GAMBLING MACHINE

Abstract: A gambling machine is described, where a freely movable element (G), e.g. a ball, being started by means of a handle blow (H), triggers chance elements (E), e.g. rotatable wheels, to start up when passing in one direction presence detectors (F) associated with the wheels (E), and stops the wheels (E) when passing again in the opposite direction. Only if the ball (G) stops and turns back within the detection zone of a detector (F), a prize is achieved, whereby the particular associated chance wheel (E) continues to rotate until the ball (G) affects a special end detector (Q) close to the starting point of the ball track (K). At this point of time the particular chance wheel (E) which is still rotating, is stopped, and the position of the wheel when stopped, determines a possible extra bonus payment in addition to the main prize for having ''hit'' this particular wheel. The freely movable element may possibly be a luminous spot.

Description: GAMBLING MACHINE The present invention relates to gambling machines of the type where the player's skill in starting a movable element, e.g. a ball, with a suitable velocity, determines if said element stops in a prize-giving zone. Many variants of such machines are previously known. Some slot machines, sometimes called "coin rap boxes", use coins as movable elements, and are based upon the fact that coins which are hit into motion by the use of a handle, choose different, appoximately parabolic "ballistic" paths according to the start velocity which is determined by the player's blow force. Some particular ballistic paths give winnings when a prize slot is hit by the coin. More in similarity with the present invention, there has also been constructed machines where a movable element, most often a ball, moves along a given track after a handle blow. In some special positions along the track sensing elements are provided, e.g. microswitches, which sensing elements sense the presence of the ball, and actuate some function which may depend upon e.g. the stop position of the ball. The function in question is usually that a lamp lights up, or that a sign with a number is tilted up to show the stop position, and consequentl the possible prize. However, in the present invention one step further is taken, the stop position or turn-back position for the movable element, e.g. a ball, not only being a prize position, but also implying a variable prize which depends upon a new chance function which is started up. In this way there is achieved variation in the game, and increased excitement and amusement for the player. More specifically, in accordance with the invention, there is provided a gambling machine of the type where a ball or a similar freely movable element, after a blow on a handle from a player, can move along a closed track or groove with presence detectors distributed along said track, and where the number of games, i.e. handle blows, is determined from the pay-in in a payment hatch in the machine, and where winnings are achieved by the freely movable element stopping and turning back in its track within the detection zone of one of said presence detecto after a well adjusted blow velocity on said handle, and the gambling machine is characterized by the fact that each presence detector along said track.is associated with a separate chance element and is adapted for triggering and stopping the chance function of said associated chance element when detecting presence of the movable element, and further by a special end detector placed close to the starting point of the track for detecting the return of the movable element and for triggering stop of a possible running chance function in on or some of said chance elements. In accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention, the chance elements consist of rotatable wheels with chance sectors for indicating a plus prize or a a minus prize in addition to a main prize, a price multiplication factor or possibly a jackpot prize. Possibly the chance elements may be of electronic type, with a liquid crystal display or similar. In order to secure a certain degree of chance regarding the stop time for the chance elements, a device may be provide which gives a delayed and accidental stop time after triggerin by the end detector. In particular, in the case with an electronic chance element, there may be provided a random- controlled timer device which is started by the end detector. The presence detectors may be microswitches, detectors of photocell type or similar. Normally the different chance elements will have differen main prizes associated with them. A more detailed description shall now be given by referri to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and also referring to the enclosed drawings where: Fig. 1 shows schematically an exemplary embodiment of a ball machine, and Fig. 2 show a section along line A-A in Fig. 1. Fig. 1 shows schematically an approximate "coin rap box" embodiment of the subject of the invention. In accordance wit payment through the coin slot B, a certain number of blows on handle H are allowed. First supposing that the blow on handle H is not well adjusted, the following happens: Ball G, which can be made of plastics or steel, rolls after the blow, up toward the left in the rolling rail K. Firstly, the ball passes a microswitch Q, which microswitch in this phase of the game situation has no influence on the remaining elements in the machine other than a possible clearing or resetting of certain electronic elements, if the machine is of an electronic type. When the ball next passes the first of those micro- switches marked with letter F, said first microswitch affects a chance element in the form of a bonus wheel E, located right above said first micro switch, so as to start rotation. Possibly the ball G will also pass the next microswitch, and thereby also start bonus wheel E no. 2 counted from the right, and possibly also bonus wheel no. 3 from the right after passing microswitch F no. 3. It is now supposed that the start velocity of the ball was such that the ball stops and turns back in a position about midway between microswitches F no. 3 and 4. counted from the right. When the ball passes micro- switch no. 3 on its way down the rail, bonus wheel E associated therewith is influenced so as to stop, and the bonus wheel right above microswitch F no. 2 from the right is stopped in the same manner, and thereafter bonus wheel E no. 1 from the right when the ball passes the first microswitch F on its way down toward the starting point. Thus, before the ball reaches microswitch Q, which is an end detector, all bonus wheels which were started, have been stopped again, and influence upon this end detector Q does not have any particular effect, other than possibly resetting or clearing the system elements of the machine. In contrast, it is now supposed that the player is able to deal a well adjusted blow to handle H, i.e. a prize-giving game shall now be described: In the beginning exactly the same things happen as in the previous case, but the velocity of the ball G in the start moment was in this case adjusted in such a manner that the ball stops and turns back right above, i.e. within the sensing area of, one of the microswitches F, say microswitch F no. 4 when counted from the right in Fig. 1. In this case the bonus wheel right above this microswitch is started, and it continues to rotate while ball G on its way back down along the rolling rail K stops those three bonus wheels E located to the right in the machine. When the ball passes the end detector Q, a trigger signal is produced for stopping possible rotating bonus wheels E, i.e. in this case wheel no. 4 from the right. The winnings to be paid out in the payout-box J, is related to a) main prize (D) associated with the particular prize- giving bonus wheel, marked in Fig. 1 with the number "7" in the center of wheel no. 4 from the right, b) the stop position of the bonus wheel after stop triggering of the rotating chance function from end detector Q, and c) possible other systems contributing to a bonus, marked in Fig. 1 schematically as a bonus window I. The push buttons A (with markings B for "bonus") are used in the following manner: If many bonus points have been obtaine by normal playing, push button A will flash above that wheel which has achieved the bonus points. This wheel may then be started by pushing the flashing push button, and the wheel will rotate until the button A is pushed once more. Then the wheel stops, indicating a bonus value in points, which either (if sufficiently high points value) may be used for starting the wheel once more, or may yield a money prize payout, according to the stop position of the wheel. In Fig. 2, which figure is a section through the machine of Fig. 1 along line A-A some of the inner functions in the machine are shown schematically. Money introduced through the coin payment hatch B, fall down in a money box L after passing a not shown counting device which is connected to a display C (Fig. 1) for displaying the number of games allowed. There is further sketched a motor M for one of the chance wheels E, and a control function for the chance wheels is indicated at N. When a prize is achieved, a pulling magnet 0 is influenced in such a manner that payout is made via tube P in the payout-box J. It is important that the detection zone for every presence detector is adjusted to have a correct extension in the direction of the track, so that a suitable probability of winning is achieved. Of course the track does not need to be straight, but it must have such a character that the ball turns back and returns to the starting point in order to trigger the bonus wheels which do not count, to stop during the return movement. In an embodiment of the invention, one does not at all use a massive object as "freely movable object", but on the contrary merely a luminous point which moves along a predeter¬ mined track on the front of the gambling machine: For example, a luminous spot may move in a continuous way on a long "frosted glass disk". The luminous spot may be provided in an analog manner as in a mirror galvanometer, and in such a way that a handle blow more or less directly by mechanical transmission makes a torsion suspended mirror rotate, so that a light reflex moves along the track. In such a case, the presence and end detectors consist of light sensitive elements, e.g. photo detectors of semiconductor type. As another realizable embodiment of the light spot variant, it is possible to use a number of light emitting elements arranged in a row, with a larger or smaller spacing. The light emitting elements may be LCD elements, LEDs or small lightbulbs. Switching on and off the light emitting elements is controlled by a pre-programmed electronic control circuit. Said control circuit provides an appropriate presentation, for instance by successive lighting with time intervals which may be equal or successively increasing up to the "turning point" in question, i.e. the last activated element, in order to simulate e.g. the movement of a massive object in a gravity field, with a high start velocity, then decreasing velocity until stop in a "turning point" and therafter successively increasing velocity back to the starting point. The range or extent of the simulated movement, i.e. how many light emitting elements to be lighted after a handle blow, is determined by the control circuit in accordance with e.g. the signal voltage received from a force sensor or similar associated with the handle. The presence detectors and the end detector are then suitably of an electrical measuring instrument type (for voltage or current) for detecting whether those particular light emitting elements located right below the chance elements are activated.

Claims: P A T E N T C L A I M S 1. Gambling machine of the type where a ball or similar -freely movable element (G) after a blow from a player on a handle (H) can move along a closed track or groove (K) with presence detectors (F) distributed along said track (K) , and where the number of games, i.e. handle blows, is determined from the payment in a payment hatch (B) in the machine, and where a prize is achieved when the freely movable element (G) stops and turns back in its track within the detection zone of one of the presence detectors (F) after a well adjusted blow velocity on said handle (H) , c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the fact that each presence detector (F) along said track (K) has associated a separate chance element (E) and is adapted for triggering start and stop of the chance function of said associated chance element (E) when presence of the movable element (G) is detected, and further by a particular end detector (Q) arranged close to the starting point of said track (K) for detecting the return of the movable element (G) and for triggering stop of a possible running chance function in one or some of the chance elements (E). 2. Gambling machine as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the fact that said chance elements are rotatable wheels (E) with chance sectors for indicating a plus prize or a minus prize in addition to a main prize, a prize multiplication factor or possibly a jackpot prize. 3. Gambling machine as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the fact that said chance elements (E) are of an electronic type. 4. Gambling machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by a means for providing a random stop time for a running chance function, said means being triggered by said end detector (Q) to make said chance element stop after a random, however reasonably short time. 5. Gambling machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the fact that the presence detectors (F) are microswitches. 6. Gambling machine as claimed in any one of claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the fact that the presence detectors (F) are of photocell type. 7. Gambling machine as claimed in any one of claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the .fact that the movable element is constituted by a luminous spot, which spot moves along a predetermined track. 8. Gambling machine as claimed in claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the fact that said movable luminous spot is formed by a light reflex from a movable mirror adapted to be influenced by said handle, said presence detectors and said end detector being light sensitive sensors. 9. Gambling machine as claimed in claim 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the fact that the movable luminous spot appears by successive lighting and switching off a row of light emitting elements arranged to constitute a pre¬ determined track and comprising e.g. LCD elements, LED elements or lightbulbs, said handle being adapted to influence a force measuring device which immediately delivers a signal to an electronic control circuit, said signal determining how far in the row of light emitting elements said movable luminous spot shall be allowed to move, said electronic control circuit being adapted for controlling switching on/off said light emitting elements in a preprogrammed sequence and in dependence upon a parameter of the signal, e.g. the signal voltage, and said presence detectors and end detector being electrial signal measurement types. 10. Gambling machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d be the fact that the different chance elements (E) have associated different main prizes (D)

Inventors: HANSEN ARNE, HANSEN, ARNE
Applicants: UNI PRO, UNI-PRO
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A63F7
IPC codes: A63F7, A63F9, G07F17