Abstract: A card-feeding device for feeding cards into a card-handling device is disclosed. Examples of card-handling devices include shufflers, card sorters, card delivery devices and card verification devices. The device includes a card infeed area that supports a stack of cards. The card infeed area has a card support surface. Included in the device is a card-removing system that removes cards individually from the bottom of the stack. A pivoting arm presses against a card at the top of the stack. At least one sensor is provided that detects at least one of a position of the arm and a presence of a card in the card infeed area. A method of shuffling cards is also disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing cards to be shuffled into a card infeed area as a stack with a top and bottom and removing cards one at a time from the bottom of the stack and moving the removed cards to a shuffling zone. Cards are then shuffled.

Abstract: A playing card handling device comprises a card storing area that supports a stack of playing cards, the card storing area having a playing card support surface. A card removing system removes playing cards individually from the bottom of the stack. A pivoting arm is automatically moved by a motor between at least two positions, wherein in a first position the end of the arm opposite a pivot is disengaged from a playing card at the top of the stack and in a second position the end of the arm is engaged with a playing card at the top of the stack. A processor in the playing card handling device directs movement of the pivoting arm between at least the first and second positions when a predetermined number of cards is present in the card storing area. Methods of card handling include employing the use of such a pivotal arm.

Abstract: A playing card handling device is disclosed. The device includes a first side and a second opposite side. Components of the device include a card infeed tray, a card output tray and a card handling zone. The card infeed tray and card output tray are on the same first side of the device and an upper surface of the card infeed tray and an upper surface of the card output tray are in the same plane. Card handling devices of the present invention also include a touch screen display, as well as a movable card gate.

Abstract: A card-feeding device for feeding cards into a card-handling device is disclosed. Examples of card-handling devices include shufflers, card sorters, card delivery devices and card verification devices. The device includes a card infeed area that supports a stack of cards. The card infeed area has a card support surface. Included in the device is a card-removing system that removes cards individually from the bottom of the stack. A pivoting arm presses against a card at the top of the stack. At least one sensor is provided that detects at least one of a position of the arm and a presence of a card in the card infeed area. A method of shuffling cards is also disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing cards to be shuffled into a card infeed area as a stack with a top and bottom and removing cards one at a time from the bottom of the stack and moving the removed cards to a shuffling zone. Cards are then shuffled.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into plural hands of cards, wherein each of the hands contains a random arrangement of cards. The apparatus may comprise a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack, and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanism and the elevator so that an individual card is moved into an identified compartment. The number of compartments receiving cards and the number of cards moved to each compartment may be selected.

Abstract: Card-handling devices include a card-holding area and a card output shoe. The card output shoe includes a card-way for passage of cards from the card-holding area into a dealing-ready area. A movable gate is positioned between the card-way and the dealing-ready area to prevent cards in the dealing-ready area from re-entering the card-way. Card shufflers include a gate mounted to allow movement of randomized groups of cards from card-receiving compartments to proximate a terminal end plate of a card output shoe and to block movement of cards in an opposite direction. In related methods of moving cards, card movement through the card-way to the dealing-ready position is allowed by a movable gate and card movement from the dealing-ready position into the card-way is prevented by the movable gate.

Abstract: Automatic card shufflers include a card input mechanism for inputting cards into the card shuffler, a card storage device for receiving cards from the card input mechanism and temporarily storing cards within the card shuffler, and a card output mechanism for outputting shuffled cards from the card shuffler. The card storage device may include a movable rack configured to move vertically within the card shuffler. The movable rack may have a plurality of card storage compartments therein, each of which may be sized and configured to hold two cards therein. The card output mechanism includes a movable ejector configured to simultaneously eject cards out from two or more card storage compartments of the movable rack. Related methods include methods of fabricating such card shufflers, and methods of using such card shufflers.

Abstract: A playing card handling device comprises a card storing area that supports a stack of playing cards, the card storing area having a playing card support surface. A card removing system is provided that removes playing cards individually from the bottom of the stack. A pivoting arm is automatically moved by a motor between at least two positions, wherein in a first position the end of the arm opposite a pivot is disengaged from a playing card at the top of the stack and in a second position the end of the min is engaged with a playing card at the top of the stack. A processor in the playing card handling device directs movement of the pivoting arm between at least a first and second position when information is known to the processor that a predetermined number of cards is present in the card storing area of the card handling device. Methods of card handling employing the use of a pivotal arm are also disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into plural hands of cards, wherein each of the hands contains a random arrangement of cards. The apparatus may comprise a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack, and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanism and the elevator so that an individual card is moved into an identified compartment. The number of compartments receiving cards and the number of cards moved to each compartment may be selected.

Abstract: A card-feeding device for feeding cards into a card-handling device is disclosed. Examples of card-handling devices include shufflers, card sorters, card delivery devices and card verification devices. The device includes a card infeed area that supports a stack of cards. The card infeed area has a card support surface. Included in the device is a card-removing system that removes cards individually from the bottom of the stack. A pivoting arm presses against a card at the top of the stack. At least one sensor is provided that detects at least one of a position of the arm and a presence of a card in the card infeed area. A method of shuffling cards is also disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing cards to be shuffled into a card infeed area as a stack with a top and bottom and removing cards one at a time from the bottom of the stack and moving the removed cards to a shuffling zone. Cards are then shuffled.

Abstract: A playing card handling device is disclosed. The device includes a first side and a second opposite side. Components of the device include a card infeed tray, a card output tray and a card handling zone. The card infeed tray and card output tray are on the same first side of the device and an upper surface of the card infeed tray and an upper surface of the card output tray are in the same plane. Card handling devices of the present invention also include a touch screen display, as well as a movable card gate.

Abstract: Card-handling devices include a card-holding area and a card output shoe. The card output shoe includes a card-way for passage of cards from the card-holding area into a dealing-ready area. A movable gate is positioned between the card-way and the dealing-ready area to prevent cards in the dealing-ready area from re-entering the card-way. Card shufflers include a gate mounted to allow movement of randomized groups of cards from card-receiving compartments to proximate a terminal end plate of a card output shoe and to block movement of cards in an opposite direction. In related methods of moving cards, card movement through the card-way to the dealing-ready position is allowed by a movable gate and card movement from the dealing-ready position into the card-way is prevented by the movable gate.

Abstract: A card verification station moves and reads suit and rank of individual cards. The cards are provided to a card in-feed area and moved individually to a card collection area. A device may comprise: a) a card in-feed area with card-moving elements that move only a bottom card from a set of cards in the card in-feed area; b) a card collection area that receives cards from the card in-feed area in the same order as cards are received in the card in-feed area; c) an image capture device that captures data from a card while the card is between the card in-feed area and the card collection area; d) a processor capable of controlling the operation of the card verification station; and e) an elevator that lowers to maintain a level at which cards are received in the card collection area. A method of verifying a group of playing cards is also disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into plural hands of cards, wherein each of the hands contains a random arrangement of cards. The apparatus may comprise a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack, and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanism and the elevator so that an individual card is moved into an identified compartment. The number of compartments receiving cards and the number of cards moved to each compartment may be selected.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into a second group of cards, wherein the second group of cards is randomly arranged or shuffled. The apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack for moving cards one at a time into a selected one of the compartments, another card-moving mechanism for moving cards from one of the compartments to a second card receiver and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanisms and the elevator. A count of cards within specified areas of the card-handling system is maintained and card handling is halted and all cards counted by adding a count of all cards not within the specified areas to the total of cards counted within the specified areas.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into plural hands of cards, wherein each of the hands contains a random arrangement of cards. The apparatus may comprise a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack, and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanism and the elevator so that an individual card is moved into an identified compartment. The number of compartments receiving cards and the number of cards moved to each compartment may be selected.

Abstract: A playing card handling device is disclosed, comprising a card storing area that supports a stack of playing cards, the storing area having a playing card support surface. A card removing system is provided that removes playing cards individually from the bottom of the stack. A pivoting arm is automatically moved by a motor between at least two positions, wherein in a first position the end of the arm opposite a pivot is disengaged from a playing card at the top of the stack and in a second position the end of the arm is engaged with a playing card at the top of the stack. A processor in the playing card handling device directs movement of the pivoting arm between at least a first and second position when information is known to the processor that a predetermined number of cards is present in the card storing area of the card handling device. Methods of card handling employing the use of a pivotal arm are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into plural hands of cards, wherein each of the hands contains a random arrangement of cards. The apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack, and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanism and the elevator so that an individual card is moved into an identified compartment. The number of compartments receiving cards and the number of cards moved to each compartment may be selected.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into a second group of cards, wherein the second group of cards is randomly arranged or shuffled. The apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack for moving cards one at a time into a selected one of the compartments, another card moving mechanism for moving cards from one of the compartments to a second card receiver and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanisms and the elevator. A count of cards within specified areas of the card handling system is maintained and card handling is halted and all cards counted by adding a count of all cards not within the specified areas to the total of cards counted within the specified areas.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for moving playing cards from a first group of cards into a second group of cards, wherein the second group of cards is randomly arranged or shuffled. The apparatus comprises a card receiver for receiving the first group of cards, a single stack of card-receiving compartments generally adjacent to the card receiver, the stack generally vertically movable, an elevator for moving the stack, a card-moving mechanism between the card receiver and the stack for moving cards one at a time into a selected one of the compartments, another card moving mechanism for moving cards from one of the compartments to a second card receiver and a microprocessor that controls the card-moving mechanisms and the elevator. A count of cards within specified areas of the card handling system is maintained and card handling is halted and all cards counted by adding a count of all cards not within the specified areas to the total of cards counted within the specified areas.