US3281149A - Mechanical card game apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 25, 1966 A. MILLER MECHANICAL CARD GAME APPARATUS Filed Feb. 5, 1954 gli 4 f5 f V52 United States Patent @Hice 3,281,149 Patented Oct. 25, 1966 3,281,149 MECHANICAL CARD GAME APPARATUS Alvin Miller, 18 Putnam Court, Commack, Long Island, N.Y. Filed Feb. 5, 1964, Ser. No. 342,624 1 Claim. (Cl. 273-143) The present invention relates to improvements in games and, more specifically to mechanically actuated games having movable groups of cards, or the like, bearing diiferent indicia, wherein the groups are mounted on rotating elements and are arranged to form a competitive group amusement game with two or more players, although this game device also can be used las a single card playing machine.

A general objective of this invention is to provide a mechanical game, lsuch as the indicated card type, which is novel in construction and arrangement and attractive to persons interested in the playing of mechanical games.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a game device of the character described which is particularly well adapted to be played as a kind of poker game, that, however, is not a mere game of chance but more a game of skill, and which I prefer to call U-Deal Poker.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a game device of the character described which is simple in operation, yet needs the skill of the players so as to make it a thrilling exciting game, which is also comparatively simple in construction and easy to maintain in good mechanical working order at all times, and which restricts the activity of the players to the pressing of buttons, so that any dam-aging of the apparatus due to faulty or careless operation is impossible.

With the foregoing and other objects which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction 'and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangements of parts of the embodiment disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying dnawing I have set forth an illustrative embodiment of my invention.

In said drawing:

FIGURE l is a wiring diagram of a preferred embodiment of my invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view;

FIG. 3 is a fractional sectional view on the line 3 3 of FIG. 2; and,

FIG. 4 is yan enlarged fractional sectional view on the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

Similar reference chanacters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawing the numeral 1 denotes a front counter which has a top 2 with .a plurality of operating buttons of push-button switches (ve buttons) in the present instance 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7. The counter is about forty-two inches high, so that the buttons 3-7 can be operated conveniently. A stand-up console or cabinet 1t), which preferably is seventy-two inches high is placed in back of the counter 1, either adjacent thereto, as shown, or in spaced relation thereto so that there is Ian aisle (not shown) between the counter 1 and the cabinet 10. A front panel 11 of the cabinet is provided with lens windows or openings 12 through which wheels 15, 16, 17, 18 .and 19 can be seen. Indicator lamps 20 and 21, of which the lamp 20 preferably is green and the lamp 21 red, as well as a switch 22a, also ,are mounted on the panel 11.

Within the casing 10 there is mounted on one of the walls of the casing 10 an electric motor 22, which drives a shaft 23 that is rotatably mounted in, and is traversely extended through, the casing 10'. Hubs 24 are mounted on the `shaft 23, which is freely rotatable relative to the hubs 24. One of the drum- shaped wheels 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 is secured to one of each of the hubs 24 by means of screws 25 or the like, and tubular spacing members 30 are interposed between the wheels 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and the nearest one of the hubs 24. A collar 31 (FIG. 4) is secured to the shaft 23 intermediate a collar 24 and a bearing 32 that is secured to a wall of the casing 10 and in which is rotatable that end portion of the shaft 23 which is opposite the motor 22. This arrangement constitutes a frictional connection between the shaft 23 and the hubs 24, so that upon rotation of the shaft 23 the hubs 24 and the wheels 15 to 19 inclusive will be rotated also, although there may |be some slip causing a difference in the number of revolutions between the shaft 23 and the hubs 24.

The wheels 15 to 19 Iare polygonal in circumference, and they are prefenably ten-sided as in the instance shown. A game card 33 or a picture of a card or the like is provided at each one of the ten circumferential sides of each wheel 15 to 19, so that in the instance shown there are ve wheels with fifty cards 33.

An index bolt 34 for each Icircumferential side is mounted on each wheel 15 to 19 inclusive, and is laterally extended therefrom, as may be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. An intermediate bottom 35 (FIG. 3) preferably is provided in the casing 10 beneath the wheels 15 to 19, and mounted on the bottom 35 are brackets 37 and 40 in which is mounted 'a shaft 41. An arm 42 is pivot-ably mounted on the shaft 41 between the wheels 15 and 16, 16 and 17, 17 and 18, 18 and 19 las well as between the wheel 19 and the motor 22. A tension spring 43, which has one end secured to the casing 10 and the other end to the lower portion of each arm 42 at 44 (FIG. 3), tends to swing the `arm 42 in `a counter-clockwise direction on the shaft 41, so that the upper end of each 'arm 42 engages an index bolt 34, thus stopping rotation of the wheels 15 to 19. A rod 45 also is wit-h one end pivotally connected to each arm 42 at 44, while its other end is connected to the core of an electro magnet or solenoid 47, 48, 49, 50k and 51, which also are mounted on the 'bottom 35. Each solenoid 47 to 51, when energized, pulls an a-rrn 42 in a clockwise direction-overcoming the power of a spring 43-so that the upper end of the 'arm 42 no longer engages the pins 34, thus allowing yone of the wheels 15 to 19 to be rotated by its frictional engagement with the shaft 23 through a hub 24, as long as the shaft 23 is being rotated by the motor 22.

interposed between the push button switches 3 to 7 inclusive and the solenoids 47 to 51 inclusive are relays 54, 55, 56, 57, and 58, which are mounted in a box 60 'beneath the top 2 of the counter 1. An additional relay 61 also is mounted within the -box 60, and a switch 62 is secured to the box 60.

The content of the box 60 is conductively connected by means of a cable 63 to another box 64, which contains a time stop switch 67, double relays 70 an-d 71, a double pole push butto-n start switch 72, an alarm device such as a bell 73, signal lamps 74 and 75, as well as a fuse 77 and a switch 78. A first cable 80 connects the device to a source of electrical current, and a second cable 81 connects the relays 54 to 58 conductively to the solenoids 47 to 51.

The wires in the cable 63 can be connected to identical wires of another `game unit, and a counter 82 is conductively connected to a terminal of the coil of the relay 61 as well as to a terminal of the lamp 20. Wires 90 and 91 are conductively connected to a timer (not shown).

When a group game is started, after each player has paid a fee, and the switch 78 has been closed, the operator starts the unit by pressing a card shuille button,

which closes the switch 62. This causes the lamp 20 to light up and the motor 22 to start running, so that the shaft 23 and the wheels 15 to 19 inclusive will rotate. This is repeated for each player who enters the game, there being one game apparatus for each player. Then the operator starts the play -by pressing the start switch 72, which also is a press ybutt-on switch. This causes a ringing of the bell 73 and a closing of the relay 71, so that the Wires supplying an electrical current for the push- button switches 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 will be energized. When then a player presses the push-button switches 3 to 7 in any sequence, relays 54 through the 58 will be energized, interrupting the electrical circuit for the solenoids 47 lthrough to 51 in the sequence which the player chooses, which allows the springs 43 to swing the arms 42 in a counter-clockwise direction, so that the same engage pins 34 and stop the rotation of the wheels 15 to 19. The player now has his selection, which is viewed through the lens windows 12.

Should some of the players not :make a selection in the allotted timefor instance within thirty seconds-by pressing the push button switches 3 to 7, a timer connected to the device by the wires 90 and 91, will do so by interrupting the electric circuit of the solenoids 47 to 51.

The winner is now determined, the contestant with the highest hand wins. The operator actuates the switch 22a, which causes the lamp 21 t-o light up over the winning unit only, and interrupts all electrical circuits to the start position; then the play will be repeated as referred to hereinbefore.

In this manner several units represent a competitive game device played by several contestants at one time, and a winner presented at every game. All the contestants have to do is to press .the push button switches 3 to '7 at a chosen point to stop the rotation of the wheels to 19. All units have identical sequences of cards 33 and wheels 15 to 21. A contestant cannot make his selection until several players have entered the game, and

the operator has release-d the card-select push button switches y62 simultaneously.

Since certain changes -may be made in the above ar- 4 ticle and different embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the following claim is intended to cover all of the generic and specic features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A mechanical card game apparatus comprising a plurality of rotary elements each having representations of game cards on its outer side, a single rotating member frictionally drivingly connected to all of said rotary elements, means for rotating said member, a circular row of protruding members provided on each rotary element, an arm pivoted in juxtaposition to each rotary element for engaging the protruding members on each rotary member so as to stop its rotation when the arm is in a predetermined position, resilient means tending to force said arms into a position in which they engage said protruding members, individual electro magnets connected to each of said arms respectively for overcoming the force of said resilient means when energized, player-operated means for individually de-energizing said electro magnets deliberately 'and instantaneously, and a timer adapted for individually fle-energizing said electro magnets at the expiration of a predetermined period of time without the operation of said player-operated deener1gizin1g means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 19,674 3/1935 Mills.

2,171,295 8/1939 Shultz 273-143 X 2,998,252 8/1961 St. Martin 273-143 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

A. W. KRAMER, Examiner.

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