JP5608071B2 - Game ball lifting device - Google Patents

Description

  In the present invention, in a gaming machine island where a plurality of gaming machines are arranged side by side, a plurality of inclined transport paths for transporting game balls are arranged so that the upstream end of the next transport path is positioned above the downstream end. The present invention relates to a game ball lifting apparatus that is provided between transfer paths and lifts a game ball from a low place to a high place and passes it to the next transfer path.

  Conventionally, a gaming machine island in which a plurality of gaming machines typified by pachinko machines are arranged side by side, a supply tank inclined from a tank installed on the upper part of the island is extended so as to cross above each gaming machine, The game ball was made to flow down and transported to each gaming machine. As a contrivance for reducing the arrangement space by reducing the inclination angle of the replenishment rod, Patent Document 1 discloses that the start side (tank side) is high from the tank on the island toward the island end, and the end side (island end side) is low. A technique is disclosed in which a plurality of replenishing reeds are combined and a lifting body is installed between each replenishing reed to lift and inherit a game ball from a low place to a high place.

  As another lifting device corresponding to the lifting body, Patent Document 2 discloses that an endless lifting belt capable of locking a game ball is bridged between a driving pulley and a driven pulley, and the driving pulley is mounted by a motor. An apparatus is disclosed in which a game ball introduced from a lower position is lifted and discharged to an upper position by rotating and rotating a lifting belt. In such a lifting device, the motor, the driving pulley, and the driven pulley are arranged so as to be housed in the region surrounded by the lifting belt and are incorporated in the support member, whereby the device is mounted on the gaming machine island. It was configured as an independently detachable unit.

  By the way, generally, a recovery basket for receiving game balls discharged from each gaming machine is extended from the island edge toward the polishing and lifting device at the lower part of the island of the conventional gaming machine island. In recent years, the lower part of the island, including the collected dredging, will be used as a space for reducing the heating and cooling costs by reducing the placement space as much as possible and increasing the space at the player's feet and improving the air conditioning efficiency. Proposals were made. Here, it is conceivable to apply the techniques described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 as they are as a device for suppressing the space for arranging the recovery basket.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-77625 JP 2008-518 A

  However, the conventional lifting devices disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 described above are based on the premise that the device main body is removed from or attached to the upper part of the island at the time of maintenance inspection or replacement of the device main body. Therefore, unlike the upper part of the island, the lifting device cannot be installed as it is in the lower part of the island where there is no empty space above. Even if it can be installed at the time of assembling the gaming machine island, there is a problem that maintenance and replacement work is very difficult due to space reasons.

  In addition, in the conventional lifting device, when the device main body is removed from or attached to the upper part of the island, the driving part in the device main body is manually rotated beforehand so that the game balls remaining in the device main body do not spill outside. The game ball had to be pulled out while letting it go. There was a problem that smooth maintenance inspection and replacement work could not be performed because extra time was required for such game ball extraction work or the remaining game ball spilled when the device body was removed. .

  The present invention has been made paying attention to the problems of the conventional technology as described above, and there is no problem in removing and attaching the apparatus from the island not only at the upper part of the island but also at the lower part of the island. Providing a game ball lifting device that can be installed and eliminates the need for extra work such as extracting a game ball during maintenance inspection and replacement work, and can improve maintenance and replacement work efficiency. The purpose is to do.

The gist of the present invention for achieving the object described above resides in the inventions of the following items.
[1] In a gaming machine island (1) where a plurality of gaming machines (10) are arranged in parallel, a plurality of inclined transport paths (21, 22) for transporting game balls are next transport paths above the downstream end. A game ball lift that is provided between the transport paths (21, 22) arranged so that the upstream end of (22) is located, and that lifts the game ball from a low place to a high place and inherits it to the next transport path (22). In the sending device (100),
The lift mechanism (110) has a lift mechanism (110) that sequentially lifts the game balls released from the downstream end of the transport path (21) and discharges the game balls to the upstream end of the next transport path (22). It is configured as a unit that can be taken in and out from the lateral direction between the transport paths (21, 22),
The lift mechanism (110) includes an introduction port (113) for receiving a game ball from the downstream end of the transport path (21, 22), and the game ball in the unit when the introduction port (113) is closed. provided an openable shutter to prevent the outflow (120) integrally,
A housing (140) that is installed in advance between each of the transport paths (21, 22) and stores the lift mechanism (110) so that it can be inserted and removed in a lateral direction from a front opening;
A ball receiving port (141) that communicates with the housing (140) at the downstream end of the transport path (21) and a ball delivery port (142) that communicates with the upstream end of the next transport path (22). A game ball lifting device (100) characterized by being provided .

  [2] A shutter (150) that can be opened and closed to stop the release of game balls from the transport path (21) when the transport path (21) is closed is provided at the downstream end of the transport path (21). A game ball lifting device (100) according to claim 1.

  [3] The game ball lifting device according to [1] or [2], wherein a leading edge of the shutter (120, 150) is cut out in a concavo-convex shape that easily enters a gap between game balls. 100).

  [4] A ball discharge receiving box (which can be installed below the downstream end of the transport path (21), receives game balls released from the downstream end, and discharges the game balls out of the gaming machine island (1). 170). The game ball lifting device (100) according to [1], [2] or [3].

[5] A support base (160) on which the lift mechanism (110) can be placed when the lift mechanism (110) is put in and out of the housing (140) is foldable . The game ball lifting device (100) according to [1], [2], [3] or [4] .

[6] A handle (112) for gripping the lift mechanism (110) when the lift mechanism (110) is pulled out from the housing (140) is provided on the front side of the lift mechanism (110) . The game ball lifting device (100) according to [2], [3], [4] or [5] .

[7] A protective cover (5) arranged to cover the upper part of the housing (140) and receiving a game ball falling on the transfer path (21, 22) from the gaming machine (10). The game ball lifting device (100) according to [1], [2], [3], [4], [5] or [6] .

The present invention operates as follows.
According to the game ball lifting device (100) described in [1], the lift mechanism (110), which is the main part of the device, is unitized, and each transport path (21, 22), it is possible to take in and out from the side in particular. As a result, it is possible to install not only the replenishment basin in the upper part of the island having an empty space above as in the prior art, but also the recovery troughs (21, 22) in the lower part of the island without an empty space above.

  That is, even in the lower part of the island where there is no empty space above, the arrangement space is reduced by combining a plurality of recovery baskets (21, 22) arranged in the lower part of the island, while the above-described recovery tanks (21, 22) A lift mechanism (110) can be installed. During the maintenance inspection and replacement work, the lift mechanism (110) can be easily removed or attached in the lateral direction without any space restriction between the recovery rods (21, 22).

Moreover, in the lift mechanism (110), an openable and closable shutter (120) is integrally provided at the introduction port (113) that receives a game ball from the downstream end of the transport path (21). Thereby, when taking out the said lift mechanism (110) outside, the game port in a unit does not flow out outside by closing the inlet (113) with a shutter (120). Therefore, the troublesome preparation of extracting the game ball from the lift mechanism (110) in advance is not necessary, and maintenance and replacement work can be performed efficiently. The shutter (120) is integral with the lift mechanism (110) and forms a part of the unit.
Furthermore, a housing (140) of a lift mechanism (110) is installed in advance between each of the transport paths (21, 22), and the lift mechanism (110) can be taken in and out laterally from the front opening of the housing (140). The lift mechanism (110) can be easily installed between the transport paths (21, 22). Further, a ball receiving port (141) that communicates with the housing (140) at the downstream end of the transport path (21), a ball delivery port (142) that communicates with the upstream end of the next transport path (22), Thus, the game ball can be smoothly passed from the transport path (21) to the next transport path (22) via the lift mechanism (110) in the housing (140).

  According to the gaming ball lifting device (100) described in [2], the downstream end of the conveying path (21) for delivering the game ball to the lift mechanism (110) is closed to the conveying path ( A shutter (150) that can be opened and closed is provided to stop the release of the game ball from 21). Thereby, when taking out the said lift mechanism (110) outside, the downstream end of a conveyance path (21) is also closed with a shutter (150), and the situation where a game ball spills outside from a conveyance path (21) is prevented. be able to. Therefore, maintenance inspection and replacement work of the lift mechanism (110) can be performed more efficiently.

  According to the game ball lifting device (100) described in [3], the shutter (120) that opens and closes the inlet (113) of the lift mechanism (110) and the downstream end of the transport path (21) are provided. The leading edge (154) of the shutter (150) that opens and closes is cut out into a concavo-convex shape that easily enters the gap between the game balls. Accordingly, even when the front end edge (154) is press-fitted into the game ball pool in accordance with the closing operation of the shutter (120, 150), the resistance to push away the game ball by the uneven shape is reduced, and the shutter (120, 150) 150) can be easily closed.

  According to the game ball lifting device (100) described in [4], the game ball lifting device (100) can be installed below the downstream end of the transport path (21), receives the game ball released from the downstream end, and plays the game ball. Has a ball discharge receiving box (170) for discharging to the outside of the gaming machine island (1). If the shutter (150) at the downstream end of the transport path (21) is closed for a long time, if the transport path (21) is a collection basket, the game balls discharged from the gaming machine (10) are excessively accumulated in the collection basket. There is a risk of clogging. Therefore, by opening the shutter (150), the game balls released from the downstream end of the transport path (21) are received in the ball discharge receiving box (170) and discharged to the outside, so that the balls of the recovery basket are clogged. Can be prevented.

According to the game ball lifting device (100) described in [5] , when the lift mechanism (110) is taken in and out of the housing (140), the support base on which the lift mechanism (110) can be placed. (160) was provided so as to be foldable. As a result, the lift mechanism (110) can be placed on the support base (160) at the time of work, so that maintenance work and replacement work can be easily performed even in a narrow space. Further, when the support stand (160) is not used, an extra arrangement space is not required by folding and storing the support stand (160).

According to the game ball lifting device (100) described in [6] , a handle for gripping the lift mechanism (110) on the front side of the lift mechanism (110) when the lift mechanism (110) is pulled out from the housing (140). Since (112) is provided, the lift mechanism (110) can be easily taken out from the housing (140) in the lateral direction and stored again.

According to the game ball lifting device (100) described in [7] , the game ball that falls from the gaming machine (10) onto the transport path (21, 22) is located above the housing (140). By arranging so as to cover the protective cover (5) to be received, the situation where the game ball directly collides with the housing (140) is prevented, and the lift mechanism (110) in the housing (140) is protected from the impact of the game ball. be able to.

  According to the game ball lifting apparatus according to the present invention, the apparatus can be installed without any problem in the operation of removing or attaching the apparatus from the island not only at the upper part of the island but also at the lower part of the island. Further, unnecessary work for extracting the game ball at the time of maintenance inspection or replacement is not required, and the work efficiency of maintenance inspection or replacement can be improved.

It is a front view which shows the state which installed the game ball lifting apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention in the island lower part of gaming machine island. It is a right view which shows the state which installed the game ball lifting apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention in the island lower part of gaming machine island. It is a front view which shows the whole game machine island which installed the game ball lifting apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a front view which shows the game ball lifting apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a left view which shows the state which opened the ball spill prevention shutter of the game ball lifting apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a left view which shows the state which closed the ball spill prevention shutter of the game ball lifting apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the perspective view which looked at the ball spill prevention shutter and its base member of the game ball lifting device according to the embodiment of the present invention from above. It is a front view explaining the lock mechanism of the ball spill prevention shutter of the game ball lifting device according to the embodiment of the present invention, (a) shows the restraint release state, (b) shows the restraint state. It is a front view which shows the internal structure of the lift mechanism of the game ball lifting apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the internal structure of the lift mechanism of the game ball lifting apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is the perspective view which looked at the ball receiving port of the housing of the game ball lifting device according to the embodiment of the present invention from the inside. It is a perspective view which shows the state which closed the ball | bowl entrance of the housing of the game ball lifting apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention with the ball stop shutter. It is a perspective view which shows the state in the middle of opening a ball stop shutter from the ball | bowl receiving port of the housing of the game ball lifting apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The ball receptacle of the housing of the game ball lifting apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention is expanded and shown, (a) is a front view, (b) is a right view. The ball stop shutter which opens and closes the ball | bowl reception opening of the housing of the game ball lifting apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention is expanded and shown, (a) is a front view, (b) is a right view. . It is a perspective view which shows the state which took out the lift mechanism from the housing of the game ball lifting apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and folded the support stand. It is a perspective view which shows the state which took out the lift mechanism from the housing of the game ball lifting apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and expand | deployed the support stand. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an enlarged view of a support base for a housing of a game ball lifting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein (a) is a plan view, (b) is a front view, and (c) is a state bent at a right angle. FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the state which took out the lift mechanism from the housing of the game ball lifting apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and installed the ball | bowl discharge receiving box and the ball box. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an enlarged view of a ball discharge receiving box of a game ball lifting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a plan view, (b) is a cross-sectional view along line AA, and (c) is B. FIG.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, an embodiment that represents the present invention will be described based on the drawings.
A game ball lifting apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is an apparatus for lifting and transporting a game ball from a low place to a high place, provided in a gaming machine island 1 in which a plurality of game machines 10 are arranged in parallel. is there. Hereinafter, a case where the game ball lifting device 100 is installed in the lower part of the gaming machine island 1 will be described as an example.

  First, the outline of the gaming machine island 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 3, the gaming machine island 1 has a plurality of gaming machines 10 arranged in parallel at the middle part of the island frame constructed on the floor. The gaming machine 10 is a pachinko machine that uses a pachinko ball as a gaming ball to play a game, and a ball lending machine 11 that lends a pachinko ball is attached to each gaming machine 10. The gaming machine 10 and the ball lending machine 11 are juxtaposed in a back-to-back state with two rows in the front and back, and between these back surfaces, a transport device for sending banknotes and coins taken in by the ball lending machine 11 to the island edge. Etc. are arranged.

  In addition to the gaming machine 10 and the ball lending machine 11, the gaming machine island 1 is also equipped with various ancillary equipment that forms a ball transport path for circulating and repeatedly using the gaming balls, and is not shown outside the island frame. However, the exterior is given. Further, an island end unit 12 constituting a part of the ball transport path is disposed at the island end (right end in FIG. 3) of the gaming machine island 1.

  In the island end unit 12, although not shown, a lower tank that stores a certain amount of game balls, a polishing machine that lifts the game balls in the lower tank while polishing them to the upper part of the island, and a polished game ball An upper tank or the like for temporarily storing is disposed. In addition, a prize ball counter for counting game balls acquired by the player in the game is arranged outside the island edge unit 12, and the game balls thrown into the counter are introduced into the lower tank. It has come to be.

  In addition, a collection mechanism for receiving the game balls discharged from each gaming machine 10 and transporting them toward the island end unit 12 is disposed at the lower part of the gaming machine island 1. The collection mechanism is composed of collection baskets 21 and 22 that are a plurality of conveyance paths, and a game ball lifting device 100 provided between the collection baskets 21 and 22. Each of the collection baskets 21 and 22 uses a slope to flow the game ball down and carry it. In the present embodiment, one recovery rod 21 on the upstream side and the other recovery rod 22 on the downstream side are provided.

  One recovery rod 21 extends while inclining from the island end (the left end in FIG. 3) of the gaming machine island 1, and the upstream end of the other recovery rod 22 is positioned above the downstream end of the recovery rod 21. Has been placed. The other recovery rod 22 extends while inclining from above the downstream end of one recovery rod 21, but the overall length is shorter than that of the recovery rod 21. Further, the downstream end of the other recovery tank 22 is connected to the lower tank in the island end unit 12. The game balls discharged as out balls from the respective gaming machines 10 located above are dropped and received in the respective collection baskets 21 and 22.

  The game ball lifting device 100 that forms the basis of the present invention is provided between the lower end of one of the collecting baskets 21 and the upstream end of the other collecting bowl 22 that is located at a higher position. It is a device that can be lifted up to a high place and inherited between the recovery rods 21 and 22. In this way, by combining a plurality of collection baskets 21 and 22 and providing the game ball lifting device 100 between the collection baskets 21 and 22, the arrangement space in the height direction of the entire collection mechanism can be suppressed. An empty space 2 can be provided at the bottom of the island. The empty space 2 is provided with a footrest 3 that forms the basis of an island frame.

  FIG. 1 is a front view showing an installed state of the game ball lifting device 100 in the lower part of the island, and FIG. 2 is a right side view showing the installed state of the game ball lifting device 100 in the same manner. FIG. 4 is a front view showing the game ball lifting device 100, and FIG. 5 is a left side view of the game ball lifting device 100. The game ball lifting device 100 has a lift mechanism 110 that sequentially lifts the game balls released from the downstream end of one collection basket 21 and releases them to the upstream end of the other collection basket 22, and the lift mechanism 110 includes: The unit is configured as a unit that can be inserted and removed from the lateral direction with respect to the space between the recovery bins 21 and 22.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lift mechanism 110 is surrounded by a box-shaped outer cover 111, and the lift mechanism 110 is placed on the front wall of the outer cover 111 in front of the front side in the lateral direction of the present embodiment. A handle 112 is provided that is gripped when being pulled out. In addition, an introduction port 113 for receiving a game ball from the downstream end of one of the collection baskets 21 is opened at the lower part of the left side wall of the exterior cover 111, and the other collection basket 22 is installed at the upper part of the right side wall of the exterior cover 111. A discharge port 114 for releasing a game ball to the upstream end is opened.

  When the lift mechanism 110 is taken out to the outside, the introduction port 113 is integrally provided with a ball spill prevention shutter 120 that closes the introduction port 113 and prevents the game ball in the unit from flowing out. As shown in FIG. 5, a base member 115 is fixed above the introduction port 113 in the left side wall of the exterior cover 111, and a ball spill prevention shutter 120 is attached to the base member 115 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. . The ball spill prevention shutter 120 in FIG. 5 is locked in a normal open position where the inlet 113 is open.

  FIG. 6 shows a state in which the ball spill prevention shutter 120 is in the closed position in which the inlet 113 is closed by moving downward. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the base member 115 and the ball spill prevention shutter 120 as viewed from above, and FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a lock mechanism of the ball spill prevention shutter 120. 5-7, on both sides of the base member 115, a pair of mounting portions 116, 116 projecting forward in a substantially U-shaped cross section and extending in the vertical direction are formed, and each mounting portion 116 has a vertical direction. An extending guide groove 117 is formed. A circular hole 117a having a diameter larger than the groove width is formed at the upper end of the guide groove 117 so as to communicate therewith.

  The ball spill prevention shutter 120 is formed of a rectangular thin plate material, and a lower end edge 121 serving as a leading edge thereof is notched in a concavo-convex shape so as to easily enter a gap between game balls accumulated on the bottom surface of the introduction port 113. . The concavo-convex shape may be any shape as long as the tip smaller than the diameter of the game ball is repeated so that it can easily enter the gap between the game balls, but in this embodiment, the concavo-convex shape of the triangle repeats alternately. It is formed in a shape. Further, the upper end edge 122 of the ball spill prevention shutter 120 forms a flange bent at a right angle toward the front.

  The ball spill prevention shutter 120 is attached to the guide groove 117 in each attachment portion 116 of the base member 115 via the stator 123 on both sides of the upper part. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the stator 123 has a shaft portion 124 that is movably fitted and guided in a guide groove 117 (including a circular hole 117 a), and has a circular shape at one end thereof. A flange 125 for preventing slipping of a diameter larger than that of the hole 117a is provided, and the other end is screwed to the ball spill prevention shutter 120. Here, an operation lever 126 including a lock mechanism is attached to one of the stators 123 (right side in FIG. 5).

  The locking mechanism restrains the ball spill prevention shutter 120 to the upper open position, and the shaft portion 124 of the stator 123 having this locking mechanism has a flat surface in which the outer periphery of both ends sandwiching the shaft center is notched. 124a is formed. The thickness between the flat surfaces 124a at both ends is substantially equal to the groove width of the guide groove 117, and the outer diameter of the shaft portion 124 is set to be substantially equal to the inner diameter of the circular hole 117a. As shown in FIG. 8A, when the flat surface 124a of the stator 123 is parallel to the vertical direction, the stator 123 can move in the guide groove 117 (including the circular hole 117a). When the flat surface 124a of the stator 123 becomes parallel to the horizontal direction in the circular hole 117a, the stator 123 is constrained in the circular hole 117a.

  The other end side of the shaft portion 124 of the stator 123 including such a locking mechanism is pivotally supported by the ball spill prevention shutter 120, and the operation lever 126 is screwed together at a predetermined angle. Here, the predetermined angle is, as shown in FIG. 5, when the operation lever 126 extends straight downward from the fixing member 123, which is the rotation center, the restrained state shown in FIG. Further, when the operation lever 126 is rotated 90 degrees to the side, the restraint is released as shown in FIG. 8A, and the ball spill prevention shutter 120 can be moved to the closed position. The other fixing element 123 (left side in FIG. 5) without the locking mechanism is screwed to the ball spill prevention shutter 120 so as not to rotate at an angle at which the restraint is released as shown in FIG.

  FIG. 9 is a front view showing the internal structure of the lift mechanism 110, and FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the lift mechanism 110. In FIG. 10, the ball spill prevention shutter 120 and the base member 115 are not shown. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the lift mechanism 110 spans an endless lifting belt 131 that can lock a game ball between a driving pulley 132 and a driven pulley 133, and the electric pulley 134 connects the driving pulley 132. The game ball is configured to be conveyed from the lower part to the upper part by rotating and rotating the lifting belt 131.

  Specifically, the lift mechanism 110 has a drive pulley 132, a driven pulley 133, and a tension pulley 135 arranged in a triangle, and a feed belt 131 is stretched over them. The driving pulley 132, the driven pulley 133, the tension pulley 135, and the electric motor 134 are arranged so as to be housed in the region surrounded by the feeding belt 131 and are incorporated in the exterior cover 111.

  The bottom surface of the introduction port 113 is provided so as to guide the game ball flowing in from the downstream end of the one collecting rod 21 toward the introduction position of the transport belt 131 in the vicinity of the driven pulley 133. Further, the bottom surface of the discharge port 114 is provided so as to discharge the game ball detached from the lifting belt 131 to the upstream end of the other collection basket 22 at the discharge position in the vicinity of the drive pulley 132.

  The electric motor 134 is attached to the exterior cover 111 via the attachment bracket 134b so that the position can be adjusted. The rotational force of the electric motor 134 is transmitted to the drive pulley 132 via the drive belt 134a. As shown in FIGS. 9 and 4, both ends of the rotation shaft 135a of the tension pulley 135 are pivotally supported by the bearing member 135b, and each bearing member 135b is supported by a plate-like tension adjusting member 135c. It is fixed. Each tension adjusting member 135c is screwed to the exterior cover 111 so that the position thereof can be adjusted.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the lifting belt 131 is an endless belt formed by connecting a large number of lift bodies 131 a capable of hooking game balls so as to be rotatable by a connecting shaft 131 b. A more detailed configuration of the exterior cover 111 including such a lifting belt 131 is as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-518 (Patent Document 2) already proposed by the present applicant. Of course, it may be a lift mechanism that lifts the game ball from a low place to a high place with another type of configuration. For example, the one disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-77625 (Patent Document 1) which has already been proposed by the present applicant may be applied.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the game ball lifting device 100 has a housing 140 installed in advance between the collection baskets 21 and 22, and the unitized lift mechanism 110 is provided in the housing 140. Is stored in a removable manner. The housing 140 is formed in a box shape having an inner space that is slightly larger than the exterior cover 111 of the lift mechanism 110, and has a large opening on the front side thereof, and the lift mechanism 110 is located in front of the front side (lateral direction) from the front opening. It can be taken in and out. The housing 140 is installed via the hanging metal fitting 4 so as to be positioned between the downstream end of one recovery rod 21 and the upstream end of the other recovery rod 22 in the lower part of the gaming machine island 1.

  A ball receiving port 141 through which the downstream end of one collection basket 21 communicates is provided at the lower part of the left side wall of the housing 140, and the upstream end of the other collection basket 22 communicates with the upper part of the right side wall of the housing 140. A ball delivery port 142 is provided. The downstream end of one recovery rod 21 is connected to the outside of the ball receiving port 141 via a connecting fitting 143, and the upstream end of the other collecting rod 22 is connected to the outside of the ball delivery port 142 via a connecting fitting 144. Is connected.

  The lift mechanism 110 housed in the housing 140 receives the game ball flowing in from the ball receiving port 141 from the introduction port 113, lifts it with the rotating lifting belt 131, and lifts the ball from the discharge port 114. 142 will be released. The ball receiving port 141 serving as the downstream end of one of the collecting baskets 21 can be opened and closed to close the ball receiving port 141 and stop the release of the game balls from the collecting basket 21 when the lift mechanism 110 is taken out. A ball stop shutter 150 is provided.

  11 is a perspective view of the ball receiving port 141 of the housing 140 as viewed from the inside. FIG. 12 shows a state in which the ball receiving port 141 is closed by the ball stop shutter 150. FIG. 13 shows the ball stop shutter 150. It shows a state in the middle of opening. FIG. 14 shows an enlarged view of the ball receiving port 141, and FIG. 15 shows an enlarged view of the ball stop shutter 150. As shown in FIGS. 11 to 14, the ball receiving port 141 protrudes in a rectangular frame shape in the housing 140, and a rail member 145 extending in the longitudinal direction of the ball receiving port 141 is fixed on the upper surface thereof. Has been.

  As shown in FIG. 14, the rail member 145 is formed in a ridge cross section whose lower side extending in the longitudinal direction is narrowed by one step, and the ball stopper shutter 150 can slide in the front-rear direction with respect to the rail member 145. Attached to. As shown in FIGS. 13 and 15, the ball stopper shutter 150 is formed of a rectangular thin plate having a size that covers the ball receiving port 141, and extends along the upper edge of the ball receiving port 141 along the upper surface of the ball receiving port 141. An upper side portion 151 bent at a right angle is provided. A slit 152 extending in the front-rear direction along the longitudinal direction is formed in the upper side portion 151. The groove width of the slit 152 is set to a size that allows the lower part of the rail member 145 having a narrower width to be inserted.

  The rear end of the upper side portion 151 is bent so as to rise upward, and an insertion / extraction port 153 into which the wide upper side of the slit 152 can be fitted is formed continuously at the raised portion. That is, the ball stop shutter 150 is attached so as to be inserted from the base end side located in front of the rail member 145 from the insertion / extraction opening 153, and the lower portion of the rail member 145 having a narrow width is slidably fitted into the slit 152. By combining, it is possible to open and close the ball receiving port 141 in the front-rear direction.

  In the ball stopper shutter 150, when the ball receiving port 141 is closed, the leading edge 154 that first contacts the game balls accumulated on the bottom surface thereof is cut out into an uneven shape so as to easily enter the gap between the game balls. As with the lower end edge 121 of the ball spill prevention shutter 120, the concavo-convex shape may be any shape as long as a point that is smaller than the diameter of the game ball is usually repeated so as to easily enter the gap between the game balls. In the present embodiment, the tip edge of the ball stop shutter 150 is formed in a jagged shape in which triangular irregularities are alternately repeated. Further, a front wall 155 that is also connected to the front edge of the upper side portion 151 is provided at the base end edge of the ball stop shutter 150 in front of the front, and a knob that is gripped when opening and closing the ball stop shutter 150 is provided on the front wall 155. 156 is provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a support base 160 on which the lift mechanism 110 can be placed when the lift mechanism 110 is put in and out is provided at the front edge of the front opening of the housing 140 so as to be foldable. ing. FIG. 16 shows a storage state in which the support base 160 is folded and started up, and FIG. 17 shows a use state in which the support base 160 is extended forward. FIG. 18 shows the support table 160 in an enlarged manner. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 16 to 18, the support base 160 is configured by connecting one ends of two rectangular plate members 161 and 162. Each of the plate members 161 and 162 is provided with reinforcing ribs on both side edges, and one end facing each other is connected via a hinge 163 so as to be opened and closed.

  The base end of one plate member 161 of the support base 160 is connected to the front end edge of the front opening of the housing 140 via a hinge 163. The position of one plate 161 can be regulated in a state of standing up so as to block the front opening of the housing 140 (see FIG. 16) and a state of horizontally extending forward from the front opening of the housing 140 (see FIG. 17). Is set. In addition, the base end of the other plate member 162 with respect to the tip end of one plate member 161 is in a state where the plate members 161 and 162 overlap with each other via the hinge 163 (see FIG. 16) and a state where the base end is opened at a predetermined angle (see FIG. 17), each of which is supported so that the position can be regulated.

  Here, the predetermined angle is an angle at which the tip of the other plate material 162 contacts the floor when the one plate material 161 extends horizontally. A stopper piece (see FIG. 18C) is provided at one end of each of the plate members 161 and 162 so as to be regulated at such an angle. Thus, when the lift mechanism 110 is taken in and out from the front opening of the housing 140, the plate material 161 can be maintained in a substantially horizontal state, and the lift mechanism 110 can be placed thereon.

  FIG. 19 shows a state in which a ball discharge receiving box 170 that receives a game ball discharged from the ball receiving port 141 and discharges it outside the gaming machine island 1 is installed at the bottom of the housing 140. FIG. 20 shows the ball discharge receiving box 170 in an enlarged manner. As shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the ball discharge receiving box 170 is basically formed in a box shape, and its upper surface side is greatly opened, and a ball receiving port 141 that is a downstream end of the collection basket 21 is provided. When installed below, the game ball released from the ball receiving port 141 is received. The ball discharge receiving box 170 receives the game ball when the ball stop shutter 150 is removed from the ball receiving port 141.

  As shown in FIG. 20, the bottom surface portion 171 of the ball discharge receiving box 170 is inclined downward toward one end side, and an opening 172 for dropping the game ball to the outside is provided at the tip. . As shown in FIG. 19, the ball discharge receiving box 170 is installed in the housing 140 with the opening 172 protruding forward from the front edge of the front opening of the housing 140, and below the opening 172. In general, a ball box 6 will be placed. That is, the game ball released from the ball receiving port 141 is once received in the ball discharge receiving box 170 and then discharged to the ball box 6.

  By the way, although not shown in FIG. 3, replenishment for transporting and replenishing the game balls stored in the upper tank in the island end unit 12 to each gaming machine 10 on the upper part of the gaming machine island 1. The mechanism is arranged. Here, the replenishing mechanism can be composed of a plurality of replenishing reeds having substantially the same structure as the plurality of collecting reeds 21 and 22, and the game ball lifting device 100 provided between the replenishing reeds. In the middle of each replenishment basket, a distribution chute that can drop the flowing game balls onto the respective gaming machines 10 below is provided. Thus, the conveyance path in which the game ball lifting device 100 is provided is not limited to the collection baskets 21 and 22 but can be applied to the supply basket.

  Alternatively, as another replenishment mechanism, instead of the combination of the plurality of recovery baskets 21 and 22 and the game ball lifting device 100, another one from the one end (right end in FIG. 3) of the gaming machine island 1 with the island end unit 12 A conventionally known power supply path may be disposed substantially horizontally over the end (the left end in FIG. 3) on the island. In general, a power supply path is a device that forcibly conveys a game ball by a belt conveyor, although not shown. Such power-type replenishment paths can transport game balls in the horizontal direction, so there is no need to make a gradient like a replenishment bowl that transports game balls by natural fall, and the height of the upper part of the island can be further reduced accordingly. Yes, but cost is high.

Next, the operation of the above-described embodiment will be described.
In FIG. 1, the game balls discharged as out balls after being used in each game machine 10 fall on the collection baskets 21 and 22 arranged at the lower part of the island. The game balls in one collection basket 21 flow down with their own weight toward the downstream end according to the gradient of the collection basket 21 as it is. The game balls that have reached the downstream end of the collection basket 21 are lifted by the game ball lifting device 100 and passed to the other collection basket 22.

  The game balls inherited by the collection basket 22 and the game balls dropped directly from the gaming machine 10 onto the collection basket 22 flow down with their own weight toward the downstream end as they are according to the gradient of the collection basket 22. The game ball that has reached the downstream end of the recovery basket 22 is introduced into the lower tank in the island end unit 12 at the island end, and is transported to the upper part of the island while being polished by the polishing machine and stored in the upper tank. . The game balls in the upper tank are replenished to each gaming machine 10 again by a replenishment mechanism arranged on the upper part of the island. By such a ball transport path, the game balls are repeatedly used while circulating in the gaming machine island 1.

  At the lower part of the gaming machine island 1, a plurality of collection baskets 21 and 22 are combined, and a game ball lifting device 100 is provided between the collection baskets 21 and 22, thereby reducing the arrangement space in the height direction of the entire collection mechanism. Can be suppressed. Thereby, it becomes possible to provide the empty space 2 in the lower part of the island, and this empty space 2 is utilized as a space for increasing the air conditioning efficiency of the player's feet and the game hall. Note that the cost of the entire island can be reduced by not configuring the collection mechanism with a power belt conveyor or the like.

  With respect to the game ball lifting device 100, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the lift mechanism 110, which is the main part of the device, is configured as a unit surrounded by an outer cover 111, and is installed as a unit. In particular, it is possible to take in and out from between the collection baskets 21 and 22 in the lateral direction. As a result, it can be installed not only in the replenishment basin in the upper part of the island where there is an empty space above, but also in the recovery tubs 21 and 22 in the lower part of the island where there is no empty space above.

  In other words, even in the lower part of the island where there is no empty space above, a game ball lifting device is provided between each of the recovery baskets 21 and 22 while combining the plurality of recovery baskets 21 and 22 arranged in the lower part of the island to reduce the arrangement space. 100 can be installed. When the game ball lifting device 100 is inspected and replaced, the lift mechanism 110 can be easily removed or attached in a lateral direction without any space restriction between the recovery rods 21 and 22.

  As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, a housing 140 is installed in advance between the recovery rods 21 and 22, and the lift mechanism 110 can be taken in and out in front of the front side of the housing 140 in the lateral direction. To store. Thereby, the lift mechanism 110 can be easily installed between the recovery rods 21 and 22. In the housing 140, the downstream end of one collection basket 21 is communicated with the ball receiving port 141, and the upstream end of the other collection basket 22 is communicated with the ball delivery port 142. The other collection basket 22 can be inherited.

  In addition, the game ball discharged from the gaming machine 10 is dropped as it is on the housing 140 as well as on the collection baskets 21 and 22, but here, above the housing 140, as shown in FIG. It is preferable to provide a protective cover 5 that covers 140 and receives a game ball falling from the gaming machine 10. Thereby, the situation where the game ball directly collides with the housing 140 can be prevented, and the lift mechanism 110 in the housing 140 can be protected from the impact of the game ball. The protective cover 5 may be a plate material having a structure for receiving the game ball and flowing it to the collecting baskets 21 and 22 on both sides.

  At the time of maintenance inspection and replacement of the game ball lifting device 100, the game ball lifting device 100 is taken out of the island by the following procedure. First, in FIG. 1, a part of the exterior of the gaming machine island 1 in front of the gaming ball lifting device 100 is removed, and the gaming ball lifting device 100 is exposed outside the island. Although the front of the housing 140 is open as it is in the figure, a front cover that can be easily attached and detached is provided at the front opening of the housing 140, and this front cover is removed when the game ball lifting device 100 is taken out. You may do it.

  And the support stand 160 of the accommodation state (refer FIG. 16) which stands | starts up along the front opening of the housing 140 is extended ahead, and is made into a use state (refer FIG. 17). When the support stand 160 is in use, one plate 161 extends horizontally forward from the front opening of the housing 140, and the other plate 162 extends obliquely further forward than the tip of the one plate 161 and extends to the floor. Ground up. The lift mechanism 110 can be temporarily placed on the support base 160 in such a use state.

  Further, the ball receiving port 141 in the housing 140 is closed by the ball stop shutter 150 in a state where the lift mechanism 110 is still stored in the housing 140. As a result, when the lift mechanism 110 is taken out of the housing 140, the downstream end of the collection basket 21 is closed, and a situation in which the game ball spills out from the collection basket 21 can be prevented. Therefore, maintenance inspection and replacement work of the lift mechanism 110 can be performed more efficiently.

  More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 12, the insertion / extraction port 153 at the tip of the ball stopper shutter 150 is inserted from the base end before the front side of the rail member 145 extending along the upper surface of the ball receiving port 141. The lower part of the rail member 145 which is narrower by one step is fitted into the slit 152 connected to the opening 153.

  Thereby, the ball stop shutter 150 is attached to the ball receiving port 141 so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction, and the ball receiving port 141 can be opened and closed. Such sliding movement of the ball stop shutter 150 does not interfere with the lift mechanism 110 in the housing 140. A knob 156 is provided on the front wall 155 of the ball stop shutter 150 so that the ball stop shutter 150 can be easily slid with respect to the ball receiving port 141.

  As shown in FIG. 13, in the ball stop shutter 150, when the ball receiving port 141 is closed, the tip edge 154 that first comes into contact with the game balls accumulated on the bottom surface thereof is uneven so as to easily enter the gap between the game balls. Notched into. Accordingly, even when the tip edge 154 is press-fitted into the game ball pool in accordance with the closing operation of the ball stop shutter 150, the resistance to push the game ball away is reduced by the uneven shape, and the ball stop shutter 150 is easily closed. be able to. In a normal state, as shown in FIG. 11, the ball stopper shutter 150 is removed from the ball receiving port 141, and the ball receiving port 141 is opened.

  Further, with the lift mechanism 110 still stored in the housing 140, the introduction port 113 is closed by the ball spill prevention shutter 120 in the lift mechanism 110 itself. As a result, when the lift mechanism 110 is taken out from the housing 140, the introduction port 113 of the lift mechanism 110 is closed, and the game balls in the unit do not fall down from the introduction port 113 to the outside. Therefore, the troublesome preparation for extracting the game ball in advance from the lift mechanism 110 as in the prior art becomes unnecessary, and the maintenance inspection and replacement work can be performed efficiently.

  Specifically, in FIG. 5, the ball spill prevention shutter 120 is locked at the open position where the introduction port 113 is open. If the operation lever 126 is rotated 90 degrees laterally, the shutter 120 shown in FIG. As shown, the fixing element 123, which is the rotation center of the operation lever 126, is in a restrained release state in which it can move in the guide groove 117 (including the circular hole 117a). If the ball spill prevention shutter 120 is pushed down and moved downward as shown in FIG. 6, the inlet 113 is closed. Such a closed state can be maintained by the dead weight of the ball spill prevention shutter 120. In order to reopen the ball spill prevention shutter 120, the reverse operation is performed.

  As shown in FIG. 6, even in the ball spill prevention shutter 120, the lower end edge 121 that first contacts the game ball accumulated on the bottom surface when the inlet 113 is closed has an uneven shape so that it can easily enter the gap between the game balls. Notched into. Thereby, even when the lower end edge 121 is press-fitted into the game ball pool in accordance with the closing operation of the ball spill prevention shutter 120, the resistance to push the game ball away due to the uneven shape is reduced, and the ball spill prevention shutter 120 can be easily operated. Can be closed.

  The ball spill prevention shutter 120 is integral with the lift mechanism 110 and forms a part of the unit. Thereby, unlike the case where the ball spill prevention shutter 120 is provided separately, there is no possibility that the storage location of the ball spill prevention shutter 120 is determined or the ball spill prevention shutter 120 is lost. Since the discharge port 114 of the lift mechanism 110 is located at the upper position of the unit, when the lift mechanism 110 is taken out from the housing 140, the game ball does not fall from the discharge port 114. There is no need to close it.

  Thereafter, the lift mechanism 110 can be placed on the support stand 160 drawn out in the above-described use state and taken out from the gaming machine island 1. As described above, since the lift mechanism 110 can be temporarily placed on the support base 160, maintenance inspection and replacement work can be easily performed even in a narrow space. Further, when the support base 160 is not used, it can be folded and stored, so that no extra arrangement space is required. Further, since the handle 112 is provided on the front wall of the lift mechanism 110, it is possible to easily take it out and store it again.

  After the lift mechanism 110 is removed from the housing 140, the ball discharge receiving box 170 is installed below the ball receiving port 141 that is the downstream end of the collection basket 21, and the ball box 6 is opened to the opening of the ball discharge receiving box 170. Place under 172. Then, once the ball stopper shutter 150 that has closed the ball receiving port 141 is removed, the game balls released from the collection basket 21 are accumulated in the ball box 6 via the ball discharge receiving box 170. In this way, by releasing the game balls stagnating in the collection basket 21 to the outside of the gaming machine island 1, it is possible to avoid clogging of the balls in the collection basket 21 and the like.

  As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the drawings. However, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments, and the present invention can be modified or added without departing from the scope of the present invention. Included in the invention. For example, the example in which the plurality of transport paths are applied to the recovery rods 21 and 22 that configure the recovery mechanism at the lower part of the island has been described. Further, the number of the plurality of collection baskets 21 and 22 is not limited to two, and three or more may be arranged side by side.

  In a gaming machine island having a plurality of gaming machines, the present invention can be particularly applied as part of a route for circulating gaming balls used in the gaming machine in the island.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Game machine island 2 ... Empty space 3 ... Leg stand 4 ... Suspension metal fitting 5 ... Protective cover 6 ... Jam box 10 ... Game machine 11 ... Ball rental machine 12 ... Island end unit 21 ... Collection basket 22 ... Collection basket 100 ... Game Ball lifting device 110 ... Lift mechanism 111 ... Exterior cover 112 ... Handle 113 ... Inlet port 114 ... Release port 115 ... Base member 116 ... Mounting portion 117 ... Guide groove 117a ... Circular hole 120 ... Ball spill prevention shutter 121 ... Lower end edge 122 ... Upper edge 123 ... Fixture element 124 ... Shaft part 124a ... Flat surface 125 ... Flange 126 ... Operating lever 131 ... Feeding belt 132 ... Driving pulley 133 ... Driving pulley 134 ... Electric motor 134a ... Driving belt 135 ... Tension pulley 135a ... Time Moving shaft 140 ... Housing 141 ... Sphere receiving port 142 ... Sphere delivery port 143 ... Connecting bracket 144 ... Connecting bracket 145 ... Rail member 150 ... Ball stop shutter 151 ... Upper side 152 ... Slit 153 ... Insertion / extraction port 154 ... Front edge 155 ... Front wall 156 ... Knob 160 ... Support base 161 ... Plate material 162 ... Plate material 163 ... Hinge 170 ... Ball discharge receiving box 171 ... Bottom part 172 ... Opening part

Claims (7)

In a gaming machine island where a plurality of gaming machines are arranged in parallel, a plurality of inclined transport paths for transporting game balls are arranged between the transport paths arranged so that the upstream end of the next transport path is positioned above the downstream end. In the game ball lifting device that is provided and lifts the game ball from a low place to a high place and passes it to the next transport path,
A lift mechanism that sequentially lifts the game balls released from the downstream end of the transport path and releases the game balls to the upstream end of the next transport path; Configured as a possible unit,
The lift mechanism includes an introduction port that receives a game ball from the downstream end of the transport path, and the introduction port is integrally provided with an openable / closable shutter that prevents the game ball from flowing out in the unit when closed .
A housing that is installed in advance between each of the conveyance paths and stores the lift mechanism so that it can be taken in and out laterally from a front opening;
A gaming ball lifting device , wherein the housing is provided with a ball receiving port that communicates with a downstream end of the transport path and a ball delivery port that communicates with an upstream end of the next transport path .   2. The game ball lifting device according to claim 1, wherein a shutter that can be opened and closed is provided at a downstream end of the transport path to stop the release of the game ball from the transport path when the transport path is closed.   The game ball lifting device according to claim 1, wherein a leading edge of the shutter is notched into a concavo-convex shape that easily enters a gap between game balls.   2. A ball discharge receiving box that can be installed below the downstream end of the transport path and that receives a game ball released from the downstream end and discharges the game ball to the outside of the gaming machine island. , 2 or 3 game ball lifting device. Said housing, said in and out of the lift mechanism, game balls pumped according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that provided foldably support base which can be placed said lifting mechanism apparatus. Wherein the front side of the lift mechanism, game balls pumped device according to claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that a handle for gripping in deriving the lift mechanism from the housing. Disposed to cover the upper portion of the housing, according to claim 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 characterized by having a protective cover for receiving the game balls to fall into the conveyance path from said gaming machine Game ball lifting device.

Images