Card shuffler with card rank and value reading capability

A device for forming a random set of playing cards comprising:

• a top surface and a bottom surface of said device;
• a single card receiving area for receiving an initial set of playing cards;
• a randomizing system for randomizing the order of an initial set of playing cards;
• a single card collection surface in a card collection area for receiving randomized playing cards one at a time into the card collection area and onto the single card collection surface directly from the single card receiving area;
• the collection surface receiving cards one at a time so that all cards are received below the top surface of the device;
• an image capture device that reads the rank and suit of each card after it has begun leaving the single card receiving area and before being received on the card collection surface;
• an elevator for raising the collection surface so that at least some randomized cards are elevated for manual removal of playing cards from the top surface of the device;
• and
• a moveable cover over the elevator and fixed along one edge of the cover to the top surface.

A method of randomizing a group of cards, comprising the steps of:

• placing a group of cards to be randomized into a card in-feed tray of a playing card randomizing device;
• removing cards individually from the card in-feed tray and delivering the cards directly and one-at-a-time into a card collection area, the card collection area having only a single moveable lower surface, and a stationary opening for receiving cards from the in-feed tray;
• elevating the moveable lower surface to a randomly determined height;
• grasping at least one edge of a group of cards in the card collection area at a point just above the stationary opening;
• lowering the moveable lower surface to create an opening in a stack of cards formed on the lower surface, the opening located just beneath a lowermost point where the cards are grasped;
• inserting a single card removed one-at-a-time from the in-feed tray into the opening;
• after randomizing all cards, elevating a collection of randomized cards seated on the single moveable card collection surface so that the randomized cards may be manually removed from a top of the playing card randomizing device;
• reading at least the rank of each card after it is individually removed from the card in-feed tray and before it has been inserted into the opening;
• and
• moving a moveable cover over the elevator that is fixed along one edge of the cover to the top surface, the moveable cover being opened and cards removed from the top surface.

An automatic card shuffler comprising:

• a housing capable of being mounted flush with a gaming table surface;
• a card receiver for accepting a group of cards to be shuffled by insertion of cards from an opening level with the gaming table surface;
• a randomizing system for randomizing the order of an initial set of playing cards;
• a single collection surface for receiving all randomized cards one at a time onto the single card collection surface from the card receiver;
• an elevator for raising the single collection surface to an elevation wherein all randomized cards may be manually removed through the gaming table surface;
• a moveable cover hinged along one edge of the cover and moveable above the elevator;
• and
• a microprocessor for controlling the operation of the card shuffler.

A device for forming a random set of playing cards comprising:

• a top surface and a bottom surface of said device;
• a single card receiving area for receiving an initial set of playing cards;
• a randomizing system for randomizing the order of an initial set of playing cards;
• a single collection surface in a card collection area for receiving randomized playing cards one at a time into the card collection area and onto a single card collection surface, the collection surface receiving cards so that all cards are received above the single collection surface and below the top surface of the device;
• an elevator for raising the single collection surface to raise at least some randomized cards;
• and
• a moveable cover hinged along one edge of the cover and moveable over the elevator.