Including Distributor Patents (Class 473/89)
  • Publication number: 20100197418
    Abstract: A pin setter applied to a bowling game machine in which a player rolling a ball toward a plurality of pins arranged in a standing manner on a lane thereby to knock down the plurality of pins. The pin setter that arranges the pins at predetermined positions includes a pin lifter that lifts the pin in a standing state up to the lane, a pin guide that keeps the pin lifted on the lane from falling down, and an evacuation mechanism that evacuates the pin guide from the lane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicant: C-DIC CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yoshitsugu Uto
  • Patent number: 7686698
    Abstract: A bowling pin storage bin assembly for use as part of a bowling pin delivery system of a pinspotter apparatus, as well as a method of manufacturing such bin. The storage bin is molded as a one-piece article having a plurality of cavities or pockets for storing bowling pins in an essentially horizontal plane above a pin spotter and for delivering the pins to a plurality of pin cups or a pin spotter for spotting on a pin deck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: QUBICAAMF Worldwide LLC
    Inventors: Samuel R. Namala, LeRoy T. Warren, Jr., Charles A. Lee, Paul Becker
  • Patent number: 7591732
    Abstract: An electromechanical pin setter including a hydraulic drive component. The present invention includes a deck assembly holds pins in deck chutes and reciprocates vertically to spot and re-spot pins on a pin setting location on a bowling lane, a rake mechanism removes pins from the bowling lane, a pit conveyor moves pins and a bowling ball toward a pin elevator, the pin elevator in a pit area lifts pins to a cross conveyor, the cross conveyor delivers pins to a turret, the turret distributes pins to the deck chutes, and a ball elevator to lift the bowling ball to a ball return track. A hydraulic drive component having at least one of a fluid motor and a fluid drive cylinder controls an operation of at least one of the deck assembly, the rake mechanism, the pit conveyor, the pin elevator, the cross conveyor, the turret, and the ball elevator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Speigl Bowling Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Philip Bernard Speigl
  • Patent number: 5439418
    Abstract: A bowling pin storage device includes a one piece three dimensional molded magazine or bin having a plurality of elongated pockets for storing bowling pins in an essentially horizontal plane above a pin spotter. Each of the elongated cavities define a bowling pin shaped opening in the bottom thereof and include a shoulder portion for supporting the head of a bowling pin. The device also includes a plurality of movable wing like support elements for supporting the base or lower portion of bowling pins. The support elements hold or retain the pins within the storage bin when in a first position and when in a second position release the pins to fall downwardly to a pin spotting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 8, 1995
    Assignee: AMF Bowling, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael W. Stephens
  • Patent number: 5391116
    Abstract: An improved guide finger 18 is provided to simplify the installation of guide fingers in pinsetters 10 used in bowling centers, having a mounting plate 24 and a guide plate 26, with the mounting plate having a plurality of mounting apertures 30 equipped with hexagonal sockets 32 for receiving the head of a machine bolt, the mounting aperture 30 is provided with a metal insert 38 and the guide finger 18 is preferably made of nylon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Brunswick Bowling & Billiards
    Inventors: Roy A. Burkholder, Ted Brim