JP6224895B2 - Game machine ball sorting device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a ball sorting device for a gaming machine such as a pachinko machine that uses a ball as a gaming medium.

  The ball sorter for gaming machines disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a structure in which the balls entering the entrance are sorted by chance without using power such as electricity. There was a drawback that it was easy. The ball sorter of the gaming machine disclosed in Patent Document 2 has a structure in which the balls are alternately distributed every time the balls enter the entrance. .

Japanese Patent No. 3691387 Japanese Patent No. 3574089

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described background art, and an object of the present invention is to be able to distribute a sphere that has entered an entrance at a ratio other than ½ determined by a mechanism that does not use electric power. And

In the present invention, the apparatus main body includes an inlet, a left outlet, a right outlet, a partition, and a mechanism, and the partition forms the inlet, the drop passage, the left communication port, and the right communication port in the front portion of the device main body. In addition, the ball that has entered the inlet is shaped to guide the left outlet or the right outlet so as not to go outside from the apparatus main body, and the mechanism portion is a feed gear that rotates due to the gravity of the sphere falling in the drop passage. A left lever that opens and closes the left contact port that guides the ball that has fallen from the feed gear to the left exit, and a right lever that opens and closes the right contact port that guides the ball that has fallen from the feed gear to the right exit And a lever interlocking mechanism provided at the rear part of the apparatus main body, and the spheres that have entered the inlet at a rate other than 1/2 determined without using electric power, the left outlet and the right outlet It is a ball sorter for gaming machines The lever interlocking mechanism meshes with the left first gear fixed to the left of the feed gear, the right first gear fixed to the right of the feed gear, the left first gear, and the left first gear. A second left gear having more teeth than the number of teeth of the gear, and a second right gear meshed with the first right gear and having more teeth than the number of teeth of the right first gear, the feed gear, When the left lever is pivotably released by rotation of the left first gear, the left second gear, the right first gear, and the right second gear, the right lever is restrained so as not to swing. When the left lever is restrained so as not to swing, the left lever and the right lever are moved at a rate other than ½ determined by the mechanism so that the right lever can be swingably released. It is configured to be moved separately from each other so as to perform a sorting operation.

  In the present invention, the feed gear is rotated by the weight of the sphere, and by rotating the feed gear, the left lever and the right lever are moved so as to perform a sorting operation at a ratio other than ½ determined by the mechanism unit, There is an effect that the balls that have entered the entrance can be distributed at a rate other than ½ determined by a mechanism that does not use electric power. If the ball biting prevention protrusion is provided between the left lever and the right lever, there is an effect that the ball does not mesh with the left lever and the right lever. If the container of the mechanism part is divided into left and right, there is an effect that parts such as a feed gear, a left lever, a right lever and the like can be easily accommodated in the internal space of the container. If the left lever and the right lever are separately disposed on both the left and right sides of the feed gear, the lateral width of the mechanism portion in the left-right direction is reduced, and there is an effect that the mechanism portion can be disposed directly behind the drop passage.

FIG. A is a front view showing a ball sorting apparatus of a gaming machine from which the front part of the front decoration according to the embodiment is removed, and FIGS. B to D are front views showing the operation of the ball sorting apparatus. The disassembled perspective view which shows the ball distribution apparatus of the game machine which concerns on embodiment. The disassembled perspective view which shows the mechanism part which concerns on embodiment. The top view which shows the mechanism part which removed the container which concerns on embodiment. Sectional drawing equivalent to the left view which shows the left lever periphery of the mechanism part which concerns on embodiment. Sectional drawing equivalent to the right view which shows the right lever periphery of the mechanism part which concerns on embodiment. The front view which shows the game machine provided with the ball distribution apparatus which concerns on embodiment.

  With reference to FIG. 1, the ball distribution apparatus 1 of the gaming machine according to the embodiment will be described. As shown in FIG. 1A, the ball sorter 1 includes an inlet 3, a left outlet 4, a right outlet 5, a partition wall 6, a ball engagement prevention projection 7, a gear hole 8, and a left lever hole. 9, a right lever hole 10, and a mechanism portion 11, and the left entrance 4 and the right exit are disposed at a rate other than ½ determined by the mechanism portion 11 that does not use electric power. They are assigned to 5. The diameter of the entrance 3 is such that it can take in spheres one by one from top to bottom, but cannot take in two or more spheres arranged side by side. The left outlet 4 and the right outlet 5 penetrate in the front-rear direction at positions separated to the left and right below the inlet 3.

  The partition wall 6 forms the inlet 3, the drop passage 12, the left communication port 13, and the right communication port 14 at the front part of the apparatus main body 2, and prevents the ball that has entered the inlet 3 from exiting from the apparatus main body 2 to the outside. A shaping that leads to the outlet 4 or the right outlet 5 is configured. That is, the ball that has entered the entrance 3 is discharged from the fall passage 12 to the rear portion of the apparatus main body 2 via the left communication port 13 and the left outlet 4 or the right outlet 5. The ball biting prevention projection 7 projects forward from a portion surrounded by the gear hole 8, the left lever hole 9, and the right lever hole 10 at the center in the left-right direction of the drop passage 12. The gear hole 8, the left lever hole 9, and the right lever hole 10 penetrate in the front-rear direction. The gear hole 8 is disposed at the center in the left-right direction of the drop passage 12. The left lever hole 9 is disposed in the drop passage 12 between the gear hole 8 and the left communication port 13. The right lever hole 10 is disposed in the drop passage 12 between the gear hole 8 and the right communication port 14.

  The mechanism unit 11 is a mechanism that operates by the gravity of a sphere without moving by electricity, and includes a feed gear 15, a left lever 16, and a right lever 17. The feed gear 15 includes a plurality of ball accommodating portions 18 at the peripheral portion of a disk that rotates in the vertical direction around a shaft extending in the left-right direction (not shown) disposed at the rear of the apparatus body 2. The sphere accommodating portion 18 is a recess capable of accommodating a part of one sphere from the circumferential surface of the disk toward the center portion, and is arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the disk. Two feed gears 15 are arranged in the apparatus main body 2 and arranged in the vertical direction so that a part of the feed gear 15 protrudes from the apparatus main body 2 through the gear hole 8 after the apparatus main body 2. When the partitioning portion 19 that divides the ball housing portion 18 is positioned at the center of the gear hole 8 in the vertical direction, the two ball housing portions 18 are arranged in front of the apparatus main body 2, and the partitioning portion 19 In addition, the upper one ball accommodating portion 18 can accommodate a part of one sphere falling in the dropping passage 12.

  When one sphere falling in the drop passage 12 is accommodated in one sphere accommodating portion 18 above the partitioning portion 19, the front portion of the feed gear 15 rotates on a shaft outside the figure by the weight of the sphere. Rotates from top to bottom as a center. Along with the rotation, the one sphere is discharged from the drop accommodating portion 18 through the drop passage 12. In other words, when the sphere entering the entrance 3 is accommodated in the sphere accommodating portion 18 in the process of passing through the drop passage 12, the feed gear 15 rotates by the weight of the sphere without using electric power to cause the sphere to sphere. The container 18 is discharged into the drop passage 12. The rotational movement range of the feed gear 15 rotated by one sphere is an angle obtained by dividing 360 ° by the number provided on the feed gear 15 of the sphere housing portion 18. For example, when ten ball housing portions 18 are provided in the feed gear 15, the rotational movement range of the feed gear 15 rotated by one ball is 36 °.

  The left lever 16 is a member extending in the front-rear direction, and swings in the up-down direction so as to open and close the left connection port 13 with a shaft extending in the left-right direction (not shown) arranged at the rear of the apparatus main body 2 as a rotation center. The left lever 16 is disposed in the apparatus main body 2 such that the front portion of the left lever 16 protrudes forward from the apparatus main body 2 via the left lever hole 9 after the apparatus main body 2. When the front part of the left lever 16 rises and stops at the ascending limit position, the gap between the upper edge part of the front part of the left lever 16 and the upper end part of the left connection port 13 is dimensioned so that the ball cannot pass. Become. That is, when the front portion of the left lever 16 stops at the ascending limit position, the left lever 16 closes the left communication port 13 in a state where the ball cannot pass. When the front part of the left lever 16 descends and stops at the lower limit position, the gap between the upper edge part of the front part of the left lever 16 and the upper end part of the left communication port 13 is a dimension through which a sphere can pass. become. That is, when the front portion of the left lever 16 stops at the lower limit position, the left lever 16 opens the left communication port 13 in a state in which a sphere can pass.

  The right lever 17 is a member extending in the front-rear direction, and swings so as to open and close the right connection port 14 about a shaft extending in the left-right direction (not shown) disposed at the rear of the apparatus main body 2 as a rotation center. The right lever 17 is arranged in the apparatus main body 2 so that the front part of the right lever 17 protrudes from the rear part of the apparatus main body 2 via the right lever hole 10 to the front of the apparatus main body 2. When the front part of the right lever 17 rises and stops at the ascending limit position, the gap between the upper edge part of the front part of the right lever 17 and the upper end part of the right connection port 14 is dimensioned so that the ball cannot pass through. Become. That is, when the front part of the right lever 17 stops at the ascending limit position, the right lever 17 closes the right communication port 14 in a state in which the ball cannot pass. In addition, when the front part of the right lever 17 descends and stops at the lower limit position, the gap between the upper edge part of the front part of the right lever 17 and the upper end part of the right connection port 14 is a dimension through which a sphere can pass. become. That is, when the front portion of the right lever 17 stops at the lowering limit position, the right lever 17 opens the right communication port 14 so that a ball can pass through.

  The left lever 16 and the right lever 17 move separately from each other. Specifically, when the left lever 16 is released so as to be swingable, the right lever 17 is restrained so as not to swing, and when the left lever 16 is restrained so as not to swing, the right lever 17 17 is released in a swingable manner. Release and restraint with respect to the left lever 16 will be described with reference to FIG. Release and restraint with respect to the right lever 17 will be described with reference to FIG.

  Returning to FIG. 1, in the embodiment, the left lever 16 opens the left connection port 13 by the weight of one of the 20 balls that have entered the entrance 3, and the right of the remaining 19 balls. The lever 17 opens the right connection port 14 by the weight of the sphere. Accordingly, one of the 20 balls that have entered the inlet 3 is taken into the left outlet 4 and 19 of the 20 balls that have entered the inlet 3 are taken into the right outlet 5. The ratio of the spheres taken into the inlet 3 is 1/20, and the percentage of the spheres taken into the right outlet 5 is 19/20. The left outlet 4 and the right outlet 5 are distributed in proportion.

  Referring to FIGS. 1B to 1D, with respect to the operation when the ball 20 enters the ball sorting apparatus 1 of the gaming machine according to the embodiment, the left lever 16 is restrained and the left communication port 13 is closed. The case where the right lever 17 is released and the right contact port 14 is opened will be described as an example. As shown in FIG. 1B, the left lever 16 and the right lever 17 are stopped at the ascending limit position, and one ball 20 entering the inlet 3 is one ball housing portion 18 of the feed gear 15. The front portion of the feed gear 15 rotates from the top to the bottom with the weight of the ball 20, and the ball 20 rides on the left lever 16 and the right lever 17. At this time, the ball 20 is not in contact with the ball biting prevention protrusion 7. Since the left lever 16 is restrained and the right lever 17 is released, when the ball 20 gets on the left lever 16 and the right lever 17, the left lever 16 does not descend due to the weight of the ball 20 and becomes a barrier. The right lever 17 is lowered by the weight of the sphere 20. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 1C, the sphere 20 moves from the left lever 16 side to the right lever 17 while moving the left lever 16 to the right side while further lowering the right lever 17 over the ball biting prevention projection 7 to the right side. To do. Since the ball biting prevention protrusion 7 is provided between the left lever 16 and the right lever 17, the ball 20 does not mesh with the left lever 16 and the right lever 17, and the ball biting phenomenon does not occur. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1D, the sphere 20 that has passed the right lever 17 to the right side is taken into the right outlet 5 via the right connection port 14, and therefore the right lever 17 has a weight of the sphere. It is released from and rises and stops at the upper limit position.

  With reference to FIG. 2, each component of the ball distribution device 1 of the gaming machine according to the embodiment will be described. The ball sorting apparatus 1 includes a device main body 2, a mechanism unit 11, and a front decoration 22. The apparatus main body 2 includes a left outlet 4, a right outlet 5, a ball biting prevention projection 7, a gear hole 8, a left lever hole 9, a right lever hole 10, a port 23, a starboard 24, a positioning portion 25, and a mounting hole. 26; 27. The port side 23 guides the ball discharged from the left outlet 4 to the rear side of the apparatus main body 2 behind the apparatus main body 2, is provided at the rear portion of the apparatus main body 2, and protrudes rearward from the apparatus main body 2. The starboard 24 guides the sphere discharged from the right outlet 5 to the rear side of the apparatus main body 2 after the apparatus main body 2 and is provided at the rear part of the apparatus main body 2 and protrudes rearward from the apparatus main body 2. The positioning portion 25 determines the attachment position of the front decoration 22 with respect to the apparatus main body 2 and protrudes forward from the apparatus main body 2. The attachment hole 26 is a hole used when attaching the apparatus main body 2 and the front decoration 22 to each other. The attachment hole 27 is a hole used when attaching the apparatus main body 2 to a game board (not shown).

  The front ornament 22 includes a partition wall 6, a front surface portion 28, a positioning portion 29, and an attachment hole 30. The front portion 28 closes the front portion of the partition wall 6 so that a ball does not come out. The positioning portion 29 is a recess that fits with the positioning portion 25 of the apparatus main body 2. The mounting hole 30 is a recess whose position matches the mounting hole 26 of the apparatus main body 2. Then, the positioning portions 25; 29 are fitted to each other, and a set screw (not shown) is attached to the attachment hole 30 via the attachment hole 26 from the rear side of the apparatus main body 2, and the rear surface of the partition wall 6 and the front surface of the apparatus main body 2 are attached. Are in contact with each other and the front decoration 22 is fixed to the apparatus main body 2, whereby the inlet 3, the drop passage 12, the left communication port 13, and the right communication port 14 are formed as shown in FIG. The front decoration 22 may be fixed to the apparatus main body 2 with an adhesive or a fitting type. Further, the positioning part 25 may be a depression and the positioning part 29 may be a protrusion.

  In the mechanism portion 11, the feed gear 15, the left lever 16, the right lever 17, the front portion of the feed gear 15, the front portion of the left lever 16, and the front portion of the right lever 17 protrude in front of the container 31. Is a model housed inside the container 31. An attachment portion 32 is provided outside the container 31. The front portion of the feed gear 15, the front portion of the left lever 16, and the front portion of the right lever 17 are separated into the gear hole 8, the left lever hole 9, and the right lever hole 10 from the rear of the apparatus body 2. The mounting portion 32 is inserted into a mounting portion (not shown) provided in the apparatus main body 2 from behind, and a set screw (not shown) is attached to the device main body 2 via the mounting portion 32 after the mechanism portion 11. The mechanism unit 11 is fixed to the apparatus main body 2 by being attached to a mounting part outside the figure.

  With reference to FIG. 3, each component of the mechanism part 11 is demonstrated. The mechanism unit 11 includes a feed gear 15, a left lever 16, a right lever 17, a container 31, a left first gear 35, a right first gear 36, a left second gear 37, a right second gear 38, and a braking member 39. The feed gear 15 includes a ball housing portion 18, a partition portion 19, and a shaft 40. The shaft 40 protrudes left and right at the center of the feed gear 15. The container 31 is configured integrally with the left container 41 and the right container 42, thereby forming an accommodation space therein. The left container 41 includes mounting portions 32; 43 and bearing portions 44; 45; The right container 42 includes mounting portions 32; 47 and bearing portions 48; 49; 50.

  The left lever 16 includes a left ball receiving portion 51 at the front, a shaft 52 at the middle, and a left claw portion 53 at the rear, and the weight is distributed so that the front is heavier than the rear. The shaft 52 projects to the left from the left lever 16. The left claw portion 53 determines the restraint and release of the left lever 16 and protrudes from the left lever 16. The right lever 17 includes a ball receiving portion 54 at the front portion, a shaft 55 at the middle, a right claw portion 56 and a weight 57 at the rear portion, and the weight is distributed so that the rear portion is heavier than the front portion. The shaft 55 protrudes to the right from the right lever 17. The right claw portion 56 determines the restraint and release of the right lever 17 and protrudes from the right lever 17.

  The first left gear 35 is an aspect of a spur gear fixed adjacent to the left of the feed gear 15 and surrounding the shaft 40. The first right gear 36 is a spur gear that is fixed adjacent to the right of the feed gear 15 and surrounds the shaft 40. The outer diameter of the left first gear 35 and the outer diameter of the right first gear 36 are smaller than the diameter connecting the center of the feed gear 15 and the portion closest to the shaft 40 side of the ball housing portion 18. The number of teeth of the left first gear 35 and the number of teeth of the right first gear 36 are the same.

  The second left gear 37 is configured as a spur gear and includes a shaft 58, a left restraint portion 59, and a left release portion 60. The shaft 58 protrudes to the left from the left restricting portion 59 at the center of the left second gear 37. The left restraining portion 59 restrains the left lever 16 so as not to swing so that the left lever 16 closes the left communication port 13, and the left second gear serves as a disk centered on the shaft 58. Fixed to the left of 37. Even if the sphere rides on the left sphere receiving portion 51 of the left lever 16 and the left sphere receiving portion 51 tries to descend by its own weight, the left claw portion 53 contacts the left restraining portion 59 and the front of the left lever 16 The left communication port 13 remains closed without the part being lowered. The left release portion 60 releases the left lever 16 in a swingable manner, and is provided on the peripheral edge portion of the left restraint portion 59 as a recess that accommodates the left claw portion 53 of the left lever 16. In the embodiment, since the left lever 16 has a weight distribution in which the front portion is heavier than the rear portion, the front portion of the left lever 16 is lowered when the left claw portion 53 is accommodated in the left release portion 60. Then, the left communication port 13 (see FIG. 1) is opened and stopped. The position where the front part of the left lever 16 stops is the lower limit position of the front part of the left lever 16.

  In FIG. 3, the right second gear 38 is configured as a spur gear and includes a shaft 61, a right stopper 62, and a right restraint portion 63. The shaft 61 protrudes to the right from the center portion of the right second gear 38. The right stopper 62 restricts the lowering range of the front portion of the right lever 17 and is fixed to the right of the right second gear 38 as a disk centered on the shaft 61. When the ball rides on the ball receiving portion 54 of the right lever 17 and the ball receiving portion 54 descends by its own weight and opens the right communication port 14 (see FIG. 1), the right claw portion 56 has the right stopper 62. , The lowering of the front part of the right lever 17 stops. The position where the front part of the right lever 17 stops is the lower limit position of the front part of the right lever 17. The right restraint portion 63 restrains the right lever 17 so as not to be swingable so that the right lever 17 is in a state of closing the right connection port 14. It is provided integrally with the right stopper 62 as a protruding protrusion. Even if the ball rides on the ball receiving portion 54 of the right lever 17 and the ball receiving portion 54 tries to descend by its own weight, the right claw portion 56 contacts the right restraining portion 63 and the front portion of the right lever 17 is The right communication port 14 remains closed without descending.

  Returning to FIG. 3, the number of teeth of the left second gear 37 is the same as the number of teeth of the right second gear 38, and is twice the number of teeth of the left first gear 35 and the number of teeth of the right first gear 36. It has become. As a result, the left second gear 37 and the right second gear 38 make one rotation for two rotations of the feed gear 15. The braking member 39 prevents the feed gear 15 from over-rotating so that the feed gear 15 does not rotate excessively due to the momentum of the sphere, and is constituted by a leaf spring, and is attached to the front portion with the contact portion 64 and the rear portion. A portion 65 is provided.

  Left first gear 35, right first gear 36, left second gear 37, right second gear 38, left claw 53, left restraint 59, left release 60, right stopper 62, right claw 56 and right restraint The part 63 constitutes a lever interlocking mechanism that moves the left lever 16 and the right lever 17 so as to perform a sorting operation at a rate other than ½ determined by the mechanism part 11 by the rotation of the feed gear 16. The lever interlocking mechanism moves the left lever 16 so that the left communication port 13 (see FIG. 1) is opened once and the other is closed at a predetermined number of rotations of the feed gear 16, while the left lever 16 is moved to the left. When the contact port 13 is opened, the right lever 17 closes the right contact port 14, and when the left lever 16 closes the left contact port 13, the right lever 17 is moved so that the right lever 17 opens the right contact port 14. Is done. In the lever interlocking mechanism, the left first gear 35, the right first gear 36, the left second gear 37, and the right second gear 38 are removed, and the left restraint portion 59, the left release portion 60, and the right stopper 62 are removed. And the right restraint portion 63 may be provided in the feed gear 15. The right stopper 62 may be provided in the container 31 without being provided in the right second gear 38, or may be replaced by the lower end portion of the right lever hole 10 in FIG.

  In FIG. 3, the assembly method of the mechanism portion 11 will be described. The shaft 52 of the left lever 16 is fitted into the bearing portion 45, and the shaft 58 of the left second gear 37 is fitted into the bearing portion 46. A left second gear 37 is attached to the right side of the left container 41. Further, the right end portion of the shaft 40 of the feed gear 15 is fitted into the bearing portion 48, the shaft 55 of the right lever 17 is fitted into the bearing portion 49, and the shaft 61 of the right second gear 38 is fitted into the bearing portion 50. The feed gear 15, the right lever 17 and the right second gear 38 are attached to the left side of the right container 42. When the right second gear 38 shaft is fitted into the bearing portion, the right second gear 38 is engaged with the right first gear 36 of the feed gear 15. Further, when the braking member 39 is attached to the left container 41, the contact portion 64 of the braking member 39 comes into contact with the upper portion of the feed gear 15 from above.

  Thereafter, when the left container 41 and the right container 42 are combined with each other, the position is adjusted so that the left release portion 60 of the left second gear 37 faces the right restraint portion 63 of the right second gear 38 in the left-right direction, The left second gear 37 is engaged with the left first gear 35 of the feed gear 15. When assembling the mechanism unit 11 as described above, the container 31 is divided into left and right parts such as a left container 41 and a right container 42 as compared with a structure in which the container 31 is divided into upper and lower parts. The left lever 16, the right lever 17, the left second gear 37, the right second gear 38, the braking member 39, and the like can be easily accommodated in the internal space of the container 31.

  Referring to FIG. 4, the case where the mechanism unit 11 with the container 31 removed is viewed from above will be described. The left second gear 37 and the right second gear 38 are separately disposed on the left and right sides of the feed gear 15. Since the left lever 16 is disposed directly below the left second gear 37 and the right lever 17 is disposed directly below the right second gear 38, the lateral width of the mechanism unit 11 in the left-right direction is reduced, and the mechanism unit 11 Can be placed directly behind the drop passage 12. Further, since the left outlet 4 and the right outlet 5 are disposed adjacent to the left and right sides of the mechanism portion 11, the lateral width of the ball sorting device 1 is reduced.

  With reference to FIG.5 and FIG.6, the internal structure of the mechanism part 11 is demonstrated. As shown in FIG. 5, the mounting portion 65 of the braking member 39 is fixed to the container 31, and the contact portions 64 of the braking member 39 are in contact with the partition portions 19 on both sides in the front-rear direction of the single ball housing portion 18. . The left claw portion 53 of the left lever 16 moves upward about the shaft 52 and contacts the outer peripheral surface of the left restraint portion 59. In this state, as the sphere 20 falls through the drop passage 12 from the inlet 3 and is accommodated in one sphere accommodating portion 18 in the feed gear 15 by the guide projection 66, the feed gear 15 is moved to the sphere 20. When rotated by its own weight, the braking member 39 bends so that the contact portion 64 can be lifted even by the partition portion 19. Then, as the one sphere 20 falls from between one sphere receiving portion 18 and the guide protrusion 66, the braking member 39 is restored so that the contact portion 64 pushes down the partition portion 19, and the 1 The ball bearing portions 18 come into contact with the partition portions 19 on both sides in the front-rear direction of the adjacent ball receiving portion 18 in the rotation direction, and the rotation of the feed gear 15 is stopped. Even if one sphere 20 dropped from between the guide protrusions 66 collides with the left sphere receiving portion 51 of the left lever 16, the left claw portion 53 comes into contact with the left restraining portion 59, and the left lever 16 moves to the shaft 52. Since the left contact port 13 is closed and restrained so as to become a barrier without swinging around the rotation center, the left ball receiving portion 51 does not descend. The restrained state of the left lever 16 occurs in a state other than the released state of the left lever 16. In the embodiment, the left lever 16 is restrained with respect to 19 balls when 20 balls enter the entrance 3.

  Next, rotation and stop of the feed gear 15 by the sphere 20 are repeated, and the left claw portion 53 is left restrained at a position in front of the left release portion 60 by entering the entrance 3 of another sphere 20. It is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the portion 59. In this state, as the sphere 20 falls through the drop passage 12 from the inlet 3 and is accommodated in one sphere accommodating portion 18 in the feed gear 15 by the guide projection 66, the feed gear 15 is moved to the sphere 20. When rotated by its own weight, the braking member 39 bends so that the contact portion 64 can be lifted even by the partition portion 19. Then, as the one sphere 20 falls from between one sphere receiving portion 18 and the guide protrusion 66, the braking member 39 is restored so that the contact portion 64 pushes down the partition portion 19, and the 1 The left claw portion 53 comes into contact with the partitioning portions 19 on both sides in the front-rear direction of the one ball housing portion 18 adjacent to each other after the rotation direction of the single ball housing portion 18 and the rotation of the feed gear 15 stops. When the left release portion 60 is encountered, the left lever 16 swings about the shaft 52 as a rotation center, the left claw portion 53 is raised and accommodated in the left release portion 60, while the left ball receiving portion 51 is lowered and left The communication port 13 is opened and stopped at the lower limit position. At this time, since the right lever 17 is restrained so as not to swing, the left sphere receiving portion 51 and the left communication port in which one sphere 20 dropped from between the sphere accommodating portion 18 and the guide projection 66 is lowered. 13 (see FIG. 1) and discharged to the left sphere outlet 4 (see FIG. 1). The released state in which the left lever 16 swings occurs only once every two rotations of the feed gear 15. In the embodiment, the left lever 16 is released with respect to one when 20 balls enter the entrance 3.

  In FIG. 5, it is also conceivable to form the left lever 16 in a model in which the weight is distributed so that the rear part of the left lever 16 is heavier than the front part. When the left lever 16 protrudes from the left lever hole 9 to the front side of the apparatus body 2 and is attached to the container 31 so as to be able to swing around the shaft 52 as a rotation center, the weight distribution of the left lever 16 The front part of the left lever 16 rises and comes into contact with the upper end of the left lever hole 9 from below and stops at the ascent limit position. In this manner, in order to restrain the left lever 16 from swinging in a state where the front portion of the left lever 16 is stopped at the ascending limit position, one piece dropped from between the ball housing portion 18 and the guide projection 66 is used. Even if the sphere 20 collides with the left sphere receiving portion 51, the left claw portion 53 is configured to contact the left restraint portion 59 so that the left lever 16 remains closed without opening the left communication port 13. That's fine. Further, in order to release the left lever 16 so that the left lever 16 can swing in a state where the front portion of the left lever 16 is stopped at the ascending limit position as described above, the left pawl portion 53 is adapted to come into contact with the left release portion 60. When one sphere 20 dropped from between the sphere accommodating portion 18 and the guide projection 66 collides with the left sphere receiving portion 51, the left claw portion 53 is accommodated in the left releasing portion 60, and the left lever 16 is moved to the left. What is necessary is just to comprise so that the contact port 13 may be opened.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the contact portion 64 of the braking member 39 contacts the partition portions 19 on both sides in the front-rear direction of one ball housing portion 18, and the ball receiving portion 54 of the right lever 17 moves upward about the shaft 52. The right lever 17 stops at a position where it contacts the upper end of the right lever hole 10, and the right claw 56 corresponds to the right stopper 62. In this state, as the sphere 20 falls through the drop passage 12 from the inlet 3 and is accommodated in one sphere accommodating portion 18 in the feed gear 15 by the guide projection 66, the feed gear 15 is moved to the sphere 20. When rotated by its own weight, the braking member 39 bends so that the contact portion 64 can be lifted even by the partition portion 19. Then, as the one sphere 20 falls from between one sphere receiving portion 18 and the guide protrusion 66, the braking member 39 is restored so that the contact portion 64 pushes down the partition portion 19, and the 1 The ball bearing portions 18 come into contact with the partition portions 19 on both sides in the front-rear direction of the adjacent ball receiving portion 18 in the rotation direction, and the rotation of the feed gear 15 is stopped. When one ball 20 dropped from between the guide protrusions 66 collides with the ball receiving portion 54 of the right lever 17, the right lever 17 is released so as to swing around the shaft 55. While the portion 54 is lowered, the right claw portion 56 is raised and contacts the right stopper 62. The released state of the right lever 17 occurs in a state other than the restrained state of the right lever 17. In the embodiment, the right lever 17 is released with respect to 19 balls when 20 balls enter the entrance 3.

  Next, rotation and stop of the feed gear 15 by the sphere 20 are repeated, and the right claw portion 56 is positioned in front of the right constraining portion 63 by entering the entrance of another sphere 20. In this state, as the sphere 20 falls through the drop passage 12 from the inlet 3 and is accommodated in one sphere accommodating portion 18 in the feed gear 15 by the guide projection 66, the feed gear 15 is moved to the sphere 20. When rotated by its own weight, the braking member 39 bends so that the contact portion 64 can be lifted even by the partition portion 19. Then, as the one sphere 20 falls from between one sphere receiving portion 18 and the guide protrusion 66, the braking member 39 is restored so that the contact portion 64 pushes down the partition portion 19, and the 1 The right claw portion 56 comes into contact with the partitioning portions 19 on both sides in the front-rear direction of the one ball receiving portion 18 adjacent to each other after the rotation direction of the ball receiving portion 18 and the rotation of the feed gear 15 is stopped. Even if one sphere 20 which is opposed to the outer peripheral surface of the right restraining portion 63 and falls from between the sphere receiving portion 18 and the guide projection 66 collides with the sphere receiving portion 54 of the right lever 17, the right claw portion 56 is in contact with the right restraint portion 63 and the right lever 17 is restrained so as to be a barrier by closing the right connection port 14 without swinging around the shaft 55, so that the ball receiving portion 54 does not descend. . The restraint state of the right lever 17 occurs only once every two rotations of the feed gear 15. In the embodiment, the right lever 16 is restrained with respect to one when 20 balls enter the entrance 3.

  As described in the paragraphs 0030 to 0033, the left second gear 37 and the right second gear 38 are meshed with the feed gear 15 so as to make one rotation with respect to the two rotations of the feed gear 15, and the left second gear 37. The left lever 16 is constrained so as to be closed with respect to the left communication port 13 while the left restricting portion 59 that rotates together with the left lever 16 rotates once. As a result, the sphere 20 entering the entrance 3 is distributed to the right side by pushing down the right lever 17 by its own weight. This rightward distribution continues for two revolutions of the feed gear 15. When the left restraint portion 59 makes one rotation, the left claw portion 53 and the left release portion 60 face each other and release the left lever 16 to open to the left communication port 13 and the right claw portion 56 The right restraint portion 63 faces each other and restrains the right lever 17 to be closed with respect to the right communication port 14. As a result, the ball 20 entering the entrance 3 is distributed to the left side by pushing down the left lever 16 by its own weight.

  In the embodiment, when 20 balls 20 enter the entrance 3 one by one, one ball 20 is distributed to the left side and the remaining 19 balls 20 are distributed to the right side. The ratio other than the determined 1/2 is 1/20. The ratio other than 1/2 determined by the mechanism unit 11 is not limited to 1/20, but the number of the ball storage units 18, the number of the left release units 60, the number of the right restraint units 63, the second left A ratio other than 1/20 may be set by changing the gear ratio of the gear 37 and the right second gear 38 to the feed gear 15. Further, the ratio of the ball that has entered the entrance 3 to the left outlet 4 and the right outlet 5 may be reversed.

  Although not shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, ball detectors are provided in the inlet 3, the left outlet 4, the right outlet 5, and the falling passage 12 and used for game control. For example, there are two ball detectors, one for each of the inlet 3 or the falling passage 12 and one of the left outlet 4 or the right outlet 5, and one for the inlet 3 or the falling passage 12, one of the left outlet 4 and the right outlet 5. A total of two, one for each of the left outlet 4 and one for the right outlet 5, may be considered.

  With reference to FIG. 7, a pachinko machine 70 will be described as an example of a gaming machine provided with the ball sorting apparatus 1 according to the embodiment. The pachinko machine 70 is provided with a game board 72 inside a game machine frame 71 attached to a game machine installation facility called an island of a game shop, and the game board 72 has a ball sorting device 1, an image display 73, and a start winning device 74. When the ball launching operation mechanism 77 provided on the front of the gaming machine frame 71 is operated by a player, the ball launcher provided inside the gaming machine frame 71 is provided with a variable winning device 75, an out port 76, etc. 78 launches a ball called a pachinko ball into the game area between the front surface of the game board 72 and the transparent glass 79 disposed in front of it. When the ball launched into the game area enters the entrance 3 of the ball sorting apparatus 1 in the process of flowing down the game area, the ratio of the balls other than ½ determined by the mechanism unit 11 is determined by the ball sorting apparatus 1. Then, it distributes to the left exit 4 and the right exit 5. When the ball passes the left exit 4, only the winning ball for the winning is given, and when the ball passes the right exit 5, the winning ball and the winning lottery for the winning are performed by the control device, and the winning is drawn. In this case, the start winning device 74 may be shaped so that a ball can easily enter.

1 is a ball sorter, 2 is an apparatus body, 3 is an inlet, 4 is a left outlet, 5 is a right outlet, 6 is a partition wall, 7 is a ball biting prevention projection, 8 is a gear hole, 9 is a left lever hole, 10 is a right lever hole, 11 is a mechanism, 12 is a drop passage, 13 is a left communication port, 14 is a right communication port, 15 is a feed gear, 16 is a left lever, 17 is a right lever, 18 is a ball housing portion, 19 is a partitioning part, 20 is a sphere, 21 is a missing number, 22 is a front decoration, 23 is a port, 24 is a starboard, 25 is a positioning part, 26; 27 is a mounting hole, 28 is a front part, 29 is a positioning part, 30 is an attachment hole, 31 is a container, 32 is an attachment portion, 33; 34 is a missing number, 35 is a left first gear, 36 is a right first gear, 37 is a left second gear, 38 is a right second gear, and 39 is Braking member, 40 is a shaft, 41 is a left container, 42 is a right container, 43 is a mounting portion, 44 to 46 are bearing portions, 47 is a mounting portion, and 48 to 50 are shafts. , 51 is a left sphere receiving portion, 52 is a shaft, 53 is a left claw portion, 54 is a ball receiving portion, 55 is a shaft, 56 is a right claw portion, 57 is a weight, 58 is a shaft, 59 is a left restricting portion, 60 Is a left release portion, 61 is a shaft, 62 is a right stopper, 63 is a right restraint portion, 64 is a contact portion, 65 is a mounting portion, 66 is a guide protrusion, 67 to 69 are missing numbers, 70 is a pachinko machine, and 71 is a gaming machine Frame, 72 is a game board, 73 is an image display, 74 is a start winning device, 75 is a variable winning device, 76 is an out port, 77 is a ball launching operation mechanism, 78 is a ball launcher, and 79 is glass.

Claims (2)

The apparatus main body includes an inlet, a left outlet, a right outlet, a partition, and a mechanism, and the partition forms the inlet, the drop passage, the left communication port, and the right communication port in the front portion of the device main body and The shaped ball is guided to the left outlet or the right outlet so as not to go outside from the apparatus main body, and the mechanism section includes a feed gear that rotates due to the gravity of the sphere falling in the drop passage, and the feed A left lever that opens and closes the left contact port that guides the ball that has fallen from the gear to the left exit, a right lever that opens and closes the right contact port that guides the ball that has fallen from the feed gear to the right exit, and the device A lever interlocking mechanism provided at the rear part of the main body, and distributing a ball that has entered the entrance to the left exit and the right exit at a rate other than 1/2 determined without using electric power A ball sorter, The interlocking mechanism includes a left first gear fixed to the left of the feed gear, a right first gear fixed to the right of the feed gear, and the left first gear meshed with the left first gear. A second left gear having a number of teeth greater than the number of teeth, and a right second gear meshed with the right first gear and having a number of teeth greater than the number of teeth of the right first gear, the feed gear and the left second gear When the left lever is released so as to be swingable by the interlocking rotation of one gear, the left second gear, the right first gear, and the right second gear, the right lever is restrained so as not to swing. When the left lever is restrained so as not to swing, the left lever and the right lever are moved at a rate other than ½ determined by the mechanism so that the right lever can be swingably released. A game characterized by being configured to move separately from each other so as to perform a sorting operation Of ball distribution device.   The lever interlocking mechanism includes a left restricting portion provided on the left second gear so as to close the left connecting port by restraining the left lever so as not to swing, and releasing the left lever so that the left lever can swing. A left release portion provided in the left restraining portion so as to open the left communication port with the left lever, and a right stopper provided in the right second gear so as to restrict a lowering range of the right lever. 2. A gaming machine according to claim 1, further comprising: a right restraining portion provided on the right stopper so that the right lever is restrained so as not to swing and a right connection port is closed by the right lever. Ball sorting device.

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