GB2308713A - Gaming or amusement with prizes machines - Google Patents

Description

"Improvements relating to Gaming or Amusement with Prizes Machines" This invention relates to gaming or amusement with prizes machines.

Conventionally such machines are played with coins or tokens and any prizes paid out are taken from the coins or tokens paid in or deposited as a float. But there are developments in which Smart Cards substitute.

Some players may regard receiving a prize in the form of an electronic transfer somewhat grey and uninspiring: there is perhaps more satisfaction in a prize that you can see and feel. Paying out in coins or tokens answers this, but for substantial prizes it requires a lot of them to be dispensed, taking up playing time and giving the winner a problem of collection and storage. Also, closely spaced large pay-outs can seriously deplete the machine, to the extent that it might not be able fully to deliver when a further prize is won. Another drawback is that, in order to have a prize collection point at a convenient height, the stored coins or tokens from which the prize is taken have to be kept in the upper portion of the machine if they are to be delivered (as is usual and convenient) by gravity.This is limiting on how much is available for prizes: although more may have been paid in, some coins or tokens may have had to be diverted to an overflow cash box in the base of the machine, whence they can only be recovered at collection time.

It is the aim of this invention to provide a machine which should avoid these drawbacks.

According to the present invention there is provided a gaming or amusement with prizes machine which is enabled to play by coins, tokens or cards, and which pays out winnings or prizes in the form of precious metal elements that do not themselves form means for the enablement of the machine.

These elements may be retained by the player or redeemed, at a control desk for example, for cash or tokens.

There may be elements of different value to be issued as different winnings or prizes. For example, some elements may differ from others either in the precious metal of which they are formed and/or by size.

Conveniently, the precious metal is in foil form sealed in an at least partially transparent envelope to show the metal. The envelopes may all be of uniform size, but any differences in the precious metal elements, in size or nature, will be visible.

Preferably the precious metal elements will be in thin foil form and sealed in a clear plastics envelope.

A high value element, of gold or platinum for example, even with its sealing envelope will be small and light compared with the equivalent in coinage. The machine can therefore store a large number in a modest space, and they will not exhaust between collection times. At the same time, the coin or token storage is much simplified. They do not have to be directed into tubes for neat stacking, and there does not have to be any coin or token dispensing mechanism.

After acceptance they can simply fall or be guided into a collection box anywhere convenient within the machine.

For a better understanding of the present invention, one embodiment will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic front view of a gaming or amusement-with-prizes machine, and Figure 2 shows cards which the machine may issue as prizes.

The machine is housed in a cabinet 1 with a display panel 2 over a panel 3 having windows 4 in which peripheral portions of reels 5 appear. These have symbols which show in a line in the windows when the reels are stationary.

Below the windows there is a shelf 6 with buttons for machine operation, including a start button 7 and hold/nudge buttons 8 in registry with respective reels. These are known features on such machines.

The machine is enabled for play by insertion of one or more coins into a coin validator and separator unit 9 near the top of the cabinet, or by a currency note in a note validator unit 10 below the shelf 6. These are known devices and will not be described in detail.

At the top of cabinet, at the other side from the unit 9, there are two card dispensers 11 and 12. They are constructed and operate in known manner, similar to that of ticket issuing devices of the kind which issue discrete tickets rather than tickets from a reel. These are charged with cards 13 (see Figure 2) bearing precious metal foil 14 which is sealed in by a clear plastics envelope. In this example there are two types of card of different value, but there could be just one, or there could be more than two.

The dispensers 11 and 12 are triggered to issue one or more cards according to how the reels 5 finish after spinning.

To play the machine, the player inserts one or more coins or notes to build up credit. The amount may be shown on an indicator on the panel 2. Then he spins the reels by pressing button 7. They rotate and then stop in a random or apparently random manner. Certain combinations or symbols showing in a line in the windows 4 generate prizes, and one or other or both of the dispensers 11 and 12 are actuated to push out one or more cards from the stacks that they hold.

Claims (6)

1. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine which is enabled to play by coins, tokens or cards, and which pays out winnings or prizes in the form of precious metal elements that do not themselves form means for the enablement of the machine.

2. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine as claimed in Claim 1, wherein there are elements of different value to be issued as different winnings or prizes.

3. A gaming or amusement with prizes machine as claimed in Claim 2, wherein some elements differ from others in the precious metal of which they are formed.

4. A gaming or amusement machine as claimed in Claim 2 or 3, wherein some elements differ from others by size.

5. A gaming or amusement machine as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the precious metal is in foil form sealed in an at least partially transparent envelope to show the metal.

6. A gaming or amusement machine as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the envelopes are of uniform size.