pinsetter
PIN-set-er
/ˈpɪnˌsɛtər/
An automatic mechanical device that clears fallen pins, lifts the remaining ones, and resets them on the deck.
Can refer to either the modern automatic machine or, historically, the young person (pinboy) who performed this task manually.
The story behind the word. Before the 1940s, bowling alleys relied on 'pinboys'—often teenagers who sat in the noisy, dangerous pits to clear and reset pins by hand. The invention of the automatic mechanical pinsetter by Gottfried Schmidt in the 1930s, later acquired and popularized by AMF, revolutionized the industry by automating this labor-intensive task.
Word relationships
- pinspotter: 'Pinspotter' is technically a brand name owned by AMF, whereas 'pinsetter' is the generic term.
Commonly confused with
- pinboy: A pinboy was a human worker who reset pins before the invention of the automatic pinsetter.
Word family
- pinsetters (noun): plural form of pinsetter
Collocations
- automatic pinsetter
- mechanical pinsetter
- pinsetter malfunction
Example sentences
- "The loud clatter of the mechanical pinsetter resetting the deck echoed through the vintage alley." A description of bowling alley mechanics
Memory hook
Think of a mechanical 'pin' 'setter' that sets the pins back up. The robot that sets the pins.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'pinspotter', which is a specific trademarked brand of pinsetter, though they are often used interchangeably in casual speech.
Fun facts
- Early automatic pinsetters were massive, complex pneumatic and hydraulic machines that required constant maintenance and were loud enough to shake the entire building.
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