GB2067810A - Game-playing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

A fruit machine is provided with endless flexible strips (1) bearing fruit symbols in place of the conventional chance reels. Each strip (1) is supported by a guide (4) in the vicinity of the viewing zone (2) and is driven by a motor provided with a drive wheel (3). The strips (1) have low moments of inertia and can therefore be driven by small motors. Furthermore the path which each strip (1) travels may be adapted to a number of forms. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Game-playing machine This invention relates to game-playing machines and more particularly, but not exclusively, to gaming machines such as those known as "fruit machines" Fruit machines conventionally incorporate rigid chance reels bearing symbols on their peripheries.

These symbols generally represent various fruits, although it will be understood that the term "fruit machines" may be applied to machines whose reels bear symbols other than fruit. In use of such machines for playing a game of chance, the reels are rotated in response to actuation by a player and the reels are subsequently stopped in random positions indicated by symbols on the reels showing through a viewing window. The player is rewarded if the combination of symbols showing through the viewing window is a winning combination.

Specification No. 1,55.0,732 discloses a fruit machine in which each reel is rotated by a respective stepping motor by an amount determined by a respective demand signal from a microprocessor. Simultaneously the microprocessor computes an indication of the stopping position of each reel from the known starting position of the reel and, without reference to the reels themselves, uses the indications of the various stopping positions of the reels to determine whether or not the combination of symbols showing through the viewing window when the reels have stopped is a winning combination. This machine has proved very reliable in use and moreover possesses the advantage that the reels may be rotated in either direction.This enables the machine to be provided with a special game feature according to which, when the reels have stopped rotating, the player may be provided with the option of pressing one or more "nudge" buttons to move one or more reels forwards or backwards by a small amount.

However a reasonably large and expensive stepping motor must be used to drive each reel in order to ensure high position accuracy, more especially on starting and stopping, due to the relatively high moment of intertia of each reel.

Furthermore the diameter of each reel is limited by the necessity of keeping the moment of inertia low. This in turn limits the number of symbols on each reel which may be simultaneously displayed through the viewing window, which is of importance where the winning combinations are computed on the basis of more than one row of symbols. Furthermore the size of the reel imposes a limit on the total number of symbols which may be provided on each reel so that it is possible for a player to memorise the order of the symbols on the reel. Furthermore it is impractical to provide more than one viewing window for viewing the same set of reels as may be required for competitive games between two or more players.

The invention provides a game-playing machine which may be adapted to overcome these various disadvantages.

According to the invention a game-playing machine is provided comprising a flexible strip bearing symbols, and drive means cooperating with the strip to move the strip so that the symbols thereon pass through a viewing zone.

The flexible strip may have a considerably smaller moment of inertia than a conventional chance reel and so a much smaller stepping motor may be used for driving the strip, possibly by means of suitable reduction gearing, as compared with that necessary for driving a chance reel.

Moreover, with a machine of suitable construction incorporating such strips, a large number of symbols on each strip may be viewed simultaneously. Each strip may be made as long as required and accordingly may be provided with as many symbols as required. it is even possible to provide different numbers of symbols on the various strips. Furthermore the path which each strip travels is easily adapted to a number of forms and it is possible for the strips to be viewed at different locations by different players. Also the path of each strip may be chosen to be such that the machine may have a very small depth.

The machine preferably also comprises guide means, separate from the drive means, for guiding the strip through the viewing zone. The guide means may be in the form of a bearing surface of low friction material, for example polytetrafluoroethylene, in the vicinity of the viewing zone.

In one embodiment of the invention a viewing window is provided so as to enable the viewing zone to be directly viewed by the player through the window, so that the symbols, which are preferably printed on the strip, are viewable at least one at a time through the window. In this case the guide means may be adapted to render the strip curved in the direction of its length in the viewing zone so that the strip appears as a conventional chance reel when viewed through the viewing window.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention a projector is provided so as to enable the viewing zone to be indirectly viewed by the player in the form of an image projected on a surface by the projector. The machine may incorporate a screen, for example in the form of a sheet of light-diffusing glass or plastics material, for receiving the projected image. In this case the strip is preferably a film strip, the symbols being in the form of photographic images.

The strip is most conveniently in the form of an endless loop. The loop may have a twist in it (that is it may be in the form of a Moebius strip) in which case symbols may be provided on both sides of the strip and this serves to increase the number of symbols which may be provided on a strip of a particular length. The drive means may incorporate a friction feed mechanism comprising a drive wheel and a pressure wheel between which the strip passes or alternatively a sprocket feed mechanism comprising a drive wheel having sprockets for engaging corresponding holes in the strip. The latter is preferable where the drive means further incorporates a stepping motor for driving the feed mechanism.

Alternatively the strip may have two ends and may be wound onto two spools, the drive means incorporating at least one of the spools. In this case the strip, spools and guide means could be combined to form a cassette.

The machine may incorporate two or more viewing zones to enable the strip to be viewed at two or more spaced Icoations. Another possibility is to provide two or more strips driven by a single drive means, each of the strips extending through a respective viewing zone.

The invention also provides a game-playing machine comprising a member bearing symbols, drive means for moving the member so that the symbols thereon pass through a viewing zone, and projection means for projecting an image of the symbols in the viewing zone onto a surface.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, examples of gaming machines in accordance with the invention will now be described with referenece to the accompanying drawings in which: Figures 1 to 6 are diagrammatic representations of the symbol display machanism of six different examples: Figure 1 shows an endless strip 1 made of lightweight flexible plastics material bearing fruit symbols on its outer surface. The material from which the strip is made may be acetate or Mylar (registered trade mark) or some other material having the characteristics that it is not easily stretched and it has a low coefficient of friction.

The symbols are generally screen printed on the strip, although, where the strip is a standard film strip, the symbols may be in the form of photographic images. The strip is moved through a viewing zone 2 by means of a drive wheel 3 having sprockets which engage in corresponding holes extending along one edge of the strip 1. The drive wheel 3 is itself driven by a stepping motor (not shown) through suitable reduction gearing. A curved guide 4 coated with polytetrafluoroethylene on its outer surface is provided within the strip 1 in the viewing zone 2 and the symbols on the strip are viewable at least one at a time by a player through a viewing window 5. The guide 4 is shaped such that the view of the strip through the viewing window 5 simulates the view through the viewing window of a conventional fruit machine utilising rigid chance reels.It therefore appears to the player that the symbols are provided on the outer surface of a conventional chance reel having a radius corresponding to the radius of curvature of the guide 4.

Although not shown in Figure 1, the machine in fact comprises three or more strips disposed along side one another, each strip being provided with a separate drive arrangement utilising a stepping motor. In use of the machine to play a game, a random number of pulses is supplied to each stepping motor to cause each of the strips to be moved by an amount depending on the number of pulses supplied to the associated stepping motor.

During this process each strip must be set in motion, kept in motion and then stopped and it is therefore important that the strip 1 and drive wheel 3 should have as low a moment of inertia as possible and that frictional losses, for example, between the strip 1 and the guide 4, should be as low as possible so as to provide high positional accuracy of the strip utilising a stepping motor of small size. The reduction gearing is utilised so as to enable a stepping motor of relatively low resolution (steps per revolution) to be utilised.A central microprocessor (not shown) computes, from the known starting position of each strip and from the number of pulses supplied to each stepping motor, the final combination of symbols showing through the viewing window 5 when all the strips have stopped and controls the pay out and further game features in dependence on the symbols showing through the viewing window.

It will be appreciated that the stepping motor which is coupled to the drive wheel 3 is at some distance from the viewing zone 2 and accordingly it is not necessary to provide sufficient space in the vicinity of the viewing zone 2 for a bulky drive mechanism. Accordingly the machine may be made much thinner than conventional fruit machines and is therefore easily accommodated in small rooms. The machine is conveniently wall mounted. It is even possible to make the machine thinner than the apparent diameter of the simulated "reels" so that it appears that the "reels" are set into the wall.

The machine shown in Figure 2 is similar to that shown in Figure 1 except that a flat guide 40 having curved ends 41 is provided in place of the curved guide 4. Whilst the view of the strip 1 through the viewing window 5 will no longer resemble a conventional chance reel when a flat guide is used, such a guide enables a greater number of symbols to be easily viewed through the window 5 simultaneously. Thus such a machine lends itself to the playing of games in which winning combinations are computed on the basis of a number of rows of symbols rather than simply on the basis of a single row of symbols.

Figure 3 shows two strips 1, 10 driven by a single drive wheel 3. The strips 1, 10 are moved along different paths through respective viewing zones 2, 20 in which they are guided by respective flat guides 42, 43, the symbols on the strips being viewable through respective viewing windows 5, 50. Clearly a plurality of stepping motors each driving two strips viewable through respective viewing windows will be provided in such a machine. Furthermore the central microprocessor will compute the combination of symbols showing in each viewing window 5, 50 and will award wins and/or further game features separately for the combination showing through each viewing window 5, 50. Such a machine may therefore be used for a competitive game of chance for two players, one for each viewing window 5, 50.It would also be possible for the guides to be curved so that it appears as though the symbols showing through the viewing windows are provided on a single set of conventional chance reels, except that the symbols in both windows are correctly orientated rather than the symbols in one window being incorrectly orientated as would be the case if a single set of chance reels was in fact used.

A similar machine using only one strip 1 is shown in Figure 4. The strip 1 is driven by a drive wheel 3 and guided by a guide 44 in such a manner that the symbols on the strip are viewable in two viewing zones 2, 21 through two viewing windows 5, 51. The guide 44 is curved in the vicinity of each viewing zone 2, 21 so as to simulate a conventional chance reel as viewed through each viewing window 5, 51. Furthermore the strip 1 is guided intermediate the viewing zones 2, 21 by a portion 45 of the guide 44 on the side of the strip nearest the viewing windows.

Slots 46 are provided in the guide 44 to enable the strip 1 to pass from one side of the guide 44 to the other. Thus the machine of Figure 4 appears to utilise two separate sets of chance reels whereas in practice the two sets of symbols viewable through the viewing windows are provided on a single set of strips.

The machines so far described with reference to the drawings are adapted to compute the stopping positions of the strips without reference to the strips themselves on the basis of the number of pulses supplied to each stepping motor.

However, the stopping positions of the strips may also be determined in other ways. For example the physical position of each strip could be determined by means of a respective optical, magnetic or electrical sensor arranged in the vicinity of the strip. Alternatively, so as to enable the position sensing means to be disposed at a location remote from the strip, an arrangement as shown in Figure 5 or Figure 6 could be used. In the case of the machine of Figure 5, the drive wheel 3 drives not only the strip 1 but also an endless position and/or pay out strip 6 bearing registration marks and/or pay out information. The strip 6 extends between the drive wheel 3 and an auxiliary wheel 7 and is sensed by a sensor 8 at a location spaced from the strip 1.The arrangement of Figure 6 is similar to that of Figure 5 except that the position and/or pay out strip 6 is driven by a slave wheel 9 driven by the strip 1. In neither of these arrangements is it necessary for the drive motors to be stepping motors.

In each of the examples illustrated in the drawings the symbols in the viewing zone or zones are intended to be viewed directly through the viewing window or windows, even though some form of illumination may be provided to assist viewing. However, it would also be possible to arrange for the symbols to be viewed indirectly by projecting images of the symbols in the viewing zone onto a symbol indication surface by means of a projector. The symbol indication surface may be a surface of a sheet of light-diffusing glass or plastics material provided in place of the conventional transparent viewing window. In such an arrangement an image of the symbols in the viewing zone will be projected on this sheet from behind and the image, but not the actual viewing zone, will be visible from the front of the machine.

Such an arrangement has the advantage that the image may be made large whilst limiting the size of the machine to reasonable proportions. Using a further strip it would also be possible to surround the image of the symbols on the sheet with a suitable background scene which may be made to change at the same time as the image of the symbols changes. To this end the scene bearing strip may be driven by one of the motors driving the symbol bearing strips and may be illuminated by the same projection lamp as are the symbol bearing stripes. It is convenient to use a system of mirrors to superimpose the image of the symbols on the background scene. Instead of, or as well as, projecting images on a viewing surface integral with the machine, the machine could also be adapted to project images on a wall or screen separate from the machine. Extremely large images could be produced using such a machine.

In the machine shown in Figure 7 the strip 1 is moved around a serpentine path by a stepping motor 70 having the drive wheel 3 fixed to its shaft 71. The strip 1 is guided along this path by sprocket wheels 72, 73 and 74 mounted on fixed shafts 75, 76 and 77 so as to be freely movable axially of the shafts. The curved surface of the guide 4 is covered with polytetrafluoroethylene tape 78 and the strip 1 passes through slots 80 and 81 in a plastics casing 79 formed by moulding. This assembly forms an integral unit which is disposed side-by-side with two similar units in the machine. The three strips 1 are provided with nineteen, twenty and twenty-one symbols respectively. Each of the strips 1 is illuminated in the viewing zone 2 by lighting (not shown) disposed immediately behind the guide 4.

Claims (15)

1. A game-playing machine comprising a flexible strip bearing symbols, and drive means cooperating with the strip to move the strip so that the symbols thereon pass through a viewing zone.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the drive means engages a portion of the strip.

3. A machine according to claim 2, wherein the drive means comprises a stepping motor.

4. A machine according to claim 1, 2 or 3, further comprising guide means, separate from the drive means, for guiding the strip through the viewing zone.

5. A machine according to claim 4, wherein the guide means is in the form of a bearing surface of low friction material in the vicinity of the viewing zone.

6. A machine according to any preceding claim, wherein a viewing window is provided so as to enable the viewing zone to be directly viewed by the player through the window, so that the symbols are viewable at least one at a time through the window.

7. A machine according to claims 4 or 5, wherein the guide means is adapted to render the strip curved in the direction of its length in the viewing zone.

8. A machine according to any preceding claim, wherein lighting means are provided for illuminating the symbols in the viewing zone.

9. A machine according to claim 8, wherein the lighting means is adapted to project images of the symbols on to a viewing surface.

10. A machine according to any preceding claim, wherein the strip is in the form of an endless loop.

11. A machine according to any preceding claim, wherein the drive means incorporates a sprocket feed mechanism comprising a drive wheel having sprockets for engaging corresponding holes in the strip.

12. A machine according to any preceding claim, incorporating two or more viewing zones to enable the strip to be viewed at two or more spaced locations.

1 3. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein two or more flexible strips are driven by a single drive means, each of the strips extending through a respective viewing zone.

14. A machine according to any preceding claim, comprising a plurality of flexible strips, each being provided with respective drive means and each bearing symbols, wherein at least two of the strips bear different numbers of symbols.

15. A game-playing machine comprising a member bearing symbols, drive means for moving the member so that the symbols thereon pass through a viewing zone, and lighting means for illuminating the symbols in the viewing zone.

1 6. A machine according to any preceding claim, being a fruit machine.

1 7. A game-playing machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any figure of the accompanying drawings.