According to the present invention, the hydrodynamic device is characterised in that it comprises a spherical transparent top structure containing up to ninety sequentially numbered balls (according to the type of game the device is being destined to) and floating in water, one or more mobile arms, each having a goblet at the top thereof and coming out inside of the abovementioned structure. Said arms emerging from the water provide a random ball'capturing'.

For the operation, water is stirred for a predetermined time by a motor pump which is set on by the insertion of a predetermined coin into a suitable coin box.

Then, after a predetermined time, the water stirring ceases and the balls come to a rest on the surface thereof. Thus, a random numerical combination, which may be of one or several numbers according to the number of goblets installed in the device, is attained.

Each goblet was designed to'capture'just one numbered ball at a time. The water level in the top tank should be calculated to evenly distribute all of the floating balls, covering all or almost all of the free space.

To date, no likewise devices are commercially available, merely an extant prior Italian patent application (TV99A000137, 07 December 1999) to the same Inventor, providing a fixed-goblet hydrodynamic device, wherein the water level should first rise to let the numbered balls float above the goblets and then sink to allow the goblets to'capture'the balls nearer thereto.

The device as disclosed and illustrated in the abovementioned patent application falls short of its aims. In fact, the lack of a duct connecting the top portion of the device with the top portion of the underlying water tank prevents an equalising of the (water-air) pressures on the two tanks, the pressures vary during the transfer of the water from one tank to another, and the pump is sequentially stressed until it shuts down if the pressures are not equalised.

Moreover, even if the device were provided of the abovementioned connection race the former would not be reliable since the pump jet would undergo a progressive power loss due to the continual increase of the water column onto the top tank, and therefore the floating balls would not be energetically stirred.

Furthermore, the fixed goblets of said device are hollow and connect the two

tanks therebetween. This entails an eddy onto the former during the water recycle; this drawback causes the'adhesion'of the balls onto the goblets, possibly entailing reoccurrence which could compromise the predetermined randomness in the subsequent drawing.

Moreover, the shuffling of the balls is compromised by the presence of the fixed goblets, which hinder the balls whirling during the action of the water jet stirring the water itself to propel and shuffle the balls onto the transparent top tank.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the abovementioned drawbacks. The invention provides a hydrodynamic device with mobile goblets and water at a constant level, the numbered balls are randomly drawn by the mobile goblets which emerge in upward motion from the flotation water after each hydrodynamic shuffling cycle.

Another object of the present invention is to ensure absolutely and indisputably random numerical drawings.

Another important object of the present invention is to implement a hydrodynamic device useful in any type of game requiring numerical combinations, in particular for lottery forecasts and the like.

Last but not least, another object of the present invention is to use balls which bear printed thereon alphabet letters in lieu of numbers, to allow different games with word combinations.

These and other objects are attained with a hydrodynamic device for the random selection of game combinations, characterised in that it comprises: a first transparent spherical tank; a second tank underlying said first tank; a sealed flange located between said first and second tank; a plurality of mobile goblets; a plurality of balls floating in water; and means for supplying water to said first tank, the arrangement being such that, upon operation of said supplying means of said water, said plurality of balls in said first tank is stirred for a predetermined period of time, so as to generate a random stirring of said plurality of balls.

Further features and advantages will be made apparent in the following detailed description of a specific, yet not exclusive, embodiment, illustrated by way of example and not for limitative purposes in the drawings of the attached tables, wherein: Fig. 1 shows the hydrodynamic device in an operative condition, highlighting the water jet dragging the balls and making the latter whirl inside of the spherical

tank ; Fig. 2 shows the device of Fig. 1 highlighting the goblets supporting several numbered balls and in a condition emerged from the flotation water; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the device illustrated in Fig. 1 ; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the device illustrated in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 illustrates an enlarged detail of the device of Fig.. 3.

With reference to the abovementioned Figs., the hydrodynamic device at issue essentially consists of a spherical top tank 1, an underlying tank 2, a sealed flange 3 for the union of the two tanks 1 and 2, respectively, a submerged pump 8, one or more goblets 5, a plurality of sequentially numbered balls 4. Moreover, a timer, a low-voltage transformer and the relative circuitry for the electrical connection to a coin box and a ticket dispenser, as well as a structure for the housing thereof with all the components (not shown in the Figs.) is provided in the control portion of the device.

The flange 3 is provided with a central hole for the passage of a piping 9 coming from the pump 8. The latter should be of high delivery and medium head in order to be capable of energetically shuffling the numbered balls 4 making them whirl inside of the spherical tank. Moreover, tubular floats 5"for each goblet 5 are provided.

With particular reference to Figs. 1 and 3, the start of operation of the device, wherein the balls 4 are shuffled and made to whirl propelled by a water jet 9' (schematically indicated by the arrows in the Figs.) is illustrated. Repeating the cycle for several seconds an even and homogeneous shuffling of the numbered balls is attained. In this condition, the goblets 5 are positioned below the water level 7 with the tubular floats 5"rested onto the bottom of the tank 2. In this condition, the force of the recycle water maintains the former submerged overcoming the upward thrust of the tubular floats 5"which is equal to the weight of the float-displaced fluid volume (indicated by the arrows 11).

With reference to Fig. 3, water exits the pump 8 through the piping 9 to be energetically spouted to the spherical tank 1, and the water volume input into the tank 1 is replaced onto the underlying tank 2 via the duct which position and guide the goblets 5.

With reference now to Fig. 5, the flow of the water from the top tank 1 to the underlying tank 2 is highlighted with arrows. In this condition, the negative pressure generated by the pump 8 suffices to compel all of the goblets to a forced submersion maintaining the tubular floats 5"into contact with the bottom of the tank 2 for the entire operating time of the pump 8. Moreover, as it is apparent in the Fig., the goblet

5 is made integral to the tubular float 5"with a rod having a section smaller than that of the float 5"to allow the flow of the abovementioned water.

The tubular float 5"is vertically arranged in a tubular extension 12 functioning as a guide and made integral to the flange 3. The guide 12 is provided with through holes 13 obtained just below the bottom plane of the flange 3. The size of the holes 13 is comparable to the delivery of the pump 8. Obviously, the resulting section for compensating the pump delivery should be yielded the sum of all the sections of the holes 13, sum which is related to the number of goblets 5 installed onto the device.

With reference now to figures 2 and 4, upon stopping the pump 8, the goblets 5 are pushed upwards by floating of the tubular floats 5"inside of the tank 1 (indicated by the arrows 6 in the Fig.) and several numbered balls 4"are dragged upwards.

More precisely, and with particular reference to figure 4, the water level 7 onto the top tank 1 is stable, whereas the underlying tank 2 is filled up with water.

Moreover, as it is apparent from the Figs., a pair of goblets 5 remain empty during the emersion, to symbolise a totally random combination to be betted on, e. g., in a lottery.

Furthermore, as it is apparent from the Figs., onto the top portion of the tank 1 there is a hole 1', working as a vent during the inlet of water coming from a faucet 10 which is located at the bottom of the tank 2 and also apt to drain the tanks 1 and 2. In the latter case, the ambient air will replace the spouted fluid.

It has to be pointed out that during the operation of the device, the hole 1' should preferably be sealed in order to avoid water leaking or evaporation.

Moreover, the pump 8 is electrically connected to a timer (not shown), the electrical cable 8'of the latter coming out from the bottom of the tank 2 through an annular seal ensuring a watertight sealing.

The physical principle governing the goblets 5 is apparent from the Figs. The pressure compensation causes a forced flow of the water from one tank to another, which is directly proportional to the amount of water displaced by the pump in a time unit. Also the emerging step of the goblets 5 requires a volume and pressure compensation, and a slight slack of the tubular floats 5"onto the guide race 13 suffices to have a water flow from the top tank 1 to the underlying tank 2. The amount of water required for compensation equals the volume engaged by the tubular floats and the emersion time depends on the useful space of the slacks extant on the guide races 13.

On the other hand, the emerging step of the goblets 5 should not be excessively swift, as the captured ball might come out of the goblet. Therefore, the abovementioned slacks should not be excessive, so as to prevent an excessive

resistance. Moreover, the goblets 5 are provided with suitable holes 5'for the ready draining of the water engaging them during the emersion thereof, as the numbered ball 4 is very light-weighted and would escape'capture'in absence of a slight eddy by the goblet.

According to the present invention, the water level 7 remains stable at all times, the numbered balls 4 floating on the surface thereof.

The device is inserted in a suitable piece of furniture or the like (not shown), wherein solely the transparent tank 1 remains in view. Also the coin box and the ticket dispenser (not shown) are external to the piece of furniture, so as to be readily accessible to the user, whereas the timer, the low-voltage transformer and other electrical components are preserved inside of the piece of furniture in a tight-sealed section thereof to ensure safety.

For the operation, firstly the balls 4 float inside of the large sphere 1 in a resting condition and also the goblets 5 are supported in mid-air by the tubular floats 5"in a highly visible manner.

Inserting a coin onto the coin box, firstly the water jet 9'will be seen to emerge from the centre of the sphere 1 dragging therewith the balls initially nearest thereto, and, concomitantly, the goblets 5 will descend until disappearing below the numbered balls 4. When the time pre-set on the timer is up the pump stops, the water jet ceases and the balls are arranged side-to-side thereamong onto the flotation water.

Concomitantly, the goblets have emerged from the water, elevating in mid-air several numbered balls. The emerged numerical combination may thus be considered as a forecast.

In light of the above, it is apparent that the hydrodynamic device having mobile goblets and stable water level with numbered balls, besides being particularly useful for lottery events or the like, may also be useful in other games, like, e. g., lucky dips, kindergarten grab bag games, etc., as well as in more serious uses, like, e. g., in gambling casinos and the like.

The present invention has hereto been illustrated and described in a preferred embodiment thereof, it is however understood that there may be variant embodiments afferent thereto, always falling within the protective scope of the annexed claims.

E. g., in an alternate embodiment, it may be provided that the pump 8 be suitably arranged external to the container 2, i. e., not submerged therefrom.

Moreover, for the goblets 5 different functional shapes may be provided, always maintaining the same effectiveness thereof.