Flat gutter support and method

Abstract

The combination of a bowling alley pin deck, flat gutter, flat gutter supports, and a jack. The jack is of selectively adjustable height and includes a jack head for firmly supporting the midsection of the flat gutter or a support of the flat gutter for increasing the coefficient of restitution of the flat gutter for providing livelier pin action.

1 . In combination:
 a bowling alley including:
 a pin deck including:
 a planar upper surface for supporting bowling pins including:
 a front end for receiving a bowled ball; and 
 a back end; and 
 
 a side; 
 
 a flat gutter adjacent said side of said pin deck including:
 a top surface including:
 a front end; 
 a back end; and 
 a midsection between said front end of said top surface and said back end of said top surface; 
 
 a bottom side; 
 a front end; 
 a back end; and 
 a midsection between said front end of said flat gutter and said back end of said flat gutter; 
 
 a front support supporting said front end of said flat gutter such that said front end of said top surface is below said upper planar surface of said pin deck; and 
 a back support supporting said back end of said flat gutter such the said back end of said top surface is below said front end of said top surface; and 
   a jack including:
 a jack head; and 
 means for selectively adjusting the height of said jack head such that said jack head firmly supports said midsection of said flat gutter for increasing the coefficient of restitution of said midsection for providing livelier pin action. 
   
   
   
       2 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein:
 said jack head is pivotly mounted such that it aligns with said bottom said of said flat gutter.   
   
   
       3 . The combination of  claim 1  wherein:
 said means for selectively adjusting the height of said jack head includes:
 a linear actuator including:
 a body; and 
 a vertical screw threadably connected to said body such that the height of said jack is adjusted by rotating said screw relative to said body. 
 
   
   
   
       4 . The combination of  claim 3  wherein:
 said linear actuator includes:
 wrench engaging means for receiving a wrench for rotating said body or said screw; and 
   said midsection of said flat gutter includes a bore therethrough for access to said wrench engaging means.   
   
   
       5 . The combination of  claim 4  wherein:
 said jack head is pivotly mounted such that it aligns with said bottom said of said flat gutter.   
   
   
       6 . In combination:
 a bowling alley including:
 a pin deck including:
 a planar upper surface for supporting bowling pins including:
 a front end for receiving a bowled ball; and 
 a back end; and 
 a side; 
 
 
 a flat gutter adjacent said side of said pin deck including:
 a top surface including:
 a front end; 
 a back end; and 
 a midsection between said front end of said top surface and said back end of said top surface; 
 
 a bottom side; 
 a front end; 
 a back end; and 
 a midsection between said front end of said flat gutter and said back end of said flat gutter; 
 
 a front support supporting said front end of said flat gutter such that said front end of said top surface is below said upper planar surface of said pin deck; 
 a back support supporting said back end of said flat gutter such the said back end of said top surface is below said front end of said top surface; and 
 a midsection support supporting said midsection of said flat gutter such that said midsection of said top surface is below said top surface at said front end and above said top surface at said back end; and 
   a jack including:
 a jack head; and 
 means for selectively adjusting the height of said jack head such that said jack head firmly supports said midsection support of said flat gutter for increasing the coefficient of restitution of said midsection for providing livelier pin action. 
   
   
   
       8 . A method of increasing bowling scores for a bowling alley including: a pin deck including: a planar upper surface for supporting bowling pins including: a front end for receiving a bowled ball; and a back end; and a side; a flat gutter adjacent the side of the pin deck including: a top surface including: a front end; a back end; and a midsection between the front end of the top surface and the back end of the top surface; a bottom side; a front end; a back end; and a midsection between the front end of the flat gutter and the back end of the flat gutter; a front support supporting the front end of the flat gutter such that the front end of the top surface is below the upper planar surface of the pin deck; and a back support supporting the back end of the flat gutter such that the back end of the top surface is below the front end of the top surface comprising the step of:
 procuring a jack of selectively adjustable height; the jack having a jack head; and   firmly supporting the midsection of the flat gutter with the procured jack for increasing the coefficient of restitution of the midsection for providing livelier pin action.   
   
   
       9 . A method of increasing bowling scores for a bowling ally including: a pin deck including: a planar upper surface for supporting bowling pins including: a front end for receiving a bowled ball; and a back end; and a side; a flat gutter adjacent the side of the pin deck including: a top surface including: a front end; a back end; and a midsection between the front end of the top surface and the back end of the top surface; a bottom side; a front end; a back end; and a midsection between the front end of the flat gutter and the back end of the flat gutter; a front support supporting the front end of the flat gutter such that the front end of the top surface is below the upper planar surface of the pin deck; a midsection support supporting the midsection of the flat gutter such that the midsection of the top surface is below the top surface at the front end and above the top surface at the back end; and a back support supporting the back end of the flat gutter such that the back end of the top surface is below the front end of the top surface comprising the step of:
 procuring a jack of selectively adjustable height; the jack having a jack head; and   firmly supporting the midsection support of the flat gutter with the procured jack for increasing the coefficient of restitution of the midsection for providing livelier pin action.