Frame structure of playing machine

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6419331
  • Patent Number
    6,419,331
  • Date Filed
    Friday, December 29, 2000
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, July 16, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
A frame structure of a playing machine includes upright posts located at corner positions of the entire frame and each having an outer face provided with two outer grooves facing outward. A transverse rod has two ends each defining a positioning hole for securing the transverse rod to the upright post by a positioning member. The transverse rod itself defines an insertion groove. The insertion grooves of two adjacent transverse rods align with each other for allowing insertion of a glass piece or a plate. Alternatively, a frame rod has a protruding plate inserted into the outer groove or the insertion groove, and has an insertion groove allowing insertion of a glass piece or a plate. The transverse rod is provided with a locking groove for allowing insertion of a press plate which co-operates with the lip of the transverse rod to clip a partition plate.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to a frame structure of a playing machine, and more particularly to a frame structure of a playing machine having a simple construction which can be assembled easily.




2. Description of the Related Prior Art




A conventional frame structure of a doll catching machine according to the prior art as shown in

FIG. 9

comprises a bottom frame


91


having three directional angled connectors


94


and four directional angled connectors


96


, an intermediate frame


92


mounted on the bottom frame


91


and having three directional angled connectors


94


and three directional positioning connectors


95


, and a top frame


93


mounted on the intermediate frame


92


and having three directional angled connectors


94


and three directional positioning connectors


95


.




However, in assembly, the bottom frame


91


, the intermediate frame


92


, and the top frame


93


are initially assembled with each other, and are then combined with each other by the three directional angled connectors


94


, the three directional positioning connectors


95


, and the four directional angled connectors


96


, thereby causing inconvenience during the assembling process. In addition, at least two workers are needed to lift the intermediate frame


92


and the top frame


93


, while another worker is needed to assemble the bottom frame


91


, the intermediate frame


92


, and the top frame


93


, thereby wasting more manual work. Further, the frame structure of the doll catching machine after being assembled lacks an enough strength.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a frame structure of a playing machine, wherein only a single worker can accomplish assembling the construction of the frame structure, thereby facilitating the worker assembling the frame structure of the playing machine.




Another objective of the present invention is to provide a frame structure of a playing machine, wherein the frame structure of the playing machine after being assembled has a better strength.




In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a frame structure of a playing machine including a plurality of upright posts located at comer positions of the entire frame. Each of the upright posts has an outer face provided with two outer grooves facing outward. The outer grooves of two adjacent upright posts align with each other for allowing insertion of a glass piece or a plate. A plurality of transverse rods each have two ends each defining a positioning hole for securing the transverse rod to the upright post by a positioning member. Each of the transverse rods itself defines at least one insertion groove or two insertion grooves. The insertion grooves of two adjacent transverse rods align with each other for allowing insertion of a glass piece or a plate. Alternatively, a frame rod has a protruding plate inserted into the outer groove of the upright post or the insertion groove of the transverse rod, and has an insertion groove allowing insertion of a glass piece or a plate. The transverse rod is provided with a locking groove for allowing insertion of a press plate which co-operates with the lip of the transverse rod to clip a partition plate.




Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is an exploded perspective view of a frame structure of a playing machine in accordance with the present-invention;





FIG. 2

is a plan view of an upright post of the frame structure of a playing machine as shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 3

is a plan view of a transverse rod of the frame structure of a playing machine as shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 4

is a plan view of a frame rod of the frame structure of a playing machine as shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 5

is a plan view of a press plate of the frame structure of a playing machine as shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 6

is a top plan assembly view of the frame structure of a playing machine as shown in

FIG. 1

;





FIG. 7

is a front plan cross-sectional assembly view of the frame structure of a playing machine along the line


7





7


as shown in

FIG. 6

;





FIG. 8

is a top plan cross-sectional assembly view of the frame structure of a playing machine along the line


8





8


as shown in

FIG. 7

; and





FIG. 9

is an exploded perspective view of a conventional frame structure of a playing machine in accordance with the prior art.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




Referring to the drawings and initially to

FIG. 1

, a frame structure of a playing machine in accordance with the present invention comprises a plurality of upright posts


1


, a plurality of transverse rods


2


, a plurality of frame rods


3


, and a plurality of press plates


4


.




Referring to

FIGS. 1 and 2

, the upright posts


1


are the main posts constructing the entire frame, and as shown in the figures, are located at the four corner positions of a rectangular box. Each of the upright posts


1


has a substantially C-shaped cross-section. Each of the upright posts


1


has an outer face provided with two outer grooves


11


facing outward. In the preferred embodiment, preferably, the included angle between the two outer grooves


11


is equal 90°. The outer grooves


11


of two adjacent upright posts


1


align with each other for allowing insertion of a wall plate. In addition, the upright rod


1


defines two opposite inner grooves


12


, for allowing insertion of an ornamental plate


13


. The ornamental plate


13


is made of a transparent material, and as shown in the figure, has a through channel


14


for fitting a neon lamp. Further, a cover


15


is used for covering the top and bottom end faces of the upright post


1


, thereby enhancing the aesthetic quality of the upright post


1


.




Referring to

FIGS. 1 and 3

, the transverse rods


2


are mounted between the upright posts


1


, for securing the upright posts


1


, thereby achieving a better strength. For satisfying different requirements, the transverse rod


2


includes a first transverse rod


21


, a second transverse rod


22


, and a third transverse rod


23


. Each of the transverse rods has two ends each defining a positioning hole


20


for securing each of the transverse rods to the upright post


1


by means of a positioning member


5


. In the preferred embodiment, when the transverse rod


2


is made of an extrusion material, the positioning hole


20


is a through hole penetrating through the inner wall of the transverse rod


2


. Each of the transverse rods


2


itself defines at least one insertion groove or two insertion grooves, and the insertion grooves of two adjacent transverse rods


2


align with each other for allowing insertion of a glass piece or a plate, thereby forming the wall of the whole frame. In the preferred embodiment as shown in the figures, the first transverse rod


21


has two opposite faces each defining an insertion groove


211


, the second transverse rod


22


has two opposite faces respectively provided with an insertion groove


221


and an upright plate


222


, and the third transverse rod


23


has two opposite faces each defining an insertion groove


231


. The first transverse rod


21


is mounted on the bottom, side face and back face of the entire frame, and has a lip


212


and a locking groove


213


. The lip


212


is used for supporting a plate, and is secured by a positioning member (not shown), thereby forming the partition, back face and bottom of the entire frame, and the plate of the closed bottom is further used for securing wheels as shown in FIG.


7


. The locking groove


213


receives therein a fourth press plate


44


which co-operates with the lip


212


to clip a glass piece or a plate. The second transverse rod


22


is mounted on the front side of the entire frame, while the upright plate


222


is rested on a door plate


6


for stopping movement of the door plate


6


when the door plate


6


is closed. The third transverse rod


23


is mounted on the two sides of the entire frame.




Referring to

FIGS. 1 and 4

, the frame rod


3


is inserted in the upright post


1


, and includes a first frame rod


31


, and a second frame rod


32


. The first frame rod


31


is provided with a protruding plate


311


inserted into the outer groove


11


of the upright post


1


, and an insertion groove


3




12


allowing insertion of a glass piece or a plate. The second frame rod


32


is provided with a protruding plate


321


inserted into the outer groove


11


of the upright post


1


, and an upright plate


322


rested on the door plate


6


for stopping movement of the door plate


6


when the door plate


6


is closed.




Referring to

FIGS. 1 and 5

, the press plate


4


is used for fixing a glass piece or a plate, and includes a first press plate


41


, a second press plate


42


, a third press plate


43


, and a fourth press plate


44


. The first press plate


41


has two ends each defining a positioning hole


411


for securing the first press plate


41


to the upright post


1


by a positioning member


5


, and the first press plate


41


is provided with a lip


412


for resting and locking a glass piece or a plate. The second press plate


42


has two vertical wall faces, wherein one of the wall faces is used for securing the first press plate


41


by the positioning member


5


, and the other wall face co-operates with the first press plate


41


to clip a plate. The third press plate


43


has an upright plate


432


inserted into the insertion groove


211


of the transverse rod


21


that forms the back portion and the top portion of the entire frame, and the third press plate


43


itself has a groove


431


for collecting electrical wires or cooling pipes. The fourth press plate


44


is inserted into the locking groove


213


of the first transverse rod


21


that separating the entire frame into multiple grid layers, whereby the fourth press plate


44


co-operates with the lip


212


of the first transverse rod


21


to clip the partition plate.




Referring to

FIGS. 1 and 7

, the door plate


6


may be made of a glass material, and as shown in the figures, is secured on a frame


61


whose one side is mounted to one of the upright posts


1


by a connecting member


62


such as a hinge. Therefore, the door plate


6


may be pivoted to be opened, and the rest sides of the frame


61


is pressed on the upright plate


222


of the second transverse rod


22


and the upright plate


322


of the second frame rod


32


. The frame


61


may be provided with a lock, if necessary, to be snapped on the second frame rod


32


.




Referring to

FIGS. 6-8

, according to the present invention, the upright posts


1


construct the four comer positions of the entire frame, and a plurality of transverse rods


2


are secured between the four upright posts


1


by means of the positioning members


5


extending through the positioning holes


20


. The oppositely aligning insertion grooves


211


,


221


, and


231


of the transverse rod


2


are used for insertion of glass pieces or plates, or the insertion grooves


211


,


221


, and


231


of the transverse rod


2


are used for insertion of the protruding plate


311


of the frame rod


3


, and then the insertion groove


312


of the frame rod


3


is used for insertion of glass pieces or plates. The first press plate


41


, the third press plate


43


, and the fourth press plate


44


are respectively inserted or fixed to the first transverse rod


21


, to co-operate with the first transverse rod


21


to clip or fix the plates of the top, bottom or partition. The door plate


6


is secured on one of the upright posts


1


, thereby forming the frame of the playing machine.




Accordingly, only a single worker is needed to hold a positioning member fixing tool to accomplishing assembling the construction of the frame structure of the playing machine, thereby facilitating the worker assembling the frame structure of the playing machine, and the frame structure after being assembled has a better strength.




Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.



Claims
  • 1. A frame structure of a playing machine comprising:a plurality of upright posts, located at corner positions of an entire frame, each of the upright posts having an outer face provided with two outer grooves facing outward, the outer grooves of two adjacent upright posts aligning with each other for allowing insertion of a glass piece or a plate; a plurality of transverse rods, each having two ends each defining a positioning hole for securing one of the transverse rods to one of the upright posts by a positioning member, each of the transverse rods itself defining at least one insertion groove or two insertion grooves, the insertion grooves of two adjacent transverse rods aligning with each other for allowing insertion of a glass piece or a plate; a first press plate secured between tops of the upright posts; a second press plate mounted to the first press plate; and a third press plate being adapted to secure a glass piece or a plate, the third press plate having an upright plate inserted into the insertion groove of one of the transverse rods to form a back top portion of the entire frame.
  • 2. The frame structure of a playing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the upright posts defines two opposite inner grooves, for allowing insertion of an ornamental plate.
  • 3. The frame structure of a playing machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the ornamental plate is made of a transparent material, and has a through channel.
  • 4. The frame structure of a playing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the transverse rods has a lip and a locking groove, the locking groove receiving therein a press plate which co-operates with the lip to clip a glass piece or a plate.
  • 5. the frame structure of a playing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the transverse rods is provided with an upright plate.
  • 6. The frame structure of a playing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer groove of each of the upright posts or the insertion groove of each of the transverse rods allows insertion of a protruding plate of a frame rod, the frame rod having an insertion groove for allowing insertion of a glass piece or a plate.
  • 7. The frame structure of a playing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the outer groove of each of the upright posts or the insertion groove of each of the transverse rods allows insertion of a protruding plate of a frame rod.
  • 8. The frame structure of a playing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first press plate is secured between the tops of the upright posts by a positioning member, the first press plate having a protruding lip for securing a top plate.
  • 9. The frame structure of a playing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second press plate comprises two vertical wall faces, one of the wall faces thereof being fixed, and another one of the wall faces thereof co-operating with the transverse rods or the second or third press plate to clip a plate.
  • 10. The frame structure of a playing machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a door plate, the door plate secured on one of the upright posts by a connecting member.
  • 11. The frame structure of a playing machine as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a door plate, the door plate secured on one of the upright posts by a frame.
  • 12. A frame structure of a playing machine comprising:a plurality of upright posts, located at corner positions of an entire frame, each of the upright posts having an outer face provided with two outer grooves facing outward and two opposite inner grooves, the outer grooves of two adjacent upright posts aligning with each other, the two inner grooves allowing insertion of an ornamental plate; a plurality of traverse rods, including a first transverse rod, a second transverse rod, and a third transverse rod, the first transverse rod and the third transverse rod having two opposite faces each defining an insertion groove, the second transverse rod having two opposite faces respectively provided with an insertion groove and an upright plate, each of the transverse rods having two ends each defining a positioning hole for securing one of the traverse rods to one of the upright posts by a positioning member, the insertion grooves of two adjacent transverse rods aligning with each other; a plurality of frame rod, including a first frame rod, and a second frame rod, the first frame rod provided with a protruding plate and an insertion groove, the protruding plate inserted into the outer groove of one of the upright posts or the insertion groove of one of the transverse rods, the insertion groove allowing insertion of a glass piece or a plate; a press plate, having two ends each defining a positioning hole for securing the press plate to the upright post by a positioning member, and provided with a lip for locking a glass piece or a plate; and a door plate, having one side pivotally connected by a connecting member to one of the upright posts to rotate, and become engaged with the upright plate of the second transverse rod and the upright plate of the second frame rod.
  • 13. The frame structure of a playing machine as claimed in claims 12, wherein the ornamental plate is made of a transparent material, and has a through channel.
  • 14. The frame structure of a playing machine as claimed in claims 12, wherein the transverse rod has a lip and a locking groove, the locking groove receiving therein a press plate which co-operates with the lip to clip a glass piece or a plate.
  • 15. The frame structure of a playing machine as claimed in claim 12, wherein the transverse rod is provided with an upright plate.
  • 16. The frame structure of a playing machine as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a second press plate, the second press plate having two vertical wall faces, one of the wall faces being fixed, and the other wall face co-operating with the transverse rods or the second press plate to clip a plate.
  • 17. The frame structure of a playing machine as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a third press plate, the third plate having an upright plate, the upright plate inserted into the insertion groove of one of the transverse rods to form a back top portion of the entire frame.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
89213489 U Aug 2000 TW
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5549372 Lewis Aug 1996 A
5695263 Simon et al. Dec 1997 A
5839248 Liang Nov 1998 A
6082837 Battochio et al. Jul 2000 A