GB2140953A - Coin-released machines - Google Patents

Abstract

A fruit machine is provided with a printout device which is arranged to print out different categories of machine information in dependence on the identity of the person controlling it. The engineer, security officer, amusement machine controller and money collector all have differently coded magnetic keys which can be recognised by the machine. The key combinations are stored in a re-programmable memory of the machine which may be re-programmed in the event that someone loses a key. The printer may be arranged to produce a collection report giving details of the division of machine takings between the parties having a financial interest in the machine.

Description

SPECIFICATION Coin-released machines This invention relates to coin-released machines, such as coin released amusement machines, gaming machines, and vending machines.

The invention relates particularly, but not exclusively, to so-called 'fruit machines'. It will be appreciated that the machine symbols of fruit machines are not always fruit symbols.

The term 'coin' is intended to include a token.

Fruit machines are most commonly found in public houses and clubs, and although the landlord or club secretary is usually responsible for the day to day operation of the machine, so far as ensuring that the machine is switched on, that there is sufficient money in the payout mechanism to meet winnings, and in dealing with any customer who complains of an incorrect payout by the machine etc., it is usual for a central organisation to be responsible for supplying the machine, collecting money from the machine and maintaining the machine in proper working order. Often the central organisation owns the machine and there is then an agreement with the brewery as to how the machine takings are to be distributed between for example the brewery, landlord, and central organisation, after taking account of V.A.T. and gaming tax.

It is common practice in fruit machines to provide meters or other registers which record the numbers of coins inserted into the machine and the number of times the payout mechanism has been pulsed to deliver winnings to machine players. The central organisation's money collector reads the meters, or outputs the registers to a piece of recording equipment, when he collects the takings from the cashbox of the machine, the box to which surplus coins not required by the payout mechanism are fed, and the central organisation will usually conduct an analysis of these figures in its accountancy department in order to establish firstly that the correct amount of ta kings has been collected, and secondly that the machine is operating satisfactorily in that the overall pay-out ratio, the ratio of coins paid out in winnings to machine players as compared to coins inserted into the machine, is within the expected range.

This expected range of pay-out ratio can be closely controlled by providing the fruit machine with a stabiliser mechanism in accordance with U.K. Patent No. 1 454046.

Unfortunately disputes can arise between the landlord or club secretary and the central organisation, and between the collector and the landlord or secretary as to the amount of the actual machine takings in the cash box and as to whether or not the machine has been malfunctioning thus resulting in incorrect takings. At present the machine collector cannot settle a dispute until the meter readings have been analysed, and a further visit to the landlord may be necessitated. Also in cases where the machine has been malfunctioning the landlord is not in a position to demonstrate this readily to the collector.

A further problem which can arise with a fruit machine is that the payout mechanism may not always deliver a coin to the machine player when the payout mechanism has been pulsed in a win situation. In order to identify that situation we proposed in U.K. Patent Application No. 8300030 to provide a coin-released gaming or amusement machine with a detection means to detect delivery of a coin by the payout mechanism, and with means for recording the output of the detection means.

Another problem with existing machines is that if a collector or engineer should lose a master key to the machines it is necessary for the central organisation to change all of the machine locks operable by that key to avoid the takings being stolen.

The various aspects of the present invention have been devised in the light of the various problems outlined hereinbefore.

A first aspect of the invention is concerned with producing a printout of the contents of a machine cash box which is available as soon as the machine door leading to the cash box is opened.

Thus, according to the first aspect of the invention a coin-released machine comprises a cash box into which at least a proportion of the coins inserted into the machine are deposited, a door in the machine cabinet which provides access to the cash box, a detector for detecting the deposit of coins into the cash box, and a register responsive to the detector for recording the total number of coins deposited into the cash box, a printout device for printing out the contents of the register, and actuation means responsive to opening of the door, and/or responsive to a key operated mechanism associated with the door, to cause the printout device to operate.

Since the printout of the cash box contents is available as soon as the door is opened there is a much reduced scope for arguments about the precise amount of money that has been removed from the cash box by the money collector. The printout provides an accurate record of the total amount of money that had been deposited in the cash box since the machine door was last opened.

A reset means is preferably provided to reset the register shortly after the contents of the register hasbeen fed to the printout device.

The printout device is conveniently located in the same region of the cabinet which houses the cash box. Usually the cash box will be in the base of the machine in a compartment separate from the other machine mechanisms.

A second aspect of the invention is concerned with the provision of a printout device which prints out different machine information in dependance upon the identity of the person attending the machine.

According to the second aspect of the invention a coin-released machine comprises a printout device, a recognition means for reading at least one identity member, and selection means responsive to the recognition means for selecting a category of machine information to be printed by the printout device from a plurality of available categories of machine information in response to the code or configuration of the identity member.

By 'identity member' we means any member which is provided with a distinctive code or configuration. It may be a conventional mechanical key the shape of which is detected mechanically or otherwise, but preferably the code is stored in or on the identity member in an invisible-manner. The identity member may be a card.

The identity member preferably incorporates a code stored in a magnetic form, and the recognition means is arranged to detect the magnetic configuration.

In some circumstances, such as in club fruit machines, it may be desirable to arrange for a certain category of information to be printed out only when at least two particular identity members have been recognised by the recognition means, those identity members being possessed by different people, in order to ensure that at least two persons are present when that particular category of information is printed out.

In a preferred arrangement the identity member is incorporated in or associated with a key for opening a door of the machine cabinet and a lock on the door is prevented from being unlocked by the recognition means except when the identity member is a valid identity member for that machine. This will prevent an unauthorised person from opening the machine door.

Preferably the selection means contains a reprogrammable memory in which the valid codes or configurations of the identity member/s are stored for comparison with the readings made by the recognition means. This has the advantage that if an authorised person loses his identity member the selection means can be re-programmed to ensure that the lost identity member will no longer open the machine door.

A third aspect of the invention is concerned with the provision of a printout of the division in machine takings between various parties entitled to a share of the takings.

According to a third aspect of the invention a coin-released machine comprises a cash box into which at least a proportion of the coins inserted into the machine are deposited, a detector for detecting the deposit of coins into the cash box, a register responsive to the detector for recording the total number of coins deposited into the cash box, an accountancy unit incorporated in the machine, the accountancy unit being arranged to perform calculations on the content of the register and to divide the content of the register in a predetermined manner, and a printout device for printing out a permanent record of the results of the division process.

Thus, instead of the present practice with fruit machines where the contents of the cash box is analysed by the accountancy department of the money collecting body when then produces a report sheet/invoice showing the division of machine takings, and V.A.T. etc., it is proposed that the machine incorporates an accountancy unit which performs these calculations, and the report and/or invoice are printed out by the printout device incorporated in the machine.

As with the first aspect of the invention the accountancy report may be arranged to be printed out as soon as the machine door is opened by the money collector.

In order to perform this calculation it will usually be necessary to provide the machine with various sensors for detecting coin levels in other parts of the machine.

It will be appreciated that there are advantages to be gained by combining the features of the various aspects of the invention since, in particular, a single printout unit may then be employed to print-out the various types of information.

It is desirable to provide the machine with a plurality of detectors/sensors which detect various conditions ofthe machine, such as a detector monitoring the correct operation of a reel spin motor to provide a signal indicating malfunctioning thereof.

One embodiment of a fruit machine in accordance with the invention will now be described by way of example only.

This machine dispenses with all of the present complications associated with collection reports, meter readings, data retrieval systems, etc., and replaces them with a fruit machine that quite simply tells the money collector, at the time of unlocking the machine, exactly how much money should be in the cash box.

The usual mechanical locks and keys are dispensed with and replaced with a new concept of lock and key. The lock itself conveniently has the same physical dimensions as the usual lock.

The keys, whilst looking very similar to conventional keys, do not have any of the usual identifying "cuts" and "notches" - instead they have a magnetically charged cylinder capable of providing several million different combinations. The machine lock which receives the key has an associated sensor four reading the magnetic combination.

The keys are personalised: a) To the individual key holder, by name, and b) To the category of that person - Engineer, Security Officer, Amusement Machine Controller, Collector, etc.

No key will operate in a lock unless the fruit machine is switched on at the mains. All lock and key functions are controlled by a computer inside the fruit machine cabinet. Entry to the machine is impossible whilst the machine is switched off at the mains.

The following situations obtain: a) When a wrong (unauthorised) key is inserted, a selection means of the computer recognises this, makes a note of the combination, and stores it in its memory together with the date and time and other relevant information. The key cannot be turned. The machine remains locked.

b) When an authorised key is inserted, the selection means recognisesthis, makes a note of the name of the person and his category and logs the date and time. The key is now able to be turned and entry is gained to the machine.

The "category of person" now dictates the functions that are to be performed by the machine. For example: 1) The Engineer will be provided with servicing information from the machine's computer and in particular any faults recognised by the computer.

2) The Security Officer will be provided with all information relating to security, including the insertion of unauthorised keys.

3) The Amusement Machine Controller will be given details of earnings, peak playing times, etc.

4) The Collector will be told how much money is in the cash box.

All of the above information is made available to the person concerned by means of a small printer inside the fruit machine cabinet. This printer is run and controlled by the machine's computer.

Taking these four categories in turn: 1) The Engineer attaches his print-out to his job sheet on which he has written the remedial action that he has taken to rectify the fault(s).

2) and 3) The Security Officer and the Amusement Machine Controller have a written record of information relevant to the work they are doing.

4) The Collector has an immediate check on the money that should be in the cash box of the machine.

The machine literally prints out the amount of money, stated in p, that has gone into the cash box of the machine. It is not a calculation made from a series of meter readings of coins in and out, games played, etc. It is the actual money in the box.

If the money is wrong this will be apparent at the timef the collection in the presence of the Manager and the Collector.

Several other functions of the internal workings of the machine are made known to the computer by the provision of appropriate sensors.

Each coin paid out is observed by an optic sensor as it drops into the cash tray. If no coin falls, this may be displayed on a suitable display on the front of the machine for the player and the landlord showing what is owed - a genuine "sundry" claim.

This information is stored for the Engineer, the Security Officer and the Collector.

Where coins of different denomination are paid out, separate sensors may be provided for the different denominations.

Cash and Token tube levels and capacities are known to the computer. The computer knows precisely the number of coins in each tube at any given time. It knows when they are full or empty and it knows the point at which the next coin "in" is expected to overflow the tube.

Any coins stolen from coin tubes are quickly recognised by the computer and may be collated by the computer against recent openings of the machine and all other relevant functions.

The system may be arranged to communicate with other systems or other computers.

Claims (9)

1. A coin-released machine comprising a printout device, a recognition means for reading at least one identity member, and selection means responsive to the recognition means for selecting a category of machine information to be printed by the printout device from at least three available categories of machine information in response to the code or configuration of the identity member.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the selection means comprises a re-programmable memory in which the valid codes or configurations of the identity members are stored for comparison with the readings made by the recognition means.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the identity member incorporates a code stored in a magnetic form, and the recognition means is arranged to detect the magnetic configuration.

4. A machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims which is so arranged that for a certain category of information to be printed out at least two particular identity members must first be recognised by the recognition means.

5. A machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which the identity member is incorporated in or associated with a key for opening a door of the machine cabinet and a lock on the door is prevented from being unlocked by the recognition means except when the identity member is a valid identity memberforthat machine.

6. A machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which one of the categories of machine information is the content of a cash box.

7. A machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which one of the categories of machine information is a record of machine faults.

8. A machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims in which one of the categories of machine information is a record of machine earnings.

9. A coin-released machine substantially as described herein.