GB2064191A

GB2064191A - Gaming Machine

Info

Publication number: GB2064191A
Application number: GB7939933A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: CROMPTON ALFRED Ltd; Crompton Ltd
Current assignee: CROMPTON ALFRED Ltd; Crompton Ltd
Priority date: 1979-11-19
Filing date: 1979-11-19
Publication date: 1981-06-10

Abstract

A machine, for example a fruit machine, comprises one or more rotatable reels 4, 5, 6 which are set into motion by an inserted coin operating one of a set of corresponding switches 8, 9, 10. Before actuating one of the switches the coin passes through a pin-perspex element 14 which introduces a randomizing factor into which switch it operates. After operating the switch the coin may pass into a money- pusher device 16. Additional actuating means (not shown) may be provided for reels 4, 5, 6. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Coin Freed Mechanism for Use on an Amusement, Gaming or Merchandising Machine or Game The present invention relates to coin-freed mechanisms for amusement, gaming, or merchandising machines or games and more particularly to coin-operated fruit machines.

Throughout this specification the term "coin" is to be understood as including any disc, token, etc of the operator's choice and legally applicable to the location.

The setting into motion of prior art fruit machines involves two steps. Firstly a coin is inserted into the machine and secondly a handle is pulled or a lever or a button is pushed. Indicabearing rotatable members, e.g. reels bearing pictures of fruit, numbers, legends, or any other sumbols or motifs, are thus caused to rotate.

When fruit machines are fitted with a "hold" feature it is possible for one or more of the rotatable members to be heid against rotation.

According to the present invention there is provided a machine comprising one or more indicia-bearing rotatable members, one or more actuating means operation of each of which causes a corresponding rotatable member to rotate, means into which a coin may be inserted, and means for guiding an inserted coin so that it operates the or one of the actuating means.

The invention also inciudes machines in accordance with the preceding paragraph and which are provided with a "pin perspex element" and/or a "money-pusher".

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, only, with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows a perspective view of a machine.

The figure shows a machine including fruit machine reels 4, 5, 6. The reels bear indicia around their peripheries, e.g. pictures of fruit or other symbols, at least one symbol on each reel being visible through a corresponding window.

The reels are mounted behind a vertical wall comprising a clear sheet of perspex 1 2 in front of and spaced from a printed sheet of perspex 1 3.

Marked on one of the sheets of perspex is a win line 7, which indicates where particular symbols must appear to obtain a win.

A microswitch 8 is provided adjacent the window for reel 4 with its actuating element extending across the gap between perspex sheets 12, 13. It is arranged that actuation of microswitch 8 causes reel 4 to rotate. The reel may advance by a predetermined number of steps, including a single step, or by a random number of steps. Similar microswitches 9, 10 are provided for reels 5, 6. At the top of perspex sheets 12, 13 there are provided coin slots (not shown) which guide an inserted coin to enter the gap between the sheets at position 1, 2 or 3. The upper parts of the perspex sheets constitute a socalled "pin-perspex" element 14, that is they provide a vertical or inclined plane having projecting pins. An inserted coin slides along the plane and bounces off the pins so that it is scattered in a more or less random manner as indicated by the arrows.

Pin-perspex element 1 4 has three exits to which coins are guided by rows of pins positioned so closely together that a coin cannot pass between them. Each exit directs a coin so that it actuates a corresponding one of the microswitches 8, 9, 10 and rotates the corresponding reel. When the reel stops a win is paid out if particular symbols appear along win line 7. After actuating one of the microswitches the coin continues descending and enters the path of the "pusher box" 1 5 of a "money-pusher" machine 1 6. In a "money-pusher" one or more pusher boxes continuously move backwards and forwards up to a bank of coins on a ledge. The aim of the player of such a machine is to land a coin between the pusher box and the existing bank of coins so that it is swept forward by the pusher box to push coins off the edge of the ledge.Such coins fall into a coin shute which delivers them to the player. Thus a player of the combined fruit machine and money pusher has two chances to win with each coin played.

An advantage of the above machine is that only one operation is necessary to put it into action, viz, the insertion of a coin.

In a second embodiment the fruit machine is provided on its own with neither a pin-perspex element nor a money pusher machine. In this embodiment it is arranged that a coin inserted in the first slot always actuates the switch for reel 4, and coins inserted into the second and third slots always actuate the switches for reels 5 and 6 respectively.

In a third embodiment the fruit machine is provided with a pin-perspex element alone. This is similar to the embodiment shown in Figure 1, but without the money pusher 1 5. Thus as compared with the second embodiment, a randomizing feature is introduced into the advancing of the reels by means of the direct coin actuation feature. A player inserting a coin at position 1 may hope to actuate reel 4 but this is not certain.

Various modifications may be made to the embodiments described above. Besides the switches for reels 4, 5 and 6 there may be provided further actuation means for the fruit machine which may be conventional, e.g. a handle, lever or button, and which causes all the reels to rotate. A player inserts coins into a further slot and operates the further actuating means until one or two desired symbols appear on the win line. He may then retain, or attempt to retain, these symbols by inserting coins in only those of the first, second and third slots which correspond to symbols it is desired to change. This provides a direct coin actuation feature which replaces the conventional "hold" feature. It may be arranged that there is a limit to the number of coins that can be inserted in the first, second and third slots between each operation of the further actuation means.Alternatively a time limit may be imposed on the use of the first, second and third slots after each operation of the further actuating means.

The actuation of each switch may advance the corresponding reel by a relatively large number of symbols, e.g. several revolutions of the reel, or by a single step. In the latter case the direct coin actuation feature acts as a "nudge" feature, whereby reels may be individually stepped to try to obtain a winning line.

Arrangements as described in the preceding paragraph which also include a pin perspex element have the advantage that they introduce an extra element of chance over and above conventional "hold" and "nudge" features.

Arrangements including a pin perspex element 14 may be modified in that there may be one or more extra exits from the element 14 which bypass the switches for the reels 4, 5 and 6. Thus, in a random manner, an inserted coin may not actuate any of the reels. This introduces a further element of chance into the operation of the fruit machine.

Although the machines have been described as having three reels, this number can be varied as desired, and one, two or more than three reels may be provided. Moreover the reels may be replaced by discs. Microswitches 8, 9, 10 may be replaced by any other suitable switching devices such as photosensitive detectors or proximity detectors which are actuated by the passage of a coin. Perspex sheets 12, 13 may be replaced by sheets of any suitable material.

In addition to the features mentioned above any of the well-known fruit machine features may be provided, for example the conventional hold feature or criss-cross wins. Moreover wins may be paid out in goods or tokens which are exchangable for goods; thus the machine may serve as a merchandising machine.

Claims

1. A machine comprising one or more indiciabearing rotatable members, one or more actuating means operation of each of which causes a corresponding rotatable member to rotate, means into which a coin may be inserted, and means for guiding an inserted coin so that it operates the or one of the actuating means.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the or each rotatable member is constituted by an indicia-bearing reel.

3. A machine according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which a window is provided adjacent the or each rotatable member so that one or more of the indicia are visible through the window.

4. A machine according to any preceding claim, wherein the indicia are substantially equally spaced around the periphery of the rotatable member, the distance between adjacent indicia corresponding to one step movement of the rotatable member.

5. A machine according to claim 4, wherein operation of the or each actuating means causes the corresponding rotatable member to rotate by one step.

6. A machine according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein operation of the or each actuating means causes the corresponding rotatable member to rotate by a plurality of steps.

7. A machine according to any preceding claim, wherein the actuating means are constituted by microswitches.

8. A machine according to claims 3 and 7, wherein the microswitches are positioned in alignment with the windows for their corresponding rotatable members.

9. A machine according to any preceding claim, wherein the means for guiding an inserted coin includes a pin perspex element.

10. A machine according to any preceding claim combined with a money-pusher device, wherein an inserted coin passes from the machine into the money-pusher device.

11. A machine according to any preceding claim comprising at least two rotatable members and constituting a fruit machine, a win being obtained when the rotatable members occupy preselected positions.

12. A machine according to claims 3 and 11, wherein the preselected positions are determined by the indicia visible through the windows.

13. A machine according to any preceding claim, wherein there is provided a further actuating means for the rotatable member(s).

14. A machine according to claims 11 and 13, wherein there are provided means for limiting operation of the first actuating means between each operation of the further actuating means.

1 5. A machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.