JP3399077B2 - Guidance gutter in doffing machine - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a guide gutter which flows in used balls from the left and right collecting gutters, and arranges the used balls to flow out to a doffing machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, used balls discharged from a pachinko machine installed on a pachinko island stand are collected by a collection gutter, and the collected balls are installed in the center of the pachinko island stand and have a conveyor belt. While polishing with a machine, lifted up,
An automatic ball circulation mechanism that supplies each pachinko machine again via the supply gutter is equipped inside the pachinko island stand. And
In such an automatic ball circulation mechanism, it is necessary to efficiently supply the balls from the left and right collection gutters to the ball feeder at the center of the Pachinko Island stand in order to perform the ball circulation cycle smoothly and quickly. It was Therefore, the applicant of the present invention has previously proposed that
No. 18909 (hereinafter referred to as Prior Art 1) proposes a guide gutter satisfying the above-mentioned demand, and Japanese Patent Application No. 5-71
No. 056 (hereinafter referred to as Prior Art 2) also proposed a guide gutter that satisfies the above demands.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned prior art 1 has a structure in which the guiding trough for feeding the balls arranged in the doffing machine is curved in a V shape and connected to the left and right collecting troughs. Therefore, it was difficult to manufacture the guide gutter, and a large installation area was required on the left and right and front and back because the guide gutter was curved. On the other hand, in the prior art 2 described above, since the linear guide gutters are arranged orthogonally and overlapped in a stepped shape at the positions below the downstream end portions of the left and right recovery gutters, the production of the guide gutters is facilitated. Also, the installation area may be reduced. However, when actually mounting the guide gutter to each of the left and right recovery gutters, the guide gutter that has already been assembled in the orthogonal step shape and the collection gutter that has already been arranged must be installed in a narrow space at the back. Therefore, the mounting work was difficult. Further, since the guide gutter of the prior art 2 is arranged orthogonal to the recovery gutter and in a step shape, the balls from the collection gutter flow down into the guide gutter vigorously. For this reason, the ball alignment on the downstream end side of the guide gutter was poor and the ball handling efficiency was reduced. The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to enable easy manufacture and a reduction in installation area, and also to facilitate mounting work. The purpose is to provide an induction gutter for the machine.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in the present invention, used balls are introduced from left and right collecting gutters, and the used balls are aligned to a doffing machine. In the guiding gutter that flows out, the guiding gutter is equipped with an upstream part on the downstream end side of the left recovery gutter, and a left inflow gutter having a concave cross section for inflowing used balls from the left recovery gutter and the upstream part. Installed on the downstream end side of the right recovery gutter, a right inflow gutter with a concave cross-section that flows in used balls from the right recovery gutter, and a downstream part is installed on the doffing machine side, while on the upstream side . The upper edge shape is the left-right flow
It is positioned below each downstream part of the left and right inflow gutters by conforming to the concave cross section of the inlet gutter, and the used balls flowing in from the left and right inflow gutters flow out toward the doffing machine. A gutter and a cut for closing an opening formed between an upstream end of the outflow gutter and a downstream end of each side wall of the left and right inflow gutters.
It is characterized by comprising an assembly in which a closing plate made of a possible plate is assembled .

Further, an engaging groove portion for slidingly locking the closing plate is formed at a downstream end portion of a side wall of the left and right inflow gutters, and the closing plate is composed of a severable thin plate. Further, on the downstream end side of the bottom wall of the left and right inflow gutters,
A plurality of partition walls may be arranged in a row so as to form a ball passage for rolling and rolling used balls .

[0006]

[Operation] The guide gutter has an upstream portion mounted on the downstream end side of the left recovery gutter, and has a cross-sectional concave portion through which used balls from the left recovery gutter flow in.
Shaped left inflow gutter and upstream section attached to the downstream end side of the right recovery gutter, concave section in which used balls from the right recovery gutter flow in
And Jo right inflow trough, while attaching the downstream portion to the ball pumped machine side, the upper edge shape of the upstream side concave cross-sectional profile of the lateral inlet trough
By aligning the left and right inflow gutters below the respective downstream parts of the left and right inflow gutters, an outflow gutter that flows out used balls that flow in from the left and right inflow gutters toward the doffing machine, and the outflow gutter of the outflow gutter. and a closed <br/>塞板consisting cleavable plate for closing the opening formed between the downstream end portion of each side wall of the upstream end the lateral inflow trough, since the assembled assembly of, Even if the distance between the downstream ends of the left and right recovery gutters cannot be wide enough due to the design, by mounting each component individually to form the final assembly, it can be installed as a guide gutter itself. The work can be facilitated. In addition, the guide gutter made by the above-mentioned assembly has its longitudinal length cut by cutting the closing plate.
By adjusting the length in the direction, the distance between the downstream end portions of the left and right inflow gutters can be changed, so that fine adjustment in mounting is possible.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. First, referring to FIG. 5, a guide gutter 20 according to an embodiment.
The configuration of the pachinko island stand 1 to which is applied will be described.
FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway front view showing the internal structure of the pachinko island stand 1. As shown in the drawing, a pachinko island stand 1 has a large number of pachinko machines 2 arranged in a back row, and a doffing machine 3 is erected in the center thereof. In the doffing machine 3 in this embodiment, an endless conveyor belt 5 is rotationally driven by a lower pulley 4 having a built-in motor, and a frictional force of the conveyor belt 5 causes a guide trough 20 and an introduction trough 13 (see FIG. 3) described later.
The balls introduced in a row via the reference pad) are lifted while coming into contact with a polishing cloth mounting door (not shown), and finally discharged from the discharge port 6 at the upper end.

The polished balls discharged from the discharge port 6 are temporarily stored in the upper storage tank 7, and then flow out from a supply gutter 8 connected to the bottom surface of the upper storage tank 7. The replenishment gutter 8 is provided in an inclined shape from the upper storage tank 7 toward both ends of the pachinko island stand 1, and a shunt 9 provided corresponding to each pachinko machine 2 in the middle of each of the pachinko machines 2. It is supplied to a well-known prize ball tank provided on the upper part of the back surface.

As is well known, the flow shunt 9 is provided with a counting device for counting the number of balls replenished. From this counting device, a replenishing ball signal is sent to a management computer provided in a game arcade. It will be sent. Also,
A reflux pipe (not shown) is connected slightly above the middle of the upper storage tank 7. This reflux pipe is
The use of prize balls in the pachinko machine 2 is low and the supply gutter 8
When it becomes unnecessary to supply balls to the upper storage tank 7 and the number of balls stored in the upper storage tank 7 becomes large, surplus balls are installed in the lower storage tanks on both sides of the lower part of the doffing machine 3 (not shown). ).

On the other hand, from each pachinko machine 2, the driven balls are discharged into a used ball tank 10 provided at the lower part of the back surface of the pachinko machine 2, and a discharge pipe (not shown) extending downward from the tank 10. ) Is discharged to the collection gutter 11. The collection gutter 11 is provided in an inclined shape from both ends of the pachinko island stand 1 toward the lower part of the doffing machine 3 standing upright in the center of the pachinko island stand 1. As is well known, the used ball tank 10 is provided with a counting device for counting the number of collected balls, and this counting device sends a collected ball signal to a management computer provided in a game arcade. It is like this.

By the way, the recovery gutter 11 is a doffing machine 3
Although it reaches the lower part of the doffing machine 3 so as to penetrate through the inside of the lower storage tank arranged on both sides of the above, although detailed illustration is omitted, in the lower storage tank, recovery is performed. As long as there are balls flowing down the gutter 11, the balls stored in the lower storage tank will not flow out to the collection gutter 11, but will be stored in the lower storage tank when there are not enough balls flowing down the collection gutter 11. Balls flow into the collection gutter 11 to replenish the balls. The number of balls stored in the two lower storage tanks on both the left and right sides is set so that the prize balls obtained by the player are returned to the prize ball return device attached to the pachinko island stand 1. The table 1 is designed to store a sufficient amount of balls (for example, about 150,000 pieces in one storage tank) necessary for various game states, while the prize balls won by the player are stored. The abundance of prize balls is dealt with on the pachinko island stand 1, which is configured to return to the prize ball return device installed at a prize exchange place located at a corner of the amusement park, and not to be returned directly to the pachinko island stand 1. A sufficient amount of balls (for example, about 2)
It is designed to store around 10,000 pieces.

In the pachinko island stand 1 configured as described above, the balls ground and lifted by the ball hoisting machine 3 are supplied to the respective pachinko machines 2 via the supply gutters 8 while the respective pachinko machines 2 are provided. The used balls used in (1) are collected by the collection gutter 11 in the ball feeder 3, re-ground by polishing, and supplied to the supply gutter 8. That is, the balls are circulated and used inside the pachinko island stand 1. Then, the left and right recovery gutters 11 and 1 installed in an inclined shape from the end of the pachinko island stand 1 toward the center.
It is necessary to interpose between the 1 and the doffing machine 3 a guide gutter 20 that guides used balls that flow down along the recovery gutter 11 to the doffing machine 3 smoothly and quickly.

Therefore, the guide gutter 20 of this embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing components of the guide gutter 20, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the guide gutter 20 in an assembled state, and FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the guide gutter 20 in an assembled state. FIG. 4, FIG.
It is sectional drawing cut | disconnected by the AA line of FIG. A stopper 12 for controlling the flow down of used balls along the recovery gutter 11 by a driving force of a motor 12a is arranged on the downstream end side of the recovery gutter 11, and the ball feeder 3 is also provided. An introduction gutter 13 for introducing the used balls guided by the main guidance gutter 20 into the conveyor belt 5 is disposed on the lower end side of the.

The guide gutter 20 includes the left and right collecting gutters 11 and
Left and right inflow gutters 21 and 22 into which used balls flowing down 11 respectively, and outflow gutters from which used balls flowing from the left and right inflow gutters 21 and 22 flow out to an introduction gutter 13 on the side of the doffing machine 3. 23, and a closing plate 24 for closing an opening 24a, which will be described later, formed between the outflow gutter 23 and the left and right inflow gutters 21 and 22. The left inlet gutter 21 has a concave cross-section with a bottom wall 25 and both side walls 26, 26.
A flange-shaped connecting portion 26a for connecting the left inflow gutter 21 to the downstream end side of the left recovery gutter 11 is formed in the upstream portion of the. Further, in the connected state of the left inflow gutter 21 and the left recovery gutter 11, a closing plate 24 described below is slid on the downstream end of the side wall 26 located on the side opposite to the arrangement position of the doffing machine 3. An engaging groove portion 26b for locking is formed. In the present embodiment, the collar-shaped connecting portion 26a is adapted to be fastened to the side wall of the lower storage tank (not shown) with screws or the like. It suffices to fix it to the mounting flange or the component member of the pachinko island stand 1 that is formed.

On the downstream end side of the bottom wall 25, there are arranged a plurality of partition walls 25a which are inclined upward from the substantially central portion of the bottom wall 25 to the downstream end portion, and both sides of the partition wall 25a. The wall surface and the bottom wall surface form a ball passage 25b in which used balls are aligned and rolled. A discharge groove 25c (see FIG. 4) is provided on the bottom wall surface of the ball passage 25b along the ball passage 25b so as not to hinder the rolling of used balls. The dust adhering to the used balls and the coins mixed in the device are discharged from the ball passage 25b. Further, the partition wall 25a ...
Are formed such that their heights are alternately changed in the row direction, and long foreign matter such as coins on the upper part of each partition wall 25a ...

On the other hand, a plurality of guide grooves 25d ... Are arranged on the upstream end side of the bottom wall 25. The guide grooves 25d ...
They are provided on the extension lines of the ball passages 25b, respectively, and guide the used balls that have flowed in from the left recovery gutter 11 to the respective ball passages 25b ... And discharge dust, coins, etc. like the discharge groove 25c. It is like this.

The right inlet gutter 22 includes a bottom wall 27 and side walls 28.
28 and a concave shape in cross section, and is symmetrical with respect to the left inflow gutter 21. As a result, on the side wall 28 of the right inlet gutter 22, there is a brim-shaped connecting portion 28a for connecting the right inlet gutter 21 to the downstream end side of the right recovery gutter 11, and an engaging groove portion 28b for slidingly locking the closing plate 24. Is formed,
The bottom wall 27 has a partition wall 2 forming a ball passage 27b.
7a, a discharge groove 27c, and a guide groove 27d are formed.

The outflow gutter 23 has a bottom wall 29 and both side walls 30.3.
It has a concave cross-section with 0 and. The side wall 30.3
0 is formed in a mountain shape inclined from the upstream part to the downstream part, and the upper edge shape of the upstream side is the inflow gutter 21.2.
It has an L-shape that matches the concave shape of section 2. Also,
At the downstream end of the bottom wall 29, a plurality of partition walls 29a ... Are arranged in a row, and the introduction gutter 13 is provided by the partition walls 29a.
It is designed to roll the used balls that flow out to.
The partition walls 29a are provided at positions individually corresponding to the row positions of the partition walls 13a provided on the introduction gutter 13.

The closing plate 24 has a rectangular shape and is made of a severable thin plate such as a synthetic resin plate or a plywood plate. The thickness of the closing plate 24 is the engaging groove portion 26b (28) of the inflow trough 21 (22).
It is formed so that it can be fitted in b).

Then, the constituent members 21 to 24 as described above.
The guide gutter 20 including the above is formed by an assembly obtained by assembling the constituent members 21 to 24 with each other. Hereinafter, the assembling relationship of each of the constituent members 21 to 24 will be described.

First, the downstream end of the outflow gutter 23 is connected to the introduction gutter 13
Attach to. Due to this mounting, the upstream end of the outflow gutter 23 is located above the downstream end. Next, the downstream end sides of the left and right inflow gutters 21 and 22 are connected to the side walls 30 of the outflow gutter 23.
.30 supported on the upper edge, and in this state, each collar-shaped connection portion 26
The a. 28a is attached to the side wall of the lower storage tank (not shown) so as to be connected to the left and right recovery gutters 11.
By this mounting, the downstream ends of the respective inflow gutters 21 and 22 are arranged at the lower position with respect to the upstream end, respectively.
In the plan view shown in (1), the downstream side is arranged so as to be inclined to the side opposite to the disposition position of the doffing machine 3 so that the angle formed with the outflow gutter 23 is an acute angle. Further, in such an arrangement state of the left and right inflow gutters 21 and 22 and the outflow gutter 23, the upstream end portion of the outflow gutter 23 and the left and right inflow gutters 21 and 22 are arranged.
The opening 24a is formed between each of the side walls 26 and 28 of each downstream end. Therefore, the opening 24a is closed by the closing plate 24.
In order to close it, both ends of the closing plate 24 in the longitudinal direction are slidably engaged with the respective engaging groove portions 26b, 28b of the side walls 26, 28 to be assembled, and the assembling of the respective constituent members 21-24 is completed. To do.

However, due to the structure of the guide gutter 20 described above,
The used balls flowing in from the left and right recovery gutters 11 and 11 are lined up and rolled down in the ball passages 25b and 27b of the left and right inflow gutters 21 and 22, respectively, and flowed down to the outflow gutter 23, and then the outflow gutter 2
By being discharged from the introduction trough 13 to the doffing machine 3, the doffing machine 3 is guided.

By the way, the guide gutter 20 of this embodiment is composed of an assembly of the above-mentioned constituent members 21 to 24. As a result, even if the distance W1 between the downstream end portions of the left and right recovery gutters 11 and 11 cannot be set wide due to the design of the pachinko island stand 1, each component member 21 to 24 is individually mounted and the final Guide gutter 2
The mounting work on the pachinko island stand 1 as 0 itself can be facilitated. In addition, the guide gutter 20 having such an assembly changes the length W in the longitudinal direction by cutting the closing plate 24 or the like, thereby changing the distance W2 between the downstream end portions of the left and right inflow gutters 21 and 22. Therefore, it is possible to finely adjust the mounting on the pachinko island stand 1.

Further, the main guide trough 20 is
The downstream side of each of the left and right inflow gutters 21 and 22 is so arranged as to form an acute angle with the outflow gutter 23.
Is arranged on the side opposite to the arrangement position of. As a result, the used balls flowing down from the left and right inflow gutters 21 and 22 to the outflow gutter 23 are discharged to the outflow gutter 23 while climbing on the inclined bottom wall 29. Therefore, the flow of the used balls is relaxed, and the used balls flow down on the bottom wall 29 of the outflow gutter 23 by spontaneous fall, which improves the alignment of the outflow gutter 23 on the downstream end side. As a result, it is possible to improve the efficiency of introducing the used balls from the introduction gutter 13 to the ball feeder 3 (pulling the balls).

[0025]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the guide gutter has the upstream portion mounted on the downstream end side of the left recovery gutter so that the used gutter from the left recovery gutter can be used. A left inflow gutter having a concave cross section and an upstream part attached to the downstream end side of the right recovery gutter, and a right inflow gutter having a concave cross section for inflowing used balls from the right recovery gutter, and a downstream part. Is installed on the side of the doffing machine, while the shape of the upper edge on the upstream side is set to the left and right inflow gutters.
By locating below the respective left and right inflow gutters by matching the concave shape of the cross section of the left and right inflow gutters with the outflow gutters that flow out the used balls flowing in from the left and right inflow gutters toward the ball feeder. , cleavable for closing the opening formed between the downstream end portion of each side wall of the left and right inlet trough and the upstream end of the flow Detoi
A closing plate made of a plate such, since the assembled assembly and design, when such can not take a wide distance between the downstream end of the lateral recovery trough also each constituent member is mounted separately As a final assembly, the mounting work as the guide gutter itself can be facilitated. In addition, the guide gutter with the above-mentioned assembly cuts the closing plate, etc.
By adjusting the length in the longitudinal direction thereof, the distance between the downstream end portions of the left and right inflow gutters can be changed, so that fine adjustment in mounting is possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing components of a guide gutter according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the guide gutter in an assembled state.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the guide gutter in an assembled state.

4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway front view showing the internal structure of a pachinko island stand.

[Explanation of symbols]

3 ball feeder 11 Recovery gutter 20 induction gutter 21 Left inflow gutter 22 Right inflow gutter 23 Outflow gutter 24 Block 24a opening 25 ・ 27 ・ 29 Bottom wall 25a / 27a / 29a partition wall 25b ・ 27b ball passage 25c / 27c discharge groove 25d ・ 27d guide groove 26 ・ 28 Side wall 26b / 28b Engagement groove

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (56) Reference JP-A-4-129584 (JP, A) JP-A-57-120078 (JP, A) JP-A-59-62072 (JP, A) Actual development Sho-55- 34836 (JP, U) Actual Kaihei 6-488 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A63F 7/02

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A guiding trough that flows used balls from the left and right collecting troughs and that aligns the used balls and flows out to a doffing machine, wherein the guiding trough has an upstream portion at the left collecting trough. It is installed on the downstream end side of the left recovery gutter, and the left inflow gutter with a concave cross section that flows in used balls from the left recovery gutter and the upstream part is installed on the downstream end side of the right recovery gutter and Right inflow gutter with a concave cross-section into which used balls flow in, and the downstream side is mounted on the side of the ball lifter, while the upper edge of the upstream side
To match the shape with the concave cross section of the left and right inflow gutters
An outflow gutter that is located below each downstream part of the left and right inflow gutters and flows out used balls flowing in from each of the left and right inflow gutters toward the doffing machine, and an upstream end part of the outflow gutter. From a severable plate that closes the opening formed between the downstream end of each side wall of the left and right inlet gutters
Closure plate and the induction in the doffing feeding machine, characterized in that it consists of assembled assembly gutter made. 2. The downstream end of the side wall of the left and right inflow gutters,
The guide trough in the doffing machine according to claim 1, wherein an engagement groove portion for slidingly locking the closing plate is formed. 3. The downstream end side of the bottom wall of the left and right inflow gutters,
2. A plurality of partition walls are arranged in a row so as to form a ball passage through which used balls are lined up and rolled.
An induction gutter in the doffing machine according to claim 2 .