WO2008093034A1

WO2008093034A1 - Amusement and gaming machines

Info

Publication number: WO2008093034A1
Application number: PCT/GB2007/000333
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yevgen Savytskyy
Original assignee: Lomas Geoffrey Michael; Yevgen Savytskyy
Priority date: 2007-02-01
Filing date: 2007-02-01
Publication date: 2008-08-07
Also published as: EP2111608A2; US20100120488A1; WO2008093084A2; WO2008093084A3

Abstract

A machine (1) has a gamble wheel (9) , such as roulette wheel, visible to a player through a window (12) of the machine cabinet (2) , a tortuous ball supply unit (3) , such as a labyrinth, mounted in the cabinet above the wheel, the ball supply unit defining one or more tortuous paths down which a ball or balls fed to the upper end of the ball supply unit passes under gravitational force in order to reach the lower end (66) of the ball supply unit, the tortuous path or paths being visible to a player through a cabinet window (11) , the lower end (66) of the ball supply unit leading to the wheel, and reward means responsive to the pocket or pockets (32) in which the ball or balls comes to rest, and ball return means (45) for returning a ball from the wheel to a ball elevating means (7) , which is operable to deliver a ball to the upper end (6) of the ball supply unit. In some constructions the gamble wheel is rotatable about an axis inclined at an acute angle to the vertical, or directed horizontally, and a ball guiding unit (20; 80; 96) is positioned in register with an upper region of the wheel, the machine comprising a part-annular ball retainer (23; 84, 87) mounted on the support in register with the disc, closely spaced therefrom, and so arranged as to retain balls in the pockets as they are conveyed by the rotating wheel away from the upper region of the wheel, controllable release means (37) for releasing balls from the pockets in a lower region of the wheel, and ball outlet means (45) for receiving balls released from the pockets.

Description

AMUSEMENT AND GAMING MACHINES

This invention relates to amusement and gaming machines and particularly, but not exclusively, to machines that are released for playing by means of some form of credit, such as payment by a coin, token or debit/credit card transaction.

Background to the Invention

The invention stems from some work to design a machine with significant player-appeal, and is based upon our appreciation that machines that have mechanical components visible to the machine player and that move during playing of a game often give more satisfaction to a machine player than machines that display movements solely by a video display and/or by sequentially lit portions of a display behind a machine glass.

In the following description the term 'ball' is used to indicate a rolling element which will usually be a ball but may possibly be a coin or a token.

We have appreciated that a pocketed gamble wheel, such as a roulette wheel, housed in a machine cabinet that is suitable for use in, for example, an arcade or public house would have a significant player appeal. Such cabinets are generally upright and have a relatively small footprint in order to accommodate the machine in a small floor space, or to be able to arrange several machines next to one another in an arcade or casino. The machine player stands or sits in front of the machine cabinet.

Relatively bulky automatic roulette wheel machines are known in which the wheel is surrounded by an inclined wall, and the ball is propelled tangentially of the wall, usually by a blast of air, and the rolling ball does circuits around the inclined wall and proceeds down the inclined wall to encounter the rotating wheel, and eventually settles in a pocket of the wheel. The presence of the ball in a pocket may be detected in order to control the payout or credit mechanism of the machine.

Such machines are generally quite bulky because they are designed for use by several players that stand or sit around the machine.

Players are often suspicious that automatic machines may not be truly random, and the present invention in some of its aspects is concerned with providing a ball delivery mechanism in an automatic gamble wheel machine in which the ball delivery mechanisms can be seen by the machine player to be relatively random in delivering the ball to the pocketed gamble wheel.

SUMMARIES OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention an automatic gamble wheel machine comprises a credit means for release of the machine, a gamble wheel rotatably mounted within a machine cabinet and visible to a player through the cabinet window, a motor for rotating the gamble wheel, a tortuous ball supply unit mounted in the cabinet above the wheel, the ball supply unit defining one or more tortuous paths down which a ball or balls fed to the upper end of the ball supply unit passes under gravitational force in order to reach the lower end of the ball supply unit, the tortuous path or paths being visible to a player through a cabinet window, the lower end of the ball supply unit leading to the wheel, detection means for detecting a pocket of the gamble wheel in which a ball comes to rest, and reward means responsive to the detection means to provide a player with a reward in dependence upon which pocket or pockets the ball or balls comes to rest, ball return means for returning a ball from the wheel to a ball elevating means, the ball elevating means being adapted, when operated, to deliver a ball to the upper end of the ball supply unit.

Preferably the ball elevating means is a ball projecting means.

The machine player is therefore able to see a ball follow the tortuous path or paths before being delivered to the gamble wheel.

The ball supply unit may comprise a zig-zag, or spiral, ball pathway in the form of a zig-zag or spiral tube, or in the form of a series of elongate troughs connected by reversing bends. Such ball pathways were commonly used in early upright slot machines.

Alternatively, or in addition, the ball supply unit comprises a labyrinth which defines a plurality of tortuous paths between an array of protrusions in the form of pins, blocks, or vanes for example.

A relatively random supply of balls may utilise a labyrinth supply. The labyrinth ball supply may take many forms, some of which may correspond to the labyrinths that were employed in traditional mechanical pin-ball machines of the kind having a slim vertical cabinet housing a labyrinth behind a vertical machine glass, and a finger-operated lever for projecting the ball along a track to the upper region of the labyrinth down which the ball then tumbles to be received in one or more winnings cups, or in a no- win receptacle. Such machines were extremely popular many years ago, partly because of the attraction provided by the unpredictable path of the ball passing through the labyrinth. Thus one preferred embodiment of the invention is aimed at utilising the combination of the player appeal of a labyrinth structure for a falling ball, and that of a pocketed gamble wheel, by feeding an inclined gamble wheel machine having a pocketed gamble wheel by means of a labyrinth structure.

In one embodiment the ball is delivered by the ball supply unit to the central region of the roulette wheel the rotational axis of which is arranged vertically, but in other embodiments the wheel is mounted in an inclined or vertical orientation, and the lower end of the ball supply unit leads to an arcuate region of the wheel where the ball is captured by the wheel.

A second aspect of the invention is concerned with a gamble wheel assembly that is capable of being played with the axis of the gamble wheel inclined at an acute angle to the vertical.

According to the second aspect of the invention a gamble wheel assembly comprises a gamble wheel rotatably mounted with respect to a stationary support about an axis inclined at an acute angle to the vertical, or directed horizontally, the wheel comprising a hub, and an annular disc face surrounding the hub, the wheel being formed with a plurality of ball carrying pockets defined around the hub, a ball guiding unit carried by the support in a position adjacent to an upper region of the disc, for guiding one or more balls to the pockets located in said upper region, a part-annular ball retainer mounted on the support in register with the disc, closely spaced therefrom, and so arranged as to retain balls in the pockets as they are conveyed by the rotating wheel away from the upper region of the wheel, controllable release means for releasing balls from the pockets in a lower region of the wheel, and ball outlet means for receiving balls released from the pockets. The ball retainer enables the gamble wheel to hold captive a ball in a pocket whereas the ball would roll out of a pocket of a conventional roulette wheel if the wheel were to be mounted in an inclined position.

Thus a ball that is guided into a pocket in the upper region of the disc will, possibly after bouncing, come to rest in a pocket, and as the wheel rotates, the ball is carried away from the ball inlet region.

The pockets are preferably defined at least in part by a plurality of circumferentially equally-spaced radial vanes projecting forwardly from said disc face.

In a preferred embodiment the pockets are each defined in part by respective concave pocket surfaces provided on the radially outwardly facing side- wall of the hub.

The concave pocket surfaces could be of part- spherical shape, or of part- cylindrical shape, extending in the axial direction of the hub but terminating short of the front face of the hub.

The location of the pockets close to the hub means that a captured ball is retained in position close to the hub, which position thereby corresponds substantially to the position of a captured ball on a conventional horizontally-mounted roulette wheel.

The radially outer region of the disc face adjacent to each pocket is preferably marked with indicia and/or a symbol to allot a value or property to the pocket. Although the indicia may be numerals, as with a conventional roulette wheel, dice symbols, fruit symbols, playing card symbols may be used for example.

Means is preferably provided to determine the identity of the pocket in which a ball has become trapped.

A ball sensing means, for example a capacitative sensor, may be associated with the disc to monitor which pockets contain a ball.

Alternatively, the balls may be released from the wheel by providing an opening in the lower part of the ball retainer, and the passage of a ball through said opening may be monitored in conjunction with the output of a encoder on the wheel to determine from which pocket a ball has rolled out.

The ball guiding unit in one embodiment comprises a pair of oppositely directed ramp surfaces extending upwardly and outwardly from one another, and connected by an intermediate platform provided with a cutout slot that overlies an arcuate portion of the path of the disc pockets and extends over one or more of the pockets, the slot being of a transverse dimension greater than the diameter of a ball to enable a ball to drop into a pocket.

The slot is preferably provided along one margin of the platform, and the platform is sloped to direct the ball into the slot.

The ball is preferably led to the ramp surfaces by falling through a labyrinth assembly and will usually roll from one ramp surface and across the platform to the other ramp surface, and back again until the ball speed has reduced sufficiently to allow the ball to settle in a pocket without bouncing out again.

In one embodiment the ball retainer comprises a transparent plate and a part-annular ball track which encircles the wheel pockets, said slot being bounded on one side by the transparent plate, and said ball track extending substantially from opposite ends of the slot, whereby a ball that has entered said slot and settled in a pocket is then retained in the pocket as the pocket moves away from the slot, by the ball being trapped between the pocket wall, the transparent plate and the ball track.

In other embodiments of the invention the ball retainer in a part-annular form on a ball track.

In other embodiments of the invention the ball guiding unit may comprise a stationary ball supply chamber defined between the disc face and an arcuate hopper mounted on said support to confront the disc face in said upper region of the disc.

The arcuate hopper may be formed of a transparent plastics, but is preferably constructed as a welded wire basket.

The arcuate hopper preferably comprises a hopper front wall that defines with the front face of the disc face a downwardly tapering gap and two hopper end walls that lie substantially in radial planes of the wheel.

The dimensions of the hopper are preferably such that the hopper extends across a plurality of pockets of the wheel, for example eight pockets, but in some embodiments the hopper outlet may extend across a single pocket only. The dimensions of the hopper are preferably such that a ball fed into the hopper can bounce between pockets within said chamber before settling in a pocket. This, in effect, simulates to a degree the bouncing around of a ball on a conventional roulette wheel before the ball settles in a pocket, in some embodiments the hopper outlet may extend across a single pocket

The ball supply unit also comprises a ball conveying passage or chamber leading into the ball supply chamber.

According to a third aspect of the invention an amusement or gaming machine comprises a gamble wheel rotatably mounted with respect to a stationary wheel support, the gamble wheel defining a plurality of circumferentially arranged pockets, a ball retainer adapted to retain a ball in a pocket during rotation of the wheel from an upper region thereof, and the arrangement being such that a ball introduced into the upper region and becoming trapped in a pocket is carried round with the rotating wheel in the pocket, and during rotation is visible to the machine player through a machine glass, a ball supply assembly mounted above the upper region of the wheel and visible by the machine player through an upper machine glass, the ball supply assembly being so arranged as to feed a ball into said upper region of the wheel, and ball releasing means for releasing balls from the pockets of the wheel in a lower region of the wheel.

When a controlled supply of a ball to said upper region is preferred, this may be achieved by causing the ball to roll down a spiral or zig-zag pathway, and entry to the pathway may be controlled by a speed selector such as a hump in the upper part of the track that has to be negotiated by a ball that is projected by a finger-operated lever. A lower portion of the machine preferably comprises a game information display.

The game information display is preferably provided on a forwardly projecting portion of the machine cabinet that extends from substantially the base of the machine glass behind which the roulette wheel is located to the front of the machine.

The game information display may incorporate player-operable control pads or buttons, which may be implemented by means of a touch- sensitive portion of the display.

The player may be afforded the ability to select between different available games, which may be associated with changes in the indicia/symbols displayed by the gamble wheel. For that purpose the radially outer region of the roulette machine disc face would be provided with a respective switchable display, such as a liquid crystal display.

The game information display can provide information on bets placed and accounting records.

One preferred embodiment of the invention comprises an upright machine cabinet having an upper substantially vertical window through which is visible a ball supply assembly, a sloping middle window behind which is the pocketed gamble wheel, and a forwardly projecting information display. Such a machine can combine the attributes of mechanical game features which are visible through the windows with software- implemented game features associated with the information display panel. Description of Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

Various amusement and gaming machines, and component assemblies thereof, all in accordance with the invention, will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a machine,

Figure 2 is a front view of the machine of Figure 1 ,

Figure 3 is a schematic vertical cross-section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an axial view of the roulette wheel of the machine of Figure 1 and displaying numbers in association with the wheel pockets,

Figure 5 shows how the wheel of Figure 1 can instead display dice symbols, playing card symbols for playing the game of Black Jack,

Poker and other card games, or fruit symbols,

Figure 6 is a perspective rear view of a modified machine in accordance with the invention and showing the ball return tubes,

Figure 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the roulette wheel assembly of the machine of Figures 1 to 4 showing the raised central hub and ball pockets defined adjacent to the hub, Figure 8 is a front elevation of the gamble wheel assembly and showing a ball in a pocket in the upper right-hand quadrant of the wheel, the ball being held captive to the wheel by a part-circular ball-retaining cage,

Figure 9 is an enlargement of the portion B of Figure 8 showing the ball seated in a pocket,

Figure 10 is an enlargement of the portion C of Figure 8 showing the cage door in a closed position,

Figure 11 is an enlarged partial view of the roulette wheel assembly looking in the axial direction of the wheel, and with the ball in the position shown in Figures 7 and 8, the hub of the wheel being partially cut-away to show the ball seated in a pocket of the wheel,

Figure 12 is an enlarged radial cross-section of the gamble wheel assembly taken on the line 12-12 of Figure 11 ,

Figure 13 is an enlarged front view of a labyrinth structure that can be used in the upper part of the machine of Figures 1 to 3, and comprising a tapered array of fixed deflector pins,

Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 13 of an alternative labyrinth structure comprising a series of fixed deflector blocks,

Figure 15 is a view similar to Figure 9 of an alternative labyrinth structure in which the deflecting elements in the lower rows are rotatable, gear mechanism for rotating three of the elements being indicted in outline, Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 9 of a further labyrinth which comprises a plurality of fixed pins and some pivoted paddles,

Figure 17 shows labyrinth structure comprising pivoted paddle, fixed pins and rotating deflector elements, gear trains for rotating the rotating elements being shown in outline,

Figure 18 shows a ball supply assembly suitable for use in the upper part of the machine of Figure 1 comprising a spiral ball- conveying track mounted above a small tapered labyrinth of fixed deflector pins,

Figures 19 and 20 show schematically a modification in accordance with the invention of the machine of Figure 1 in which the roulette wheel is arranged vertically, Figure 20 representing a vertical cross-section on the line 20-20 of Figure 19,

Figures 21 and 22 shows schematically modifications in accordance with the invention of the machine of Figure 1 in which the gamble wheel is arranged at 45° to the horizontal, or at any other angle, Figure 22 representing a vertical cross-section on the line 22-22 of Figure 21,

Figures 23 and 24 show schematically the ball supply unit and horizontal gamble wheel of a machine in accordance with the invention,

Figure 25 and 26 show schematically a modification in accordance with the invention of the machine of Figures 22, 23 in which the ball is delivered by the ball supply unit to the central region of the horizontal gamble wheel, Figure 27 is a front elevation of the vertical gamble wheel assembly of the machine in accordance with the invention, and showing a ball that is just being captured in a pocket at the top of the wheel, the ball guiding unit in the form of oppositely directed ramps being shown above the wheel,

Figure 28 is a vertical cross-section on the line 28-28 of Figure 27 and showing the annular transparent ball-retaining front plate,

Figure 29 is a perspective view of the roulette wheel and V-shaped ball supply ramps of the machine of Figure 27,

Figure 30 is an enlargement of the portion P of Figure 29 showing a ball that has just settled in the uppermost pocket of the wheel,

Figure 31 is a view similar to Figure 27 of a machine with a slightly modified ramp and showing the ball having been carried round with the wheel to the 3 o'clock position,

Figure 32 is a partial horizontal cross-sectional view on the line 32-

32 of Figure 31,

Figure 33 is a front elevation, similar to Figure 22 but showing the ball being released from the wheel at the 6 o'clock position,

Figure 34 is a vertical cross-section on the line 34-34 of Figure 33,

Figure 35 is a perspective view from above and to one side, of a modified ramp similar to that of Figures 29, 30, Figure 36 is a view similar to Figure 32 but of a modification in which the ball is retained in a pocket by a part-annular form on the ball track 86,

Figure 37 is a partial vertical cross-section of a feeding chute and horizontal gamble wheel assembly in accordance with the invention, and

Figure 38 is a front perspective view of the upper part of a machine, with the front cabinet glass raised, showing a further labyrinth assembly, and the ramp of Figure 35.

With reference to Figures 1 to 3 there is shown a coin-released gamble wheel machine 1 which comprises an upright machine cabinet of a relatively conventional shape that is suitable for use in arcades or in public houses. That is, it is suitable for playing by standing machine players.

As seen in Figure 2, the machine can be considered to comprise an upper portion 3, a middle portion 4 and a lower portion 5. The upper portion 3 comprises some form of tortuous ball supply unit that receives a ball in its top from the free end 6 of a ball supply tube 7, that extends upwardly from a ball projector unit 8 of the kind commonly used in pin-ball machines, in which the user pulls a plunger outwards against the force of a spring, and on release of the plunger, a ball is projected up the tube 7 to be dispensed at the tube outlet 6. Alternatively, the ball can be dispensed by electric, magnetic or pneumatic devices in response to the player pressing a button.

The ball can be hollow to reduce its weight. The middle portion 4 of the machine is in the form of a novel gamble machine assembly in which the roulette wheel 9 is rotatable about an axis Z-Z which is inclined at an acute angle to the vertical.

The lower portion 5 of the machine comprises a display panel 10, which may be touch- sensitive panel. The panel 10 can be arranged to display the progress of a game on the machine, such as accumulated winnings and/or provides some additional gambling features.

The front of the cabinet, beneath the projecting portion 5 is provided with a pay-out means, not shown.

The upper portion of the machine lies behind an upper, vertical machine glass 11 , the middle portion 4 lying behind a lower machine glass 12, which extends in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the gamble wheel, from the lower edge of the upper machine glass 11 to the rear edge of sloping cabinet shelf 13 which mounts the display panel 10.

As shown in Figures 4 and 7 the gamble wheel comprises a central raised hub 14, an annular disc 15 surrounding the hub 14, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart radial vanes 16 of generally elongated triangular outline projecting forwardly from the face of the disc 15, as viewed on a radial cross-section of the wheel, so as to contribute to defining a series of ball pockets 18.

The radially outer peripheral side-wall of the hub 14 is formed with a plurality of circumferentially equally-spaced part-cylindrical surfaces 16' which, as shown in Figure 12, stop short of the outer face 30 of the hub 14, so as to define a retaining flange 31. The surfaces 16' extend between adjacent pairs of the radially inner ends of webs 16. The combination of the part-cylindrical surfaces 16' with the radially inner ends of the webs 16, and the front face of the radially inner portions of disc 15 define a plurality of circumferentially equally- spaced pockets 32 in which a ball may be located, such as the ball 24 shown in Figures 11 and 12.

The gamble wheel 9 is rotatably mounted on a roulette wheel chassis, not shown, which is normally fixed in place within the cabinet 2, and is provided with a drive motor, not shown, which can be activated for a pre-determined, or random, period of time to cause the gamble wheel to be spun for a short period of time.

A part-annular ball guiding unit 20 covers an upper region of the wheel 9 and is shaped to feed a ball or balls entering the ball guiding unit 20 from the upper machine portion 3 into the pockets 32 of said upper region of the wheel, and is preferably dimensioned to permit a ball to bounce around within the chamber defined between the walls of the supply unit 20 and the disc.

One embodiment of a ball guiding unit 20 constructed of welded wires in the form of an arcuate hopper is shown in Figures7 to 12, and comprises a part-annular hopper front wall 21 which is substantially normal to the wheel axis Z-Z and extends radially inwardly to the hub 9, but is spaced slightly therefrom so as not to impede rotation of the wheel, and a pair of circumferentially spaced-apart hopper end walls 22 of substantially elongated triangular shape constituted by a series of L-shaped wires 22' of progressively increasing length that extend up to the path of the vanes 16 but are closely spaced therefrom. The ball guiding unit 20 defines with the disc front face a chamber which is sufficiently wide, in the direction normal to the disc, to permit a ball to bounce within the chamber, to enable a ball that falls into the chamber to bounce from one pocket to another on occasion, before the ball comes to rest in one of the pockets of the wheel. The width of the chamber, between the front wall of the hopper and the disc face, tapers downwardly, to direct the ball towards the pockets 32.

Once a ball has become seated in a pocket 32, the ball will be conveyed by the wheel past the end wall 22 of the ball supply unit, and will be carried round with the wheel.

The ball in the pocket is retained in the pocket during rotation by a part- annular ball retaining strips 23 and by the flange 31.

The ball retaining strips 23 each extend from a position 35 at the end wall 22 of the hopper to a position 38 adjacent to the respective end 36 of a release strip 37, Figure 10, and are each supported on respective wire arms 23 ' . The strips 23 in transverse cross-section are curved as shown in Figure 12, to increase their rigidity, and they effectively provide part- circular cages to retain a ball in a pocket whilst the ball pocket is travelling for the arcuate lengths of the strips 23.

The movable strip 37 is shown in Figures 8 and 10 in its normal position in which it is contiguous with the fixed strips 23, so as to retain a ball in a pocket during rotation of the wheel. When it is desired to release a ball from a pocket, the strip 37 is moved downwards by a vertically movable actuating rod 40. Thus, strip 37 provides a cage door.

When a ball is released from the wheel it falls into a collection funnel 45, seen in Figure 7, which returns the ball to the ball projector unit 8. In Figure 4, the gamble wheel disc is shown carrying indicia in the form of numerals that each are positioned in the radially outer part of a respective pocket. The numerals are in a random order around the wheel, and it can be arranged that the 'starting position' of the wheel is a random one.

A suitable ball detector means is provided to detect the pocket in which the ball has lodged.

The ball detector means could be an optical detector or a capacitive sensor, and the output of the ball detector is transmitted to the lower portion 5 of the machine for a determination of the effect on the overall game being played.

The ball released from the wheel will roll down a collection apron 25, Figure 3, that is positioned behind the display 10 and is shaped to direct the ball to the inlet of the ball projector unit 8.

In the modified machine of Figure 6 a return tube 45' conveys balls released from the gamble wheel to a ball projector button by the machine player.

Figure 5 shows dice, card symbols and fruit symbols that may alternatively be provided on the wheel to enable various games to be played on the machine. In particular, Black Jack and Poker may be played.

Preferably the outer margin of the wheel disc face is in the form of switchable display elements, for example LCD elements, to enable the type of indicia displayed on the disc to be selected by the player at the beginning, or at an intermediate stage of playing the machine. It should be appreciated that the invention encompasses the use of many possible devices for producing one or more tortuous paths for the ball moving down the upper region 3 of the machine under gravitational force from the upper end 6 of ball supply 7. The progress of the ball down the tortuous path is visible to the machine player through a window, such as upper machine glass 11 in the machine cabinet. This displays to the machine player a degree of randomness in the delivery of the ball to the roulette wheel 9.

Some examples of arrangements for producing a tortuous path are shown in Figures 13 to 18.

In Figure 13 the upper portion 3 is provided with a labyrinth in the form of an array of forwardly projecting pins 3 ' laid out in a generally funnel outline. Each horizontal row of pins is staggered with respect to the row above to cause a ball to bounce around as it proceeds down the array, thereby to execute a tortuous path. As is well known the path of the ball through the labyrinth will vary according to the initial velocity of the ball is it leaves the end 6 of the tube 7 and this is not be controlled precisely.

Figure 14 shows a labyrinth of forwardly projecting blocks 50 bounded by funnel walls 51 for directing the ball towards the roulette wheel.

Figure 15 shows a labyrinth comprising alternate rows of blocks of different shapes. There is an upper row of triangular blocks 53, above a row of cylindrical blocks 54, beneath which is a row of triangular blocks 55, and finally a row of square blocks 56. The blocks 55 and 56 are rotatable about respective horizontal axes by means of gears, indicated at 57, 58 for example. This arrangement in which some non-round elements of the labyrinth rotate increases, in a very visible manner, the randomness of the tortuous path of a ball down the labyrinth. Figure 16 shows a labyrinth comprising fixed pins, tiltable vanes 59, and flippers 60 which are driven in a cyclic manner by a suitable drive motor.

Figure 17 shows a compact labyrinth comprising tiltable or rotatable vanes 59, and a row of rotatable blocks 61 , 62, 63, 64 of very different shapes, all driven by gearing 65 indicated in broken outline. Since the blocks 61 to 64 are of very different shapes, the path of the ball down the labyrinth is unpredictable.

Figure 18 shows the use of a spiral tube indicated by line 65 mounted above a labyrinth of pins 3 ' . The lower end 66 of the tube 65 is directed at a central upper pin 67 and a ball leaving tube end 66 will bounce randomly according to the speed of the ball leaving the tube end 66, which will vary according to the speed of the ball, which is not controlled in any precise manner.

Referring now to Figures 19 to 26 these show various modifications to the machine of Figure 1, and corresponding reference numbers have been applied to corresponding parts in the different Figures of the drawings.

In the modified machine of Figures 19 and 20 the roulette wheel 9 is mounted vertically, for rotation about a horizontal axis. In this machine a tortuous path for the ball is provided by a series of elongate sloping troughs 70 arranged in a zig-zag manner, the ends of the troughs being connected by ball reversing bends 71.

The embodiment of Figures 21 and 22 is similar to that of Figure 19, 20 but the wheel 9 is shown mounted at an angle of 45° , but the wheel can be mounted at other angles in the range 0° and 90° Figures 23 and 24 show schematically a modified machine similar to that of Figures 19 to 22 but in which the wheel 9 is mounted horizontally for rotation about a vertical axis. In order to release the ball from a pocket of the wheel, the wheel is arranged to be vertically movable relative to the fixed wheel surround 72 to permit the ball to pass around the margin of the wheel, to reach a collection funnel 45.

Figures 25 and 26 show schematically a yet further modification in which the tortuous ball supply delivers the ball to the centre of the wheel which is provided with a conical boss 9' for directing the ball radially outwardly of the wheel against a wheel surround 72. As with the machine of Figures 23, 24, the wheel 9 is raised to release the ball from a pocket of the wheel.

Referring now to Figures 27 to 34, these show a particularly preferred construction in accordance with the invention incorporating an advantageous ball guiding unit for allowing the ball to be captured by the wheel. The machine of Figures 27 to 34 is provided with ball guiding unit in the form of a ball ramp assembly 80 which comprises oppositely directed ramp surfaces 81, 82 connected by an intermediate platform 83, the surfaces 81, 82 extending upwardly and outwardly from one another. The ramp surfaces 81 , 82 and the upper surface of platform 83, are sloped towards a transparent plate 84, conveniently a glass plate, which forms part of a ball retainer for retaining captured balls in pockets of the wheel, such as ball 85 in Figure 31.

The modified ramp assembly 80 of Figure 35 incorporates a front flange 80' for abutting a machine glass.

The gamble wheel 9 of the construction of Figures 27 to 34 is provided with part-spherical pockets of lozenge shape which interrupt the front edge of the margin of the wheel, the centres of the pockets each facing outwardly of the wheel at a angle of approximately 45° to the axis of the wheel.

A part-annular ball track 86, best seen in section in Figure 32, has a ball- guiding surface 87 that faces forwardly and radially inwardly of the wheel, so that the ball 85 is retained in a pocket by the combination of the ball-guiding surface 87 and the transparent plate 84.

The platform 83 is provided in the front margin thereof with an elongate cut-out 90 which defines with the plate 84 an elongate slot extending over about three pocket-lengths of the margin of the wheel 9. The ball track 86 is interrupted at ends 92 for a corresponding arcuate length to enable a ball that passes through the slot to enter one of the exposed pockets 32.

A labyrinth of pins, blocks etc, not shown, or other tortuous ball supply, is mounted above the ramp assembly 80, such that when a ball issues from the labyrinth it is caught by the ramp assembly 80, in whatever position it issues from the labyrinth, and then rolls down one of the ramps 81 , 82. Usually the velocity of the ball on encountering the platform 83 is such that the ball will not settle in an exposed pocket, but instead will bounce out and proceed up the opposite ramp. The player will thus see the ball execute one or more traverses of the ramps 81 , 82 before it settles into an exposed pocket. Once a ball has settled in pocket, such as ball 91 in Figures 29, 30, the ball will be carried by the wheel to pass under the free end 92 of the ball track 86, this being facilitated by the curved ends 93, Figure 30, of the cut-out 90. The ball is then carried round with the wheel until it is released therefrom by a gate 37 operated by an actuator 94, as shown in Figure 34, where a ball 95 is being released. It will be appreciated that the motion of the ball on the ramp assembly 80 will provide further interest to the machine player, and the degree of randomness will be apparent to the player.

Figure 35 shows a wire cage ball funnel 96 which is suitable for use in feeding a ball 97 from an upright tortuous ball supply to the margin of a horizontal gamble wheel.

Although the machines have been described as employing a single ball, it is possible to use a plurality of balls in a game, the balls being released into the tortuous ball supply either simultaneously or in turn.

Claims

1. An automatic gamble wheel machine (1) comprising a credit means for release of the machine, a gamble wheel (9) rotatably mounted within a machine cabinet (2) and visible to a player through the cabinet window (12) , a motor for rotating the gamble wheel, a tortuous ball supply unit (3) mounted in the cabinet above the wheel, the ball supply unit defining one or more tortuous paths down which a ball or balls fed to the upper end of the ball supply unit passes under gravitational force in order to reach the lower end (66) of the ball supply unit, the tortuous path or paths being visible to a player through a cabinet window (11) , the lower end (66) of the ball supply unit leading to the wheel, detection means for detecting a pocket of the gamble wheel (32) in which a ball comes to rest, and reward means responsive to the detection means to provide a player with a reward in dependence upon which pocket or pockets (32) the ball or balls comes to rest, ball return means (45) for returning a ball from the wheel to a ball elevating means (7) , the ball elevating means being adapted, when operated, to deliver a ball to the upper end (6) of the ball supply unit.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 in which the ball elevating means is a ball projecting means (7, 8) .

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the ball supply unit comprises a zig-zag, or spiral, ball pathway (65; 70, 71) .

4. A machine as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the ball supply unit comprises a labyrinth which defines a plurality of tortuous paths between an array of protrusions (3¹ ; 50; 53, 55, 56; 59, 61, 62, 63, 64) .

5. A machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the lower end (66) of the ball supply unit (3) leads into a ball guiding unit (20; 80; 96) in register with an arcuate portion of the path of the pockets (32) , the ball guiding unit being adapted to guide a ball received in the ball guiding unit into a pocket of the wheel.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 5 in which the ball guiding unit accommodates some initial bouncing of the ball from the pockets until the ball can settle in a pocket.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 in which the gamble wheel is rotatable about an axis inclined at an acute angle to the vertical, or directed horizontally, and the ball guiding unit is positioned in register with an upper regions of the wheel, the machine comprising a part- annular ball retainer (23; 84, 87) mounted on the support in register with the disc, closely spaced therefrom, and so arranged as to retain balls in the pockets as they are conveyed by the rotating wheel away from the upper region of the wheel, controllable release means (37) for releasing balls from the pockets in a lower region of the wheel, and ball outlet means (45) for receiving balls released from the pockets.

8. A machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which means is provided to determine the identity of the pocket in which a ball has become trapped.

9. A machine as claimed in claim 7 in which the ball guiding unit comprises a stationary ball supply chamber defined between the disc face and an arcuate hopper (21, 22) mounted on said support to confront the disc face in said upper region of the disc.

10. A machine as claimed in claim 6 in which the hopper is constructed as a welded wire basket (21 , 22) .

11. A machine as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10 in which the arcuate hopper comprises a hopper front wall (21) that defines with the front face of the disc face a downwardly tapering gap and two hopper end walls (22) that lie substantially in radial planes of the wheel.

12. A machine as claimed in claim 11 in which the dimensions of the hopper are such that the hopper extends across a plurality of pockets of the wheel.

13. A machine as claimed in claim 7 in which the ball guiding unit comprises a pair of oppositely directed ramp surfaces (81 , 82) extending upwardly and outwardly from one another, and connected by an intermediate platform (83) provided with a cut-out slot (90) that overlies an arcuate portion of the path of the disc pockets and extends over one or more a plurality of the pockets, the slot being of a transverse dimension greater than the diameter of a ball to enable a ball to drop into a pocket.

14. A machine as claimed in claim 13 in which the slot is provided along one margin of the platform, and the platform is sloped to direct the ball into the slot.

15. A machine as claimed in claim 13 or claim 14 in which the ball retainer comprises a transparent plate (84) and a part-annular ball track (87) which encircles the wheel pockets, said slot (90) being bounded on one side by the transparent plate (84) , and said ball track (87) extending substantially from opposite ends of the slot, whereby a ball that has entered said slot (90) and settled in a pocket is then retained in the pocket as the pocket moves away from the slot, by the ball being trapped between the pocket wall, the transparent plate (84) and the ball track (87) .

16. A gamble wheel assembly comprising a gamble wheel rotatably mounted with respect to a stationary support about an axis inclined at an acute angle to the vertical, or directed horizontally, the wheel comprising a hub (9) , and an annular disc face surrounding the hub, the wheel being formed with a plurality of ball carrying pockets (32) defined around the hub, a ball guiding unit (20) carried by the support in a position adjacent to an upper region of the disc, for guiding one or more balls to the pockets located in said upper region of the disc, a part-annular ball retainer (23; 84, 87) mounted on the support in register with the disc, closely spaced therefrom, and so arranged as to retain balls in the pockets as they are conveyed by the rotating wheel away from the upper region of the wheel, controllable release means (37) for releasing balls from the pockets in a lower region of the wheel, and ball outlet means (45) for receiving balls released from the pockets.

17. An assembly as claimed in claim 16 in which the pockets are defined at least in part by a plurality of circumferentially equally-spaced radial vanes (16) projecting forwardly from said disc face.

18. An assembly as claimed in claim 16 or claim 17 in which the pockets are each defined in part by respective concave pocket surfaces (16') provided on the radially outwardly facing side- wall of the hub.

19. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 18 in which the radially outer region of the disc face adjacent to each pocket is marked with indicia and/or a symbol to allot a value or property to the pocket.

20. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 19 in which means is provided to determine the identity of the pocket in which a ball has become trapped.

21. An assembly as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 20 in which the ball supply unit comprises a stationary ball supply chamber defined between the disc face and an arcuate hopper (21 , 22) mounted on said support to confront the disc face in said upper region of the disc.

22. An assembly as claimed in claim 21 in which the hopper is constructed as a welded wire basket (21 , 22) .

23. An assembly as claimed in claim 21 or claim 22 in which the arcuate hopper comprises a hopper front wall (21) that defines with the front face of the disc face a downwardly tapering gap and two hopper end walls (22) that lie substantially in radial planes of the wheel.

24. An assembly as claimed in claim 23 in which the dimensions of the hopper are such that the hopper extends across a plurality of pockets of the wheel.

25. An assembly as claimed in claim 24 in which the dimensions of the hopper are such that a ball fed into the hopper can bounce between pockets within said chamber before settling in a pocket.

26. A machine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15 in which a lower portion of the machine comprises a game information display (10) .

27. A machine as claimed in claim 26 in which the game information display is provided on a forwardly projecting portion (5) of the machine cabinet that extends from substantially the base of the machine glass (12) behind which the roulette wheel is located to the front of the machine.

28. A machine as claimed in claim 26 or claim 27 in which the game information display (10) incorporates player-operable control pads or buttons.

29. A machine as claimed in claim 28 in which the player is afforded the ability to select between different available games, associated with changes in the indicia/symbols displayed by the gamble wheel.

30. A machine as claimed in claim 27, 28 or 29 in which the game information display provides information on bets placed and accounting records.