Device for carrying the grab in slot machine cabinets

In a slot machine having a cabinet in which a grab is suspended by means of a cable from a crab which can move in various directions, the grab being capable of picking up prizes from a surface over which the grab is suspended, a traveller travels on first horizontal rails over a horizontal surface for prizes, a crab travels on second horizontal rails perpendicular to first horizontal rails and carried by and on a lower part of the traveller, the traveller includes two vertical side plates on the outwardly facing surface of the upper parts of which are mounted respective rollers for running on the first rails, the second rails are supported at their respective ends by the lower parts of the respective side plates which lower parts are contiguous with the upper parts and include contiguous horizontally outwardly and vertically downwardly bent portions, and the respective ends of the second rails are mounted on the vertically downwardly bent portions whereby the second rails extend over substantially the entire width of the surface for carrying prizes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT 
The invention is for a device for carrying the grab in slot machines, which 
device primarily comprises a traveller moving on first guide rails 
installed in the cabinet of the slot machine, a crab moving on second 
guide rails installed in the said traveller and a grab for raising the 
prizes located on a lower prize area of the slot machine. The grab is 
suspended by means of a cable attached to an elevating mechanism installed 
in the crab. 
In a known device of this sort, the traveller is held between two flat 
vertical side plates which are located on the inside of the guide rails 
for the traveller. Guidance means, such as rollers, are fixed on the 
traveller, and the rollers rest on the guide rails. Vertical panels 
perpendicular to the guide rails are fitted between the guide rails. A 
crab, from which the grab is suspended for raising the prizes, moves 
between the vertical panels. 
This device has as a chief disadvantage that the travel of the crab is 
limited in both directions, as it cannot run under the guide rails of the 
traveller and thus stays at a relatively great distance from the glass 
sides of the slot machine. The result of this is that a fairly large strip 
of the prize area, on the sides of the slot machine, are inaccessible by 
the grab suspended from the crab. The available prize area of the machine 
is thus limited. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The object of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages of 
the known device and to provide an improved device for carrying a grab in 
a slot machine, wherein the entire prize area can be fully utilized. 
The traveller of the slot machine is, according to the main characteristic 
of the invention, held between two vertical side elements or plates 
installed in the direction of movement of the crab. The upper part of the 
side element is situated inside the guide rails and carries the guidance 
means which rests on and moves over the guide rails. The lower part of 
each side element or plate is recessed outwards with respect to the upper 
part and extends under the adjoining guide rail, where the rails for the 
crab from which the grab is suspended are located. 
In this way, it is possible to use almost the entire width of the prize 
area of the slot machine where the prizes are displayed, thereby to allow 
more prizes to be put in the slot machine than before. Further, because of 
the sharp bend in the side elements or plate, the traveller is 
considerably reinforced, while it also remains possible to remove the 
traveller with the crab and the grab from the cabinet of the slot machine 
by simply raising the traveller and turning it in the horizontal plane 
between the guide rails.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
In these figures, it can be seen that close to glass walls 1 of a cabinet 2 
of the slot machine, two guide rails 3 are installed parallel to one 
another. A traveller 4 moves over these guide rails. The traveller 4 
includes two vertical side plates 5 which extend parallel to the guide 
rails 3. Each side plate 5 has an upper part 6 which is mounted adjacent 
to the inner side of the guide rail 3. The upper part 6 is bent 
horizontally at the bottom thereof at 90.degree. and again bent vertically 
at 90.degree. so that a lower part 7 is formed which extends parallel to 
the upper part 6 of the side plate 5 under the adjoining guide rails 3. 
Between the lower parts 7 formed on the two side plates 5, two parallel 
guide rails 8 are installed which extend perpendicular to the guide rails 
3. Each of the side plates 5 is provided with two rollers 9 which rest on 
the guide rail 3. Each pair of rollers 9 fitted on each side plate 5 is 
connected by a drive belt 10. On a driving shaft 11 for the two foremost 
rollers 9, a worm or screwgear 12 is fitted, which meshes with a worm 13 
forming a part of a driving shaft 14 of an electric motor 15 mounted on 
one of the side plates 5. In this way, the electric motor 15 drives the 
rollers 9, and the traveller 4 moves in the known way over the guide 
rails. 
The two guide rails 8, installed between the side plates 5, bear a crab 16 
which rests on the guide rails 8 by means of rollers 17. An electric motor 
18 is installed in this crab 16 in order to propel the crab 16 on the 
guide rails 8. The crab can be moved in both directions, even to a 
position close to the wall 1 as a result of the special embodiment of the 
side panels 5. A drive shaft 19 of the electric motor 18 is provided with 
a worm 20 which meshes with a worm or screwgear 21 fixed on a shaft 22 of 
the two rollers 17, so that the rollers 17 are driven by the motor. A 
second motor 23 is also installed in the crab 16 and includes a shaft 24 
having a worm 25 which meshes with a worm or screwgear 26 fitted on a 
shaft 27 of a cable drum 28. The shaft 27 also carries two rollers 29. A 
lifting cable 30 for a grab 31 is attached to the cable drum 28 and serves 
to raise and lower the grab. 
The grab 31 comprises a casing 33 to which the cable 30 is connected, and 
three projections 34 extending radially outwardly from the casing 33 and 
spaced apart at the same interval around the casing 33. Situated inside 
the casing 33 is a solenoid coil (not shown) having a rod 35 with an end 
portion 36. An electric cord 37 for operating the solenoid coil extends 
from the casing 33 and is connected to a suitable electric supply. When 
the solenoid is actuated, the rod 35 is moved upward. On the contrary, 
when the solenoid is not actuated, the rod 35 is located at the lowest 
position due to its own weight. 
Pivotally attached to each projection 34 is an arm 38. An arm 39 pivotal 
connected to the end portion 36 at one end is also pivotally connected to 
the arm 38. Accordingly, when the solenoid coil is actuated to place the 
end portion 36 at the upper position, the free ends of the arms 38 are 
located close to a central axis of the casing 33. In this position, a 
prize can be grabbed by the arms 38. When the solenoid coil is not 
actuated, the end portion 36 is located at the lower position, so that the 
free ends of the arms 38 are located away from the central axis of the 
casing 33. 
In the slot machines of the invention, when an operator inserts a coin, the 
traveller 4 can be moved along the guide rails 3, and the crab 16 can be 
moved along the guide rails 8. When the two movements of the traveller 4 
and the crab 16 have been completed, the grab 31 is moved downwardly, and 
then the solenoid coil is actuated. Consequently, the arms 39 are closed 
to grab a prize. No matter if the prize is grabbed, soon after the arms 39 
are closed, the grab 31 is raised. Thereafter, the traveller 4 and the 
crab 16 are automatically moved to a predetermined position, wherein the 
solenoid coil is operated to open the arms 39. If a prize was grabbed, the 
prize falls into an opening, so that the operator can obtain the prize. 
As a result of the guiding rails 8 extending to the maximum length, the 
crab 16 as well as the grab 31 can be moved over virtually the entire 
width of a prize area 32 on which the prizes are displayed. As a result, 
the useful area of the prize area 32 is considerably increased. Similarly 
as a result of the special embodiment of the side plates 5, the 
construction of the traveller is considerably robuster and it is possible, 
as usual, to remove the traveller with the crab 16 and the grab 31 from 
the cabinet of the slot machine, by raising it and turning it in the 
horizontal plane between the guide rails 3 when this may be necessary, 
such as when carrying out repairs. 
Of course the form, dimensions, and the nature of the side plates 5 may be 
changed and these side plates could be replaced by similar elements which 
lead to the same result. The present invention is limited only by the 
appended claims.