Multi-compartment card dealing shoe

Abstract

A card dealing shoe including multiple independent card receiving and staging compartments having laterally adjacent openings thereto, with each compartment opening being positioned adjacent to another compartment opening at the front end of the card dealing shoe which is configured to, among other things, enable cards from each compartment to be manually withdrawn together at the same time.

1 . A card dealing shoe, comprising:
 a base defining a back end, a first side, a second side and a front end;   a back wall adjacent to the back end of the base;   a first inner wall and a second inner wall adjacent to a central area of the base, the first inner wall and the second inner wall being laterally spaced apart and extending from the back end to the front end, wherein a slot is defined in the space between the first inner wall and the second inner wall;   a first outer wall adjacent to the first side of the base, the first outer wall extending longitudinally from the back end to the front end, the first outer wall having a laterally tapering portion relative to the first inner wall, the laterally tapering portion of the first outer wall being adjacent to the front end;   a second outer wall protruding upwardly from the second side of the base, the second outer wall extending longitudinally from the back end to the front end, the second outer wall having a laterally tapering portion relative to the second inner wall, the laterally tapering portion of the second outer wall being adjacent to the front end;   the first inner wall and the first outer wall being in laterally spaced apart positions on the base, wherein a first card-receiving space is defined between the first inner wall and the first outer wall;   the second inner wall and the second outer wall being in laterally spaced apart positions on the base, wherein a second card-receiving space is defined between the first inner wall and the first outer wall;   a first lip protruding from the front end adjacent the first inner wall and a second lip protruding from the front end adjacent to the second inner wall, the first lip being laterally spaced apart from the second lip, wherein a slot opening to the slot is at least partially defined between the first lip and the second lip;   an opening to the first card-receiving space defined by the first lip and the laterally tapering portion of the first outer wall; and   an opening to the second card-receiving space defined by the second lip and the laterally tapering portion of the second outer wall,   wherein the slot opening, the opening to the first card-receiving space and the opening to the second card-receiving space are positioned on laterally opposing sides of the slot opening.   
     
     
         2 . The card dealing shoe of  claim 1 , the base is an elongated shape defining a longitudinal axis extending between the front end to the back end. 
     
     
         3 . The card dealing shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the base has a downward slope from the back end to the front end. 
     
     
         5 . The card dealing shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the back wall protrudes at a transverse angle relative to the plane of the base. 
     
     
         6 . The card dealing shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the back wall protrudes perpendicularly relative to the base. 
     
     
         7 . The card dealing shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the first inner wall and the second inner wall protrude at a transverse angle relative to the plane of the base. 
     
     
         8 . The card dealing shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the first outer wall further comprises a laterally flaring portion relative to the first inner wall adjacent to the back end. 
     
     
         9 . The card dealing shoe of  claim 8 , wherein the second outer wall further comprises a laterally flaring portion relative to the second inner wall adjacent to the back end. 
     
     
         10 . The card dealing shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the slot extends to at least to the front end. 
     
     
         11 . The card dealing shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the first lip protrudes from the front end parallel to the first inner wall. 
     
     
         12 . The card dealing shoe of  claim 11 , wherein the second lip protrudes from the front end parallel to the second inner wall. 
     
     
         13 . The card dealing shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the slot opening, the opening to the first card-receiving space and the opening to the second card-receiving space are defined in laterally adjacent positions at the front end. 
     
     
         14 . A card dealing shoe, comprising:
 a base defining a back end, a first side, a second side and a front end, the base having a downward slope from the back end to the front end and being elongated from the back end to the front end;   a back wall protruding upwardly from the back end of the base;   a first inner wall protruding upwardly from the base and a second inner wall protruding upwardly from the base, the first inner wall being laterally adjacent to the second inner wall, wherein a slot is at least partially defined between the first inner wall and the second inner wall, the slot extending at least to the front end;   a first outer wall protruding upwardly from the first side of the base, the first outer wall extending longitudinally from the back end to the front end, the first outer wall having a laterally flaring portion relative to the first inner wall and a laterally tapering portion relative to the first inner wall, the laterally flaring portion of the first outer wall being adjacent to the back end and the laterally tapering portion of the first outer wall being adjacent to the front end;   a second outer wall protruding upwardly from the second side of the base, the second outer wall extending longitudinally from the back end to the front end, the second outer wall having a laterally flaring portion relative to the second inner wall and a laterally tapering portion relative to the second inner wall, the laterally flaring portion of the second outer wall being adjacent to the back end and the laterally tapering portion of the second outer wall being adjacent to the front end;   the first inner wall and the first outer wall being in laterally spaced apart positions on the base, wherein a first card-receiving space is defined between the first inner wall and the first outer wall;   the second inner wall and the second outer wall being in laterally spaced apart positions on the base, wherein a second card-receiving space is defined between the first inner wall and the first outer wall;   a first lip extending longitudinally from the front end parallel to the first inner wall and a second lip extending longitudinally from the front end parallel to the second inner wall, the first lip being laterally spaced apart from the second lip, wherein a slot opening to the slot is at least partially defined between the first lip and the second lip;   a first card outlet adjacent to the front end, the first card outlet including an opening to the first card-receiving space defined by the first lip and the laterally tapering portion of the first outer wall; and   a second card outlet adjacent to the front end, the second card outlet including an opening to the second card-receiving space defined by the second lip and the laterally tapering portion of the second outer wall,   wherein the slot opening, the opening to the first card-receiving space and the opening to the second card-receiving space are defined in laterally adjacent positions at the front end, and the opening to the first card-receiving space and the opening to the second card-receiving space being on laterally opposing sides of the slot opening.   
     
     
         15 . The card dealing shoe of  claim 1 , wherein the slot opening, the opening to the first card-receiving space and the opening to the second card-receiving space extend perpendicularly relative to the base. 
     
     
         16 . The card dealing shoe of  claim 1 , further comprising a cutout defined in at least one of the laterally tapering portion of the first outer wall and the laterally tapering portion of the second outer wall. 
     
     
         17 . The card dealing shoe of  claim 1 , further comprising a card shield mounted adjacent to at least one of the first card outlet and second card outlet, the card shield being mounted for pivotal motion in front of at least one of the opening to the first card-receiving space and the opening to the second card-receiving space. 
     
     
         18 . The card dealing shoe of  claim 1 , further comprising an adjustable biasing member in communication for biasing a card in at least one of the first card-receiving space and the second card-receiving space. 
     
     
         19 . A card dealing shoe, comprising:
 a base defining a back end, a first side, a second side and a front end;   a back wall adjacent to the back end of the base;   a first inner wall and a second inner wall adjacent to a central area of the base, the first inner wall and the second inner wall being laterally spaced apart and extending from the back end to the front end, wherein a slot is defined in the space between the first inner wall and the second inner wall;   a first outer wall adjacent to the first side of the base, the first outer wall extending longitudinally from the back end to the front end, the first outer wall having a laterally tapering portion relative to the first inner wall, the laterally tapering portion of the first outer wall being adjacent to the front end;   a second outer wall protruding upwardly from the second side of the base, the second outer wall extending longitudinally from the back end to the front end, the second outer wall having a laterally tapering portion relative to the second inner wall, the laterally tapering portion of the second outer wall being adjacent to the front end;   the first inner wall and the first outer wall being in laterally spaced apart positions on the base, wherein a first card-receiving space is defined between the first inner wall and the first outer wall;   the second inner wall and the second outer wall being in laterally spaced apart positions on the base, wherein a second card-receiving space is defined between the first inner wall and the first outer wall;   a first lip protruding from the front end adjacent the first inner wall and a second lip protruding from the front end adjacent to the second inner wall, the first lip being laterally spaced apart from the second lip, wherein a slot opening to the slot is at least partially defined between the first lip and the second lip;   an opening to the first card-receiving space defined by the first lip and the laterally tapering portion of the first outer wall; and   an opening to the second card-receiving space defined by the second lip and the laterally tapering portion of the second outer wall;   a card shield mounted adjacent to at least one of the opening to the first card-receiving space and the opening to the second card-receiving space, the card shield being mounted for pivotal motion in front of the at least one of the opening to the first card-receiving space and the opening to the second card-receiving space,   wherein the slot opening, the opening to the first card-receiving space and the opening to the second card-receiving space are positioned on laterally opposing sides of the slot opening.   
     
     
         20 . The card dealing shoe of  claim 19 , wherein the slot opening, the opening to the first card-receiving space and the opening to the second card-receiving space are defined in laterally adjacent positions at the front end.