Eldon Bowl-a-Matic 1962 Toy

[Jeremy Milam]

I recently obtained a 1962 Eldon Bowl-a-Matic toy with box, pins, etc. It looks great, however when you turn the crank arm nothing happens.

I'm looking for sites that might be helpful on how to fix this. I've done a little looking and haven't come up with anything.

I've only started looking at the toy. Any advice on where to get more information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jeremy

[Dave Lehnert]

Sounds like this guy may had the same problem with a fix. Try contacting him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMYBFobcFOc

[Eric DeSilva]

Here I was thinking this was some new lathe attachment...

[Dave Lehnert]

Here I was thinking this was some new lathe attachment...

LOL! Every early bowel lathe made by Power-Matic.

[Jeremy Milam]

I contacted the YouTube poster and got this wonderful response:

"Here's how I fixed mine: I googled the hell out of the thing, collecting as many images of the mechanism as I could. Then I downloaded the patent diagrams (again, google is your friend). Then I stared at it for a little, using the part of my brain that figures out mechanical problems, to envision what needed to be done to make the broken pinsetter actually rise properly. "

Looking at it more I think I've located where the issue is, the knob at the bowler end is attached to a metal piece and the worm screw to a different metal piece. The two meet under the bowling lane and are each bent slightly. I think they're not located correctly in relation to the other.

I'm having trouble finding the patent. My search isn't leading to any patent or a diagram, though there's a diagram for sale on ebay, so it must exist. Any ideas of how to search? It was honerable mention in Popular Mechanics for Toy of the Year in November, 1962. The box is copyright 1962 and says patent pending.

Thanks!

[Jeremy Milam]

If it was producted in 1962 I don't think it would be a patent filled in 1968, right? 3,552,322 is the only patent issued to Eldon that's possibly an option, if I could only find the diagrams....

[Zedicus Zorander]

Eldon Bowl-a-Matic was patent on Jan.11,1966 by E. v. PULLEN ETAL patent US3228685
you can download a pdf file of the item with full pix at http://www.google.pl/patents/US3228685
this gives several pictures and complete pages of text on the pictures, i really hope that this helps you.
it looks like the pix from ebay to me.
Zedicus