GB2444324A

GB2444324A - Coin pusher machine with ramp and step formation on edge of pusher member

Info

Publication number: GB2444324A
Application number: GB0623966A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harold John Levy
Original assignee: HARRY LEVY AMUSEMENT CONTRACTO
Current assignee: HARRY LEVY AMUSEMENT CONTRACTO
Priority date: 2006-11-30
Filing date: 2006-11-30
Publication date: 2008-06-04
Anticipated expiration: 2026-11-30
Also published as: GB0623966D0; GB2444324B

Abstract

A coin pusher machine 2 comprises a playfield (not shown) and a pusher 4 for pushing coins/tokens 24 over the playfield towards an edge of the playfield, the pusher 4 having an edge formation 6 comprising an upwardly extending ramp 8 followed by a downward step 10. The downward step 10 may extend over part or all of the length of the ramp 8. The edge formation 6 may have one or more ramps 8, and may have a single downward step 10, or two or more spaced downward steps 10. The downward step(s) 10 may comprise a downwardly extending portion 12 and a ledge portion 14, and the ledge portion 14 may be upwardly inclined. The ledge portion 14 may include a downwardly extending flange 16 which is able to push the coins/tokens 24 over the playfield. The edge formation 6 may be formed separately from and secured to a body part of the pusher 4. The playfield may also include an edge (not shown) having an upwardly extending portion followed by a step down portion. The edge formation 6 causes coins/tokens falling onto the pusher to form visually appealing layers at the pusher edge.

Description

A PUSHER AMUSEMENT MACHINE

This invention relates to a pusher amusement machine.

Pusher amusement machines are well known and they are found in many amusement arcades. The pusher amusement machines comprise a playfield and a pusher member for pushing coins or tokens over the playfield towards an edge of the playfield. Coins or tokens falling over the edge of the playfield are usually received in either a player collection tray where they represent winnings for a player, or a machine collection box where they represent revenue for the amusement arcade.

In order to ensure that the coins or tokens do not fall too readily over the edge of the playlield, the known pusher amusement machines are such that the edge of the playfield is provided with an upwardly extending portion.

The coins or tokens have to ride up this upwardly extending portion before being able to fall over the edge of the playfield. During use, the coins or tokens tend to build up over the upwardly extending portion. Such a build up of coins or tokens is intended to look attractive and exciting, with the aim of encouraging players to play the pusher amusement machine.

GB-A-2251 390 discloses one of our own known pusher machines.

This known pusher machine has a playfield provided with an edge which enables a coin or token display at the edge of the playfield to look more attractive and exciting than many other known pusher amusement machines.

This in turn provides more encouragement for players to play the pusher machine of the type shown in GB-A-225 1390.

We have now come to realise that pusher amusement machines can be made to look attractive and exciting if the pusher member is provided with an edge formation which causes the pusher member part of the pusher amusement machine to look attractive and exciting. This then provides encouragement for players to play the pusher amusement machines.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a pusher amusement machine comprising a playfield and a pusher member for pushing coins or tokens over the playfield towards an edge of the playfield, the pusher member being such that it has a pushing formation, and the pushing formation being such that it comprises an upwardly extending portion followed by a step down portion.

The pusher amusement machine of the present invention is such that the upwardly extending portion of the pusher member causes the coins or tokens to build up into layers which are angled upwardly. The step down portion is then able to receive the coins or tokens before they fall off the edge of the pusher member and onto the playfield. The presentation of the coins or tokens on the pushing formation of the pusher member is visually exciting and encourages players to play with the pusher amusement machine. This player encouragement is commercially very advantageous in that the machine amusement industry is a competitive industry and there is always a need for something different which is able to attract players to play with a particular machine rather than another machine.

The pusher amusement machine of the present invention may be one in which the step down portion extends along the entire length of the upwardly extending portion.

Alternatively, the pusher amusement machine may be one in which the step down portion extends along only part of the entire length of the upwardly extending portion. In this case, there may be only one of the step down portions. Alternatively, the pusher amusement machine may be one in which there are two or more of the step down portions, and in which the step down portions are spaced apart from each other.

The pusher amusement machine may be one in which there is one upwardly extending portion. Alternatively, the pusher amusement machine may be one in which there are two or more of the upwardly extending portions.

The or each step down portion may comprise a downwardly extending portion and a ledge portion. The coins or tokens may lay on the ledge portion prior to falling off the pushing formation and onto the playfield.

The ledge portion may be upwardly inclined at an angle which is greater than the upward angle of inclination of the upwardly extending portion.

Generally, the ledge portion may extend at any suitable and required angle.

The ledge portion may comprise a downwardly extending flange that is able to push the coins or tokens over the playfield.

The pusher amusement machine may be one in which the pushing formation is separately formed from a body part of the pusher machine, and in which the pushing formation comprises securing means for securing the pushing formation to the body part of the pusher member.

The securing means may be a plate containing fixing apertures.

Preferably, the pushing formation is constructed from sheet material.

The pusher member is preferably a shelf member. Other types of pusher member may be employed if desired.

The pusher amusement machine may include a slot for receiving coins or tokens, and a chute which is for receiving coins or tokens placed in the slot and which is for directing the coins or tokens towards the pusher member and

the playfield.

The pusher amusement machine may include a player collection tray for receiving coins or tokens, a machine collection box for receiving coins or tokens, and diverter means for diverting the coins or tokens falling off the playfield either to the player collection tray or to the machine collection box.

The diverter means is preferably a solenoid-operated diverter means. Other types of diverter means may however be employed.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view showing part of a pusher member of a pusher amusement machine; Figure 2 is an end view of part of the pusher member shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a sectional view like Figure 2 and shows coins or tokens on the part of the pusher member.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown part of a pusher amusement machine 2 comprising a playfield (not shown) and a pusher member 4. The pusher member 4 is for pushing coins or tokens (not shown) over the playfield towards an edge of the playfield. The pusher member 4 is such that it has a pushing formation 6. The pushing formation 6 is such it comprises an upwardly extending portion 8 followed by a step down portion 10. The step down portion 10 extends along the entire length of the upwardly extending portion 8. However, if desired, the step down portion 10 could extend along only part of the entire length of the upwardly extending portion 8.

The step down portion 10 comprises a downwardly extending portion 12 and a ledge portion 14. The ledge portion 14 is upwardly inclined as shown. The angle of upward inclination of the ledge portion 14 is greater than the upward angle of inclination of the upwardly extending portion 6, as can be best be appreciated from Figures 2 and 3.

The ledge portion 14 comprises a downwardly extending flange 16 that is able to push the coins or tokens over the playfield.

The pushing formation 6 is separately formed from a body part (not shown) of the pusher member. The pushing formation 6 comprises securing means 18 for securing the pushing formation 6 to the body part of the pusher member. The securing means 18 is a plate 20 containing fixing apertures 22 for receiving screws, not shown. The fixing apertures 22 are counter sunk as can best be appreciated from Figures 2 and 3. As can best be appreciated from Figure 1, the pushing formation 6 is constructed from sheet material.

The pusher member itself is preferably a shelf member. The pusher member is such that it slides backwards and forwards during operation of the pusher amusement machine 2.

During operation of the pusher amusement machine 2, coins or tokens 24 are pushed by the pushing formation 6 of the pusher member 4 over the playfield. The coins or tokens 24 arrive on the pusher member 4 as a result of players playing the pusher amusement machine 2. As can be seen from Figures 1 and 3, the coins or tokens 24 firstly pass up the upwardly extending portion 18 and they then fall down onto the step down portion 10. The coins or tokens 24 can lay in layers before they fall off the pushing formation 6 and onto the playfield, see Figures 1 and 3. This stacking of the coins presents an exciting display which encourages players to play further with the pusher amusement machine 2, for example by inserting further coins or tokens into the pusher machine 2, or by causing coins or tokens in a machine store to be brought into play.

Because pusher amusement machines are well known in themselves, various other parts of the pusher amusement machine have not been shown in the drawings. The pusher amusement machine of the present invention may thus have a slot for receiving the coins or tokens, and a chute for receiving the coins or tokens placed in the slot and for directing the coins or tokens towards the pusher member 4 and the playfield. The pusher amusement machine may also have a player collection tray for receiving the coins or tokens, a machine collection box for receiving the coins or tokens, and diverter means for diverting the coins or tokens falling off the playfield, either to the player collection tray or to the machine collection box.

The playfield for the pusher amusement machines of the present invention preferably has an edge having an upwardly extending portion followed by a step down portion. The edge of the playfield is preferably as shown in GB-A-2251390.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiment of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings has been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, the pushing formation 6 may have two or more upwardly extending portions 8 inclined at different angles to each other. The downwardly extending portion 12 may extend at a greater or lesser angle than shown. The pushing formation 6 is shown to be of plate construction but it may be of another type of construction if desired. The dimensions of the upwardly extending portion 8 and the step down portion 10 may be varied according to the size of the coins or tokens 24 being used, and according to the effect that is required to be created.

Claims

1. A pusher amusement machine comprising a playfield and a pusher member for pushing coins or tokens over the playfield towards an edge of the playfield, the pusher member being such that it has a pushing formation, and the pushing formation being such that it comprises an upwardly extending portion followed by a step down portion.

2. A pusher amusement machine according to claim I in which the step down portion extends along the entire length of the upwardly extending portion.

3. A pusher amusement machine according to claim 1 in which the step down portion extends only along part of the entire length of the upwardly extending portion.

4. A pusher amusement machine according to claim 3 in which there is only one of the step down portions. S. * S * .55 *5**

5.... 5. A pusher amusement machine according to claim 3 in which there are two or more of the step down portions, and in which the step down portions are spaced apart from each other. S. * I I... *

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6. A pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding claims in which there is one upwardly extending portion.

7. A pusher amusement machine according to any one of claims I -5 in which there are two or more of the upwardly extending portions.

8. A pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding claims in which the or each step down portion comprises a downwardly extending portion and a ledge portion.

9. A pusher amusement machine according to claim 8 in which the ledge portion is upwardly inclined.

10. A pusher amusement machine according to claim 9 in which the ledge portion is upwardly inclined at an angle which is greater than the upward angle of inclination of the upwardly extending portion.

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11. A pusher amusement machine according to any one of claims 8-10 in which the ledge portion comprises a downwardly extending flange that is able S...

to push the coins or tokens over the playfield.

12. A pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding S*S claims in which the pushing formation is separately formed from a body part of the pusher member, and in which the pushing formation comprises securing means for securing the pushing formation to the body part of the pusher member.

13. A pusher amusement machine according to claim 12 in which the securing means is a plate containing fixing apertures.

14. A pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding claims in which the pushing formation is constructed from sheet material.

15. A pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding claims in which the pusher member is shelf member.

16. A pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding claims and including a slot for receiving coins or tokens, and a chute which is for receiving coins or tokens placed in the slot and which is for directing the coins or tokens towards the pusher member and the playfield.

17. A pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding claims and including a player collection tray for receiving coins or tokens, a

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machine collection box for receiving coins or tokens, and diverter means for 5'* * . S S. * diverting the coins or tokens falling off the playfield either to the player collection tray or to the machine collection box.

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18. A pusher amusement machine according to claim 17 in which the diverter means is a solenoid-operated diverter means.

19. A pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding claims in which the pusher member slides backwards and forwards during operation of the pusher amusement machine.

20. A pusher amusement machine according to any one of the preceding claims in which the playfield is such that it comprises an edge having an upwardly extending portion followed by a step down portion.

21. A pusher amusement machine substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. S. * S * *5 *SS *SS* * S * S. *

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