Method and apparatus for shuffling and ordering playing cards
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An automated playing card shuffling system including in combination:
- a deck of cards;
first and second pairs of card hoppers;
a first mechanism for selectively removing the cards from either hopper of the first pair of hoppers and interlacing the cards into the second pair of hoppers;
a second mechanism for selectively removing the cards from either hopper of the second pair of hoppers and interlacing the cards into the first pair of hoppers;
a control device coupled with the first and second mechanisms to effect the selective removal of the cards from the first and second pairs of hoppers and to effect alternating operations of the first and second mechanisms.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A card shuffling system and method operates with four card hoppers arranged into first and second pairs. In the operation of the system, a first pair of card hoppers holds approximately two halves of a deck, which are then selectively interlaced together and supplied to the other pair of hoppers with the cards interlaced first into one of the second pair of hoppers and then into the other. The cards then are selectively interlaced from the hoppers of the second pair of hoppers back to the hoppers of the first pair of hoppers, with the operation being repeated, if desired.
118 Citations
21 Claims
-
1. An automated playing card shuffling system including in combination:
-
a deck of cards; first and second pairs of card hoppers; a first mechanism for selectively removing the cards from either hopper of the first pair of hoppers and interlacing the cards into the second pair of hoppers; a second mechanism for selectively removing the cards from either hopper of the second pair of hoppers and interlacing the cards into the first pair of hoppers; a control device coupled with the first and second mechanisms to effect the selective removal of the cards from the first and second pairs of hoppers and to effect alternating operations of the first and second mechanisms. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method for automatically shuffling at least one deck of playing cards including:
-
providing a deck of cards; providing first and second pairs of card hoppers; providing a first mechanism and a second mechanism; placing portions of the deck of cards in the hoppers of the first pair of hoppers; operating the first mechanism, the first mechanism selectively removing the cards from either hopper of the first pair of hoppers and interlacing the cards into the second pair of hoppers; operating the second mechanism, the second mechanism selectively removing the cards from either hopper of the second pair of hoppers and interlacing the cards into the first pair of hoppers; a control device coupled with the first and second mechanisms to effect the selective removal of the cards from the first and second pairs of hoppers and to effect alternating operations of the first and second mechanisms. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. An automated card shuffling system including in combination:
-
a deck of cards; first and second pairs of card hoppers; a first mechanism for selectively removing the cards from either hopper of the first pair of hoppers and interlacing the cards into the second pair of hoppers; a second mechanism for selectively removing the cards from either hopper of the second pair of hoppers and interlacing the cards into the first pair of hoppers; and a control device coupled with the first and second mechanisms to effect the selective removal of cards from the first and second pairs of hoppers to accomplish a shuffle operation. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
-
Specification