Patent GB-970806-A (GB)
Title: Automatic coin-operated amusement machine
IPC: G07F17/32
Filed: 1963-04-25
Abstract: 970,806. Chance apparatus. A. J. L. CROMPTON. Sept. 16, 1963 [April 25, 1963], No. 16295/63. Heading A6H. [Also in Division G4] An automatic amusement machine comprises a master controller for initiating and controlling a play cycle, a plurality of play stations 2, Fig. 1, each conditioned for play by the insertion of a coin into a slot 8, a first haphazard selection means for illuminating in rapid succession indicia on a first display panel 6, the last indicia to be illuminated indicating the odds to be paid out, a second haphazard selection means for illuminating in rapid succession symbols on a second display panel 5, the last symbol to be illuminated indicating the winning play station or stations and means for paying out the odds. Any number of players may take part during a play cycle. The master controller is driven slowly through gearing by a motor and comprises a cylinder having cam lobes arranged along its length for operating contacts 18-35, Fig. 3. As shown, the odds on the panel 6 are 2, 4, 6, 8 and the symbols on the panel 5, A, B, C, D; these symbols, which may alternatively be representations of playing cards, correspond to the four play stations on the two sides of the machine and are illuminated at 3 and represented by words at 7. The controller causes " play " lamps 9 to be illuminated to indicate when each player can insert a coin into the slot 8 of the coin-freed mechanism at the play station of that player's choice, the coin being arranged to " prime " the electrical circuit associated with that play station. After a period of time, the " play " lamps are extinguished, the coin-freed mechanisms deenergized and the first haphazard selection means, which is of the type described in Specification 881,803 is energized to spin a wiper arm 38 through a free-wheel device; the shaft carrying the wiper arm also carries a cam 13, Fig. 2, for actuating contacts 15, each actuation stepping round wiper arms 41, 42 of a two-bank electromagnetic stepping switch. The stepping switch is then stopped by the controller which opens contacts 26 and the last section of the panel 6 to be illuminated indicates the odds. A brake is applied to the arm 38 so that it will quickly come to rest against one of the stud-contacts. In the example shown, winning play stations D are connected by a line 51 and relay 46 for operating the coin dispensers at those stations, providing the stations have been initially primed with a coin. The coin dispenser is given one, two, three or four pulses depending on the position of the arm 42, each pulse dispensing two coins; the controller operates the contacts 32 once, the contacts 33 twice, the contacts 34 three times and the contacts 35 four times and in the example, the odds indicated are 6 to 1 thereby causing the contacts 34 to be effective to dispense six coins into the tray 10. Contacts 24 and 25 are connected through a line 56 to the operating coil of an electromagnetic counter for counting the coins received by the machine. The coin-freed mechanisms and dispensers are of the type described in Specification 967,344.