Rim-mounted roulette ball launching system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10076701-B2
Application number	US-201615099174-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2016
Priority date	Sep 25, 2015
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

A ball-launching system mounts to a top rim of a roulette wheel and positions a ball launcher configured to launch a roulette ball into the roulette wheel. The ball-launching system includes an outer jaw and an inner jaw, which clamp to the top rim. At least a part of a ball launcher extends into a concave bowl of the roulette wheel and facilitates launching the roulette ball directly into a ball track underneath the top rim within the concave bowl.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A roulette ball launching system comprising:
a roulette table comprising a roulette wheel having a concave bowl with a circular ball track proximate and inside of the concave bowl, the bowl having a top overhanging rim adjacent to the circular ball track; and
a roulette ball launcher assembly comprising:
a mounting structure comprising:
an outer jaw;
an inner jaw, the mounting structure attached to the bowl proximate the top rim by a portion of the bowl being clamped between the inner jaw and the outer jaw, wherein the inner jaw is positioned within the bowl;
a platform coupled to both the inner jaw and the outer jaw, the platform being movable in a radial direction relative to the circular ball track of the concave bowl when the mounting structure is clamped and radially secured onto the bowl; and
a support plate coupled to and being movable relative to the platform; and

a roulette ball launcher connected to the mounting structure, the ball launcher for positioning a stationary roulette ball in the circular ball track underneath the top rim prior to launching the roulette ball into the circular ball track, wherein movement of the support plate in the radial direction relative to the platform, the inner jaw, and the outer jaw enables the ball launcher to be positioned radially relative to the circular ball track of the concave bowl.

2. The roulette ball launching system of claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the ball launcher is configured to extend into the circular ball track each time a roulette ball is launched into the circular ball track.

3. The roulette ball launching system of claim 1 , wherein the ball launcher is configured to launch the ball in direct response to a player activating a remote switch.

4. The roulette ball launching system of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment component configured to change a position of the ball launcher with respect to the mounting structure after the mounting structure is fixed to the top rim of the concave bowl.

5. The roulette ball launching system of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment component configured to change a distance between at least part of the ball launcher and the circular ball track.

6. The roulette ball launching system of claim 1 , wherein the ball launcher is configured to be adjustable along the platform and fixable to the platform.

Assignees

• Bally Gaming Inc

Inventors

• Mercer Haven A
• Nelson Troy D
• Helgesen James P
• Kotifani Jamal Hani
• Fekete Georg
• Stasson James B
• Swanson Ronald R

Classifications

• A63F5/00

  Roulette games · CPC title

• A63F11/00 Primary

  Game accessories of general use · CPC title

• A63F7/2472 Primary

  Projecting devices with actuating mechanisms, e.g. triggers, not being connected to the playfield · CPC title

• A63F7/26

  electric or magnetic · CPC title

• A63F2009/2489

  by radio transmitters, e.g. using RFID · CPC title