Patent GB-307095-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to coin freed game apparatus
IPC: G07F17/32
Filed: 1927-11-30
Abstract: 307,095. Walton, A. L. Nov. 30, 1927. Race games, mechanical.-A coin-freed mechanical race game apparatus is arranged so that a pursuing figure is mechanically controlled by each of the two competitors, the figure being pursued deriving a preliminary predetermined motion that is mechanically controlled by each competitor. The game is described as applied to the pursuit of a hare by two hounds, each hound being moved in pursuit of the hare by a competitor turning a hand-wheel after the insertion of two coins into the machine, the hare being moved once round the track and beyond the starting point before the movement of the dogs commences. The hare is driven by either hand-wheel, depending upon which is turned the faster, and a coin may be returned to the winning player. The machine comprises hand-wheels 10, 11 for the competitors, the shafts 6, 7 of these wheels carrying cams which reciprocate pawl members 52, 53 engaging ratchet wheels 48, 49 and 50, 51 for driving pulleys, over which pass steel bands carrying respectively a hare 47 and hounds 43, 38. The ratchet wheels are rendered inoperative by shields 55, 56 until two coins have been inserted in the shoot 75, Fig. 4. The first coin which is inserted overbalances a lever 79 and falls into the shoot 76, which is prevented from falling by the lever 79 resting on a lever 81. The second coin that is inserted passes over the lever 79 on to lugs 82 in the shoot 77. The hand-wheels 10, 11 are then turned by the competitors, a cam 18 on the shaft 7 moving a push rod 83, the end of which engages a hole in the lever 84. With a coin positioned on the lugs 82 the end of the push rod 83 presses against the coin and forces the lever 84, lever 73, and catch 86 about the fulcrum rod 85 until the catch 86 is engaged by the catch 87 on the lever 81. The lever 81 is thus swung clear of the lever 79 and the coin in shoot 76 is permitted to fall into position to be returned to the winning player, and when the push rod returns to its working stroke it permits the coin in shoot 77 to fall into a cash-box. The movement of the lever 73 causes it to engage collars 71, 72 on the rods 69, 70 and these rods are connected through the levers 58, 60 and rods 57, 58<a> with the shields 55, 56 which mask the ratchet wheels for driving the pulley wheels of the bands 37, 42, 46. These shields are now in the mid-position and the ratchet pawls engage the wheels for driving the pulleys carrying the band 46. By rotation of either or both hand-wheels 10. 11 the hare 47 is caused to travel once round the track until the tappet 92 strikes the lever 93 to withdraw the rod 91 from the lug 90 and permit the spring 89 to give a further movement to the lever 73. This moves the rods 69, 70 to cause the shields 55, 56 to be positioned so that the driving ratchets 52, 53 engage the ratchet wheels to drive all three bands 46, 42, 37, each hound being controlled by its own hand-wheel 10 or 11 and the hare being driven by the ratchet of the hand-wheel which turns the faster. When the hounds and hare have travelled round the course, the mechanism is arranged to reset the levers and springs and the ratchet shields 55, 56 are returned to the disengaged position to complete the sequence of operations of the machine. The coin which passes into the shoot 76 may be returned to the winning player by any known means or may be passed into the cash-box, or the machine may be arranged to be operated by a single coin by causing it to be passed directly into the shoot 77.