Amusement device with trading card dispenser

• US 5,137,278 A
• Filed: 03/14/1991
• Issued: 08/11/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Williams Electronics Games Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Williams Electronics Games Inc. (Scientific Games Corporation)
• Inventors: Joos, Joseph, Krutsch, John, Schilling, Winston H., Ritchie, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chiu, Raleigh W.
• Application Number:
  US07/669,385
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 273/108, 273/118 R, 273/118 A, 273/119 R, 273/119 A, 273/119 B, 273/120 R, 273/120 A, 273/121 R, 273/121 A, 273/121 B, 273/121 D, 273/121 E , 273/122 R, 273/122 A, 273/123 R, 273/123 A, 273/124 R, 273/124 A, 273/125 R, 273/125 A
• US Class Current: 273/118.00A
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/42 for ticket printing or like apparatus , e.g. apparatus for dispensing of printed paper tickets or payment cards

Abstract

An amusement game operates in conjunction with a trading card dispenser to dispense trading cards to game players who achieve predetermined game objectives through skill during the course of game play.

Claims

1. A rolling ball amusement game, comprising:

a) a playfield, player-operated controls associated with the playfield and a ball which rolls on the playfield responsive to player-operated controls;

b) at least one ball-activated switch associated with the playfield for generating a signal when contacted by the rolling ball;

c) control means for receiving inputs fromthe player-operated controls and from the ball activated switches for monitoring the progress of the player in achieving game objectives, and;

d) a trading card dispenser for dispensing trading cards to the game player responsive to signals from the control means when predetermined game objectives are achieved.

2. The rolling ball game of claim 1 wherein the card dispenser further comprises:

a) a magazine for storing a plurality of individual trading cards;

b) biasing means for biasing said plurality of trading cards toward a first end of said magazine, and;

c) means for frictionally engaging said trading cards to dispense them responsive to said control means.

3. The rolling ball game of claim 2 wherein said means for frictionally engaging includes a cylinder and means for rotating the cylinder, said magazine having an aperture in said first end to allow contact between said cylinder and said trading cards.

4. The rolling ball game of claim 1 wherein said card dispenser further includes switch means for detecting and signalling depletion of said plurality of trading cards.

5. The rolling ball game of claim 2 wherein said first end of said magazine includes portions defining a rearwardly extending finger for preventing the trading cards from engaging the full surface area of said first end.