US1556856A - Device for shuffling cards - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 13, 1925. 1 1,556,856

'- L. P. LIPPS DEVICE FOR SHUFFLING CARDS Filed Feb. 28. 1924 lnue rjtor:

Lows E Llpps Hus Attorngy Patented Oct. '13, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,556,856 PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIE 1'. LIPPS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOB -'1O GEORGE C. WING, TRUSTEE, OF

' CLEVELAND, OHIO.

DEVICE 1'03 snurnmne ems.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS P. LIPPS, a citizenof the United States, and a 'resident of Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices for Shuflling Cards, as to which'the following is a Sllfilr ciently full, clear, and exact description to enable one skilled in the art to which it relates to make and use the same without. other or more particular explanation.

The invention belongs moreespecially to the type of shufllers wherein the means and mechanisms involved are for the most part, not for the purpose of directly'moving the cards themselves, but to free and clear the way for them, under the influence of gravity alone, to fall in such position, succession and direction that their relative order will be changed in the process, and, at the close, the cards be brought togetherin a freshly shuflied and ready-for-use pack.

As compared with devices that rely upon special mechanisms to directly handle the cards and force their movements in spite of friction or other obstructions, the gravity type of shufiler, such as is herein setforth so organizes the elements and conditions of the problem as to overcome these difliculties and do away with the need of special mech- I anisms to 'such end.

This distinction, as will be later observed,

is manifested and provided for in theinvention under exam1nat1on,. among other features, by firm, unitary means, based on physical rather than mechanical considerations, for compelling the cards to successively and evenly take off from their ini tial station for the shuflling process, by so posturing the pack at such station, that not only the frictionlof the cards between themselves, and their supports, is materially minimized, but the cards, at the same time, are thereby best disposed toward their redetermined course downward, byi guiding them in such course by parts that function for the most part, not by any prolon ed frictional bearings and restraints, at through tangential or other instantaneous contacts along the path of descent, and, b appropriate provisions whereby fallen car s instantly clear themselves from following cards inthe various stages of the shuffling process.

gatesfirespectively, shown in Generally summarized, the purpose and object of said invention, may be said to be to provide an always reliably workin machine for shufiling playi cards an like articles, that is free from rail, complicated and expensive parts and mechanisms, and, by which a scientific and wholly incalculable shuflle of the packis automatically and rapidly effected without other handling or personal participation in the process, than is required to simply place the pack upon an open receiving table or ledge-like sup, port at the to and slightly move a starting memberfor t e pur e.

In the drawings i re I is a front elevation of the shuflier; igure II a View on the line w--a2 of Figure I; Figure III a fragmentary view of a rear elevation of the device with certain parts omitted; Fi ure IV, a sectional view on the line may of i ure II; Figure V, a plan view of the sli ,able support for the pack; Figure VI a plan view of a series of gates for closing the compartments into which the pack is distributed during the shuflling process, and, Figures VII, VIII and IX are side views of mechanisms for actuating the SIiPPOIt and igures V and The device comprises a hollow frame or :housing A, which may be of any suitable inaterial or design. For convenience of explanation the front and rear walls of the ousing aredesignate'd on the drawing by, respectivel" A and A and the sides by A.

' The shu er has a receptacle- 0, at the top for the placement of the pack, which, as shown in the figures, may be made up of the enclosing walls of the frame at that point.

In this form the receptacle extends down a suitable distance tov accommodate the pack to a generally upright position and is normally closed at the bottom by a plate-like platform S. The interior faces of the walls of the receptacle 0, are vertical except the face of the fourth or rear wall a, which is inclined outwardly to an angle which should not be less than the natural slope of the cards. I

The platform S is rectan ular and is slid ably seated crosswise of t e frame or box A, beneath the receptacle 0, within opposite coincidental slots 8 and a in the sides of the frame for the purpose. Openings 7) lengthwise of the same, through which the cards are to fall during the shufiling process.

In order to reduce the frictional area between the cards and the plate at the point where they are thus to take-off or fall, incurves to, u from th direct line of said passageway are introduced as shown in the drawin A rod, or prolong r, to connect with plate actuating mechanism hereinafter pointed out, is attached to the forward end of said plate S.

At a predetermined point below the platform support S, at a distance approximately equal to the vertical dimensions of the cards when falling therefrom, a series D of divisional members D D D is arranged transversely of the shufller to receive the cards within the interspaces or compartments between said members.

Besides composing a series of compartments for this purpose, the members thereof are adapted by the shape and location of their upper portions d, to serve, as guides for the cards between the members along the natural line of their descent, when free to fall by gravit to points below.

To this en the members are arched or rounded along their upper edges (Figure I as well as somew at sharpened, and rigidly fastened to the sides of the shufller in the planes of said lines, and have their guiding surfaces at a pitch to correct an tlaendency of the cards to deviate from such mes.

On the other hand, in order to afford a shelter for the cards as soon as they arrive at the foot of said compartments, from the cards that follow, the lower portions (1 of said members are retracted from a oint behind the front'or guiding faces of t e upper portions 0! of the same to form a recess or undercut across said members, and downwardly from said upper ortions towards the base. The upper portions d, will thus project from and overhang the lower portion (2 like the horizontal eaves of a roof.

It will be plain that the heights 'or up-.

Is as members.

ngth for said upper or guide portions of 1 It will also be evident, that it will be advisable, as supplementary to the set of compartments in auestion, to similarly undercut the correspon ing guiding face of the rear wall A of the frame where it adjoins the rearmost divisional member of the series, and, together therewith, makes up the last compartment of the set in use.

In a device wherein the working parts and mechanisms are relatively located as in the figures, the series of divisional members just described, will be arranged at an upward slant from the rear wall A toward the front wall A. j

The set of hopper-like compartments just described necessarily have apertures at the bottom of the same, and means must be pro.- vided for opening and closin these apertures as the operation of shu ing requires.

The means shown consists of a unitary series T, of transverse grid-valve plates or gates T of similar dimensions as the apertures they serve, alternating with a series of oblong slots t, t t t. The series'T is rectangular and movably seated, beneath the compartment series, crosswise of and within the frame A, in grooves '12, v, in the sides thereof for the purpose; A rod 7 is conveniently attached to the end of the part T for connecting the same to mechanism for oscillating the part in the manner to be more particularly referred to. Openings 7' and p in the front and rear walls of the frame are provided to accommodate the oscillation of the part T upon its groove seats '0, "v.

The bases of the divisional members D D D must be sufficiently, thick, or other wise extended, to shield the slots t, t, t, i when the plates are beneath said apertures.

The interior faces of the front and rear walls A and A of the frame, below the series of divisional members D, conver e' downwardly towards the bottom of t e.

shufller to guide and deflect the cards inthat direction, and, between the walls along thesides of the frame A for a like purpose, cheeklike guides C,'are arranged inopposite, coincidental pairs that severally point downwardly through the chamber below. The guides C will best answer their purpose if given a length approximately the same as the height or downward dimension of the cards as they fall.

The front wall, however, is prolonged and continued in its downward course to a distance above the base of the shufiler some what less then the height of the cards, at which point the front wall ends across its entire breadth. The remaining or lower interior space 1n the frame A, below the series of ides 0, serves as a chamber B, within which the cards are to re-assemble themselves into the shuflled paclar. As contributmg to this purpose, a fixed floor-like support F for the cards as they escape from arrange themselves into the compartments in the series D extends upwardly from the base from behind the projected plane of the inner face of the front wall A, towards the rear of the shufier. Atno part of its upward inclination is the floor F nearer to the front wall A than the thickness of the pack, and the] angle of its inclination with the base, should F, the latter is shown as a single piece ex-' tending across the chamber B, it will bemanifest, that, for all other purposes, skidlike pieces, on parts, for instance, or shorter transverse pieces, may be used instead.

Between'the upper end of the floor Fland the lower end of the rear wall A an open space N, is left across the frame A, through which the shuflied pack may be grasped and removed. f r

As a stop and resistance to the cards as, they slide down the floor F, a part or piece, F extends obliquely outward from and along the lower edge of said floor to a ,dis-

tance abovethe floor that somewhat exceeds the thickness'of the pack The angle of its inclination with the floor is preferably, a little less than a right angle.

It remains to explain the particular means illustrated in the figures forautomatically operating the movable 'parts.,i n-' A olved inthe device and bringing about the gravity shuflie designed, I

In Figure II all parts are.re zxresented .as in their normal positions iand set for being started for the shufllingprocess.

I-I isa housing or supporting said mechanism. It is fastened to the; front of theshufller body, or box A.

In the up er'part of the housing, a fourarm lever is centrally mounted upon a shaft h which passescrosswise of thehousingand? issupported' at its ends in the sides thereof.

As positioned in the drawings, an arm Z,

of the lever L, projects above the shaft to meet the rod 1' when the latter is extended horizontally from the front wall of,the box and the plate S is in closing place below the. receptacle 0. It is pivotally connected topthe rod, in sue relation, b a pin 1*. A second arm Z 0 wardly from the shaft towards the shufller box A. It carries an upwardly moving tripthe lever" extends in-- finger f, to engage with a stopf on the arm, and thereby limit any downward movement ofv the forward end of the tripper around its fulcrum'point. Below thels'haft h, a correspdnding shaft k ,v extends cross-' wise of the housing H and, on the shaft; a

three-arm lever L is centrally mounted; One of its arms Z is upright, another Z projects outwardly from the shaft to 'connect pivot'ally with theouter end of'the rod rP-and the third arm, Z inwardly towards the box A. The latter arm is specially weighted to return the. arm to its normal place upona stop-rod f located between the sides of the box A for that purpose.

"From a given point on the arm Z, of the" lever L, a rigid arm Z extends downwardly a suitable distance to engage the arm Z when the lever'L is rotated on itsfshaft for the purpose. The fourth arm Z,\is,on the opposite side of the shaft h, and radiatesv outwardly therefrom, above and inposition to meet the shaft. 71, ,hereinafter specified andy'stop further revolution of-the lever L around'the shaft h; when the arm L is in normal upright position.

, Ator below the outer end of the arm Z,

is a third shaft 72. extending crosswise of the housing H, upon which is fulcrumed a lever L by which the mechanism is set; in motion for the shufiie. The leverIi passes downwardly from its fulcrum 7;? along the side of the lever L, to a point below) the innerarnr Z and, upwardly-onthe-other side of the fulcrum, through a hole E in the front of the housing H, tOwH. sufficient dising handle,orthumbpiece, E An auxili jects inwardlyjof the housing above the shaft h, in the plane of thee'starting lever,

-.;j A pin f extends in a horizontal dim tion from the inner side of the lever L across the curvilinear path of the outer, end of the tripper I, to engage and lift the tripper when the lever is revolved upwardl around its shaft h from below said en and to engage and rest upon the top of said end, when-the lever revolved downwardly by gravity from a point above. (See Figures II, IV VII, VIII and IX.)

Provision to stop the upward movement of the outer, or handle, end of the lever L is insured "by suitably locating the upper end of the hole E, for the purpose.

The moment of the several lever arms and parts shown the drawings, must be such as under thetconditions appearing, will suffice .topro uce the correspondlng movements designed, thatis to say, the moment oflthe arm Z? for instance around the fulcrumof thecompound lever L, while said arm is carrying the weighted arms L and tance to present its outer end as an operatfour edges upon the platform S, in an inclined position against the rear wall a,

L, and distributingthe pack from its position on the, platform S into the series of compartments D, must be so calculated as not only to overcome the friction of the platform, and the superimposed pack,

against the slotted seats 8 and 8 but, also,

after said arm Z? is freedof the weight W, to correspond with, the moment required to actuate the "lever L around its, fulcrum and overcome the friction orinertiae of the movable series of valves T, in the grooves a, '2), and the. weight of the super imposed cards in the compartments; in both cases, the moments around the fulcrum of the levers L and L, of the arms Z and Z, for returning severally, the platform Sand the series T, to their normal closing positions, must be adequately calculated in each case.

In the drawings, the particular armsof the' levers involved that are specially weighted forthe purpose of obtaining the moments referred to, are severally indicated by disklike outlines W, W ,W on said arms. Throughout the figures, arrows denote the direction of revolutions of parts, and broken lines the angular positions to be assumed, or orbits followedby the same.

i The operation of the machine is brought about by resting the pack on onei of its and pressing the protruding handle E of the lever L downwardly around its shaft until the opposite arm is raised upwardly into supporting engagement with the auxiliary lever L and the latter carried above its normal place (Fig. VII). The handle E is then released of pressure and left free in the hole E, whereupon the lever L and the superimposed lever L will descend together a common orbit, until further downward movementby the lever Lein arrested by contact -with thegshaft h. The lever L iis so shapedthat such contact will occur simultaneously with the completion of the inward movement of the u right arm 1 whereby the plate S is propelle across the bottom ;of;.th,e chamber (llDuring this movement "the-- -cards. jundera the force of gravity-will of course, slide off from each other in rapid succession through the passageway P, in'vthe support ,into,h th'e several compartments between the divisiona1 members composing the series D, and, as

such travel is finished, the parts are so spaced that the pin 7" will come into engagement with the top of the rigid trippe'r I, and, thereupon lever L in such relatlon, will carry the lever L downward in its path, with a calculated remaining moment sufficient to actuate the" lower lever L and overcome the inertiae of the movable series of valves T, beneath the compartments 1n the series D.

valves T have gradually passe embodie and wish to protect by Letters Patent, is :-t

This latter movement is effected by the engagement of the downwardly extending arm Z on the lever L, with the upwardly extending arm Z "on the lever L as shown in Figure IX,-' and the consequent rotation of that lever around the shaft to a calculated extent topropel the movable seriesT, through the openings and until the d b neath the compartments in the series D, and the cards successively escaped thereupon, by the force of gravity, into the chamber B, below.

At this stageof theshufiling operation, the calculated duration of the engagement betweenthe pin f and the top ofthe tripper I, will automatically terminate by reason of the pin passing off the end of the tripper, whereupon, the moments of the weighted arms Z and Z will carry back their respective compound levers, and all parts involved, to their original or starting positions.

But slight practice will disclose the es sential value in the shufiiing operation con-.

tributed by the features respectively of the I compartments 0r chamber before reaching their designed places therein.

By the arrangement shown the incline or slope, in. each case, is generally sufficient to" r instantly carry the ca onward towards its destined place, and beyond the lines of any disturbing impact of the oncoming cards.

Havin thus explained my invention as in a concrete form, what I claim 1. In a shuflier for cards and similar articles, the combination of a casing, a se ries of transverse compartments for the reception of the cards during the process of shuffling rigidly aflixed thereto, a supporting platform for the pack above said series in and movably related to the casing, andmeans for gradually moving said support backwardly beneath. the pack in order to 211-; low the cards to fall into the compartments below, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a 'shufiier for cards having a series of fixedtransverse compartments for the rece tion of the cards during the process of shu ing, a plate-like support for the pack movably seated in the frame-work of theand means for gradually shufiier above, withdrawing said support frombeneath the in order to permit the cards to fall into said members below, and means for gradually opening said gates in order to'permit cards within said compartment members to fall therefrom, substantially as shown and described.

4. In a card shuflier having a slidable support for the pack at the top, and a series of fixed upright compartment members, be-

neath said support. with apertures at the lower ends thereof and normally closed gates beneath said apertures, the combina tion of means for gradually withdrawing said support from beneath the pack in order to permit the cards to fall into said members below and, thereafter, gradually opening said gates in order to permit the cards within said members to fall through said apertures, and thereupon returning said'support and said gates to their positions first hereinbefore specified,substantially as shown and described. e

5. In a card shuffier, the combination of a slidable support for the pack at the top, a.

series of upright compartment members provided with apertures for the escape of the cards at their lower ends, normally closed gates for said apertures, a chamber below said series for the reception of the cards as they fall through said apertures, and means for gradually withdrawing said support from beneath the pack to be shuffied, in order to permit the cards to fall therefrom into the compartment members, and means for, thereafter, gradually opening said gates simultaneously in order to permit the cards to fall through said apertures, substantially as shown and described.

6. In a card shufiler the combination of a slidable support for the pack at the top and crosswise of the same, a series of fixed upright compartment members provided with apertures for the escape of cards at their lower ends, normally closed gates for said apertures, a chamber below said series for the reception of the cards as they fall through said apertures. and means for gradually withdrawing said support from beneath the pack to be shuffled in order to permit the cards to fall therefrom into said compartment members, and means for thereafter, gradually opening said gates simultaneously in order to permit the cards to fall through said apertures, together with'means for, thereupon, closingsaid gates and drawing back said support to the position first above specified therefor, substantially as shown and described.

7. In a shuflier for cards and similar articles, having a fixed series of divisional sections for the reception of the cards between the same during the process of shuffling, the combination of a plate-like slidable support for the pack above said series, means for holding said pack obliquely on and with respect to said support, and means, while in such position, for gradually withdrawing said support from beneath the pack in order to permit the cards to fall by the force of gravity downwardly between said sections, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a card shuflier having a slidable support for the pack at the top and a series of fixed upright compartment members provided with passages at their lower ends and normally closed gates therefor, beneath said series, guides within and on the sides of the shufiler, extending downwardly between said support and said series with their respective guiding faces in substantial alignment with and overhanging the passages in the compartment member to which such face in each case pertains, a chamber below said series for the reception of the cards as they fall from said series, and means, several- 1y, for gradually withdrawing said support from beneath the pack in order to allow the cards to fall into said members, thereafter simultaneously, opening said gates in order to allow said cards to fall from said members into the chamber below, and thereupon, returning said support and gatesto the positions first hereinbefore specified therefor, substantially as shown and described.

9. In a shuffler for cards, the combination of a series of upwardly extending divisional sections, within and crosswise of the shuftler and fixedly attached to the sides thereof at predetermined intervals, the upper portion of said sections having guiding faces for the cards in alignment with and overhanging the intervals, a slidable support for the pack to be shufiled, above said series, an obliquely disposed movable series of alternately arranged closure-pieces and open spaces, for said intervals beneath and in normally closed relation with respect to said intervals, a receiving chamber below said movable series for the cards that fall therefrom, having an obliquely I disposedorder to permit the cards to fall by gravity into said intervals, thereafter. to gradually move said closure-pieces from their closed.

10. In a shufiier for cards, the combination of a series of upwardly extending divisional sections, at predetermined intervals within and crosswise of the shufller, the upper portion of said sections having guiding faces for'the cards in alignment with and over-hanging said intervals, a slidable support for the pack to be shuffled above said series, an obliquely disposed movable series of alternately arranged closure-pieces and open spaces for said intervals beneath and in normally closed relation with respect to said intervals, a receiving chamber below said movable series for the cards that fall therefrom, provided with an upwardly extending recess or cavity in the lower portion of the wall of the same and a floor extending obliquely downwardly into said recess or cavity in-a direction oppositeto the direction of the designed movement. of said last named series, together with suitable means for withdrawing said support from beneath the pack in' order to permit the cards to fall by gravity into said intervals upon said. closure-pieces, thereafter, to gradually move said closure-pieces from their closed relation with respect to said intervals and bring the open spacesbeneath the same in order to thereby permit the cards to fall by gravity into said chamber, and upon the completion of said movements, to reverse the same until said support, and said closure-pieces and open spaces, are brought back to their normal or starting positions, sub

stantially as shown and described.

' 11. As a unitary device of the class described, the combination, with a casing for the same, of a slidable plate-like support for the pack at the top, aseries of compartment-members, for the reception of the cards in the intervals between the same, below said support, and rigidly afiixed to and crosswise of the casing at a slant from the rear to the front wall thereof,tthe said members having their upper portions at a predetermined pitch with respect to the natural line of the descent of the cards when free to fall by gravity from the support above, and havingtheirlower portions undercut with respect to said upper portions, and being widened at their bases, a unitary series of grid-valve gates for closingthe intervals between said members movably seated beneath said compartment series, the intervening slot-like s aces corresponding in dimensions to sai intervals;

the front wall of the casing being prolonged below said members and being cut away or recessed along its inner face from a point nearer the base of said device than the height of the cards, an inclined floor beneath said members, extending obliquely downwards to within said recessed portion, together with means for slidably actuating said support, and for moving said series "of gates, substantially as shown and described.

12. In a card-shufiler, the combination of an obliquely disposed series of fixed divisional members located at predetermined intervals, one with respect to the others, a correspondingly disposed unitary series of closure-pieces for such intervals movably mounted beneath the same, and suitable means for moving said last named series for its-designed operation, substantially as shown and described.

13. In a card-shuflier, the combination of a slidable receiving-platform for the pack, a fixed series of divlsional sections at predetermined intervals beneath -the same, a unitary series of alternately arranged closure-pieces and slot-like apertures movably mounted below, the two said series being obliquely disposed with relation to said shufller, said intervals. and the base-width of said divisional sections corresponding respectively in dimensions with said closurepieces and said apertures, substantially as shown and described.

'14. In a' shufiler for playing-cards, the

combination with a casing for the same, of V a series of normally closed compartments for the reception of the cards during the process of shuflling, a chamber below said series for the assemblage of the cards as they fall from their several compartments, the front wall of the casin being suitably conformed to guide the car s toward a predetermined part of the floor of the chamber, and having its lower interior face cut away, or recessed, at a predetermined distance above the base'of the shufiler, an inclined floor beneath said series extendin obliquely downwards to within said recessed portion of said wall, and means for openmg said compartments for the successive es-' cape of the cards therein by gravity to the chamber below, and, means for normally closin the same, substantiallyas shown and descri ed.

15. Ina shufiier for cards having a series of compartments from which, in the process of shufiling, the cards fall into an assemblage chamber below provided with an o 11 space, or cavity, in the lower part thereo an inclined floor in said chamber that extends downwardly, in the direction of said series,

shown and described.-

LOUIS P. LIPPS.

Images