US3295849A - Automatic bowling scorekeeping apparatus - Google Patents

Description

1967 D. D. MILLER ETAL 3,295,849

AUTOMATIC BOWLING SCOREKEEPING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 6, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet l RES T COUNTER ZERO INDICATOR OUTPUT INVENTORS DANIEL D.M|LLER JACK Y. ROBERTSON ATTORNEYS Jan. 3, 1967 D. D. MILLER ETAL 3,295,349

AUTOMATIC BOWLING SCOREKEEPING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 6, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 55 SET SET FIRST SECOND SPARE RIKE STRIKE MEMORY MEMORY MEMORY RESET TO COUNT ACCUMULA- OR INVENTORS DANIEL D. MILLER JACK Y. ROBERTSON BYOW /P%AP,5W ATTORNEYS Jan. 3, 1967 D. D. MILLER ETAL 3,295,349

AUTOMATIC BOWLING SCOREKEEPING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 6, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 227 PLAYER 225 ADVANCE TEMPORARY 0s MOTOR STOP 0 RINT 0s FRAME FRAME Os EXT FRAME B2 5 INVENTORS DANIEL D.M|'LLER F|G IC JACK Y. ROBERTSQN BYWF%PMW ATTORNEYS Jan. 3, 1967 MlLLER L 3,295,849

A AUTOMATIC BOWLING SGOREKEEPING APPARATUS FlG 2 BALL FOUL SIGNAL SIGNAL LOGIC PIN DETECTOR CIRCU'TRY RECORDER MEMORY 50| Ill +502 ,--NEXT FRAME MOTOR FRAME CONTACT INDICATOR Fl G. l4

INVENTORS DANIEL D. MILLER JACK Y ROBERTSON ATTORNEYS Jan. 3, 1967 D. D. MILLER ETAL 3,295,849

AUTOMATIC BOWLING SCOREKEEPING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 6, 1963 a Sheets-Sheet s DANIEL D MILLER JACK Y. ROBERTSON AT TORNEYS Jan. 3, 1967 D. D. MILLER ETAL 3,295,849

AUTOMATIC BOWLING SCOREKEEPING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 6, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 INV ENTORS DANIEL D. MILLER JACK Y. ROBERTSON ATTORNEYS Jan. 1967 D. D. MILLER ETAL 3,

AUTOMATIC BOWLING SCOREKEEPING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 6, 1963 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 FIG. 5 0

e 338 347 335 3l4 34 34 0 305 I 306 305 33 I i 302 35 303 v-/-/ 1 1,1 1 1 v VI/1,141 11 m m 3I'9 304 F I lIIIl/l/II/IIIIIIIIIIIIII/II/I INVENTORS DANIEL D.M|LLER JACK Y. ROBERTSON AT TORNEYS Jan. 3, 1967 D. D. MILLER ETAL 3,295,849

AUTOMATIC BOWLING SCOREKEEPING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 6, 1963 I 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTORS DANIEL D. MILLER 470 47L JACK Y. ROBERTSON ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofifice 3,295,849 Patented Jan. 3, 1967 3,295,849 AUTOMATIC BGWLING SCOREKEEPING APPARATUS Daniel D. Miller, Sunnyvale, and Jack Y. Robertson,

Concord, Calif., assignors, by mesne assignments, to

Doban Labs, Inc, a corporation of California Filed Sept. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 307,145 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-54) This invention relates to apparatus for automatically scoring bowling games. In particular, the apparatus of the invention provides electronic pulses from a pin sensor which indicates the number of pins left standing after a ball has been rolled, a pulse indicating that the ball has been rolled, and an indication of the occurrence of a foul. These pulses pass to an electronic circuit which interprets them to provide output signals to a recording equipment. The recording equipment keeps the cumulative score of a player or team of players, and also indicates the occurrence of spares, strikes, and fouls, if desired. This information can be recorded in proper sequence automatically for a team of five players playing in the order prescribed for leaque play by the American Bowling Congress (ABC).

In the past, bowling scores have been tabulated manually by skilled scorekeepers. These persons record line and frame scores, perform the required arithmetic, and tabulate the result to be projected on a screen for viewing. Such a manual system has numerous disadvantages. First, human errors invariably will creep into all phases of the scorekeepers work from time to time. He may miscount the pins, record a score for the wrong bowler, err in arithmetic, and so forth. Second, the labor cost for scorekeepers is high; labor expense is a substantial fraction of the expense of bowling alley operation-yet, to keep bowling popular, prices must be kept low. Third, manual scorekeeping is necessarily slow, delaying each game, and limiting the number of games which may be bowled during operating hours. This factor increases the rate of equipment amortization on a per-game basis.

Automatic scorekeeping equipment has been designed in the past. One type of such equipment is described in US. Patent 2,590,444. To date, however, this type of equipment has not proved commercially practical because of certain problems inherent in making use of it. First of all, the scorekeeping equipment must be used in conjunction with a pinsetter mechanism. Currently-installed pinsetters must be substantially modified, and the owners of the pinsetters (who are usually not the alley owners, since pinsetters are generally leased) are often unwilling to have their equipment modified. Second, the scorekeeping apparatus uses a large number of relays and rotating contacts, which tend to become contaminated with dust and dirt, with the result that play is frequently interrupted for long cleaning periods-40 say nothing of the errors caused by a contact failure. Third, and most important, the equipment tends to slow down play rather than speed it up. Normally, the pinsetter goes down over the pins only after a first ball (provided it has not been a strike); at that time the standing pins are lifted, and the fallen pins removed. During this move the standing pins may be easily counted by an adaptation on the pinsetter for scorekeeping. However, there is no reason (other than the scoring problem) to lift the standing pins following the second ball; since a pin lift is a slow operation at best, the game is speededby simply sweeping all the pins off the alley. But to take advantage of the prior-art automatic scorekeeper, the pinsetter mechanism rnust be altered to make this second pickup, thereby slowing down the game considerably just to obtain the standingpin count after the second ball.

This invention uses optical sensing equipment for detecting the pinfall resulting from a rolled ball. This equipment is described in copending application of John G. Bolger, Serial No. 178,873, filed March 12, 1962, now US. Patent 3,140,872, and assigned to the same assignee as this invention. The system of this invention in contrast to the prior art, therefore eliminates the roadblock previously encountered with a scorekeeping system tied to the pinsetter to obtain its count. No alteration of presently installed pinsetting equipment is required, and no extra pickup time is introduced to delay the game. The pulses from the optical pinspot-ter are transmitted to the logic circuitry.

The logic circuitry of this invention is entirely electronic. No relays or rotating contacts are used in that portion of the apparatus which converts the STAND input signal to the SCORE output signal.

Moreover, the apparatus hereof employs a chain of STAND pulses to indicate standing pins, rather than the ten separate pulses used in the prior-art apparatus. Thus only a single transmission line is needed to transmit the STAND input signal from the sensor to the logic circuitry. The priorart, on the other hand, has required a separate transmission line for each pin because all the pin signals were received simultaneously instead of sequentially,- and were transmitted in parallel to relays.

Briefly the logic circuitry responds to input signals which report any or all of the following information:

(1) that a ball has been rolled; or

(2) that a player has stepped over the foul line (a foul); or

(3) the STAND count (the number of pins still standing after a ball has been rolled).

In response to these input signals, the following output signals are provided which are fed to the score-recording apparatus of the invention:

(1) frame-advance;

(2) record a cumulative score;

(3) record a STRIKE (all pins felled on the first ball);

(4) record a SPARE (all pins felled on the second ball); and

(5) change players.

The logic circuitry interprets the input signals to provide the proper output signals at the proper times and in the proper sequence. This interpretation is accomplished within the space of a fraction of a second-many orders of magnitude less than that required by the prior-art systems. In addition, the scoring is vastly more accurate than accomplished in the prior art, in view of the numerous potentially dirty relay contacts and rotating switches which are eliminated.

The output signals from the logic circuitry are passed to the recording equipment. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, these signals include a signal indicating when the next player is to roll according to the playing sequence prescribed by the ABC. Then one score accumulator (or counter) is used for each player, and the output signals from the logic circuitry automatically switched from one player to the next in the prescribed sequence. The recording equipment, such as a desk unit and plurality of printer-counters-one for each playerprints or otherwise records the score. This record will indicate spares, strikes, cumulative score at each frame, and, if desired, the occurrence of a foul. Moreover, the score may, if wanted, be immediately projected for viewing by the players and spectators.

Since the United States alone contains over 200,000 operating bowling alleys which can make use of this type of equipment, the apparatus of the invention fills a real need. It provides the first practicable and workable scorekeeping system available for immediate purchase at a cost not out-of-line with its saving in labor and increase in the number of games which may be bowled in a single lane. Because of the involved logic circuitry, the apparatus of this invention may at first appear quite complex; nevertheless it is simple and reliable enough to provide the first practical system capable of. quantity manufacture at a low enough cost to make universal distribution possible.

The details of the apparatus will be best understood from the following detailed explanation, with reference to the following drawings:

FIGS. 1, A-C, when laid side-by-side, show a logic diagram of the logic circuitry used in this invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the entire apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a pictorial illustration having parts cut away, showing the desk unit used for moving the scoresheet to allow the score to be printed in the correct frame;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view, somewhat in section, showing the desk unit including the printing surface, the sheet of protective material between the printing surface and the printing element, and the projection lenses and screen;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view showing the tray of the desk unit in printing position;

FIG. 6 is a front view, partially broken away, showing the tray position indicator and tray slide arm in more detail;

FIG. 7 is a side elevation view, partially broken away in section, showing the printer-counter and the printing surface and support;

FIG. 8 is a sectional rear view of the printer-counter taken in the plane 88 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a sectional plan view taken in the plane 99 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the spare-strike wheel in the strike-printing position;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the spare-strike wheel in the spare-printing position;

FIG. 12 is a bottom view looking up at the spare-strike wheel;

FIG. 13 is a sectional elevation view showing the rotator for the spare-strike wheel, taken in the plane 1313 of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram of the frame indicator and tray position indicator switches, showing associated circuitry for one tray and indicator position.

The system of this invention is shown in block diagram in FIG. 2. The system is comprised of three main sections: the pin detector 400, the logic circuitry 100 including memory 102; and the recorder and tabulator 300. The logic circuitry 100 and memory 102 are shown in detail in FIGS. 1, A-C, and will be fully described henceforth. The recorder 300 may vary substantially according to the dictates of the alley operators. For example, the score may be printed to provide a record for the bowler; it may be fed into a data storage apparatus to be transmitted throughout the country in the case of nationwide bowling competitions; or it may be projected for viewing within the alley so that bowler and spectators may immediately see the frame results. Sometimes all of the above may be done. 7

Pin detector 400, in this invention, is an optical scanning device which provides a chain of output pulses, one for each standing pin. These pulses are achieved by means of a plurality of flashing lights which illuminate a part of the pins, e.g. the heads. Photocells are used to sense the lights after they are reflected from the heads of the pins.

Preferably a plan of group sensing is used to make maximum use of each photocell. To accomplish this, lights are reflected off the heads of each of a group of pins in sequence. The reflected beam from each pin in such group is directed at a single photocell. Thus, if the group has four pins, for example, a sequence of four flashes would be used, one directed at each pin. If all four were standing, the photocell would emit four sequential pulses; if one pin had been felled, only three pulses would be emitted, and so on. Enough photocells are employed to be certain of detecting the presence of all ten pins for a ten pin bowling system to which the embodiment described in this specification is directed. However, it will be obvious that simple changes in the pin spotters and logic circuitry can be made to adapt the apparatus to other systems using different numbers of pins (e.g. the German system), or for Duck Pins, using three balls rather than two.

The photocells emit a series of pulses called STAND pulses, one for each standing pin, which are passed to the logic circuitry. They are emitted before the pinsetter drops to pick up fallen pins (after the first ball) or drops to sweep away all the pins (after the second ball). This type of optical sensing is therefore a great improvement over sensing using the pinsetter itself. Pinsetter sensing requires the pinsetter to drop after the second ball to pick up standing pins for the count, and then drop again for the sweep. Thus an appreciable delay of the game results.

A more detailed explanation of the photoelectric pinspotter used in this invention can 'be had by reference to the above noted U.S. Patent 3,140,872. One set of pin groups are clearly illustrated in FIG. 1 of that application.

Turning to the logic circuitry of the invention, reference is now made to FIGS. 1, A-C. Throughout the FIGS. 1, AC, certain conventions of nomenclature and symbol are adhered to. An AND-gate is shown by an empty semicircle; and an OR-gate is shown by a semicircle with inputs extending through its interior. An inverter is shown by a box containing the letter I, and a delay is indicated by a box containing the letter D. A flip-flop is shown by a box containing the designation FF.

The signals used are abbreviated by the following symbols:

Spare S Strike ST First Ball B1 Second Ball B2 Spare Memory a- SM Strike Memory -fl STM Two-Strike Memory ZSTM Foul F Print COUNT (Cumulative Score) PC Print MARK PM A symbol carrying a bar above it is a conventional logic symbol meaning NOT e.g., ST=NOT a spare memory; BI=NOT ball one, or NOT a first ball).

As a further aid to the reader, all elements found on FIG. 1A have a number from 1-99; elements on FIG. 13 have numbers from -199; and elements on FIG. 1C have numbers from 200-299. All references will be to the numbers, and the location of any particular element will be indicated by its reference numeral.

Referring to FIG. 1, a BALL input signal is fed to the complement input flip-flop 1 each time a ball reaches the end of the alley. The initial state of this flip-flop is such that a B2 is indicated. As soon as a BALL signal has been received at the complement input, the state of the flip-flop changes, indicating B1. When the next BALL signal is received, the flip-flop returns to its original state, again indicating B2. Although the flip-flop 1 following a ST (all pins down in B1), will first change from B2 to B1, as a result of the Print MARK signal generated by the ST, it will be reset to B2 immediately thereafter (following the delay from delay 2) by the pulse into the reset input of delay 2 from OR-gate 2a. OR-gate 2a receives a pulse each time a MARK is recorded (a S or ST symbol). If the MARK was a ST, flip-flop 1 will be reset to B2 from Bi; if the MARK was a S, flip-flop 1 will receive a reset to B2 pulse, but will already be set on B2, so the pulse will have no effect. OR-gate 2a will also receive a pulse on FRAME 11 to reset flip-flop 1 to B2 at the end of a game.

When the STAND count input to the apparatus of this invention (the number of pins standing after a ball is rolled) is obtained from a pin sensor of the type described in US. Patent 3,140,872 mentioned above, the pin signals will appear in four distinct groups. The first group may contain as many as four pulses (assuming that there were four standing pins remaining), the second group three pulses, the third group two pulses, and the last group one pulse. The total possible number of pulses is a maximum of ten. To avoid any interference among the pulse groups, each group is delayed by delays 3, 4, 5, and 6 by an amount sufiicient to insure complete serialization of the ten pulses. Through this means, the input to OR-gate 7 from the four delays becomes a series of pulses, one for each standing pin up to the possible maximum of ten.

Two different types of arrows have been used in the FIG. 1 to designate input signals. The first type is a double-sided arrow which indicates an input signal which constitutes one or another binary level. The higher or positive level will alert the gate (in the case of an input to an AND-gate) and the lower level will not. The second type is a single-sided arrow, indicating a short duration pulse which will always pass through an OR-gate or through an alerted AND-gate.

The series of pulses from OR-gate 7, indicating the STAND, is transmitted directly through AND-gate 8 into counter 9 whenever no foul has been committed. In the absence of any foul signal, AND-gate 8 is alerted by the F level signal from flip-flop 1t}. Counter 9 is a conventional binary counter consisting of a plurality of flip-flops. As will be fully explained later, the counter counts to eleven in the binary number system, requiring for this four flip-flops. A four flip-flop binary counter can actually count up to a maximum of 16 (not including 0); since a count of eleven is all that is required for this invention, five counting positions are eliminated by use of regulation or feedback. The eleventh count can be referred to as zero, since there are eleven counts from zero and to ten.

As soon as the last of the STAND pulses has been transmitted to counter 9 (assuming no FOUL) a START COUNT signal is sent to delay 11. This delay insures that the STAND pulses will all have been reviewed and counted by the counter before the count cycle is begun. The pulse emitted from delay 11 is passed through AND- gate 13 which is normally alerted by the negative output level from AND-gate 14, connected through inverter 15 to make it positive. AND-gate 14 will provide a positive output level only when the B1 level from flip-flop 1 and the F level from flip-flop coincide. Since flip-flop 10 will not normally provide an F level, AND-gate 14 will not normally have a positive output level. The single start-count pulse from delay 11 then passes through alerted AND-gate 13, OR'gate 7, and alerted AND-gate 8 to in crease the count in counter 9 by one. This means that the count will'now be one more than the number of pins remaining standing after the ball has been rolled, the STAND having previously been stored in the counter.

. The pulse from delay 11 also passes into OR-gate 16 to trigger one-shot 17. (A one-shot is a conventional multivibrator which extends the duration of the trigger pulse at its input by a predetermined amount.) When energized by a pulse from one-shot 17, clock pulse generator (or clock) 18 will emit pulses continuously for the duration of the extended pulse. In this case, the duration of the extended pulse is that time which allows emission of ten clock pulses by clock pulse generator 18. These ten pulses will pass through normally-alerted AND-gate 21 (whose purpose will be explained later), OR-gate 7, and AND-gate 8 to counter 9. The ten counts will recycle counter 9 for one count less than a complete cycle '(eleven) Thus counter 9 will register a count equal to the number of standing pins, because it had previously been 6 set (by the additional single pulse from AND-gate 13) at a count equal to one more than the standing number.

The output pulses from clock 18 are also passed to AND-gate 19, and will pass through it provided that the gate is alerted at that moment. If it is not, the clock pulses will be blocked. The alerting input to AND-gate 19 comes from flip-flop 20. When flip-flop 20 is set, AND- gate 19 is alerted and will pass the clock pulses. Flipfiop 20 is set by the signal output pulse from AND- gate 13 which, it will be recalled also adds one to the count in counter 9. This signal pulse from AND-gate 13 is emitted in response to each START COUNT signal from delay 11. Flip-flop 20 is reset by an output pulse from AND-gate 22. Such a pulse will occur at the end of the clock pulse causing counter 9 to reach the zero state. Remember that counter 9 counts from zero to ten, totalling eleven counts, and that it was set by the STAND ignal to a count equal to the standing pins plus one (from AND-gate 13). Then ten more clock pulses are passed into the counter from clock 18. At some time during these ten clock pulses, counter 9 will reach zero and start a new counting cycle. The zero state of the counter 9 alerts AND-gate 22; at that time, flip-flop 20 is reset by the resulting output pulse from AND-gate 22, and the clock pulses to AND-gate 19' are blocked thereafter. The clock pulse bringing the counter to zero will pass through AND-gate 19, but the remainder of the ten pulses from clock 18 will not.

When a FOUL is committed, the normal sequence is altered. First, a FOUL signal sets flip-flop 10 to F. The absence of a F level at the input to AND-gate 8 then prevents that AND-gate fom passing the STAND pulses to counter 9. As a consequence, pins felled by a ball rolled during the commission of a FOUL are not counted.

The operation of the system is different when a FOUL occurs on B1 than when it occurs on B2. Where a FOUL occurs on B1, AND-gate 14 provides a positive output level to inverter 15, which removes an alerting level from AND-gate 13. The pulse from delay 11 is therefore prevented from being entered into counter 9. Since the FOUL also prevented the STAND pulses from entering counter 9, as described above, the counter 9 will remain at zero (to which it was reset by the B1 (E) pulse from inverter 25) after the count resulting from the FOUL roll. Moreover, flip-flop 20 is not set because of the absence of the pulse from AND-gate 13. When clock 18 emits its ten pulses, the counter 9 increases its count from zero to ten. However, the RESET position of flip-flop 20 prevents any of these ten pulses from passing through AND-gate 19 to the score accumulator. It is important that the counter 9 ends up at ten (indieating a .PINFALL of zero) in case the next ball is also a FOUL. Then the resulting score of zero for that frame (having two FOULS) in the counter 9 becomes the frame score.

When a FOUL occurs on B2, counter 9 is not reset by the B2. The E2 (FE) RESET pulse from inverter 24 is gated through AND-gate 23 to the RESET input of counter 9. This AND-gate is inhibited in the event of a FOUL by the absence of the requisite F level at one input. Thus, the score from the previous B1 remains in counter 9. If the B1 happened to be a FOUL, it is recalled, this count will be ten-indicating a zero pinfall. Again, of course, the B2 STAND signals are blocked from the counter 9 by AND-gate 8. With a B2 FOUL, AND-gate 14 is not alerted (a B1 pulse is required) and thus AND-gate 13 is not inhibited. The delayed pulse from delay 11 therefore passes through AND-gate 13 to set flip-flop 20. Thus the B1 score stored in counter 9 will be stored in the accumulator as the frame scorethe proper result since B2 was a FOUL.

A numerical example should help to clarify the normal operating sequence. In the following discussion, it will be assumed throughout that the player has not committed a foul in rolling his ball. Supposing that the bowler felled three pins with his first ball (leaving seven pins standing), seven pulses will then pass through OR-gate 7 and alerted AND-gate 8 into counter 9, setting it from zero to seven. After the STAND signal has been stored, the start count signal from delay 11 will set flip-flop 20' and will send a single pulse through AND-gate 13, OR-gate 7, and AND-gate 8 into counter 9 increasing its count to eight. One-shot 17 is triggered and clock 18 begins to send pulses to counter 9 as described above. The third such pulse will place counter 9 in the zero state. That pulse will therefore pass from AND-gate 8 through AND-gate 22 to reset flip-flop 20 at the end of the pulse. Consequently AND-gate 19 will no longer be alerted, and the remaining seven clock pulses cannot pass through. The three pulses previously passed, however, are the exact number of pins felled by the ball. Therefore the number of output pulses from AND-gate 19 represents the PINFALL. This PINFALL signal emerging from AND-gate 19 is used by several other portions of the apparatus, to be described later. The remaining seven pulses from clock 18 will however still reach counter 9, setting it to seven again (the STAND). This is important in case the next ball rolled happens to be a FOUL.

Counter 9 is reset after each ball has been rolled. This resetting therefore occurs before the STAND input signals are generated. The STAND for B1 is not needed for computation of the STAND for B2 because the felled pins following a B2 naturally include those felled earlier by the B1 (the pins not being reset between B1 and B2). Counter 9 is always reset, therefore, as flip-flop 1 changes from E2 to B1 when B1 strikes the backstop. This change in flip-flop 1 causes an instantaneous pulse, denoted as E, to emerge from inverter 25, and pass to the RESET input of counter 9 to reset the counter.

The apparatus of the invention has a very simple way of determining whether the pinfall was a ST or S (ten pins felled on B1 or B2, respectively). AND- gates 28 and 29 are used for this purpose. At the end of the PINFALL count (when the ten clock pulses have all been emitted from clock 18), one input of each of AND- gates 28 and 29 is alerted by the positive output level from inverter 30 after one-shot 17 has ceased its extended pulse. Another input of AND-gate 28 is alerted by the B1 level from flip-flop 1, and another input of AND- gate 29 is alerted by the B2 level from flip-flop 1. Thus, AND-gate 28 will be alerted after a B1, and AND-gate 29 after a B2.

Where a ST is rolled (after a B1), or a S is rolled (after a B2), the STAND input signal will be zero (no pins left standing). Counter 9 will remain set at zero until advanced one by the pulse from AND-gate 13, and ten further counts by the ten pulses from clock 18, thus arriving again at zero after eleven pulses have entered. When counter 9 reaches zero, it provides a positive output level designated as zero indicator in FIG. 1A. This level is passed to the inputs of AND- gates 28 and 29. Inverter 30 provides pulses to both of these AND- gates 28 and 29 at the time when the extended pulse from one-shot 17 ends. The pulse from inverter 30 can occur simultaneously with the presence of the zero indicator level only with a STAND count of zero in counter 9 (all pins down). Otherwise, the zero indicator level will be present and disappear while the extended pulse from one-shot 17 continues and thus no pulse from inverter 30 can be present. AND-gates 28 and 29'will no longer be alerted by the zero indicator level when the pulse from inverter 30 finally appears at the end of the pulse from one-shot 17.

If flip-flop 1 indicates a B1 with a STAND of zero, the pulse from inverter 30 will pass through AND-gate 28 to indicate a ST; if B2 is indicated, the pulse from inverter S 30 will pass through AND-gate 29 to indicate a S. These pulses are used by other parts of the apparatus to be described later.

The memory section of this apparatus remembers sequences of STs and Ss for each player until such information is no longer needed for calculating his score. The output from S-indicating gate 29 is fed into the SET input of spare memory which then produces an output level indicating SM, i.e., the last ball was a S. The spare memory 140 is then reset to m before each possible output signal from AND-gate 29 by a reset pulse to its RESET input from flip-flop 1 indicating a B2 (B1).

The strike memories are set in the following manner. A ST signal emerges from AND-gate 28 when the bowler scores'a ST. Assume, for the moment, that the bowler did not have a ST in the preceding frame. Before the throw, the first-strike memory flip-flop 141 was set at STM and the second-strike memory flip-flop 142 at 2STM. AND-gate 43 is therefore alerted by the presence of both the STM and the 2STM inputs to pass the ST pulse from AND-gate 28. This ST pulse is transmitted to the SET input of first strike memory 141 through OR-gate 44 so that the output level of memory 141 indicates STM- i.e., that the previous ball was a ST.

Suppose now that the player rolls another ST. AND- gate 45 is alerted by the STM output level from firststrike memory 141. The ST input to AND-gate 45 is passed through the gate to the SET input of second-strike memory 142. This pulse sets the memory 142 to the 2STM condition, indicating that two consecutive STs have been scored in the last two rolls. The same signal which sets memory 142 passes through OR-gate 47 to the RESET input of first-strike memory 141, resetting that memory to the STM condition.

If a third'ST should now be rolled, AND-gate 48 will not be alerted because, as a result of the third ST, a ST level exists at one of its inputs. Second-strike memory flip-flop 142 will not be reset, and thus it remains in the 2STM condition to remember the last 2 STs.

Suppose instead that the player rolls a third ball which is not a ST (after obtaining 2 consecutive STs). This ball will still cause a score to be recorded, as will be explained later. To understand the memory systems, it is important only to know that a PRINT COUNT (PC) signal will be generated because a cumulative score will be recorded on this third ball to maintain the scorekeeping at a current level. At this time, an alerting input level exists at one input of AND-gate 48 because the secondstrike memory 142 remains in the 2STM condition. The absence of a ST signal from AND-gate 28 at one-shot 53 results in a ST level from inverter 51 which appears at another input of AND-gate 48. These two inputs now alert the AND-gate 48, so that the PC pulse will pass through. The resulting output pulse from AND-gate 48 is passed to the RESET input of the second-strike memory 142 to reset the memory. The output pulse from AND- gate 43 is also passed through OR-gate 44 to the set input of first-strike memory 141, setting it to remember that one strike is still left unscored.

When a non-strike ball is rolled while first-strike memory 141 is still in the'STM condition, a similar sequence of events occurs. The W level from second-strike memory 142 appears at one input of AND-gate 52. The level from one-shot 53 and inverter 51 (indicating the lack of a ST) also passes to AND-gate 52, which is therefore alerted. Following printing of the score, the PC pulse is passed through alerted AND-gate 52 through OR-gate 47 to reset the first-strike memory 141 to STM.

Since the inverted signals W, STM, and m are often needed in the apparatus, they are produced from the output signals of memories 140,141, and 142 by inverters 153, 154, and 155, respectively.

Thus far, the following signals developed in the apparatus have been described:

a ST signal when the ball is a STRIKE;

a S signal when the ball is a SPARE;

B1 and B2 signals denoting the first or second ball in the frame, respectively;

a PINFALL signal indicating the number of pins knocked down by the ball;

a STM signal when the preceding ball is a ST;

a 2STM signal when the two preceding balls are both STs;

and

a SM signal when the preceding ball is a .S.

From the various signals from the above group, and their combination in proper sequence, the cumulative score is determined. The portion of the apparatus which accomplishes this function is described below.

The PINFALL count is added to the cumulative score after each B2. AND-gate 19 provides the PINFALL signal in the form of a chain of pulses, one for each pin knocked down. The PINFALL signal is then gated through AND-gate 54alerted by the B2 level-through OR-gate 101 to a suitable score accumulator, one type of which is described later in this specification. The count in the score accumulator is increased by one for each pulse in the chain of PINFALL pulses.

Under certain conditions, the PINFALL must be entered into the score accumulator following a B1. Such a situation arises when the immediately preceding B2 was a S (an SM condition), or the two previous frames were both STs (a 2STM condition). OR-gate 200 will provide a positive output level whenever such ZSTM or SM signals exist. The output level of OR-gate 200 is transmitted to one input of AND-gate 55. To alert the gate with a B1 level, the PINFALL pulses are transmitted from AND- gate 19 through alerted AND-gate 55 through OR-gate 101, whence it is transmitted to the score accumulator.

The apparatus must also handle multiple successive STs, or a ST following a S. The scoring procedure for multiple successive STs is the following:

A ball is rolled and is a ST. No score will yet be printed, because the total score for that frame will not be ascertained until after the following two balls have been rolled; recording of the cumulative score for that frame is therefore inhibited, as will be explained later. However, a score of ten points must immediately be entered into the score accumulator for the ten pins felled by the ST ball. Although ten pulses will pass through AND-gate 19 from clock 18 because of the ten pins felled,

these pulses will progress no further. AND-gate 54 is inhibited because the rolled ball is a B1 (not the required B2), and AND-gate 55 is inhibited because OR-gate 200 has neither a ZSTM nor a SM input, as required. Therefore some means other than AND-gate 19 must be employed to enter the ten points in the score accumulator. The solution is the passage of the ST signal from AND- gate 23 through AND-gate 104. Absence of any entries in the memories at this time leaves the necessary SM and ZSTM input levels to alert AND-gate 104. The ST pulse then passes on to trigger delay 11.

The pulse from delay 11 generates a new counting sequence. One-shot 17 is triggered through OR-gate 16, and the count in counter 9 is increased by one as a result of the pulse from delay 11 passing through AND-gate 13, OR-gate 7, and AND-gate 8 to counter 9. This same pulse sets flip-flop 20, as explained previously. The extended pulse from one-shot 17 causes clock 18 to emit its ten pulses through AND-gate 19. However, these pulses are blocked at AND- gates 54 and 55, as described in the first cycle above. During the present cycle, however, the positive ST level from one-shot 53 appears at AND-gate 105. No strike level appeared during the first cycle because ten counts had to pass in order that a ST pulse might be generated into one-shot 53. This ST level, along with the W and ZSTM conditions, which are present during the single ST- situation, alert AND-gate 105. The ten clock pulses from clock 18 thus pass through AND-gate 10 and OR-gate 101 to increase the accumulator count by ten.

The identical sequence of events will occur when the next ball rolled is also a strike, except that the first strike memory 141 will be energized prior to the roll (because of the previous ST). However, neither the spare or secondstrike memories will yet have a positive level, so AND- gates 104 and 105 will remain alerted by the W and ZSTM inputs. The ST signal from AND-gate 28 will pass through alerted AND-gate 104 to delay 11. The same signal is also passed through AND-gate 45, alerted by the STM condition of first-strike memory 141, to the SET input of second-strike memory 142, and through OR-gate 47 to the RESET input of second-strike memory 141. Thus the second-strike memory 142 is set, and the first-strike memory 141 is reset. AND-gate 55 will now be alerted (by OR-gate 200) to pass the ten resulting pulses from clock 18 to OR-gate 101 and from there on to the score accumulator, increasing its accumulated count to twenty.

Finally, if the third ball rolled is a third successive ST, AND-gates 104 and 105 will no longer be alerted because of the positive level in the second-strike memory 142. However, this 2STM level will be passed through OR-gate 200 to combine with the B1 level to alert AND-gate 55. AND-gate 55 will thus be alerted during the initial countout from counter 9 through AND-gate 19 even before the ST signal has been generated as a result of this initial count-out of ten. The ten clock pulses generated will thus pass from AND-gate 55 through OR-gate 101 to add another ten points to the score accumulator, making the new total thirty. This figure is the proper score to be entered in the first frame, as may be seen from the following recount:

ten points for the initial pinfall on the first ball (STl);

a tenoint bonus determined by the second ball (ST2) which felled ten pins); and

a further ten-point bonus determined by the third ball (ST 3), which also felled ten pins.

A total of thirty points is thus scored in the firstframe. The first-frame score, which has so far been suppressed because incomplete, is now completely determined and may be recorded.

When the ST signal is indicated by AND-gate 28 as a result of the third ST, AND-gate 106 was alerted because of the positive levels on its alerting inputs: the first level is a FRAME TEN level because game has not reached the tenth frame; and the second level is the 2STM+SM level from memory 142, passed through OR-gate 200. The ST pulse from AND-gate 28 is thus passed through AND-gate 106 to the SET input of flip-flop 107, setting that flip-flop. The SET level of flip-lop 107 in turn alerts AND-gate 108 and removes the RESET alerting level from AND-gate 21.

The PC signal generated to print the cumulative score of thirty is transmitted to delay 109 (which delays it long enough for printing to be completed). After the score has been printed, the pulse at the end of the delay in delay 109 has three functions. First, the pulse is passed to AND-gate 111, which at that time is alerted by the ZSTM level resulting from the two previous STs, and the FRAME TEN level (meaning that the game is not in the tenth frame). The FRAME TEN level is provided by a frame indicator except When that indicator shows frame ten. The output pulse from AND-gate 111 sets flip-fiop 112, and also passes through OR-gate 16 to one-shot 17 and clock 18. Ten pulses are emitted by clock 18. The SET levels of flip- flops 107 and 112 now block AND-gate 21 which requires the RESET levels of flip- flops 107 and 112 to alert it. These ten pulses are thus blocked from counter 9 by AND-gate 21. The ten clock pulses will pass through AND-gate 113 (now alerted by the SET level of flip-flop 112), and thus ten more counts are added to the cumulative score through OR-gate 101 making it forty.

The second function of the delayed output pulse from delay 109 is to advance the frame. The delayed pulse from delay 109 thus passes through OR-gate 114 to advance a frame indicator. This frame indicator may be a stepping switch, or other means of keeping track of the frame for which the cumulative score was last recorded. The PC pulse indicated that a cumulative score had been recorded in the previous frame, and that the frame indicator must therefore be advanced one position. The frame indicator also serves to generate frame signals, such as FRAME TEN and the inverse FLEET E TEN.

The third function of the ulse from delay 109 is to trigger a second delay 115. The delay of delay 109 lasts long enough to permit addition to the score of the ten which brought it up to forty.

Delay 115 also has three functions to perform at the end of the delay time. The first is to reset flip-flop 112. This flip-flop was set by the pulse from delay 109 at the end of the delay period of delay 109, and must be reset when the score has been recorded.

The second function of the pulse from delay 115 at the end of the delay period is to pass through AND-gate 108 (alerted by the SET condition of fiip-fiop 107) through OR-gate 16 to trigger one-shot 17. One-shot 17 causes ten clock pulses to be emitted by clock 18 and these are passed through AND-gate 117 (also alerted by the SET condition of flip-flop 107) and OR-gate 101 to the score accumulator. Thus, a cumulative score of fifty has now been entered.

At the end of the ten clock pulses from clock 18 when the pulse from one-shot 17 ends, the resulting output pulse from inverter 30 through AND-gate 118 (normally alerted by inverter 119 except during the delay provided by delay 115) resets flip-flop 107. it is apparent that a pulse from inverter 30 to AND-gate 118 also appeared after the first ten points was added to the score to increase it to forty; however, at that time a pulse was being emitted by delay 115 through inverter 119 so that AND-gate 118 was not at that moment alerted. Flip-flop 107 therefore remained in the SET condition until the second pulse from inverter 30 at the end of the delay of delay 115. Again the clock pulses were not passed through AND-gate 21 because the SET condition of flip-flop 107 removed the alerting signal from AND-gate 21. The score of fifty has now been entered into the accumulator, but has not yet been recorded. One more ball must be rolled to determine the complete score for the second frame.

When a S is rolled (all pins down on B2), the S pulse from AND-gate 29 sets the spare memory 14-0. Flipflop 1 is then at B2. The next B2 striking the backstop and resetting flip-flop 1 to B2 (fi) will also reset spare memory 140.

The situation of a S followed by a ST is handled by the same portion of the apparatus as discussed above for successive STs. Following the S, spare memory 140 is in the SM condition. The output level of OR-gate 200 combined with the B1 level alerts AND-gate 55. Now the ten pulse signal from AND-gate 19 as a result of the PINFALL of ten is transmitted through alerted AND- gate 55 and OR-gate 101 to add another ten points to the cumulative score. A cumulative score will always be recorded on the first ball after a spare, because the total score for the spare frame (which requires only one bonus ball) will then have been ascertained. After the ST ball following the S, therefore, a score will be recorded (for the preceding frame), and a PC signal will be emitted from delay 109 which, following the delay, will advance the frame count once through OR-gate 114. As in the case of successive STs, flip-flop 107 will be set by the ST signal from AND-gate 28 passed through AND-gate 106 (alerted by the SM and FRAME TEN levels). The SET level of flip-flop 107 in turn alerts AND- gates 108 and 117. This time, however, AND gate 111 will not have been alerted because no previous 12 second ST existed to furnish the ZSTM level required. Consequently, the only effects of the delay 109 pulse are to advance the frame and to trigger delay 115.

After the delay period of delay 115, the delayed pulse passes through alerted AND-gate 108, and through OR- gate 16 to one-shot 17 and clock 18. Ten more pulses then add ten points to the score through AND-gate 117 (alerted by the SET level of flip-flop 107) and OR-gate 101. The ten pulses cannot pass to the counter 9 because AND-gate 21 is blocked by the SET level of flip-flop 107. These points represent the ten pins felled in the frame having a S. Now flip-flop 107 is reset by the pulse from one-shot 17 through inverter 30 and normally-alerted AND-gate 118 at the end of the ten clock pulses.

When the frame indicating apparatus indicates that the player is bowling in FRAME TEN, AND-gate 106 and 111 are inhibited by the FRAME TEN pulse and thus prevent any bonus from being added to the score. This step is necessary because the scores obtained from balls rolled after the two frame-ten balls are used only to compute a frame-ten bonus in the event that frame ten produced a ST or a S for the bowler. The pinfall does not count also as a frame score for a succeeding frame, as was the case for the nine earlier frames.

The bonus for a single ST (not immediately followed by another ST) is handled by a different section of the apparatus. The first ten points for the ST are added through AND-gate 105 and OR-gate 101, as discussed above in the case of the first strike of a series. A symbol is then recorded for the ST (as will be explained later), and the PM pulse used to print the symbol resets ball flip-flop 1 to the B2 state through OR-gate 2A and delay 2. The ST pulse from AND-gate 28 also sets the first-strike memory 141 to STM.

When the next succeeding B1 is not a ST, the clock pulses emerging from AND-gate 19 are still blocked. They cannot pass through AND-gate 55 because no ZSTM or SM level exists to alert that gate; and they cannot pass through AND-gate 54 because only a B2 alerts that gate. AND-gate 105 is blocked by the lack of a ST, and AND- gates 113 and 117 are blocked because flip- flops 112 and 107, respectively, are reset. second ball however (B2), AND-gate 54 is alerted by the B2 level and the total PINFALL following the B2 is passed through AND-gate 54 to OR-gate 101, thereby adding this PINFALL to the previously accumulated score. Assuming that the player felled seven pins in this second frame (following the ST in Frame 1 which has already caused ten points to be stored in the score accumulator), a STAND of three would appear in counter 9. Seven pulses will therefore be passed through AND- gate 19 and AND-gate 54 before the counter returned to zero and reset flip-flop 20 to block AND-gate 19. These pulses pass through OR-gate 101 to enter the score accumulator as the ST bonus, making the new cumulative score total seventeen. Since this figure represents the complete score for the first frame (where the ST was rolled), it may now be recorded there in response to a PC signal (derived in a manner which will be described later).

Before the termination of the delay in delay 109 triggered by the PC pulse, the PC pulse does two things. First, it advances the frame indicator immediately because the score of seventeen for the strike frame has already been recorded. This rapid frame-advance pulse is achieved through AND-gate 120. The first-strike memory provides a STM level at one input. Another input, with nothing in the spare memory, has the necessary SM pulse; and a third input is connected through inverter 51 to one-shot 53. This last positive input level signifies that the ST in the first-strike memory is not new, but occurred on the previous frame. The fourth input comes from delay 109 through inverter 121. This fourth input is normally alerted except during the extent of the delayed pulse from delay 109. Since all the inputs are alerted under the conditions existing during a PC pulse On the Y 13 following a first-strike frame, AND-gate 120 will pass the PC pulse directly through OR-gate 114 prior to termination of the delay in delay 109, and the frame will advance one position.

AND-gate 122 has inputs identical with AND-gate 120 except that a FRAME TEN is substituted for the WM. Provided that the player has not reached the tenth frame, this input will also receive signals of the proper levels to alert the AND-gate 122. The PC pulse is therefore passed through AND-gate 122 to delay 11. Delay 11 now performs in same manner as it does following a rolled ball. A first pulse passes into counter 9- through AND-gate 13, OR-gate 7, and AND-gate 8. Then ten clock pulses from clock 18 pass through AND-gate 21 (alerted because neither flip-flop 107 nor flip-flop 112 is now SET) into counter 9 which still contains the STAND count of three (for a PINFALL of seven) plus one more added from AND-gate 13 to total four. Seven pulses will pass AND-gate 19, therefore, before the counter returns to zero and flip-flop 20 is reset. These seven pulses pass through AND-gate 54 (alerted by the B2 level) and OR-gate 101 into the accumulator as a PIN- FALL score, yielding a new cumulative score of twentyfour. A PC pulse is generated, as will be described shortly, and the cumulative score of twenty-four is recorded at frame two. After this score has been recorded, the delay of delay 109' ends. Completion of the delay sends a pulse to frame-advance OR-gate 114 to advance the frame indicator to the third frame. The pulse from delay 109 also passes to alerted AND-gate 52 and OR- gate 47 to reset first-strike memory 141. Although delay 115 is incidentally triggered by delay 109, this has no eifect in this sequence. One output of delay 115 is connected to AND-gate 108, which is not now alerted, and the other output serves only to reset fiip-fiop 112, which is already reset.

The next frame pulses necessary to generate the PC and PM signals are generated in the recording portion of the apparatus of this invention. Therefore the description now turns to the detailed explanation of an exemplary type of recording apparatus identified in the block diagram of FIG. 2 as recorder 300. This recorder may be a desk unit, used to print the cumulative scores and ST and S symbols on a special type of paper. Such a desk unit is shown in FIGS. 36. The reference numerals to FIGS. 36 are the numbers 301350. The corresponding parts shown in more than one of FIGS. 3-6 have been given the same reference number in all figures. The counter, used both as the cumulative score accumulator and printing element, is shown as a block in FIGS. 3-6 and in detail in FIGS. 7-13. The reference numerals to FIGS. 7-13 are the numbers 401-471.

For the description of the desk unit, FIGS. 3 and 4 are referred to. The desk unit is mounted on a board 301. Tray 302, having a plurality of fingers 303, is adapted to hold a printing surface 304 which is shown only in FIG. 4. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the tray is shown in projecting position. Printing surface 304 is held to tray 302 by four clips 305. The tray is slidably mounted on supports 306 by means of rigidly fixed bearing blocks 307. In the projecting position shown, the tray is located above one or more projection lamps 308 which are focused by one or more lenses 309. One such lamp may provide projection illumination for all five openings between fingers 303 of tray 302, or each opening may have its own lamp. The lamps are usually located about 6 inches below the printing surface 304 which is clipped to the upper surface of tray 302 in clips 305 as shown in FIG. 4. The projection components are conventional and no further description is believed necessary here.

The sliding tray 302 is moved by arms 310 and 311. Each of these arms is bent as shown and pivoted to a The tray is moved by motor 315 equipped with a magnetic brake 316. In practice, a small HR, 25 r.p.m. motor is satisfactory. The magnetic brake provides instantaneous stopping of the motor at any desired position of motor shaft 317 the moment the power to motor 315 is turned 01f. Shaft 317 of motor 315 has an eccentric crank 318 attached to it. The end of this crank 318 is pivotally connected to one end of extension 313 of arm 311, as shown. As shaft 317 rotates, tray 302 is caused to slide in mounting 306 forward and backward as the motor 315 rotates. The tray alternates between the projecting position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and the various printing positions, such as the one shown in FIG. 5. In the printing positions, fingers 303 of tray 302 are interdigitated with printing supports 319. Printing elements 320 strike downwardly on the printing surface 304 located over the printing supports 319. The printing elements strike with a reasonably strong force, e.g., about ten foot-pounds, in order to insure a clean impression on the printing surface.

It is preferable that printing supports 319 be slightly resilient to insure a clean impression in spite of slight irregularities in the printing dies or in the orientation in which they strike the printing surface. In the embodi ment shown, these supports consist of a plurality of resilient fingers.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the method of printing may be clearly understood. Tray 302 slides beneath printing element 320, as shown in FIG. 5, to reach the proper printing position. When the tray is so positioned, solenoid 337 is energized, pulling shaft 338 into the solenoid and swinging printing element 320 on shaft 335 so that its raised characters strike on the printing surface. The motion of printing element 320 is stopped by rod 314. During the printing operation, spring 339 is loaded and solenoid 337 swings slightly on pivot 341. After printing is completed, spring 339 returns element 320 to short extension 312 and 313, respectively. The unpivoted its normal non-printing position.

The sliding position of tray 302 can be sensed electrically. Referring to FIG. 6, a plurality of contacts 321 are mounted on the side of motor 315. Contacts 321 are contacted by a brush 322 attached to motor shaft 317. As shaft 317 rotates, brush 322 rotates correspondingly, and at each position of the shaft, brush 322 will touch a dilferent one of contacts 321. Since the position of shaft 317 also determines the position of the sliding tray, the different electrical signal sent for each different contact 321 touched by brush 322 will indicate the position of the tray. Tray 302 has a position for each frame, and an additional position for projecting.

The generation of the PC signals can be best understood from reference to FIG. 14 along with FIG. 6. The rotating arm 322 and contacts 321 shown in FIG. 6 are shown again in FIG. 14 and labeled MOTOR CON- TACT. Arm 317 rotates with the tray so that the particular contact 321 touched by the tip of arm 322 denotes the tray position. Each such tray position corresponds to a frame on the scoresheet. Frame indicator 500 has been discussed earlier and is used to keep track of the next frame in which a cumulative score is to be recorded. In the position illustrated in FIG. 14, this frame indicator is at FRAME SIX, indicating that the next frame to have a cumulative score entered will be FRAME SIX. As illustrated, the NEXT FRAME+1 is FRAME SEVEN, and the NEXT FRAME+2 is FRAME EIGHT.

When the motor reaches the NEXT FRAME (FRAME SIX in the illustration), thus indicating that the NEXT FRAME (FRAME SIX) is in printing position, a pulse is generated which will be termed the NEXT FRAME pulse. This may be accomplished in many ways. One such method is illustrated schematically in FIG. 14, using battery 501. With both the frame indicator 500 and the motor pointer 332 at FRAME SlX, a complete electrical circuit is formed with battery 501, putting a voltage on contacts 502 to provide a pulse. A similar circuit can be carbon, wax, or the like.

employed between the FRAME SIX contact on the frame indicator and the FRAME SEVEN contact on the motor to provide a NEXT FRAME-j-l pulse. The same circuit between the FRAME SIX contact on the frame indicator and the FRAME EIGHT contact on the motor provides the NEXT FRAME+2 pulse. Each of these pulses designates the tray to be at the appropriate frame (NEXT FRAME, NEXT FRAME-l-l, etc.). The same circuitry may be used for all the remaining frames. These pulses will be used by the logic circuitry to generate the PC and PM pulses in a manner to be described later.

A complete cycle of operation of the desk unit includes vboth printing and projecting. Referring again to FIG. 3, after the printing portion of the cycle has been completed, the tray returns automatically to the position shown in FIG. 3 for projecting. When the tray reaches its maximum outward swing away from printing supports 319, arm 313 hits switch 323 to stop the cycle. The score is then projected on screen 342 by illumination from lamp 303 passing through lenses 309 and 343 and reflector 344. Theprinting and projecting cycle is repeated when the next printing signal is received by the motor. Such a signal provides exactly the required amount of power to motor 315 to move tray 302 to the next printing position.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, scoresheet 304 has a paper cover 345 held apart from the scoresheet 304 during projection by hinged plate 346 and fixed plate 347. Handle 348 is connected to plate 346 which is hinged at hinge 349. Lifting this handle to the position shown in dotted lines allows for easy insertion of paper 345. During the printing operation, paper 345 slides out from between plates 346 and 347 as tray 302 moves beneath printing element 320 as shown in FIG. 5. While tray 302 slides back to the projecting position in FIG. 4, paper 345 slides back between plates 346 and 347. During the printing stroke, printing surface 304 is covered by paper sheet 345 so that the raised characters 336 cannot contact the printing surface directly, but strike instead upon paper cover sheet 345. This prevents characters 336 from being covered with the coating removed from printing surface 304.

The printing surface is made of translucent material, such as glass, polyester film, polyethylene, vinyl, or the like. It should be tear-resistant, and preferably heatresistant so that it is not softened by heat from the projecting lamp. It should, therefore, have a softening point above about 60 C., unless the projection system is insulated from the printing surface or adequate cooling is available. A thickness of about 0.002-0.005 inch has been found satisfactory in practice. Since a great many scoresheets are required, this material should also be inexpensive.

The printing surface is coated on the side facing the printing element with a removable opaque coating, such as This coating should be thin enough to be capable of being completely removed when struck by the printing element, leaving a translucent impression of the printed character. About 0.0005 to 0.001" of coating has been found adequate. The coating should be soft enough to be entirely removed by the printing element, but hard enough so that it is not removed in handling, otherwise dirty fingers result.

If desired, the printing surface may be joined to the paper cover at one edge 350, as shown in FIG. 4. This allows complete scoresheet assemblies to be prefabricated, and eliminates the need for a separate cover paper to be inserted in the clip along with each scoresheet. The joined edge 350 is inserted in clips 305 on the edge of tray 302 facing resilient supports 319. The non-joined edge of the printing surface is inserted in clips 305 on the edge of tray 30?. away from resilient supports 319. The nonjoined edge of the paper cover is inserted between plates 346 and 347 as described above.

The printer counter units are used both as the printing element shown as block 20 in PEG. 4 and as the score accumulator discussed above. This unit is shown in detail in FIGS. 7-13. Referring to FIG. 7, the printing element is rotatably mounted on support 402 by shaft 432. The raised characters to be printed are disposed on printing wheels, of which one (the spare-strike wheel 403) is shown. A solenoid 404 is contained in shell 405, and is used to cause printing element 401 to print. When an electric printing signal is received by solenoid 404, shaft 406, which is pivotally connected to printing element 401 at pivot 407, is pulled toward solenoid 404 by the action of the solenoid. This motion causes printing element 401 to pivot on shaft 432, extending spring 408, so that the selected printing wheels strike printing surface 409. In the position in which the spare-strike wheel 403 is shown in FIG. 7, called neutral, neither the raised strike symbol 461 nor the raised spare symbol 462 can print; only a numerical (cumulative) score will print. This will be more fully explained later. When a spare or a strike (i.e., a MARK) is scored, spare-strike printing wheel 403 is moved into printing position by pulley 410 connected to the spare-strike wheel 403 by belt 411. Shell 405 is pivoted at point 412 to prevent its hindering the printing motion of element 401.

After completion of the printing, shaft 406 is released from solenoid 404 and printing element 401 is returned to the neutral position by loaded spring 408. If the next impression is to be made in a different location, tray 409 is moved so that the desired portion of the surface is located beneath the printing element, as was discussed above in the description of the desk unit. Preferably, the support 413 beneath printing surface 409 is slightly resilient to absorb the shock as printing element 401 strikes the printing surface.

The counting or score accumulator portion of printing element 401 may be best understood by reference to FIG. 8. Three score wheels 420, 421, and 422 are used to represent the hundreds digit, the tens digit, and the units digit, respectively, of the cumulative score. In this view it may be seen that when the spare-strike wheel 403 is in the neutral position illustrated, the raised numerals on score wheels 420, 421, and 422 extend radially beyond the spare and strike symbols in the lowermost, or printing, position. In this position, the score wheels, but not the spare-strike wheel, will strike the printing surface during the printing motion and so print.

The score wheels 420, 421, and 422 are rotated in such a manner that the cumulative score is always disposed lowermost (i.e., in printing position). This score is represented by the units digit disposed on wheel 422, the tens digit on wheel 421, and the hundreds digit on wheel 420. To increase the cumulative score by a count of one, pinion gear 424, which is linked to pinion gear 427 (which in turn is linked to wheel 422) is rotated one position by a mechanical linkage to solenoid 423. Such a linkage is well known in the art. Solenoid 423 is energized to cause this rotation by an electric signal. These signals come from OR-gate 101 in FIG. 1B. Each successive electric signal causes pinion gears 424 and 427 and units wheel 422 to rotate one position, increasing the number dispose-d lowermost on units wheel 422 by a count of one. Whenever this lowermost units number changes from nine to zero, tens wheel 421 is rotated one position by pinion gear 426 so that the number disposed lowermost on it is increased by a count of one; and in turn, when tens wheel 4211 changes from nine to zero, pinion gear 425 causes hundreds wheel 420 to increase the number disposed lowermost on it by a count of one. 7

The pulses to solenoid 423 need not be single pulses; a chain of pulses may be used to increase the cumulative score indicated. by the numbers disposed lowermost on score wheels 422, 421, and 420' by the number of pulses in the chain. For example, if the score wheels indicate a value of one hundred twenty-one (121), and a count of nine (9) is to be added, the signal to solenoid 423 would be a chain of nine pulses, and would energize the solenoid nine separate times. This rotates units wheel 422 nine places, from one to zero; as the zero moves into printing position on units wheel 422, tens wheel 421 rotates one place, from two to three. The hundreds wheel 420 would not rotate, because the tens wheel 421 did not pass from nine to zero. Thus, the new cumulative score of one hundred thirty (130) will be set for printing. A signal to printing solenoid 404 then causes the printing operation, as explained above.

As the bowling continues, the scores are added continually to the cumulative score shown by the counter in the manner described above, until the game is finished. When a spare or a strike is bowled, the procedure is varied slightly, because one or two of the next balls are counted twice in scoring; the frame score is therefore not completed until these later balls have been bowled. Instead of an immediate score, then, the symbol (for a spare) or X (for a strike) is printed. These symbols are located on spare-strike printing wheel 403. Whenever these symbols are printed, score wheels 420, 421, and 422 cannot print (for reasons described later). In the case of a strike, the frame is completed as soon as two more balls have been bowled; for a spare, one more ball is necessary. After these balls have been bowled, the score for the frame is finally printed, next to the spare or strike symbol.

A very important feature of the printer-counter is the method by which the printing force is applied. To obtain a clear, undistorted impression of the raised characters, a fairly heavy striking force is required. With conventional printers, compromise has always been necessary between the desired striking force and the danger of damage to the shaft containing the printing wheels. Where this shaft is pivotably mounted in the sides of the printing element, all the striking force is transmitted to the ends of the shaft, and it has not been uncommon for it to bend, eventually, under the heavy continual force.

In FIG. 8A, it may be seen that shaft 428 is slidably mounted in slot 429. The shaft is normally held in the lowermost position in slot 429 by springs 428a. When the printing operation begins, printing element 401 is moved downwardly against the printing surface. When one of the printing wheels (such as counting wheel 422, shown in FIG. 8A) strikes the printing surface, shaft 428 is caused to slide upwardly in slot 429. This slidin motion is stopped by backing bar 440, shown in both FIG. 8 and FIG. 8A. This backing bar is rigidly fastened, as by casting to the sides of printing element 401 (as shown in FIG. 8). The numeral (on wheel 422) which lies diametrically opposite from the one about to be printed \mll strike against backing bar 440. Thus, the striking force, instead of being transmitted through the ends of shaft 428 as was the case with prior printing elements, is transmitted di-ametrally through the printing wheels themselves. When the element is not printing, springs 428a hold the wheels away from backing bar 440 to allow them free rotation during the counting or scoring process.

In prior printing elements, this large force exerted on the ends of shaft 428 required that the shaft have considerably greater diameter than the shaft used in this invention. In addition, hearings were frequently needed in the mounting. These features increased the driving power required to rotate the score wheels while decreasing the speed of their rotation. The shaft of this invention, not being subject to such heavy force, can be made long enough to accommodate a large number of wheels without any danger of its buckling under the printing stress. Diametral transmission of force through the wheels has been found to provide a very clear printed image of the desired character. Further description will be found belowin connection with the spare-strike wheel.

The operation of spare-strike wheel 403- may best be seen from FIGS. 9, l0, and 11. In FIGS. 10 and 11, the spare-strike wheel 403 is shown in position ready to print one of its two symbols. When wheel 403 is in either of its printing positions, the strike symbol and the spare symbol extend radially beyond the raised numerals of score wheels 420, 421 and 422. In FIG. 10, the strike symbol 461 is shown in contact with printing surface 409. Its greater radial extension prevents score wheels 420, 421, and 422 from coming in contact with printing surface 409. In FIG. 11, the spare symbol 462 is shown in contact with printing surface 409; its greater radial extension has the same effect.

Referring now to FIG. 9, spare-strike wheel 403 is rotated from neutral position to the spare or strike position by the action of solenoids 470 and 471. When solenoid 470 is energized, shaft 432 and pulley 410 are rotated counterclockwise. Pulley 410 is connected to pulley 460 on spare-strike wheel 403 by belt 411. As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, belt 411 is prevented from moving, relative to pulley 460, by a knife-like extension 446 on pulley 460. Belt 411 may be a spring, as illustrated, or other conventional elastic belt. Knife-like extension 446 is wedged between the coils of the spring and holds it securely to pulley 460. The counterclockwise rotation of pulley 410 thus causes a similar counterclockwise rotation of pulley 460, bringing the spare symbol 462 into printing position. Solenoid 470 used to bring the spare symbol into position, is energized by a pulse from AND-gate 214 shown in FIG. 1C. This pulse is generated when a MARK is to be printed, and that MARK is a S.

Conversely, when solenoid 471 is signalled, shaft 432 and pulley 410 are rotated clockwise, bringing strike symbol 461 into printing position. The rotation of shaft 432 and pulley 410 is again transmitted to spare-strike wheel 403 by belt 411. This solenoid is analyzed by a pulse from AND-gate 213 of FIG. 1C. The signal to one or the other of these solenoids is maintained during printing; then it is stopped and the energized solenoid 470 or 471 is held in its neutral position by leaf spring 433.

Summarizing with reference to FIGS. 10, 11, I2, and 13, a spare signal to solenoid 470 rotates pulley 460 counterclockwise, as shown in FIG. 11. Spare symbol 462 is then in printing position. A strike symbol to solenoid 471, on the other hand, rotates pulley 460 clockwise, as shown in FIG. 10. Strike symbol 461 is then in printing position. After the desired symbol has been printed, the energized solenoid 470 or 471 is released, allowing extended leaf spring 433 to return to its normal position, thereby holding spare-strike wheel 403 in the neutral position shown in FIG. 12. Because of the force with which the spare-strike wheel 403 strikes the printing surface 409, it is advantageous for production of a clear image that this force be transmitted through a diameter of printing wheel 403; this also minimizes strain on the wheel. For this purpose, printing wheel 403 has raised portions 451 and 452 located diametrically opposite from the strike and spare symbols 461 and 462, respectively. The printing force is then transmitted from abutment 440 through a diameter of printing wheel 403 extending from raised portion 451 or 452 to symbol 461 or 462, respectively (depending upon whether a strike or a spare is to be printed). This diametral transmission of force produces a very clear and distinct image of the spare and strike symbols on the printing surface 409.

Stops 443 and 444 are used to locate the spare and strike symbols for precise printing. A strike is printed when stop 443 of printing wheel 403 hits against 440 (shown in FIG. 10); a spare is printed when stop 444 of printing wheel 403 hits against abutment 455.

At the close of the game, after the final score has been printed through the action of printing element 401, score wheels 420, 421, and 422 must be reset to zero for the next game. This is accomplished by a conventional resetting mechanism contained in the counting portion of printing element 401 shown in FIG. 8. Such mechanisms are well known in the art, and therefore no further description is believed necessary here. Re-setting may be accomplished manually, or by an electric signal, as desired.

Returning to the logic circuitry shown in FIG. 1, a signal must be generated to start the motor of the desk unit, described above, into action to that the proper frame position will be moved beneath the printer-counters for printing.

Such MOTOR START signal is given at the end of each framein some instances it will also be given after a B1. The B1 signal needed is instantaneous, not continuous. Such a B1 signal is obtained by inverting the B2 level from flip-flop 1, which provides such a B1 (E) pulse as it changes from the B2 to the B1 condition when B1 hits the backstop. This inversion is carried out by inverter 25. AND-gate 201 has one input for B1 (E) from inverter 25 and the other input from OR-gate 200 which provides a positive, alerting output level when a SM or a 2STM condition exists (these being the conditions which require a recording operation on a B1). A SM condition indicates that the score must be recorded for the frame immediately preceding the current frame; with a 2STM condition, the score must be recorded for the next previous one (second before the current one). The output pulse from AND-gate 201 is passed through OR gate 202 which in turn is connected to the START switch of motor 315 shown in FIG. 3. OR-gate 202 has another input connected from the output of AND-gate 203. AND-gate 203 in turn has one input connected to inverter 24 which receives the B1 signal from flip-flop 1 to provide the BI pulse. The inverted B1 signal (BI) indicates that the flip-flop has just changed from E1 to B2that is, the second ball has just struck the backstop. The other input to AND-gate 203 is the ST pulse from AND-gate 28, indicating that a ST has been rolled. The consequence of this arrangement is that OR-gate 202 will provide a MOTOR START pulse each time a B2, a ST, or a B1 with a previous S (SM), or two previous STs (2STM). Motor 315 (FIG. 3) is therefore started under any of these conditions.

Once the motor has been started, it must be stopped precisely where either a MARK or a COUNT is to be recorded. Signals are generated by the switches shown in FIG. 14 and discussed above when the scoresheet reaches the position next following the position where a COUNT (not a MARK) was last recorded, when the scoresheet reaches the frame following that one, and also for the next succeeding frame. The NEXT FRAME signal (indicating that the scoresheet is positioned in the frame immediately following the one where a COUNT was last recorded) appears at the input of one-shot 204; the NEXT FRAME-H signal appears at the input of one-shot 205; and the NEXT FRAME-l-Z signal appears at the input of one-shot 206. For example, if the bowler has had two previous strikes, and then rolls a third ST, a MARK for the ST should be printed in the NEXT FRAME+2 from the last score, and a cumulative score (through the first of the three strikes) in the NEXT FRAME. The PC and PM signals generated from these NEXT FRAME signals, used for stopping the motor for proper positioning of the scoresheet to receive the scores and marks, are generated by the equipment next described.

The PM (PRINT MARK) signal is generated by AND- gates 207, 208, 209, 210 and 211, and OR-gate 212. Each AND-gate generatesa pulse upon the fulfillment of a specific set of conditions requiring the printing of a MARK. AND-gate 207 will provide an output pulse when both SM and STM conditions exist. This will occur only when a S has been immediately followed by a ST (so that the STM has been energized before the SM has been deenergized) or when a ST has been immediately followed by a S (so that the SM has been energized before the STM has been deenergized). Under either of these conditions, a mark (either ST or S) should be record-ed in the second frame past the frame where a COUNT was last recorded (NEXT FRAME-i-l). Hence an output from one-shot 205 (NEXT FRAME-H) is connected to an input of AND-gate 207 an output pulse from this AND-gate then provides a PM signal such that a MARK will be printed in the NEXT FRAME-l-l to record one of the above conditions.

When a player rolls his second ST, a successive MARK should be recorded (but no COUNT as yet). AND-gate has one input from AND-gate 28 denoting a ST, and the other input from the first-strike memory 141 denoting the STM condition. Since a ST pulse on a first ST is always emitted before the first-strike memory 141 is energized, this positive alerting level from the first strike memory (the STM level) must be the result of the previous ST. The ST pulse at one input of AND- gate 125 coinciding with the STM level must be a pulse denoting a second ST. Therefore the output pulse from AND-gate 125 denotes a second ST.

When three consecutive STs have been rolled, the PM signal for the third ST comes from AND-gate 208. This AND-gate has one input level from one-shot 53 which indicates that a ST has just been rolled. Another input level comes from the second-strike memory 142 which, when positive, indicates activation of the second-strike memory. The third input comes from AND-gate 125 through one-shot 124 and inverter 123. When this inverted level is positive, it indicates that the ST was not a second ST because AND-gate 125 and one-shot 124 had no positive output as they would on a second ST. Hence the positive level from the second ST memory must have been the result of a third ST (instead of having been just energized by a second ST). As soon as the frame indicator reaches the NEXT FRAME+2 position, the signal from one-shot 206 passes through alerted AND-gate 208 to provide the PM pulse, and the ST symbol is for the third ST recorded in that position.

AND-gate 209 provides the PM signal to print the ST symbol at NEXT FRAME+1 on the second ST. AND- gate 209 receives a pulse from one-shot 205 (denoting second ST) on the NEXT FRAME+ 1; therefore it generates a PM pulse to print the ST symbol in the NEXT FRAME-F1.

AND-gate 210 generates a PM to print the S symbol in the NEXT FRAME when a S has been rolled. AND-gate 210 has an input from the SM (indicating either that a S has just been rolled, or that the previous roll was a S). However, the additional B2 input assures that the S was in fact just rolled. (Had the S been the previous roll, then the present roll would be a B1.) The STM input assures that the previous roll was not a ST (if it were, the signal would come from AND-gate 207, as described above). The last input to AND-gate 210 comes from one-shot 204. A signal is generated from one-shot 204 and passed through. AND-gate 210 as the frame advances to the NEXT FRAME, where the S symbol is to be printed.

AND-gate 211 generates a PM signal to print the ST symbol following a first ST (no carry-over STs or S). Inputs showing WI and W levels indicate the lack of any pre-existing ST or S. The ST input indicates the rolling of the current strike. The input pulse from one-shot 204 provides a pulse at the NEXT FRAME which is passed through alerted AND-gate 211 to OR-gate 212 in order that a ST symbol may be printed at the NEXT FRAME under the single ST condition.

All of the individual PM signals from the other AND- gates 207, 208, 209 and 210, are also passed through OR-gate 212, whose output becomes the collective PM signal. This signal passes to AND- gates 213 and 214. AND-gate 213 also has a continuing ST input from one shot 53. When it receives a PM pulse immediately following the rolling of a ST, AND-gate will provide an output pulse to the ST solenoid discussed above so that the MARK printed will be a ST. Conversely, AND-gate 214 has a SM input level indicating the ball just rolled required a S MARK to be printed. The ST assures that the SM was not left over from the previous roll; otherwise the PM signal might be the result of a ST following a previous S. The output signal from AND-gate 214 is passed to the S solenoid discussed above to cause a S symbol to be recorded.

For printing a COUNT, AND- gates 216, 217, and 218 are used. A COUNT is normally printed each time it is ascertainableafter a B2, or after a B1 following a S or two STs. However, there are also certain conditions under which printing a COUNT should be inhibited and only a MARK should be printed. These occur after a first ST (and no previous S), after a S (and no previous ST), or after a second ST. The pulse from AND-gate 218 causes the COUNT to be printed. When printing is withheld under one of the above conditions, one alerting input to AND-gate 218 will be missing. One such input to AND-gate 218 comes from one-shot 124 through inverter 123. A positive input level from one-shot 124 is the result of a second ST, for the one-shot is triggered from AND-gate 125. When this level from one-shot 124 is passed through inverter 123, however, it becomes negative to remove an alerting level from AND-gate 218 and prevents a COUNT from being printed in the NEXT FRAME on the occurrence of a second ST.

AND-gate 216 inhibits printing a COUNT upon occurrence of a first ST. The ST signal provides one alerting input to AND-gate 216. On the first ST, the STM is energized by the ST signal. When the PC pulse from one-shot 204 is received at AND-gate 218, the necessary STM level will be present. A positive output level from AND-gate 216 through inverter 220 removes an alerting level from AND-gate 218 to prevent a COUNT being recorded. AND-gate 216 also has an input level indicating W. On a first ST following a S, a COUNT must be printed (for the S). This input from the spare memory to AND-gate 216 assures that the printing of the COUNT will not be inhibited if the ST followed a spare.

AND-gate 217 prevents the COUNT from being printed following a S. The E2 and SM inputs together indicate that a S has been rolled (and was not the product of a previous roll which would yield a B1 signal). The STM input to AND-gate 217 shows that the S did not follow a previous ST (because if it did, a printed COUNT would be required). Therefore the positive output level from AND-gate 217 into inverter 221 removes an alerting level from AND-gate 218 to prevent printing a COUNT for a S not preceded by a ST. If not inhibited in one of the ways discussed above, the PC signal on the NEXT FRAME passes from one-shot 204 through AND-gate 218 to various parts of the system mentioned earlier in the description.

In order to stop the motor and allow the printing of a COUNT or MARK, each PM or PC pulse passing through OR-gate 212 or AND-gate 218, respectively, is transmitted to OR-gate 222. The pulse emerging from OR- gate 222 is used for stopping the motor for printing. The pulse is then passed to one-shot 223, which transmits a pulse to the magnetic brake 316 shown in FIG. 3 to stop the motor 318 long enough for printing. The pulse from OR-gate 222 is also passed through delay 224 (to insure that the tray and motor are totally stopped before printing); the pulse from delay 224 at the end of the delay period passes to the print solenoid 404 shown in FIG. 7. If a S or ST (a MARK) is to be printed, the appropriate solenoid 70 or 71 (FIG. 13) will already be actuated by a pulse from one of AND- gates 213 or 214. If a COUNT is to be printed, the actuation of the print solenoid will cause the COUNT presently in the counter to be printed, as has been fully explained above.

It is understood that while printing of a score has been used in the specific embodiment shown, where a printed record is not required, other recording means may be used, such as a counter, magnetic tape, or the like. Moreover, other types of printers may be employed without departing from the invention.

The apparatus of the invention may be used for more than one player in the same game. Certain portions of the apparatus, of course, must be duplicated for each player; such portions include all the memories and the frame indicator. Conventional switching systems are used to disconnect from the system the frame indicator and the memories used for each player and to connect the apparatus for the next player in its place. Switching takes place after each player has bowled one frame, in response to a signal from OR-gate 225.

For changing players, a signal is transmitted from OR-gate 203 upon completion of a frame-0n a B2 (E1) or a ST. The output of OR-gate 203 passes through AND-gate 226 and OR-gate 225 into delay 227 which delays the changing of the players subsystems until all calculations and recording has been completed for the current players frame. The only time players do not change following a B2 occurs under certain conditions in the tenth frame, where an extra ball or two may need to be rolled to complete the scoring for a S or an ST; the PLAYER setting should not advance until the required scores have been completed.

To inhibit the player advance during FRAME TEN in order to allow a player to roll extra bonus balls where necessary to complete his score, AND- gates 228, 229', and 230, along with OR-gate 231 and inverter 232 are employed. AND-gate 226 is normally alerted except in FRAME TEN to advance the player at the end of each frame, as discussed above, by a combination of a FRAME TEN level and a level from inverter 232. The FRAME TEN pulse is generated by the frame indicator except where the cumulative score has been recorded in the ninth frame so that the indicator reads FRAME TEN. When this exception exists, then the player advance is inhibited.

However, there are conditions where a player is in fact in FRAME TEN but the frame indicator does not so read. These conditions will'occur where the score has not yet been recorded in FRAME NINE, or in one instance has not been in either FRAME EIGHT or in FRAME NINE, i.e., when the player has a ST or a S in FRAME NINE or STs in both FRAMES EIGHT and NINE. If the player rolled a ST or a S in FRAME NINE, the frame indicator will show FRAME NINE even though the player is playing in FRAME TEN. If a player has rolled STs in both FRAMES EIGHT and NINE, the frame indicator will show FRAME EIGHT even though the player is actually playing in FRAME TEN. To account for these conditions, and to inhibit the player advance when they occur, AND- gates 228, 229, and 230 along with OR-gate 231 and inverter 232 are used. If the first-strike memory 141 has a positive level (STM), and the frame indicator reads FRAME NINE, AND-gate 228 will have a positive output level, which is passed through OR-gate 231 and inverter 232 to inhibit AND-gate 226 and thus block the player advance. This inhibition of player advance occurs because, although the frame indicator reads FRAME NINE, the player was actually in FRAME TEN (the ST in FRAME NINE prevented the recording of the cumulative score in that frame).

Similarly, AND-gate 229 operates to inhibit the player advance where the frame indicator reads FRAME NINE and a SM or a 2STM condition exists. These conditions show that the player is in FRAME TEN, but no score was recorded in FRAME NINE because of a S in FRAME NINE or a ST in both FRAMES NINE and TEN. In the same manner, AND-gate 230 inhibits the player advance when the player is in FRAME TEN, but

23 the frame indicator reads FRAME EIGHT because of STs in both FRAMES EIGHT and NINE.

As soon as FRAME TEN is completed (and the score recorded therefor), the frame indicator will advance to FRAME ELEVEN, and OR-gate 225 will receive an input pulse to advance the player through delay 227.

Summarizing the operation of the entire apparatus of the invention, consider the situation wherein there is a previous cumulative score of two (2); the player now knocks down a total of one pin on the next frame (having bowled both his balls). His new score, as a result of this frame giving him one additional point, is three (3). A one-pulse electric signal is automatically transmitted from the pin-sensing apparatus to the logic circuitry. This one pulse is interpreted by the logic, which in turn sends a one-pulse electric signal from OR-gate 101 (FIG. 1B) to solenoid 423 (FIG. 8). This signal moves unitswheel 422 in FIG. 8 (which was previously set at two) one place, thus setting it to three. This action takes place Virtually instantaneously. Immediately thereafter, the logic circuitry sends a second electric signal from delay 224 (FIG. 1C) to solenoid 404 (FIG. 7) which causes printing element 101 in FIG. 7 (with the spare-strike wheel 403 in neutral position) to print the number 3 which has been set in the score wheels. The PC pulse causing the print advances frame indicator 500 (FIG. '14). The printing surface 409 (FIG. 7) is automatically 'advanced by a MOTOR START pulse from OR-gate 202 (FIG. 1C). It stops at the next frame, as directed by the frame indicator.

Now suppose that on the next two balls the player bowls a spare (all ten pins knocked down after the second ball). A continuous pulse is sent from AND-gate 214 (FIG. 1C) to solenoid 470 (FIG. 13), placing spare symbol 462 (FIG. 12) in printing position; immediately thereafter, an electric signal is sent to solenoid 404 (FIG. 7) and the spare symbol is printed. The pulse to solenoid 470 then ceases and spare-strike wheel 403 (FIG. 7) is returned to the neutral position by the action of leaf spring 433 (FIG. 9). Printer-counter 404 (FIG. 7) is then returned to the non-printing position; this time, however, the frame indicator 500 (FIG. 14) is not advanced, because a spare permits the bowler one additional score (the next ball is counted twice, once for this spare frame and once for its own frame). However, the start-count signal into delay 11 (FIG. 1A) causes the PINFALL of ten for the spare to be added to the counter 401 (FIG. 7) as discussed earlier, through OR-gate 101 (FIG. 1B).

Suppose further that the next ball bowled (in the. fol-' lowing frame from the spare frame) resulted in a knockdown of seven more pins. The additional seven points are now added to the counter 401 (FIG. 7) from OR- gate 101 (FIG. 1B), completing the cumulative score of twenty for the frame having the spare. Solenoid 404 (FIG. 7) then receives a print signal from delay 224 (FIG. 1C), and causes the score 20 to print, adjacent to the symbol in the spare frame, as shown in FIG. 9. The frame indicator again advances, and printing surface 409 (FIG. 7) will next stop at the following frame.

The second ball in the current frame is now bowled (the first ball having knocked down seven pins, as discussed above), and knocks down two more pins. The logic circuitry sends nine pulses to counter 401 (FIG. 7)the PINFALL after B2 being nine-increasing its setting to twenty-nine. A print signal to solenoid 404 (FIG. 7) follows, and the cumulative score 29 is printed in the new frame. Printer-counter 401 (FIG. 7)

is now returned to the non-printing position and the frame indicator is again advanced to the next frame.

Note that the score of seven for the first ball in the frame immediately following the spare frame was added twice. In computing bowling scores, one extra score is earned by a spare; however, instead of bowling an extra ball to determine this score, the first ball of the following frame is used to determine the count. For this reason, the first ball of the following frame (the one following the spare frame) is counted twiceonce for the spare bonus and a second time for the frame in which it was actually bowled. Similarly, a strike earns two extra scores, so

that both balls in the following frame count twice, once for the strike bonus and once again for the frame in which they are bowled. Should the first bonus ball be a strike, also, the first ball of the next succeeding frame would be counted for the bonus points on the first strike.

Although the above example is only one specific sequence, it will be found that all possible bowling sequences are handled by the apparatus described. Furthermore, although printing is referred to, many other forms of recording the score may, if desired, be substituted. It will be equally apparent that many modifications may be made in the details of the circuitry which may result in changes or improvements upon this invention which are well within its spirit and scope. Therefore the only limitations to be placed on that scope are those expressed in the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for automatically computing bowling results and for providing a cumulative running record of each game as it is played, said results being computed from the output of a standing pin sensing device which provides a plurality of electric pulses on several lines, the sum of which pulses represents the standing pin count, which comprises:

(a) a means for combining said plurality of electric pulses on said several lines into a single rapid series of electric pulses representing the standing pin count, said combining means operating in a continuous electronic process, directly in response to the receipt of said plurality of electric pulses, upon said electric pulses without mechanically making or breaking any electrical circuit connections;

(b) a first input means for receiving a signal indicating that a ball has been rolled;

(c) a second input means for receiving a signal indicating that a player has committed a foul;

(d) an electronic switching means including a counting means for accumulating the pulses in said single rapid series of pulses, said switching means further including means responsive to the signals at said first and second input means upon the rolling of a ball and to the nonoccurrence of a foul, respectively, and responsive to said counting means for deriving from said accumulated pulses a number of pulses representing the fallen pin count and means for computing from said derived pulses a correct running cumulative score for the player rolling said ball for each frame including the recognition of spares and strikes and the inclusion of the bonus points resulting therefrom; and

(e) means for recording the results of each frame, said results including the cumulative score at each frame, and an indication of spares and strikes at the frame where same occurred, said recording means operating in response to signals from said electronic switching means.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said combining means including a plurality of electronic delay elements each connected to one of said several lines and a summing element having input terminals connected to the output terminals of each of said delay elements.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further characterized by said electronic switching means including:

(1) a clock pulse generator for the conversion of said rapid series of pulses representing a standing pin count to a second series of pulses representing the pinfall; and

(2) a plurality of logic elements for the detection of spare and strike conditions and the determination of the magnitude of the bonus addition count to be

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY COMPUTING BOWLING RESULTS AND FOR PROVIDING A CUMULATIVE RUNNING RECORD OF EACH GAME AS IT IS PLAYED, SAID RESULTS BEING COMPUTED FROM THE OUTPUT OF A STANDING PIN SENSING DEVICE WHICH PROVIDES A PLURALITY OF ELECTRIC PULSES ON SEVERAL LINES, THE SUM OF WHICH PULSES REPRESENTS THE STANDING PIN COUNT, WHICH COMPRISES: (A) A MEANS FOR COMBINING SAID PLURALITY OF ELECTRIC PULSES ON SAID SEVERAL LINES INTO A SINGLE RAPID SERIES OF ELECTRIC PULSES REPRESENTING THE STANDING PIN COUNT, SAID COMBINING MEANS OPERATING IN A CONTINUOUS ELECTRONIC PROCESS, DIRECTLY IN RESPONSE TO THE RECEIPT OF SAID PLURALITY OF ELECTRIC PULSES, UPON SAID ELECTRIC PULSES WITHOUT MECHANICALLY MAKING OR BREAKING ANY ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CONNECTIONS; (B) A FIRST INPUT MEANS FOR RECEIVING A SIGNAL INDICATING THAT A BALL HAS BEEN ROLLED; (C) A SECOND INPUT MEANS FOR RECEIVING A SIGNAL INDICATING THAT A PLAYER HAS COMMITTED A FOUL; (D) AN ELECTRONIC SWITCHING MEANS INCLUDING A COUNTING MEANS FOR ACCUMULATING THE PULSES IN SAID SINGLE RAPID SERIES OF PULSES, SAID SWITCHING MEANS FURTHER INCLUDING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE SIGNALS AT SAID FIRST AND SECOND INPUT MEANS UPON THE ROLLING OF A BALL AND TO THE NONOCCURRENCE OF A FOUL, RESPECTIVELY, AND RESPONSIVE TO SAID COUNTING MEANS FOR DERIVING FROM SAID ACCUMULATED PULSES A NUMBER OF PULSES REPRESENTING THE FALLEN PIN COUNT AND MEANS FOR COMPUTING FROM SAID DERIVED PULSES A CORRECT RUNNING CUMULATIVE SCORE FOR THE PLAYER ROLLING SAID BALL FOR EACH FRAME INCLUDING THE RECOGNITION OF SPARES AND STRIKES AND THE INCLUSION OF THE BONUS POINTS RESULTING THEREFROM; AND (E) MEANS FOR RECORDING THE RESULTS OF EACH FRAME, SAID RESULTS INCLUDING THE CUMULATIVE SCORE AT EACH FRAME, AND AN INDICATION OF SPARES AND STRIKES AT THE FRAME WHERE SAME OCCURRED, SAID RECORDING MEANS OPERATING IN RESPONSE TO SIGNALS FROM SAID ELECTRONIC SWITCHING MEANS.

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