US3129004A - Gaming device comprising aligned word-forming discs rotatable in opposite directions - Google Patents

Description

April 14, 1964 A RITZLER 3,129,004

G. GAMING DEVICE COMPRISING ALIGNED WORD-FORMING DISCS ROTATABLE IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 24, 1962 v I I p I W W INVENTOR. GEORGE A. RITZLER ATTORNEYS April 14, 1964 G. A. RITZLER GAMING DEVICE COMPRISING ALIGNED WORD-FORMING DISCS ROTATABLE IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS Filed Oct. 24, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 \AQ/MF/ 44w 3 52 5| 4 W1 4L 1 I INVENTOR.

GEORGE A. RITZLER ATTORNEYS April 14, 1964 G A n'zL G3,129,004-

GAMING DEVICE COMFERIISING ALIGNED WORD-FORMIN Filed Oct. 24, 1962 DISCS ROTATABLE IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 $59 I 5| 5 50 62 (MK? I es I 7 FIG'T 'IQENQR GEORGE A. RITZLER BY m ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,129,004 Patented Apr. 14, 1964 3,129,004 GAMING DEVICE COMPRISING ALIGNEDWORD- FORMING DISCS ROTATABLE IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS George A. Ritzler, 606 N. Jameson Ave., Lima, Ohio Filed Oct. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 232,679 3 lairns. (Cl. 273-143) The present invention relates to business incentive devices. It pertains more particularly to apparatus which operates as a game of chance incidential to the stimulation of business in all types of markets.

An object of my invention is to provide a device which can be attached or controlled by the movement of a drawer of a cash register, and when the drawer is opened to conclude a sale, the device will initiate a variety of chance combinations of characters.

A particular combination would award the customer a prize, such as free groceries, soap, etc. Thus, the device is of a gaming character and its operation is on solely a chance basis, but not on a matter of skill. If a customer, by chance, would see the proper combination of characters on the device, as a result of the clerk opening the cash drawer, the receiving of a present would encourage him to return for additional purchases.

Another object is to provide a device of the type mentioned which operates when the drawer of a .cash register is moved in any transaction.

A further object is to provide a gaming device for selecting a combination of characters on a chance basis, and is adapted to be attached to a cash register which initiates the operation of the device.

A still further object is to provide a gaming device of the spinning wheel type which is proof against tampering or rigging, and when used in combination with a cash register, the final results shown in the device are readily discernible by the customer whose money is being placed in the register. This leads to the fairness of operation of the device and thus instills confidence in the customer that his chances of winning a prize are as good as those who have preceded or those who follow after him.

A still further object is to provide an attachment to a cash register in the form of spinning wheels which are capable of stopping at a variety of chance combination of letters, numbers, etc., the operation of which can be automatically initiated without hand operation, and entire dependency is placed upon the opening or closing of the drawer of the cash register. Thus, the clerlcwho operates the cash register has no direct control over the operation of the device other than to initiate the operation when the register drawer is opened or closed.

Still another object is to provide an attachment to a cash register in the form of spinning wheels which are capable of stopping at a variety of chance combinations of letters, numbers, etc., and the, actual energy for spinning the wheels within the device is controlled by the operating characteristics of the device after the operation is initiated at the position of the cash register.

A more general object is to provide a gaming device, the movement of which can be initiated by hand or automatically, upon the completion of another operation, and the chance element, when once involved, is beyond the control of either the manual or automatic initiating impulse.

Other objects and features will be apparent as the specification is perused in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 shows in perspective, the improved gaming device used as. an accessory of a cash register installed in position near the package counter;

FIGURE 2 depicts a plan view of the device attached to a register in which the drawer has been opened to initiate the operation of the device;

FIGURE 3 is a detailed fragmentary view showing the operation of an initiating switch operated by the drawer of the register to provide the starting impulse for spinning the wheels;

FIGURE 4 represents a vertical section through the casing, about midway thereof, and showing the interior parts of the device in elevation;

FIGURES illustrates a horizonal section, taken along line 55 in FIGURE 4, with the interior parts shown in plan;

FIGURE 6 depicts a sectional view taken through a pair of rotary discs adjacently positioned. In this figure the discs and the bearings are shown in elevation;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a pair of discs forming a set and showing one of the impellers for spinning the discs, and also the magnetic structure to bring the spinning discs to an abrupt halt;

FIGURE 8 represents an elevational view of a typical disc showing the impeller for rotating the disc and also indicating the manner in which the stoppage magnet can be adjusted in position;

FIGURE 9 represents a schematic diagram of an electrical circuit including switches, electrom-agnets, etc. which may be used to control solenoid actuators that provide the propelling power for the disc spinning operation;

FIGURE 10 shows a fragmentary sectional view of the joint between the casing and the base of the device, also the immediately adjacent parts to illustrate a hinge eifect at one side of the base and a sealed lock at the other side;

FIGURE 11 represents still another form of locking the casing to the base in order to prevent unauthorized accessto the interior of the device;

FIGURE 12 represents an outline of the improved gaming device which can, if desired, be actuated by a hand lever, although, it will be understood that this device finds its greatest application as a business stimulator in connection with a cash register; and

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary perspective View of the mechanical parts that may be necessary in transforming the register-operated gaming device to a completely manually operated device, as shown in FIGURE 12.

General Description Referring more particularly to FIGURES l-5, reference character 1 generally designates the gaming device which, as shown, becomes an adjunct or accessory of a cash register, generally indicated at 2. It will be noted that the drawer of the register shown at 3 is in an open position, ready to receive or dispense money by a clerk (not shown), who stands near a package counter indicated at 4. The later has rails 5, and its, general arrangement of counter and register are profusely found in supermarkets.

The device 1 preferably is positioned closely adjacent the register, as indicated by the heavy line 6 (FIGURE 2) and may, if desired, be mechanically connected as by bolts to the register in any suitable position.

The gaming device as seen in FIGURE 4 may include a base 7 and a cover 8, the base preferably formed of metal, and, if desired, the cover may be constituted of plastic materialprovided with a plurality of elongated slots 9, arranged in pre-deter-mined rows, as seen in FIG- URE 1.

The cover may be screwed as indicated at 1.0 to the base and at its rear edge is provided with an upwardly extending protubering portion 1.1, having a slanted face 12. As seen in FIGURE 1 this face may have printed thereon the word Free in order to let the customer know that there is no charge when the device is automatically operated by the cash register.

In order to operate the gaming device a pin .13 is secured to the side of the device nearest to the register for service as a pivot for a toggle member 14, which is adapted to lie in the path of the register drawer, so that as the latter is opened, i.e. moved to the left, in FIGURE 3, to receive money or make change the upper leg of the toggle member 14 is struck by a projection 15, causing the member to swing about the pin. This operation, in turn, depresses the button 16 to cause contacts to be made in an impulse-initiating switch 17, as will be described in connection with the schematic circuit. When the drawer is being closed, the projection 15' will strike the inner side of the toggle member. But the latter is restrained from swinging by the leaf-spring 17a. The

closure of the switch contacts in 17 will cause energization of certain solenoids having movable cores to furnish the motive power for spinning the discs, as will be described hereinafter.

Thus, when the register drawer is opened and closed the spinning wheels will have rotated in one direction and in due time will have come to a halt in the manner described hereinafter. However, when the drawer is opened and closed the second time, the discs will have been caused to spin in the opposite direction and will, in due time, come to a halt. The third and fourth opening of the drawer will be a repetition of the first and second opening respectively, so that the wheels spin in one direction and then in the other direction and so forth, depending on the number of times the cash drawer will have been opened.

Details of the Spinning Wheels The wheels are shown in detail in FIGURES 6, 7 and 8. These wheels take the form of discs 19 of metal const-ructed as spokes and the ends of the spokes are bent inwardly, as shown at 20, toward the other disc of each set. V a

The discs may, if desired, be formed of plastic material with metal inserts at the ends of the shapes which will respond to the force of the magnets as described hereinafter.

The short transversely extending portions form flat surfaces which carry letters, numbers or characters, as seen in FIGURE 7. The discs are provided with inwardly extending hubs 2 1, also outwardly extending bosses 22, both of which form bearings'indicated at 23 for pin shafts 24. These pin shafts are rigidly supported on a double-U bracket 25 which is secured to the base 7.

These discs are adapted to be freely rotatable on the pin shafts.

The object of the game is to cause the various sets of two discs per set to line up with one another, of which there are two sets in a row and two rows, as seen in FIG- URE 1, so as to spell words under one another, such as For actuating the spinning wheels I employ crank arms 26 (FIGURE 7) each having a pair of small plates 27, between which there is positioned by means of rivets a piece of rubber or leather 28 having an arcuate upper edge which bears against the boss 22. Thus, by moving the crank arms in an arcuate direction through a shaft 29, as explained hereinafter, with the resulting friction between the rubber pieces 28 and the bosses 22, the spinning discs 19 are given a rotary urge which causes them to spin at a fast rate about their respective bearings.

The amount of spin is, of course, controlled by the amount of friction between the rubber piece 28 and the boss and also by the length of the arcuate surface of the rubber piece. It may be desirable to have these rubber pieces of different lengths, so that the number of 1 free turns by each spinning disc would normally be difand are carried by the base.

ferent, and this would add to the expectancy suspense on the part of the customer.

In order that the discs will not spin for an indefinite time, I provide a retarding eifect in the form of a magnet 30 (FIGURE 7) placed at the periphery of each spinning disc close to the bent portion. The magnets are preferably made of cobalt-nickel, highly sensitized Their position is adjustable by attaching to the flat face of the magnet a short bar or projection 31, having an elongated slot 32 therethrough for loosely receiving the shank of a screw 3-1, which is threadedly received by a metal upright 34 secured to the base.

The inner side of the magnet 30 is provided with an arcuate surface shown at 35 to fit the contour of the flat portions 20 as they rotate, and is held closely adjacent, but not touching, the portions 2%) by means of adjusting the bar 31 back and forward along the slot 32, after "which the screw 33 is tightened to obtain a permanent position.

Thus, as the crank arms 26*are swung in one direction the spinning discs 19' are rotated in the opposite direc- FIGURE 8, by the dotted lines 36, the spinning discs will be rotated in the counter-clockwise direction; and here again the magnets 30 will first gently retard the spinning motion, and then bring the discs to a jerky halt with certain flat portions 20 exactly at their uppermost positions.

Details of the Mechanism for Swinging the Crank Arms 26 Which in T urn Cause the Spinning Discs to Rotate It will be understood that preferably there are two crank arms per each set of double spinning discs, of which only one of the crank arms is shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. The crank arms for each set of two discs are 'carried on a shaft 29 which is journaled in the two outermost upright members 25 (FIGURE 6). However,

the shaft for each set of discs is extended through an upright 25 and carries a crank arm 37 (FIGURE 4), which is provided with a crank pin 38. The pin is loosely received by a slot 39 formed in the lower end of a metal member 40 of square shape, which has an opening therethrough (not shown) for receiving a driving rod 41.

The member 40 is secured to the rod in any suitable "manner so that as the rod is moved in a longitudinal direction (as seen in FIGURE 4) the members 40 move with the rod and swing the crank pins 38 through an arcuate direction of travel. cause the crank arms 37 to swing and oscillate the shafts 29.

It will be understood that there are two of these rods 41 located at opposite sides of the device and these rods are 'slidably mounted in heavy metal uprights 42 upstanding from the base as seen in FIGURE 5.

Straps43 are bolted, as indicated at 44, to the ends of the rods 41, these straps serving to make a rigid framework for the longitudinal reciprocatory mechanism, and also serve as positive stops when the straps strike the metal uprights 42 during the reciprocation of the driving rods.

FIGURE 5 also shows the straps '43 on the left in actual contact with the metal uprights 42, which would be the position assumed by the parts after the entire frame of elements, including the straps and the rods, had been This movement in turn will moved to the right in order to rotate the spinning discs in a particular direction.

It will be understood that when the rods 41 are moved in the opposite direction, i.e. to the left, as seen in FIG- URE 5, in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter, the crank pins 38- will have been caused to swing Details of the Mechanism for Moving the Rods 41 in the Longitudinal Direction For actuating the rods 41 in the longitudinal direction I prefer to use an electrical device of the solenoid type. Attached to the straps 43 there. are brackets 45 form-ed with upstanding fiat arms having openings for receiving pivot bearings 46 which serve to support fiat plates 47 separated by spacers 48.

These flat plates are secured in any suitable manner to a soft iron core 49 which is adapted to be loosely received by a solenoid 50. The latter is supported from the base '7 in any suitable manner. Thus, when the solenoid 50 is energized it will draw the core 49 into its interior, and assuming that the opposite solenoid remains de-energized, the core of the latter is withdrawn, as seen in FIGURE 5, so that the rods 41 are moved to the right, and thus transfer the movement through the various crank pins and crank arms and shafts to cause the spinning of the four sets of spinning wheels in the manner described hereinbefore.

n the other hand, when the opposite solenoid 50 is energized, the drawing of the core within the solenoid will cause the rods 41 to move longitudinally in the opposite direction, and this, in turn, will cause the spinning discs to rotate in the opposite direction from that mentioned above.

It is one of the main objects of my invention to cause the energization of one of the solenoids and to leave the opposite solenoid temporarily de-energized in order to move the rods 41 in one or the other direction and to control this energization and de-energization function from the cash register by the opening and closing of the register drawer.

For this purpose I have provided limit switches 51 and 52 supported in any suitable manner from the base and so positioned that when the driving rods 41 are moved to their fullest extent in the right hand direction, as seen in FIGURE 5, a circuit will be made through the right hand limit switch 51. But, whenthe rods 41 are moved in the left hand direction (FIGURE the other limit switch 52 will be energized, so that control in one direction or the other of the movements of the rods 41 can, through these limit switches, be controlled by the opening and/ or closing of the cash register drawer.

Schematic Circuit for Operating the Solenoids FIGURE 9 shows a typical circuit that can be used effectively in energizing one or the other of the solenoids,

depending on which of the first and second openings of the register drawer of the succeeding series is being made.

The main line for the electrical system is indicated at 53, or L L The limit switches 51, 52 are normally open except when the straps 43 strike the contacts at the end of each longitudinal movement of the driving rods 41. Thus in the position shown in FIGURE 5, the carriage including the straps 43 and the driving rods has moved to its right-hand position to close the switch 51. When the switch 17 is closed by opening the register drawer as explained above, a connection is made from line L through a hand operated switch 54, conductor 55, thence through the cash drawer switch 17, through conductor 56, through interlock blade 57 and thence to the electromagnet 59 and the closed switch 51 to the line conductor L This will cause the electromagnet 59 to become energized and pull up the core 60, thus breaking the circuit at the interlock blade 61 but making contact at the armature 62, 63.

The circuit-opening function of the blade 61 is for the purpose of preventing an accidental energization of the lower electromagnet 66 during the time that the electromagnet 59 is being energized.

The armature 62 will close the circuit to the left-hand actuating solenoid 50 (FIGURE 5) and the latter will attract its core 49 to move the driving rods 41 and its carriage to the left which is the opposite condition from that shown in FIGURE 5. The blade or armature 63 serves merely to provide a holding circuit for the electromagnet 59 should the interlock blade 57 become open. This holding circuit can be traced from the line L through the conductor 64, through the blade 63, conductor 65, through the electromagnet 59 and the limit switch 51 to the line L As the driving rods 41 and its carriage are caused to move to the left from its extreme right-hand position as shown in FIGURE 5, the wheels 19 will have been caused to spin on account of the friction devices 28 being moved across the bosses 20. Some of these wheels will spin faster than others depending on the degree of frictional, contact between the rubbing surfaces, i.e., the amount of slippage and again, some of the discs will spin over longer periods of time than others due to the difference in length of the frictional surfaces on the arcuate members 28. However, it will be understood that these wheels or discs spin freely on their pin bearings and are brought to a halt in a reasonable time by the retarding effect of the magnets 30.

Thus, when the cash drawer is opened and the switch 17 is closed, assuming the carriage 41, 43 to be in the position shown in FIGURE 5, the left-hand driving solenoid St) is energized and pull exerted thereby to cause the carriage 41, 43 to move to its extreme left-hand position. When the cash drawer is being closed, switch 17 is not operated on account of the leaf-spring 17a so that the carriage 41, 43 will remain in its left-hand position until the cash drawer is again opened.

When the drawer is again opened to receive money or to make change and the switch 17 is again closed and assuming that the limit switch 52 is also closed as a result of the pressure exerted by the left-hand strap 43, a circuit is now initiated between L through the hand operated switch 54, conductor 55, the cash drawer switch 17, conductor 56, through the armature 61 and the electromagnet 66 and through switch 52 to the line L It will be noted that the upper switch 51, as seen in FIGURE 9 will have restored .to its normally open position on account of lack of contact between the right-hand strap 43 and the switch.

The electromagnet 66 will pull up its armature to close the blade 67, which in turn will energize the right-hand solenoid 50 (FIGURE 5). At the same time the blade 63 will make contact to provide a holding circuit for the electromagnet in the event that the blade 61 were accidentally opened. The opening of the circuit at the blade 57 will prevent the upper electromagnet 59 from becoming energized for any reason at this time, such as a false movement of the limit switch 51.

The right-rand solenoid 50 will then attract or pull the carriage members 41, 43 to the right and duringthe excursion the discs or wheels will be spun in a direction opposite to the direction that they had when the carriage moved from the right to the left. The extreme right-hand position of the carriage is shown in FIGURE 5 and represents the conclusion of the movement from left to right of the carriage in which case to limit switch 51 will be temporarily closed on account of contact with the righthand strap 43 and the parts would be posed for another closure of the switch 17 by first opening and then closing the register drawer.

The magnets 30 again serve to bring the discs to a jerky halt, at which time the uppermost characters across the discs can be read by the clerk or customer. The third time the drawer is opened the operation is the same as was described first, While the fourth drawer movement would have the same effect as the second sequence described immediately above. Consequently as the cash drawer is opened, the carriage members 41, 43 are moved in one direction or the other, to cause the discs to spin in the clockwise or counter-clockwise direction, but in either case, coming to an abrupt stop at different times for the individual discs to spell words or other indicia across their uppermost flat portions 20.

While the circuit as described is advantageously used in a triggering arrangement by the cash register drawer, the same circuit can also be employed in the event it is desired that the clerk shall press a button to initiate the movement of the carriage members 41, 43 in one or the other direction to spin the discs. This is done by swinging the switch blade 54 to the contact 69 and through a conductor 70 to a button operated switch 71, which connects to the conductor 56 of the schematic circuit. In this case the triggering switch 17 is rendered inoperative. But, here again, the clerk would have no more control over the eventual showing the characters than in the case of the automatic operation by the cash drawer.

Instead of Operating the Gaming Device by Being T riggered by the Cash Register Drawer, the Device May be Operated Manually by Means of a Hand Operated Lever In this case there are, of course, no circuits involved and the solenoid t) and all of the limit switches are dis carded.

On the rods 41 there are provided heavy metal pieces 72 (FIGURE 13) from which pins 73 extend. These pins are peened over at their outer ends. The pins 73 are adapted loosely to be received by a heavy crank arm 74 which is connected to a heavy shaft 75. This shaft can be supported on bearings secured to the base 7 and the shaft extends beyond one wall of the cover, as seen in FIGURE 12.

A hand lever 76 can be secured as by screw threads to the shaft 75. In this case, by swinging the lever 76 in one direction the pin '73 is swung to the right or left, depending on which way the shaft 75 is turned, and this movement, in turn, will cause the rod 41 to move longitudinally and carry with it the entire frame, including the strap members 43 and the opposite rods 41, and thus provide a rocking movement to the crank arms 26 (FIGURE 7), which, in turn, causes the discs to spin. One rocking movement of the lever will cause the discs to spin in one direction and the opposite rocking movement will spin the discs in the opposite direction. 7

It is to be understood that While I find the greatest application of the gaming device in connection with a cash register in which the movement of the drawer triggers the spinning discs in one or the other direction, the

. improved device is not limited to cash register actuation,

but is also adapted to hand' operation as explained in connection with FIGURES l2 and 13, in all of which cases the element of chance prevails.

In view of the importance of preventing any unauthorized removal of the cover from the base, in perhaps an attempt to tamper with the operation, I provide a locking or sealing device between the cover and the base. This can be accomplished as shown in FIGURE 10, by providing a hinge 77 with leaves 78 contained in recesses in each of the cover and the base. Screws 79 may be used to hold the leaves of the hinge in place.

At the opposite end of the cover and base there is provided an opening 80 which passes through two elements for receiving a wire 80, the ends of which are held together at a seal 82. Thus, in this case, the cover cannot be removed without breaking the seal 82, and yet authoraspen.

ized personnel may have ready access to the mechanism contained within the device.

Another way of sealing the base to the cover is shown .in FIGURE 11. In this case the screws 83 which normal- .ly secure the cover to the base have the head 84 recessed below the lever of the flange of the cover. A layer of wax 85 may be applied to the head of the screw to fill in the recess and a layer of paint 86 would cover the wax.

From the foregoing it is evident that I have disclosed the combination of a cash register, and in particular, the drawer of that register, and a gaming device cooperating therewith in such a manner that when the drawer is opened the operation of the gaming device is initiated.

Spinning discs are caused to turn in a direction and to be halted when flat bent portions with letters or numbers thereon come to rest at a position directly under the window openings 9 of the cover. A neon light 87 contained in a suitable bracket 88 (FIGURE 4) may be employed to light up the interior of the cover and thus show these letters or numbers to full advantage when viewed or checked by a customer to see whether any prize has been won as a result of a purchase of the articles.

The gaming device incorporates the psychological elements of expectancy, suspense and even surprise, due to the fact that the spinning discs do not necessarily rotate at the same speed nor for the same duration, thus coming to rest at different times, and in this way increasing the element of chance and reducing to nil any element of skill;

an electric motor coupled through proper gearing and a' rack on one of the rods 41 may be employed to reciprocate the carriage elements 41, 43. Also, a friction type clutch and spring may be used, between the motor and the carriage together with a suitable form of initiating device attached to the cash drawer of the register.

It will be understood that this invention is susceptible to modification in order to adapt it to different usages and conditions and accordingly, it is desired to comprehend such modifications within this invention as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

'1. In combination, a gaming device comprising a plurality of discs of spoke-like construction and adapted to spin, the spokes of said discs having bent over end portions which bear insignia, a pair of said discs mounted on shafts which are in alignment with one another to form a first set, a second pair of said discs mounted on shafts in alignment with one another to form a second set aligned with the first set, a pair of said discs mounted on shaftswhich are in alignment with one another to form a third set and a pair of said discs mounted on shafts which are in alignment to form a fourth set, the th rd and fourth sets of disc pairs being in line with one another but out of alignment with the first and second sets, impellers for rotating the discs of all sets, each of said impellers being operated through a combined crank arm,

crankshaft and reciprocatory mechanism, said mechanism comprising a drive rod extending adjacent the first and third sets of disc pairs, a drive rod positioned adjacent to the second and fourth sets of disc pairs, and means couis applied first to one solenoid to pull its core the movement is transferred through both driving rods to the impellers to cause the discs to move in one direction, and

when electrical energy is applied to the other of said solenoids to cause the core to draw in and exert a pull in the opposite direction on the driving rods, the movement is translated through the impellers to spin the discs in the opposite direction.

2. In combination, a gaming device comprising a plurality of discs of spoke-like construction and adapted to spin, the spokes of said discs having bent over end portions which bear insignia, a pair of said discs mounted on shafts which are in alignment with one another to form a first set, a second pair of said discs mounted on shafts in alignment with one another to form a second set, said two sets of disc pairs being in alignment with one another, a pair of said discs being mounted on shafts which are in alignment with one another to form a third set and a pair of said discs mounted on shafts which are in alignment to form a fourth set, the third and fourth sets of disc pairs being in line with one another but out of alignment with the first and second sets, impellers for rotating the discs of all sets, each of said impellers being operated through a combined crank arm and a reciprocatory mechanism, said mechanism comprising a drive rod extending adjacent the first and third sets of disc pairs, a driving rod positioned adjacent to the second and fourth sets of disc pairs, and means coupling said rods to said crank arms, said rods being interconnected by a metal bar at each end thereof, and means for providing a reciprocatory motion to both of said driving rods in order to spin the discs first in one direction and then in the other direction.

3. A gaming device comprising a base supporting the moving parts and a cover therefor, a plurality of discs of spoke-like construction and having flat portions extending from the ends of the spokes, characters on the flat portions, said discs being carried on shafts with at least a pair of discs mounted in line with one another on said base so that When the discs have been rotated and then become stationary, the characters may form Words or other indicia across the discs, impellers for operating the discs, means for stopping the discs with the characters uppermost, each of said impellers being mounted on a crankshaft, a crank arm for the crank shaft, means for operating said crank arm including a reciprocatory member, means for moving said member in one or the other direction in order to spin the discs, said last mentioned means including a stationary solenoid and a movable core, said core being secured to said reciprocatory member, and means for intermittently energizing said solenoid to actuate said core and cause said member to move toward the solenoid, thereby to spin the discs in one direction, means for halting the movement of the discs to permit reading of the word or other indicia shown thereon, a second stationary solenoid at the end of the member opposite from the first mentioned solenoid, a movable core for the second solenoid secured to said member, and means for intermittently energizing the second mentioned solenoid to actuate its core and cause the discs to spin in a direction opposite from the direction in which the first mentioned solenoid rotated the discs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 900,991 Emeis Oct. 13, 1908 1,298,871 Bobroff Apr. 1, 1919 2,039,969 McIntosh May 5, 1936 2,520,683 Hayden Aug. 29, 1950 3,011,790 Brunson Dec. 5, 1961 3,091,388 Pace May 28, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 289,729 Switzerland July 1, 1953

Claims (1)

1. 2. IN COMBINATION, A GAMING DEVICE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF DISCS OF SPOKE-LIKE CONSTRUCTION AND ADAPTED TO SPIN, THE SPOKES OF SAID DISCS HAVING BENT OVER END PORTIONS WHICH BEAR INSIGNIA, A PAIR OF SAID DISCS MOUNTED ON SHAFTS WHICH ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER TO FORM A FIRST SET, A SECOND PAIR OF SAID DISCS MOUNTED ON SHAFTS IN ALIGNMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER TO FORM A SECOND SET, SAID TWO SETS OF DISC PAIRS BEING IN ALIGNMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER, A PAIR OF SAID DISCS BEING MOUNTED ON SHAFTS WHICH ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER TO FORM A THIRD SET AND A PAIR OF SAID DISCS MOUNTED ON SHAFTS WHICH ARE IN ALIGNMENT TO FORM A FOURTH SET, THE THIRD AND FOURTH SETS OF DISC PAIRS BEING IN LINE WITH ONE ANOTHER BUT OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH THE FIRST AND SECOND SETS, IMPELLERS FOR ROTATING THE DISCS OF ALL SETS, EACH OF SAID IMPELLERS BEING OPERATED THROUGH A COMBINED CRANK ARM AND A RECIPROCATORY MECHANISM, SAID MECHANISM COMPRISING A DRIVE ROD EXTENDING ADJACENT THE FIRST AND THIRD SETS OF DISC PAIRS, A DRIVING ROD POSITIONED ADJACENT TO THE SECOND AND FOURTH SETS OF DISC PAIRS, AND MEANS COUPLING SAID RODS TO SAID CRANK ARMS, SAID RODS BEING INTERCONNECTED BY A METAL BAR AT EACH END THEREOF, AND MEANS FOR PROVIDING A RECIPROCATORY MOTION TO BOTH OF SAID DRIVING RODS IN ORDER TO SPIN THE DISCS FIRST IN ONE DIRECTION AND THEN IN THE OTHER DIRECTION.

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