[0001] This invention relates to a lottery number selection apparatus and, more particularly,
to a lottery number selection apparatus which utilizes airflow to select the balls
randomly and display them to a user.
[0002] U.S. Patent 4,508,346 to Salvucci entitled RANDOM NUMBER SELECTION METHOD AND APPARATUS
utilizes airflow to select and entrain a desired number of balls in a transparent
tube extending vertically from a mixing chamber. After the designated number of balls
are selected, a mechanical finger is utilized to entrap the balls in the vertical
tube for a determined period of time until the identity of the balls entrapped is
obtained. The finger is then released and the balls fall back into the mixing chamber
where the selection process can be again commenced and repeated.
[0003] While the Salvucci device is useful, various disadvantages are present in the apparatus.
One such disadvantage is that the apparatus is intended to be placed at a number of
locations where members of the general public are present. The vertically oriented
transparent tube is susceptible to damage or misalignment because of its location
as well as vandalism because of its exposed and vulnerable configuration. A further
problem with the vertical configuration disclosed by Salvucci relates to the quantity
of the airflow required to properly entrap the required number of balls. The vertical
tube requires a higher rate of sirflow and consequently more energy than may be required
with a different design which makes the machine vulnerable to poor operation in certain
environments.
[0004] According to the invention, there is disclosed a number selection apparatus comprising
a mixing chamber, a display tube having first and second sections, said display tube
having an inlet and an outlet end, each end being open in said chamber, a cover for
said mixing chamber surrounding at least part of said display tube, air supply means
to provide air to said chamber through an apertute, said first section of said display
tube including said inlet end located generally above said aperture and, said second
section extending from said first section in a direction generally adjacent to the
outside profile of said cover.
[0005] According to a further aspect of the invention, there is disclosed a method of selecting
a predetermined number of balls bearing indicia in a display tube comprising the steps
of supplying an air stream to a chamber, blowing balls with said air stream into a
tube extending adjacent to the outside profile of said chamber, retaining a number
of said balls in said tube for a predetermined period of time, displaying said indicia
of said balls through said display tube and releasing said retaining means to allow
said balls to return to said chamber.
[0006] A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only,
with the use of drawings in which:
Figure 1 is an isometric view of one embodiment of the present invention illustrating
the display tube outside the cover;
Figure 2 is a side cutaway view of a second embodiment of the apparatus of Figure
1 illustrating the display tube inside the cover;
Figure 3 is a front cutaway view similar to Figure 2 illustrating a third embodiment
of the appatatus according to the invention; and
Figure 4 is an isometric view of the retaining device of Figure 1.
[0007] Referring now to the drawings, the lottery selection apparatus is illustrated genetally
at 10. It comprises a generally rectangular mixing chamber 11, an air supply in the
form of fan or blower 12 connected below the chamber 11, a plurality of balls generally
shown at 27 in the chamber 11, each of the balls 27 bearing an indicia or number,
and a display device or tube generally shown at 13 which extends from and returns
to the chamber 11.
[0008] The fan 12 is connected to an input duct tube 14 which enters the chamber 11 from
the fan 12 at the inlet aperture 20 of the chamber 11. The inlet aperture 20 is covered
by a grate 24 to prevent balls entering the inlet duct tube 14. The tube 13 commences
at a position immediately over the inlet aperture 20 and a first section 17 extends
upwardly from the chamber 11 and is connected to the cover 26 of the chamber 11. The
tube 13 has a second section 25 extends from the first section 17 in a direction generally
parallel and adjacent to the outside profile of the cover 26. The second section 25
of the tube 13 has a transparent window 30 which allows the balls 27 to be seen as
they pass through and are retained in the tube 13. The second section 25 extends to
an elbow 23 which leads from the second section 15 into third section 16. Third section
16 extends generally vertically downwards through cover 26 and into chamber 11 where
it terminates.
[0009] A retaining device 22 is positioned in the third section 16. The retaining device
22, more clearly seen in Figure 4, is permanently attached to the third section 16
and has a tongue 28 movable between a first position 15 where the flow of balls through
the tube 13 is blocked and a second position 18 where the flow of balls through the
tube 13 can take place with no interference from the tongue 28 when the tongue 28
is released from its position blocking the flow. The retaining device 22 is operated
by a solenoid (not shown).
[0010] A plurality of perforations in the second section 25 allows the escape of air from
the tube 13.
[0011] In operation, the fan 12 is energized and air from the fan 12 travels through the
tube 14 extending from the fan 12 to the chamber 11. The bottom of the chamber 11
is generally sloped so as to allow movement of the plurality of balls downward to
the air inlet aperture 20 where they will be exposed to the air stream from the fan
12. The inlet aperture grate 24 prevents the balls from falling into tube 14 but allows
the air stream to flow freely from the fan 12 into the mixing chamber 11. The air
flow blows the balls 27 upwardly as they approach the inlet aperature 20 and some
will be entrained singularly into the inlet of the first section 17 of the tube 13.
A ball so entrained will be conveyed through the first section 17, the second section
25 and the third section 16 until it reaches the retaining device 22 where it will
be held when the retaining device is positioned to block the third section 16. While
the first ball is so retained, air flows outwardly from the perforations in the second
section 25. Thereafter, further balls pile up behind the first ball until the tube
is full and a certain number of indicia are visible to the observer through the transparent
window 30 on the second section 25. The identity of the balls held in the display
tube 13 are then taken by the operator from the indicia written on the balls according
to the sequence in which the balls entered the tube. After the identity of the balls
is taken, the retaining device 22 is disengaged which allows the balls to return to
the chamber 11 through the outlet of the third section 16.
[0012] When the retaining device 22 is disengaged, of course, the balls 27 entrained in
tube 13 will continue their movement through the tube 13 and back into the mixing
chamber 11 resulting in continuous movement of balls through the tube 25.
[0013] A further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figure 2. In this embodiment,
the chamber 11 is not rectangularly shaped as is the chamber 11 of Figure 1 nor is
the second section 25 of tube 13 outside the chamber 11. Rather, the tube 13 is wholly
within the chamber 11 which has a sloping upper surface 21. The tube 13 again extends
substantially parallel and adjacent to the outside profile of the cover 11 and this
embodiment is attractive when it is desirable to increase security by removing any
external projections of the tube 13 from the chamber 11.
[0014] Also in this embodiment, the transparent window of the second section of the tube
13 is complimented by a transparent panel 31 in the cover 11 adjacent to and substantially
conterminous with the transparent window 30 of the second section of the tube 13.
Furthermore, the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2 has its retaining device 22 located
at the end of the second section 25 and not in the third second 16 as there is no
need to use a return or third section because of the downwardly sloping second section
25.
[0015] Yet a further embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figure 3. This embodiment
is similar to the embodiment of Figure 1 with the exception that the tube 13 is wholly
within the mixing chamber 11 to reduce the possibility for vandalism by removing any
external parts of the tube 13 such as illustrated in Figure 1. In this embodiment,
a transparent panel 31 is provided in the chamber 11 so that the bills 27 displayed
in the second section 25 of the tube 13 are visible through the transparent window
30 and panel 31 to the user.
[0016] Modifications may readily be made to the apparatus described. For example, while
the fan or blower 12 may be turned on only when used as by a switch 32, it may also
be running continuously so that the balls 27 are continuously moving in the chamber
11 and through the tube 13. Further, the functions of the retaining device 22 may
be automatic as, for example, when the apparatus is used to select lottery numbers.
In this event, a coin or ticket (not shown) is inserted in the apparatus and will
automatically activate the retaining device to stop the flow of balls 27 through the
tube 13 for a period of time sufficient to allow the balls 27 to be retained and displayed
in the second section 25. Thereafter, the retaining device 22 can be automatically
opened by a timing device (not shown) which will then release the balls 27 and allow
them to continue flowing through the tube 13. Alternatively, of course, the retaining
device 22 may be manually operable as from a button (not shown) which the operator
may press either at will or during a predetermined time period.
[0017] In addition, the transparent panel 31 in the cover 11 may be replaced with a magnifying
panel which may allow the display tube to run at an angle to the outside profile of
the cover 11. Such a magnifying prism would, of course, allow the balls to be positioned
at different positions within the display tube 13, so long as the identify of the
balls was readily observable by the user.
[0018] Various other modifications besides those specifically described will readily occur
to those skilled in the art and the specific embodiments described should be taken
as illustrative only and not as limiting the scope of the invention as construed in
accordance with the accompanying claims.
1. A number selection apparatus comprising a mixing chamber, a display tube having
first and second sections, said display tube having an inlet and an outlet end, each
end being open in said chamber, a cover for said mixing chamber surrounding at least
part of said display tube, air supply means to provide air to said chamber through
an aperture, said first section of said display tube including said inlet end located
generally above said aperture and, said second section extending from said first section
in a direction generally adjacent to the outside profile of said cover.
2. A number selection apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said second section includes
a transparent window, said window being generally parallel to the outside profile
of said cover.
3. A number selection apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said display tube is wholly
within said chamber, said cover including a transparent panel adjacent to and substantially
conterminous with said transparent window of said second section.
4. A number selection apparatus as in claim 3 and futther comprising a releasable
ball retaining said balls in and releasing said balls from said second section.
5. A number selection apparatus as in claim 3 and further comprising a third section
connected to said second section, said third section including said outlet end open
in said chamber.
6. A number selection apparatus as in claim 5 wherein said second section of said
display tube and said outside profile of said cover are substantially horizontal.
7. A number selection apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said second section is outside
said cover, said tube further including a third section which extends from said second
section and returns to said chamber.
8. A selection apparatus as in claim 7 and further comprising a releasable ball retaining
device in said third section operable to retain and release balls in said display
tube.
9. A method of selecting a predetermined number of balls bearing indicis in a display
tube comprising the steps of supplying an air stream to a chamber, blowing balls with
said air stream into a tube extending adjacent to the outside profile of said chamber,
retaining a number of said balls in said tube for a predetermined period of time,
displaying said indicia of said balls through said display tube and releasing said
retaining means to allow said balls to return to said chamber.
10. A method as in claim 9 wherein said display tube is outside said chamber.
11. A method as in claim 9 wherein said display tube is substantially parallel to
the outside profile of and wholly within said chamber, said indicia of said balls
being displayed outside of said chamber.