GB304435A - Improvements in or relating to coin freed amusement machines - Google Patents

Abstract

304,435. Pollard, J. L. Dec. 9, 1927. Prize delivery mechanism; diverting coins periodically.-In a coin-freed amusement machine of the kind known as the " fruit " machine, an adjustable percentage of the coins that pass down a shoot 12, 13 to the till 7, Fig. 3, after the usual storage tube for prize coins is filled, is diverted by a flap 58 to a receptacle 10 from which they are delivered as a special prize when two slides 17, 18 of the usual batch of prize delivery slides 15 - - 18 are actuated. At each rocking of a plate 36, Fig. 1, about a shaft 37 by a handle 36<a>, a slotted link 40 is reciprocated by a pin 38 and rocks a plate 42 so that a pawl 43 advances a ratchet wheel 44 through one tooth. The ratchet wheel is connected to a disc 47 having screwed holes 48 some of which are occupied by pins 50, whcih are engaged by a tail 59 on the shaft 57 carrying the flap 58, the shaft being biassed by a spring 58<a> If a pin is absent from a hole 48, the flap 58 is turned by the spring 58a to divert the next coin from the shoot 12 to a shoot 11 leading to the receptacle 10. By varying the number of pins 50, the percentage of coins diverted may be adjusted. Surplus coins in the pool 10 overflow through an opening 31 to the shoot 13. The bottom 19 of the receptacle 10 is hinged at 20 and is kept closed by a spring catch 25 engaging an extension 19. When the slides 17, 18 are withdrawn to deliver a prize, they allow a lever 27 to be rocked by a spring 29<a> and release the catch 25 against the pull of a spring 26. The bottom 19 is then pulled open by a spring 22 to deliver the coins in the pool 10 to a delivery tray 8. A flap 23 on the bottom 19 is brought in proximity to the end of a rod 24 slidable in a guide 31<a> and actuated by a link 32 from a shaft 33 which has an arm 34 actuated by a catch 35 on the plate 36 at each actuation of the handle 36<a>. The rod 24, at the next actuation of the machine after the delivery of the pool, engages the flaps 23 and returns the bottom 19 to its closed position.