Method for handling of cards in a dealer shoe, and a dealer shoe

• US 6,402,142 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2000
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gaming Partners International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gaming Edge Products, LLC
• Inventors: Warren, David, Long, Shane
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Benjamin H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MENDIRATTA, VISHU K
• Application Number:
  US09/529,346
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 273/148.R, 273/149.R, 273/150, 273/148.A, 273/292, 273/149.P
• US Class Current: 273/149.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 1/14 Card dealers

Abstract

An apparatus for dealing cards at a casino gaming table. The apparatus, or dealer shoe, has a base and a card roller. The base holds a deck or decks of cards while in use. The card roller is movably connected to the base and applies a downward pressure on the cards in the base so that they may be removed from the base. The card roller is moved into a resting place within the base when cards are removed to be shuffled, facilitating removal and insertion of the cards. By resting in the base, the card roller is protected from damage.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to and removal of cards in a dealer shoe, comprising the steps of:

placing one or more decks of cards in a dealer shoe comprised of a base and a card roller connected to the base; and

replacing or shuffling the cards in the dealer shoe, comprising the steps of;

removing the cards from the dealer shoe;

inserting cards into the dealer shoe; and

moving the card roller to a resting place in the base, whereby the roller will not interfere with the replacing step.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

moving the card roller away from the resting place in the base, wherein the card roller remains connected to the base during movement.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the card roller has one or more track guides and is connected to the base with the one or more track guides and one or more glide tracks, and wherein the step of moving the roller to a resting place comprises:

sliding the card roller along the glide tracks.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the base comprises a ramp and the inserted cards are inserted on the ramp, and wherein the step of moving the card roller away from the resting place comprises:

positioning the card roller on the ramp whereby some of the weight of the card roller rests upon the inserted cards.

5. The method of claim 2 or 4, wherein the card roller further comprises a wheel and the step of moving the card roller away from the resting place includes rolling the card roller over an angled peak.

6. The method of claim 1, 2, or 4, wherein the removed cards are shuffled and then the shuffled cards are inserted into the shoe by the inserting step.

7. A dealer shoe for providing access to and removal of cards, comprising:

a base, that holds one or more decks of cards while in use, comprising a resting place;

a card roller, movably connected to the base and situated within the base, wherein the card roller normally supplies a force against the cards in the base; and

wherein the card roller rests in the resting place during replacement of the one or more decks of cards so that the card roller does not interfere with the replacement of the one or more decks of cards.

8. The dealer shoe of claim 7 wherein the card roller is non-removably movably connected to the base.

9. The dealer shoe of claim 7 or 8, wherein the base further comprises a glide track by which the card roller is movably connected to the base.

10. The dealer shoe of claim 7 or 8, wherein the resting place comprises a resting surface that is sloped so that the force of gravity holds the card roller in place in the resting place.

11. The dealer shoe of claim 7 or 8, wherein the resting place comprises a glide track and the glide track has a lock on it that holds the card roller within the resting place.

12. The dealer shoe of claim 7 or 8, wherein the base further comprises a card channel, wherein the one or more decks of cards are placed.

13. The dealer shoe of claim 12, further comprising glide track in the card channel and resting place.

14. The dealer shoe of claim 7 or 8, wherein the base further comprises:

a card door which holds the cards within the card channel and allows access and removal of one card at a time.

15. The dealer shoe of claim 7 or 8, wherein the base comprises a ramp formed within the card channel and wherein the resting place and the ramp meet at an obtuse peak angle.

16. The dealer shoe of claim 15 whereby the card roller and the ramp are generally flush, flat or level when the card roller is in the resting position.

17. The dealer shoe of claim 7 or 8, wherein the card roller has a bottom and front and wherein the card roller front rests up against a card.

18. The dealer shoe of claim 17 whereby the obtuse peak angle plus an angle formed by the bottom and front of the card roller form an angle of approximately 180 degrees.

19. The dealer shoe of claim 7 or 8, wherein the card roller further comprises a wheel which rotates when the card roller is moved.

20. A dealer shoe for providing access to and removal of cards, comprising:

a base, comprising;

a card channel, with a ramp, two opposing walls, and two glide tracks, wherein the one or more decks of cards are placed while in use;

a card door, with a finger access and a card slot, whereby a dealer removes one card at a time by placing a finger onto a card, through the finger access, and by sliding that card through the card slot and out of the dealer shoe; and

a resting place, with a rear wall, two opposing walls, two glide tracks, and a resting surface; and

a card roller, movably connected to the base and situated within the card channel while in use and the resting place while at rest, for applying a force upon the one or more decks of cards in the base, whereby the cards can be removed from the dealer shoe using the card door one card at a time, comprising;

a top, which faces up and out of the base, whereby the dealer can move the card roller by gripping the top;

a bottom, which is opposite of the top, and which faces the ramp or resting surface of the base;

two sides, which face the two opposing walls of the base;

a rear, which faces the rear wall of the base, and which rests against the rear wall when the card roller is in the resting place;

a front, which is opposite of the rear, that pushes flush against the cards in the base and which is sloped so that it is approximately parallel to the card door when it is in the card channel so that it properly positions the cards to be removed one at a time through the card door;

a wheel, which extends out of the bottom of the card roller, that reduces the friction on the card roller, is in contact with the ramp or the resting surface of the base and that rotates when the card roller is moved; and

two track guides, with one guide on each of the two sides, that movably connect the card roller to the base by being positioned within the glide tracks and that help provide for the easy and smooth movement of the card roller; and

whereby the card roller can be placed in the resting place when at rest or not in use and the cards in the card channel may be removed, shuffled and re-inserted or replaced with other cards without interference from the card roller.

21. The dealer shoe of claim 7, 8, or 20, wherein the resting place comprises:

a wheel holder that holds the wheel of the card roller so that the card roller remains in the resting place.

22. A method for providing access to and removal of cards in a dealer shoe, comprising the steps of:

placing a first set of cards in a dealer shoe, wherein the dealer shoe includes a base and a card roller connected to the base;

removing a subset of the first set of cards from the dealer shoe, whereby the cards remaining in the dealer shoe after the removing step are a remaining set of cards;

moving the card roller to a resting place in the base;

replacing the remaining set of cards in the dealer shoe, the replacing step comprising the steps of;

removing the remaining set of cards from the dealer shoe; and

inserting a second set of cards into the dealer shoe; and

whereby the card roller in the resting place does not interfere with the replacing step.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the replacing step further comprises the step of:

shuffling the first set of cards, the second set of cards being the shuffled first set of cards.

24. A dealer shoe that provides access to and removal of cards, comprising:

a base, that holds a set of cards while in use, comprising a resting place;

a card roller, movably connected to the base and situated within the base, wherein the card roller normally supplies a force against the set of cards in the base; and

wherein the card roller rests in the resting place during replacement of the set of cards so that the card roller does not interfere with the replacement of the set of cards.