Bowling alley machinery 1950s-60s...

[cfz2882]

...pinsetters,ball returns Used to get motors from these in the shop for repair: one alley brought in Century brand motors made in 1958,another 1964 vintage GE motors,a third alley had early 1960s British machines and also same era Japanese-the Japanese had Toshiba motors of 1950s design,but probably made about 1962-i fixed one of these.Got to watch a 1960s US pinsetter run once and it was a delight a gearhead could watch for hours:chains,sprockets,pulleys,motors running all over and contolled by switches and relays Probably some selenium in there too.Since the covid episode,have not gotten any bowling alley motors-covid might have knocked them all out sadly...

 

[daveamkrayoguy]

A friend of mine who is very super-mechanically-inclined more than anything else, actually worked in a bowling alley, working with the machinery for resetting pins and returning balls...

 

To his credit, he has done for his own means of survival and for a living hired by others: plumbing, electrical, some carpentry, some home restoration, automotive mechanics and minor-vehicle restoration, getting a donut machine at a cider mill working in time for an on-coming busy Saturday and even worked at a slaughter-house, among other similar feats...

 

 

 

-- Dave

 

[rp2813]

Highand Park Bowl

I'm always up for a visit to the Highland Park Bowl when I visit my sister, who lives not far from it.  I love a good contraption and the mechanics of the vintage equipment here doesn't disappoint.  There are some shots of it in action at various points in the video link.

 

 

[circlew]

Bowling Alleys

I pass by one about 12 miles from here on a regular basis, and it is still going strong. I've not bowled in a long time, but think I might enjoy doing so again.

 

[joeekaitis]

Empire Bowl in Redlands, California . . .

 
. . . has switched over to string pinsetters.  Here's an in-depth look.

 

 

[cfz2882]

Youtube vids

found lots of youtube videos of vintage pinsetters in action-the Japanese one that i fixed the old 1960s Toshiba motor for may have been a Brunswick A-2:seems many of this model are US made,but for whatever reason there are a lot of Japanese ones too.The Brunswick A-2 came out in 1962 and is still very common to find-often 10 or more in a row: when there is a bunch of these running at an active alley,it is quite a sight with some machinery sound and a background din of clobbering bowl pins

 

[tolivac]

Bowling alley equipment is fascinating to me as well. Used to know someone from years ago that worked on bowling equipment. There is one bowling alley in Greenville they have AMF equipment. It seems like bowling isn’t as popular sport as it used to be. Used to bowl when I was a kid.