Lighted hole assembly and ball projector for playboard

Claim 2

In a pin ball machine the combination comprising a playboard with a hole therethrough, a wafer of translucent material secured to the underside of the playboard and defining a bottom for the hole, the wafer having a diametrical slot, a trigger member underlying the wafer and having a pair of fins extending upwardly through the slot adjacent the edges thereof and in position to be struck by a ball dropping into the hole, the trigger member being yieldably mounted with respect to the wafer so that it sinks downwardly upon receiving the weight of the ball, a switch responsive to the sinking movement, a solenoid connected to the switch, the trigger member having a central slot between the fins, a pivoted ejection finger mechanically coupled to the solenoid and extensible by the latter through the central slot so that a ball dropping into the hole and making contact is promptly ejected, a source of light under the hole, the wafer having an upwardly facing light emitting surface so that light received from the source is transmitted through the wafer and into the hole for maintaining the same in a normally illuminated condition.

Claim 3

The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which the trigger member is also formed of translucent material having a light-receiving surface on its underside for illuminating the fins.

Claim 4

In a pin ball machine the combination comprising a playboard with a hole therethrough, a wafer of translucent material secured to the underside of the playboard and defining a bottom for the hole, the wafer having a diametrical slot defined by spaced parallel edges, a trigger member underlying the wafer and having a pair of upstanding parallel fins extending upwardly through the slot adjacent the edges thereof and in position to be depressed by a ball dropping into the hole, the trigger member being yieldably mounted with respect to the wafer so that it sinks downwardly upon receiving the weight of a ball, a switch responsive to the yielding movement, a solenoid connected to the switch, the trigger member having a central slot between the fins, a pivoted ejection finger mechanically coupled to the solenoid and having an edge extending lengthwise in the central slot so that a ball dropping into the hole is promptly ejected therefrom by the ejection finger, a source of light under the hole, the wafer being faceted on its upper surface and the trigGer member being faceted on its lower surface so that light is transmitted from the source via the trigger member and fins as well as directly through the wafer into the hole for illuminating the same.

Claim 5

In a pin ball machine the combination comprising a playboard with a hole therethrough, a wafer of translucent material secured to the underside of the playboard and defining a bottom for the hole, the wafer having a diametrical slot defined by spaced parallel edges, a trigger member underlying the wafer and having a pair of upstanding parallel fins extending upwardly through the slot adjacent the edges thereof and in position to be depressed by a ball dropping into the hole, the trigger member being yieldably mounted with respect to the wafer so that it sinks downwardly upon receiving the weight of a ball, a switch responsive to the yielding movement, a solenoid connected to the switch, the trigger member having a central slot between the fins, a pivoted ejection finger mechanically coupled to the solenoid and having an edge extending lengthwise in the central slot so that a ball dropping into the hole is promptly ejected therefrom by the ejection finger, a source of light under the hole, the wafer being faceted on its upper surface and the trigGer member being faceted on its lower surface so that light is transmitted from the source via the trigger member and fins as well as directly through the wafer into the hole for illuminating the same.

Claim 6

The combination as claimed in claim 3 in which the fins are of symmetrical height so that a ball upon engaging and depressing the fins is supported by the fins in a centered position above the ejection finger for ejection along a consistent path.

Claim 7

In a pin ball machine the combination comprising a playboard with a hole therethrough, a wafer secured to the underside of the playboard and defining a bottom for the hole, a trigger member underlying the wafer, the trigger member being pivoted at one end to the wafer and having a body portion which lies flatly against the underside of the wafer, a source of light under the hole, the wafer and trigger member both being formed of translucent material for collection of light and transmission thereof into the hole, means including a switch for biasing the trigger member upwardly into a normal position against the wafer, a trigger finger on the trigger member extending upwardly into the hole so that when a ball drops into the hole the trigger member is depressed to close the switch, a pivoted ejection finger extendable upwardly through the hole, a solenoid connected to the switch and mechanically coupled to the ejection finger so that upon closure of a switch the ejection finger is operated by the solenoid to eject a ball from the hole.

Claim 8

In a pin ball machine the combination comprising a playboard with a hole therethrough, a wafer secured to the underside of the playboard and defining a bottom for the hole, a trigger member underlying the wafer, the trigger member being pivoted at one end to the wafer and having a body portion which lies flatly against the underside of the wafer, a source of light under the hole, the wafer and trigger member both being formed of translucent material for collection of light and transmission thereof into the hole, means including a switch for biasing the trigger member upwardly into a normal position against the wafer, a trigger finger on the trigger member extending upwardly into the hole so that when a ball drops into the hole the trigger member is depressed to close the switch, a pivoted ejection finger extendable upwardly through the hole, a solenoid connected to the switch and mechanically coupled to the ejection finger so that upon closure of a switch the ejection finger is operated by the solenoid to eject a ball from the hole.

Claim 9

The combination as claimed in claim 4 in which at least the wafer has light transmitting facets formed on the surface thereof.

Claim 10

In a pin ball machine the combination comprising a playboard with a hole therethrough, a wafer secured to the underside of the playboard and defining a bottom for the hole, the wafer having a diametrical slot, a trigger member underlying the wafer, the trigger member having a central slot registering with the slot in the wafer, the trigger member being pivoted to the wafer at one end, the trigger member having a flat portion which occupies a normal position against the underside of the wafer, the trigger member including a trigger finger which projects upwardly through the slot in the wafer, means for biasing the trigger member upwardly into its normal position, a switch coupled to the trigger member for making contact when the finger is engaged by a ball dropping into the hole, a pivoted ejection finger extending through the center of the registering slots, a solenoid coupled to the switch and mechanically connected to the ejection finger for ejecting the ball from the hole, a source of light under the wafer, the wafer being translucent and substantially the entire upper surface thereof being formed in facets to provide jewel-like illumination in the hole.

Claim 11

In a pin ball machine the combination comprising a playboard with a hole therethrough, a wafer secured to the underside of the playboard and defining a bottom for the hole, the wafer having a diametrical slot, a trigger member underlying the wafer, the trigger member having a central slot registering with the slot in the wafer, the trigger member being pivoted to the wafer at one end, the trigger member having a flat portion which occupies a normal position against the underside of the wafer, the trigger member including a trigger finger which projects upwardly through the slot in the wafer, means for biasing the trigger member upwardly into its normal position, a switch coupled to the trigger member for making contact when the finger is engaged by a ball dropping into the hole, a pivoted ejection finger extending through the center of the registering slots, a solenoid coupled to the switch and mechanically connected to the ejection finger for ejecting the ball from the hole, a source of light under the wafer, the wafer being translucent and substantially the entire upper surface thereof being formed in facets to provide jewel-like illumination in the hole.

Claim 12

The combination as claimed in claim 7 in which the trigger finger is in the form of a plate presenting a narrow elongated ball-engaging edge and in which the source of light is a bulb alined with the plate for illuminating the wafer and trigger member on both sides of the plate.