Duplicating machine
A duplicating machine is used to implement a file distribution of cards with physical playing cards for the card game bridge . A board is used for this, in whose 4 compartments the 52 cards of an unsorted card package are placed by the machine.
functionality
The basic construction is the same for all duplicating machines available on the market: At the bottom there is a slot into which an empty board is inserted from the front. On the right there is a slot that can hold up to two card packages, face down. The bottom card is identified and transported to the left to the compartment in which it belongs until the board is complete. The card is diverted to the correct compartment using three movable wire brackets, which are lifted into the card's conveying path and divert it down into the compartment of the board. The redirection for the last compartment is done with a fixed wire bracket.
There are different solutions for recognizing the cards:
- Barcode recognition installed at the beginning of the conveyor path. Cards are required that have a barcode on the image side.
- Camera under the shaft that records the color and value of the card using image recognition. Works with all major cards.
The duplicating machine is controlled by software from a computer and therefore hardly needs any operating elements. The computer can be set so that the distribution starts automatically as soon as cards are in the slot and a board has been inserted. You can also start the process manually with the start button on the machine or with a mouse click.
There is a standard board format that will fit all duplicating machines.
method
A duplicating machine takes about 6 seconds to create a board. There is also time for handling: removing and closing the finished board, emptying and inserting the next board, putting cards in the slot.
Usually several identical sets of a certain number of boards with ascending board numbers and different distributions in the individual boards are created for one round of a tournament. The number of boards per set varies between 10 and 30, sometimes more, depending on the tournament organization. The number of board sets required depends on the number of tournament participants.
history
Duplicating machines have been around since the 1990s. Previously, in larger bridge tournaments, the distributions were duplicated by hand by the players who played the distribution first. This process was called duplicating , and hence the name duplicating machine .
Meanwhile, duplicating machines are also being used in bridge clubs for tournaments where only one board is required from each distribution. This saves you having to mix and note the distribution by hand. A board whose cards are accidentally mixed up during the tournament can also be quickly restored.
Trivia
In principle, a duplicating machine can also be used to duplicate card distributions for other card games with a maximum of four players. However, this is generally not a common practice.
The manufacturer of the Duplimate duplicating machines, Jannersten, also offers a model called PokerDup , which is used to sort poker decks.
Web links
- How a duplicating machine works on youtube (accessed April 30, 2019)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from October 18, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
