The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 22, 1997
Filed:
Jul. 17, 1996
Applicant:
Inventors:
Lawrence Gooss, Mechanicsville, VA (US);
William M Riley, Richmond, VA (US);
Assignee:
AMF Bpwling, Inc., Mechanicsville, VA (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
A63D / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
473106 ; 473110 ; 473111 ;
Abstract
A horizontal ball return mechanism for propelling a bowling ball from one end of a bowling alley to the other includes a generally horizontal track with compression and decompression sections and a generally flat horizontal section therebetween. Two pulleys and an endless belt move a bowling ball along the track. The compression, decompression and a flat horizontal section lift a bowling ball upwardly against the belt, maintain the belt under compression as the ball moves along the generally flat section and lowers the ball before it passes under a second of the pulleys.