Playing-card shuffler

Claim 2

A playing-card shuffler including a vertically vibrating horizontal support upon which a deck of cards may be placed and supported on edge for random upward displacement therefrom, said shuffler further including means for intermittently sequentially gripping the cards which are displaced upwardly from said support at least a minimum amount, elevating the gripped cards upwardly above the remainder of the deck, releasing the elevated cards and immediately thereafter laterally displacing the released cards in one direction as they fall downwardly toward the support and laterally displacing the cards disposed on and vibrated above said support in the opposite direction.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein said means includes first means operative to grip, elevate and release said upwardly displaced cards and second and third means operative to laterally displace the released cards and the cards disposed on and vibrated upwardly from the support, respectively.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2 wherein said vibrating horizontal support is driven by a motor, said first, second and third means also being driven by said motor.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 1 wherein said means operative to grip, elevate and release said upwardly displaced cards includes pairs of opposing upstanding reaches of endless flexible members, each endless member being trained about a pair of vertically spaced journaled wheels, and each pair of endless members being interconnected at corresponding points therealong by means of a generally horizontal elongated bar extending therebetween.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 1 wherein said shuffler includes a tray removably supported therefrom for supporting said deck of cards therein, said tray including opposite side marginal bottom wall portions defining an opening therebetween upwardly through which said support is receivable when said tray is supported from said shuffler, said bottom wall portions being spaced apart a distance less than the length of the lower marginal edge portions of a standard deck of cards standing on edge.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 1 wherein said means includes means operative to alternately reverse the directions in which said released cards and said cards disposed on and vibrated above said support are laterally displaced.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 1 wherein said means includes first means operative to grip, elevate and release said upwardly displaced cards and second and third means operative to laterally displace the released cards and the cards disposed on and vibrated upwardly from the support, respectively, said vibrating horizontal support being driven by a motor, said first, second and third means also being driven by said motor, and control means for said motor actuatable to initiate and terminate operation of said motoR, said control means including means, operative, when said control means is actuated so as to terminate operation of said motor means, to maintain said motor means in operation until the first-mentioned means has completed its full series of operations and to then terminate operation of said motor means prior to the first-mentioned means initiating the next full series of operations thereof.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 7 wherein said shuffler includes a tray removably supported therefrom for supporting said deck of cards therein, said tray including opposite side marginal bottom wall portions defining an opening therebetween upwardly through which said support is receivable when said tray is supported from said shuffler, said bottom wall portions being spaced apart a distance less than the length of the lower marginal edge portions of a standard deck of cards standing on edge.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 8 wherein the first mentioned means includes means operative to alternately reverse the directions in which said released cards and said cards disposed on and vibrated above said support are laterally displaced.