Apparatus for sorting articles
AssigneeShuffle Master, Inc.
InventorsPeter Wolfgang DeRaedt, Ludo DeMeutter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for sorting disks or disk-like members of different identities (e.g., roulette chips) that ejects the disks from a receptacle by means of a rotating wheel with numerous wells, such as multi-chip storage compartments. Ejection of an article from the numerous wells is achieved by an ejector lever making contact with an activated solenoid thus forcing the article at the bottom of the well, in conjunction with the momentum of the rotating wheel, into a receiving space. The disks in the receiving spaces are continually replaced by newly arriving disks, which force the previously positioned disks upward into a column.
Claims11
A collecting device for receiving disks, comprising:
- a collecting device assembly including a first end and a second end;
- and
- a plurality of collectors configured for receiving disks, each collector of the plurality including a first end aligned in a plane with the first end of the collecting device assembly, and a second end aligned in a plane with the second end of the collecting device assembly, wherein the first ends of the collectors are arranged in a semi-circle and the second ends of the collectors are arranged in a substantially straight line;
- wherein the collecting device assembly and the plurality of collectors form an integral unitary body;
- and
- wherein each collector has an elongated opening to enable lateral disk removal.
A collecting device for receiving disks, comprising:
- a collecting device assembly including a first end and a second end;
- and
- a plurality of collectors configured for receiving disks, each collector of the plurality including a first end aligned in a plane with the first end of the collecting device assembly, and a second end aligned in a plane with the second end of the collecting device assembly, wherein:
- the first ends of the collectors are arranged in a semi-circle and the second ends of the collectors are arranged in a substantially straight line;
- each of the plurality of collectors includes a receptor for receiving a disk and a column portion between the first end and the second end of the respective collector;
- the column portion is configured to store one or more received disks;
- and
- the receptor includes a flange configured to force a disk into the column portion.
A collecting device for receiving disks, comprising:
- a collecting device assembly including a first end and a second end;
- and
- a plurality of collectors configured for receiving disks, each collector of the plurality including a first end aligned in a plane with the first end of the collecting device assembly, and a second end aligned in a plane with the second end of the collecting device assembly, wherein the first ends of the collectors are arranged in a semi-circle and the second ends of the collectors are arranged in a substantially straight line, wherein each collector of the plurality includes an end cap coupled to the second end of the collector, and wherein the end cap includes a sensor configured to detect when the respective collector of the plurality is full.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.