GB2378906A

GB2378906A - A coin pusher amusement machine

Info

Publication number: GB2378906A
Application number: GB0120444A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harold John Levy
Original assignee: HARRY LEVY AMUSEMENT CONTRACTO
Current assignee: HARRY LEVY AMUSEMENT CONTRACTO
Priority date: 2001-08-22
Filing date: 2001-08-22
Publication date: 2003-02-26
Anticipated expiration: 2021-08-22
Also published as: GB0120444D0; GB2378906B

Abstract

A coin pusher amusement machine (2) comprising a playfield (4), a winning area (6), pusher means (8) for pushing coins (10) across the playfield (4) towards the winning area (8), a cash holder (12) for coins (10) that have not been won, at least one collection conduit (14) which has an inlet (16) in the playfield (4) and which is for collecting coins (10) from the playfield (4) and directing them to the cash holder (12), a dispensing device (18) for dispensing the coins (10) from the collection conduit (14), and control means for controlling the frequency with which the dispensing device (18) dispenses the coins (10) from the collection conduit (14) and thereby the percentage of cash removed from the coin pusher amusement machine (2) as profit.

Description

A COIN PUSHER AMUSEMENT MACHINE This invention relates to a coin pusher amusement machine.

Coin pusher amusement machines are very well known and they can be found in virtually all amusement arcades. The coin pusher amusement machines are operated by the management of the amusement arcades and on a commercial basis. Thus the coin pusher amusement machines have to operate at a profit, in addition to providing amusement for players. The profit of each coin pusher amusement machine takes the form of a percentage of coins which have been played into the coin pusher amusement machine and which are retained in the machine for collection by the management of the amusement arcade. Thus, these retained coins are not available for being won by players of the machine.

The actual profit of a coin pusher amusement machine, that is the percentage of retained played coins, is generally achieved by one of the following three means.

1. Lose apertures are provided around the parameter of a playfield of the coin pusher machine. A proportion of the played coins on the playfield fall under the action of pusher means, for example, a pusher box into the lose apertures. The size, number and position of the lose apertures dictate the percentage profit of the machine.

2. The coin pusher amusement machine is provided with some kind of extra winning feature such as a bonus pay out. The availability of this extra

winning feature is controlled by an electronic or mechanical device such that the amount paid out reflects in some manner, the amount paid into the machine In the form of coins being played.

3 The coin pusher amusement machine is provided with a combination of the devices mentioned at Nos. 1 and 2 above.

The above mentioned methods of controlling the percentage profit of a coin pusher amusement machine are generally non-precise. They require a large number of coins to be played before a reasonably accurate percentage profit figure can be determined.

It is an aim of the present invention to obviate or reduce the above mentioned problem and to allow the percentage profit of a machine to be set precisely as an exact factor of played coins.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a coin pusher amusement machine comprising a playfield, a winning area, pusher means for pushing coins across the playfield towards the winning area, a cash holder for coins that have not been won, at least one collection conduit which has an inlet in the playfield and which is for collecting coins from the playfield and directing them to the cash holder, a dispensing device for dispensing the coins from the collection conduit, and control means for controlling the frequency with which the dispensing device dispenses the coins from the collection conduit and thereby the percentage of cash removed from the coin pusher amusement machine as profit.

The coin pusher amusement machine is able to operate in a simple and very effective manner in order to allow the percentage profit of the machine to be set precisely by the control means, and as a factor of the played coins.

Preferably, the control means is an adjustable control means so that an operator of the coin pusher amusement machine is able to vary the frequency with which the dispensing device dispenses the coins from the collection conduit and thereby to vary the percentage of cash removed from the coin pusher amusement machine as profit.

The control means may be an electronic control means which is software operated. When the control means is an adjustable control means, then the electronic control means may be switchable to provide the adjustable control.

The connection conduit may be a vertical tube. Other types of collection conduit may however be employed.

Where the collection conduit is a vertical tube, then the tube may be of cross circular cross section, and of a cross sectional size only slightly larger than the size of the coins being played so that the coins stack flat on top of each other in the tube.

Preferably, there are two of the collection conduits arranged one on either side of the playfield, and adjacent a front part of the playfield. Such an arrangement enables coins on the playfield to be removed reasonably

symmetrically from the playfield. If desired, more than two of the collection conduits may be employed, and at any suitable and desired positions.

Preferably, the dispensing device is an electro mechanical dispensing device. Other types of dispensing device may however be employed.

Usually, the winning area will include a win chute which is located at a front part of the playing field. Other types of winning area may however be employed.

The coin pusher amusement machine may include a collection cup which receives coins from the winning area and which allows players to collect their won coins.

The coin pusher amusement machine may include a riser device positioned along a front edge of the playfield. Riser devices are well known and the coin pusher amusement machine of the present invention may utilize any suitable and appropriate known design of riser device.

The coin pusher amusement machine may include a coin-directing chute for directing coins from the collection conduit to the cash holder.

Usually, the cash holder will be a cash box. Other types of cash holders may be employed.

Preferably, the pusher means is a pusher box. Other types of pusher means such for example as a pusher bar may be employed.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows part of a coin pusher amusement machine.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a coin pusher amusement machine 2 comprising a playfield 4, a winning area 6, and pusher means 8 for pushing coins 10 across the playfield 4 towards the winning area 6. The coin pusher amusement machine 2 also includes a cash holder 12 for coins that have not been won. Two collection conduits 14 are provided as shown.

Each collection conduit 14 has an inlet 16 in the playfield 4. Each collection conduit 14 is for collecting coins 10 from the playfield 4 and directing them to the cash holder 12.

A dispensing device 18 is provided for dispensing the coins from the collection conduit 14. Control means 19 is also provided for controlling the frequency with which the dispensing device 18 dispenses the coins 10 from the collection conduit 14. Thus the control means 19 determines the percentage of cash removed from the coin pusher amusement machine 2 as profit. The control means 19 is an adjustable control means so that an operator of the coin pusher amusement machine 2 is able to vary the frequency with which the dispensing device 18 dispenses the coins 10 from the collection conduit 14 and thereby to vary the percentage of cash removed from the coin pusher amusement machine 2 as profit. The control means 19 is also an electronic control means which is software operated. The electronic control means 19 is arranged to be switchable in order to provide the adjustable control.

As can be seen from the drawing, the collection conduit 14 is a vertical tube. The tube is of circular cross section, and of a cross sectional

size only slightly larger than the size of the coins 10 being played. This enables the coins 10 to stack flat on top of each other in the tube.

As mentioned above, there are two of the collection conduits 14. As can be seen from the drawing, the two collection conduits 14 are arranged one on either side of the playfield 4, and adjacent a front part of the playfield 4.

The dispensing device 18 is an electromechanical dispensing device. The winning area 6 is a win chute which is located at a front part of the playfield The coin pusher amusement machine 2 includes a collection cup 20 which receives coins from the winning area 6 and which allows players to collect their won coins.

The coin pusher amusement machine 2 also includes a riser device 22 positioned along a front edge of the playfield 4.

A coin directing chute 24 is provided for each one of the collection devices 14. Each coin directing chute 24 is for directing coins 10 from its collecting conduit 14 to the cash holder 12. The cash holder 12 is in the form of a cash box. The pusher means 8 which pushes the coins 10 across the playfield 4 is in the form of a pusher box.

During operation of the coin pusher amusement machine 2, the pusher means 8 oscillates backwards and forwards, and pushes an accumulated bed of coins 10 towards the front of the playfield 4 as additional coins 10 are introduced on to the playfield 4 by players. The

gradual movement of the bed of coins 10 is towards the front edge of the playfield 4. The coins 10 then fall over the front edge of the playfield 4 into the winning area 6. Coins from the winning area 6 fall into the collecting cup 20 where they can be collected by the players. The riser device 22 operates to impede the rate of forward movement of the bed of coins 10. As a result of the coins 10 pushing against each other, forces indicated by the arrows on the playfield 4 are generated. These forces push the coins 10 out towards the front edges of the playfield 4.

The length of the collection conduits 14 is chosen such that when one of the collection conduits 14 is full of coins 10, the top coin 10 is flush with the top of the collection conduit 14 and thus with the surface of the playfield 4. This advantageously enables other coins 10 to move over the top of the full collection conduit 14. This is illustrated in the drawing with the right hand collection conduit 14.

The coin pusher amusement machine 2 will usually operate such that the dispensing device 18 releases a single coin 10 at a time into the coin directing chute 24. If desired, more than a single coin 10 can be released at a time from the dispensing device 18.

The coins 10 played into the coin pusher amusement machine 2 are registered in a known manner. Software controlling the control means 19 can therefore be arranged to be aware of the number of coins 10 that have been played. The control means 19 may provide, for example by way of switches, the chosen percentage profit that an operator wishes to achieve

from the coin pusher amusement machine 2. After the appropriate number of coins 10 have been entered, the number being dependent on the selected percentage profit, the coin 10 is issued as shown from one of the dispensing devices 18. When this happens, the level of the coins 10 in the dispensing device 18 will drop below the level of the surface of the playfield 4. Another coin 10 on the playfield 4 will soon fall through the inlet 16 and into the space in the collection conduit 14, thereby refilling the collection conduit 14. In order evenly to remove coins 10 from the playfield 4, the control means 19 may cause alternate operation of the two dispensing devices 18.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawing has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the winning area 6, the collection cup 20 and the coin directing chutes 24 may be of different designs to those shown. Also, sensors 26 may be employed in the coin directing chutes 24 as shown in order to detect the coins 10 leaving the dispensing devices 18. A verification signal can then be obtained in order to warn management of an amusement arcade of a possible malfunctioning within the dispensing devices 18. This in turn may alert the management of the amusement arcade to the fact that the coin pusher amusement machine 2 is not functioning at the required level of profit.

Claims

1. A coin pusher amusement machine comprising a playfield, a winning area, pusher means for pushing coins across the playfield towards the winning area, a cash holder for coins that have not been won, at least one collection conduit which has an Inlet in the playfield and which is for collecting coins from the playfield and directing them to the cash holder, a dispensing device for dispensing the coins from the collection conduit, and control means for controlling the frequency with which the dispensing device dispenses the coins from the collection conduit and thereby the percentage of cash removed from the coin pusher amusement machine as profit.

2. A coin pusher amusement machine according to claim 1 in which the control means is an adjustable control means so that an operator of the coin pusher amusement machine is able to vary the frequency with which the dispensing device dispenses the coins from the collection conduit and thereby to vary the percentage of cash removed from the coin pusher amusement machine as profit.

3. A coin pusher amusement machine according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the control means IS an electronic control means which is software operated

4. A coin pusher amusement machine according to claims 2 and 3 In which the electronic control means is switchable to provide the adjustable control

5. A coin pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding claims In which the collection conduit is a vertical tube.

6. A coin pusher amusement machine according to claim 5 in which the tube IS of circular cross section, and of a cross sectional size only slightly larger than the size of the coins to be played so that the coins stack flat on top of each other In the tube

7. A coin pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding claims in which there are two of the collection conduits arranged one on either side of the playfield, and adjacent a front part of the playing field.

8. A coin pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding claims In which the dispensing device is an electromechanical dispensing device.

9. A coin pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding claims in which the winning area is a win chute which is located at a front part of the playfield

10. A coin pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding claims and including a collection cup which receives coins from the winning area and which allows players to collect their won coins

11. A coin pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding claims and including a riser device positioned along a front edge of the playfield.

12. A coin pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding claims and including a coin directing chute for directing coins from the collection conduit to the cash holder.

13. A coin pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding claims In which the cash holder is a cash box.

14. A coin pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding claims In which the pusher means is a pusher box.

15. A coin pusher amusement machine substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.