US2498587A - Sweeping mechanism for bowling alleys - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 21, 1950 l. J. sNYDER swEEPING MECHANISM FoR'BowLING ALLEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed DeG. 25, 1946 Feb. 21, 1950 l. J. sNYDr-:R

swEEPING MECHANISM FOR BOWLING ALLEYS 2 sheets-sheet 2 Fled Deo. 23, 1946 IN VEN TOR. d .jg/def' v A TOR EY.

Patented Feb. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWEEPING MECHANISM FOR BOWLING ALLEYS Ivol J. Snyder, Omaha, Nebr.

Application December 23, 1946, Serial No. 717,989

1 Claim.

This invention has to do with the field of recreation and refers more specically to the so called game of bowlingf the object being as is well known, to level a number of vutp-standing pins through the medium of a rolling ball ina minimum number of tries. i

It is of common knowledge that the usual type of bowling alley necessitates a pin setter to remove all of the knocked down pins and replace the same in an upright position where successive bowlers may again take their turn in attempts to level the same.

Many attempts in recent years have been made to provide automatic mechanism for removing the pins from the alley and returning the same to an upright position but many difiiculties have arisen particularly with respect to effective mechanism for removing all the 'pins from the alley prior to their being elevated or otherwise returned to the alley in the upright spaced-apart position.

It is the primary object of this invention therefore, to provide a sweeping mechanism for bowling alleys having unique and automatic means for lclearing all the pins still remaining on the alley itself and moving the same to a position where other mechanism may be satisfactorily used to convey the pins to a resetting position.

The most important object of this invention is to provide a sweeping mechanism for bowling alleys having a reciprocable sweep arm movable along the longitudinal uppermost surface of the alley for removing all the pins remaining on the alley whether the same still remain in the upstanding position or have been previously leveled, which mechanism has means for returning the same arm to the original starting position.

Another important object of this invention is to vprovide a sweeping mechanism for bowling a1- leys having a track disposed along a portion of at least one longitudinal edge of the alley wherein is reciprocably mounted a follower having swingably mounted thereto a sweep arm for removing the pins .from the alley as the said follower reciprocates and additionally to provide means cooperable with vthe said track and mounted on the swingable arm for causing the latter to swing to and from a position in overlying transverse relation to the alley as the same leaves and approaches 'respectively one end of its path oi travel.

A .still further object of this invention is to provide a reciprocable and swingable sweep arm of the aforesaid `character having actuating means therefoncapable of Amoving the arm .from

one end of the alley to the end thereof having the pins adjacent threto and to return the said arm to the starting position.

Another object of this invention includes the unique manner in which the swingable paddle or arm is attached to the reciprocating mechanism vtherefor to the end that the same is caused to swing rby said mechanism when the arm is at one end of its path of travel.

Additional objects of this invention will be made clear or become apparent during the course of the following specification, referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. I1 is a fragmentary top plan view of a bowling alley having the sweeping mechanism forming a vpart of my present invention associated therewith.

Fig. v2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken on line II--II of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed cross-sectional View taken on line III--III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line lV-IV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detailed fragmentary cross-sectional view taken online V-V of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of lthe arrows.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line Vl-VI of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detailed cross-sectional view taken on line VII--VII of Fig. 2.

Reference `to Fig. 1 of the drawings clearly shows a conventional bowling alley broadly designated by the numeral I0 which comprises the regulation platform or floor-like surface having a pair of gutters I2 along the marginal edges thereof and a number of pins I4 arranged in the conventional manner Aat one end of alley I0. It is contemplated that the mechanism about to be described be used in conjunction with a plurality of alleys I0 and therefore, the uppermost portion of` Fig. 1 of the drawings indicates an adjoining alley having a side gutter I5.

As is well known, it is the object of the player to level the alley I0 of all the pins I4 in the first bowl for scoring a so-called strike, or if this is not accomplished in one attempt, the second bowl may be attempted and if the pins I4 are all knocked over, the player has what vis called a spare Obviously in these two attempts, all of the pins 'i4 may well be knocked from the alley I0 into a pit I6 at one end thereof whereupon these pins may be elevated to a position for resetting by any of lvarious types of mechanism l(not shown in the drawings) It is more common.

however, that one or more ot ,therpins ltwillnot fall into the pit I6 but will fall and remain on alley III or in one of the gutters I2 and it is to the removal of such pins into pit I6 that this invention is directed.

A medium through which this object is attained is through use of a pair of swingable paddles or arms I8 disposed along the longitudinal edges of the alley I for movement to and from an overlying position with respect to the uppermost face of alley IIJ and thence for reciprocation toward and from the pit I6. Obviously, the same purpose may well be accomplished through the use of only one arm I8, which arm, when in operative position, extends virtually the entire width of alley ID but it has been found to be more practical to form such mechanism in the manner disclosed to the end that a more positive and quick acting, sweeping operation is attained.

In forming the mechanism for use with a number of side-by-side alleys I0, tracks 26 and 22 extend along a portion of the longitudinal length of alley I 0 and at each side thereof and these tracks each comprise a Ueshaped member disposed in the manner clearly ,illustrated in Fig. 6. In other words, the uppermost track 20 is mounted in opposed spaced relation to the lower track 22 and held in such spaced relation by a number of spacers 24 mounted on the innermost face of the bottom wall of each of the tracks 26 and 22, as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Such construction presents two pairs of opposed edges at the free ends of the legs of the tracks 2D and 22 within which is mounted a pair of guide blocks 26, each of which is provided with a pair of slots 28 formed in the opposite edges thereof for riding in embracing relation and sliding movement along the tracks 25 and 22. Each of these guide blocks 26 has an extension 36 on one end thereof for receiving a bifurcated end 32 of the paddle I 8 through which bifurcated end, a pin 34 passes for pivotally mounting the arm I8 to the guide block 26. These arms I8 are each substantially L-shaped as illustrated in Fig.l and one leg thereof having pin 34 therein is provided with a pair of stub pins 36 disposed on each side of one leg of either track 26 or 2 2. These stub pins 36 extend upwardly on one of the arms I8 and downwardly on the other arm I8 operable with the adjoining alley II) and as the guide blocks 26 move in a direction toward the pit I6 pulling the arms I8 therewith, the stub pins 36 riding along an arcuate portion 38 of the track 20 or 22 as the case may be, will cause arm I8 to swing laterally to a position in transverse overlying relation with the upper surface of alley IU. Conversely, as block 26 returns to the end of track 26 opposite to pit I6, these pins 36 will guide and hold arms I8 in such transverse relation relative to alley I6 until the pins 36 approach the arcuate portion 38 whereupon arms I8 will swing to a position where its longitudinal axis is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of alley I0, all by reason of the pivotal movement of arms I 8 on block 26 at pin 34.

The operating mechanism for causing the blocks 26 and the arms I8 carried thereby to reciprocate along the longitudinal axis of tracks 26 and 22 includes endless chains 46 which pass over pairs of spaced-apart sprockets 42 and 44 which sprockets are mounted within the tracks 26 and 22 in the manner detailed in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

A bearing support 45 mounted in the track 22 and fixed to the lowermost wall thereof through the'mediumof a pair of bolts or the like 46, ex

tends upwardly therefrom and has a bearing 48 within which is rotatably mounted a collar 50. This collar 5D has a flange at each en d thereof, one of which flanges is secured to the innermost face of either the sprocket wheel 42 or 44 forming a part of the sweeping mechanism for one of alleys I0, by welding or the like 52.

The sprocket wheel 42 or 44 for use with the adjoining alley I0 is also mounted upon this bearing support 45 through the medium of a shaft 54 fixed thereto and passing through collar 56 and through the opposite sprocket 42 or 44. The end of the shaft 54 opposite to the sprocket 42 or 44 to which it is afxed, is provided with a screw and washer assembly 56 for holding the entire assembly together. In other words, it is clear in Fig. 6 that one of the sprockets 42 and one sprocket 44 has its collar 5D rotatable in the bearing 48 and that the opposite sprocket 42 and opposite sprocket 44 has its shaft 54 rotatable within the collar 50. The endless chain 40 thus supported by the sprockets 42 and 44and disposed in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2 has a number of laterally projecting pins 58 thereon. These pins are engaged by the sprockets of sprocket wheels 66 and 62 respectively disposed at one end of the tracks 26 and 22 and mounted upon a pair of drive shafts 64 and 66 respectively. n In other words, as illustrated in Fig. 1, each of the shafts 64 and 66 has a sprocket 62 on one end thereof and a sprocket 6U on the opposite end thereof and these shafts 64 and 66 are each driven by a suitable prime mover (not shown) connected by a belt or the like to a sheave wheel 68.

Each of the guide blocks 26 is connected to its respective chain 46 through the medium of a link I0 pivotally mounted at one end thereof to chain 40 as at 'I2 and pivotally secured to the block 26 as at 14. v

Assuming the component parts of the sweeping mechanism just described to be formed and assembled in the manner set forth, the operation thereof is as follows:

The prime mover for rotating shafts 64 and 66 may have means conveniently located for rendering the same operable and as these shafts 64 or 66 rotate to rotate their respective sprockets 60 and 62, the chains 40 at each side of the alley I0 will be driven to pull the links 'I6 in a direction toward the pit I6 whereupon the blocks 26 will slide along the tracks 26 and 22. ASuch action causes the arms I 8 to swing laterally from the position shown in Fig. l to a position where the same are in transverse relation to alley III. As the blocks 26 continue to move toward the pit I6, the arms I6 will be pulled-therewith until the same come into contact with any pins I4 remaining on alley I6 or in the gutters I2 and these pins will be pushed into the pit I6 for subsequent removal and resetting.

As the link 16 approaches the sprocket wheel 44, the connection 12 thereof to chain 46 will pass around sprocket wheel 44 and return toward the point of beginning, thus moving guide block 26 and the arm I8 carried thereby in a reverse movement toward the starting position.

As the stub pins 36 come into contact with th arcuate portion 36 of the track 26 or 22, as the case may be, the arm I8 will again swing to the normal position shown in Fig. 1. AAt this end of the cycle of operation, the connection 'I2 of the link 'I0 will pass around the sprocket wheel 42 preparatory to the next operation of the device. For bestoperation, it is advisable ,tol dispose the tracks 20 and 22 in a position far enough above the upper surface of alley I0 to maintain the arms I8 in an elevated position above alley l0 as the same reciprocate thereabove as is clear in Fig. 2. Such spacing of arms I8 from alley I0 must be small enough to assure removal of all the pins i4 both from alley I0 and the gutters I2.

While only one modification of the sweeping mechanism for bowling alleys has been shown and described, it is understood that many changes and modications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

Sweeping mechanism for a bowling alley comprising at least one elongated track parallel with 1 and adjacent to one longitudinal edge of said alley; a follower carried by the track for reciprocation longitudinally therealong; means operably connected with the follower for reciprocating the same; an elongated arm on the follower, normally extending outwardly from the track in perpendicular relationship thereto and overlying at least a portion of said alley; and guides REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le oi this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,994,411 Thomas Mar. 12, 1935 2,250,503 Rundell July 29, 1941 2,310,218 Davis l Feb. 9, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS` Y Number Country Date 501,166 Germany June 30, 1930

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