Energy conserving pinsetter with minimized pin overflow

A pin loading apparatus comprising:

• a frame;
• a predetermined plurality of pin receiving stations on said frame and located in predetermined positions;
• first and second transport systems for transporting pins to said stations, said first system transporting pins to a greater number of said stations and said second system transporting pins to a lesser number of said stations;
• a third transport system for transporting pins toward said first and second transport system;
• a diverter between said first and second systems and said third system for selectively diverting pins received from said third system to either said first system or said second system;
• a sensor for sensing when a pin is being transported by said third system toward said diverter;
• and
• means responsive to said sensor for operating said diverter to divert pins to said first and second systems in proportion to the ratio of said greater number to said lesser number.

In an automatic pinsetter including a deck movable toward and away from a bowling lane, the combination of:

• a plurality of pin spotting cells each mounted on said deck for movement therewith and for movement relative thereto between a pin loading position and a pin spotting position;
• a pin sensing pad carried by each said cell and facing the lane when the corresponding cell is in said loading position;
• a first switch on each said cell and operable by said pad when the corresponding pad contacts a standing pin on the lane;
• a pin sensor in each said cell and movable from one position to another when a pin is loaded in the corresponding cell;
• and
• a second switch on each said cell and operable by the corresponding pin sensor when a pin is loaded in the corresponding cell.

In an automatic pinsetter for setting bowling pins at a plurality of predetermined pin positions, the combination of:

• a pin deck movable toward and away from a bowling lane defining said pin positions;
• a plurality of pin spotting cells carried by said deck and movable therewith, each said cell being at a corresponding one of said positions and movable relative to the deck between pin loading and pin spotting positions;
• grippers associated with each said cell for holding a pin therein when said cell moves from said pin loading to said pin spotting positions;
• means associated with each cell for signalling whether a pin is loaded therein;
• distributor means for distributing pins to each said cell;
• means for reading said signalling means to determine whether pins are loaded in at least some predetermined ones of said cells;
• and
• means responsive to said reading means for operating said distributor means to load pins to said at least some predetermined ones of said cells if said reading means determines they are not loaded.

An automatic pinsetter for use in a bowling game comprising:

• a deck movable toward and away from a bowling lane for setting pins thereon;
• a plurality of pin spotting cells, one for each of a plurality of pin positions, movably mounted on said deck for movement between pin spotting and pin loading position;
• a pin distributor including first and second pin transport systems, said first transport system serving some of said cells and said second transport system serving the remainder of said cells, each said system having a pin overflow to which pins may be delivered after all of said cells served by the associated system have been loaded;
• a pin input to said distributor and including a diverter for diverting incoming pins to either said first system or said second system;
• means for operating said diverter to divert oncoming pins to each of said systems in proportion to the number of said cells served by each;
• a first sensor for each cell for sensing a standing pin at the corresponding pin position;
• a second sensor for each cell for sensing the presence of a pin loaded therein;
• means for reading said second sensors to determine whether pins are loaded in at least predetermined ones of said cells;
• means responsive to said distributor to load pins to said at least some predetermined ones of said cells if said reading means determines if they are not loaded;
• and
• means responsive to said reading means for halting operation of said distributor if said cells are loaded to minimize or prevent movement of pins to said overflow.