A power-saving system for use with a bowling machine which initiates motor operation when a bowling ball passes a position in front of the pit cushion and deactivates the motor upon the bowling ball return sequence. The system comprises a switch for controlling power to the motor which is activated upon detection of the bowling ball passage past a position in front of the pit cushion. Detection of the return of the bowling ball onto the track deactivates the switch. A circuit includes a group of switches for detecting various functions of the machine cycle to hold the switch in an activated state.

An energy saving arrangement in which motors performing mechanical work in automatic pin spotters are disconnected from power lines when a bowling play is discontinued after a predetermined time interval. A time delay relay is repeatedly actuated by a circuit connected to the rake latching bar. The time delay relay maintains a control relay energized provided that the rake latching bar actuates the circuit to the time delay relay within a predetermined time interval. If no such actuation takes place, then the control relay is released and the power motor for the pin spotter is switched off. The motor controlling the speed of the ball toward the bowler is similarly switched off after a predetermined time delay from the instant that the ball actuates a switch on its way back to the bowler or after a predetermined time delay after the rake latching bar is released. A capacitor bank is provided, furthermore, to correct the power factor of the energy applied to the motor and thereby results in energy savings.

This invention relates to an improved control circuit for use with a magnetic clutch and a Brunswick automatic pinsetter for the purpose of shutting down the pin retrieval function performed by the latter during those intervals when it is not needed, such circuit being characterized by a pair of parallel direct current paths to the clutch magnet, one of which is effective to instantaneously actuate the pin retrieval operation whenever a ball has been rolled while, at the same time, energizing the thermal element in a branch path to the other circuit which element, once it becomes hot, is effective to establish the alternate path to the clutch and maintain the pin retrieval function operative for a brief time interval after both the pinsetter's rake-cycle and pin-storage cycles have been completed. The improved circuit also functions to actuate the pin retrieval function even though the thermal element malfunctions and thus fails to establish the alternate current path, the only loss in function being the brief period of continued pin retrieval after the pin-raking and pin-storage cycles have been completed. The invention also encompasses the novel method of controlling the pin retrieval functions of the pinsetter which includes the steps of actuating the latter immediately upon the occurrence of an event that presumably results in the presence of downed pins that must be retrieved and stored, simultaneously energizing a thermal element and using the latter to establish an alternate way of keeping the pin retrieval function operative for a brief time interval following completion of the pinsetter's pin-raking and pin-storage cycles.

Overflow of bowling pins in an automatic pinsetter (26) having a distributor (44) for distributing pins to a plurality of pin positions (90) may be substantially reduced by utilizing additional switches (150) in pin spotting cells (120) at each pin position to provide indications of whether a pin is loaded in the associated spotting cell (120), which information may be processed by a CPU (108) and used to deenergize a relay (230) controlling power to the distributor (44), a pit conveyer (34) and a pin elevator (38) to halt operation of such components when pin delivery is not required.

A simplified, low voltage control circuit operates the motor for a pinsetter intermittently, instead of having the motor operate continuously. The low voltage system is mounted in the existing electrical control box for the pinsetter. The control circuit includes the relay for turning the high voltage motor circuit on or off, and a low voltage input electromagnet coil for the relay. To operate the motor control relay, circuitry is coupled to the existing 24 volt (low voltage) circuit of the pinsetter, and the control circuit includes a switch coupled to the clutch between the motor and the pinspotter mechanism, and a second switch which is coupled to the deck filler mechanism to indicate when the pinspotter deck is full. In addition, a delay circuit is provided to maintain the relay energized and the motor turned on, for a brief period of time until the system completes its cycle after an indication is given that the pinspotter deck is full. An additional bypass switch is provided to energize the relay and turn the motor on regardless of the state of the clutch or the deck.