Ball storage device for pinball games
AssigneeWilliams Electronics Games, Inc.
InventorsJohn T. Trudeau, Ernie Pizzarro
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A planetary ball storage device for a pinball game according to the present invention consists of a horizontally disposed rotating wheel having a plurality of pinball receiving pockets arrayed on the periphery of the wheel. The game player, using the flippers, can direct a ball into an empty pocket when a pocket is in a ball receiving position after a predetermined game objective has been met. Balls are returned to the playfield by the utilization of a magnetic lifter arm controlled by the game microprocessor. The wheel is rotated by an electric motor and its position is detected by an optical switch assembly. A second optical switch assembly generates a signal to energize the magnetic lifter arm.
Claims10
A ball storage device for a pinball game having an inclined playfield supporting a plurality of ferromagnetic balls thereon comprising:
- a) a horizontally disposed wheel having a plurality of pinball receiving pockets arrayed around its periphery for receiving balls;
- b) means for delivering a ball to said wheel;
- c) means for rotating said wheel such that one of said receiving pockets is positioned to receive the ball from the delivering means;
- and
- d) means for removing and discharging balls from said receiving pockets, said means for removing including an electromagnetic arm for lifting balls from said receiving pockets.
A ball storage device for a pinball game having an inclined playfield supporting a plurality of ferromagnetic balls thereon comprising:
- a) a horizontally disposed wheel having a plurality of pinball receiving pockets arrayed around its periphery for receiving balls;
- b) means for delivering a ball to said wheel;
- c) means for rotating said wheel such that one of said receiving pockets is positioned to receive the ball from the delivering means;
- and
- d) means for removing and discharging balls from said receiving pockets, said means for removing including means for lifting a ball from the wheel and means for horizontally rotating said lifting means away from the wheel to a ball discharge position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.