Patents by Inventor Bobby R. Beene

Bobby R. Beene has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Bumper system for a bowling alley
    Patent number: 5857918
    Abstract: A bowling alley bumper system which can be used for conventional bowling and for bumper bowling includes a bumper on each side of the alley. These bumpers are movable between an extended positioned to prevent a bowling ball from falling into a gutter and a retracted position for ordinary bowling. The system also includes a plurality of air cylinders and an electrical actuator for moving the bumpers between the two positions. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a computer which is included in an automatic scorer, automatically raises and lowers the bumpers before and after an individual bowler who elects bumper bowling and at the same time elects to bowl with regular bowlers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1999
    Assignee: AMF Bowling, Inc.
    Inventor: Bobby R. Beene
  • Arcuate gutter displacement for bumper bowling
    Patent number: 5415591
    Abstract: An improved bowling alley bumper system for selectively guarding against the throwing of gutter balls. Comprising the system is a gutter formed of transversely divided elongated sections of which at least one is pivotally displaceable by underside actuator apparatus from a first position cooperating with the remaining section to form a conventional unguarded gutter to a second position extending above the adjacent lane bed to afford a bumper bowling effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Inventor: Bobby R. Beene
  • Bowling alley bumper system
    Patent number: 5207422
    Abstract: An improved bowling alley bumper system for selectively guarding against the throwing of gutter balls. An elongated guard is supported alongside the gutter and can be pivotally retracted or extended between a first position in which the gutter is exposed and unguarded and a second position in which gutter entry by a bowling ball is precluded by constructing the predominant portion of the system of prefabricated modular sections of relatively lightweight component parts, they can be longitudinally positioned end-to-end enabling significant cost savings to be realized for both fabrication and installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 4, 1993
    Inventor: Bobby R. Beene
  • Bowling alley bumper system
    Patent number: 4900024
    Abstract: A bowling alley bumper system in which an elongated bumper is mounted alongside and parallel to each alley gutter, and in which there are provided movable supports that permit the extension of the bumpers to guard the gutters when guarding is desired and retraction of the bumpers to expose the gutters when normal alley operation is desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 13, 1990
    Inventors: John Chandler, Bobby R. Beene