Patent GB-443174-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to coin controlled amusement apparatus
IPC: G07F17/32
Filed: 1934-12-10
Abstract: 443,174. Coin-freed game apparatus. BRECKNELL, MUNRO, & ROGERS (1928), Ltd., Pennywell Road, and DOLMAN, H. J., Church Road, Staple Hill, both in Bristol. Dec. 10, 1934, No. 35386. [Class 132 (ii)] [See also Group XVIII] A coin-controlled amusement apparatus comprises a rotary carrier supporting one or more receivers for missiles which can be released on to a target by actuation of a control element electrically connected with releasing mechanisms on the receivers, a prize being delivered if the target is hit. As shown, a pair of model aeroplanes 4 are suspended on receivers 5, containing balls serving as missiles, and secured to arms 3 rotating about the upper end of a pipe 20 through which the balls are delivered to the receivers from a return hopper 62. The target comprises an annular plate 6 divided into a number of segments visible to a player through the transparent walls 7 of an enclosing casing. The apparatus may be used simultaneously by a number of players, each standing before one of the target segments, each of which is provided with a separate coin insertion slot 9 and operating push button switch 10. The mechanism for releasing the balls from each of the receivers 5 upon operation of a push-button switch 10 comprises a pair of relatively staggered shutters 34, 35, carried by a shaft 33 connected by a link with the armature of an electromagnet 27, the circuit of which is closed by the insertion of a coin, which tilts a pivoted latching mercury switch 49. When a player judges one of the rotating aeroplanes 4 to be over one of three apertures 11, 12 and 13 in his target segment, he operates his pushbutton 10, closing the circuit of the electromagnet which turns the shaft 33 so that a ball is released on to the target. If it enters one of the apertures 11, 12 or 13, it passes through a corresponding shoot 87 to operate a prize-delivery mechanism and subsequently passes down a shoot 61 to the hopper 62. If it misses the target apertures, it enters one of a series of adjacent apertures 82, 83, 84 and 85, and is returned directly through a shoot 86 to the shoot 61 without delivering a prize. In either case, the ball, before passing to the shoot 61, trips the mercury switch 49 to break the circuit so that further operation by the same player without the insertion of another coin is prevented. In order to ensure that depression of a push-button shall only operate to release a ball when an aeroplane is over a corresponding target segment, the circuit of each pushbutton includes an arcuate contact 46 of a commutator switch, which contact is adapted to be connected with an annular contact 45 by contact brushes 43, 44 on the rotating arms 3. The balls are fed from the hopper 62 up the pipe 20 by a continuously reciprocated plunger 65 operated from a cam 74 driven by an electric-motor which rotates the arms 3. A separate prize-delivery device is provided for each target aperture, and comprises a spring-loaded plunger 103 for discharging the lowermost of a stack of prize articles, the plunger 103 being normally locked by a pivoted catch 93. A successful ball passing down the shoot 87 trips a lever 89 connected with the catch 93, which releases the plunger 103 so that a prize is delivered to the player through a shoot 14. The plunger 103 is reset by engagement of a cam 100 secured to each arm 3 with a pivoted lever 101 connected with the plunger.