Bowling Alley Pin Setting Machines - Behind the Scenes

A lucky encounter with the repairman at Diversey Rock 'N Bowl allowed me a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the enormous array of pin-setting machines they have at the bowling alley. These things are HUGE.

For more pics and video from this day, check out my original blog entry here:
http://www.avoision.com/2006/08/10/always_ask.php

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• bowling
• alley
• pin
• machine
• pinsetter

[8gub]

0:30 GUTTERBAAAAALLLL

[bogeyboy1313]

I was a mechanic at the Illini Union bowling alley during my time at school there, and they had brunswick machines. later i worked at an amf house. prefer the brunswicks - fewer moving parts, and a simpler machine system. I really enjoyed working on those machines.

[TheMassAttck]

@bogeyboy1313 so true, the A2 machines are way easier to work with

[WCGwkf]

sure is a lot of moving parts. no wonder they mess up so often.

[BrianDavid79]

@AMFXLI I'm an AMF man myself however, I'm pretty sure up until the time the GSX line came out Brunswick machines used shaker tables in the pit. After the GSX came out with the carpet belt they saw how much damage the vibrations from the shaker tables did to the machines and the floor under them and came up with a retro-fit for the A2's.

[Gigatone00]

So there are only two sets of pins running through the machine at one time?

[RBell86403]

@petmagnetetal There is a cushion assembly in the pit spaced just high enough above the pit conveyor belt to allow pins UNDER the cushion and into the pinwheel in the very back of the machine. The ball stays in front of the cushion and the bounce plate under the pit conveyor belt is angled to guide the ball into a ball exit in the wall of the pit so a ball lift belt can return it to the bowler. :-)

[shelllanes]

wow that the 82-30 amf wow they r old

[jerseyboy1995]

That is so cool!

[AMFXLI]

@seeburg220 actually AMF were the first automatic pinsetters. they had so many patents that when brunswick tried to get in on the act they had to do things differently. for example an amf machine uses a split bodied roller at the front of the pit area to stop the transport carpet tracking, brunswick have to adjust the rear rollers. same idea, just a different method

[willscoaster]

how many lanes. it looks like 50

[dfeliberty]

there is an arm that (usually)prevents the ball from getting into the pin wheel. Well thats how it is on brunswick machines anyway. I have a video on it that is a bit brighter that i just uploaded of a differnt type of pinsetter that shows you. Go to my channel(click my username).