Lock-out ball bumper switch

Claim 2

In a ball bumper switch assembly having a ball-actuated stem with pendulum-like action and a free end activating a switch element by rocking from a normally centralized position into which the stem is spring-urged, improvements comprising, namely: the combination of lock-out means on the switch element providing a limited land area confronting and engageable with said free end of the stem and in said normally centralized position of the stem whereby to prevent the switch element from moving into a first operative condition in the general direction of the axis of said stem, and permitting said element to move into said first operative condition responsive to ball-actuating movement of said stem and displacement of the free end thereof beyond predetermined marginal portions of the land area, said lock-out means having portions disposed in said free operative condition thereof to block return of the free end of the stem from said displaced to said normally centralized condition; and reset means operative to move said switch element in a direction away from said first and second operative conditions and permit return of the stem and said free end thereof to said normally centralized position and thereafter to permit reengagement of said land area with said free end of the centralized free end of the stem.

Claim 3

In a ball switch, a rockable stem member and ball-activated means for rocking the same, said member having a free end portion and spring means yieldingly urging said member into a normal position to dispose said end portion in a centralized position; a switch member yieldingly urged toward and into engagement with said free end portion in said centralized position and movable therebeyond to a first operative condition when said free end portion is deflected from said centralized position a predetermined amount; lock-out means carried by the switch member including stem-engaging land portions engageable with said free end of the stem in said normalized position thereof to prevent movement of the switch member into said first condition, and stem-blocking portions engageable with the stem when the latter is deflected said predetermined amount whereby the stem is blocked from returning to normal position; electromagnetic resetting means operative to move the switch member oppositely from its movement into said first operative condition to a non-blocking position permitting the stem to return to said normal position.

Claim 4

In a ball switch, a rockable stem member and ball-activated means for rocking the same, said member having a free end portion and spring means yieldingly urging said member into a normal position to dispose said end portion in a centralized position; a switch member yieldingly urged toward and into engagement with said free end portion in said centralized position and movable therebeyond to a first operative condition when said free end portion is deflected from said centralized position a predetermined amount; lock-out means carried by the switch member including stem-engaging land portions engageable with said free end of the stem in said normalized position thereof to prevent movement of the switch member into said first condition, and stem-blocking portions engageable with the stem when the latter is deflected said predetermined amount whereby the stem is blocked from returning to normal position; electromagnetic resetting means operative to move the switch member oppositely from its movement into said first operative condition to a non-blocking position permitting the stem to return to said normal position.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 2 further characterized by the provision of circuit means controlled by said switch member in said first operated condition thereof to actuate said electromagnetic means.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 3 further characterized by the provision of ball-reprojecting means operatively associated with said ball-activated means and moved by said electromagnetic means responSive to actuation thereof as aforesaid, whereby to effect a reprojection of a ball which activates the ball-activated means.

Claim 7

A ball bumper of the type including a ball engageable member movably responsive to ball engagement therewith from a normal position into which it is yieldingly urged together with a cooperative axially elongated pendulant stem having a free end normally disposed in a centralized position in said normal position of the ball-engageable member, and switch means controlled by displacements of said stem end from said centralized position, improvements characterized in that said switch means includes a switch member fixed at one end and having an opposite end movable in the general direction of the stem axis toward and away from said free stem end, said switch member having spring bias urging the same in a bias direction to dispose said opposite end thereof toward abutting relation with said stem end in said centralized position and toward successive first and second operative positions in such bias direction; and lock out means situated at said opposite end of the switch member and including a land of predetermined small area to abut said stem end and thereby maintain the switch member in said first operative position against bias movement into the second operative position so long as the stem end remains on said land, ball-effected displacement of the stem a predetermined minimal amount displacing said stem end beyond marginal portions of the land and out of abutting engagement with the lock out means, thereby freeing the switch member for movement into said second operative position wherein other portions of the lock out means become disposed to block return of the stem to normal position, such return being effected by a resetting movement of the switch member responsive to application thereto of a resetting force acting to move the same oppositely from said bias direction into a reset position wherein said lock out means is in a non-blocking relation to the stem, withdrawal of said resetting force permitting bias movement of the switch member back from reset position into said first operative position with said land again in abutting engagement with the stem end.

Claim 8

A ball bumper of the type including a ball engageable member movably responsive to ball engagement therewith from a normal position into which it is yieldingly urged together with a cooperative axially elongated pendulant stem having a free end normally disposed in a centralized position in said normal position of the ball-engageable member, and switch means controlled by displacements of said stem end from said centralized position, improvements characterized in that said switch means includes a switch member fixed at one end and having an opposite end movable in the general direction of the stem axis toward and away from said free stem end, said switch member having spring bias urging the same in a bias direction to dispose said opposite end thereof toward abutting relation with said stem end in said centralized position and toward successive first and second operative positions in such bias direction; and lock out means situated at said opposite end of the switch member and including a land of predetermined small area to abut said stem end and thereby maintain the switch member in said first operative position against bias movement into the second operative position so long as the stem end remains on said land, ball-effected displacement of the stem a predetermined minimal amount displacing said stem end beyond marginal portions of the land and out of abutting engagement with the lock out means, thereby freeing the switch member for movement into said second operative position wherein other portions of the lock out means become disposed to block return of the stem to normal position, such return being effected by a resetting movement of the switch member responsive to application thereto of a resetting force acting to move the same oppositely from said bias direction into a reset position wherein said lock out means is in a non-blocking relation to the stem, withdrawal of said resetting force permitting bias movement of the switch member back from reset position into said first operative position with said land again in abutting engagement with the stem end.

Claim 9

A bumper structure according to claim 5 wherein said land has a central zone abutting said free stem end in said centralized position thereof, and in at least one particular direction radially outward from said central zone with respect to the stem axis, said marginal portions of the land lie radially beyond the maximal range of displacement of the stem and said free end thereof such that said stem end cannot escape from abutting relation with the land in such particular direction but can do so in other directions, whereby operation of the switch means is rendered directionally selective in dependance upon the direction in which the stem is displaced by ball action from said normal position thereof.

Claim 10

The construction of claim 5 wherein said lock out means is a stud secured at one end to said opposite end of the switch member to project laterally therefrom toward and in alignment with said stem end in the centralized position thereof, and said stud has an opposite end abuttingly confronting said stem end and constituting said land, said stud having a length between said ends thereof such that on displacement of the stem end from the land in any direction radially of the stem axis, the stud escapes abutting blocking action of the stem and thereby permits the switch member to move into said second operative position wherein the body of the stud blocks return of the stem to normal position as aforesaid.

Claim 11

A ball bumper according to claim 5 further characterized in that said switch member is an elongated blade fixed at one end to project generally traversely of the stem axis and lie in a plane with one side and the opposite end of the blade facing said free end of the stem in said normal centralized position thereof; and said lock out means comprises a configuration at said facing end Of the blade projecting laterally therefrom and in alignment with the centralized stem end, said configuration having a portion defining said land, said blade being provided with spring bias urging the same toward the stem end and said first and second operative positions whereby said land is thrust against said stem end in the centralized position thereof and obstructs the switch member from moving into said second operative position so long as the stem remains in substantially normal position to maintain said free end thereof substantially within the area defining said land, said configuration including a marginal edge portion situated closer to a central zone thereof than the remaining marginal portions thereof and beyond which movement of the stem end escapes from said configuration and becomes blocked by said edge portion from return to centralized position.

Claim 12

In a ball-actuated bumper switch for pinball games of the type having a target element engageable by a ball or similar playing piece and means yieldingly urging the same into a normal position in which such element can be engaged by a ball and thereby displaced from such normal position, together with switch means including an axially elongated stem projecting from said target element and having a free end portion disposed in a centralized position from which it is deflected by ball movement of the target element from said normal position, together with switch means actuated by deflection of the stem from said centralized position, improvements comprising, namely: the provision of an elongated switch member fixed at one end and having an opposite free end region spring biased to move toward said free end of the stem in the general direction of the axis thereof; stem blocking lock out means movable with said switch member at said opposite end thereof providing a land engageable with the free end of the stem in said normally centralized position thereof; said bias yieldingly urging said switch member into a first operative position determined by abutting engagement of the land with the free end of the stem as aforesaid, whereby the switch member is releasably prevented from bias movement into a second operative position, displacement of the stem a predetermined amount responsive to ball movement of the target element as aforesaid with corresponding movement of the free end of the stem beyond predetermined margins of said land freeing the switch member for movement to the second operative position and disposing said lock out means in position to obstruct return of the stem to said centralized position; and resetting means operative to move the switch member in a direction reversely back away from said second and first operative positions sufficient to permit the stem to pass the blocking lock out means for return to centralized position, said resetting means being thereafter operative to free the switch member to effect reengagement of the land with the free end of the stem.

Claim 13

In a ball-actuated bumper switch for pinball games of the type having a target element engageable by a ball or similar playing piece and means yieldingly urging the same into a normal position in which such element can be engaged by a ball and thereby displaced from such normal position, together with switch means including an axially elongated stem projecting from said target element and having a free end portion disposed in a centralized position from which it is deflected by ball movement of the target element from said normal position, together with switch means actuated by deflection of the stem from said centralized position, improvements comprising, namely: the provision of an elongated switch member fixed at one end and having an opposite free end region spring biased to move toward said free end of the stem in the general direction of the axis thereof; stem blocking lock out means movable with said switch member at said opposite end thereof providing a land engageable with the free end of the stem in said normally centralized position thereof; said bias yieldingly urging said switch member into a first operative position determined by abutting engagement of the land with the free end of the stem as aforesaid, whereby the switch member is releasably prevented from bias movement into a second operative position, displacement of the stem a predetermined amount responsive to ball movement of the target element as aforesaid with corresponding movement of the free end of the stem beyond predetermined margins of said land freeing the switch member for movement to the second operative position and disposing said lock out means in position to obstruct return of the stem to said centralized position; and resetting means operative to move the switch member in a direction reversely back away from said second and first operative positions sufficient to permit the stem to pass the blocking lock out means for return to centralized position, said resetting means being thereafter operative to free the switch member to effect reengagement of the land with the free end of the stem.

Claim 14

A construction according to claim 9 wherein said lock out means comprises an offset configuration on the switch member and said land area comprises a predetermined limited area of said configuration confronting the free end of the stem to provide an area of abutting engagement for the free end of the stem in the normally centralized condition of the latter, such that the switch member is releasably held in said first operative position and will be freed for movement into said second operative position by displacement of the stem a predetermined minimum amount from said normally centralized position to carry said free end of the stem beyond marginal portions of said land area.

Claim 15

The construction of claim 10 wherein said switch member is a spring blade and said lock out means comprises a circularly dished concave formation on said blade the concavity of which confronts the free end of the stem, and said land area comprises portions of the concavity engaged by said free end of the stem in said normally centralized condition of the latter whereby tHe blade is maintained in said first operative position, said concave formation having a marginal portion of lesser radial distance from the center of the concavity than certain remaining marginal portions thereof and beyond which said free end of the stem can escape whereby to permit said free end of the blade to move into said second operative position and into blocking relation to the stem as aforesaid.

Claim 16

In a ball bumper assembly having a ball-actuated stem with pendulum-like action and a free end activating a switch element by rocking from a normally centralized position into which the stem is spring-urged, improvements comprising, namely: the combination of lock out means on the switch element providing a limited land area confronting said stem end in a first operative condition thereof and prevented thereby from moving to a second operative condition in a direction generally toward said stem, but permitting said element to move into said second operative condition responsive to ball-actuated movement of said stem and displacement of the free end thereof beyond a predetermined marginal portion of the land area, said lock out means having portions disposed in said second operative condition to block return of the free end of the stem from said displaced back to said normally centralized position and thereafter permit reengagement of the centralized stem end with the land on restoration of the switch element to said first operative condition.

Claim 17

In a ball bumper assembly having a ball-actuated stem with pendulum-like action and a free end activating a switch element by rocking from a normally centralized position into which the stem is spring-urged, improvements comprising, namely: the combination of lock out means on the switch element providing a limited land area confronting said stem end in a first operative condition thereof and prevented thereby from moving to a second operative condition in a direction generally toward said stem, but permitting said element to move into said second operative condition responsive to ball-actuated movement of said stem and displacement of the free end thereof beyond a predetermined marginal portion of the land area, said lock out means having portions disposed in said second operative condition to block return of the free end of the stem from said displaced back to said normally centralized position and thereafter permit reengagement of the centralized stem end with the land on restoration of the switch element to said first operative condition.

Claim 18

Apparatus according to claim 12 further provided with means for resetting said switch element from the second operative to the first operative condition comprising electromagnetic means energizable to move the switch element in a direction reversely away from the stem and free end thereof to a reset position in which said lock out means does not block return movement of the stem to normally centralized position; circuit means operative to energize said electromagnetic means controlled by said switch element in the second operative condition thereof, and further switch means actuated responsive to said energization of the electromagnetic means to effect deenergization of the latter.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 13 further characterized by the provision of contact means operatively associated with said switch element and operative to control further circuit functions dependently upon the operative condition of said switch element with respect to said first and second operative conditions thereof.