US3147978A - Playing card dealing devices - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 8, 1964 Filed Jan. 14, 1958 H. E. SJOSTRAND 3,147,978 PLAYING CARD DEALING DEVICES- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.2

IWE NTOR HJALMAR EMANUEL SJOSTRAND ATTORNEYSp 3, 1964 H. E. SJOSTRAND PLAYING CARD DEALING DEVICES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 14, 1958 FIG. 5

FIG. 3

IN VENTOR HJALMAR EMANUEL SJ6STRAND MVM ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,147,978 PLAYING CARI) DEALING DEVIEES Hjairnar Enianuei Sjiistrand, Saxdalen, Sweden Filed Jan. 14, 1958, Ser. No. 708,954 Claims priority, application Sweden Jan. 16, 1957 17 Claims. (Cl. 273-149) The present invention relates to a device for mechanically dealing or dividing a deck of playing cards into a predetermined number of hands or groups.

It is a primary object of the invention to provide a playing card dealing device in which the individual cards of the deck of cards are projected into various compartments at a comparatively high speed which is independent of the speed of the driving member of the device, ensuring a satisfactory operation even at low speeds of the driving member.

The invention is applicable in the first instance. to handdriven playing card dealing devices, but it may be applied to advantage also to devices which are motor-driven.

The invention will now be described by way of example having reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating diagrammatically different embodiments of the. invention.

FIGURE 1 shows in side view and partly in section part of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view corresponding to FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a continuation of FIGURE 1 towards the right and shows a number of compartments into which the cards are projected in succession.

FIGURE 4 shows in side view and partly in section part of a device according to a second embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic side view of a modified arrangement for establishing communication between the magazine for the deck of cards and the various card receiving compartments.

FIGURE 6 is a partial sectional view showing a modified card gripping device.

Referring first to FIGURES 1 and 2, the reference numeral 1 denotes a frame and the reference numeral 2 a magazine for a deck of cards. The magazine has the shape of a box which is open on top and at one of its short sides and is so dimensioned that the playing cards will fit into the box with a certain lateral clearance. The reference numeral 6 denotes a moveable bottom or platform secured by means of a screw 5 in horizontal position to atube 4 guided for vertical movement in an outerfixed tube 3. Disposed within theinner tube 4 is a helical spring 8 dimensioned to lift the deck of cards 7 and press the uppermost card against twolimit rollers 9 journaled on ahorizontal pin 10. The spring 8 is furthermore so dimensioned that its expanding pressure decreases at such ratio according as the cards 7 are projected from the magazine that the contact pressure between the cards and thelimit rollers 9 will remain substantially constant independently of the number of cards held for the moment in the magazine.

Adriving shaft 11 is provided with ahand crank 12 at one end and with agear wheel 14 at the other end. Thegear wheel 14 is in mesh with asmaller gear wheel 15 secured on a drivenshaft 16, the gear ratio being 1:4. On the drivenshaft 16 is also secured a small flywheel 17 by means of a pin 13. Adjacent the flywheel 17 there is freely journaled on the driven shaft 16 a cup-shapedcard projecting drum 19 of light metal, the open side of said drum facing the flywheel.

The flywheel 17 and thecard projecting drum 19 are coupled together by means of ahelical Spring 22 which is secured at one end to apin 23 in the flywheel 17 and at 3,1d'i,'i8 Patented Sept. 8, 1964 the other end to a pin 24 in thedrum 19. For limiting the angular displacement between the flywheel and the drum there is provided on the flywheel an axially extendingpin 20 which projects through anarcuate slot 21 provided in the end wall of the drum near the periphery thereof.

Provided on the outside of the end wall of thedrum 19 is a Wedge-shaped segment 25 with which cooperates a brake-block 26 of friction material secured to one end of ablade spring 27 the other end of which is secured to the frame 1 by means of ascrew 28 and afastener 29. Theblade spring 27 is so positioned that its brake-block 26 is free from the drum except when thebrake segment 25 passes under the brake-block, its thinner end leading, the braking effect increasing successively with the increased pressure of the blade spring against the brake block. Due to the braking of thedrum 19 the drum will be caused to lag behind the flywheel a maximum angle, as shown in FIGURE 1, against the action of thecoupling spring 22, tensioning the coupling spring further.

Secured to the circumference of the drum is a projectingsegment 30 of frictional rubber, the outer radius of said segment being such that the segment reaches somewhat below the level of the underside of thelimit rollers 9 when the drum takes up the position shown in FIGURE 1, i.e. theprojecting segment 39 will take up its lowermost position in gripping engagement with the uppermost card 7 at the very moment when thebrake segment 25 slides 011? thebrake block 26. When the braking of thecard projecting drum 19 thus suddenly ceases, thetensioned coupling spring 22 will rapidly pull the drum forward to its other limit position, in consequence of which thedrum 19 will increase its peripheral speed during the last stage of the feeding-out movement of the uppermost card in the deck of cards, so that the said card is projected from the magazine 2 at a high speed also in case thehand crank 12 is turned slowly.

Thereference numeral 32 denotes a guide member for the projected card, the said guide member being turnable at one end around a horizontal pin 34- and being supported at its other end by a vertically disposedhelical spring 36 tensioned between apin 37 in the frame 1 and apoint 38 at the upper side of the guide member. A link in the shape of ablade spring 39 couples theguide member 32 to afollower 41 which is swingable about apin 40 and presses against acam disc 42 secured to thedriving shaft 11. Thecam disc 42 is shown as having four sections, each section comprising a comparatively short eccentric portion and a comparatively long concentric portion so that on rotation of thedriving shaft 11 theguide member 42 will be moved stepwise stopping for an instant right opposite one of fourfixed guide paths 33 each time a card 7 is projected from the magazine 2.

In the embodiment shown, thefixed guide paths 33, which are made of polished plate of light metal, are somewhat narrower at their inlet and outlet openings, their middle portions being wider in a vertical direction for the purpose of decreasing friction while retaining a certain guiding effect. Thefixed guide paths 33 each opens at the upper edge of a corresponding pocket orcompartment 44 the bottom of which forms an obtuse angle with the guide path, causing the rapidly moving card to slide with its front edge against the lower guide surface obliquely upwards, causing its rear edge on account of the resilient bending of the card to move downwards so that it bounces against the rear wall behind the outlet opening of the guide path and sinks to the bottom before the next card is received.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 the same device may be used alternatively for dividing the deck of cards either into four parts, as already described, or into six parts. For that purpose there is secured on theshaft 11 by means of a pin 46 agear Wheel 45, and on theshaft 16 by means of a pin 48 agear wheel 47, the gear ratio in this case being 1:6. Anextra cam disc 49 is also secured to theshaft 11. Said extra cam disc has six sections of 60 each, the four innermost sections having the same radii as the four sections of thecam disc 42, whereas the fifth and the sixth sections have correspondingly larger radii. The extra cam disc is secured in such a position on the shaft that the beginning of its first section is located exactly opposite thecorresponding point 42a on thecam disc 42. Thehand crank 12 is so secured to the shaft as to extend in the same radial direction as the inner portion of the cam disc. It follows that when the hand crank is directed downwards it can be moved together with the shaft, the cam discs and the gear wheels in an axial direction to cause thegear wheels 45 and 47 to mesh. Thegear wheels 45 and 47 will mesh before thegear wheels 14 and 15 unmesh, and vice versa.

Also the embodiment shown in FIGURE 4 comprises a spring which gives the card projecting member a rapid movement in the card projecting direction. In the embodiment shown the uppermost card in the deck of cards placed in the magazine is gripped by a small downwardly concave suction cup of soft rubber. Vulcanized to the uppermost portion of the rubber cup and extending upwardly through a hole near the end of ablade spring 57 is asmall screw bolt 56, the screw bolt being secured to the blade spring by means of a small ball-shaped nut 58. The portion of the blade spring carrying therubber cup 55 extends substantially horizontally. An extension of the blade spring is bent through an angle of about 90 around ametal bushing 59, to which the spring is secured, the extension extending upwardly for a distance of about 1 centimeter. Secured to the upper end of the extension is asmall weight 66. Thebushing 59 is journaled on ahorizontal pin 61 secured to the lower end of a card projecting rod orarm 62, said arm being made of light metal plate and being U-shaped in cross section. Thecard projecting rod 62 is turnably journaled at its upper end on ahorizontal pin 64 secured byelements 65 to the front side of aframe 66.

Theframe 66 has the shape of a box open at top and bottom and provided at one of its corners with acylindrical sleeve 67 for receiving acarrying pipe 69 extending from abottom plate 68. Provided at the front side of theframe 66 is ahorizontal projection 70 theouter portion 71 of which is directed at right angles downwardly and provided with apin 72 to which is secured one end of thecard projecting spring 73 the other end of said spring being secured to thecard projecting arm 62 by means of a pin 74. Near to the upper end of said rod orarm 62 the two side plates of the arm are shaped to form a projecting nose 75 at the point of which anarrow roller 76 is journaled on a pin 76a.

Secured on the driving shaft 77 is a symmetricalfourarmed cam member 78. With saidcam member 78 cooperates theroller 76 on thecard projecting rod 62, said roller being pressed against the eccentric surfaces of the cam member by thecard projecting spring 73. After said roller during rotation of the shaft has been lifted to the outer extremity of an arm of thecam member 78 and thus has swung thecard projecting arm 62 to its starting position while tensioning thespring 73, it suddenly slides off the point permitting thespring 73 to pull thecar projecting arm 62 rapidly to its other limit position.

On account of the inertia of theweight 60 said weight will cause theblade spring 57 to swing on its axis each time thecard projecting rod 62 changes its direction of movement. This happens in the two limit positions shown at 62a and 62b in FIGURE 4. In said figure is also shown the changed positions of the grippingmemher 55 with respect to the uppermost card in the magazine 79, the gripping member being pressed against the card at the rear end position 62a and being caused to release the card at the front end position 62b. In the latter position the card has obtained a very high velocity in a direction out through the guide path 86 to the card receiving compartments.

It should be noted that the gripping cup must not necessarily be positioned at the lagging end of a blade spring link or the like, but it may also be positioned at the leading end. In such a case theweight 60 must be eliminated or arranged in other manner than shown.

The arrangement shown in FIGURE 4 for successively directing the cards to different compartments consists of a spiral shaped cam 80 provided on the driving shaft 77, anangular lever 81 swingably mounted on apin 82 at the front side of theframe 66. On a connectingrod 83 secured to the free end of theangular lever 81 is provided ahelical spring 84 adapted to press the connecting rod upwardly. At its lower end the connecting rod is pivotally secured to a guide member 86 swingably secured at the outlet end of the magazine by means of a pin 85. Said guide path or member is intended to cooperate with four fixed guide paths leading each to a corresponding pocket or compartment, for instance of the kind shown in FIGURES l to 3. The driving shaft 77 is normally provided with a hand crank, not shown. Alternatively, a small electric motor may be used as a driving source.

In FEGURE 5 is illustrated another embodiment of the device for successively guiding the projected playing cards to various pockets or compartments. Theswingable guide member 32 or 86 shown in FIGURES l and 4 is here substituted by a plurality ofguide paths 87 combined to form a unit and journaled by means of apin 88 inposts 89 rising from the bottom plate. At the outlet from the magazine is arranged a fixedmouthpiece 90 provided with a narrow slit-shaped month which guides the rapidly projected cards into the inlets of said guide paths and pockets. The desired swinging movement of theunit 87 may be obtained for instance by means of the connectingrod 83 shown in FIGURE 4 or theblade spring 39 shown in FIGURE 1.

In FIGURE 6 there is shown in cross section and on 1 an enlarged scale a modified embodiment of the gripping member at the lower end of thecard projecting rod 62 of FIGURE 4.

For obtaining a higher suction power in therubber cup 55 than the one resulting from the contact pressure caused by theweight 60, FIGURE 4, there is provided a small rubber bladder 91 enclosed in a small box 92 in thecard projecting rod 62,rectangular openings 93 and 93a being provided at the rear and front sides of the box.

At the bottom of the bladder is provided with narrow rubber hose 94 leading through opening 95 out from the box and extending to the inside of thesuction cup 55. Both ends of the rubber hose are glued to the respective rubber members. In FIGURE 6 theweight 60 and part of the blade spring are cut away to illustrate the above described details more clearly. At the upper edge of the card magazine or at an extension thereof are secured two substantiallyequal abutments 96, only one of said abutments being shown. The effective part of eachabutment 96 is adapted to pass through theopening 93 or 9311 to partly compress the bladder 91 when the card projecting rod approaches one of its limit positions, as shown in FIGURE 4. In this manner part of the air is driven out from the bladder 91 before therubber cup 55 is moved into engagement with the uppermost card 7. When the card ejector rod continues its movement forwardly in its card projecting direction the bladder is released from pressure and will expand resiliently causing an increase of the vacuum and a more secure grip between the cup and the card. Immediately before thecard projecting member 62 has reached the limit position shown in dotted lines at 62b in FIGURE 4 the other of said abutments, not shown, will enter through thefront opening 93a of the box 92 and compress the bladder 91 very rapidly, causing the suction in therubber cup 55 to cease and enabling the cup to be lifted from the card in the manner already described.

As will be easily understood the playing card dealing devices illustrated and described may be used not only for dealing the cards in the deck of cards to the participants of a card game but may also be used for mixing the cards in the deck. Such mixing may be effected by placing the various groups of cards obtained by operating the device upon one another in an arbitrary order and place the cards in the magazine anew, whereafter the device is operated as before.

What I claim is:

1. In a device for dealing playing cards, the combination comprising a magazine having an open top and adapted for receiving a deck of playing cards to be dealt, a member, means mounting said member for back and forth movement across the top of said magazine, means carried by the lower portion of said member and operable to grip the topmost card of said deck during movement of said member in one direction, spring means biasing said member in said one direction, and cyclically operating means repetitively moving said member back across the magazine against the force of said spring to thereby load the spring and then suddenly releasing the member and unloading the spring, the last-mentioned means permitting unrestrained snap action of the member forwardly in said one direction under the influence of unrestrained unloading of said spring means upon said release, whereby on each such cycle of operation the topmost card in said magazine is ejected therefrom.

2. In a device for dealing playing cards, the combination comprising a magazine having an open top and adapted for receiving a deck of playing cards to be dealt, a member, means mounting said member for back and forth movement across the top of said magazine, means carried by the lower portion of said member and 0perable to grip the topmost card of said deck during movement of said member in one direction, spring means biasing said member in said one direction, cyclically operating means repetitively moving said member back across the magazine against the force of said spring and then suddenly releasing the member, the last-mentioned means permitting unrestrained snap action of the member forwardly in said one direction under the influence of said spring means upon said release, whereby on each such cycle of operation the topmost card in said magazine is ejected therefrom, means providing a series of fixed card receiving compartments disposed one over the other and having open ends facing said magazine, a guide member open at both ends and interposed between said magazine and compartment means for the passage of cards ejected in said one direction from said magazine to said compartment means, said guide member being mounted for move ment of the card discharge end thereof successively into registry with the open ends of said compartments, and means for moving said card discharge end of the guide member successively into registry with the open ends of said compartments in predetermined timed relation to operation of said cyclically operating means for directing cards into the compartments in predetermined order.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said member comprises an arm rockable about a horizontally extending axis and depending therefrom directly over said magazine, and said cyclically operating means includes a revolvable member having a cam adapted for coaction with a follower carried by said arm, said arm being moved against said spring means by engagement of the follower with said cam and being released for said unrestrained snap action in the card ejecting direction when said follower drops from said cam.

4. The combination defined inclaim 3 wherein the means for moving the guide member includes a second cam on the revolvable member adapted for coaction with a follower operatively connected with the guide member.

5. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said member comprises an arm rockable about a horizontally extending axis and depending therefrom directly over said magazine, said cyclically operating means includes a revolvable member having a set of cams adapted for coaction successively with a follower carried by said arm, said arm being moved against the force of said spring means when said follower is engaged with one of said cams and being released for moving freely in card ejecting direction when said follower drops from one of said cams for engagement with the next succeeding cam, and wherein the means for moving the guide member includes a spirally shaped cam on the revolvable member adapted for coaction with a cam follower oper-atively connected by a pressure rod with the guide member.

6. The combination according to claim 2, wherein said card gripping means comprises a frictional gripping element, mean-s mounting said element on said member for vertical movement, a weight carried by said member and shiftable relative thereto by intertia during said back and forth strokes of the member, means coupling said element to said shiftable weight, the coupling being such that shifting of the weight as said member reverses to move forwardly in said one direction effects the lowering of said element to card engaging level, and as the member reverses to move backwardly said gripping element is lifted above said level.

7. The combination according to claim 6, wherein said means mounting said element includes a leaf spring carrying the element at its free end.

8. The combination according to claim 6, wherein said element comprises a downwardly opening suction cup, and further including a resilient bladder, means providing an air passage between said bladder and the interior of said suction cup; and means striking said bladder to expel air therefrom at each said reversal of said member.

9. The combination according to claim 8, wherein said bladder is mounted on said member and the last-mentioned means comprise stationary abutments in the path of movement of the bladder.

10. In a device for dealing playing cards, the combination comprising a magazine having an open top and adapted for receiving a deck of playing cards to be dealt, a member, means mounting said member for back and forth movement across the top of said magazine, means carried by the lower portion of said member and operable to grip the topmost card of said deck during movement of said member in one direction, spring means biasing said member in said one direction, cyclically operating means repetitively moving said member back and forth across the magazine against the force of said spring and then suddenly releasing the member, the last-mentioned means permitting unrestrained snap action of the member forwardly in said one direction under the influence of said spring means upon said release, whereby on each said cycle of operation, the topmost card in said magazine is ejected therefrom, means providing a series of compartments fixed relative to one another and disposed one over the other with open ends facing said magazine, and vertically movable means operable in predetermined timed relation to said cyclically operating means for successively bringing the open ends of said compartments operatively into alignment with the path of discharge of the cards from the magazine, said member comprising an arm rockable about a horizontally extending axis and depending therefrom directly over said magazine, and the cyclically operating means for moving and then releasing said member including a revolvable member having a cam adapted for coaction with a follower carried by said arm, said arm being restrained when said follower is engaged with said cam and being released for moving freely in card ejecting direction when said follower drops from said cam, the card gripping means including a leaf spring member rockably mounted upon a lower end portion of said arm a weight shiftably mounted upon said arm and connected to one end portion of said spring member, and a suction cup depending from the opposite end portion of said spring member.

11. The combination defined inclaim 10, wherein the card gripping means includes a resilient bladder mounted upon said arm for movement therewith and communicating with the interior of the suction cup through the bottom of said bladder, and stationary abutment means for engaging said bladder and thereby deflating the same when said arm is in either of its extreme positions.

12. In a card feeding device for dealing playing cards, the combination comprising a magazine having in open top and adapted for receiving a deck of playing cards to be dealt, card gripping means, and means moving said gripping means in a card ejecting stroke across the top of said magazine and into engagement with the topmost card therein, said gripping means comprising a suction cup, an air bladder, means providing an air passage connecting said bladder with the 'mterior of said suction cup, the means striking said bladder just prior to engagement of the suction cup with the topmost card and again at the end of said card ejecting stroke, whereby suction is created to grip the card and air is expelled to release the card.

13. In a card feeding device for dealing playing cards, the combination comprising a magazine having an open top and adapted for receiving a deck of playing cards to be dealt, card gripping means, means moving said gripping means in back and forth strokes across the top of said magazine and for moving said gripping means into engagement with the topmost card therein during card feeding strokes in one direction, said card gripping means comprising a downwardly opening suction cup, a resilient air bladder mounted on said card gripping means, means on said card gripping means providing an air passage between said bladder and the interior of said suction cup, and means on said magazine operable at the beginning and end of each forward stroke to force air positively from said bladder.

14. The combination according to claim 13, wherein the last-mentioned means comprise stationary abutments positioned to be struck by the bladder at the beginning and end of each forward stroke of the card gripping means.

15. In a card feeding device for dealing playing cards, the combination comprising a magazine having an open top and adapted for receiving a deck of playing cards to be dealt, a member, means moving said member back and forth across the top of said magazine, and card gripping means comprising a frictional gripping element, means mounting said element on said member for vertical movement, a weight carried by said member and shiftable relative thereto by inertia during back and forth strokes of the member, means coupling said element to said shiftable weight, the coupling being such that shifting of the weight as said member reverses to move forwardly in card ejecting direction effects the lowering of said element to card engaging level, and as the member reverses to move backwardly said gripping element is lifted above said level.

16. In a device for dealing playing cards, the combination comprising a magazine having an open top and adapted for receiving a deck of cards to be dealt, a card ejecting member mounted for movement across the top of said magazine, means carried by said member and operable, during movement of said member in card ejecting direction, to frictionally grip the topmost card of said deck, to slide said card in the plane thereof across the next underlying card to automatically release said card, spring means biasing said card ejecting member in card ejecting direction, means for moving said card ejecting member to the initial card ejecting position while tensioning said spring, and means operative during each card ejecting cycle for restraining said card ejecting member against the influence of said spring bias and then suddenly releasing the same, the last-mentioned means permitting unrestricted snap action of the member in card ejecting direction under the influence of said spring means upon said release, whereby in each such cycle of operation the topmost card of said magazine is ejected therefrom at a high speed.

17. A device for dealing playing cards including a frame, a continuously rotatable driving member, a magazine for a deck of cards and having a yielding bottom and an open top, shaft means mounted above and across said open top, a feeding member having at an outermost portion a card gripping means and being rotatably mounted on said shaft means, spring means engaging said feeding member and adapted to intermittently actuate said feeding member through a card feeding movement, and means for intermittently loading said spring means during a movement of said feeding member to the initial position of a card feeding movement, said spring loading means including an actuating member mounted on said rotatable member for contact with said feeding member to actuate the same in a direction effecting loading of said spring means, said actuating member being out of contact with said feeding member during a card feeding movement to permit unrestrained movement of said feeding member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 758,453 Lagerman Apr. 26, 1904 1,207,669 Troubridge Dec. 5, 1916 1,310,613 Gilbert July 22, 1919 1,554,429 Hasselquist Sept. 22, 1925 1,909,122 Ring et al. May 16, 1933 2,065,824 Plass Dec. 29, 1936 2,581,247 Florant Jan. 1, 1952 2,588,582 Sivertson Mar. 11, 1952 2,666,646 Cicero Jan. 19, 1954

Claims (1)

16. IN A DEVICE FOR DEALING PLAYING CARDS, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A MAGAZINE HAVING AN OPEN TOP AND ADAPTED FOR RECEIVING A DECK OF CARDS TO BE DEALT, A CARD EJECTING MEMBER MOUNTED FOR MOVEMENT ACROSS THE TOP OF SAID MAGAZINE, MEANS CARRIED BY SAID MEMBER AND OPERABLE, DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID MEMBER IN CARD EJECTING DIRECTION, TO FRICTIONALLY GRIP THE TOPMOST CARD OF SAID DECK, TO SLIDE SAID CARD IN THE PLANE THEREOF ACROSS THE NEXT UNDERLYING CARD TO AUTOMATICALLY RELEASE SAID CARD, SPRING MEANS BIASING SAID CARD EJECTING MEMBER IN CARD EJECTING DIRECTION, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID CARD EJECTING MEMBER TO THE INITIAL CARD EJECTING POSITION WHILE TENSIONING SAID SPRING, AND MEANS OPERATIVE DURING EACH CARD EJECTING CYCLE FOR RESTRAINING SAID CARD EJECTING MEMBER AGAINST THE INFLUENCE OF SAID SPRING BIAS AND THEN SUDDENLY RELEASING THE SAME, THE LAST-MENTIONED MEANS PERMITTING UNRESTRICTED SNAP ACTION OF THE MEMBER IN CARD EJECTING DIRECTION UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SAID SPRING MEANS UPON SAID RELEASE, WHEREBY IN EACH SUCH CYCLE OF OPERATION THE TOPMOST CARD OF SAID MAGAZINE IS EJECTED THEREFROM AT A HIGH SPEED.

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