Roulette ball router with ball releasing chamber
An automated roulette apparatus including a roulette wheel mounted for rotational motion on a wheel base, comprising a ball router having a conduit defined in an inner housing, the inner housing being mounted for rotational motion within an outer housing, the outer housing including a first outlet and a second outlet, the inner housing being configured to rotate to a first position aligning the conduit with the first outlet and a second position aligning the conduit with the second outlet, wherein the inner housing includes an inner chamber with a door configured to open to enable access between the inner chamber and the conduit and close to restrict access between the inner chamber and the conduit, and a controller for directing the rotational motion of the inner housing and actuating the door to open and close responsive to a triggering event.
1 . An automated roulette apparatus, the roulette apparatus including a roulette wheel mounted for rotational motion on a wheel base, the roulette wheel including a central cone and a plurality of pockets, the roulette apparatus comprising:
a ball router, the ball router having a conduit defined in an inner housing, the inner housing being mounted for rotational motion within an outer housing, the outer housing including a first outlet and a second outlet, the inner housing being configured to rotate to a first position aligning the conduit with the first outlet and a second position aligning the conduit with the second outlet, wherein the inner housing being in the first position defines a first roulette ball route through the conduit to the first outlet, and the inner housing being in the second position defines a second roulette ball route through the conduit to the second outlet, the inner housing further including an inner chamber with a door, the door to the inner chamber being configured to (i) move in an opened condition to enable access between the inner chamber and a position in the conduit in both the first roulette ball route and the second roulette ball route, and (ii) move in a closed condition to restrict access between the inner chamber and the conduit; and
a controller configured to (i) direct the rotational motion of the inner housing and (ii) actuate the door to move from the closed condition to the opened condition responsive to a triggering event.
2 . The roulette apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an apparatus for elevating the central cone from a seated position to an elevated position relative to the roulette wheel, wherein the elevated position of the central cone exposes a receiving space.
3 . The roulette apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the receiving space further comprises a chute connected with the conduit.
4 . The roulette apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first outlet is connected with a first ball propelling device.
5 . The roulette apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the first ball propelling device is configured to propel a roulette ball through a tube, the tube having an outlet for directing the roulette ball in a first direction relative to the roulette wheel.
6 . The roulette apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the second outlet is connected with a second ball propelling device.
7 . The roulette apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the second ball propelling device is configured to propel a roulette ball through a tube, the tube having an outlet for directing the roulette ball in a second direction relative to the roulette wheel, wherein the first and second directions are opposing one another.
8 . The roulette apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the triggering event is a randomly generated outcome.
9 . The roulette apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a roulette ball is stored in the inner chamber, the roulette ball being released responsive to the door opening to enable access between the inner chamber and the conduit.
10 . The roulette apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the central cone further comprises a plurality of illumination devices, each illumination device of the plurality being mounted on a radially outer portion of the central cone.
11 . An automated roulette apparatus, the roulette apparatus including a roulette wheel mounted for rotational motion on a wheel base, the roulette wheel including a central cone and a plurality of pockets, the roulette apparatus comprising:
a ball router, the ball router having a conduit defined in an inner housing, the inner housing being mounted for rotational motion within an outer housing, the outer housing including a first outlet and a second outlet, the inner housing being configured to rotate to a first position aligning the conduit with the first outlet and a second position aligning the conduit with the second outlet, whereby a roulette ball is routed by the ball router to the first outlet responsive to the inner housing being in the first position and the roulette ball is routed by the ball router to the second outlet responsive to the inner housing being in the second position, the inner housing further including an inner chamber with a door, the door being configured to move to (i) an open condition to enable access between the inner chamber and the conduit and (i) a closed position to restrict access between the inner chamber and the conduit, wherein the door in the opened condition and the door in the closed condition are independent of the roulette ball being routed by the ball router;
a motor configured to elevate the central cone from a seated position to an elevated position relative to the roulette wheel, wherein the elevated position of the central cone exposes a chute connected with the conduit; and
a controller configured to (i) direct the rotational motion of the inner housing and (ii) actuate the door to the open condition responsive to a triggering event.
12 . The roulette apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first outlet is connected with a first ball propelling device, the first ball propelling device comprising an air blower.
13 . The roulette apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first ball propelling device is configured to propel a roulette ball through a tube, the tube having an outlet for directing the roulette ball in a first direction relative to the roulette wheel.
14 . The roulette apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the second outlet is connected with a second ball propelling device, the second ball propelling device comprising an air blower.
15 . The roulette apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the second ball propelling device is configured to propel a roulette ball through a tube, the tube having an outlet for directing the roulette ball in a second direction relative to the roulette wheel, wherein the first and second directions are opposing one another.
16 . The roulette apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the triggering event is a randomly generated outcome.
17 . An automated roulette apparatus, the roulette apparatus including a roulette wheel mounted for rotational motion on a wheel base, the roulette wheel including a central cone and a plurality of pockets, the roulette apparatus comprising:
a ball router, the ball router having a conduit defined in an inner housing, the inner housing being mounted for rotational motion within an outer housing, the outer housing including a first outlet, the inner housing being configured to rotate to a first position aligning the conduit with the first outlet, whereby a first roulette ball route is defined by the inner housing being in the first position, the inner housing further including an inner chamber with a door configured to (i) open, wherein an opening of the door enables access between the inner chamber and the conduit and ii close, wherein a closing of the door restricts access between the inner chamber and the conduit, wherein the opening of the door and the closing of are independent of the first roulette ball route;
a motor configured to elevate the central cone from a seated position to an elevated position relative to the roulette wheel, wherein the elevated position of the central cone exposes a chute connected with the conduit;
a controller configured to (i) direct the rotational motion of the inner housing and (ii) actuate the door to open and close responsive to a triggering event; and
a first ball propelling device comprising an air blower connected to the first outlet, wherein the first ball propelling device is configured to propel a roulette ball through a tube, the tube having an outlet for directing the roulette ball in a first direction relative to the roulette wheel.
18 . The roulette apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising the outer housing having a second outlet, wherein the inner housing is further configured to rotate to a second position aligning the conduit with the second outlet, the second outlet being connected with a second ball propelling device, the second ball propelling device comprising an air blower.
19 . The roulette apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the second ball propelling device is configured to propel a roulette ball through a tube, the tube having an outlet for directing the roulette ball in a second direction relative to the roulette wheel, wherein the first and second directions are opposing one another.
20 . The roulette apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the triggering event is a randomly generated outcome.