Bowling ball return gate apparatus and method

A bowling alley ball return apparatus comprising:

• a tubular housing having transverse and longitudinal tube sections, the housing having first and second entrance openings at ends of the transverse tube section adapted for receiving a bowling ball from adjacent bowling alleys, the entrance openings adapted for communicating with openings within kickbacks of the adjacent alleys for receiving bowling balls therethrough, the transverse tube section further having a side wall opening for delivering a bowling ball therethrough, the longitudinal tube section having an entrance end adapted for communicating with the side wall opening, the longitudinal tube section further having an opening at an exit end for delivering the ball to a ball return bowling alley, the longitudinal tube section inclined downwardly from its entrance end to its exit end for causing the bowling ball positioned at the entrance end to gravitate toward the exit end, the housing further having an opening in a top wall portion;
• a gate member moveable within the housing from a first position proximate the longitudinal tube entrance end, gravity rotatably holding the gate member in the first position, to a second position wherein the gate member is rotated by a bowling ball rolling through the longitudinal tube section from the entrance end to the exit end;
• and
• a stop member moveable from a first position, wherein one end of the stop member extends into the longitudinal tube section forward of the gate member, to a second position wherein the stop member is moveable by the bowling ball rolling through the passage, the stop member further having an opposing end proximate the gate member for preventing gate member movement toward the exit end while the stop member is in its first position for preventing a bowling pin from entering the longitudinal tube section, the stop member permitting gate member movement when the bowling ball rolls against the stop member end, the stop member thus moveable into its second position for permitting gate movement toward the exit end by the ball rolling through the longitudinal tube section toward the exit end.

A method for returning a bowling ball from a pit area of a bowling alley to a ball return, the method comprising the steps of:

• delivering a bowling ball from within a pit area of a bowling alley to an opening within a kickback;
• providing a housing having an entrance end, an exit end, and a passage therebetween, the housing entrance end adapted for receiving a bowling ball from a kickback opening;
• receiving the ball at an entrance opening;
• providing a gate member at the entrance end of the housing for preventing bowling pins from from passing therethrough, the gate member moveable from a first position to a second position wherein the gate member is moved by a bowling ball rolling through the passage from the entrance end to the exit end;
• providing a stop member for holding the gate member in the first position, the stop member positioned between the gate member and entrance end;
• rolling the bowling ball through the passage and toward the housing exit end, the ball contacting the stop member;
• and
• moving the stop member with the rolling ball, the stop member moving from a first position wherein the gate member is held in the gate member first position to a second position permitting the ball to roll into the passage moving the gate member out of its first position to its second position and through the passage, thus rolling the ball into the ball return.

A method for returning a bowling ball from a bowling alley pit area to a common tubular ball return extending generally longitudinally between adjacent alleys sharing the ball return, the method comprising the steps of:

• rolling a bowling ball from a pit area of an alley toward an opening in a kickback for exiting the ball from the pit area through the opening;
• providing a tubular housing having transverse and longitudinal tube sections, the housing having first and second entrance openings at ends of the transverse tube section for receiving the bowling ball from the pit area of adjacent bowling alleys between which the transverse tube extends, the entrance openings adapted for communicating with openings within kickbacks of the adjacent alleys for receiving bowling balls exiting from the pit area, the transverse tube section further having a side wall opening adapted for communicating with an entrance end of the longitudinal tube section, the longitudinal tube section having an opening at an exit end for delivering the ball to a ball return tube extending longitudinally between the adjacent alleys, the longitudinal tube section inclined downwardly from its entrance end to its exit end for causing the bowling ball positioned at the entrance end to gravitate toward the exit end, the housing further having an opening in a top wall portion of the transverse tube section for receiving a gate member moveable within the longitudinal tube section for permitting the bowling ball to gravitate from the entrance ends to the exit end of the housing;
• receiving the bowling ball at the entrance opening;
• gravitating the ball toward the longitudinal tube section entrance end;
• providing a gate member pivotally mounted within the longitudinal tube section for movement from a first position proximate the longitudinal tube entrance end, gravity rotatably holding the gate member in the first position, to a second position wherein the gate member is rotated by the bowling ball rolling through the longitudinal tube section from the entrance end to the exit end;
• providing a stop member pivotally mounted for movement from a first position, wherein one end of the stop member extends into the longitudinal tube section forward of the gate member through the top wall portion opening, to a second position wherein the stop member is rotated by the bowling ball rolling through the passage, the stop member further having an opposing end proximate the gate member for preventing rotation of the gate member toward the exit end while the stop member is in its first position for preventing a bowling pin from entering the longitudinal tube section and ultimately the return tube;
• rolling the ball against the stop member for permitting rotation of the gate member when the bowling ball rolls against the stop member end extending within the longitudinal tube causing the stop member to rotate into its second position, thus permitting gate rotation toward the exit end by the ball rolling through the longitudinal tube section toward the return tube;
• and
• rolling the ball against the gate member for rotating the gate member for rolling through the longitudinal tube section into the return tube.