A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to any reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the United States Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
The present invention relates to a lottery ball machine, and more particularly, to a lottery ball machine which can be used to draw balls for a variety of computer games at the same time. The balls can be recycled through different routes.
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The primary object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide a lottery ball machine which is more practical. The lottery ball machine has a plurality of accommodation spaces for accommodating balls of different games. Through the displacement and switch of receiving tubes and displacement plates of a ball control seat, the balls can be recycled from the route of drawing the balls or ball tracks for the different needs of computer games. The same machine may be used for different games at the same time to speed up the games, thereby increasing economic efficiency and reducing costs.
Through the above structure, the lottery ball machine can draw the respective balls from the accommodation spaces. Players can easily see the drawn balls of all the games, thereby enhancing the interest of the players and increasing the economic benefits of the gaming machine and reducing the equipment cost.
In order to achieve the aforesaid object, the lottery ball machine of the present invention comprises a box body, a ball guide seat, a ball control seat, a plurality of gate assemblies, and a plurality of blowers. The box body is a rectangular box with an open bottom. The box body has a plurality of accommodation spaces. A rear side of each accommodation space is provided with a ball inlet. A top of each accommodation space is connected with a tube. A ball tray is provided under each accommodation space. A central portion of the ball tray is formed with an air outlet. The air outlet is located under the tube. The ball guide seat includes a top plate and a seat body under the top plate. The top plate has a plurality of upper through holes and a plurality of ball return holes located behind the upper through holes, respectively. The upper through holes and the ball return holes are arranged in pairs to form a plurality of sets arranged side by side. The seat body includes a plurality of ball passages therein. Upper ends of the ball passages are connected to the upper through holes, respectively. Lower ends of the ball passages are connected to lower through holes provided at a bottom of the seat body, respectively. The seat body is disposed on top of the box body. The lower through holes each correspond in position to an upper opening of the tube to communicate with the tube. The ball control seat is disposed on the top plate of the ball guide seat. The ball control seat comprises an upper seat plate assembly, a lower seat plate, at least two upright plates, a plurality of receiving tubes, a plurality of displacement plates, and a plurality of ball tracks. The upper seat plate assembly has a plurality of ball outlets. Each ball outlet is provided with a crosspiece to partition its diameter. The lower seat plate is disposed under the upper seat plate assembly and is mounted on top of the top plate of the ball guide seat. The lower seat plate has a plurality of limit holes. The limit holes correspond in position to the upper through holes and the ball return holes which are arranged in pairs so that the upper through holes and the ball return holes simultaneously communicate with the limit holes, respectively. The upright plates are disposed between the upper seat plate assembly and the lower seat plate so that a space is formed between the upper seat plate assembly and the lower seat plate. The receiving tubes are disposed in the space. Lower ends of the receiving tubes are inserted in the limit holes, respectively. A rear side of each receiving tube is connected with a first telescopic cylinder. Each receiving tube has upper and lower openings and is driven by the first telescopic cylinder to move back and forth. When the receiving tubes are located at front ends of the limit holes, the receiving tubes communicate with the upper through holes and the ball outlets, respectively. When the receiving tubes are located at rear ends of the limit holes, the receiving tubes communicate with the ball return holes, respectively. The displacement plates each have a front hole at a front end thereof and a rear hole at a rear end thereof. The rear end of each displacement plate is connected with a second telescopic cylinder. Each displacement plate is received in a bottom of the lower seat plate and is driven by the second telescopic cylinder to move back and forth. When the displacement plates are in a retraction state, the front holes of the displacement plates communicate with the upper through holes and the displacement plates close the ball return holes. When the displacement plates are in an advance state, the rear holes of the displacement plates communicate with the ball return holes and the displacement plates close the upper through holes. The ball tracks each have an upper opening and a lower opening. The upper opening is located under a corresponding one of the ball return holes of the top plate. The lower opening corresponds in position to the ball inlet. Each gate assembly is located between the ball inlet and the lower opening of a corresponding one of the ball tracks for opening or closing the ball inlet. Each blower is located under the air outlet of the ball tray.
In an embodiment, a bottom of each limit hole of the lower seat plate is provided with a track trough. Each displacement plate is received in the track trough of the lower seat plate.
In an embodiment, each gate assembly includes a reverse U-shaped gate frame. Two sides of the gate frame are recessed to form rails, respectively. A gate is insertedly disposed on the rails. A bottom of the gate has an L-shaped extension portion. A third telescopic cylinder is provided above the extension portion. The third telescopic cylinder is fixed to an edge of the gate frame so that the gate is driven by the third telescopic cylinder to move up and down. A front of the gate frame is mounted to an outer edge of the ball inlet. The lower opening of the corresponding ball track is mounted to a back of the gate frame. When the gate is moved downward to be opened, the ball inlet is in communication with the lower opening of the corresponding ball track. When the gate is moved upward to be closed, the ball inlet is not in communication with the lower opening of the corresponding ball track.
In an embodiment, the upper seat plate assembly is composed of a main plate and a secondary plate. The main plate has a plurality of upper ball outlets. The secondary plate has a plurality of lower ball outlets. The upper ball outlets are aligned with the lower ball outlets to form the ball outlets, respectively. An outer circumference of a bottom of each upper ball outlet is provided with an upper annular groove. An outer circumference of a top of each lower ball outlet is provided with a lower annular groove. An induction coil is provided and accommodated between the upper annular groove and the lower annular groove.
In an embodiment, a bottom of each receiving tube is provided with two notches which are longitudinally opposite to each other. Each displacement plate has a raised portion between the front hole and the rear hole. The raised portion can pass through the notches of the receiving tube.
In an embodiment, the first telescopic cylinder is connected to a first positioning seat. The first positioning seat is fixed under the upper seat plate assembly. The second telescopic cylinder is connected to a second positioning seat. The second positioning seat is fixed to the top plate of the ball guide seat.
In an embodiment, each receiving tube is provided with a sensing optical fiber inserted through an inside of the receiving tube.
In an embodiment, a stop rod is provided on the air outlet.
In an embodiment, the ball passages extend downwardly and radially. The ball passages are arranged obliquely and centered from two sides of the bottom of the seat body toward the top plate.
Through the above structure, the lottery ball machine can draw the respective balls from the accommodation spaces. The same machine may be used for different games at the same time to speed up the games. Players can easily see the drawn balls of all the games, thereby enhancing the interest of the players and increasing the economic benefits of the gaming machine and reducing the equipment cost.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to
The box body 20 is a rectangular box with an open bottom. The box body 20 includes a plurality of identical partitions 21 therein so that the box body 20 is partitioned into a plurality of accommodation spaces 22. A rear side of each accommodation space 22 is provided with a ball inlet 23. A top of each accommodation space 22 is connected with a tube 24 for drawing a number ball. A ball tray 25 is provided under each accommodation space 22. A central portion of the ball tray 25 is formed with an air outlet 26. The air outlet 26 is located under the tube 24. A stop rod 27 is provided on the air outlet 26.
The ball guide seat 30 includes a top plate 31 and a seat body 32 under the top plate 31. The top plate 31 has a plurality of upper through holes 33 arranged in order and a plurality of ball return holes 34 located behind the upper through holes 33 and arranged in order. The upper through holes 33 and the ball return holes 34 are arranged in pairs to form a plurality of sets arranged side by side. The seat body 32 includes a plurality of ball passages 35 therein. The ball passages 35 extend downwardly and radially. That is, the ball passages 35 are arranged obliquely and centered from two sides of the bottom of the seat body 32 toward the top plate 31. Upper ends of the ball passages 35 are connected to the upper through holes 33, respectively. Lower ends of the ball passages 35 are connected to lower through holes 36 disposed at the bottom of the seat body 32, respectively. The seat body 32 is disposed on top of the box body 20. The lower through holes 36 each corresponds in position to an upper opening of the tube 24 to communicate with the tube 24.
The ball control seat 40 is disposed on the top plate 31 of the ball guide seat 30. The ball control seat 40 comprises an upper seat plate assembly 41, a lower seat plate 44, at least two upright plates 45, a plurality of receiving tubes 46, a plurality of displacement plates 47, and a plurality of ball tracks 48. The upper seat plate assembly 41 has a plurality of ball outlets 42 arranged in order. Each ball outlet 42 is provided with a crosspiece 43 to partition its diameter. The upper seat plate assembly 41 is composed of a main plate 411 and a secondary plate 412. The main plate 411 has a plurality of upper ball outlets 413 arranged in order. The secondary plate 412 has a plurality of lower ball outlets 414 arranged in order. The upper ball outlets 413 are aligned with the lower ball outlets 414 to form the ball outlets 42, respectively. An outer circumference of a bottom of each upper ball outlet 413 is provided with an upper annular groove 415. An outer circumference of a top of each lower ball outlet 414 is provided with a lower annular groove 416. An induction coil 417 is accommodated between the upper annular groove 415 and the lower annular groove 416. The lower seat plate 44 is disposed under the upper seat plate assembly 41 and is mounted on top of the top plate 31 of the ball guide seat 30. The lower seat plate 44 has a plurality of limit holes 441 arranged in order. The limit holes 441 correspond in position to the upper through holes 33 and the ball return holes 34 which are arranged in pairs so that the upper through holes 33 and the ball return holes 34 simultaneously communicate with the limit holes 441, respectively. A bottom of each limit hole 441 of the lower seat plate 44 is provided with a track trough 442. The upright plates 45 are disposed between the upper seat plate assembly 41 and the lower seat plate 44 so that a space 451 is formed between the upper seat plate assembly 41 and the lower seat plate 44. The receiving tubes 46 are disposed in the space 451. Lower ends of the receiving tubes 46 are inserted in the limit holes 441, respectively. A rear side of each receiving tube 46 is connected with a first telescopic cylinder 461. The first telescopic cylinder 461 is connected to a first positioning seat 462. The first positioning seat 462 is fixed under the upper seat plate assembly 41. Each receiving tube 46 has upper and lower openings and is driven by the first telescopic cylinder 461 to move back and forth. When the receiving tubes 46 are located at the front ends of the limit holes 441, the receiving tubes 46 communicate with the upper through holes 33 and the ball outlets 42, respectively. When the receiving tubes 46 are located at the rear ends of the limit holes 441, the receiving tubes 46 communicate with the ball return holes 34, respectively. Each receiving tube 46 is provided with a sensing optical fiber 463 inserted through the inside of the receiving tube 46. The bottom of each receiving tube 46 is provided with two notches 464 which are longitudinally opposite to each other. Each displacement plate 47 has a front hole 471 at a front end thereof, a rear hole 472 at a rear end thereof, and a raised portion 473 between the front hole 471 and the rear hole 472. The rear end of each displacement plate 47 is connected with a second telescopic cylinder 474. The second telescopic cylinder 474 is connected to a second positioning seat 475. The second positioning seat 475 is fixed to the top plate 31 of the ball guide seat 30. Each displacement plate 47 is received in the track trough 442 of the lower seat plate 44 and is driven by the second telescopic cylinder 474 to move back and forth. The raised portion 473 can pass through the notches 464 of the corresponding receiving tube 46, without being obstructed. When the displacement plates 47 are in a retraction state, the front holes 471 of the displacement plates 47 communicate with the upper through holes 33, and the displacement plates 47 close the ball return holes 34. When the displacement plates 47 are in an advance state, the rear holes 472 of the displacement plates 47 communicate with the ball return holes 34, and the displacement plates 47 close the upper through holes 33. Each ball track 48 has a circular upper opening 481 and a circular lower opening 482. The upper opening 481 is located under the corresponding ball return hole 34 of the top plate 31, and the lower opening 482 corresponds in position to the ball inlet 23.
Each gate assembly 50 is located between the ball inlet 23 and the lower opening 482 of the corresponding ball track 48. Each gate assembly 50 includes a reverse U-shaped gate frame 51. Two sides of the gate frame 51 are recessed to form rails 52, respectively. A gate 53 is insertedly disposed on the rails 52. The bottom of the gate 53 has an L-shaped extension portion 54. A third telescopic cylinder 55 is provided above the extension portion 54. The third telescopic cylinder 55 is fixed to the edge of the gate frame 51 so that the gate 53 is driven by the third telescopic cylinder 55 to move up and down. The front of the gate frame 51 is mounted to the outer edge of the ball inlet 23. The lower opening 482 of the corresponding ball track 48 is mounted to the back of the gate frame 51. When the gate 53 is moved downward to be opened, the ball inlet 23 is in communication with the lower opening 482. When the gate 53 is moved upward to be closed, the ball inlet 23 is not in communication with the lower opening 482.
Each blower 60 is located under the air outlet 26 of the ball tray 25.
Through the above structure, the lottery ball machine 200 can draw the respective balls 1 from the accommodation spaces 22. The same machine may be used for different games at the same time to speed up the games. Players can easily see the drawn balls of all the games, thereby enhancing the interest of the players and increasing the economic benefits of the gaming machine and reducing the equipment cost.
The assembly, function and detail of the aforesaid embodiment are described hereinafter. As shown in
Referring to
Please refer to
Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.
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