US3451676A - Bowling ball retarder with replaceable cloth cover - Google Patents

Description

N- FAST June 24, 1969 3,451,676 BOWLING BALL RETARDER WITH REPLACEABLB CLOTH com! Filed Sept. 29, 1966 I NVENTOR. NATHAN FAST ATTORNEYS United States Patent ()1 ice 3,451,676 Patented June 24, 1969 3,451,676 BOWLING BALL RETARDER WITH REPLACEABLE CLOTH COVER Nathan Fast, 1717 Spartan Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43209 Filed Sept. 29, 1966, Ser. No. 582,893 Int. Cl. A63d /02, 5/10 US. Cl. 27347 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention A bowling ball return system is used to move a bowling ball from the pin end of the bowling lane to the players approach end. The system is generally located bet-ween two adjacent lanes, and in modern alleys is concealed beneath the floor. The system includes a ball track which is upwardly inclined near the approach end so that the ball may return to a rack near the player. At the point in the track where the incline begins there is located a bowling ball retarder.

The bowling ball retarder reduces the speed of a bowling ball and prevents the ball from jumping upwardly into the underside of the floor. When the ball leaves the pin end of the lane on the return track it is travelling about 60 miles per hour. When the ball reaches the retarder, the speed has diminished from the original 60 miles per hour; however, the speed must be further reduced so that the ball will travel safely up the incline to the ball rack. The retarder consists of a semicylindrical leather sleeve, metal alignment frames, and a bracket which anchors the sleeve to the top of the track. The retarder is usually several feet in length and is positioned over the track so as to create a tunnel-like structure, the inner surface of which the ball must contact as it begins to roll up the incline to the track.

Although the retarder performs its functions well during its useful life, it has a main disadvantage in that it covers the returning bowling balls with oil, grease, and dust. The leather sleeve very readily adsorbs the oil used for polishing and preserving the lanes. When a ball is rolled down the lane toward the pins, it often picks up small amounts of oil and dust (grime) and on its return via the return track it deposits a portion of the grime on the retarder. Soon after being installed, the retarder is coated with the grime which the returning balls have left upon it, and thereafter any ball which is relatively clean when returning on the track will become covered with grime upon striking the retarder. The grime thus placed on the ball prevents an accurate roll of the ball, and in addition is usually transferred to the hands and clothes of the players. Also, the grime on the ball is often deposited on the automatic pin setters at the pin end of the lane, thus causing the electrical-mechanical setters to function incorrectly and to require repair.

Prior to my invention, the only method of eliminating the aforementioned problems was constant cleaning of the ball retarder by means of a wire brush and cleaning solution. This method is very unsatisfactory because it is expensive, requires much time to perform, and increases substantially the amount of wear and tear on the leather sleeve, thereby reducing its useful life. When the leather sleeve is cleaned in this manner, it generally requires replacement within approximately five years. This is a further expense which my invention reduces since its use will substantially lengthen the life of the leather sleeve.

Objects Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to overcome the aforementioned problems and disadvantages inherent in the prior art.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cover for a bowling ball retarder which will preserve the effectiveness of the retarder and protect it from rapidly becoming worn. It is another object to provide a cover for a bowling ball retarder which will preserve the surface of the leather sleeve and prevent it from becoming coated with grime.

It is another object to provide a bowling ball retarder cover for assisting the retarder in reducing the speed of a bowling ball.

It is another object to provide a bowling ball retarder cover which will remove most of the grime from a bowling ball, so that it is relatively clean when returned to the approach end of the lane.

It is a further object to provide a cover for a bowling ball retarder, which device will be simple, durable, and efiicient, and which may be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low cost.

Further objects and features of my invention will be apparent from the following specification and claims when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating an embodiment of my invention.

Drawings In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of the bowling ball retarder cover;

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective of the cover in its folded, operative position when attached to the retarder (retarder not shown);

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the bowling ball retarder in its operative position on the return track; and

FIG. 4 is a view in exploded perspective showing the bowling ball retarder with the cover attached.

Turning now to the specific embodiment of the invention selected for illustration in the drawings, the number 10 designates generally my cover for a bowling ball retarder. The cover 10 includes a piece of material 13, preferably cloth, which has retarder contact surface 12 and ball contact surface 11. The cover 10 also has loops 14 for attachment to the retarder 26 and metal snaps 16 and 18 which fasten together for attachment of the cover 10 to the bracket 24.

The bowling ball retarder 26 comprises semicylindrical leather sleeve 30 which is fastened to metal alignment frames29 at points 36. The alignment frames 29 are connected by the bar or handle 34 which is used to remove the retarder 26 from its position above the junction of track 22 with incline 20. The sleeve 30 is folded around the bracket 24 and fastened as at point 32. The ends of bracket 24 engage holders 25 on top of the track 22, the engagement being suflicient to prevent the retarder 26 from sliding on the track 22 when struck on its inner surface by a ball moving on the return track 22 in the direction of the incline 20. The edges of the sleeve 30 rest on the tops of sides 38 and 40 of the track 22. The ends 28 of the frames 29 extend downwardly outside track 22 adjacent the sides 38 and 40 and properly align the sleeve 30 so that it remains on top of the sides 38 and 40'.

Operation In operation, the cover 10 is positioned between the retarder 26 and the track 22 with the surface 12 facing the leather sleeve 30 and the end having snaps 16 and 18 under the bracket 24. The retarder 26 cannot be completely removed from its position above the track 22 when the bracket 24 is engaged in holders 25 and when the front portion of the leather sleeve 30 is fastened to the bracket 24 as at the point 32. However, the rear portion of the retarder 26 may be lifted from the track 22 by means of handle 34, and when this is done, the loops 14 may be slipped over the ends 28 and the retarder 26 replaced on the track 22. Next, the front portion of the cover is brought up and around the bracket 24. Snaps 16 and 18, 16a and 18a, 16b and 18b, 16c and 180 are then respectively fastened together. Thus the cover 10 is securely attached to the bracket 24 and the frame ends 28 and is adapted to conform to the ball contact (inner) surface of the sleeve 30. The resulting structure appears as the retarder 26 with attached cover 10, as in FIG. 4, except that in operative position the bracket 24 is anchored in the holders 25 and the leather sleeve 30 is resting on the track 22, as in FIG. 3.

The advantages of the cover are numerous. The cover may be easily installed and removed without disassembly of the retarder itself. The cover improves the effectiveness of the retarder in retarding a bowling ball, and it lessens the wear on the retarder, thereby extending its useful life. The cover is very efiective in removing grime from a bowling ball, thereby minimizing the problems of inaccurate rolls, soiled hands and clothes, and automatic pin setters in need of repair. Of course, the cover will have to be removed and washed periodically, but its fast and easy assembly and disassembly make washing no problem. In fact, the cover is a type of article whereby when one cover is removed for washing, another clean cover may immediately be used to replace the dirty one. It is preferred that the cover be made of a piece of canton flannel; that is, a piece of material which has duck or canvas on one side and flannel on the other. However, another type of cloth material such as cotton flannel (flannel on both sides), cotton, or wool, may be used, though not quite as effectively as canton flannel. When the cover is made of canton flannel, the duck side contacts the retarder and the flannel side contacts the bowling ball.

I have found that the foregoing and related objects and advantages can be attained in a cover for a bowling ball retarder in an alley returnway, said cover comprising (1) a thin piece of material which extends over and is adapted to conform to the ball contact surface of said retarder and (2) means for attachment to said retarder, whereby said cover (1) lessens the wear on said retarder, (2) prevents the deposit of grime on said retarder, (3) removes grime from the bowling ball moving through said returnway, and (4) assists said retarder in reducing the speed of said bowling ball.

It is to be understood that the detailed drawings and specific examples given describe preferred embodiments of my invention but are for the purposes of illustration only, that the apparatus of the invention is not limited to the precise details and conditions disclosed, and that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention which is defined by th following claims.

I claim:

1. A combined bowling ball retarder and cleaner for use in an alley returnway, in a bowling alley, comprising in combination:

(1) a semi-cylindrical leather sleeve secured to' said returnway which comprises a bowling ball retarder;

(2) a cover for said retarder which comprises a thin piece of washable cloth material which extends over and is adapted to conform to the ball contact surfaces of said retarder; and

(3) means attaching said cover to said retarder; said retarder being provided with alignment frame members disposed at the sides thereof and with a bracket at the forward end thereof and the means attaching said cover to said retarder including means comprising loops formed on the side edges of said piece of washable cloth material engaging with the alignment frame of said ball retarder, and means comprising metal snaps on the front of said piece of washable cloth material securing said piece to the bracket of said ball retarder.

2. The combination of claim 1:

wherein the piece of washable cloth material is canton flannel.

3. A combined bowling ball retarder and cleaner for use in a below-floor alley returnway in a bowling alley comprising in combination:

(1) a semi-cylindrical leather sleeve secured to said returnway for reducing the speed of the ball and preventing said ball from leaving the returnway track, which comprises a bowling ball retarder;

(2) an anchoring bracket to which the sleeve is fastened holding said sleeve in fixed position above said track;

(3) alignment frames to which said sleeve is fastened keeping said sleeve on top of the sides of said track; and

' (4) a bracket at the forward end thereof, a cover improvement comprising:

(1) a thin piece of material which extends over and conforms to the inner surface of said leather sleeve, and

(2) means attaching said cover to said retarder, in-

cluding loops formed on the edges of said piece, said loops encircling the ends of said alignment frames, and two transverse rows of metal snaps on the front of said piece which are fastened together so as to attach said piece to said bracket.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,386,735 6/1968 Rogers 273-49 1,138,305 5/1915 Miller 15-247 1,476,396 12/1923 Dickson 15-247 2,301,586 11/1942 Rubin 15-247 2,587,927 3/ 1952 Tschudy 273-47 3,231,273 1/1966 Eastman 273-54 3,304,086 2/ 1967 Schankler 273-47 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R.

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