Gear train governors in spinning reel games

Claim 1

In cyclically operable game apparatus of the type wherein a drive shaft is oscillated in each game cycle in a forward setting phase initially with reversal in a return stroke phase in which the speed thereof is regulated by governor means of the fan-loaded gear-train type, improvements in governor means characterized in that: the governor comprises a gear array including a large diameter input gear coupling with said drive shaft, and a small low-torque output gear driving a loading fan, together with a train of intermediate reduction gears drivingly interconnecting the input and output gears, said input gear being drivingly coupled with said drive shaft through a unidirectional clutch of the precision ball type operative to drive the input gear only in the direction of rotation of the drive shaft in the return phase thereof, such that the respective gears in the entire array are constrained always to turn in the same unidirectional progression through cumulatively complete revolutions, and no gear can be repetitiously oscillated in any game cycle operation of said drive shaft, whereby all of the teeth of all of the gears in the array will be exposed to wear stress notwithstanding repetitious oscillation of the drive shaft in repetitious cycling of said game apparatus.