GB2395666A

GB2395666A - Grabber and coin pusher machine

Info

Publication number: GB2395666A
Application number: GB0325582A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Henry Stanley
Original assignee: BILGREY SAMSON Ltd
Current assignee: BILGREY SAMSON Ltd
Priority date: 2002-11-01
Filing date: 2003-11-03
Publication date: 2004-06-02
Also published as: GB0325582D0; AU2003285487A8; WO2004040528A3; GB0225561D0; AU2003285487A1; WO2004040528A2

Abstract

Amusement apparatus comprising a cabinet 1 with a transparent panel, a pusher machine within the cabinet; and payment means for accepting payment for play on the pusher machine and exit means for making winnings from the pusher machine available to players; a grabber machine within the cabinet and exit means for making available prizes from the pusher machine available to players; and control means 34 connected to the pusher machine and the grabber machine for enabling the grabber machine in dependence upon operation of the pusher machine. Also, a pusher machine with a video monitor 100 on which thee are depicted coins moving through an image of a bagatelle leading to platform of the pusher machine.

Description

i AMUSEMENT APPARATUS

This invention relates to amusement apparatus.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an amusement machine comprising relatively movable platforms for receiving coins or tokens, characterized in that the machine comprises a video monitor and control means operable for displaying an image item corresponding to a coin or token that has been detected by the machine as having been inserted in the machine by a player and causing said image item to move to at least near a position at which said coin or token appears to said player in said machine.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an amusement machine of the kind, for example a pusher machine, in which coins or tokens are inserted by a player and caused or permitted to move within the machine with the chance that the coin or token or other coins or tokens may be delivered to the player, characterized in that a video monitor is used to display an image item representative of said coin or token, which item moves in an image field defined by the monitor and

which may enter a position within the field that wins a prize.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided amusement apparatus comprising: i) a cabinet with a transparent panel; ii) a pusher machine within the cabinet; and payment means for accepting payment for play on the pusher machine and exit means for making winnings from the pusher machine available to players;

iii) a grabber machine within the cabinet and exit means for making available prizes from the pusher machine available to players; and v) control means connected to the pusher machine and the grabber machine for enabling the grabber machine in dependence upon operation of the pusher machine. Tl she payment means may comprise entry means for receiving coins and/or tokens.

The apparatus may include switch means forming part of the pusher machine, the control means being operable when the switch means is activated by a coin or token passing through the pusher machine to enable the grabber machine.

The control means may operable for enabling the pusher machine when a predetermined summed payment has been received, for example the apparatus may include counter means for counting coins and/or tokens inserted into the pusher machine and the control means can be operable to enable the pusher machine when a predetermined number of coins and/or tokens has been counted by the counter means.

Advantageously, the apparatus comprises a hold switch and a plurality of lamps, said control means being operable to cause the lamps to switch on and off in sequence and the hold switch being operable to stop the sequence with one only of the lamps held on, said control means being operable to enable the grabber machine when a pre-

selected one of the lamps is held on.

There could be two lamps coloured red and green respectively but, preferably, there are three lamps and they are coloured red, amber and green respectively. In each

l case, it is preferred for the grabber machine to be enabled when the green lamp Is held on. Pusher machines per se are populamn arcades but tend to be perceived as a low value game, i.e. players tend to resist a price per play more than two pence or so. To increase the acceptable price per play, say to ten pence or so, and hence Increase the operator's take, the apparatus of this invention provides Increased perceived value by making available occasional operation of a grabber machine In dependence on operation of the pusher machine.

The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing which is given by way of example only and, in which, Figure 1 is a front view of amusement apparatus, while Figures 2 to 5 are a front view, a side view a view of a bagatelle, and a view of part of a bagatelle used in a second embodiment.

The illustrated apparatus comprises a generally rectangular cabinet 1 which may be floor or table mounted as required. The cabinet 1 has a front panel 2 having portions which are transparent, for example which may comprise glass, and thorough which corresponding parts of the interior of the cabinet can be seen. Within the cabinet 1, there is a vertical partition 3 extending perpendicular to the front panel 2 and dividing the cabinet into two compartments 4 and 5. The transparent portions of the front panel 2 include a portion 6 extending over most of about the upper two thirds of the panel 2 in front of the compartment 4, and a portion 7 extending from about half way up the panel in front of the compartment 5.

The compartments 4 and 5 contain a grabber amusement machine and a pusher amusement machine respectively.

The pusher machine comprises a vertical "bagatelle" 8, i e a back board with a transparent panel 10 positioned over and spaced from the board 9. An array of obstructions 11 (pins for example) are positioned between the board 9 and panel 10.

At the level of the top of the bagatelle 8, there are three coin chutes 12 which communicate with coin slots 13 formed in the front panel 2 just above the transparent portion 7 of the panel. The chutes 12 extend from the slots 13 to just in front of the bagatelle 8 such that a coin inserted into one of the slots 13 is led to the bagatelle and will then drop down between the board 9 and panel 10.

As the coin drops down, it may be deflected by one or more of the obstructions 11.

A movable platform 14 extends forwards from closely beneath a lower base portion 15 of the board 9 such that a coin leaving the bagatelle falls onto the plafform 14. A fixed plafform 16 is provided extending beneath and in front of the movable platform 14. The platform 14 is coupled to a motorised drive mechanism (not shown) to reciprocate back and forth, i.e. in the direction towards and away from the panel 2.

As the plafform 14 moves back, a coin which has fallen thereon will move with the plafform until it is stopped by the base portion 15 and, as a result, this coin (or other coins already on the platform and with which the first coin may come into contact) may drop down onto the fixed plafform 16. Generally there will be a quantity of coins already on the fixed plafform. Some of these may have been placed there by the operator while others will have dropped onto the fixed platform 16 from the movable plafform 14 earlier. One or more coins dropping onto the fixed platforms may be pushed forward by the movable platform and engage the coins already on the fixed plafform. These coins may in turn be pushed over the edge of the fixed plafform and

made available as winnings to a player via a chute (not shown) leading to a coin exit 17. The grabber machine comprises an electro-mechanical grabber mechanism 20 with three claws 21 able to be opened and closed. The mechanism 20 is suspended via a flexible connection 22 from gantry mechanism 23 controlled by switches 24 set in the panel 2.

Using the switches 24, the gantry mechanism 23 is operable to move the grabber mechanism horizontally forwards and backwards and from side to side. In addition, the connection 22 can be extended to lower the mechanism 20. On the floor of the compartment 4 there is an opening 25 with a wall 26 around it. Some prizes 27, generally so-called "plush" (i e. soft toys and the like), are arranged on the compartment floor. The object of a player using the machine is to try to position the mechanism 20 over a selected prize, pick the prize up, move it over the opening 25 and drop it into the opening so that it is presented at a prize exit 28 in the front panel 2.

The gantry mechanism 23 could be replaced by a crane mechanism (not shown) , i.e with a crane arm cantilevered at the top of a column which can turn and move horizontally. Both in the case of the gantry mechanism 23 and the crane, full horizontal motion front and backwards and sideways may not be provided. For example, the crane could comprise a crane arm mounted on a column which only turns, i.e. so that the crane arm simply swings over a portion of the floor of the compartment 4 while the floor itself moves for example it may comprise a rotating turntable (not shown). Various alternative arrangements can be devised in this respect.

Also, in the compartment 4 there is a column 30 supporting three coloured electrical lamps 31 one above another. The lamps 31 are coloured red, amber and green respectively, reminiscent of a set of traffic lights Instead of three lamps, there could be two or more than three. They could be of any chosen set of colours but one is preferably green. For example, there could two lamps, one red and one green.

Meanwhile, on the bagatelle back board 9 Just below the obstructions 11, there are two switches 32 arranged such that a coin dropping down through the bagatelle may pass and activate one of the switches. The switches 32 may be electromechanical switches or they may be opto-electronic switches. Also, an electrical push-button switch 33 is provided in the front panel 2 just below the transparent portion 7 of this panel. This switch may be operated by a player using the apparatus.

Within the lower part of the cabinet 1, there is provided a microprocessor based controller 34 and a coin receiving hopper 35, advantageously with a lockable door 36, for receiving coins which fall from the platform 16 without becoming available at the coin exit 17. For example, these coins may have fallen to the sides of the platform 16.

The controller 34 is coupled to the switches 24, 32 and 33, the gantry mechanism, the grabber mechanism and the lamps 31.

Most of the time, the controller 34 is operable to cause the pusher machine to work normally, i e. players insert coins into the coin slots 13 and these drop through the bagatelle 8 onto the movable platform 14 As a result, coins from the fixed platform 16 may be delivered as winnings to the player via exit 17. However, if a coin dropping through the bagatelle activates one of the switches 32, an audio alarm or a musical sound is produced via speaker 37 so as to inform the player that a possible opportunity

to play on the grabber machine Is being given. Meanwhile, the lamps 31 are switched on and off in sequence, a random sequence possibly or such as to give a scrolling effect. The push-button switch 33 Is operable to stop the sequence of the lamps 31 so that just one remains lit. In order to obtain a play on the grabber machine, the player then has to press the push-button switch 33 at just the right moment for the green (or other chosen colour) lamp to be left Illuminated. If this happens, the grabber machine Is switched "on" and the player can use the switches 24 to operate the gantry mechanism and try to obtain a prize.

In addition to or instead of being brought about by the switches 32, the operation of the lamps 31 and the opportunity of a free play of the grabber game can be initiated in dependence upon the number of coins inserted into the pusher machine. For this, a counter (not shown) can be provided to keep a running total number of the coins inserted and the operation of the lamps can be started when a predetermined count has been reached. In addition, the controller 34 can be arranged to cause the occasional free play to be offered on a random basis.

In order to control the number of prizes that can be won, the controller 34 is operable to vary any one or more of the number of times that the sequential switching of the lamps 31 is made available, the number of coins that must be inserted before this feature is brought in, the scrolling speed of the lamps (which in turn makes it more or less easy to stop it on the green lamp), the grab strength available to pick up or drop prizes, and also making available random free play opportunities.

In the particular embodiment of the apparatus described, the pusher machine is operable to receive coins. However, it may be set up to receive tokens instead of coins or it may be operable to receive both coins and tokens. Alternative payment systems

could be devised, for example the system might use a card reader. For example, instead of or in addition to coins being fed into the machine, payment may be made by pre-paid credit card (the known kind of card into which a credit can be stored and then used to pay for telephone calls, Items from drink vending machines in factories and offices and so on). Where the law allows, the reader might be operable for accepting payment from credit or debit card even. Having received a payment, a coin, token or several coins or tokens could then be delivered from a store within the machine to the top of the bagatelle 8. The player may or may not be provided with means for controlling the likelihood of any coin or token activating one of the switches 32 or the position on platform 14 reached by the coin. If provided, such means could for example comprise a manual device for guiding the coin or token into the bagatelle or adjusting the time at which it is released.

In a second embodiment of the invention (see Figures 2 to 5), in addition a video monitor or a flat TFT screen could replace the bagatelle. On this screen, a picture of various styles of bagatelles could be shown. Also the switches could be replaced by pseudo switches.

When a minted coin Is inserted, this coin momentarily disappears behind the back of the screen, at this point the pseudo coin falls down the screen, and zig-zags down a pre-programmed path down the screen to the bottom of the pseudo bagatelle. As the pseudo coin reaches the bottom, the minted coin re-appears at the same point onto the pusher bed.

Behind the slots is a detection device; this enables the processor to work out the route of the pseudo coin down the screen. The minted coin travels down a chute to exit at a pre-determned position onto the pusher bed.

The timing of the pseudo coin would have to correspond with the travel of the minted coin, so they would both reach the bottom of the bagatelle together.

In addition the minted coins path could be diverted by a simple trip switch (see diagram). The processor would know which path the coin has taken because the trip switch would always blind one of the two opto sensors This would allow a greater variety of 'coin paths' for the pseudo coin to follow.

Also Incorporated on either side of the bagatelle could be 'corkscrew' vending device This device is well known. It has a motor at the far end, which when switched on turns the corkscrew. There could be several corkscrews 200. Prizes are hung from the or each corkscrew, and when a pseudo coin passes over a 'winning post', depicted on the screen, the corkscrew turns and drives a prize forward 201 until the prize falls off the end of the corkscrew and drops into a receptacle 202 to be retrieved by the player.

The winning post can be moved every game, or could be constantly moving, and a pseudo coin will only pass over it when the processor has calculated that a win is available. When the machine is not being played, the screen could be used for advertising, or for on site promotions, etc. The second embodiment of the apparatus shown in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 comprises several physical items and features of operability which are the same as for the first embodiment. In the following description, such like items have been given equal

drawing references and, in some cases, such like items and features are described but

briefly if at all. For further explanation of these items and features, reference may be made to the preceding description. As before, the second embodiment comprises a

generally rectangular floor or table mounted cabinet 1 with a front panel 2 having portions of glass or other transparent material so that parts of the interior of the cabinet can be seen. An internal perpendicular partition 3 divides the cabinet into two compartments 4 and 5, one viewable through a transparent panel portion 6 and the other through a portion 7.

The compartments 4 and 5 again contain a grabber amusement machine and a pusher amusement machine respectively.

In the pusher machine, the bagatelle 8 of Figure 1 Is replaced by a modified bagatelle 100 positioned behind a video monitor 101 which could be a cathode ray tube (CRT) monitor or, preferably and as shown, a flat panel monitor with a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen or thin film transistor (TFT) screen. The microprocessor based controller 34 incorporates an Integral video graphics controller or alternatively a separate video graphics controller (not shown) is coupled to the controller 34. The video graphics controller is coupled to the monitor 101. Together the controller 34 and video graphics controller are operable so that when the pusher machine Is being or is about to be played, an image 102 of a bagatelle is shown on the screen 103 of the monitor 101.

Meanwhile, the physical switches 32 are omitted In favour of "pseudoswitches" 105 represented within the displayed image. The image 102 of the bagatelle may comprise alternate coin paths and apparent obstructions such as pins like those on a physical bagatelle

Meanwhile, the coin slots 13 and coin chutes 12 lead to the real bagatelle 100 at the rear of the monitor 101 so that a coin, inserted in one of the coin slots, disappears momentarily behind the monitor.

The real or physical bagatelle 100 comprises wall portions 108 defining three coin vertical paths 110 coupled to respective ones of the coin chutes 12. The paths 110 lead to diverter devices 112, 114 and 116 respectively, each leading to two branch paths 118 and 120. The branch paths 120 from device 112 joins up with the branch path 118 from device 114 to form path 122. Similarly, the branch path 118 from device 116 join up with the branch path 120 from device 114 to form path 124. The branch path 118 from device 112 and the branch path 120 from device 116 lead to respective further diverter devices 120 and 128. Device 126 leads to two branch paths 130 and 132, while device 128 leads to two branch paths 134 and 136.

The branch paths 122, 124, 130, 132, 134 and 136 lead to bagatelle exit points just above the movable platform 14 of the pusher machine.

Each diverter device 112, 114, 116, 126 and 128 comprises a shutter plate 140 turnable about a central pivot 142 such that the shutter plate closes one or the other of the branch paths leading from the diverter Each diverter device also comprises two optical sensors 143 and 144 positioned in the respective branch paths of the diverter device so that one or the other of the sensors is "blinded" by the shutter. Signals from the sensors are supplied to the controller 34.

At the entrance to each diverter device, there are two projecting portions 145 which obstruct slightly the entrance to the diverter. Shutter plate 140 becomes aligned with

one or the portion 145. If a coin 146 drops down onto the entrance it is diverted by the portion 145 opposite the portion 145 aligned with the shutter plate 140 so that the other portion 145 tends to direct or bounce the coin onto the side of the shutter plate which is uppermost at that time. As a result, the uppermost side of the shutter plate is pushed down by the coin and the coin follows it and enters the branch path beneath it as shown by arrow 147.

As a result normally, at least two successive coins dropping down onto the diverter device will enter alternative branch paths. This is not necessarily the case however, because it may be that elasticity purposely or otherwise introduced into the system may cause the shutter to bounce back to its original position. This is not necessarily undesired since it may give a required element of randomness in operation.

As may be seen, because of the several diverter devices, there are several possible paths from any one coin. The number of diverter devices and the branch paths can be modified if required. The diverter device arrangement could be simpler than that shown, for example there could be Just a single diverter device for each coin slot. The signals from the sensors 143 and 144 of the diverter devices enable the controller to "know" the position of the coin and the path which it Is following.

However, whilst the coin Is dropping down through the "real" bagatelle behind the monitor, the controller 34 causes the "pseudo coin" shown on the bagatelle image on the monitor to move along a path which could be the same as the real coin on the real bagatelle or perhaps substantially or linked to the path of the real coin on the real bagatelle, or which could be completely different to the real path apart from the at least approximate point at which the coin exits the real bagatelle at the bottom.

Thus, the real coin enters behind the monitor at the point at which the pseudo coin appears on the screen and leaves at about the same point, but In between, may follow a different, more complex, path. The object of course Is to add complexity to the pseudo path which is more exciting or interesting than the real one. For example, the bagatelle image could be one of several available to be chosen by the player. The coin could even appear to move upwards for a time or horizontally. The pseudo switches 105 on the screen image could have different positions or varying positions. There could be a win zone 148 depicted on the screen which moves about within the image.

When the pseudo coin appears to a collide with a pseudo switch or enter a win zone a prize can be made available. The prize could be one delivered via a corkscrew vending device as described earlier.

In the second embodiment, the grabber machine is substantially the same as in the first embodiment. It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made. For example, the traffic lights 30/31 could be modified to make it more recognizable or meaningful to people in different countries.

Also it will be appreciated that the pusher machine described and shown in connection with the second embodiment could be used on its own, '.e. it could stand alone without the grabber machine, or it could be combined with another type of amusement machine.

Claims

1. Amusement apparatus comprising: I. a cabinet with a transparent panel; ii. a pusher machine within the cabinet; and payment means for accepting payment for play on the pusher machine and exit means for making winnings from the pusher machine available to players; iii. a grabber machine within the cabinet and exit means for making available prizes from the pusher machine available to players; and v. control means connected to the pusher machine and the grabber machine for enabling the grabber machine in dependence upon operation of the pusher machine.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the payment means comprises entry means for receiving coins and/or tokens.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, including switch means forming part of the pusher machine, the control means being operable when the switch means is activated by a coin or token passing through the pusher machine to enable the grabber machine.

4 Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control means is operable for enabling the pusher machine when a predetermined summed payment has been received.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2, including counter means for counting coins and/or tokens inserted Into the pusher machine, the control means being

operable to enable the pusher machine when a predetermined number of coins and/or tokens has been counted by the counter means.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, including a hold switch and a plurality of lamps, said control means being operable to cause the lamps to switch on and off in sequence and the hold switch being operable to stop the sequence with one only of the lamps held on, said control means being operable to enable the grabber machine when a pre-selected one of the lamps is held on.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the lamps are coloured red, amber and green respectively and the grabber machine is enabled when the green lamp is held on.

8 Amusement apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. An amusement machine comprising relatively movable platforms for receiving coins or tokens, characterized In that the machine comprises a video monitor and control means operable for displaying an image item corresponding to a coin or token that has been detected by the machine as having been inserted In the machine by a player and causing said image item to move to at least near a position at which said coin or token appears to said player in said machine.

10. An amusement machine of the kind, for example a pusher machine, In which coins or tokens are inserted by a player and caused or permitted to move within the machine with the chance that the coin or token or other coins or tokens may be delivered to the player, characterized in that a video monitor is used to display

an image item representative of said coin or token, which item moves in an image field defined by the monitor and which may enter a position within the field that

wins a prize.