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 the same quantity 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 a machine for shuffling multiple decks of playing cards including a first vertically extending magazine for holding a stack of unshuffled playing cards, and second and third vertically extending magazines each for holding a stack of cards, the second and third magazines being horizontally spaced from and adjacent to the first magazine. A first card mover is at the top of the first magazine for moving cards from the top of the stack of cards in the first magazine to the second and third magazines to cut the stack of unshuffled playing cards into two unshuffled stacks. Second and third card movers are at the top of the second and third magazines, respectively, for randomly moving cards from the top of the stack of cards in the second and third magazines, respectively, back to the first magazine, thereby interleaving the cards to form a vertically registered stack of shuffled cards in the first magazine.

Abstract: A blackjack strategy calculator 10 constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention provides an enclosure 20 sized to fit in the palm of the user. A preferred circuit having a power supply 70, output vibrator 80 and microcontroller 90 implements the functionality of two modes. A plus button 30, a minus button 40, an output button 50 and a mode button 60 allows the user to control the operation of the circuit. The microcontroller executes software defining two modes of operation, each mode having a card-counting algorithm providing information to the player to enable the player to make better decisions related to selecting an appropriate wage amount for a hand of blackjack or for playing progressive blackjack jackpot, respectively.

Abstract: An integrated blackjack game control system having multiple sensors and output devices, electronic signal processing equipment, passive and active operator control devices, and a computer system. The system components are capable of being installed on or near existing blackjack tables and support equipment, and to operate with standard playing cards. The system performs several simultaneous functions to accelerate the play of a game of blackjack, enhance the shuffling process, and perform continuous monitoring of key dealer and table performance attributes.

Abstract: In order to automatically arrange tiles of rectangular flat parallelepipeds having the front and the back which are put in disorder, these tiles are discharged one by one with their flat side down in a manner that the longitudinal direction of the tiles matches the predetermined direction. Then, it is judged whether the discharged tiles are turned with the front down or the back down. When the tiles have been judged not to be turned as desired, they are turned over while being carried; otherwise they are carried without being turned over. Finally the tiles are arranged in the predetermined conditions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a machine for shuffling multiple decks of playing cards including a first vertically extending magazine for holding a stack of unshuffled playing cards, and second and third vertically extending magazines each for holding a stack of cards, the second and third magazines being horizontally spaced from and adjacent to the first magazine. A first card mover is at the top of the first magazine for moving cards from the top of the stack of cards in the first magazine to the second and third magazines to cut the stack of unshuffled playing cards into two unshuffled stacks. Second and third card movers are at the top of the second and third magazines, respectively, for randomly moving cards from the top of the stack of cards in the second and third magazines, respectively, back to the first magazine, thereby interleaving the cards to form a vertically registered stack of shuffled cards in the first magazine.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a playing card dispensing shoe apparatus, system and method wherein the shoe has a card scanner which scans the indicia on a playing card as the card moves along and out of a chute of the shoe by operation of the dealer. The scanner comprises an optical-sensor used in combination with a neural network which is trained using error back-propagation to recognize the card suits and card values of the playing cards as they are moved past the scanner. The scanning process in combination with a central processing unit (CPU) determines the progress of the play of the game and, by identifying card counting systems or basic playing strategies in use by the players of the game, provides means to limit or prevent casino losses and calculate the Theoretical Win of the casino, thus also providing an accurate quality method of the amount of comps to be given a particular player.

Abstract: A playing card shuffler having an unshuffled stack holder which holds an infeed array of playing cards. One or more ejectors are mounted adjacent the unshuffled stack holder to eject cards from the infeed array at various random positions. Multiple ejectors are preferably mounted on a movable carriage. Extractors are advantageously used to assist in removing playing cards from the infeed array. Removal resistors are used to provide counteracting forces resisting displacement of cards, to thereby provide more selective ejection of cards from the infeed array.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for randomizing and verifying sets of playing cards. Also, the invention relates to a processing providing such an apparatus; feeding to the apparatus one or more cards either after they have been played in a game or from an unrandomized or unverified set of cards; and manually retrieving a verified true set of cards from the apparatus. Also, the invention relates to a process of playing in a casino setting or simulated casino setting, a card game comprising providing such an apparatus, feeding unverified sets of playing cards to the apparatus, and recovering verified true sets of cards from the apparatus.

Abstract: A game includes an arcuate shaped table which is provided with a croupier's station at or near a focal point of the table and a plurality of players' stations arranged around an outer periphery of the table; and two sets of playing cards, a first set for use by the croupier and a second set to be used by each player, the croupier's cards each having one side marked with a number from `1` to `25` and an opposite side having no indication of that number and each player's card having a number between `1` and `25` on both sides of the card.

Abstract: Apparatus for shuffling or handling cards including a chamber in which a main stack of cards are supported, a loading station for holding a secondary stack of cards, and card separating mechanism for separating cards at a series of positions along the main stack to allow the introduction of cards from the secondary stack into the main stack at those positions. The separating means grips cards at the series of positions along the stack and lifts those cards to define spaces in the main stack for introduction of cards from the secondary stack.

Abstract: For professional use in table games of chance with playing cards and gaming chips (jettons), in particular the game of "Black Jack", the to provide invention is to provide an automatically working apparatus which will register and evaluate all phases of the run of the game automatically.

Abstract: An apparatus for holding a plurality of shoes each of which contain a deck of playing cards. The apparatus includes a housing and a carousel rotatively mounted within the housing. The carousel has a plurality of shoe holding receptacles for holding the shoes. The shoe holding receptacles each include a shoe ejecting mechanism for ejecting the shoe contained in the receptacle after the carousel is rotated. Accordingly, a card dealer can deal the deck of cards contained in the ejected shoe without the need for shuffling the cards of the deck.

Abstract: A method and apparatus enable a game to be played based upon a plurality of cards. An automated dealing shoe dispenses each of the cards and recognizes each of the cards as each of the cards is dispensed. Player stations are also included. Each player station enables a player to enter a bet, request that a card be dispensed or not dispensed, and to convert each bet into a win or a loss based upon the cards which are dispensed by the automated dealing shoe.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a shoe of the type described wherein the shoe has a card scanner which scans indicia on a playing card as the card moves along and out of a chute by manual direction by the dealer in the normal fashion. The scanner can be one of several different types of devices which will sense each card as it is moved downwardly and out of the shoe. A feed forward neural-network which is trained using error back-propagation to recognize all possible card suits and card values sensed by the scanner. Such a neural-network becomes a part of a scanning system which provides a proper reading of the cards to determine the progress of the play of the game including how the game might suffer if the game players are allowed to count cards using a card count system and perform other acts which would limit the profit margin of the casino. The shoe of the present invention is also provided with additional devices which make it simple and easy to record data relevant to the play of the game.

Abstract: Playing cards from two unshuffled card stacks are interleaved or shuffled in random by propelling the cards in two intersecting trajectories and interleaving the cards into a single shuffled card collection at the intersection point of the trajectories. Two card holding bins receive the unshuffled card stacks of playing cards and preferably a random number of cards are removed at a time. The interleaved cards settle downward onto an elevator assembly to form the shuffled card collection.

Abstract: The present invention provides a machine for shuffling multiple decks of playing cards including a first vertically extending magazine for holding a stack of unshuffled playing cards, and second and third vertically extending magazines each for holding a stack of cards, the second and third magazines being horizontally spaced from and adjacent to the first magazine. A first card mover is at the top of the first magazine for moving cards from the top of the stack of cards in the first magazine to the second and third magazines to cut the stack of unshuffled playing cards into two unshuffled stacks. Second and third card movers are at the top of the second and third magazines, respectively, for randomly moving cards from the top of the stack of cards in the second and third magazines, respectively, back to the first magazine, thereby interleaving the cards to form a vertically registered stack of shuffled cards in the first magazine.

Abstract: A device and method are set forth for shuffling a stack of N cards. The stack is positioned at a cutting station where the card stack is cut into unequal portions (N/2)-A and (N/2)+A. The cards from each portion are then deposited in an interleaving fashion. The additional quantity of cards A of one of the portions is transported from proximate the center of the stack N to the top of the shuffled stack. Further cutting and interleaving randomly distributes the cards in the stack.

Abstract: A playing card holder and dispenser comprises a sleeve having a collar about the top end of the sleeve which is mounted to a playing card table with the collar resting on the top of the table and the rest of sleeve extending vertically beneath the top of the table and further comprises a card storage container having an over-sized top wall separated from a front wall to define an opening through which a playing card can be passed. A card support and pusher device is slidably disposed inside the container and comprises a card support member, a pair of elongate spring guides, a pair of springs, a spring support, and a pusher means stop member. A stack of playing cards are stacked on the card support member inside the storage container and are urged upward toward the top end of the storage container by the springs such that the top card is adjacent to and in alignment with an opening through which a user slides the top card.

Abstract: Apparatus for shuffling or handling cards including a chamber in which a main stack of cards are supported, a loading station for holding a secondary stack of cards, and card separating mechanism for separating cards at a series of positions along the main stack to allow the introduction of cards from the secondary stack into the main stack at those positions. The separating mechanism grips cards at the series of positions along the stack and lifts those cards to define spaces in the main stack for introduction of cards from the secondary stack.

Abstract: A playing card shuffler having an unshuffled stack holder which holds an infeed array of playing cards. One or more ejectors are mounted adjacent the unshuffled stack holder to eject cards from the infeed array at various random positions. Multiple ejectors are preferably mounted on a movable carriage. Extractors are advantageously used to assist in removing playing cards from the infeed array. Removal resistors are used to provide counteracting forces resisting displacement of cards, to thereby provide more selective ejection of cards from the infeed array.

Abstract: A module for announcing when a Dealer has blackjack without exposing the face of the Dealer's down-card. The module scans a character from the Dealer's face-down standard playing card, compares the result of the scan with a set of references, and identifies the down-card. The module also receives input from the Dealer as to the identity of the Dealer's up-card, and announces whether the Dealer has blackjack or the hand continues. The module is designed to be mounted to a blackjack table such that the surface of the module on which the standard playing card rests while being scanned is in the plane of the surface of the blackjack table, allowing the Dealer to slide the down-card across the table and onto the scanner without lifting, and potentially exposing, the card's face. The module also removes the noise generated by a casino's heat, dust, cigarette and cigar ashes, and lint from the felt of the blackjack table, during the scanning process.

Abstract: Playing card shufflers having unshuffled stack holders which hold infeed arrays of playing cards. Ejectors are mounted adjacent an unshuffled stack holder, which can be stationary or movable. Cards are ejected and discharged from the infeed array at various random positions. The ejectors can be mounted on a movable carriage. Extractors are advantageously used to assist in removing playing cards from the infeed array. Removal resistors are used to provide counteracting forces resisting displacement of cards, to thereby provide more selective ejection of cards from the infeed array. One embodiment mounts over the edge of a card table.

Abstract: A card shuffler apparatus operative to combine a plurality of stacks of unshuffled cards into a single stack of shuffled cards. The card shuffler apparatus includes a card feeder compartment, a card receiver compartment, a deflector structure and a card ejector mechanism. The card ejector mechanism is operative to eject at least a single card in each stack of unshuffled cards disposed in the card feeder compartment into the deflector structure. Ejected ones of the cards mix in the card deflector structure and deflect into the card receiver compartment thereby forming the single stack of shuffled cards. Also, a method for combining a plurality of stacks of unshuffled cards into a single stack of shuffled cards is described.

Abstract: A card shuffler apparatus is adapted to be placed on a horizontal support surface and is operative to combine a plurality of stacks of unshuffled cards into a single stack of shuffled cards. Each stack of unshuffled cards has at least two cards. The card shuffler apparatus includes a card feeder compartment, a card receiver compartment, a deflector structure and a card ejector mechanism. The card feeder compartment is sized to accommodate the plurality of stacks of unshuffled cards in a juxtaposed relationship. The card receiver compartment is sized to accommodate the single stack of shuffled cards and is disposed below the card feeder compartment. The deflector structure defines a chute which is disposed between and in communication with the card feeder compartment and the card receiver compartment. The card ejector mechanism is associated with the card feeder compartment and is operative to eject at least a single card in each stack of unshuffled cards disposed in the card feeder compartment into the chute.

Abstract: A playing card shuffler and dispenser has a housing and a storage container for a stack of shuffled playing cards arranged in the housing, the storage container defining an output opening for consecutively discharging a single one of the playing cards from the stack. A playing card shuffling container for a stack of playing cards to be shuffled is arranged in the housing adjacent the storage container and is movable parallel and relative thereto between two end positions, the housing defining an input opening for feeding the playing cards to be shuffled into the shuffling container in one of the end positions thereof. The shuffling container is moved by a randomly operable drive between the end positions. A playing card ejector pushes a respective one of the playing cards to be shuffled from the shuffling container into the storage container, and a randomly operable drive operates the ejector.

Abstract: A system which uses a specially coded deck of cards indicating the value and suit of the card or a value related to the count of the card as well as whether the card belongs to a particular set of cards senses the code on the card and sends the detected signal to a processor. The processor determines a running count, a betting count, a true count or other information related to the profitability of a particular wager or particular action, such as an insurance bet as well as an indication of whether the card belongs to the particular set of cards assigned to the table. The counts are displayed centrally and/or remotely from the shoe which dispenses the cards. The electronics for the system may be internally included as part of the shoe or externally included as a separate unit in which the shoe is secured.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for shuffling playing cards. The device s two shuffling card compartments which can each be placed in a first position and in a second position, and a delivery compartment; gripping rollers carry the playing cards from the shuffling compartment located in the first position to the shuffling compartment located in the second position. Gripping rollers also carry the playing cards from the card compartment located in the first position to the delivery compartment. A microprocessor activates the gripping rollers as determined by an algorithm. Motor driven discs feed the playing cards for shuffling to one of the shuffling compartments. The shuffling operations to be performed by the dealer are time-consuming, which is all the more important as the game has to be stopped during shuffling, so that a relatively large part of the available playing time at a gaming table has to be spent on shuffling, which of course has an adverse affect on the obtainable turnover at the table.

Abstract: A device for shuffling playing cards is described as having a substantially rectangular enclosure with a width that is greater than the length of the playing cards to be shuffled and a height that is less than the width of the playing cards to prevent any of the cards from turning upside down. The length of the enclosure is greater than three times the length of the playing cards to provide room for cutting the cards. Two smaller partitions are placed inside the enclosure at opposite sides to impede the side to side motion of some of the playing cards when the card shuffler is shaken from side to side. The cards whose motion has been impeded settle into various random planar alignments relative to other cards, similar to a "cutting" of the cards. Repeated shaking of the card shuffler intermingles the cards and achieves an effective shuffling action.

Abstract: The present invention provides a floating jammed shuffle detector for use in a card shuffling machine. The detector has a body with a card contacting portion and a sensor interactive portion. A detector housing and a photosensor are provided. The sensor interactive portion has an aperture of a predetermined size. The detector, particularly the body, is reciprocally mounted in the housing, whereby the card contacting portion of the detector contacts the uppermost card of a deck of cards and the sensor interactive portion is received in the photosensor. Depending on the sensed position of the card contacting portion of the detector, the machine receives a reshuffle or proceed command.

Abstract: An automatic card shuffling machine including a dealing module and a display module. The machine has a microprocessor and a deck-receiving shuffling station into which a deck of cards is deposited initially. A carriage mechanism separates the deck into two deck portions, rotates the two portions to a relative angular relationship with a corner of each in close proximity, riffles the portions, and combines them into a single shuffled deck. A shuffled deck delivery system delivers the shuffled deck to the dealing module which moves a predetermined number of cards, one at a time, into a hand holding shoe. The display module displays game information to players. The machine is particularly well-suited for playing pai gow poker.

Abstract: Apparatus for randomly cutting a deck of cards. The apparatus supports the deck of cards in stacked registration and slides the cards in a common direction to offset or "shingle" the cards in the deck. A probe is moved into the offset zone of the shingled deck and is caused to stop at a randomly selected location in the zone. Means is provided for moving the shingled deck relative to the probe to engage the leading edge of the probe with a card to separate the card from a contiguous card and randomly cut the deck into a sub-deck on one side of the probe and a sub-deck on the other side of the probe. The cut is preferably made in the range of cards 20-32 in a 52 card deck.

Abstract: A card dispenser (32) comprising a body (33) having a compartment (38) for accommodating a stack of cards (39) and at least one outlet (43) through which cards (39) accommodated in the compartment (38) can be dispensed, transporting mechanism (41) provided in the body (33) and arranged to transport a card (39) from the said stack so accommodated towards the said or one of the said at least one outlet (43), and a random device (47) arranged to cause the or some of the cards (39) to be dispensed one by one to a plurality of locations in a random manner.

Abstract: Playing cards are supplied into play at a playing area while a card game is in progress and whenever required by the rules of the card game and only for immediate use by players by successively generating signals representing indicia designating respective single, individual playing card values randomly drawn from a series of stored playing card values while the game is in progress, feeding the signals to a card stock printer at the playing area and immediately delivering single, leading printed playing cards successively, one-by-one into play. A gaming table has a part circular playing top area with a dealing station having a chip tray located adjacent the center and a series of circumferentially arranged betting stations. A printer and a card stock store are mounted on an undersurface of the table adjacent the dealing station and the card delivery means includes a card delivery slot extending through the table to the playing area.

Abstract: A card dealing case comprises an open-topped deck receiving housing and a sleeve form cover completely receiving the housing in a closed condition. The housing has a ramp surface adjacent a rim of the open top across which uppermost cards can be dealt, leading edges first, one-by-one by forward and downward pressure of a dealers finger. Releasable catch members are formed on the cover and housing to lock the housing containing the cards completely within the cover. In another example, the dealing opening in the top of the housing is of restricted size so that the identity of the uppermost card is concealed until dealt and a resiliently compressible foam pad is interposed in the housing between the bottom of the deck and the base wall to bias the deck towards the top of the housing, thereby maintaining the uppermost card aligned with the ramp surface after some cards have been dealt, irrespective of the height of the remaining deck.

Abstract: The present invention is concerned with providing a game that mechanically dispenses additional cards to a player in a dramatic manner. Card play initially determines whether a player may have to operate the dispenser. However, a chance element in operation of the device may still permit the player to escape receiving any additional cards. Depression of a button in accordance with card play, indexes a disc having variously spaced apart detents for actuating a battery motor driven eccentric wheel that expels the cards from a reservoir.

Abstract: A card deck shuffling device has a chute for receiving and guiding a deck of cards. The chute has an upper chamber and a lower chamber divided by a gate mechanism. The gate mechanism is moveable between closed, partially open and completely open positions. In the closed position the gate supports all of the cards in the upper chamber and blocks their passage into the lower chamber. In the partially opened position the gate blocks passage of a first portion of the cards while permitting the remainder of the cards to pass into the lower chamber. In the fully opened position the gate allows the first portion of the deck of cards to fall onto the cards in the lower chamber to intermingle with those cards to form a rearranged deck. The lower chamber can contain an agitator for agitating the cards to promote intermingling. The card deck shuffling device has a return mechanism for returning the rearranged deck back to the upper chamber.

Abstract: Method and appratus for automatically shuffling, cutting and delivering shuffled playing cards to a shoe without interfering with dispensing of playing cards from the shoe. The transparent covers, together with the design of the mechanism, permits observation by the players of the playing cards at all times throughout the shuffling, cutting and card delivery operations. The cards are randomly mixed by separation and subsequent merger. Cards are automatically fed to the shuffling mechanism by a drive motor. Cards are delivered to the card dealing shoe by an advancing member. A separation paddle acts as a barrier between the playing cards already in the shoe and the playing cards being delivered to the shoe. Upon completion of the delivery operation, the paddle is removed and placed at the end of the stack of cards. A jogging mechanism assures uniform stacking of the playing cards. The shuffling, stacking and jogging operations do not conflict with the dispensing of playing cards from the shoe.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for detecting malfunctions in an automatic card shuffler device of the type which randomly extracts cards from two or more storage wells. Detection is accomplished by sensing the failure of a card to be extracted for a storage well and counting the number of successive failures from each storage well. When the number of successive extraction failures associated with any one storage well reaches a predetermined value, an alarm is activated.

Abstract: The device comprises a box receiving the deck of cards to be dealt, upon which a cover presses. Rollers, driven in rotation by a motor reduction unit ensures partial exit of the lower card of the stack to a slot in the device whereas optical reading means read a value code marked on the card. When the value of the card read comes close to the information contained in the memory relative to the deal being made, a visual display device indicates to which player the card pushed out of the deck and partially protruding should be dealt.

Abstract: A card table for playing the game of bridge in which hard spherical elements are substituted for the ordinary plastic or cardboard playing cards. A set of fifty-two spherical elements have replicated thereon indicia of an ordinary deck of playing cards. The spherical elements are deployed within a shuffling and dispersing assembly which distributes the elements to each player. The table is equipped with holding trays to hold both the spherical elements in each player's hand; and the spherical elements as they are played out during the course of a game.

Abstract: A computerized card shuffling machine having major portions of transparent wall making cards being shuffled at all times viewable externally, including an input shoe for holding cards to be shuffled and to be fed to a revolving wheel having a plurality of receiving positions, and including an output shoe receivable of cards fed from the plurality, mechanism for randomly matching ones individually of the plurality with the input shoe during an input cycle and with the output shoe during an output cycle, mechanism for feeding cards from the input shoe to matched ones of the plurality and from ones of the plurality to the output shoe, mechanism for selecting for any single cycle how many of the plurality shall be utilized and in what matching order, and the mechanism being for a random selection within predetermined limits, the plurality being sixteen positions inclusive of at-least one sixteen-position matching sequence of 3-4-6-3, and a matching timer mechanism inclusive of a light beam producing photoelectric

Abstract: Discloses an apparatus automatically shuffling a deck of cards. The device includes a deck stacking zone, a carriage section for separating the deck into two portions, a sloped mechanism for disposition between adjacent corners of the deck and apparatus for snapping the cards over the sloped mechanism, thereby interleafing the cards. Push members are provided to slide the interleafed deck portions into a single stack. Mechanism is also present for transporting the shuffled deck into a dealing shoe.

Abstract: A card shuffler has a plurality of vertically stacked mixing pockets for holding cards. A first vertically traveling elevator holding cards to be shuffled distributes cards one at a time in sequence to the mixing pockets in accordance with a first distribution schedule. A second vertically traveling elevator on the opposite side of the mixing pockets from the first elevator picks up all of the cards from each mixing pocket one mixing pocket at a time in sequence according to a second distribution schedule. Cards from the second elevator are transferred to an output reservoir for use by a dealer.

Abstract: A dispenser for playing cards includes a shoe adapted to contain stacked playing cards and dispense a single card at a time. The shoe includes a front wall adapted to conceal the leading card of the stack. A slot sized to permit a playing card to pass through is positioned adjacent the floor and front wall. The dispenser also includes a card pusher adapted to urge the stack cards down an inclined floor and a contact roller for dispensing cards. An endless belt located in an opening in the front wall engages the contact roller. The belt also securely engages a pair of inner rollers spaced by a predetermined distance such that displacement of the belt by the operator through the predetermined distance causes rotation of the contact roller to advance the leading card into and substantially out of the slot. The predetermined distance is preferably selected to approximate the distance which operators are accustomed to move the leading card when dealing the leading card from a manual shoe.

Abstract: A card apparatus having a card hopper adapted to hold from one to at least 104 cards, a card carousel having slots for holding cards, an injector for sequentially loading cards from the hopper into the carousel, output ports, ejectors for delivering cards from the carousel to any one of the output ports, and a control board and sensors, all housed in a housing. The apparatus is also capable of communicating with selectors which are adjustable for making card selections. The injector has three rollers driven by a motor via a worm gear. A spring loaded lever keeps cards in the hopper pressed against the first roller. The ejectors are pivotally mounted to the base of the housing beneath the carousel and comprise a roller driven by a motor via gears and a centripetal clutch. A control board keeps track of the identity of cards in each slot, card selections, and the carousel position. Cards may be ordinary playing cards or other cards with bar codes added for card identification by the apparatus.

Abstract: A Monte Verde card dispenser of shoe is provided that simulates a card shoe containing a playing card deck or near infinite length. The card dispenser includes a rotary carousel containing a plurality of card carrying compartments around the periphery thereof. The cards area injected with the carousel from the input hopper and ejected from the carousel into an output hopper for use by the dealer.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the continous shuffling of discarded playing cards is disclosed which greatly reduces the dead time caused by the casino dealer having to manually shuffle four to six decks of playing cards, in addition, to virtually eliminating a participant from using the technique known as card counting while playing the game of blackjack. The shuffling apparatus continuously intermixes the discarded playing cards into the undealt decks during game play under the program control of a computer. An addressable storage device, i.e., a carousel, for storing the shuffled playing cards in radially arranged spaces during game play is provided. The computer generates random card selection from the spaces of the storage device for replenishing dealing shoe storage on a one-for-one basis and generates random selection of empty spaces in the storage device for generating the shuffling sequence in inserting discarded playing cards therein.

Abstract: Playing cards are marked with binary codes adjacent both side edges of the face of each card in a standard deck. The code includes a precode which signals a card reader to read the code in proper bit sequence depending on the direction of card movement past the reader. The binary code includes six bits to represent face value and suit of the card, and a four-bit error detection code which can detect errors of two bits in the code.A deck of coded cards is dealt either manually or automatically according to at least one predetermined program. The coded cards are passed over photocells which read the binary codes on the face of the card. The photocell outputs are sent to a microprocessor, which compares the code to the predetermined program and directs the card to the appropriate player location.

Abstract: A pai (tile) arranging apparatus for an automatic playing table for a game known by the trademark Mah-Jongg, which includes a hopper provided in the playing table, a mixing unit which includes a turntable provided in the hopper, an orientation control unit for controlling orientations of plural pais (tiles), a transferring unit for transferring the tiles, an orientation detecting unit for detecting the orientations of the tiles, and an orientation correcting unit which is operative in response to a detecting signal of the orientation correcting unit.