Automatic card distributor

• US 3,897,954 A
• Filed: 06/14/1974
• Issued: 08/05/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Erickson J. David, Richard A. Kronmal
• Original Assignee: Erickson J. David, Richard A. Kronmal
• Inventors: Erickson, J. David, Kronmal, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oechsle, Anton O.
• Application Number:
  US05/479,294
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 273/149R,149P
• US Class Current: 273/149.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/12 Card shufflers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/14 Card dealers

Abstract

An apparatus for distributing playing cards into two or more stacks in a pseudo-random fashion so as to simulate the results achieved by conventional shuffling and dealing of the cards. Initially, a deck of playing cards is positioned in the apparatus, successive cards being removed therefrom and projected into a card channel along which are arranged a plurality of card hoppers to receive the cards. A logic circuit pseudo-randomly controls the selection of one of the card hoppers for each successive card, the specific arrangement of the logic depending on how many stacks are required, and how many cards in each stack. Additionally, the logic circuit is so arranged that the probability that a particular hopper will be selected, relative to the other hoppers varies with the immediate number of cards present in the particular hopper relative to the immediate number of cards in the other hoppers after each card is distributed. When each card hopper has received a predetermined number of cards the logic circuit is prevented from further selecting that card hopper.

Claims

1. An apparatus for distributing playing cards among a plurality of stacks thereof, comprising:

means defining an elongated card channel, adapted to receive playing cards and to permit movement of the playing cards therealong;

means for orienting successive playing cards in series in said card channel;

a plurality of card hoppers positioned at spaced intervals along said card channel;

at least one card hopper gate, associated with a first card hopper for, upon actuation thereof, guiding a playing card moving along said card channel into said first card hopper;

circuit means having a plurality of output lines each output line being uniquely associated with one card hopper;

means cyclically energizing said plurality of output lines;

means electrically coupling, when actuated, an energized output line to a card hopper gate for actuation thereof, said card hopper gate being associated with the one card hopper uniquely associated with the energized output connection; and

, means for actuating said coupling means at substantially random intervals of time, including automatic means for altering the probability of actuation of each card hopper gate during the distribution of the playing cards in accordance with the number of cards remaining to be distributed to each card hopper.

2. An apparatus of claim 1, wherein the probability of card hopper gate actuation is altered after each card is distributed to a card hopper.

3. An apparaTus of claim 1, including a plurality of card hopper gates, and where each card hopper gate is uniquely associated with a card hopper.

4. An apparatus of claim 1, wherein said actuating means terminates the cyclical energizing of said output connections when a coupling means is energized, the last output connection energized by said cyclically energizing means remaining energized.

5. An apparatus of claim 3, including a plurality of coupling means, and wherein each card hopper having an associated card hopper gate is coupled to its uniquely associated output connection through one of said plurality of coupling means.

6. An apparatus of claim 1, including means located adjacent the card channel for initially positioning a deck of cards, and including switch means positioned adjacent said card channel, means for removing each card in turn from said positioning means and means for propelling each playing card in turn against said switch means after removal of a playing card from said positioning means, said energizing means becoming operative upon contact between said switch means and a propelled card, and wherein said actuating means is operative to actuate said electrically coupling means upon loss of contact between said switch means and said propelled card.

7. An apparatus of claim 6, wherein said actuating means includes a one-shot multivibrator and wherein said coupling means includes a plurality of AND gates, each AND gate being responsive to the energization of its associated output connections and said multivibrator to actuate its associated card hopper gate, said multivibrator providing an output to each AND gate upon loss of contact between said propelled card and said switch means.

8. An apparatus of claim 1, including means associated with each card hopper for accumulating the number of cards immediately contained therein, said plurality of accumulating means being updated after each successive card is distributed, and wherein said probability altering means includes means reponsive to the updated count for decreasing the amount of time that the output connection uniquely associated with the card hopper receiving the last previously distributed card is energized relative to the time of energization of the other output connections.

9. An apparatus of claim 7, wherein said probability altering means includes an oscillator adapted to run at a predetermined rate, a plurality of series-connected bistable elements providing successive outputs corresponding to the predetermined rate of said oscillator, and further including a plurality of logic gates responsive to said accumulating means and the energized output connection for providing signal outputs on a plurality of parallel output lines representative of the updated count in said accumulating means, the next successive output connection being energized by said cyclically energizing means when the count indicated by the output of said bistable elements and the count indicated by said signal output from said logic gates reaches a predetermined number.

10. An apparatus of claim 1, wherein one end of said elongated card channel is positioned immediately adjacent said positioning means which is disposed generally horizontal the card channel extending in a generally downward oblique direction therefrom, such that a playing card properly oriented in the card channel moves along the card channel under the force of gravity.

11. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein said card channel includes a planar member substantially parallel with and removed slightly from said card channel and projecting from the one end thereof above said positioning means, said planar member being so disposed relative to said card channel that when a playing card is removed endwise from said positioning means it may be propelled substantially about one end thereof against the planar member for orientation thereof in the card channel.

12. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein said planar member includes two opposed faces, one facE facing the positioning means, and including means positioned on said one face and means for propelling each playing card in turn against said switch means, said propelled cards falling away from said switch means and into said card channel by gravity.

13. An apparatus of claim 1, including means for removing successive cards from said positioning means and wherein said removing means includes a rotatable roller positioned adjacent said positioning means such that an exposed playing card in said positioning means contacts said roller, wherein said roller upon rotation thereof removes said contacted card from the positioning means.

14. An apparatus of claim 1, wherein the card hopper gate is substantially V-shaped and positioned within said card channel in a first position which permits cards to move in said card channel therebeneath, and including means for moving said card hopper gate to a second position in said card channel such that a playing card moving in said card channel is guided into the card hopper associated with the card hopper gate actuated.

15. An apparatus for distributing playing cards, comprising:

means defining a known number of card receiving stations;

means operative to move said playing cards in turn into said card receiving stations;

means for pseudo-randomly selecting one of said card receiving stations for each playing card to be distributed;

means responsive to said selecting means for controlling said moving means so as to move each playing card in turn into its selected card receiving station;

means periodically determining, during distribution of the playing cards, how many playing cards have been distributed to each card receiving station; and

automatic means, including electrical logic means, responsive to said determining means for periodically changing, during the distribution of the playing cards, the probability of selection of each card receiving station, in accordance with the number of playing cards remaining to be distributed and the number of playing cards already distributed to each card receiving station.

16. An apparatus of claim 15, wherein said determining means is operative to determine how many playing cards have been distributed to each card receiving station after each playing card has been distributed, and wherein said automatic means is operative to change the probability of selection of each card receiving station after distribution of each playing card.

17. An apparatus of claim 5, wherein said moving means includes means associated with each card receiving station for guiding playing cards into each card receiving station, and wherein said selecting means cyclically enables each of said guiding means during a first period of time, one of said guiding means being enabled at the conclusion of said first period of time, wherein each playing card in turn is distributed to said one card receiving station at the conclusion of said first period of time.

18. An apparatus of claim 17, wherein said first period of time is pseudo-random in length.

19. An apparatus of claim 18, wherein said selecting means cyclically enables each of said guiding means for varying predetermined periods of time during said first period of time, said predetermined periods of time being controlled in length of time by said automatic means in accordance with how many playing cards have been distributed to each card receiving station.