Automatic game block shuffling, aligning and table top arraying machine

[57] ABSTRACT

An automatic shuffling, aligning and arraying mechanical device employing mah-jongg blocks and other game blocks having the same shape as mah-jongg blocks but used for other games.

The device comprises the following mechanisms:

1. a game block thrown-in mechanism incorporated in the game table;

2. an orientation mechanism for receiving the thrown-in game blocks, shuffling them, and bringing them into a uniform attitude as to the longitudinal, lateral, as well as headtail directions;

3. an aligning mechanism for aligning oriented game blocks in units of predetermined numbers in a unified attitude;

4. an arraying mechanism for arraying the aligned game blocks under the table into the formation identical or similar to the formation suited to start a game; and

5. a mounting mechanism for lifting the arrayed game blocks and mounting them on the table in the formation for a game.

Two sets of discriminating game blocks are employed, of which one set is held in readiness arrayed underneath the table while the other set is being used in a game over the table. As soon as the game is completed the set of game blocks that completed the game are thrown into the space underneath the table, and then, the set of game blocks having been held in readiness are lifted and mounted on the table for immediate game commencement.

Claims, 109 Drawing Figures

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PATENTED AUG 121975

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PATENTED AUG ί 21975

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PATENTED *UG121975

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PATENTED AUG ΐ 21975

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PATENTED AUG 121975

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PATENTED AUG 121975

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PATENTED AUG12f975

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AUTOMATIC GAME BLOCK SHUFFLING, ALIGNING AND TABLE TOP ARRAYING

MACHINE

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

The present invention relates to a machine for automatically shuffling and aligning the blocks (cuboids each of which carrying on one face a mark or design characteristic of a specific game) used in Mah-Jongg games or other indoor card games and finally arraying them on a game table.

In order to carry on games that utilize blocks, it is required that each time a game is over, the blocks are shuffled, aligned and arrayed (in the case of a game that uses cards, cards are shuffled and stacked), and one of the objects of the present invention is to perform these functions automatically.

Another object of the present invention is to enable two sets of blocks to be used in such a manner that while one set is used for a game being carried on over the table, the other set is kept in an arrayed formation suitable for the next game underneath the table, ready for use, so that as soon as the game on the table is over, the stand-by blocks can be raised and mounted on the table and the next game can be immediately started. With a machine according to the present invention, these blocks are all arrayed on the table with those faces which carry marks or designs down, at the time of game initiation.

Said arrayal formation of blocks on the table is a square formation in which each side is made up of two rows of 17 each blocks, in the case of a mahjong game, and in the case of a card game, it is a square formation in which each side is made up of 14 each blocks (one of the four sides is made up of 11 blocks).

In another card game mode, the blocks are arrayed in a square formation in which each side is made up of 13 blocks (one of the four sides is made of 14 blocks).

As soon as a game is over, the blocks are thrown underneath the table, and are automatically re-arrayed in the above formation to be used again when the game going on over the table will be over.

A machine according to the present invention is incorporated in a game table.

A machine according to the present invention is usable not only for Mah-Jongg games and card games, but also for any games in which cuboids, each of which carries a mark or a design for these games on one of the faces, are used.

A machine according to the present invention performs its shuffling and arraying motion reliably so that any possibility of its being used for dishonest advantages of a specific one or more game players is completely eliminated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:

A machine made in accordance with the present invention for automatically shuffling and aligning blocks for Mah-Jongg or other indoor card games and arraying them on a table consists of the following elementary mechanisms:

1. Throw-in mechanism

A mechanism for throwing the blocks underneath the table upon completion of a game.

2. Block orientation mechanism

A mechanism for accepting the thrown-in blocks, for shuffling them, for orienting them uniformly in re spect to their topbottom and head-tail direction and for sending them out to the subsequent mechanisms.

3. Aligning mechanism

A mechanism for aligning the oriented blocks in units consisting of predetermined number of blocks, in a predetermined posture. (For mahjong games, there are two versions of this mechanism, namely, in one, all blocks are aligned with their longitudinal axis upright in two rows, each two oppositely positioned blocks making up a unit, and in the other, all blocks are aligned with their longitudinal axis horizontal, in two courses, each two blocks stacked one above the other making up a unit.) (For card games, there are two versions of this mechanism, namely, in one, all blocks are aligned with their longitudinal axis upright, in one row, each block making up a unit, and in the other, all blocks are aligned with their longitudinal axis horizontal, in one course, each block making up a unit.)

4. Arraying mechanism

A mechanism for transporting the aligned blocks, unit by unit, and arraying them in such a formation as is identical or nearly identical to the one in which the intended game is started, underneath the table.

(For Mah-Jongg games, those blocks which have been aligned in two parallel rows, with each opposing two making a unit, are arrayed in a square formation in which each side consists of two rows of 17 blocks, and those blocks which have been aligned in two courses, with each stacked two making a unit, are arrayed in a square formation, in which each side is made up of two courses of 17 blocks.) (For card games, those blocks which have been aligned in one row, with each block making up a unit, are arrayed in a square formation in which each side consists of one row of 13 blocks, or one row of 14 blocks, and those blocks which have been aligned in one course, with each block making up a unit, are arrayed in a square formation in which each side consists of one course of 13 blocks or of one course of 14 blocks.) Because normally in a card game, 53 blocks are used, if the blocks are arrayed in a square formation with each side containing 13 blocks, one of the four sides will contain 14 blocks, and if the blocks are arrayed in a square formation with each side containing 14 blocks, one of the four sides will contain 11 blocks. If in an exceptional case, 52 blocks are used in a game, they can be arrayed in a square formation in which each side equally contains 13 blocks.)

5. Mounting mechanism

A mechanism for mounting the blocks that have been arrayed by the arraying mechanism, over the table, after completion of a game being played with another set of blocks on the table. (Those blocks arrayed in single or double rows with their longitudinal axes upright are turned through 90° during their lifting process, and are arrayed on the table with their longitudinal axes lying horizontally.)

The machines bases on the present invention are primarily classified into the following six modes:

1. Those machines to be used for Mah-Jongg games in which the aligning mechanism aligns the blocks in two rows, the arraying mechanism arrays the blocks in a square formation of which one side consists of two rows of 17 blocks under the table, and the mounting

3,899,178 mechanism lifts and mounts the arrayed blocks on tire table, turning the blocks 90° during the mounting process.

2. Those machines to be used for card games in which the aligning mechanism aligns the blocks in one row, the arraying mechanism arrays the blocks in a square formation of which one side consists of one row of 13 ro 14 blocks under the table, and the mounting mechanism lifts and mounts the arrayed blocks on the table, turning the blocks 90° during the mounting process.

3. Those machines to be used for Mah-Jongg games in which the aligning mechanism aligns the blocks in two courses, the arraying mechanism arrays the blocks in a square formation of which one side consists of two courses of 17 blocks, under the table, and the mounting mechanism vertically lifts the arrayed blocks and mount them on the table.

4. Those machines to be used for card games in which the aligning mechanism aligns the blocks in one course, the arraying mechanism arrays the blocks in a square formation of which one side consists of one course of 13 or 14 blocks under the table, and the mounting mechanism vertically lifts the arrayed blocks and mount them on the table.

5. Those machines to be used for Mah-Jongg games in which the blocks are completely arrayed simultaneously with the completion of their orientation by the orientation mechanism, the aligning mechanism aligns the blocks in two rows, and the mounting mechanism lifts and mounts the arrayed blocks on the table, turning the blocks 90° during the mounting process.

6. Those machines to be used for card games in which the blocks are completely arrayed simultaneously with the completion of their orientation by the orientation mechanism, the aligning mechanism aligns the blocks in one row, and the mounting mechanism lifts and mounts the arrayed blocks on the table, turning the blocks 90° during the mounting pocess.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows oblique views of a Mah-Jongg block and a card block;

FIG. 2 is an oblique view of a machine according to the present invention in which Mah-Jongg blocks are arrayed in the formation ready for a game;

FIG. 3 is a similar view to FIG. 2 showing the block formation for card games;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a machine according to the present invention with its table removed to show the mutual interconnection among the constituent mechanisms;

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view of a machine shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 taken along the line 5—5, wherein the parts feeder alone is shown in its external view;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation of the throw-in mechanism, wherein the game table is shown in section and the rhils are shown with its both end portions broken away;

FIG. 7 is a sectional top view of the throw-in mechanism shown in FIG. 6 taken along the line 7—7, with the rails and the traction rope shown with their both ends broken away;

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 7 taken along the line 8—8, with the game table shown in section;

FIG. 9 is a side sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, taken along the line 9—9, with the game table shown in section;

FIG. 10 is a similar view to FIG. 9 but the central lid is shown in its process of being retracted to its position underneath the game table;

FIG. 11 is a side sectional view of the machine shown in FIG. 4, taken along the line 11 —11, showing the position of a block prior to turning in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 12 is a side sectional view of a block;

FIG. 13 is a front elevation of the two row aligning mechanism, showing the push plate of the push-in mechanism plate in long-and-short dash lines, and also showing the motion of the mechanism in long-andshort dash lines;

FIG. 14 is a plan view of the two row aligning mechanism and the push-in mechanism, with the mounting base removed;

FIG. 15 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 14, taken along the line 15—15, in which the transport passage is removed for the sake of simplification, and the head portion of the advance pin is shown in broken lines;

FIG. 16 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, taken along the line 16—16, in which the plate cam is partly broken in the rear portion to show the cam groove;

FIG. 17 is a plan view of the plate cam, in which the cam groove and the land portion is shown in broken lines;

FIG. 18 is a vertical sectional view of the plate cam shown in FIG. 17, taken along the line 18—18;

FIG. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25 show relative motions of the cam groove, the advance pin and the return pin, the advance pin and the return pin both being shown in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 26 is a plan view of the intermediary transport mechanism which serves to turn the blocks through 180°, blocks in the bucket being shown in broken lines and the transport passage being shown in a broken away condition;

FIG. 27 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 26 viewed along the line 27—27, in which the base plate is shown in section, and the push plate is shown in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 28 is a front elevation of the spherical Geneva mechanism, in which the base plate and the horizontal shaft rod are shown in section;

FIG. 29 is a plan view of the mounting mechanism that serves to lift the blocks vertically after turning them through 90°, with the sliding plate and the rise-fall lid broken away, the slot in the sliding plate shown in long-and-short dash lines, and the guide bars shown in sections.

FIG. 30 is a front elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 29 viewed along the line 30—30, in which the table and the risefall lid are shown in section and the side plate is shown with the most part broken away;

FIG. 31 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 29, taken along the line 31—31, with the gear and the arm rod shown in broken lines;

FIG. 32 is a drawing showing the motion of the mechanism shown in FIG. 31, with the blocks shown in longand-short dash lines in both a state after completion of a 90° revolution and a state after vertical lifting;

FIG. 33 is a plan view of the intermediary transport mechanism serving to turn the block orientation through 90° in a horizontal plane, with the clamped

3,899,178 blocks shown in broken lines and the transport passage completely removed;

FIG. 34 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 33 viewed along the line 34—34, with the sliding base shown partly in section and the turning body partly broken away to show the method of mounting of the block clamping plate;

FIG. 35 is an elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 34 viewed along the line 35—35, in which the sliding base is partly broken away to show the slot, and the T-guide plate is also partly broken to show the slot and the pin;

FIG. 36 is a horizontal sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 34, taken along the line 36—36, with the shaft rod and the screw shown in section;

FIG. 37 is a horizontal sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 34 taken-along the line 37—37, with the shaft rod, screw, and the guide rails shown in section, and the chain shown in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 38 is an elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 34 viewed along the line 38—38, in which the interference avoidance support portion is shown with its front portion broken away to show the pin, and the shaft is shown in section;

FIG. 39 is an elevation of the mechanisim shown in FIG. 34 viewed along the line 39—39, in which the sliding base is shown in section;

FIG. 40 is an oblique view of the block clamping plate;

FIG. 41 is a disassembled view showing the mounting method of the push rod, with the push rod and the lower screw shown in section;

FIG. 42 is a horizontal section view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 41, taken along the line 42—42, in which the pin is shown in section;

FIG. 43 is an elevation showing the state of engagement between the push rod and the leaf spring, with the sliding base shown in section;

FIG. 44 shows a plan view similar to FIG. 33, but here, the blocks have been inserted and the block clamping plate is on its way making a 90° turn to pick up next set of blocks;

FIG. 45 is an elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 44 viewed along the line 45—45, in which the sliding base is shown in section and the push rod is shown in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 46 is a plan view similar to FIG. 44 but here, the block clamping plate is shown on its way back carrying blocks towards the position shown in FIG. 33;

FIG. 47 is an elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 46 viewed along the line 47—47, in which the sliding base is shown in section and the relative position of the push rod is shown in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 48 is a plan view of the driving mechanism, in which the motor is partly broken away, revealing only a small portion, the shaft rod is shown in section, and the T-guide plate is shown in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 49 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 48, taken along the line 49—49, in which the gear is shown in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 50 is a plan view of the mounting mechanism which turns the blocks through 90°, with the table removed;

FIG. 51 is an elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 50, viewed along the line 51—51, in which the side plate is broken leaving only a fragment, and the table is shown in section;

FIG. 52 is a similar view as FIG. 51 in which the blocks are shown in a state after making a 90° turn;

FIG. 53 is a plan view of the mounting mechanism for firstly turning the blocks through 90°, then sending them horizontally rearward, and finally lifting them vertically, with the table removed, and the transport passage, the rise-fall lid and the slide plate nearly completely broken away;

FIG. 54 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 53 viewed along the line 54—54, in which the side plate is almost entirely broken away, and the push out mechanism on the table is shown in section;

FIG. 55 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 53 taken along the line 55—55, showing blocks in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 56 is a similar view to FIG. 55 but here the blocks are shown in long-and-short dash lines both in the condition after making a 90° turn followed by a horizontal retreat and in the condition after a vertical lifting;

FIG. 57 is a plan view of the mechanism for pushing out the blocks towards the center, the view showing the top frame removed for the most part, and the push out mechanism in the condition after convergence in the central position in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 58 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 57 taken along the line 58—58, showning the table and the top frame in section;

FIG. 59 is a plan view of the mounting mechanism which mounts the blocks with only a vertical lifting motion, the view showing the mechanism after mounting the blocks, with the table and the upper and the lower rise-fall lid broken for the most part;

FIG. 60 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 59 taken along the line 60—60, the view showing the blocks purposely not in section, and showing the guide bar and the support block as well as the actuation rod in its bottom position in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 61 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 59 taken along the line 61—61, showing the arm rod in dash lines;

FIG. 62 is a plan view, with the table removed, of the block transport system incorporated in the throw-in mechanism which receives blocks thrown-in through one side of the table, and the barrel type orientation mechanism, the view showing the mounting mechanism, intermediary transport mechanism and the pushin mechanism all shown in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 63 is a plan view of the above throw-in mechanism, with the table and the top frame partly removed, and the wiper shown in a position during its action;

FIG. 64 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 63, with the top frame lid removed, the view particularly intended to show the open-close mechanism of the top frame lid';

FIG. 65 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 63 taken along the line 65—65, with the chain shown in section and the wiper broken away for the most part;

FIG. 66 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIGS. 63 and 64 taken along the line 66—66, with the crank rod shown with its top end cut away;

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FIG. 67 is a vertical sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIGS. 63 and 64 taken along the line 67—67, with the chain shown in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 68 is an enlarged plan view of the wiper mounting portion shown in FIG. 63, showing the wiper with its one portion removed;

FIG. 69 shows the wiper shown in FIG. 67 in its stored state, with the chain shown in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 70 is a vertical sectional view of the block orientation mechanism incorporating a parts feeder, and the guide groove;

FIG. 71 is a vertical sectional view of the cylinder connected to said guide groove and a block, showing one block prior to orientation in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 72 is a vertical sectional view of the barrel type orientation mechanism, with the table shown in section;

FIG. 73 is an enlarged sectional view of the vital portion of FIG. 72, with the right end cut away;

FIG. 74 is a sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 72 taken along the line 74—74, with the conveyor belt removed and the barrel partly cut away;

FIG. 75 is a sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 72 taken along the line 75—75, with the recess for accepting the spring cut away;

FIG. 76 is a left side view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 72, with the shield plate shown with its one portion cut away to reveal the interior, and with the table shown almost entirely cut away;

FIG. 77 is a sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 72 taken along the line 77—77, with the turn disc shown in dash lines;

FIG. 78 is a sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 72 taken along the line 78—78, with the turn disc shown in long-and-short dash lines and the Geneva groove shown only partly;

FIG. 79 is an elevation of the barrel type orientation mechanism, with the barrel shown partly cut away to show the interior, and the lead-in and lead-out block conveyors shown partly abbreviated;

FIG. 80 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 79, with the barrel shown partly cut away to show the interior, and the mounting plate shown in section;

FIG. 81 is a right side view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 79, as viewed from the right side, with the chute shown partly cut away to show the interior;

FIG. 82 is a sectional view of the mechanism shown in 79 taken along the line 82—82, with the turning body shown in section;

FIG. 83 is a sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 79 taken along the line 83—83, with the blocks shown in section;

FIG. 84 is a sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 79 taken along the line 84—84, showing the roller in dash lines;

FIG. 85 is a cross sectional view of one block;

FIG. 86 is a plan view of the drum cam, all the cam grooves except those in the recessed portion being shown in dash lines;

FIG. 87 is a sectional view of the drum cam shown in FIG. 86 taken along the line 87—87, with the roller shown in its inserted condition shown in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 88 is an enlarged view of the branched cam groove 357, the view showing the mode of guide plate operation;

FIG. 89 is an oblique view of the conveyor type orientation mechanism, showing the interior by cutting the case away. In the view, the roller shaft is shown in dash lines and the top rim of the guide-in opening shown in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 90 is a left side view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 89 viewed from a leftward position, with the case cut away to show the interior, and the blocks and the roller shafts shown in dash lines;

FIG. 91 shows the operating condition of the headtail orientation process of a block inside a cylinder, with both the cylinder and the block shown in section;

FIG. 92 is a plan view of the chain conveyor type aligning mechanism, showing the chain for the most part in an abbreviated form in long-and-short dash lines. The mounting mechanism is represented only by its slide plate;

FIG. 93 is a sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 92, with the sprocket shown partly in section and the blocks shown in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 94 is an enlarged plan view of the driving device shown in FIG. 92, with the sprocket partly cut away to show the arrangement underneath it. The chain and the transport passage are shown with their both ends cut away;

FIG. 95 is a sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 94 taken along the line 95-95, with the sprocket and the disc Geneva cam shown partly in section, and a mounting state of blocks shown in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 96 is an elevation of the one-row aligning mechanism, wherein the mounting base is shown in section, and the mounting mechanism is shown with its slide plate along in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 97 is a plan view, with the table removed, of the mechanism for stacking blocks in two courses, aligning them, arraying them and mounting them, the view showing the chain the long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 98 is an elevation of the two-course arraying mechanism, showing the chute in section and blocks in long and short dash lines. In the background, the push out plate is shown in dash lines;

FIG. 99 is a mounting mechanism which mounts blocks on the table after only lifting them vertically, with the table, transport passage and the push out plate shown in section;

FIG. 100 is a plan view of the intermediary turnaround mechanism for turning the blocks around horizontally through 90°, the transport passages being shown with their end portions broken away;

FIG. 101 is an elevation of the mechanism shown in FIG. 100 viewed along the line 101—101, showing the position of the push out plate after its advance moment in long-and-short dash lines, and the blocks in dash lines. The chain is specifically shown in section;

FIG. 102 is a sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 101 taken along the line 102—102, showing a plan view of the Geneva mechanism;

FIG. 103 is an elevation of the one-course aligning mechanism, showing the chute in section, and the blocks in long-and-short dash lines;

FIG. 104 is an elevation of the mounting mechanism designed to mount the blocks aligned in one course on the table only by vertically lifting them, showing the ta

3,899,178 ble, transport passage, and the push out plate in section;

FIG. 105 is a plan view of the mechanism in which the blocks are simultaneously oriented and arrayed, with the casing partly cut away to show the mechanism 5 underneath it. The mounting mechanism is entirely removed out of the view except the slide plate and the drop preventing plate which are shown;

FIG. 106 is an enlarged plan view of one of the pantographs shown in FIG. 105, which is in its most ad- 10 vanced position, where a set of 16 cylinders are arranged on a straight line. In the view, the cylinders and the mounting mechanism are shown partly broken away;

FIG. 107 is a plan view showing the .block orientation 15 function in the cylinder, with the block in the center shown in its process of attaining the final position;

FIG. 108 is a sectional view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 105 taken along the line 108—108, with the pantograph drive shaft shown its top end removed. The 20 table is shown in section and casing is shown in approx, half portion in section;

FIG. 109 shows a portion of the object shown in FIG. 108 which is nearer to the mounting mechanism than the portion shown in FIG. 108, simultaneously showing ²⁵the blocks in an two-row alignment state. The casing is partly shown in section. Details of the mounting mechanism is not shown.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION: ₃₀

Now, the special block designed for use in the machines according to the present invention will be explained with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The blocks shown in these Figs, are either those used in Mah-Jongg games or those used in card games. In FIG. 1, the block ³⁵shown at A is one to be used in Mah-Jongg games and one shown at B is a card game block. The block 1 for use in Mah-Jongg games bears a design or a symbol 3 appropriate for Mah-Jongg games on its face 2, while the block 1 for use in card games carries a design or ⁴θ symbol appropriate for card games, 4 on its face 2. In a Mah-Jongg game, 134 such blocks 1 are used, which are arrayed on the table 7 as shown in FIG. 2, with their faces 2 down, in a square formation each side consisting of two courses of 17 blocks, at the start of a game. ⁴⁵

In a card game, 53 of such blocks 1 are used, which are arrayed on the table 7 as shown in FIG. 3, with their faces 2 down, in a square formation each side of which consists of 14 blocks (one among the four sides containing only 11 blocks), or in another square formation each side of which consists of 13 blocks (one among the four sides containing 14 blocks), at the start of a game. In case a special rule is adopted allowing the use of 52 blocks in a game, then, these blocks can be arrayed in a square formation of which all sides contain 1 3 blocks.

Now, those machines made in accordance with the present invention are explained from one mode to another.

I. Mah-Jongg game machine in which the blocks 1 are aligned in two rows, then they are arrayed in a square formation of which one side consists of two rows of 17 blocks, and finally, the arrayed blocks are lifting onto the table, being turned through 90° during the lifting process.

In the following explanation of the machine of this mode, first its constituent mechanisms will be sepa rately explained, then the machine will be explained as a whole, and finally, alternative designs in each mechanism will be explained.

((A. Throw-in mechanism, B. Orientation mechanism, C. Aligning mechanism, D. Arraying mechanism (a) Transport passage, (b) Push-in mechanism, (c) Intermediary transport mechanism, and E. Mounting mechanism))

A. Throw-in mechanism (FIG. 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10)

The movable frame 5 is provided with rollers 6 on both sides. Underneath the table 7, near its center, there are two rails 8 installed in parallel, with their space approximately equal to the lateral width of said movable frame 5. The rollers 6 on the movable frame 5 are so carried by the rails 8 that the movable frame 5 is allowed a motion along the horizontal direction of the rails 8. In the center of the table 7, corresponding to the position of the movable frame 5, there is cut out the throw-in opening 9, which is normally covered with the central lid 10, which is positioned flush with the top surface of the table 7 when in its covering position. Inside the movable frame 5, there is inserted a fixed base 11 having a. i_J-shape vertical section, with a sliding clearance. Because the fixed base 11 is provided with pins 13 and 13 projecting outwardly from its two outside faces of the vertical members 12 and 12, and these pins 13 and 13 are inserted in the horizontal slots 14 and 14 provided in the two sides of the movable frame 5, with a sliding clearance, said fixed base 11 is supported within the movable frame 5 with a freedom of horizontal movement within the range of said slots 14 and 14.

On the inside surfaces of the vertical portions 12 and 12 of the fixed base 11, there are provided vertical slide grooves 15 and 15, within which the support bases 16 and 16 are inserted with some sliding clearance. These support bases 16 and 16 support the central lid 10 on their top so that when the support bases 16 and 16 move vertically, the central lid 10 moves vertically together. On the horizontal portion of the fixed base 11, there are vertically installed two support members 17 and 17 in a right'and left symmetrical disposition, said support members 17 and 17 swivellably supporting two link arms 18 and 18. Each one end of the link arm 18 and 18 swivellably carries one arm rod 19, which is connected to each support base 16 over one each shaft rod 20. The other ends of the link arms 18 and 18 are connected to each other through the connecting rod 21. To the middle portion of the connecting rod 21, one end of the arm rod 22 is swivellably connected, while the other end of the arm rod 22 is connected to the actuation rod 23, which is slidably inserted in the support block 24; The support block 24 is vertically installed on the horizontal portion of the fixed base 11 near one side edge, that is, one of the sides at right angle to the vertical members 12 and 12. Because there is a tension spring 25 connecting the end of the actuation rod 23 receiving the arm rod 22, and the front wall of the support block 24, the actuation rod 23 is always pulled towards the support block 24. Through that side wall of the movable frame 5 which faces the support block 24, at a location corresponding to the end of the actuation rod 23, there is threaded the adjusting screw 26, which is adapted to stop that end of the actuation rod 23 which is disposed inside the support block 24. To that the side wall of the movable frame 5 which carries said adjusting screw 26 and also to the side wall

3,899,178 opposite thereto a traction rope 27 is connected, which rope 27 forms a loop spanning four support rollers 28 as shown in FIG. 6. The loop of the rope 27 is driven by the motor 30 through the roller 28' and the belt 29.

During the time a game is being played, the central lid 10 is positioned in the throw-in opening 9, with its top flush with the table 7. In this state, the fixed base 11 inside the movable frame 5 is positioned at its rightmost station with its pins 13 resting at their right end positions within the horizontal slots 14, as shown in FIG. 6. In this state, as shown in FIG. 9, the end of the actuation rod 23 rests against the end of the adjusting screw 26, and those ends of the link arms 18 which carry the arm rod 19 are in their uppermost positions, with the result that the support bases 16 and the central lid 10 are supported at their highermost positions. The purpose of the throw-in mechanism is to accept the blocks 1 into the space underneath the table 7 after a game played on the table 7 using those blocks, is over. In order to serve this purpose, when a game is over, the throw-in opening 9 must be opened in the table 7, which opening 9 must be closed again by the central lid 10 which forms a flush surface with the table top 7, after all the blocks 1 have been thrown into the throwin opening 9. The details of this mechanism will now be explained below:

After a game is over, a game player switches the motor 30 on to make it drive the traction rope 27 in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 6, along the rails 8. This rightward movement of the movable frame 5 is explained below, dividing the overall movement into two elements, that is, the motion in which the pins 13 are displaced in the slots 14 to their left ends, and the further rightward motion after this. During the first phase of the frame motion, until the pins 13 reach the left ends of the slots 14, the movable frame 5 alone moves, the fixed base 11 remaining stationary. During this movement of the movable frame 5, as shown in FIG. 10, the adjusting screw 26 moves in the direction of freeing the actuation rod 23, thereby allowing the latter to project forward. As the actuation rod 23 moves towards right, the arm rod 19 side of the link arms 18 are lowered, together with the support bases 16 and the central lid 10. The lowering central lid 10 is finally completely retracted inside the movable frame 5 below the table 7.

After the pins 13 come to rest at the left ends of the horizontal slots 14, the fixed base 11 moves together with the movable frame 5, carrying the central lid 10 in its retracted position, until they reach the position shown in long-and-short dash lines in FIG. 6, thereby opening the throw-in opening 9 in the table 7. At the position shown in long-and-short dash lines, the movable frame 5 trips the limit switch 31' to stop the motor 30.

After throwing all the blocks 1 through the opening 9, a game player switches the motor 30 on in reverse run to drive the movable frame 5 and the central lid 10 back to the position directly underneath the throw-in opening 9. When the movable frame 5 arrives at the position referred to above, the forward end in the moving direction of the fixed base 11 is stopped by the stopper 31 that is fixed to the rails 8 projecting inwardly from the rails 8 into such a position as adapted to stop a further motion of the fixed base 11. This means that when the moving frame 5 arrives at the position directly underneath the throw-in opening 9, first, the fixed base 11 alone is stopped, while the moving frame 5 moves further until the pins 13 come to the right ends of the horizontal slots 14. During this phase of the movement of the movable frame 5, the adjusting screw 26 pushes the actuation rod 23, thereby lifting the central lid 10 into its original position in the throw-in opening 9.

B. Orientation mechanism (FIGS. 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 70 and 71)

The parts feeder 32 is disposed directly underneath the throwin opening 9 so as to accept the thrown in blocks. As the width of the guide chute 33 of this parts feeder 32 is made approximately equal to the width of the blocks 1, the blocks 1 are guided out of this parts feeder 32 in one row, all oriented in the longitudinal direction. Immediately above the guide chute 33, there are provided such fixtures as the eject plate 34 that is adapted to eject all those blocks that pass the guide chute in a longitudinally oriented but sidewise standing position, but since all those tooling fixtures are known in the art, no further explanations will be given regarding them. During the said orientation process of the blocks 1, the blocks are mixed automatically in what amounts to a shuffling operation.

The portion of the guide chute 33 near its end 35 is formed with a curved bottom 36. The blocks 1 contain, as shown in FIG. 11, one each weight piece 38 embedded near the tail side face 37, thereby the center of gravity of these blocks 1 is shifted from the center towards the tail side face 37.

When these blocks 1, moving along in one lengthwise oriented row, come to the end portion 35 of the guide chute 33, because of the curved form 36 of the bottom, they are uniformly oriented into their most stable posture, with their center of gravity down, thereby when they come out of the guide chute they are not only in one lengthwise oriented row, but also all the blocks 1 in the row are oriented uniformly in their most stable posture, that is with the tail side 37 down, irrespective of their initial posture. If it is desired to automatically orient all the blocks 1 with their tail side 37 up, then it is only necessary to embed the weight pieces 37 at a position shifted towards the head face 2 from the center.

Another method of shifting the center of gravity of the block 1 consists in providing a hollow cavity 39 in a position shifted towards the head side face 2 from the center, as shown in FIG. 12, thereby shifting the center of gravity towards the tail side face 37 from the center of the block, or inversely, providing a hollow cavity 39 in a position shifted towards the tail side face 37 from the center, thereby shifting the center of gravity towards the head side face 2 from the center of the block 1.

Another known method of positively orienting pieces in a parts feeder consists in providing a relief rail 40 along the bottom surface of the guide chute 33. In this method, as shown in FIG. 70, the blocks 1 are provided on their tail face 37 with a groove 41 that receives said rail 40 with a proper clearance, thereby the blocks 1 are oriented in a positive manner. This groove 41 in the blocks 1 may just as well be provided on the head side face 2 if the gravity requirement so dictates. Also it is just as well feasible to provide the guide chute 33 with a narrow groove rail, and to provide the blocks 1 with a corresponding relief rail on their head face or tail face, as the case may be. Still another method of uniformly orienting the blocks 1 is shown in FIG. 71, wherein a cylinder 42 having magnet pieces 43 and 44

3,899,178 installed at the top and bottom thereof is connected to the end of the guide chute 33. As shown in section, the polarity of the magnets 43 and 44 installed at the top and bottom are opposite each other, such as the top magnet 43 is an N pole, and the bottom magnet 44 is an S pole. Within the blocks 1, a magnet 45 is embedded with its magnetic axis directed perpendicular to the block face, such as the S pole of the magnet 45 towards the head face 2 and the N pole towards the tail face 37. When a longitudinally oriented row of such blocks 1 is introduced into the cylinder 42, the magnets 43 and 44 exert an attraction and repulsion to the magnet 45 embedded in the blocks 1, thereby turning the blocks around until all of them are uniformly oriented into the most stable posture, that is the posture with the head side face 2 up. The blocks will all assume the same posture without fail, regardless of their initial orientation. When the polarity of the magnet 44 in the blocks 1 is reversed, the blocks 1 will be oriented opposite to what is just described above.

Thus, the orientation mechanism sends out the blocks 1 in one row, in which all the blocks are not only oriented with their longitudinal axis in the feeding direction, but also with their head or tail uniformly oriented.

To the outlet end of the guide chute 33, there is connected the chute 46, and to the other end of this chute 46, as shown in FIG. 13 the conveyor 47 is connected, thereby the blocks 1 sent out from the guide chute 33 glide down the chute 46 and then travel on the conveyor 47, all the time during the travel maintaining the head side face 2 upward. The conveyor 47 driven by a motor 63 over a belt 62 is provided with a cover 48 disposed above it, and is installed with a rising inclination toward the outlet end, which is located above the mounting base 49. In this arrangement, those blocks 1 which are transported on the conveyor 47 are turned through 90° at the end of the conveyor, as shown in FIG. 13, and are dropped on the mounting base 49 in upright postures so as to be stacked there.

C. Aligning mechanism (FIG. 13, 14 and 15)

The mounting base 49 is disposed underneath the end of the conveyor 47 at such a height that there is a space slightly larger than the longitudinal height of one block 1 between the top surface of the mounting base and the bottom end of the conveyor. The mounting base 49 is, as shown in FIG. 15, secured to the case 71 of the push-in mechanism. Above the mounting base 49, there is disposed the movable rod 51 carrying the transport plates 50 horizontally in the same direction as the direction of the conveyor 47. On the movable rod 51, there are two transport plates 50, both vertically attached to the movable rod 51, one at one end thereof and the other at a distance from the first one equal to the thickness of the block 1. The movable rod 51 horizontally penetrating the support block 52 and slidably supported by it is connected to the arm rod 53 at its rear end, and the arm rod 53 is in its turn connected to the next arm rod 54. This latter arm rod 54 is swivellably supported at its approximate middle point by a shaft rod 55 which is supported by one each support block 56 at each end. The rear end of the arm rod 54 is connected to the approximate middle point of the actuation rod 59 of the solenoids 57 and 58 through the connecting rod 59'. In this way, it follows that when the solenoids 57 and 58 are alternately energized and deenergized, the arm rod 54 is turned around the shaft rod 55 through a predetermined angle, to advance or retract the movable rod 51 and the transport plates 50 within a preset range, which is so determined to correspond to the thickness of one block 1. In the starting position, as shown in FIG. 13, the actuation rod 59 is found on the side of the solenoid 57, and the transport plates 50 and 50 are at their forwardmost positions, where the space between the two corresponds to the falling position of the blocks, 1. Therefore, when one block 1 falls into the mounting base 49, it is inserted between the two transport plates 50 and 50. Because the limit switch 60 wired to energize the solenoid 58 is installed on the mounting base 49 where the blocks 1 come down, when one block 1 is dropped on the mounting base, as said above, this limit switch 60 is tripped to energize the solenoid 58, thereby causing the movable rod 51 and the transport plates 50 to be pulled back, the latter pulling one block along with. Because on this block 1 inserted between the two transport plates 50 there is resting another block 1, as shown in FIG. 13, when said inserted block 1 is pulled back, said another block 1 drops and occupies the place on the mounting base 49 where the inserted block 1 has been a moment ago. Now, we see that there are two blocks 1 aligned in a pair in an upright posture. Although in an actual operation, these series of motions are repeated continuously, because the continuous motion mode is related to the motions of the push-in mechanism (b), in the following arraying mechanism D, its detail will be explained under the item for those mechanisms.

D. Arraying mechanism

The arraying mechanism comprises (a) the transport passage, (b) the push-in mechanism, and (c) the intermediary transport mechanism.

a. Transport passage (FIGS. 4, 5, 14, 15, 29, 30, 31 and 32)

The transport passages 64, 64', 64 which are arrayed in a square formation underneath the table 7 surrounding the parts feeder 32, are so dimensioned that in each one, two rows of 17, total 34 blocks 1 are mountable, and each one has a vertical flange 65 on its inside edge. As shown in FIG. 4, one transport passage among the four is so positioned that its one end is located in the immediate neighborhood of said mounting base 49 in said arranging mechanism C, while all the four transport passages 64 . . . 64' are so supported by the arm rods 113 of the next-to-be-explained mounting mechanism E, that their top surfaces are on the same horizontal plane as the top surface of said mounting base 49. The transport passage formed by these four sections 64 ... 64 has its starting end where the first one section 64 has its one end in the immediate neighborhood of the mounting base 49, and its terminating end where there is the limit switch 66 so positioned that its sensing arm is located at a distance corresponding to six blocks’ width from the end of and above the last transport passage section 64.

b. Push-in mechanism (FIGS. 14 through 25)

The push plate 67 which is disposed above the mounting base 49 opposite to the starting end of the transport passage 64 is fastened to the end of the push rod 69 mounted on the sliding plate 68, which carries on both sides rollers 70, which engage in the horizontal guide grooves 72 and 72 machined in the two opposite inside walls of the case 71, thereby the sliding plate 68 is supported in the upper portion of the case 71 in a horizontally slidable arrangement and also the push

3,899,178 plate 67 is held in the same horizontally slidable condition. On the underside of the sliding plate 68, the plate cam 73 is fastened, which is provided with the cam groove 74 as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 on its underside and with the downwardly projecting land 75 at the rear margin of said cam groove 74. Disposed underneath the cam plate 73, there is the shaft rod 76 which supports the center of the rotating disc 77, which carries fixed on its upper surface projecting towards the plane of said cam groove 74, the advance pin 78 and the return pin 79, which are disposed, as shown in FIGS. 19 through 25, on a common circle at a certain distance between them. Since the advance pin 78 is made longer than the return pin 79, the former engages in the cam groove 74 but the latter only engages with the side of the land 75, without engaging in the Cam groove 74. The shaft rod 76 which is rotatably supported by the base plate 80 and the support plate 81, has the sprocket 83, which is driven by the driving mechanism over the chain 82. When the sprocket 83 is driven in one direction over the chain 82, the advance pin 78 and the return pin 79 drive the plate cam 73 forward and backward through the cam action thereby driving the sliding plate 68 and the push plate 67 in a manner to be explained below. As shown in FIG. 14, when the plate cam 73 is in its rearmost position, the positions of the advance pin 78 and the return pin 79 relative to the cam groove 74 and the land 75 are as shown in FIG. 24. When the rotating disc 77 starts to rotate in the direction of the arrow, the advance pin 78 and the return pin 79 move from the positions shown in FIG. 25 towards the positions shown in FIG. 19, thereby the advance pin 78 starts to push the plate cam 73 towards right on the drawings. When the rotating disc rotates as far as the position shown in FIG. 21, the plate cam 73 stops its advance. This position is therefore the end of the forward advance for the plate cam 73 as well as for the sliding plate 68 and the push plate 67. Then, as the rotating disc rotates further, the return pin 79 comes in contact with the land 75 as shown in FIG. 22 starting to push the plate cam 73 back. This backward movement of the plate cam 73 is completed when the rotating disc rotates through the position shown in FIG. 23 to the position shown in FIG. 24. As has been seen above, the plate cam 73 makes a complete cycle of advance and return during half a rotation of the rotating disc 77, and remains stationary during the remaining half a rotation. Because this reciprocating stroke of the plate cam 73 is designed equal to the distance between the front edge line of the push plate 67 and the start end of the transport passage 64, in FIG. 14, during the advance phase of the plate cam 73, the push plate 67 pushed the two blocks 1 aligned by the aligning mechanism (C) in a manner described earlier, into the transport passage 64. In this case, because the push plate 67 is formed in Ί form in the cross-section, as shown in FIG. 15, it does not interfere with either the transport plates 50 or the movable rod 51 during its movement. Since there is disposed on the mounting base 49 of the aligning mechanism (C), at the rear stroke end of the transport plate 50, the limit switch 61 wired to actuate the driving mechanism of the chain 82, when said transpsort plate 50 completes its return motion, that is, when two blocks 1 have been correctly aligned on the mounting base 49, this limit switch 61 is tripped and consequently, the chain 82 is started to initiate said pushing operation. When the sliding plate 68 comes to its forwardmost position, its forward edge trips the limit switch 61' mounted on the case 71, with a wiring connection to the solenoid 57, thereby energizing the solenoid 57, which in turn drives the movable rod 51 and the transport plates 50 and 50 forward to their initial position.

During the pushing motion of the push plate 67, pushing the aligned blocks 1 into the transport passage 64, the next block 1 is already upon the top face of the push plate 67, making a sliding contact therewith. However, because when this push plate just starts to return, the transport plates 50 are already back in their initial position, as soon as the push plate 67 is fully back, this next block 1 is allowed to drop onto the mounting base 49 as the first one, and then, the next block 1 and so forth, the blocks 1 being pushed pair after pair into the transport passage 64. Thus, by the repetition of the above series of movements, eventually the transport passage 64 is fully loaded with two rows of the blocks 1.

c. Intermediary transport mechanism (FIGS. 4, 26, 27 and 28)

These transport mechanism are installed at three of the four junctions between the transport passages 64, 64', 64'' and 64''', the remaining one junction being provided with said push-in mechanism (b). On the end of the horizontal shaft rod 85, four buckets 84 are attached at a 45° angle, with a 90° angle among each other, each one of said buckets 84 having a sufficient capacity for containing two blocks 1 side by side, and having its opening in the direction of the horizontal shaft rod 85. Among these four buckets 84, two that are found in horizontal position are located in the direct proximity of the end edge lines of the adjoining transport passages 64 and 64', with each one bucket 84 having its opening in alignment with each one end edge line of the transport passage 64 or 64' and having the bottom plate 84' flush with the top surface of the transport passages 64 and 64'. In the side plates of the buckets 84 located in the direction of the end of the horizontal shaft rod 85, there are provided window openings 86, one each in one bucket 84, which window opening 86 has a sufficient size as to allow the push plate 67 of said push-in mechanism (b) to easily pass through. On said horizontal shaft rod 85, which is supported by the support bracket 87, there is mounted the spherical Geneva 88, with its center penetrated by said horizontal shaft rod 85 and fastened thereto, between the support bracket 87 and the buckets 84, said spherical Geneva 88 having four Geneva grooves 89 located at each quarter of the circumference, 90° apart each other, directed from the circumference towards the center, and said spherical Geneva 88 also having four engagement grooves 90 formed at each intermediary position between two neighboring Geneva grooves 89. Underneath the spherical Geneva 88, there is disposed the vertical shaft rod 92 rotatably supported by the base plate 91. Because the top end of the shaft rod 92 is formed as the semi-circle lock piece 93, that engages with the engagement grooves 90 each having a semicircular periphery, the spherical Geneva 88 is locked by the shaft rod 92 during its 180° rotation and released from it during its remaining 180° rotation.

Fixed to the opposite end of said shaft rod 92 from said-circular lock piece 93, on the side thereof, there is the 45° inclined arm rod 94, which carries at its end, projecting at 45° angle toward the spherical Geneva,

3,899,178 the pin 95, which is adapted to plunge into said Geneva grooves 89 in the spherical Geneva 88 as shown in FIG. 28, when the shaft rod 92 rotates. More particularly described, during a 180° rotation of the shaft rod 92, the Geneva pin 95 is in engagement in one of the Geneva grooves, and during the remaining 180° rotation, it is out of the Geneva grooves, whereby during that 180° rotation of the shaft rod 92, that is during that 180° rotation of the pin 95 in engagement in the Geneva groove 89, the spherical Geneva 88 is driven through 90°, around a horizontal axis, whereby the moment the pin 95 starts to enter the Geneva groove 89 to drive the spherical Geneva 88, the semi-circular lock piece 93 starts to disengage out of the engagement groove 90, as shown in FIG. 28. After driving the spherical Geneva 88 through 90°, when the pin 95 starts to disengage from the Geneva groove 89, the semi-circular lock piece 93 starts to enter the engagement groove 90 to lock the spherical Geneva that has just been freed. From the foregoing, it is understood that when the shaft rod 92 rotates through 180°, the spherical Geneva 88 rotates through 90°, and during the remaining 180° rotation of the shaft rod 92, it is stationary, and the 90° rotation and resting of the spherical Geneva 88 is transmitted exactly through the horizontal shaft rod 85 to the buckets 84.

As shown in FIG. 26, behind the bucket 84 that is brought adjacent to the transport passage 64', there is disposed the push-in mechanism (b) having its push plate 67 located behind the window opening 86, said push plate 67 having its moving stroke between the stationary position shown in FIG. 26 and the end edge of the transport passage 64' through the window opening 86. The sprocket 83 of the push-in mechanism (b) is so connected to the sprocket 96 of the shaft rod 92 with the chain 96' that while the bucket 84 is kept stationary, the push plate 67 makes its advance and return, and while the push plate 67 is stationary at its rear position, the bucket 84 makes a 90° rotation. When the foremost two blocks 1 of the row of blocks 1 that are pushed successively into the transport passage 64 by earlier-mentioned push-in mechanism (b) arrive at the end of the transport passage 64, these two blocks 1 are ready to be pushed into the bucket 84 by the next push. The blocks 1 pushed into the bucket 84 are swivelled to the highest position where they stay for a time when the bucket is turned through 90° and are again swivelled to the position adjacent to the transport passage 64' when the bucket 84 is turned through 90° next time. It is while the blocks are in the stationary state after the swivelling transportation that the push plate 67 advances to push the blocks 1 in the bucket 84 shoving them onto the transport passage 64'. Thus, by repeating the foregoing motions in succession, all those blocks received in succession are sent over to the next transport passage 64' in succession, making a 180° turnover during the transfer process.

As shown in FIG. 4, the sprockets 125 of the three intermediary transport mechanisms (c) are all connected by the chain 125' which are applied around these sprockets in a square formation, which chain 125' also connects the sprocket 126 that is provided at the start end of the transport passage 46 and that is connected to the sprocket 83 of the push-in mechanism (b) by the chain 82, thereby it results that the push-in mechanism (b) and all the intermediary transport mechanisms (c) are driven in unison. The chain 125' is shown to be driven in FIG. 4, by the motor 128 and its gear 129 which drives the sprocket 126 over a transmission that is not shown. As has been explained in relation to the description of the push-in mechanism (b), the motor 128 is stopped by the limit switch 61, after driving the sprocket 83 one complete rotation, therefore at one complete rotation of the sprocket 83, the push plates 67 complete their one advance and return cycle, and the bucket 84 makes one 90° swivel, thereby it follows that the blocks 1, forming a two-row alignment, are transported from one transport passage 64 to the next 64' and so forth by means of the intermediary transport mechanisms (c) as they are driven intermittently.

When all the blocks 1 are sent out of the orientation mechanism (B) and the last two blocks are pushed into the starting end portion of the transport passage 64 by the push-in mechanism (b), the forwardmost block 1 trips the limit switch 66 disposed on the transport passage 64', said forwardmost block 1 occupying at this time a position a distance of six blocks’ width away from the end of the transport passage 64'. In this condition, each intermediary transport mechanism (c) has two buckets 84 loaded with two blocks 1 and two empty buckets 84, therefore six buckets in total being loaded with two each blocks totalling 12 blocks. Now, the foregoing tripping of the limit switch 66 is designed to stop the motor 128 after turning the sprockets 83 and 125 6 full turns. Therefore, during this further drive of the motor 128 driving the sprockets 83 and 125, six turns, all the blocks 1 found in the buckets 84 are eventually transferred to the transport passages 64', 64 and the 64', with the result that all the transport passages are loaded with upright 34 blocks in parallel two rows. The blocks are kept in this array until the game being played on the table 7 will be over.

E. Mounting mechanism (FIGS. 29, 30, 31 and 32)

These mechanisms which are disposed underneath the table 7 are provided one unit each for each transport passage 64 for supporting each transport passage, therefore, they are provided in four positions.

The shaft rod 97 is rotatably supported by the support block 98 horizontally and attached on its both ends, carries two vertically disposed crank discs 99 and 100. The crank disc 99 has a sidewise projecting pin 102 near the periphery and this pin 102 is put through the slot opened in the base end of the crank rod 101, the other end of which is connected to the approximate middle of the crank rod 104, one end of which is swivellably supported by the support block 105 and the other end of which is connected to the push rod 106, which carries at its upper end the rise-fall lid 107, fixed to it. The rise-fall lid 107 is normally located in the risefall opening 108 provided in the table 7, forming a flush surface with the table surface 7. The rise-fall openings 107 are opened in the table 7 outwardly of and parallel to the outside edge lines of the transport passages 64, 64', 64 and 64'.

The rise-fall lid 107 is dimensioned to be able to carry on its top face a row of 17 prone blocks 1 lying on their faces 2.

To the crank disc 100, at a position shifted towards the periphery from the center, the crank 109 is connected at its one end, through an identical method as used in connecting the said crank rod 101 to the crank disc 99. The other end of the crank rod 109 is connected to the arm 110 which is fastened to the shaft

3,899,178

111 at its other end. To the shaft 111 which is rotatably supported by right and left side walls 112 and 112 two parallel right and left, forwardly projecting arm rods 113 and 113 are fixed. To the end of these arm rods 113 and 113, the transport passage 64 is fixed by its bottom, thereby it follows that the said transport passage 64 is supported by said two arm rods 113 and 113, in a horizontal position, during their stationary phase. Corresponding to the curved surface generated by the inside edge line of the transport passage 64 when this transport passage is swivelled upward by the arm rods 113 around the shaft 111 through 90°, there is disposed a quarter cylindrical slide plate 114, fixedly attached to the right and left side walls 112 and 112. Corresponding to the moving range of the arm rods 113 that penetrates the slide plate 114, there are provided two slots 115, as shown in FIG. 29 in long-and-short dash lines, in said slide plate 114. The rise-fall lid 107 is supported by the right and left two guide bars 116 and 116, which are slidably supported in the bores in the guide brackets 117 and 117 that are fixedly attached to the right and left side walls 112 and 112, thereby it follows that said rise-fall lid 107 is supported in balance regarding the relative height between the right and left ends.

On the shaft rod 97, the gear 118 is mounted, and this gear 118 is in mesh with the gear 119 on the shaft 120, which is disposed behind the shaft rod 97 in parallel therewith and is supported in the bores made in the right and left side walls 112 and 112. On both ends of this shaft 120, one each bevel gear 121 is mounted. As shown in FIG. 4 these mounting mechanisms (E) are one each installed at four locations underneath the table 7, and all their shafts 120 are connected to each other through these bevel gears which are kept in mesh between two adjoining mechanisms, forming a square, but at one junction, there is no bevel gear connection, and instead, in this position, the shaft 120 is provided with a gear 123 which is in mesh with the gear 123' mounted on the motor 122. In this way, the shafts 120, the shaft rods 97, the crank discs 99 and 100 are all set into rotation when the motor 122 is started. In FIG. 29, no block 1 is arrayed on the transport passages 64. When they are fully loaded with the blocks 1 through the function of the previously described arraying mechanism (D), these blocks 1 are kept in readiness until the game being played on the table 7 with another set of blocks 1, will be over.

When the game being played with the other set of blocks 1 is over, one of the game players depresses the switch for actuating the throw-in mechanism (A), to throw all the blocks 1 into the central opening, and then depresses the next switch to bring the throw-in mechanism (A) back to the initial position. This return motion of the throw-in mechanism is related to the actuation of the motor 122 which then drives the crank disc 99 and 100 through one complete turn, thereby swivelling the blocks 1 through 90°, lifting them vertically, and mounting them on the table 7, in a manner to be described in detail below. When the crank disc 100 turns through 180° as shown, the crank rod 109 is brought from the position shown in FIG. 31 to the position shown in FIG. 32 in dash lines, during which time, the crank rod 109 pulls on one hand, the arm 110 from the upright attitude to the horizontal attitude, and on the other hand, pulls the arm rod 113 from the horizontal attitude to the upright attitude, with the result that the transport passage 64 is swivelled upward through

90° to guide the blocks 1 along the slide plate 114 into the position shown in FIG. 32 in long-and-short dash lines where they are stacked in two courses. In this stacked position, the blocks 1 are protected by the stopper 124 from falling down.

Simultaneously with the rotation of the crank disc 100, the crank disc 99 also makes a 180° turn as shown by the arrow, pulling the crank rod 101 from the position shown in FIG. 31 to the position shown in FIG. 32, thereby the crank rod 101 pulls the crank rod 104 down around the support block 105, with the result that the arm 106 is pulled down, together with the risefall lid 107, which then leaves the rise-fall opening 108 behind. When the crank disc 99 completes its 180° turn, as shown in FIG. 32, the rise-fall lid 107 is brought into such a height that its top surface is flush with the top surface of the slide plate 114. Although this falling motion of the rise-fall lid 107 and said swivel motion of the blocks 1 take place simultaneously, because the rise-fall lid 107 comes down before the transport passage 64 assumes the turn-up attitude, there can be no interference between these two motions, with the consequent result that through the 90° swivelling motion described earlier, the blocks 1 are mounted on the lowered rise-fall lid 107. when the crank discs 99 and 100 are driven through the remaining 180° following the above-described 180°, all the related members are driven in reverse to the preceding motions and consequently, the transport passage 64 and the rise-fall lid are brought to their respective initial positions, that is, the transport passage 64 is swung through 90° down to the horizontal posture, and the rise-fall lid 107 is pushed up vertically until it fits into the rise-fall opening 108, thereby it follows that the blocks 1 mounted in two courses on the rise-fall lid 107 are lifted vertically, and emerge on the table 7. Because this same mounting process takes place in each of the four mounting mechanisms simultaneously, we now have a square formation of the blocks 1, each one side of which consists of two courses of 17 each blocks are shown in FIG. 2 on the table 7, ready for a next game.

F. Intermediary transport mechanism

The intermediary transport mechanism (F), in which the blocks 1 are horizontally swivelled through 90°, in contrast to the intermediary transport mechanism (c) incorported in the foregoing arraying mechanism (D) in which the blocks 1 are turned around through 180° during the transfer movement, will be described below in detail, making reference to FIGS. 33 through 49.

The present intermediary transport mechanism (F) is also installed at the same three junctions between the transport passages 64, as the previously described intermediary transport mechanism (c).

The block clamping plate 130, comprising as shown in FIG. 40, the interference avoidance piece support portion 131, the sliding portion 132, and the pressure portion 133, and said sliding portion 132 is slidably guided in the groove 135, machined in the upper portion of the turning body 134, so as to have a horizontal sliding freedom, said sliding portion 132 being protected against disengagement out of said groove 135 by the cover plate 136 as shown in FIG. 39. The pressure portion 133 is provided with the through hole 137 in which the screw 138 penetrates with some clearance. There is the spring 139 disposed around the screw 138 between the pressure portion 133 and the turning body 134, into which the end of said screw 138 is fixedly

3,899,178 screwed in. In the arrangement described above, as shown in FIG. 34, the block clamping plate 130 is prevented from further rightward movement by the head of the screw 138, but is allowed some leftward movement subject to the elastic resistance of the spring 138. The distance between the rear end of the interference avoidance piece support portion 131 and the front end of the turning body 134 is, as shown in FIG. 34, sufficient to the thickness of two blocks 1 aligned face to back. The interference avoidance piece support portion 131 is provided with the groove 140, in which the interference avoidance piece 141, which is swivellably supported in its upper portion by the shaft 142, as shown in FIG. 38, is inserted with a clearance. In the upper portion of the groove 40, the through hole 143 is opened, through which the pin 144, which engages with the interference avoidance piece 141 from above, is inserted. Because this pin 144 is pressed by the leaf spring 145 that is fastened to the top face of the block clamping plate 130 by its one end, it applies a downward pressure onto the interference avoidance piece 141.

The turning body 134 is supported at its center by the shaft rod 146, which is secured to the base plate 148 by its lower end, after penetrating through the sliding base 147 with a turning clearance, with the result that the turning body 134 is freely revolvable together with the shaft rod 146 in a horizontal plane.

The sliding base 147 is built, as shown in FIG. 33, flush with the transport passages 64 and 64', and is disposed with its rectangularly intersecting two end edges in contact with the transport passages 64 and 64'. When the turning body 134 is swung on the top surface of the sliding base 147 through 90° from the transport passage 64' side to the transport passage 64 side, the interference avoidance piece 141 describes a quarter circle. On the top surface of the sliding base 147, corresponding to the quarter circle locus, there is provided a guide groove 149, making it possible for the interference avoidance piece 141 to have its lower end guided in this groove 149 when the turning body 134 performs a 90° turn.

When two foremost blocks 1 in the transport passage 64 are pushed onto the sliding base 147 by the earlierdescribed push-in mechanism (b), the shaft rod 146 and the turning body 134 are so turned through 90° in the direction of the arrow, that said foremost two blocks 1 are inserted between the rear end of the interference avoidance piece support portion 131 and the front end of the turning body 134, and are clamped by the tension of the spring 139. Then the shaft rod 146 and the turning body 134 are turned through 90° in the reverse direction to bring the block clamping plate 130 back to its initial position adjacent to the transport passage 64' thereby bringing the clamped blocks 1 to the position adjacent to the transport passage 64'. Thereafter, these blocks 1 will be pushed into the transport passage 64' by the push-in mechanism in a manner to be described below:

The push rod 150 is disposed above the sliding base 147, as shown in FIG. 33, in such a direction as to intersect with the initial position of the block clamping plate 130, with its end positioned in the space between the rear end of the interference avoidance piece support portion 131 and the front end of the turning body 134, said push rod 150 having a width and a height adapted to go through said space freely. As shown in FIG. 41, the base end of the push rod 150 is swivellably connected by the screw 152 having a rolling portion 151 to the screw 153 located below, said rolling portion 151 being inserted in the through hole in the push rod 150 with the clearance, thereby giving said swivellable connection to the screw 153. As shown in FIG. 36, the screw 153 is inserted within the slot 155, opened in the sliding base 147, with clearance, and the end of the screw 153 is fixed to the base end of the T-guide plate 156, as shown in FIG. 37. The T-guide plate 156 is slidingly guided between the guide rails 157 installed in parallel on the underside of the sliding base 147 in the same direction as the push rod 150. In the T-guide plate 156 near its base end, there is provided a slot 158, as shown in FIG. 37, disposed somewhat to the left from the center. Underneath the T-guide plate 156, there is provided a horizontal turn disc 159, which carry on its top surface near the periphery the horizontally inserted pin 160, which projects into the slot 158.

The turn disc 159 is supported at its center by the shaft rod 162, which carries the gear 161, said shaft rod 162 being rotatably supported by the base plate 148. When the shaft rod 162 is turned through 180° as shown by the arrow in FIG. 37, the pin 160 drives the T-guide plate 156 forward in the following manner. While the pin 160 makes its movement through the first 90° portion of its circular path, its position in the slot 158 is shifted from the right end to the left end, and while it makes its movement through the following 90° portion of its circular path, its position in the slot 158 is shifted from the left to the right end, during the whole of this 180° circular movement, the pin 160 driving the T-guide plate 156 forward. The T-guide plate 156 is driven backward when the shaft rod 162 turns through 180° in the opposite direction. Because the Tguide plate 156 is connected to the push rod 150, said forward and backward motions of the T-guide plate 156 is also performed by the push rod 150.

During the movement of the push rod 150, the screw 153 moves within the slot 155, therefore, the slot 155 must be just as long as the moving stroke of the push rod 150, or it must be longer than that stroke. This moving stroke of the push rod 150 is determined by the offset of the pin 160 on the turn disc 159, and in FIG. 33, this stroke is made to correspond to the path from the stationary position shown to the most advanced position adjacent to the end edge of the transport passage 64'.

On the shaft rod 146, the gear 163, having twice as many teeth as the gear 161 and in mesh with the gear 161 is mounted, with the result that the shaft rod 146 and the shaft rod 162 are driven in such a correlation that when the shaft 146 turns through 90°, the shaft 162 turns through 180°. Therefore while the block clamping plate 130 swings through 90° towards the transport passage 64, the turn disc 159 turns through 180° in the reverse direction, driving the push rod 150 forward. Therefore it follows that if the block clamping plate 130 performs said 90° swing motion already carrying the blocks 1, these blocks 1 will be pushed into the transport passage 64'. Then, the block clamping plate 130 swivels swings back towards the transport passage 64, where it receives the next two blocks 1, only to swivel back again carrying these blocks to the initial position. On the other hand, during the return motion of the block clamping plate 130, the push rod 150 moves backward. However, as can be seen in FIG. 33,

3,899,178 there can be an interference during this return swivel motion, between the clamped blocks 1 and the push rod 150, which interference is avoided in a manner to be described below.

During the return swivel movement of the block clamping plate 130, as shown in FIGS. 46 and 47, the interference avoidance piece 141 pushed the push rod 150 towards left away from the path of the blocks 1. As shown in FIG. 47, because the interference avoidance piece 141 is swivellably supported by the shaft 142 at an upper end position leftwardly shifted from the middle, it is prevented from any further clockwise rotation by the sliding base 147, thereby during the return movement of the block clamping plate 130, it is able to shove the push rod 150 aside, while sliding in the guide groove 149 itself. On the other hand, because the push rod 150 is always under the pressure of the leaf spring 164 applied on its left side, as shown in FIG. 43, said leaf spring 164 being secured at its base portion by the support shaft 165, as soon as the interference avoidance piece 141 is out of engagement of the leftwardly shoved push rod 150, the latter is pushed back to its original position by said leaf spring 164.

As shown in FIGS. 41 and 42, in the head of the screw 153 near the periphery, there is opened a guide slot 167, into which the pin 166 studded on the underside of the base end of the push rod 150 is inserted. When the push rod 150 is sidewise shoved, this pin 166 is displaced within the guide slot 167, that is, from the position shown in FIG. 44 to the position shown in FIG. 46, whereby it follows that the length of this guide slot 167 serves to limit the moving range of the pin 166, and hence the moving range of the push rod. It is so arranged that when the push rod is pushed back to its initial attitude under the tension of the leaf spring 164, it is stopped by said guide groove 149 at the direction perpendicular to the block clamping plate 130.

During the movement of the block clamping plate 130 from the initial position toward the transport passage 64, as shown in FIGS. 44 and 45, because the interference avoidance piece 141 is turned counterclockwise by the push rod 150, there can be no interference. After disengagement, this interference avoidance piece 141 snaps back to its initial position under the tension of the leaf spring 145 working through the pin 144. From the foregoing, it is to be understood, that by alternately driving the shaft rod 146 clockwise and counter-clockwise through 90°, the blocks 1 can be transported sequentially from the transport passage 64 to the transport passage 64' and then to 64”, and then to 64”.

These intermediary transport mechanisms are driven in unison by respective sprockets 183 over the chain 184. Now, the driving mechanism designed to drive the shaft rod 146 in reciprocal 90° rotation will be explained making reference to FIGS. 48 and 49. The motor shaft 169 of the motor 168 carries the gear 170 which is in mesh with the gear 171 mounted on the shaft rod 173. The shaft rod 173 horizontally supported by the bracket 172 incorporates the worm 174 which is in mesh with the worm wheel 176 mounted on the shaft rod 175, whicch is rotatably supported by the base plate 177 in the vertical direction and carries at the top the turn disc 178 securing it by its center. To the top surface of the turn disc 178, near the periphery, there is swivellably attached the base end of the crank rod 179, the other end of which is swivellably con nected to the end of the arm 181 fixedly mounted to the shaft rod 180, which is rotatably supported by the base plate 177 and carries the gear 182 having twice as many teeth as the gear 161. When the motor 168 runs, the turn disc 178 is driven in rotation, thereby the arm 181 is driven in reciprocation through an angular range 90°, corresponding to every complete rotation of the turn disc 178. When the arm 181 is driven in reciprocation through an angular range of 90°, the gear 182 is equally driven. Therefore, when the gear 182 is kept in engagement with the gear 161, the shaft rod 162 is driven in reciprocation through an angular range of 180° corresponding to the above motion of the shaft rod 180.

G. Mounting mechanism

In this paragraph, the mounting mechanism designed to mount the blocks on the table only through a 90° swivelling motion, in contrast to the 90 swinging followed by a vertical lifting in the previously described mounting mechanism (E) will be described, making reference to FIGS. 50, 51 and 52. In this mounting mechanism, the transport passage 64 also makes a 90° upward swivel at one complete revolution of the crank disc 100, as was the case with the earlier mounting mechanism (E). However, in the present mechanism, there is no crank disc 99, and therefore, there is no risefall mechanism for the rise-fall lid 107.

The transport passage 64 is located underneath the table 7 in such a proximity therefrom that when the transport passage 64 is swivelled upward through 90°, its inner edge is flush with the table surface 7, and there is provided a through opening 190 in the table 7 through which said upward swivel movement of the transport passage 64 is allowed. In this through opening 190, there is fitted the open-close lid 187 with its edge hearer to the center of the table 7 hingedly connected to the edge of the opening 190. On the opposite edge of the transport passage from the flange 65, there is provided a vertical clamping plate 185, with its base edge hingedly fixed to the arm rod 113, said clamping plate 185 being biased into the vertical direction by means of the spring 186 shown in dash lines, with the result that all the blocks 1 pushed into the transport passage 64 are clamped between the flange 65 and the clamping plate 185, during the whole period of their transportation in this passage.

In the present mechanism, therefore, those blocks 1 waiting ready in the suitable formation underneath the table will be mounted into the table 7 only through a 90° upward swivelling motion in the manner to be described below; When the arm rods 113 swivel upward through 90°, the blocks 1 are brought upward to the position shown in FIG. 52 from the position shown in FIG. 51, pushing open the open-close lid 187 during this process, with the result that the blocks 1 are mounted on the table 7 in an vertically stacked two course arrangement. During this 90° upward swivelling movement of the blocks 1, as mentioned above, the openclose lid 187 is pushed open around the hinge 188, letting the blocks 1 to pass through the opening 190, and the arm rods 113 are serving to prevent the closing of the open-close lid 187 when the blocks 1 are in their final position after their 90° swivelling motion. At this position, because the clamping plate 185 is pushed outwardly by the guiding action of the bevelled surface 191, the blocks 1 are freed, and the edge of the clamping plate 185 is stopped by the stopper 192. When the

3,899,178 arm rods 113 move back to their initial position, the blocks 1 are left on the table 7 and the open-close lid 187 returns to its initial position through the tension of the spring 189 and the gravity of its own weight. By arranging four of such mounting mechanisms at the ap- 5 propriate positions, it is therefore clear that the blocks 1 can be automatically arrayed on the table 7 in a square formation of which each side contains two courses of 17 blocks.

H. Mounting mechanism 10

While in the previously described two mounting mechanisms (E) and (G) because there are either the rise-fall lids 107 or the open-close lids 187 disposed in the table surface 7 harming a pleasant appearance of the table 7, in the present mounting mechanism to be 15 described below, the rise-fall lids 107 are provided near the four edge portions of the table 7, and furthermore, they are hidden by a top frame 193 disposed thereabove, with the result that no rise-fall lid is exposed on the table top 7. With this mechanism, the blocks 1 are 20 automatically shoved on the table 7 from the lifted up positions towards the center to the final game start positions. (FIGS. 53 through 58)

In the present mechanism, when the crank discs 99 and 100 are driven in rotation, the transport passage 64 ²⁵is swivelled upward through 90° and the rise-fall lid 107 is lowered, and then the transport passage 64 is again swivelled backward to the initial position and the risefall lid 107 is lifted vertically to mount the blocks 1 on the table, exactly in the same way as in the previously ³θ described mounting mechanism (E). However, in the present mounting mechanism, the rise-fall lids 107 are located nearer to the edges of the table 7 than in the previous case.

Over the rise-fall lids 107, there is provided the top frame 193, at a distance slightly larger than the height of two prone blocks 1 stacked one above the other, from the table top 7, concealing the rise-fall lids.

The top portion of the slide plate 114 are extended horizontally to form a horizontal portion 194 in order ⁴θ to compensate for the backward shifting of the rise-fall lid. The support block 105 is located in the present mechanism, in an opposite location to the corresponding location in the mounting mechanism (E) and is fixed to the horizontal portion 194. At both ends of the ⁴⁵transport passage 64 there are fixed one downwardly extending support plate 195, each of which carries one each engagement plate 196 disposed at the outside of the right and the left side plates 112, said engagement plates 196 carrying rotatably attached rollers 197 which engage in the grooves 200 provided outside the side plates 112. Horizontally penetrating both support plates 195, there is disposed the horizontal rod 198, which extends outwardly at both ends beyond the sup- ₅₅port plates 195. The end portions of the arm rods 113 are provided with open-end grooves 199 in which said outwardly extending portions of the horizontal rod 198 are accepted, thereby it follows that the transport passage 64 is supported by the arm rods 113 with the intermediary of said horizontal rod 198. With this arrangement, when the arm rods 113 made a 90° swinging motion, the transport passage is driven by them through a 90° arc motion.

In this mechanism, because the crank rod 109 is formed in a curved form, when the crank disc 100 turns through 180°, the arm rods 113 make an approximately the push rods 201 return to the initial positions, they 1 10° swivelling motion. After travelling through the 90° push the stoppers 210 also back to their initial posiarc, as the arm rods 113 further swivels forward, the transport passage 64 moves further horizontally on the horizontal portion 194 and stops where it touches the forward edge of the rise-fall lid 107. On the outside of the side plates 112, corresponding to the moving path of the rollers 197, there are provided guide grooves 200, which guide the rollers when the transport passage 64 swivels and retreats so as to assure its smooth movement. When the transport passage 64 arrives at the rearmost position after rising to the highest position, the rise-fall lid 107 is found already at its lowest position, as was the case with the previous loading mechanism (E), therefore, it results that with one complete revolution of the crank discs 99 and 100, the blocks 1 arrayed in tworow formations on the transport passages 64 are mounted on the rise-fall lids 107 in two-course stacked formations, and are subsequently lifted on the table 7.

On the table 7, above the position corresponding to the position of the lifted blocks 1, there is disposed the push rod 201, as shown in FIG. 56, having a~l form section. This 1 form section is so dimensioned that 34 blocks 1 in a two-course stacked formation can be received therein. In a stationary state, said push rod 201 is covered under the top frame 193. As shown in FIG. 57, to each one end of these push rods 201, the chain 202 is connected, and furthermore, to each this end of these push rods 201 underside thereof and to each opposite end of the these push rods 201 end side thereof, there is rotatably fixed one each roller 203 and 204 respectively.

Said chain 202, as shown in FIG. 57, spans the four sprockets 205 disposed underneath the top frame 193 at all four comers thereof in a square formation, thereby driving the four push rods 201 in unison. In FIG. 57, when the chain 202 is driven in the direction shown by the arrow, all the push rods 201 move towards the center of the table 7. During the forward movement of the push rod 201, the roller 203 rolls along the rail 206 installed on the table 7 underneath the top frame 193, and the other roller 204 rolls on the table surface 7. At the front edge of each top frame 193, hingedly attached thereto by means of the shaft rod 208, there is one each cover plate 207, which can be pushed up out of the way when the push rod 201 moves forward. When the cover plate 207 swivels upward the shaft rod 208 rotates clockwise in FIG. 56, and the groove 209 provided therein comes to assume a horizontal position. In its stationary state, the push rod 201 is in engagement with the stopper 210 with its rear edge. Because the stopper 210 is slidably disposed in the guide grooves 211 and biased forward by the spring 212, when the push rod 201 advances to open the cover plate 207, the stopper 210 is pushed forward by the tension of the spring 212 to slide forward in the guide groove 211 to enter the groove 209, thereby maintaining the cover plate 207 in a horizontal position even after the push rod 201 has advanced forward. The blocks 1 are pushed towards the center of the table 7 as the push rods 201 advance, and when the push rods 201 arrive at the positions shown in long-and-short dash lines in FIG. 57, the chain 202 is driven in reverse direction to drive the push rods back to their initial positions. When the push rods 201 retreat, the blocks 1 are left on the table 7 in the desired formation. When

3,899,178 tions, thereby closing the cover plates 207 in the reverse process in the previous process. The chain 202 is driven in the forward and backward directions by a reversible motor, which is driven in the forward direction after the rise-fall lids 107 complete their upward return motion and is driven in the reverse direction when the push rods 201 complete their forward motion through the preset distance.

I. Mounting mechanism

Because in the previously described mounting mechanism (E), (G), and (H), the blocks 1 are located underneath the table during their stand-by period, some time is needed to swivel the transport passages 64 through 90° to mount these waiting blocks 1 onto the table 7.

The present mounting mechanism (I), in contrast to them, has two rise-fall lids 107 disposed one above the other, whereby the blocks 1 are mounted on the lower rise-fall lid 107' in readiness to be lifted by the lower rise-fall lid 107' through only a simple vertical motion, into the table 7, thereby the mounting time is substantially reduced. (FIGS. 59 through 61) The rise-fall cam 214 and the push out cam 215 are penetrated in the middle by, and fixedly mounted on, the shaft 213, which penetrates through and rotatably supported by side walls 216 and 216 at its both ends.

The rise-fall cam 214 has its engagement peripheral edge so formed that its half portion consists of a semicircle (major periphery) 217 having a uniform first radius throughout and its remaining half portion consists of an arc (minor periphery) 218 having a radius smaller than said first radius.

The push out cam 215 has its engagement edge 219 on the left side rim edge which forms a leftwardly projecting portion 220 at one position. Said rise-fall cam 214 and push out cam 215 are mounted on the shaft 213 with the major periphery 217 and the projecting portion 220 approximately 180° displaced each other. Above the rise-fall cam 214 there is disposed a rise-fall arm 221, which is swivellably supported by the support block 222 at its base end and connected to the arm 223 at its free end. The arm 223 is fixedly attached to the lowerside of the rise-fall lid 107'. To the risefall arm 221 on the left side, as shown in FIG. 59, there is rotatably mounted a roller 224 which engages with the major periphery 217 and the minor periphery 218 of the rise-fall cam 214 riding over these peripheries, thereby, when the rise-fall cam 214 makes one complete turn, the rise-fall arm 221 makes a rise and fall movement around the support block 222, with the result that the rise-fall lid 107' is driven similarly, within the stroke range between the table 7 and the top of the slide plate 114, as shown in FIG. 60, that is, in the stationary phase, as shown in FIG. 60 in long-and-short dash lines, the roller 224 is located at the middle of the minor periphery 218 of the rise-fall cam 214, with the rise-fall lid 107' located with its upper face flush with the upper face of the slide plate 114, and when the risefall cam 214 makes a 180° turn, as shown in solid lines, the roller 224 comes to engage with the middle portion of the major periphery 217, with the rise-fall lid 107' rising up through the rise-fall opening 108 in the table 7 to the position where its top surface is flush with the top face of the table 7. The rise-fall lid 107' is subsequently brought back to its stationary position when the rise-fall cam 214 makes another 180° turn. The rise-fall lid 107' is supported at its underside as shown in FIG. 59 by two guide bars 225 and 225, which is slidably inserted in the bores in the support blocks 226 and 226 with a freedom of vertical sliding movement, thereby the guide bars 225 and 225 maintain the risefall lid 107' in a horizontal posture during its rise and fall motion.

Above the rise-fall lid 107', then is provided the risefall lid 107, the both rise-fall lids 107 and 107' being connected by the connecting rods 227 disposed at both ends, and alidably inserted within the guide grooves 228 provided at both end portions of the rise-fall openings 108. The distance between the rise-rise lids 107 and 107' is made equal to the distance between the underside of the table 7 and the top face of the slide plate 114, with the result that when the rise-fall lid 107' is located adjacent to the slide plate 114, the rise-fall lid 107 located over it is positioned with its top face flush with the top face of the table 7, within the rise-fall opening 108, and when the rise-fall lid 107' rises to enter the rise-fall opening to occupy a position where its top face is flush with the top face of the table 7, the rise-fall lid 107 is found projecting above the table 7.

In FIG. 59, to the left of the push out cam 215, there is shown the horizontally disposed actuation rod 230 carrying at its end the sector gear 229, said actuation rod 230 being swivellably supported at its middle by the shaft rod 231. The actuation rod 230 carries at its rear end on the upper side the roller 233 which is suitably located to engage with the engagement rim 219 of the push out cam 215.

The rear end of the actuation rod 230 is connected to the base frame 235 by the spring 234 thereby the roller 233 is forced onto the engagement rim 219 of the push out cam 215.

Standing in front of the sector gear 229, there is disposed the guide pipe 236 which is rotatably supported by the support block 232. As shown in FIG. 61, the guide pipe 236 is provided with a guide groove 237 in the vertical direction, is provided with the gear 238 which is in mesh with the sector gear 229, at the bottom portion, and carries in its bore the rotating rod 239 with a clearance. The rotating rod 239 is formed into a projection 239', which projects out through the guide groove 237, at the lower end. The upper end of the rotating rod 239 penetrates the rise-fall lid 107' with clearance projecting above the rise-fall lid 107', and to this end portion of the rotating rod 239, the bent portion of the push arm 240 is fixedly connected, with the result that the push arm 240 is swivellably supported by the rotating rod 239 above the rise-fall lid 107'. As shown in FIG. 59, to the left of said push arm 240, there is also the push arm 240' having a similar shape, which is horizontally swivellably supported by the shaft rod 241 above the rise-fall lid 107'. The rear ends of the push arms 240 and 240' are connected by the connecting rod 242 and their forward ends swivellably support the horizontal push out frame 243, having a vertical front edge, on the table 7, with its right end forming a rectangular bend 244 as shown in FIG. 59. Because the height of the push out frame is slightly lower than the stacked two courses of the blocks 1, and its length is equal to the juxtaposed 17 blocks, the push out frame 243 is adapted to accept two courses of 17 blocks.

Because at the stationary state, the push out cam 215 is found with its projecting portion 220 of the engagement rim 219 at the top position, the roller 233 is found more to the right than the position shown in FIG. 59,

3,899,178 where it engages with the flat portion of the engagement rim 219. In this position, the actuation rod 230 is pushed towards left, in FIG. 59, and the sector gear 229 is in mesh with the gear 238 at its right end. In this state, the connecting rod 242 is found more to the left than shown in FIG. 59 therefore the push arms 240 and 240' are found with their end portions parallel with the rise-fall lid 107', which posture of the push arm 240' at left is shown in long-and-short dash lines. In this state, the push out frame 243 is formed in a further retreated position than shown in FIG. 59, adjacent to the rear edge of the rise-fall lid 107'.

As can be seen from the foregoing, in the stationary state of the present mechanism, the rise-fall lid 107' is found flush with the top face of the slide plate 114, the other rise-fall lid 107 is found inserted in the rise-fall opening 108 with its top face flush with the top face of the table 7. Therefore, when the transport passage 64 is properly filled with the blocks 1, the shaft rod 111 is turned 90° clockwise, thereby the arm rod 113 and the transport passage 64 are swivelled through 90°, with the result that the blocks 1 are mounted on the rise-fall lid 107' where they stay in readiness, in a two-course stacked formation of 17 blocks, contained on the frontal platform of the push out frame 243. When the game being played with another set of blocks 1 on the table 7 is over, and all the blocks are thrown underneath the table, the shaft 213 is turned clockwise through one complete turn, thereby the stand-by blocks 1 are lifted vertically, then mounted onto the table 7, and then the mechanism returns to the stationary position, in a manner to be explained below.

First, when the shaft 213 turns clockwise through 180°, the rise-fall cam 214 pushes the rise-fall lid 107' up to the level of the table 7, and then immediately afterward, the projecting portion 220 of the push out cam 215 starts to engage with the rollers 233. Although the major periphery 217 of the rise-fall cam 214 and the projecting portion 220 of the push out cam 215 is displace each other approximately 180° around the shaft 213, as mentioned earlier, to be precise, the highest point of the projecting portion 220 is shifted several degrees from the highest point of the major periphery 217, with the result that only when the risefall lid 107' attains the height equal to the table 7, the projecting portion 220 starts to engage with the roller 233. When the roller starts to engage with the periphery portion 220, the sector gear 229 starts to rotate around the shaft rod 231, thereby driving the meshing gear 238 in the counter-clockwise direction. When the gear 238 rotates counter-clockwise, the guide pipe 236 is similarly driven, and hence, the rotating rod 239 is driven with the intermediary of the projection 239'. The counter-clockwise rotation of the rotating rod 239 is transmitted to the push out arm 240, and through the connecting rod 242, further to the push but rod 240'. When the push out arms 240 and 240' are swivelled counter-clockwise, as shown in FIG. 59, the blocks 1 are pushed out onto the table 1. As the shaft 213 keeps on rotating, the rollers 233 passes over the tip of the projecting portion 220 and comes to engage with the flat portion, so as to retract thee push out frame 243 into the rise-fall lid 107; thereby completing the push out cycle. Thereafter, the roller 224 comes to engage with the minor periphery 218 thereby bringing the risefall lids 107 and 107' back.

Four of these mounting mechanism (I) are installed at four locations underneath the table 7 with their shafts 213 connected with such means as bevel gears and are driven in unison by a single rotation clutch mo5 tor. The shaft rods 111 are also similarly connected to each other and are also driven in unison by another reversible motor.

J. Throw-in mechanism (FIGS. 62, 63,64,65,66,67, 68 and 69) While in the previously described throw-in 10 mechanism (A), after a game is over, the blocks 1 are thrown-in manually through the opening, in the present throw-in mechanism (J), there is a wiper 245 provided which sweeps from one side of the table to the opposite side thereby throwing the blocks 1 underneath the 15 table 7 automatically, without any need for a manual throwing activity.

The wiper 245 which spans from one side of the table 7 to the opposite side with a narrow space from the table top 7, is fixedly mounted at its two ends on the 20 trucks 246, which are provided on their outside with rollers 247 which are guided in the rails 248 having a Ί formed section. These rails 248 are fixed to the side plates 249 at the sides which are located in the proximity of the two ends of the wiper, and as shown in FIG. 25 63, partly, extend approximately through the whole length of the side plates 249. Said trucks 246 run on the rollers 247 freely on the rails 248, thereby making the wiper 245 also freely movable in the right and left direction over the table 7 in FIG. 63.

Over the rails 248, there are provided top frame lids 250 which are hinged at their outside edges to the side plates 249 with a freedom of open-close movement at the edges facing the table 7.

To those side plates 252 disposed at right angle to the ³⁵ side plates 249, also top frame lids 253 and 253' are hinged by means of the hinges 254, similar to the top frame lids 250. Those four frame lids 250, 253 and 253' are as shown in FIG. 69, slightly higher than the table top 7 in their closed state.

⁴⁰ Inside the side plates 249 and 252, there are inner side plates 255 for fixedly mounting the table 7. Among the inner side plates 255, the ones adjacent to the side plates 252 carry two shaft rods 256 between them, connecting their corresponding ends allowing them a rotat³ ing freedom. On both ends of the two shaft rods 256 and 256, there are mounted sprockets 257, among which sprockets those two on the side of one side plate 249 are connected each other with the chain 258, _θ which carries on its inner side the traction piece 260 having the hook groove 259. because the support shaft 261 of the roller 247 is extending outward, when this extending end of the shaft 261 is caught in the hook groove 259, as the shaft rods 256 and 256 turns, the ₅₅ wiper 245 is driven. One of the shaft rods 256 and 256 is provided with the gear 262 which is in mesh with the gear 264 of the motor 263, thereby when the motor 263 runs, the chain 258 is moved, that is, when the motor 263 runs in one direction, the wiper 245 is driven from one side of the table towards the opposite side, and when the motor runs in the opposite direction, the wiper returns to the initial position.

The four shaft rods 265 shown in FIG. 64 are rotatably supported by the support plates 266 and four of such shaft rods 265 are connected by the bevel gears 267 mounted on both ends thereof to form a square. One of these shaft rods 265 carries the gear 268 which is in mesh with the gear 270 mounted on the motor

3,899,178

269, thereby it follows that when the motor 269 runs, all four shaft rods 265 rotate in unison. Above the two ends of each shaft rod 265, there are rotatably supported by support plates 271, the shaft rods 272, which carry the gears 273 and the crank disc 274, which gears 273 are in mesh with the gears 275 mounted on the shaft rods 265. To the crank disc 274 the base ends of the crank rods 276 are swivellably attached, which swivellably support the underside of the top frame lids 250, 250 and 253 by their other ends. However, as shown in FIG. 67, one top frame lid 253' is not directly supported by the end of the crank rod 276, but the end of the crank rod 276 swivellably supports the truck mounting base 277, which in turn swivellably supports one end of the connecting rod 278, whose other end swivellably supports the top frame lid 253'. The relative functional positions of the crank rods 276 and the top frame lids 250, 250, 253, and 253' are such that when the base ends of the crank rods 276 are at their lowest position, the top frame lids 250, 250, 253 and 253' are in their closed horizontal postures, and when the base ends of the crank rods 276 come to their top position due to a 180+ turning of the crank disc 274, all the top frame lids 250, 250, 253, and 253' swivel upward with their inner edge side rising upward. In this case, exceptionally, while the top frame lid 253' is in its horizontal posture, the truck mounting base 277 is suspended therefrom, and when it opens upward as shown in FIG. 67, the truck mounting base 277 is lifted to the height equal to the rail 248.

While a game is being performed on the table 7, the top frame lids 250, 250, 253, and 253' are closed, and below the top frame lid 253', the truck 246 and the wiper 245 are stored, with the truck 246 mounted on the truck mounting base 277.

After a game is over, firstly, the motor 269 is started to turn the crank discs 274 through 180° over the shaft rods 265 and the gears 273 and 275, to open the top frame lids 250, 250, 253, and 253', and to lift the truck 246. As shown in FIG. 69, the basic position of the traction piece 260 is so determined that the hook groove 259 is located directly above the support shaft 261, therefore it follows that at the end of the rising stroke of said truck 246, the support shaft 261 is caught by the hook groove 259, thereby the wiper 245 and the chain 258 are mutually connected.

Then, when the motor 263 starts, the wiper 245 is driven towards the opposite side over the table 7 thereby sweeping the blocks 1 found on the table 7 towards the opposite side. Among the four similar shaft rods 265, as shown in FIG. 64, exceptionally, in the central region of the shaft rod 265', there is provided the opening 279, into which therefore, the blocks 1 swept by the wiper 245 are thrown in. When the wiper 245 reaches this side, the motor 263 is driven backward, to send the wiper 245 back onto the truck mounting base 277. Then the motor 269 is driven in the reverse direction to the previous operation, thereby the wiper 245 is retracted and the top frame lids 250, 250, 253, and 253' are closed.

Now, the operational sequence of these individual motions are as follows: When a game player switches the motor 269 on, the truck mounting base 277 rises until it trips the limit switch 280, shown in FIGS. 67 and 69 at its upper stroke end, thereby stopping the motor 269 and starting the next motor 263 in the forward run, which in turn causes the wiper 245 to be driven towards the opposite side, until it reaches the opposite side, where all the blocks are thrown into the opening and the limit switch 281 shown in FIG. 66 is tripped, which starts to drive the motor 263 in reverse direction so as to send the wiper 245 backward until it comes back, that is the traction piece 260 comes back to its initial position, where the limit switch 282 shown in FIG. 69 is tripped on to start the motor 269 in the reverse run thereby closing the top frame lids 250, 250, 253, and 253'.

The drop prevention plates 283 shown in FIG. 65 are attached to the inner side of the top frame lids 250 and 250 throughout their length for the purpose of preventing the blocks 1 from dropping during the sweeping process of the wiper 245. These drop prevention plates 283 are stored underneath the top frame lids 250 and 250 when they are closed. Underneath the opening 279, there is disposed as shown in FIG. 62, the belt conveyors 284 and 284', which are driven by their respective motors 285 and 285' towards the center area, to carry the thrown in blocks 1 towards the center area. Between these two belt conveyors 284 and 284', there is disposed the belt conveyor 287 driven by the motor 286, and in series with said conveyor 287, there is another belt conveyor 289 driven by the motor 288. Therefore, it follows that the thrown in blocks 1 are carried by the belt conveyors 284 and 284' towards the central area, and thence by the belt conveyors 287 and 289 to the orientation mechanism 290 disposed next in the series of mechanisms.

K. Orientation mechanism (FIGS. 62, and 72 through 78)

While in the previously described orientation mechanism (B), a parts feeder is utilized to align the blocks in a uniform orientation, in the present orientation mechanism, for the purpose of directing all the blocks in a uniform orientation, a barrel type orientation device and magnet loaded blocks are utilized.

The short cylinder formed barrel 291 is fixedly mounted on the shaft rod 293 which is rotatably supported by the support brackets 292 and 292' thereby said barrel 291 has a freedom of rotation around its horizontal axis. Inside this barrel 291 on the cylindrical wall, there are a plurality of longitudinally running grooves 294, the width of which is as shown in FIG. 74, approximately equal to the lateral width of the blocks 1, and the space between two adjacent grooves is approximately equal to the width of the grooves 294, as showrj in FIG. 76. At the bottom of these grooves 294, there are embedded magnet pieces 295, the exposed ends of which are covered with the separation plates 296, as shown in FIGS. 73, 74 and 75. The separation plates 296 are inserted in the grooves 294 with clearance and are provided with the short rods 297 secured thereto at both ends thereof, said short rods 297 penetrating the barrel wall 291 with clearance and carrying the push plates 298 secured to the outwardly projecting ends. The portions of the outside wall of the barrel 291, where the short rods 297 project, are counterbored to form recesses 299 in which springs 300 put around the short rods 297 are seated. These springs 300 bias the push plates 298 constantly away from the barrel 291, with the result that the separation plates 296 are constantly pressed onto the exposed surface of the magnets 295 through the short rods 297. In all the grooves 294, said magnets 295, separation plates 296, short rods

3,899,178

297, push plates 298, and the springs 300 are installed in the same manner as above.

Above the center line of the barrel 291, there is fixed on the underside of the table 7, the solenoid 301, which is located as shown in FIG. 72, directly above the push plate 298. The solenoid 301 serves to push the push plates 298 down thereby separately the separation plates 296 from the magnets 295 as shown in FIGS. 72, 73, and 74. As shown in FIG. 72, on the outside of the right side wall 302 of the barrel 291, there are provided the Geneva grooves 303, which are formed, as shown in FIG. 77 by the combination of radially directed grooves 304 and semicircular grooves 305 connecting each two adjacent grooves 304. In these Geneva grooves 303, the semi-circular stopper 307 and a pin 308 provided on the turn disc 306 are alternately inserted to drive the barrel 201 in a manner to be described below.

The turn disc 306 is supported at its center with the shaft rod 309, which is in turn rotatably supported by the support bracket 310. At the center of the turn disc 306, as shown in FIG. 78, there is installed a projecting semi-circular stopper 367 having a semi-circular section, and there is installed on the same side of the turn disc 306, offset from the center, and angularly displaced 180° from the semicircular stopper 307, the sidewise projecting pin 308. As shown in FIGS. 72 and 77, the center of the turn disc 306 is located on the peripheral line of the Geneva grooves 303, and the semicircular arc line of the semi-circular stoppers 307 is identical with the form of the semi-circular grooves 305, and furthermore, the grooves 304 are formed on the locus of the pin 308, thereby it follows that as the turn disc 306 rotates, the pin 308 enters one of the grooves 304 driving the barrel 291, and when the pin 308 leaves the grooves 304, simultaneously, the semicircular stopper 307 enters one of the semi-ciircular grooves 305 to lock the barrel 291. Thus, at each rotation of the turn disc 306, the barrel 291 is turned through a preset angle, and then locked, with the result that when the turn disc 306 is continuously driven in rotation, the barrel 291 is driven in an intermittent rotation.

The turn disc 306 is driven in rotation by the motor 311, that is, the rotation of the motor shaft 314 of the motor 311 is transmitted over the gear 312 on the motor shaft 314 and the gear 313 on the shaft rod 309 to the turn disc 306. On the other hand, the motor shaft 314 rotatably supported by the support bracket 310 is provided with another gear 315 besides the above gear 312. Underneath the motor shaft 314, there is disposed a shaft rod 316 which is rotatably supported by the support bracket 310 and another support bracket 310' located opposite from said support bracket 310. On said shaft rod 316 a gear 317 that engages with the gear 315 is mounted and also on one end of said shaft rod 316, a bevel gear 318 is mounted, that engages with the bevel gear 320 mounted on a vertical shaft rod 319, which is rotatably supported by the support bracket 310' and by another support bracket 321 that is fixed at the top of the support bracket 292'. As shown in FIG. 76, the support bracket 321 rotatably supports by its upper portion the belt shaft 323 of the belt conveyor 322. Said belt shaft 323 extends to one side beyond the support bracket 321 and on the extended end a bevel gear 324 is mounted, which engages with the bevel gear 325 mounted on the upper end of the shaft rod 319.

Therefore it follows that the motor 311 drives over the shaft rods 316 and 319 also the belt conveyor 322.

The side of the barrel 291 opposite to the side closed by the side wall 302 with the Geneva grooves 303, has no side wall, but forms the opening 326, through which opening the end of the belt conveyor 322 is introduced into the barrel 291 reaching into the position directly underneath the separation plate 296 which is located directly underneath the solenoid 301. Although skipped in FIG. 72, the rear end of the belt conveyor 322 is supported by an appropriate support bracket and furthermore, is connected to the chute 46 and the belt conveyor 47 shown in FIG. 62. Into the central part of the opening 326, the outlet end of the belt conveyor 298 connected to the throw-in mechanism (J) is introduced by means of the support bracket 292'. In front of the opening 326, there is disposed a shield plate 327 secured to the support bracket 292'. Said shield plate 327 shielding the opening 326 with a slight clearance. The belt conveyors 322 and 322 are introduced into the barrel 291 through the through opening 328 and 329 respectively, provided in the shield plate 327.

Enbedded in the blocks 1 to be used with the present orientation mechanism (K), there is an iron piece 331 as shown in FIG. 74, offset towards the front face 330. Said iron piece 331 may just as well be any other metal piece or metallic powder provided they are sensitive to magnetism. When such blocks 1 are introduced into the barrel 291 by the belt conveyor 289, they are tumbled as the barrel makes an intermittent rotation. Through the process of this tumbling agitation, those blocks having the direction of the longitudinal axis of which accidentally coincided with the direction of the grooves 292 are caught in these grooves 294 and are lifted up as the barrel 291 rotates. However, among those blocks I caught in and lifted by the grooves 294, only those which have the face 330 facing the bottom of the grooves 294 are attracted by the magnets 295 through the separation plates 296 as shown in FIG. 75, and therefore reach the top position without dropping, but those blocks 1 which have the opposite face facing the bottom of the grooves 294 drops as they move higher.

Because one stepwise moving angle of the barrel 291 corresponding to one complete rotation of said turn disc 306 is made equal to the space of the push plates 298, as the barrel is driven intermittently, the push plates 298 is brought to the position directly below the solenoid 301 one after another, and those blocks 1 being attracted by the magnets 295 are eventually brought to the top position of the barrel 291 through the intermittent rotation of the barrel 291. Each time the barrel 291 Completes its unit rotation, the push plate 298 trips the limit switch 332 shown in FIG. 72 to energize the solenoid 301 which then pushes down the push plate 298 that happens to be at the top of the barrel, with the result that the separation plate 296 is pushed downward away from the magnet 296. In this way, those blocks 1 brought to the top position of the barrel 291 are pushed downward by the solenoid 301 over the separation plate 296, thereby, because the magnetic attraction of the magnet 295 is weakened by the increased distance, as shown in FIGS. 72, 73, 74 and 76, the blocks 1 are dropped on the belt conveyor 322, which transports these blocks 1 to the chute 46 which in turn transports the blocks 1 to the belt conveyor 47 and eventually to the aligning mechanism (C).

3,899,178

In this way, the blocks 1 are sent out of the present orientation mechanism in one row, with all the blocks aligned longitudinally and with all the blocks uniformly showing their face upside. During the tumbling process in the barrel 291, although those blocks which failed to enter the grooves 294 and those blocks which entered the grooves but fall will subsequently change their directions and orientations, and eventually all the blocks 1 will be sent out in a uniformly oriented condition as mentioned above.

Because as shown in FIG. 72, the width of the barrel 291, hence the length of the grooves 294 is adapted to hold five blocks aligned longitudinally, with the best attainable efficiency, five blocks 1 are sent out at every actuation of the solenoid 301. If it is desired to align the blocks 1 with the tail faces 333 up, then it is only necessary to offset iron pieces 331 or other magnetic pieces towards the tail faces 333 in the block material.

L. Orientation Mechanism (FIGS. 79 through 88)

Because in the foregoing orientation mechanism (K), the barrel is intermittently driven to attain an agitation effect and orientation of the blocks, it takes a comparatively long time to get all the blocks uniformly oriented. In the present orientation mechanism (L), by adopting a system of continuously agitating and orienting blocks, the time needed for orientation is shortened.

On the inside cylindrical wall of the barrel 291, also in the present mechanism, there are provided a plurality of grooves 294 having at the bottom the magnet pieces 295 similar to the foregoing orientation mechanism (K). One side of the barrel 291 is shielded by the side plate 334 and the opposite side forms an opening 353. In the side plate 334, as shown in FIG. 82, there are provided passage holes 335 so dimensioned so as to allow the blocks 1 to pass through only when they are longitudinally directed, at those locations which correspond to the positions of the grooves 294. The barrel 291 is fixedly mounted on the shaft rod 336 which penetrates the center of the side plate 334, and this shaft rod 336 is rotatably supported at both ends by the support brackets 337 and 337'.

On the end of the shaft rod 336 next to the support bracket 337, there is mounted the pulley 338, which is connected with the pulley 340 on the motor 339 with a belt 341 thereby the barrel 291 is driven by the motor 339. All the longitudinal grooves 294 have a slot 342 penetrating from the groove bottom to the outside of the barrel with its length running approximately over the whole length of the longitudinal axis of the grooves 294 as shown in FIG. 79, and within these slots 342, there is inserted one each pin 343 with the freedom of sliding movement throughout the length of the slots. These pins 343 rotatably carry on their ends, projecting outwardly from the barrel, one each roller 345, and fixedly carry on the end inside the grooves 294 one each push block that has the same shape as the block 1. Because the diameter of the rollers 345 are larger than the width of the slots 342, the pins 343 are protected from getting lost by these rollers 345. Thus, the pins 343 are capable of moving along the length of the slot 342, and the push blocks 346 slide along the grooves 294 together with the pins.

On the external side of the side plate 334, there is integrally attached the rotating body 347 having a thickness slightly larger than the length of the blocks 1 and the periphery located slightly towards the center from the center side edge of the passage holes 335, as shown in FIG. 82. On the periphery of the rotating body 347, corresponding to the two corners of the passage holes 335, there are installed guide pieces 348 for clamping the blocks 1. Disposed outside the barrel 291, containing the whole barrel 291 with a small clearance, there is the drum cam 349 which is larger than the barrel 291 and which is provided with the cam grooves 350 on its inside periphery. One side of the drum cam 349 is closed by the side plate 351 through which the shaft rod 336 penetrates in the center, and which is fixedly attached to the support bracket 337' by means of the mounting flange 354', and the opposite side of the drum cam 349 is open to form the opening 352. As shown in FIG. 86, the cam groove 350 is formed in the left end region of the inside periphery of the drum cam 349 in a loop form, with the advance cam groove portion 355 projecting towards the side plate 351 and the return cam groove portion 356 returning from the summit of said advance cam groove portion 355 to the left end cam groove 350 incorporated in the top region of the drum cam 349. As the width of the barrel 291 is slightly larger than the total length of five longitudinally aligned blocks 1, within one groove 294, a maximum of four blocks 1 can enter. As the pins 343 disposed inside the grooves found in the lower region of the barrel 291 are brought to the left end of the slots 342 by means of the rollers which are guided in the cam groove 350 positioned along the left end of the drum cam 349, the push blocks fixed to these pins 343 are located at the left end of the grooves 294. When the barrel 291 makes one complete rotation counter-clockwise as viewed in FIG. 80, first the pins 343 rise along the cam groove 350, then enter the advance cam groove portion 355, reach its summit and afterwards passing through the return cam groove portion 356, return to the cam groove portion 350 along the left end. During this process, when the pins 343 are passing over the summit portion of the advance cam groove portion 355, the push blocks 346 are found at the rightmost end of the grooves 294.

Between the advanced cam groove portion 355 and the return cam groove portion 356, there are also by pass connection grooves 357, 358, and 359, of which the bypass cam groove 359 is located one block’s length from the left end cam groove 350, then bypass cam groove 358, 357 and the summit of the advance groove portion 355 are located progressively rightwards with the same interval.

The recessed portion 360 of the outside periphery of the drum cam 349 which corresponds to the location of the advance cam groove portion 355 is recessed, and consequently, those portions of the cam grooves 355, 356, 357, 358 and 359 which are located within this recessed portion 360 are exposed to the outside of the drum cam 349, with the result that the roller 345 projects partly when it passes through those groove portions. On the recessed drum cam surface corresponding to the entrances of each bypass cam grooves 357, 358, and 359 from the advance cam groove 355, there are provided the semi-circular guide plates 361, which are swivellably supported by the pins 362 at respective one end and adapted to openably block the bypass cam grooves 357, 358 and 359. Said guide plates 361 are installed with its top face approximately flush with the top face of the roller 345, and on this top face of the guide plates 361, symmetrically disposed from said pins 362, there are pins 363 studded. Across these

3,899,178 bypass cam grooves 357, 358, and 359, at opposite side from the pins 362, there are installed the springs 364 with their base swivellably supported by the pins 365 and with their extended ends biasing the pins 363 on the guide plates 361 towards the advance cam groove 355. At each entry of each of the bypass cam grooves 357, 358, and 359 from the advance cam groove 355 at the corner on the side of the pin 365, there is provided a stopper 366, as shown in FIG. 88, against which the guide plate 361 is pressed by the spring 364 to block each of these bypass cam grooves 357, 358, and 359.

Disposed at the periphery of the rotating body 347, a small distance downward from the top, there is the end of the chute 367 that passes through the window 367' in the drum cam 349 shown in FIG. 86, as shown in FIG. 81. The end of the chute 367 is, as shown in FIG. 80 in long-and-short dash lines, cut into a groove 368 in the middle, and the right and left end portions of this groove are brought in engagement with the periphery of the rotating body 347, thereby when the rotating body 347 rotates, the guide pieces 348 pass freely in the groove 368 without causing any interference to the rotation. The outlet end of the chute 367 is so turned around that its outlet opening 369 is brought immediately above the belt conveyor 322.

On the opening side of the barrel 291, there is installed a drop prevention plate 370 fixed to the support bracket 337 by means of a mounting plate 354, leaving a small space from the end of the barrel 291. As shown in FIG. 83, this drop prevention plate 370 is provided with a lead-in opening 371, through which the belt conveyor 289, which is similar to that used in the foregoing orientation mechanism (K), is introduced into the barrel 291. As shown in FIG. 85, the blocks 1 incorporate within their material one each iron piece or other magnetic piece 331 at a position substantially offset towards the tail faces 333.

After a game is over, the blocks 1 are swept off the table top by the throw-in mechanism (J), and are eventually introduced into the barrel 291 by the belt conveyor 289. The barrel 291 is driven in rotation by the motor 339 to tumble the introduced blocks 1. During this tumbling process, when some blocks 1 accidentally take positions parallel to the grooves 294, they fall into those grooves 294 and are lifted up as the barrel keeps on rotating. Among those lifted up blocks 1, those having their tail side faces 333 towards the magnets 295 stay in the grooves because the iron pieces 331 embedded in the block material is sufficiently strongly attracted by the magnets 295, but those inserted in other directions drop because of their weaker magnetic attraction due to the greater space between the magnet and the iron piece. As the dropped blocks 1 are again tumbled with the rest of the blocks remaining in the barrel, and eventually, will fall into the grooves in the right direction. Therefore, if all those blocks 1 lifted in the grooves 294 can be continuously guided outwide, these blocks 1 are all in a uniform orientation.

In the lower region of the barrel 291, the push blocks 346 occupy the left end positions, as viewed in FIG. 80, in the grooves 294, leaving space for four each blocks 1. To begin with, we assume a case in which only one block 1 is correctly placed in one of the grooves 294 with proper orientation to be retained in the groove by magnetic attraction. As the barrel 291 rotates bringing the block 1 higher towards the top position, the roller

345 mounted on the pin 343 carried by the push block in the same groove as the particular block enters the advance cam groove 355 thereby pushing the push block 346 in the groove 294 towards the rotating body 347. When the roller 345 reached the summit point of the advance cam groove 355, the block 1 is pushed through the passage hole 335 out onto the periphery of the rotating body 347 where it is clamped between two guide pieces 348. This block 1 moves down riding on the rotating body 347 until it reaches the inlet end of the chute 367 where it is introduced into the chute 367, then, sliding down the chute 367, turning around at the lower portion thereof, and finally discharged onto the belt conveyor 322 with its head face 330 up, to be transported on to the aligning mechanism. As a second case, let us assume that there are two blocks 1 correctly inserted in the groove 294 and attracted by the magnet 295. In this case, as shown in FIG. 79, as the push block 346 similarly moves towards the rotating body 347, as soon as the forwardmost block 1 is pushed onto the periphery of the rotating body 347, this block 1 is stopped by the side plate 351 of the drum cam 349, with the result that the following block 1' and the push block 346 are also stopped. When this happens, since the roller 345 can not proceed along the advance cam groove 355, when the barrel 291 rotates further on, it pushes the guide plate 361, open it as shown in FIG. 88, and enters the bypass cam groove 357. Thereafter, the roller 345 passes underneath the spring 364, moves down the bypass cam groove 357, and finally re-enter the cam groove 350 through the return cam groove 356. The following block 1' in the groove has to wait until the barrel 291 makes another rotation, when it can be pushed out in the same way as the first block 1. Similarly, when three blocks 1 are properly positioned in the groove 294, the roller 345 takes the bypass cam groove 358, and when four blocks 1 are properly positioned in the groove, the roller 345 takes the bypass cam groove 359. Thus, in this orientation mechanism (L), as the barrel 291 is continuously turned, the blocks 1 are led out one at a time all aligned longitudinally with the head side face 330 up. If it is desired to align all the blocks 1 with their tail side face 33 up, then it is only necessary that the iron pieces 331 or other magnetic pieces by embedded nearer to the head side face 330 within the blocks. M. Orientation mechanism (FIGS. 89 through 91)

While in the orientation mechanism (B) described earlier, blocks with offset center of gravity were used in conjunction with a parts feeder to attain a uniform orientation of the blocks, in the present orientation mechanism (M), similar blocks with offset gravity center are introduced into cylinders to attain uniform orientations.

The vertically disposed belt conveyor 372 spans two roller shafts, the upper roller shaft 373' and the lower roller shaft 373, that is coupled to the motor 374. On the outside face of the belt 375, a plurality of horizontal disposed guide plates 376 and cylinders 377 are attached at a regular interval. As shown in FIG. 90, the guide plates 376 are attached to the belt 375 by their one side edges with a slight rightward descending inclination. The width of the guide plates 376 is approximately equal to the width of the blocks 1, and the distance between two adjacent guide plates 376 is slightly larger than the width of the blocks 1, but smaller than the length of the blocks 1. The cylinders 377 are con

3,899,178 nected one each to the lower end of each guide plate 376 and are attached to the belt by the outside of the same inclination as the guide plates 376. The bore of the cylinders 377 are sufficient for the blocks 1 to pass lengthwise with sufficient clearance. The lower end of the guide plates 376 are brought to a position slightly below the center of the bore of the cylinders at the junction of the two.

The above belt conveyor 372 is housed in the case 378, which has its guide-in opening on one side adjacent to the guide plates 376 and has its side plates 380 and 380' intersecting the roller shafts 373 and 373' near their both ends. Both side plates 380 and 380' are disposed respectively in the very close proximity of the rear ends of the guide plates 376 and in the very close proximity of the front end of the cylinders 377, and the guide-out opening 381 is provided in the side plate 380 on the cylinder 377 side. As shown in FIG. 90, this guide-out opening 381 is located at one position in the travelling region of the lower ends of the cylinders 377, and is dimensioned approximately equal to the crosssection of the cylinders 377. The entire case 378 is supported by the support bracket 382, and the chute 46 is connected to the guide-out opening 381, and furthermore, the end of the belt conveyor 289, not shown, is introduced into the guide-in opening 379. The chute 46 is identical with the one used with the orientation mechanism (B), and the belt conveyor 289 is identical with the one used with the orientation mechanism (K). The blocks 1 to be used in conjunction with the present mechanism are loaded with a weight 38, which is embedded, as shown in FIG. 91, in the proximity of the tail side face 333 within the material.

After a game is over, thrown-in blocks are transported over the belt conveyor 289 through the guide in opening 379 in the case 378, where by the movement of the belt conveyor 372, driven by the motor 374, they are agitated. In the course of this agitation, these blocks 1 are caught by the guide plates 376 and are lifted upward irregularly, and because the guide plates 376 are only as wide as the width of the blocks, among the lifted up blocks, those blocks which are accidentally aligned in the longitudinal direction are stable on the guide plates so that they are further lifted, but those blocks which are in other directions are unstable so that they fall immediately. Those blocks 1 which are mounted on the guide plates 376 in the longitudinal direction are not only lifted by the conveyor movement but also are allowed to slide down along the inclined guide plates into the cylinders 377. Because the bores of the cylinders 377 are smoothly finished, all the blocks that are introduced inside are immediately turned into the most stable posture with the weighted side down automatically, irrespective of the original orientation. Thus, all the blocks 1 led into the cylinders 377 are uniformly oriented into the position with the head side face 330 up, and then as the cylinders 377 are lifted, are led out through the guide out opening 381 onto the chute 46, to be sent to the aligning mechanism (C) next in the line of mechanisms. When it is desired to align all the blocks longitudinally, with the tail side face 333 up, then it is only necessary to offset the embedded weight towards the head side face 330.

N. Aligning mechanism (FIGS. 92 through 95)

While the earlier-explained aligning mechanism (D) is composed of the transport passage (a), push-in mechanism (b), and the intermediary transport mecha nism (c) which are so connected that they all operate in conjunction, in the present aligning mechanism (N), the blocks are aligned while they are transported by a circularly driven chain conveyor, attaining a substantial simplification in the mechanism. Inside of all four junctions of the transport passages 64, there is disposed one each sprocket 383 which is rotatably supported in a horizontal posture by the shaft rod 385 supported by the support bracket 384. These four sprockets 383 are connected by a single chain, applied in a square formation, carrying on its outside a plurality of L-section mounting plates 387. To these mounting plates 387, transport plates 388 are so attached as to be aligned on the transport passage 64 in vertical dispositions, with the distance between two adjacent members being slightly larger than the width of the blocks 1, and 16 of them being disposed on each transport passage 64, as shown in FIG. 92. The transport passages 64 are identical with those in the previous arraying mechanism (D) except for the provision of cut-outs 389 which are so made with such width and length and at such positons as to enable the transport passages 64 to be swivelled upward without interference with the transport plates 388. At all the four junctions of the transport passages, there are provided one each quarter arc formed guide plate 390 which are supported by the support stands 391 with their top flush with the transport passages and with their sides abutting on the end edges of the transport passages with small clearance. On the inside edges of the guide plates flanges 392 similar to the flanges 65 of the transport passages 64 are formed.

To those portions of the chain 386 which correspond to the position of the guide plates 390, that is, the chain portions at the comer in FIG. 92, there are attached above the guide plates 390 three each dummy blocks 393, which have a width equal to the space of the transport, plates 388 and a depth equal to the thickness of two blocks 1. Among the four sprockets 383, one is provided with the disc Geneva 394 fixed to the underside thereof, both the sprocket 383 and the disc Geneva being rotatably mounted on the common shaft rod 385. As shown partly in FIG. 94, this disc Geneva 394 is provided with a Geneva groove composed of the semi-circular grooves 395 and the slots 396 continuously formed on the periphery. Underneath the disc Geneva 394 at one position on its periphery, rotatably supported by the support stand 384, there is disposed the shaft rod 397, which carries on its top the turn disc 398, which is provided with the semi-circular stopper 399 adapted to slip into the semi-circular grooves 395 at one position, and the pin 400, adapted to enter the slot 396, to drive the disc Geneva 394 through a definite angle at every rotation of the shaft rod 397, at another position. The shaft rod 397 is provided with the bevel gear 401 in mesh with the bevel gear 403 of the motor 402, thereby when the motor 402, runs, the disc Geneva 394 is intermittently rotated, while the turn disc 398 makes a complete rotation from the postion shown in FIG. 94, first, the semi-circular stopper 399 disengages from the semi-circular groove 395, then, the pin 400 enters the slot 396 to drive the disc Geneva through a definite angle, and fially, simultaneously with the return of said pin 400 to the initial position, the semi-circular stopper 399 re-enters the semi-circular groove 395 to lock the disc Geneva. This intermittent rotation of the disc Geneva 394 is transmitted to the chain 386 via the sprocket 383 to drive it in one direc3,899,178 tion intermittently, whereby each unit transport distance is made equal to the interval of the transport plates 388. In this way, when the motor 402 drives the transport plates 388 intermittently, they are moved from one position corresponding to the cutouts 389 in the transport passage to the next.

One out of the four guide plates 390 is provided with the mounting base 404 connected at the rear, as shown in FIGS. 92 and 93. The mounting base 404 is provided at its outside rear with a rotary solenoid 405, the arm of which is connected to the base end of the push rod 407, which slidably penetrates the support block 408 mounted on the mounting base 404 and which carries at its end the push plate 409, the top portion of which is formed as the horizontal deck 410. Although in FIG. 92, there is found a dummy block 393 with its external side facing the end of the push plate 409, as the chain 386 moves, the space between the transport plate 388 is brought to the same position facing the end of the push plate 409.

The push plate 409 is driven reciprocally by the reciprocal swivelling motion of the rotary solenoid 405 within a definite angle, the stroke of the push plate 409 set approximately equal to the thickness of the block 1. In its stationary state, the push plate 409 is located at ²⁵a distance equal to the thickness of one block 1 from the outer side of the dummy block 393. Immediately above the space between the outer side of the dummy block 393 and the push plate 409, there is disposed the end of the conveyor 47 of the orientation mechanism (B). Therefore, the block 1 transported by the conveyor 47 is mounted upright on the guide plate 390 as shown in long-and-short dash lines in FIG. 93.

In FIG. 92, when the motor 402 is started to set the transport plates 388 in motion, the first space between ³⁵the first transport plate 388 and the last dummy block 393 is brought in front of the push plate 409, and from this position, as the initial position of the transport plates 388, the arraying function of this arraying mechanism starts. When the first block 1 is dropped on the ⁴⁰guide plate 390, this block trips the limit switch 411 which has its sensing element above the guide plate 390, which limit switch 411 causes the rotary solenoid 405 to make one reciprocal swivel motion within a preset angular range, thereby the push plate 409 is driven in one forward and return reciprocal cycle, with the result that said block 1 is pushed into said space between the first transport plate 388 and said last dummy block 393. During the forward pushing stroke of the push plate 409, the next block 1 is prevented from falling down by the deck 410 but as soon as the push plate 409 returns to the home position, this next block 1 is allowed to land on the guide plate 390, thereby two blocks 1 are thus aligned on the guide plate 390 side by side. When two blocks 1 are thus aligned, the first block 1 trips the limit switch 412 which has its sensing element projecting inside the flange 392, thereby on one hand inhibiting the ability of the limit switch 411 to actuate the rotary solenoid 405, and on the other hand, actuating the motor 402, which is so controlled by a servo mechanism that it stops after completing a preset number of rotations automatically, that is, in the present case, stops after driving the turn disc 398 one complete turn. Therefore, with said one continuous run of the motor 402, said two blocks 1 are pushed by the transport plate 388 to the starting end of the first transport passage 64. And thus, by repeating the same pro10 cess, the first two blocks 1 and Γ are eventually brought to the end of the last transport passage 64', and the intended arraying operation is over. During this process, it also takes place that the dummy blocks 393 are also brought in front of the push plate 409, and when this happens, the push plate 409 is prevented from making a forward movement. In this case, the rotary solenoid 405 is protected from an undue load by an overload slipping device incorporated in the mounting of the arfh rod 406 on the rotary solenoid 405.

II. Those machines which are used for card games, for aligning the card game blocks 1 in one row, arraying them in a square formation of which one side consists of one row of 14 blocks, and mounting the arrayed blocks on the table through a 90°upward swivelling motion. These machines are composed of a throwin mechanism, an orientation mechanism, an arraying mechanism and a mounting mechanism each of which is similar to the corresponding mechanisms used in the machines classified under (I), incorporating such modifications as are necessary to adapt them to the orientation, transportation and other processes for card game blocks.

After the game is over, the blocks 1 are introduced into any of the orientation mechanisms (B), (K), (L) or (M) by means of any of the throw-in mechanisms (A) or (J), and the blocks aligned in uniform orientation by those orientation mechanism are then transported by the belt conveyor 47 attached to each orientation mechanism, as shown in FIG. 96. In the case of the arraying mechanism (D), this belt conveyor 47 has its discharge end 413 above the mounting base 414, with the distance between the end of the discharge end 413 and the mounting base 414 slightly larger than the length of one block 1. Said mounting base 414 is provided with vertical walls 415 and 415' on each side, with the distance between them slightly larger than the thickness of the card game block 1. Therefore, when one card game block 1 is dischrged out of the discharge end 413, it is inserted between the side walls 415 and 415' in an upright posture, and the next card game block 1' rests on this first block 1. In this way, the card game blocks 1 are aligned in one row. The next step is to array these aligned blocks 1 on the transport passages 64, 64', 64 and 64' by means of either the arraying mechanism (D) or (N).

When one card game block 1 is dropped on the mounting base .414, the limit switch 416 which has it sensing member upon the mounting base 414 is tripped to start said arraying mechanisms. In the case of the arraying mechanism (N), in FIG. 93, the width of guide plate 390 is modified to correspond to the thickness of one card game block 1, and also the lengths of the transport plates 388 and the dummy blocks are modified similarly. The width of the transport passages 64, 64', 64, and 64' are nearly equal to the thickness of the card game blocks 1 and their length is suitably modified to mount one row of 14 card game blocks 1. In the case of the arraying mechanism (D), the starting end of the transport passage 64 is disposed next to the mounting base 414, corresponding to the space between the side wall 415 and 415'.

When all the card game blocks 1 are arrayed, there are one each row of 14 blocks arrayed on the transport passages 64, 64', and 64, and on the remaining transport passage 64, one row of 1 1 blocks are arrayed.

3,899,178

In the case of a machine for card games using 52 blocks, each transport passage 64, 64', 64 and 64' is made sufficiently long to mount each one row of 13 card game blocks, thereby when the card game blocks are completely arrayed, each one row of 13 blocks are arrayed onthe transport passages 64, 64', 64 and 64.

After the card game blocks 1 are arrayed, they will be mounted on the table with their head side faces 2 down, by means of either the mounting mechanism (E), (G), (H), or (I). In this case, the block formation on the table for a set of 53 card game blocks 1 is, as shown in FIG. 3, a square formation of which three sides consist of 14 blocks and one side consists of 11 blocks. The block formation on the table for a set of 52 card game blocks 1 is a square formation of which all four sides contain 13 blocks.

Ill Those machines to be used for Mah-Jongg games, in which the Mah-Jongg game blocks 1 are arrayed in stacked two course formation, and subsequently, they are lifted vertically to be mounted on the table. (FIG. 97 through 102)

In these machines which are composed of a throw-in mechanism, an orientation mechanism, an aligning mechanism, an arraying mechanism, and a mounting mechanism, an identical throw-in mechanism (A), (J) as used in the foregoing machine (I), and either one of the orientation mechanisms (B), (K), (L), or (M) are used.

With these machines, after a game is over, the blocks are carried into the orientation mechanism by means of the above throw-in mechanism so as to be aligned in a uniform orientation, with all the blocks 1 having their rail face 37 up. After this, the blocks 1 are sent into the aligning mechanism by the chute 46 shown in FIGS. 97 and 98.

(Aligning Mechanism) (FIG. 98)

Below the end of the chute 46, at a distance from the end corresponding to the thickness of one block 1, there is disposed the mounting base 417, having vertical side walls 418 and 418' one on each side. The distance between these two side walls 418 and 418' is sufficient to contain one block lengthwise, and the height of one side wall 418' is roughly equal to the height of two stacked blocks 1. To the top of the other side wall 418, the end of the chute 46 is secured.

When the blocks 1 come down the chute 46, the first one block 1 lands on the mounting base between the side walls 418 and 418'as shown in FIG. 98 in long-andshort dash lines, and the next block 1' is guided by the side wall 418' into its proper position over the first block. Thus, the first pair of blocks 1 and 1' are aligned in a stacked two-course alignment. The following blocks 1 and 1' are prevented from falling down onto the mounting base by the upper one 1' of the stacked two blocks.

(Arraying Mechanism) (Push-in Mechanism)

Between the side walls 418 and 418', as shown in FIG. 97, a similar push plate 67 as used in the push-in mechanism (b) of the machine (I) is located. The push plate 67 is made in such a width as to be able to move freely between the side walls 418 and 418', and its reciprocating stroke is equal to the width of one block 1. This push plate 67 is so located as shown in FIG. 98 in long-and-short dash lines as to be adapted to push stacked two blocks 1 and 1' together.

(Arraying Mechanism) (Transport Passage) (FIGS. 97 and 99)

As shown in FIG. 97, the starting end of the first transport passage 419 is disposed adjacent to the mounting base 417, and is located between the side walls 418 and 418'. As shown in FIG. 99, no flange or other device is attached to the side edges of the transport passages 419, 419',419 and 419'. On the last transport passage 419', as shown in FIG. 97, at a distance equal to the width of three blocks 1 from the end 420, there is provided a limit switch 421 having its sensing member projecting above the transport passage 419'.

(Arraying Mechanism) (Intermediary Transport Mechanism) (FIGS. 97, 100, 101, and 102)

The turn disc 422 is fixed by its center on the top of the common drive shaft 423, which is rotatably supported by the support bracket 424. The turn disc 422 carries On its periphery four buckets 425, disposed 90° one from the next around the center of the turn disc 422. Each bucket 425 has a capacity sufficient to contain two blocks 1 and 1' stacked one above the other, has its opening 426 facing radially outward with respect to the turn disc 422, and has a through window 428 with open top in the wall that is disposed opposite from said opening 426. Underneath the turn disc 422, there is fixedly mounted on the common drive shaft 423 the disc Geneva 429, which is provided on its periphery with continuously arranged semi-circular concave curves 430 and slots 431, said semi-circular concave curves 430 being located one each below each bucket 425, and said slots 431 being disposed between each two adjacent semi-circular concave curves 430 radially inward.

On the drive shaft 432 rotatably supported by the support bracket in parallel with the common drive shaft 423, there are installed the arm rod 434 and the semicircular stopper 435 opposite each other with respect to the drive shaft 432 with the intermediary of the mounting plate 433, said semi-circular stopper 435 being adapted to snugly enter the semi-circular concave curve 430, as shown in FIG. 102, and the arm rod 434 being adapted to drive the disc Geneva 429 through 90° at every one rotation of the drive shaft 432 by catching the slots 431 with the pin 436 studded on its end top surface. In this way, when the drive shaft 432 is continuously driven, the disc Geneva 429 is driven intermittently being driven through 90° at a time. Immediately after each 90° turn of the disc Geneva 429, as soon as the pin 436 leaves the slot 431, the semi-circular stopper 435 starts to enter the semicircular concave curve 430 to lock the disc Geneva 429.

Among the four buckets 425, those two disposed at right angle each other are so located as to have their opening in close proximity with the end of the transport passages 419 and 419', as shown in FIG. 100, thereby it follows that when said drive shaft 432 is continuously driven, one bucket after another is brought to the end positions, of the transport passages 419 and 419'.

In the region above the turn disc 422 and the buckets 425, there is disposed the horizontal portion 438 of the inverted L shaped guide angle 437, whcih is supported by the support bracket 424 at its base end, and horizontally slidably supports the push plate 439 on its horizontal portion 438. Said push plate 439 has its downwardly bent end portion 440, which is adapted to enter through the through window 428 of the bucket 425 to reach its interior as the push plate 439 moves horizon3,899,178 tally. On the top of the drive shaft 432, there is fixed the turn disc 441, which carries on its top face near the periphery one vertically studded pin 442. Upwardly of the turn disc 441, there is disposed the base end portion of the push plate 439 having the semi-circular groove 443, through which said pin 442 is inserted. The form of this semi-circular groove corresponds with the locus of the pin 442 generated by the swivel motion of the drive shaft 432, thereby it follows that when the drive shaft 432 rotates clockwise through 180°, as shown in FIG. 100, the push plate 439 remains stationary, and as it rotates further through the remaining 180°, the push plate 439 advances and returns, the moving stroke of said push plate 439 corresponding to the distance from the rear of the through window 428 of the bucket 425 to the end of the transport passage 419. Said push movement of the push plate 439 takes place alternately with the 90° swivel motion of the buckets 425. More particularly described, with reference to FIGS. 100,

101, 102, when the drive shaft 432 is driven through 190°, the turn disc 422 turns through 90 ° thereby bringing the bucket 425 from the station adjacent to the end of the transport passage 419 to the station adjacent to the transport passage 419'. As the drive shaft 432 is further turned through 180° more, the pin 442 advances and then retracts the push plate 439, while the turn disc 422 is locked in a stationary state by the semi-circular stopper 435. Three of this same intermediary transport mechanism are installed one each of each junction, between the transport passages, 419-419', 419'^U9and 419'^119''. Because the drive shafts 432 are all provided with a sprocket 44, when all three of these sprockets 444 are connected with the sprocket 83 of the foregoing push-in mechanism (b) with a chain 445 or other means in a square configuration, these member mechanisms are easily driven in unison, as was the case with the machines in the category (I). Because hereby used drive device is identical with that used in the machine of the category (I), it is not shown in FIG. 97.

Now, the overall operation of the arraying mechanism is as follows: When the first two blocks 1, coming down the chute 46, are appropriately stacked one above the other in the aligning mechanism, the upper block 1' trips the limit switch 446 having its sensing member projecting inside the side wall 418', to start the driving operation of the arraying mechanism, driving the shaft rod 76 of the push-in mechanism (b) and the drive shaft 432 of the intermediary transport mechanism through one complete turn. Because prior to the initiation of the motion of the intermediary transport mechanism, the pin 436 and 442 are found in the positions opposite to what are shown in FIG. 100, when said shaft rod 76 and the drive shaft 432 is first driven through 180°. the push plates 67 and 439 perform their respective pushing motions, thereby the two stacked aligned blocks 1 and Γ are pushed into the first transport passage 419. Then after repeating the process when eventually the first two blocks 1 and Γ appear at the end of the transport passage 419, these first two blocks 1 and Γ are pushed into the bucket 425, and then, they are transported to the station adjacent to the next transport passage 419' by the swivelling motion of the bucket and then, these blocks 1 and Γ transported to the station adjacent to the next transport passage 419' are pushed into said transport passage 419' by the next push motion of the push plate 439.

By repeating the above motions, all the clocks 1 will eventually be arrayed on the transport passages 419, 419', 419'' and 419'. However, when the last block 1 is aligned and is pushed into the transport passage 5 419, the foremost blocks 1 and 1' trip the limit switch 421. In this moment, all the three intermediary transport mechanisms have one each bucket 425 loaded with two each blocks 1 and Γ, and three each empty buckets. Therefore, by so designing the control circuit that after said limit switch 421 is tripped, all the drive shafts 432 of the intermediary transport mechanism are driven through three complete turns, those blocks 1 and 1' which are found in the buckets 435 of these three intermediary transport mechanisms will eventually be transported to the transport passages 419', 419 and 419', thereby the intended block arraying operation is completed, with all the four transport passages 419, 419', 419, and 419' each loaded with 34 blocks in two courses of 17 blocks.

(Mounting Mechanism) (FIGS. 97 and 99)

The transport passages 419, 419', 419, and 419' are horizontally supported by suitably located support rods 447, and along the outside edges of each of them, above their top suface, there are disposed the push 25 plates 448, which are vertically connected to suitably located solenoids 449, with a narrow clearance above the top surface of the respective transport passages 419. In FIG. 99, the push plate 448 is driven horizontally in the right-left direction by the solenoid 449, ³⁰ through the stroke between the stationary position shown and the most advanced position just outside the transport passage 419.

Along the outside edges of the transport passages ₃₅ 419, opposite from the push plates 448, there are disposed the drop prevention plates 450, thereby it follows that those blocks 1 transported through the transport passages 419 are guided on both sides by the push plated 448 and the drop prevention plates 450. Each 40 drop prevention plate 450 is provided at its top with a horizontal flange 451, to both end of which one each vertically downwardly extending guide rod 452 is fixed. The lower end portions of both the drop prevention plates 450 and the guide rods 452 slidably penetrate 45 the support brackets 453. The guide rods 452 carry between the flange 451 and the support bracket 453 springs 454, which serve to push the drop prevention plate 450 upward. Said support bracket 453 is fixed to the support rods 447.

⁵⁰ Similar to the machines of the category (I), the table 7 is provided with rise-fall lids 107, which are shaped identical and equisurface with the transport passage 419, and is positioned inwardly to the transport passage 419 with its outside edge line coinciding with the inside _edg_e ]i_{ne o}f each transport passage 419. The botton of the rise-fall lid 107 is connected to and supported by the electrically operated cylinders 455, which serve to support the rise-fall lid 107 flush with the table 7 in their stationary state, and when they operate, they ⁶⁽⁾ drive said rise-fall lid 107 downward until said lid 107 becomes flush with the top of the transport passage 419, as shown in long-and-short dash lines in FIG. 99.

When a game is over on the table 1, and all the blocks 65 are thrown under the table, a game player depresses the switch to start the electrically operated cylinders 455, which lowers the rise-fall lids 107 to the height of the transport passages. In their descent, the rise-fall lids 107 pushs the flanges of the drop prevention plates 450

3,899,178 down to bring them below the transport passages 419. At the bottom of the downward stroke of the rise-fall lids 107, they trip the limit switches 456 which actuate the solenoids 449 to dirve the push plates 448 forward, thereby transferring the blocks 1 on the transport passages 419 onto the rise-fall lids. When the solenoids 449 return to their initial position, by a suitable relay or other arrangements, the electric operated cylinders 455 return to the initial position thereby lifting the risefall lids 107 with the blocks 1 mounted on them back to their position flush with the table top 7. When the designed mounting operation is completely performed, on the table 7, the blocks are arrayed in a square formation as shown in FIG. 2, with each side consisting of two courses of 17 blocks stacked with the head side face 2 down.

IV. Those machines designed for card games, with which the card game blocks 1 are aligned in one course, and then mounted onto the table top by a vertical lifting motion. (FIGS. 103 and 104)

The machines belonging to this category are similar to the machines of the previous category (III), with appropriate modifications for making them suitable in configuration and in size to the orientation and transportation of card game blocks. The aligning mechanism used in the machines of this category (IV) is adapted to align the card game blocks 1 in one course. Because the mounting base 417 of said aligning mechanism is disposed flush with the end edge line of the chute 46, as shown in FIG. 103, the blocks 1 coming down the chute 46 are aligned in one course on the mounting base 417. When one block 1 is brought to said position on the mounting base the limit switch 446 is tripped, thereby starting a series of arraying movements similar to those in the machines of the category

III. when a full series of arraying movements are completed, all the three transport passages 419, 419', and 419 are loaded with one course of 14 each blocks 1 with their tail side faces 37 up, and the transport passage 419 alone loaded with 11 similarly oriented blocks. These card game blocks 1 arrayed as shown in FIG. 104 are then mounted onto the table 7 by means of a mounting mechanism similar to its counterpart in the category (III) machine. In the final formation on the table 7, the card game blocks 1 are all arrayed with their head side face 2 down, in a square formation in which each side consists of one course of 14 blocks aligned side by side, with the exception of one side, which contain 11 blocks aligned side by side in one course. In a machine (IV) specially designed to array a set of 52 blocks, card game blocks are arrayed on the table 7 in a square formation of which each side consists of 13 blocks aligned side by side in one course.

V. Those machines used for Mah-Jongg games, with which the orientation mechanism is so made that when all the blocks are uniformly oriented, they are also completely arrayed, and in which also the aligning mechanism is made to align the blocks in two rows and the mounting mechanism is made to mount the arrayed blocks in two jows and the mounting mechanism is made to mount the arrayed blocks onto the table top by swivelling them up through 90°. (FIGS. 105 through 109)

These machines are composed of a throw-in mechanism, an agitation mechanism, an orientation mechanism, a transport mechanism, an arraying mechanism, and a mounting mechanism.

(Throw-in Mechanism)

As shown in FIG. 108, this mechanism is identical with its counterpart used in the foregoing machine (I).

(Agitation Mechanism) (FIGS. 105 and 108)

The casing 457 has the bottom which rises up in the center 458, and also has the top opening 459 which is located immediately underneath the throw-in mechanism. At the center of the bottom of the casing 457, there is projected upward the shaft 461 of the geared motor 460, which shaft carries the pulsator 462, adapted to agitate objects in the casing 457, being driven by the motor 460. It follows therefore, that when the blocks 1 are thrown into the casing 457 after a game is over, they are agitated by this pulsator 462.

(Orientation Mechanism) (FIGS. 105, 106, and 107)

In the downward projecting portion 463 of the periphery portion of the bottom of the casing 457, there are opened 68 round through holes 464 sufficiently dimensioned to allow the blocks 1 to pass in the longitudinal direction. Immediately underneath these through holes 464, there are disposed the cylinders 465 having an ID sufficient to contain one longitudinally directed block 1 and a length to .contain two lengthwise stacked blocks 1. On both the outward side and the inward side of the cylinders 465, that is, on the sides towards the center of the casing 457 and on the sides towards the periphery thereof, there are installed the magnets 466, having such polarities that the S poles are disposed on the side 467 of the cylinders 465 towards the center, and the N poles are disposed on the opposite sides 468. Those cylinders 465 numbering 68 in total, the number being equal to that of the through holes 464, are grouped into four groups of 17 each and all those in each group are connected by means of the hinge plates 469, which hingedly connected all the adjacent two cylinders 465 at the inward sides 467 thereof, through each each group of 17 blocks. In their stationary state, the cylinders 465 are all arrayed in a circular formation, being guided by the guide wall 470, each one disposed underneath eac through hole 464, and are mounted on the mounting base 472 which carries said guide wall 470. As shown in FIG. 107 the blocks 1 incorporate a magnet 471 embedded within their material· with the S pole towards the head side face 2 and the N pole towards the tail side face 37. The blocks 1 being agitated in the foregoing agitation mechanism are by and by dropped through the through holes 464 into the cylinders 465. Even those blocks 1 which do not fall immediately into the through holes 464 due to their improper attitudes will eventually be turned into proper attitude by the pulsator 462 and in the end, all the 136 blocks will be inserted in the cylinders 465 two blocks each longitudinally aligned and stacked one above the other, as shown in FIG. 108. In the cylinders, these blocks 1 are turned around under the influence of the attraction and repulsion between the magnets 466 and the magnets 471 inside the blocks, and eventually all the blocks 1 will be uniformly oriented with the head side faces 2 towards the outward sides 468 of the cylinders 465, as shown in FIG. 107. With this orientation process, the blocks 1 are simultaneously completely arrayed into four groups of 17 each blocks, that is, because they are already all allotted properly in the cylinders which are grouped 17 each, all the blocks are arrayed in groups of 34 blocks.

(Transport Mechanism) (FIGS. 105, 106, 108 and 109)

3,899,178

Underneath the central portion of the casing 457, as shown in FIG. 105, there are disposed at four locations in a square formation, four sets of vertical coaxial inner and outer shafts. 474 and 473. As shown in FIG. 108, in one of these four sets the shaft 473 is provided with the bevel gear 475 at their bottom, and contain the shaft 474 in the bore with clearance, while said shaft 474 extend downward beyond the bevel gear 475 and carries similar bevel gear 476 at its bottom, said bevel gears 475 and 476 being in mesh with the vertically disposed bevel gear 478 mounted on the shaft 477. Said shaft 477 carries the bevel gears 478 on both ends, and is rotatably supported by the support bracket 479. The vertical shafts 473' and 474' disposed On the opposite position from the vertical shafts 473 and 474 are also driven by the bevel gear 478' through the similarly mounted bottom bevel gears 475' and 476'. Therefore it follows that when the shaft 473 is driven in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 108, the shaft 474 is driven in the same direction and the shafts 474 and 473' are driven in the opposite direction. The other shaft 473 disposed at 90° from the shafts 473, 473', 474 and 474' is also connected similarly by the shaft rod 477', shown in section in FIG. 108.

The motor 480 shown in FIGS. 105 and 108 fixedly carries the turn disc 481, to one position of which near the periphery the base end of the crank rod 482 is swivellably attached. The end of said crank rod 482 is swivellably attached to the shaft 473 via the crank arm 483. To the shaft 473 disposed at 90° from this shaft 473, also similar motor 480' is connected. When these motors 480 and 480' turn once, the shafts 473 and 473 is driven through one reciprocation cycle over a definite stroke by means of the crank arrangements.

To the top of the shafts 473 and 474, the base end of the pantograph 484 is swivellably attached, that is, to the shaft 473, the arm 485 is swivellably attached and to the shaft 474, the arm 486 is swivellably attached. To other three shaft sets, similarly, one each pantograph is swivellably mounted. The arm rods 487 and 487' intersect each other at the base ends and are swivellably supported at the intersection by the shaft 488, while their other ends are swivellably attached to the two ends of the row of 16 interconnected cylinders 465. The forwardmost two arms 489 and 489' of said pantograph 484 are swivellably attached to the swivel joint of the arm rods 487 and 487', that is, the shaft 488. The two arms 485 and 486 at the base end of the pantograph 484 are driven towards each other when the shafts 473 and 474 are oppositely driven each other by the motor 480 and 480' making one complete rotation, thereby the end of the pantograph is pushed forward carrying the swivel joint between the arm rods 487 and 487'. As shown in FIG. 106, both ends of the chain of 16 cylinders 465 rest on the guide plate 490. Therefore, when the swivel joint between the arm rods 487 and 487' advances, the ends of said arm rods 487 and 487' push the both ends of the chain of 16 cylinders 465, and eventually, the form of the chain of 16 cylinders 465 is changed from the initial quarter circle form to a straight line shown in FIG. 106 guided by the guide plate 490. The guide plate 490 fixedly carries on both ends one each connecting rod 491, which is slidably supported by the support block 493 attached to the side wall 492 of the mounting mechanism. Because of the spring inserted over the connecting rod 491, be tween the guide plate 490 and the support block 493, the connecting rod is properly biased.

After the chain of 16 cylinders 465 is straightened by the pressure of the pantograph 484, the pantograph 484 further pushes the guide plate 490 until the latter is moved to the position coinciding with the outer edge line of the through window 495 shown in Fig. 105, thereby all the cylinders 465, the blocks 1 contained in the cylinders are moved along sliding on the mounting base 472, but when the cylinders come above the through window 495, they drop onto the mounting base 496 below, through said through window 495, with the result that όη the mounting base 496, there are mounted 34 blocks 1 stacked on end one above the other in two courses. As the same mounting operation is performed in other three stations, the blocks 1 are arrayed at all four stations, 34 blocks each in square formation underneath the table 7.

(Arraying Mechanism)

On the mounting base 496, there are disposed the electric cylinders 497, to the rods 498 of which the push plate 499 is attached. The total width of the push plate 499 is equal to the total length of the chain of 16 cylinders 465, and the front edge line of the push plate 499 is located directly underneath the inner side edge line 500 of the through window 495. The push plate 499 is made slightly lower than the upright height of the blocks 1, and the top of the push plates horizontal deck 501 is attached. This push plate 499 is driven as far out as the front edge line of the transport passage 64 by the electric operated cylinder 497. Therefore it follows that when the electric operated cylinder 497 is operated, of the two courses of upright blocks 1 and 1' stacked on the mounting base 496, the lower course of blocks 1 are pushed over to the transport passage 64 by the push plate 499, and during this time, the blocks 1' forming the upper course are held up by the horizontal deck 501, only to be dropped onto the mounting base 496 as the push plate 499 returns to the initial positon, and to be pushed over onto the transport passage 64 similarly by the repeated operation of the electric operated cylinder 497. In this way, on the transport passage 64, a total of 34 blocks 1 and *' are arrayed in two rows; with the same arraying result being achieved on the other three stations, the net result is that on all the four transport passages 64, 64', 64, and 64, each 34 block 1 are mounted in two rows. The arrayed blocks are kept in readiness in this formation until the game on the table being played with the other set of blocks will be over.

(Mounting Mechanism)

A mounting mechanism roughly identical to that used in the machine (I) is used in this machine. The transport passages 64 are not provided with flanges 65, providing a flat unobstructed surface. In order to prevent the blocks from falling during the 90° swivel motion, in front of the slide plate 114, the drop prevention plate 502 for guiding the blocks 1 is installed. After the game on the table is over, this mounting mechanism is operated to mount the blocks 1 and 1' which have been arrayed in two rows onto the table 7 through a 90° swivelling motion and a vertical lifting motion, thereby arraying the blocks with their head side face 2 down. With four of this identical mounting units used, it is possible to mount the blocks 1 on the table 7 in a square formation in which each side is composed of parallel two rows 17 blocks.

3,899,178

VI. Those machines used for cards games in which the orientation mechanism is adapted to simultaneously align the blocks in a uniform orientation and arrays the blocks, the aligning mechanism aligns the blocks in one row, and the mounting mechanism mounts the arrayed blocks onto the table by swivelling them through 90° upward.

This machine is roughly identical with the previously described machine (V) with appropriate form and size modifications for adapting to the handling of card game blocks in the orientation mechanism and in the transport mechanism.

In the casing 457, there are provided 53 through holes 464, three units containing 14 holes and one unit containing 11 holes. The height of the cylinders 465 are made approximately equal to the height of one upright card game block 1, thereby it results that in each cylinder 465 one each card game block 1 is contained.

In the aligning mechanism, 14 of upright card game blocks 1 are pushed over onto the transport passage 64 with push plate 499, in all but one of the four stations, the number of pushed card game blocks in the exceptional station being 11. The width of the transport passage 64 is approximately equal to the thickness of one card game block 1, and by the operation of said aligning mechanism, on the three transport passages 64, 64' and 64”, one row of 14 upright card game blocks are mounted, and on one transport passage 64'”, one row of 11 upright card game blocks are mounted.

As shown in FIG. 3, on the table 7, card game blocks 1 are mounted by the mounting mechanism in a square formation, in which three sides contain one row of 14 side by side aligned blocks, and one side contains one row of 11 side by side aligned blocks, with all the card game blocks having their head side face 2 down. In a special machine adapted to use 52 card game blocks 1 these blocks are arrayed on the table 1 forming a square formation of which all sides contain 13 each side by side aligned blocks.