Horizontal ball-return mechanism

A horizontal ball-return for propelling a bowling ball along the length of a bowling alley comprising an entrance area, an exit area and a generally horizontal track means with compression and decompression sections and a generally flat horizontal section connecting said compression and decompression sections, said track means also including a first downwardly sloping section for delivering a bowling ball to said entrance area, two pulleys and an endless belt passing around said pulleys with a portion thereof parallel to said generally flat horizontal section, and means for driving said belt in a first direction for moving a bowling ball from said entrance area along the track by frictional engagement between the ball and said belt, said compression, generally flat horizontal and decompression sections disposed inwardly between and below said pulleys and constructed and arranged to lift a bowling ball upwardly by a distance which is about 40% of the diameter of the bowling ball against said belt after it passes a first of said pulleys to thereby compress said belt, maintain said belt under compression as the ball moves along said generally flat horizontal section and to lower the ball to reduce the compression of said belt before the ball passes under the second of said pulleys out of said exit area and onto a horizontal runway which lies in the same plane as said track in said exit area of said horizontal ball-return.