Article dispensing – Cellular magazine type – Conveyer type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-10
2002-01-22
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Article dispensing
Cellular magazine type
Conveyer type
C221S087000, C221S088000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06340094
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a premium supply apparatus structured such as to supply a premium suspended in a hook provided within a casing in response to a game result and a lock mechanism for a hook so that a premium can drop down at a predetermined drop position within the casing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally, there is an apparatus in which a moving base body having a hook-shaped hook fixed is provided within a casing of a game machine, a premium is suspended to the hook and the premium is dropped down at a predetermined drop position within the casing. At the predetermined drop position within the casing, a rod-like resistance bar is provided on an opposite side to the moving base body with respect to the hook. The resistance bar is formed in such a manner as to be able to stop an integral movement of the premium with the hook by contacting with the premium suspended in the hook.
Then, when the moving base body is moved and the premium suspended in the hook reaches the predetermined drop position within the casing of the game machine, the premium is in contact with the resistance bar, so that the movement is stopped. On the contrary, the hook still keeps moving together with the moving base body. As a result, the premium is taken out from the hook in the front end of the advancing direction of the hook on the basis of the resistance bar, and the premium drops down at the predetermined drop position within the casing.
However, in the art mentioned above, there have been the following problems.
Accordingly, since the hook is formed in a hook shape, the hook is positioned within the casing in a state that an opening portion thereof is open. Accordingly, there has been a problem that the premium is dropped down even at the other position than the predetermined drop portion, in the case that the casing is swung or the premium is not sufficiently locked with respect to the hook.
Further, the premium is taken out from the hook by bringing the premium into contact with the resistance bar, however, there has been a problem that an erroneous motion, that is, the premium overrides the resistance bar and is not taken out from the hook, is generated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object in accordance with the invention as recited in claim
1
is to provide a lock mechanism for a hook in which a premium can be taken out from a hook at a predetermined drop position within a casing and the premium is prevented from dropping down from the hook at the other position than the predetermined drop position.
Further, in addition, an object in accordance with the invention as recited in claim
2
is to provide a lock mechanism for a hook in which a premium can be taken out from a hook at a predetermined drop position within a casing even in the case that the hook relatively moves with respect to the predetermined drop position and the premium is prevented from dropping down from the hook at the other position than the predetermined drop position.
Still further, in addition, an object in accordance with the invention as recited in claim
3
is to provide a lock mechanism which can securely take out a premium from a hook.
Furthermore, in addition, an object in accordance with the invention as recited in claim
4
is to provide a lock mechanism which can be easily mounted to a base body.
Moreover, an object in accordance with the invention as recited in claim
5
is to provide a premium supply apparatus in which a premium can be taken out from a hook at a predetermined drop position within a casing and the premium is prevented from dropping down from the hook at the other position than the predetermined drop position.
The invention is provided so as to achieve the objects mentioned above.
(Claim
1
)
A lock mechanism for dropping down a premium
60
suspended in a base body
40
at a predetermined drop position and for preventing the premium
60
from dropping down at the other position than the predetermined drop position, comprising a base member
40
, a hook
10
fixed to the base body
40
, suspending the premium
60
and capable of maintaining a state of being easily dropped, and a lock portion
20
for preventing the premium
60
from dropping down by closing an open portion in the hook
10
, wherein the lock portion
20
comprises a support point portion
21
axially supported to the base body
40
, a rotating piece
22
capable of rotating to both of normal and inverse directions around the support point portion
21
and an operating portion
50
for rotating the rotating piece
22
, and the rotating piece
22
is structured such that an end portion thereof is brought into contact with the hook
10
at the position other than the predetermined drop position so as to close the open portion and at the predetermined position, the rotating piece
22
is rotated to a position which does not prevent the premium
60
from dropping down from the hook
10
so that the premium
60
can be taken out.
In this case, the wording “(the hook
10
is) fixed to the base body
40
” means that the hook
10
capable of integrally moving with the base body
40
is sufficient. Accordingly, in the case that the base body
40
is at a standstill, the hook
10
is also at a standstill, in the case that the base body
40
can be moved as defined in claim
2
, it is sufficient that the hook
10
can move in an integral manner with the movement of the base body
40
, and in addition to the case that the hook
10
is brought into contact with the base body
40
and fixed thereto, the case that the hook
10
is formed in a such a manner as to be attached to and detached from the base body
40
and can be integrally moved with the base body
40
during the movement of the base body
40
are included.
An operation of the invention as recited in claim
1
will be described.
Since the open portion of the hook
10
is closed at the portion other than the predetermined position, the premium
60
is prevented from dropping down from the hook
10
. On the contrary, at the predetermined drop position, the rotating piece
22
rotates and the premium
60
can be dropped down from the hook
10
. Accordingly, the premium
60
can be dropped down from the hook
10
at the predetermined drop position by controlling a motion of the operating portion
50
, and at the position other than the predetermined drop position, the premium
60
can be prevented from dropping down from the hook
10
.
(Claim
2
)
The invention as recited in claim
2
is the invention technically restricting the invention as recited in claim
1
, in which a resistance portion
30
relatively moving with respect to the base body
40
is provided at the predetermined drop position for dropping down the premium
60
, and the resistance portion
30
is formed in a shape for guiding the premium
60
to the open portion in the hook
10
by contacting with the premium
60
and is provided at a position which does not prevent the premium
60
from dropping down from the hook
10
.
In this case, the wording “a resistance portion
30
relatively moving with respect to the base body
40
” means that the resistance portion
30
is formed such that the base body
40
is not relatively at a standstill with respect to the resistance portion
30
. For example, in addition to the case that the base body
40
moves with respect to the standstill resistance portion
30
and the case that the resistance portion
30
moves with respect to the standstill base body
40
, the case that the resistance body
30
and the base body
40
move at a different speed and to a different moving direction is included.
An operation of the invention as recited in claim
2
will be described.
When the base body
40
relatively moves with respect to the resistance portion
30
so as to reach the predetermined drop position, the premium
60
is brought into contact with the resistance portion
30
, so that an integral movement with the base body
40
is stopped. On the contrary, since the hook
10
is fixed to the base body
40
, it moves together with th
Sammy Corporation
Sharma Rashmi
Wolf Greenfield & Sacks P.C.
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