US3131935A - Card dealing apparatus including reciprocating pusher and cooperating rollers - Google Patents

Description

United States PatentO The present invention relates to a card dealing apparatus having a magazine which receives a pack of cards and is rotated, whereby one card at a time is pushed out through a narrow slot in the magazine by means of a pushing member, a predetermined number of times for each revolution, and outside of the slot is provided a roller driven by the rotation of the magazine, which coacts with a counter-roller to draw the pushed card ontirely out from the magazine.

Such apparatus are known, in which the pushing member consists of a rotatable cam or eccentric roller provided with a friction coating. Due to frictional engagement with the card, such a pushing member is liable to extract also the underlying card, whereby the cards become wedged in said slot and thus prevent the function of the apparatus. Moreover, the known apparatus are very complicated and thus expensive in manuiacture.

The object of the invention is to provide a card dealing apparatus which does not have the above mentioned drawback and which is of very simple construction and thus cheap in manufacture.

According to the invention this is achieved thereby that the pushing member is a metal plate of somewhat less thickness than a card, and which is reciprocable in guides at the level of the topmost card, when the magazine rotates. In this arrangement it is not necessary to press the pack of cards against the pushing member, as is the case in the known apparatus which use friction engagement. The pushing member, the of which preferably amounts to of the thickness of a card, therefore pushes the topmost card through the slot without this card being accompanied by the nent-to-the top card.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing.

FIG. 1 shows I3 horizontal section through the apparatus according to the invention.

'FIG. 2 shows a central cross section through the apparatus in FIG. 1.

The apparatus consists of two main portions, the stationary portion, the stator 1, and a rotatable portion, therotor 2. Externally the stator may be of circular shape, as shown on the drawing, or edged. The rotor is rotatable about a central pivot 3 at the bottom of the stator. In the central portion of the rotor is provided amagazine 5 for the pack of cards. In the bottom of the magazine is provided a resiliently-mountedplatform 6 upon which the pack of cards rests. A pack of cards is represented in the magazine by heavy dot and dash lines, and when it is pressed down to the position shown in FIG. 2, the compiression spring under theplatform 6 is compressed in a known manner. When thecover 7 above the magazine and pack of cards is closed, the top car of the pack abuts against a member Son the underside of the cover and rests ready for pushing out when the rotor is rotated, which in the embodiment shown is effected manually by inserting a finger in a cut-out 9. The stator consists mainly of abottom plate 10 having four rubber lugs, so that it rests stationary upon a base. The central pivot 3, about which the rotor rotates, and agear rim 11 and aguide groove 12 is provided on the bottom plate. Theside walls 13 of the stator serve to conceal the inside 3,131,935 Patented May 5, 1964 ice outfit, all other mechanical parts being attached to the rotor. At one end of themagazine 5 there is provided a pushingmember 14, which upon movement of the rotor pushes the topmost card a distance out of the magazine. The pushing member consists of .a steel plate a little thinner than the thickness of a card, and the movement takes place inguides 22 at the level of the topmost card, so that a reciprocating movement is obtained firom theguide groove 12 by means of 21transmission 15 in the form of a driver, the upper end of which is attached .to the pushingmember 14. As shown in FIG. 2, the pushingmember 14 rests on thehorizontal portion 20 of a right-angle bracket 21 attached to the end of themagazine 5. Thehorizontal portion 20 of the bracket extends out slightly above thewall 13 and includes upwardly-projectingguides 22 at the respective sides of the pushingmember 14. A longitudinal slot 23 provided in thehorizontal portion 20 through which thedriver 15 extends. The pushing member, which exerts a slight pressure against thememher 8 on the underside of the cover, pushes the topmost card to slide it along themember 8 and out of the magazine through aslot 19 on to -arubber roller 16 and be neat-h 1a cooperatingroller 17, theroller 16 being driven through (agear transmission 18 from thegear rim 11 at the bottom of the stator.

The apparatus may also be operated electrically by means of la battery-driven electro-motor, which is built into the rotor together with the battery, the motor over a gear being in engagement with thegear rim 11 at the bottom of the stator.

I claim:

1. In a card dealing apparatus including a rotatable magazine for receiving a pack of cards to be dealt, means for rotating the magazine, means for pushing the topmost card of the pack partly off the top of the pack a predetermined number of times for each revolution of the magazine, and cooperating rollers carried by the magazine for receiving each pushed card, drawing it out of the magazine and dealing it, the improvement in which the means for pushing the top card comprises a reciprocable pusher plate of somewhat less thickness than a card of the pack and mounted on the magazine for reciprocation at the level of the topmost card of the pack, and means for reciprocating said plate a predetermined number of times for each revolution of the magazine during its rotation, said reciprocatingmeans during each reciprocation moving an edge of said plate against an edge of the topmost card to push the topmost card partly off the top of the neck.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a closable cover for the magazine against the underside of which the topmost card of the pack rests when the cover is closed, the upper part of the pusher plate also engaging the underside of the cover so that its leading edge engages the edge of the topmost card to be pushed.

3. In a card dealing apparatus including a rotatable magazine for receiving a pack of cards to be dealt, means for rotating the magazine, a resilientlyamounted platform in the magazine on which the pack of cards rests for urging the pack upwardly, means for pushing the topmost card of the pack relative to the pack a predetermined number of times for each revolution of the magazine, and cooperating rollers carried by the magazine opposite the position of the pushing means for receiving the pushed card, drawing it out of the magazine and dealing it, the improvement in which the means for pushing the top card comprises a reciprocable pusher plate mounted on and at one side of the magazine for reciprocation at the level of the topmost card of the pack and having an edge for engaging the adjacent edge of the topmost card of the pack, and means for reciprocating said plate in a direc- 3 tion to engage said edge of the plate with the adjacent edge of the [topmost card and push the topmost card of the pack a predetermined number of times for each revolution of the magazineduning its. rotation. i

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, including a closable rcover'for the magazine against the underside of which the topmost card rests When the cover is closed, the pusher plate also engaging the underside of the cover so that its leading edge engages the edge of the topmost card to be pushed, and a guide mounted on the magazine in which the pusher plate reciprocates.

5. In a card dealing apparatus including a rotatable magazine for receiving a pack of cards to be dealt, means for rotating the magazine, a resiliently-mounted platform in vthe magazine on which the pack of cards rests for urging the pack upwardly, means for pushing the topmost card of the pack relative to the pack a predetermined number of times for each revolution of the magazine, and cooperating rollers for receiving the pushed cards, dnawing it out of the magazine and dealing it, the improvement including a closable cover for the magazine against the underside of which the topmost card of the pack rests and 7 against which the pack of cards is urged, said means for pushing the top card of the pack toward said rollers comprising va reciprooable pusher plate of somewhat less thickness than a card of the pack, said pusher plate being located at the level of the top card of the pack at the side of the magazine opposite the position of the cooperating rollers and including a petition operable along the underside of the cover so that its leading edge engages the adjacent edge of the topmost card of the pack, and means for reciprocating said pusher plate a predetermined number of times for each revolution of the magazine during the rotation of the latter;

References Citedin the file of this patent McConnell July 28, 1936

Claims (1)

1. IN A CARD DEALING APPARATUS INCLUDING A ROTATABLE MAGAZINE FOR RECEIVING A PACK OF CARDS TO BE DEALT, MEANS FOR ROTATING THE MAGAZINE, MEANS FOR PUSHING THE TOPMOST CARD OF THE PACK PARTLY OFF THE TOP OF THE PACK A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF TIMES FOR EACH REVOLUTION OF THE MAGAZINE, AND COOPERATING ROLLERS CARRIED BY THE MAGAZINE FOR RECEIVING EACH PUSHED CARD, DRAWING IT OUT OF THE MAGAZINE AND DEALING IT, THE IMPROVEMENT IN WHICH THE MEANS FOR PUSHING THE TOP CARD COMPRISES A RECIPROCABLE PUSHER PLATE OF SOMEWHAT LESS THICKNESS THAN A CARD OF THE PACK AND MOUNTED ON THE MAGAZINE FOR RECIPROCATION AT THE LEVEL OF THE TOPMOST CARD OF THE PACK, AND MEANS FOR RECIPROCATING SAID PLATE A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF TIMES FOR EACH REVOLUTION OF THE MAGAZINE DURING ITS ROTATION, SAID RECIPROCATING MEANS DURING EACH RECIPROCATION MOVING AN EDGE OF SAID PLATE AGAINST AN EDGE OF THE TOPMOST CARD TO PUSH THE TOPMOST CARD PARTLY OFF THE TOP OF THE NECK.

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