Automatic system and methods for accurate card handling
A playing card handling device comprises a card storing area that supports a stack of playing cards, the card storing area having a playing card support surface. A card removing system removes playing cards individually from the bottom of the stack. A pivoting arm is automatically moved by a motor between at least two positions, wherein in a first position the end of the arm opposite a pivot is disengaged from a playing card at the top of the stack and in a second position the end of the arm is engaged with a playing card at the top of the stack. A processor in the playing card handling device directs movement of the pivoting arm between at least the first and second positions when a predetermined number of cards is present in the card storing area. Methods of card handling include employing the use of such a pivotal arm.
1. A playing card handling device, comprising:
a card storing area that supports a stack of playing cards, the storing area having a playing card support surface;
a card removing system that removes playing cards individually from the bottom of the stack;
a card weight comprising a pivot arm that is pivotally mounted to a support structure of the card handling device;
a sensor for sensing when the weight of the stack of playing cards becomes insufficient to provide adequate contact between the lowermost card in the stack and the card removing system; and
a processor in the playing card handling device that directs movement of the card weight to an engaged position that contacts an upper surface of the stack of playing cards when information is known to the processor that the weight of the stack of playing cards in the card storing area is insufficient.
2. The card handling device of claim 1 , further comprising a card shuffling system within the playing card handling device.
3. The card handling device of claim 2 , wherein the card storing area is located within the card shuffling system.
4. The card handling device of claim 1 , wherein the card storing area is a card infeed area and the card weight is located within the card infeed area.
5. The card handling device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor that senses when the weight of the stack of playing cards becomes insufficient is a card counter, and wherein the processor directs the movement of the card weight to an engaged position when the card count is between 8 and 20 cards.
6. The card handling device of claim 5 , wherein the processor maintains a count of playing cards in the card storing area during operation of the device.
7. The card handling device of claim 5 , wherein the processor causes the card weight to pivot into an engaged position when a card count reaches a predetermined threshold amount.
8. The card handling device of claim 7 , wherein the processor is in communication with the at least one sensor.
9. The playing card handling device of claim 1 , wherein the playing card handling device is a shuffling system, wherein the shuffling system comprises a playing card collection area where cards are moved individually from a playing card infeed area to the playing card collection area, and the card weight is located in the playing card infeed area, wherein the card weight pivots to an engaged position when the card infeed area contains cards and moves to a disengaged position when the card infeed area is empty.
10. The card handling device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is programmed to activate the card weight in response to a signal from a sensor indicating a number of playing cards in at least one storage area has reached a predetermined number.
11. The card handling device of claim 1 , wherein the sensor provides signals indicating at least one function selected from the group consisting of: a number of cards remaining in the card feeding area, a number of cards fed, weight position, an absence of cards, a presence of cards, and a percent shuffle completion.
12. The card handling device of claim 11 , wherein the sensor provides signals indicating at least two functions selected from the group consisting of: a number of cards remaining in the card feeding area, a number of cards fed, weight, position, an absence of cards, a presence of cards, and a percent shuffle completion.
13. The card handling device of claim 1 , and further comprising a driving mechanism that causes the weight to engage a top card in response to an indication of at least one of a number of cards left in the card storing area, a number of cards fed from the card storing area, a height of the stack of cards remaining in the card storing area, a percentage feeding completion, a percent shuffle completion or combinations thereof.
14. A method of handling playing cards, comprising:
supporting a stack of playing cards into a card storing area of a card handling device;
providing a card moving system that moves cards individually out of the card storing area and into a second area from the bottom of the stack;
measuring at least one parameter having a measured value that indicates that the weight of the stack of playing cards is insufficient to provide adequate contact between the lowermost card in the stack and a card feeder; and
when the predetermined parameter indicates the weight of the stack of playing cards is insufficient, providing a force to an uppermost card in the stack in the card storing area, thereby increasing a force between a lowest card in the stack and the card moving system.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the second area is a card shuffling area, and further comprising the step of shuffling the cards.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein shuffling the cards comprises suspending at least a portion of the stack in a randomly determined location, creating a gap in the stack at the randomly determined location, inserting a card, and then repeating the steps of randomly determining a location, creating a gap and inserting a card.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of: a number of cards remaining in the card feeding area, a number of cards fed, weight, position, an absence of cards, a presence of cards, and a percent shuffle completion.