I projecting from its end through a plate J supported above the pin end of
the alley a plate Qwith guiding tubes P supported above the plate J a sphere or
hemisphere K fixed to each spindle I and fitting into cupped recesses made in the
plate J a counterbalance weight L fixed to the upper end of the spindle I and a
knocker g¹ fixed to the lower end of the spindle I above the pin G in combination
with a cord M fixed to each spindle I and connected at its other end with a cross-
head N which is operated as described by the cord O substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
Dated this 28th day of Anril 1300