# US 10,118,087 B2 · Rim-mounted roulette ball launching system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,087 B2 - Document ID: US10118087B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/073,498 - Filed: 2016-03-17 - Published: 2017-09-21 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2016-03-17 - Assignees: Bally Gaming, Inc. - Applicants: Bally Gaming, Inc. - Inventors: Haven A Mercer; Troy D Nelson; James P Helgesen; Jamal H Kotifani; Georg Fekete; James B. Stasson; Ronald R. Swanson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118087B2 ## CPC - A63F 5/0005: {Automatic roulette} - A63F 7/2409: {Apparatus for projecting the balls} - A63F 2009/2447: {Motion detector} - A63F: CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A ball-launching system mounts to a top rim of a roulette wheel and positions a ball launcher configured to launch a roulette ball into the roulette wheel. The ball-launching system includes an outer jaw and an inner jaw which clamp to the top rim. At least a part of a ball launcher extends into a concave bowl of the roulette wheel and facilitates launching the roulette ball directly into a ball track underneath the top rim within the concave bowl. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A roulette ball launching system comprising: a mounting structure fixed to a top rim of a roulette wheel bowl via the mounting structure releasably clamping the top rim between an outer jaw and an inner jaw; and a roulette ball launcher connected to the mounting structure, the ball launcher configured to launch a roulette ball into a ball path from underneath the top rim. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The roulette ball launching system of claim 1, wherein the ball launcher in a launch position extends over the top rim and into the roulette bowl, and wherein the ball launcher in a retracted position is at least partially withdrawn from the roulette bowl. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The roulette ball launching system of claim 2, further comprising an actuator configured to move the ball launcher from the launch position to the retracted position in response to the ball launcher launching the roulette ball into the ball path. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The roulette ball launching system of claim 2, wherein the ball launcher is pivotally mounted to the mounting structure and rotates between the launch position and the retracted position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The roulette ball launching system of claim 1, further comprising a ball detector configured to detect one or more roulette balls moving in the ball track. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The roulette ball launching system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the inner jaw or the outer jaw is adjustably positioned to clamp to the rim. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The roulette ball launching system of claim 2, wherein the ball launcher is configured to automatically move from at least one of the launch position to the retracted position or the retracted position to the launch position. ### Claim 8 A roulette ball launching system mountable to a roulette table, the roulette table including a roulette wheel in a concave bowl with a circular ball path around an upper circumference of the concave bowl, the launching system comprising: a mounting structure including an outer jaw and an inner jaw, the mounting structure being fixed to a top rim of the bowl via the top rim being clamped between the outer and inner jaws; and a roulette ball launcher connected to the mounting structure, the ball launcher positioning a roulette ball in the circular ball path underneath the top rim prior to launching the roulette ball into the circular ball track. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The roulette ball launching system of claim 8, wherein at least a part of the roulette ball launcher is configured to extend into the circular ball track each time a roulette ball is launched into the circular ball track. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The roulette ball launching system of claim 8, wherein the ball launcher is configured to launch the roulette ball in direct response to a player activating a switch. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The roulette ball launching system of claim 8, further comprising an adjustment component configured to change a position of the roulette ball launcher with respect to the mounting structure after the mounting structure is fixed to the top rim of the concave bowl. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The roulette ball launching system of claim 8, further comprising an adjustment component configured to change a distance between at least part of the roulette ball launcher and the circular ball track. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The roulette ball launching system of claim 8, wherein the mounting structure includes a platform connected to the inner and outer jaws, and wherein the ball launcher is configured to be adjustable along the platform and fixable to the platform. ### Claim 14 A roulette ball launching system mountable to a roulette table, the roulette table including a roulette wheel in a concave bowl with a top rim and a circular ball path around an upper circumference of the bowl below the top rim, the launching system comprising: a mounting structure including an outer jaw and an inner jaw, the outer jaw and the inner jaw extending downward from the mounting structure, the mounting structure configured to be fixed to the top rim of the bowl via clamping the top rim between the outer and inner jaws; a roulette ball launcher connected to the mounting structure, the roulette ball launcher having a launch position with at least a part of the ball launcher extending into the bowl below the top rim and a retracted position with the at least part of the ball launcher withdrawn out of the bowl; and the ball launcher in the launch position being configured to release the roulette ball within the circular ball path underneath the top rim. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The roulette ball launching system of claim 14, wherein the ball launcher is configured to adjustably change a distance between at least a part of the ball launcher and the circular ball track after the mounting structure is clamped to the top rim. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The roulette ball launching system of claim 14, further comprising an actuator configured to move the ball launcher between the launch position and the retracted position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The roulette ball launching system of claim 14, further comprising a pivot connection between at least a part of the ball launcher and the mounting structure, and wherein the ball launcher is configured to pivot about the pivot connection to move between the launch position and the retracted position. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The roulette ball launching system of claim 17, wherein the ball launcher is configured to automatically move from the launch position to the retracted position after launching the roulette ball. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The roulette ball launching system of claim 14, wherein the ball launcher is configured to automatically move from the launch position to the retracted position after launching the roulette ball. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The roulette ball launching system of claim 14, wherein the ball launcher is configured to be manually moved to the launch position prior to launching the roulette ball.