Pinball game with plural re-projectors actuable by single solenoid acted upon by single switch

Claim 1

A pinball game including: (A) a playing surface sloping downwardly from the rear to the front thereof; (B) a transparent cover above said surface; (C) a casing for said cover and said surface; (D) at least one ball; (E) a primary rear projector for propelling a ball from near the front of the playing surface toward the rear thereof so as to permit the ball to roll down over the playing surface toward the front; (F) impediments on the playing surface in positions to be struck at random by a downwardly rolling ball; (G) at least plural of said impediments including rear re-projectors; (H) each of said rear re-projectors including a movable element and means supporting said element for movement between a front position and a rear position; (I) said movable element, when moving between said two positions, having a component of motion in a front-to-back directions; and (J) means to actuate each rear re-projector upon contact therewith of a ball rolling down over the playing surface, said machine including an improvement comprising: the provision for said actuating means of (I) a single solenoid, (II) an energizing circuit for the solenoid, (III) a common normally open switch in the energizing circuit which is closed when any rear re-projector is moved from its rear position to its front position, (IV) a common member, (V) means mounting the common member for movement in a front-to-rear direction, and (VI) a different motion transmission means interconnecting each rear re-projector with the common member, (VII) each said motion transmission means transmitting forward motion of the associated rear re-projector when contacted by a ball rolling downwardly over the playing surface of the game, said motion transmission means being operatively connected with said switch whereby the motion of the motion transmission means operates to close said switch and actuate said solenoid, and said motion transmission means transmitting a sudden rearward motion of the common member to the rear re-projector when the solenoid is energized; each motion transmission means including lost motion means whereby when a ball contacts a given rear re-projector, it alone will move the common member and it alone will be snapped forwardly by the common member upon closure of the switch.