US3232621A

US3232621A - Chip dispensing cup

Info

Publication number: US3232621A
Application number: US329119A
Authority: US
Inventors: August F Michelson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-12-09
Filing date: 1963-12-09
Publication date: 1966-02-01
Anticipated expiration: 1983-02-01

Description

FIEE

rlllllll' A. F. MICHELSON CHIP DISPENSING CUP Filed nec. 9, 1963 lllllllI y INVENTOR. Almas-r E' M10/aso W ArrokA/srs Feb. 1, 1966 United States Patent O 3,232,621 CHIP DISPENSING CUP August F. Michelson, 912 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis, Minn. Filed Dec. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 329,119

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-144) The present invention relates generally to an apparatus adapted to randomly dispense chips, dies or tokens from a dispensing cup or receptacle, the chips being dispensed in random sequence along a certain predetermined path, and at certain predetermined distances, one from another.

In the course of conducting certain games, contests, and the like, contestants are frequently required to randomly select a certain predetermined chip, die, or the like from a cup, receptacle, container or the like, and the sequence or pattern in which these chips, dies, or the like appear may determine the subsequent steps and relative success of the endeavors of the contestant. Nonmally, these chips or dies are placed within a cup, receptacle or container and thereafter are shaken and mixed, and thrown outwardly from the container. This arrangement is satisfactory when the particular sequence of selection is not pertinent, and when the area of play is suici'ently large so as to permit the chips or dies to be randomly thrown. In connection with the present invention, the individual contestants are able to dispense one or more chips from a preselected group of chips in random sequence, in random order relative to the particular side or face being exposed, and in relatively uniformly spaced relationship, one from the other. The apparatus of the present invention accomplishes these objects with a minimum of complexity being built into the apparatus.

Briefly, the chip dispensing apparatus of the present invention includes a receptacle having an open top, and having a chip dispensing port arranged along the lower periphery thereof. A chip dispensing core is provided within the receptacle, this core being coaxially positioned within the receptacle, the outer periphery of the core being disposed annularly inwardly from the inner periphery of the receptacle cup. A plurality of vanes are arranged radially about the periphery of the core and in spaced relationship, one to another, the spaces between the vanes being arranged to receive a chip therein. The chips, when confined in the zones between the individual vanes may be delivered through the chip dispensing port arranged in the receptacle. Drive means are provided for rotating the core relative to the receptacle cup. The drive means comprises a disc which is arranged coaxially with the receptacle and the core, and is disposed externally of the cup along the bottom surface thereof. Friction means are preferably provided along the outer periphery of the drive means, the friction means being adapted to engage a working surface to cause the relative rotation of the core within the receptacle. This rotation provides a mechanism for delivering the individual chips which are disposed in the area between the vanes outwardly through the delivery port formed in the receptacle wall.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a chip dispensing means which is adapted to randomly deliver a group of individual chips, tokens or dice in one-at-a-time randomly selected sequence.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved chip dispensing means which includes a receptacle for receiving a plurality of chips therewithin, a core within said receptacle having chip receiving slots therealong, a delivery port arranged along the periphery of said receptacle, and means for rotating the core so as to -move said chips into position adjacent to said chip dispensing port.

Other and further objects of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a study of the following specification, appended claims, and accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a playing surface upon which the chip dispensing apparatus of the present invention is being utilized, and showing the operation of the chip dispensing apparatus while it is being moved across the playing surface by a contestant;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the chip dispensing apparatus of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 3 3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 4-4 of FIG- URE 3.

In accordance with the preferred modication of the present invention, the chip dispensing apparatus generally designated 10 includes a receptacle or cup 11 along with an internally arranged chip dispensing core generally designated 12. The chip dispensing core 12 is mounted coaxially within the cup 11 and isheld adjacent to the bottom wall 13 of the cup 11 by means of the shaft 14. The shaft 14 is positioned coaxially with the cup 11 and the core 12, suitable axial housing means 15 being disposed within the cup 11 for guiding and retaining the shaft 14 therewithin, In order to securely retain the body 16 of the core 12 within the cup 11, the upper end of the shaft 14 is threaded in order to receive a wing nut or other suitable locking means 18. A pair of washers 19 and 20 are arranged on opposite sides of the resilient iexed disc 21, the disc 21, when flexed, providing modest pressure to snug the core 12 and force it against the bearing member 23, the amount of this force determining the ease at which the core 12 will rotate about the shaft 14. Along the outer periphery of the body 16 of core 12, there are positioned a plurality of vanes or the like 25-25, these vanes ex-tending radially outwardly from the core body 16. The angular displacement of the individual vanes is uniform and is adequate to provide or define a chip receiving por-t or zone 26 between individual adjacent vanes 25-25. Thus, as the

individual chips

30, 31 and 32, for example, are placed within the receptacle 11, they will fall, one-by-one into individual chip receiving zones 26-26, one chip being received in each such zone, and supported on the shoe 36. In order to deliver the individual chips in oneaby-one sequence from the chip dispensing cup 10, a chip dispensing port 34 is provided along the periphery of the cup 11. The axial disposition of the chip 34 is arranged to match that axial disposition of the chip receiving zones 21S-26, as the individual chips are supported by the shoe 36 along the botto-m of the core body 16. In order to rotate the core 12 relative to the receptacle body 11, such as is indicated by the arcuate arrows of FIGURE 4, a driving d-ise 38 is provided under the bottom 13 of the receptacle 11. The drive member or disc 38 is preferably spaced from the surface of the bottom 13 such as by a washer or the like, thus eliminating a build-up of excessive frictional forces between the rotating drive disc 38 and the bottom surface 13 of the receptacle 11. The outer periphery of the drive disc 38 is adapted to engage a working surface, and the frictional forces existing between the yperiphery of the drive disc 38 and the working surface will cause relative rotation of the core within the receptacle. It is preferable that the shaft 14 be keyed, partially flattened, or otherwise mechanically engaged with the core 12 and disc 38. In order to control the ow of chips into the chip receiving zones, a ilange such as the ange 37 is arranged immediately above the chip dispensing port 34. Thus, as the chips are placed within the con- 3 .iines of the cup 11, they will not be able to gain access to the chip dispensing Zone which may happen to be disposed immediately adjacent the chip dispensing port 34, the other chip receiving zones being theionly ones available or accessible to the individual chips.

In operation, the individual chips, tokens, dice, or the like are loaded into the receptacle 11, the contestant then thoroughly mixing the chips Within the chip distribution zone existing between the top of the core 12 and the top of the cup 11. Subsequently, the apparatus is placed in substantially upright position, the individual chips randomly falling into the individual accessible chip receiving zones Zai- 26. The apparatus is then tilted as shown in FIGURE 1, in order thatlthe chip dispensing port be disposed on the underside of the cup 11 and so that the friction surface of disc 38 is in contact With the playing surface 40. The contestant then moves the cup yalong the working surface along a path such as the path shown by the dotted line 41. During this movement, the disc 38 rotates in the direction shown by the varrows and the individual chips are dispensed in random sequence from the apparatus as indicated in the illustration of FIGURE 1. These chips are accordingly distributed in one-byone sequence,v the speciiic order being, of course,

random. Y

While it has been suggested throughout this specification that a ysingle chip, token or die be dispensed on each delivery event, it is, of course, possible that the unit be designed so as to dispense more than one chip, or the like upon each delivery event.

It will be further appreciated, of course, that the specic embodiments shown herein are for purposes of ill-us- Vtration only and are not to be otherwise construed as a limitation upon the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is: l

1. Means for dispensing va plurality of game chips in random sequence along a predetermined path comprising a receptacle having a side Wall, an open top, a closed bottom wall and a chip ydispensing port in said side wall adjacent said bottom wall, a shaft journalled in said bottom wall, said receptacle further having a cylindrical housing extending from saidbottom Wall a predetermined distance inwardly of said receptacle, said shaft being journaled coaxially in said housing, a chip dispensing core within said'receptacle, iixed to said shaft and having means thereon for delivering chips sequentially to said dispensing port upon rotation of said shaft, and a drive disc lcoaxial with Vand fixed to said shaft externally of said receptacle, said disc having friction means on the periphery thereof, whereby translation of said 4receptacle along said predetermined path with said friction means in contact with a playing surface will cause relative rotation of said core and said receptacle.

2. Chip dispensingmeans as recited in claim 1 Wherein a light spring ,is provided which acts between said core Vand said shaft to bias said shaftinwardly of said receptacle to draw said disc lightly against said bottom Wall.

References Cited by Vthe Examiner UNrTEiJ STATES PATENTS 1,929,788 10/,1933 Myers.y et a1. y 2,580,096 12/1951 Hon et a1. 22u-263x 2,881,960 4/1959 nadine 221-263 2,979,230 4/ 1961 Calverley 2737144 RICHAiD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examifir. A. W. KRAMER, Assistant Exii/Liner.

Claims

1. MEANS FOR DISPENSING A PLURALITY OF GAME CHIPS IN RANDOM SEQUENCE ALONG A PREDETERMINED PATH COMPRISING A RECEPTACLE HAVING A SIDE WALL, AN OPEN TOP, A CLOSED BOTTOM WALL AND A CHIP DISPENSING PORT IN SAID SIDE WALL ADJACENT SAID BOTTOM WALL, A SHAFT JOURNALLED IN SAID BOTTOM WALL, SAID RECEPTACLE FURTHER HAVING A CYLINDRICAL HOUSING EXTENDING FROM SAID BOTTOM WALL A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE INWARDLY OF SAID RECEPTACLE, SAID SHAFT BEING JOURNALED COAXIALLY IN SAID HOUSING, A CHIP DISPENSING CORE WITHIN SAID RECEPTACLE, FIXED TO SAID SHAFT AND HAVING MEANS THEREON FOR DELIVERING CHIPS SEQUENTIALLY TO SAID DISPENSING PORT UPON ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT AND A DRIVE DISC COAXIAL WITH AND FIXED TO SAID SHAFT, AND A DRIVE RECEPTACLE, SAID DISC HAVING FRICTION MEANS ON THE PERIPHERY THEREOF, WHEREBY TRANSLATION OF SAID RECEPTACLE ALONG SAID PREDETERMINED PATH WITH SAID FRICTION MEANS IN CONTACT WITH A PLAYING SURFACE WILL CAUSE RELATIVE ROTATION OF SAID CORE AND SAID RECEPTACLE.