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US 5,110,120 AGranted
Back box latch for pinball games
AssigneeWilliams Electronics Games, Inc.
InventorWalter Smolucha
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A latch for securing the hinged back box of a pinball game to a horizontal playfield cabinet engages a self-contained secondary tab when not engaging a locking tab on the back box preventing damage to the locking mechanism of the latch when the game is prepared for shipment.
Claims4
A playfield cabinet with a latch mechanism for securing a back box to the playfield cabinet comprising:
- a) a playfield cabinet;
- b) a back box hingedly secured to said cabinet for movement between horizontal and vertical positions;
- c) a locking tab secured to one of said back box and said playfield cabinet;
- d) a latch body secured to the other of said back box and said playfield cabinet, said body including:
- i) a secondary tab attached to said body;
- ii) linkage means for engaging:
- (a) said locking tab to secure said back box in a vertical position;
- (b) said secondary tab serving to protect said linkage means from damage when said back box is not secured in the vertical position.
5 more elements
In a pinball game having a back box hinged to a playfield cabinet so that said back box may be folded parallel to said playfield cabinet or opened to a vertical position, the improvement comprising:
- a latch mechanism for securing the back box in the vertical position including a latch body mounted to one of said back box and said playfield cabinet,
- a locking tab mounted on the other of said back box and said cabinet,
- a secondary tab integral with said latch body, and
- a linkage means for engaging either said locking tab for securing the back box in the vertical position or said secondary tab to protect the latch mechanism against damage.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.