Apparatus For Dispensing Playing Cards

Abstract

This invention provides a playing card apparatus for holding and dispensing a plurality of playing cards. The apparatus may be a card shoe or an automated shuffler. It has a delivery aperture at a dispensing end for dispensing playing cards individually, the dispensing end having a platform that extends from the delivery aperture for supporting cards being manually removed, the platform being shaped and being of sufficient height to allow a card dealer to insert their thumb or finger below a corner of the card as the card is dispensed. This allows the dealer to grip and pull the card away substantially without flexing the card at all and thereby avoiding risk of disclosing the front face of the card while dispensing the card for dealing it. The cards are held and dispensed in portrait orientation, with a short edge of the card leading. The apparatus enables the storage and delivery of playing cards in a highly efficient continuous and secret manner.

1 . A playing card apparatus for holding and dispensing a plurality of playing cards, the shoe having a delivery aperture at a dispensing end for dispensing playing cards individually, the dispensing end having a platform that extends from the delivery aperture for supporting cards being manually removed, the platform being shaped and being of sufficient height to allow a card dealer to insert their thumb or finger below a corner of the card as the card is dispensed. 
     
     
         2 . A playing card holding and dispensing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a manual card shoe. 
     
     
         3 . A playing card holding and dispensing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a card shuffler. 
     
     
         4 . A playing card holding and dispensing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the platform is shaped rounded as viewed in plan from above. 
     
     
         5 . A playing card holding and dispensing apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the rounded platform is: substantially semi-circular; or a flattened semicircle or substantially a partial ellipse as viewed in plan from above. 
     
     
         6 . A playing card holding and dispensing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the platform has at least one fore-shortened or truncated corner. 
     
     
         7 . A playing card holding and dispensing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the platform has a rim/perimeter that is radiussed/rounded or chamfered in profile. 
     
     
         8 . A playing card holding and dispensing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim housing a plurality of playing cards, the playing cards being held and dispensed in portrait orientation, with one of the short edges of the playing card being oriented to emerge from the delivery aperture first as the card is dispensed. 
     
     
         9 . A playing card holding and dispensing apparatus as claimed in  claim 8  wherein the width of the shoe at the delivery aperture corresponds substantially to the width of the playing cards not their length. 
     
     
         10 . A playing card holding and dispensing apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in combination with a playing surface onto which the apparatus dispenses cards, wherein the apparatus is mounted in use on the top of the playing surface and the height of the platform is the height of the platform's support surface from the playing surface. 
     
     
         11 . A playing card holding and dispensing apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the playing surface is the playing surface of a card gaming table.