Patent GB-390180-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to coin-freed apparatus for playing a game of skill
IPC: G07F17/34
Filed: 1931-06-22
Abstract: 390,180. Coin-freed amusement apparatus. SMITH, G., 34, Clieveden Road, Thorpe Bay, Essex, and LENNARDS, W., 175, Railway Approach, Shepherds Bush, London. June 22, 1931, No. 18045. [Class 27.] Relates to coin-freed apparatus of the kind in which a plurality of wheels bearing numbers or representations of " fruit " on their peripheries are set in rotation and, if they stop in certain predetermined positions, prizes are automatically delivered, manually operable means for controlling the stopping position's being provided. According to the invention, means are provided for enabling the wheels to be repeatedly rotated, after the insertion of a coiii, until the manually operable skill controls have been used. A fixed proportion of the coins inserted are deflected to a container as rent for use of the apparatus independently of the number of times the wheels are set in rotation. The invention is described in connection with known apparatus in which each reel has a perforated ratchet disc for determining the prize-delivery and a star-wheel which is engaged by a stopping-lever acting either automatically under the control of a clockwork mechanism or earlier by the use of the skill control device. When the skill control is not used, a supplementary stop lever, under the control of the clockwork, stops the reel connected to the ratchet disc which is first engaged by the prize-selecting mechanism, in a half-way position so that the numbers on its periphery cannot be in alignment with those on the other reels and a prize cannot be delivered. According to the invention, the lever t, Fig. 20, which has a pin s to abut against a coin in the shoot p and thereby hold the lever t in such a position that a shoulder m on a connected lever n is out of the path of a projection 118 on a hand-lever l, has an extension 115 carrying a pawl 116. A pin 117 on this pawl extends across the ratchet disc h that has been stopped in the half-way position by the supplementary stop lever. The pin 117 engages one of the teeth of the ratchet disc and so prevents the lock-lever t from moving into a position that will permit the shoulder m to block the hand-lever l and so prevent the use of the apparatus. Two forms of stopping- lever illustrated in Figs. 4 and 17 (not shown) are described. Diverting coins periodically.-Each coin inserted is forced down the shoot p from the position in which it obstructs the pin s by a depressing-arm z, Figs. 1 and 7, connected by a link w to the hand-operated lever l. The coin is forced past a projection q to rock a pivoted arm r which is linked to a pawl arm 53 having a pawl 54 to drive a ratchet wheel 55 one tooth at a time. This ratchet wheel carries a disc 56 with cut-away portion into which a tooth 58 on an arm 59 can move during a portion of the rotation of the wheel 55, the arm 59 in this movement rocking an arm 61 and setting a deflector plate 50 into position to divert coins falling from the shoot p to a shoot 63 leading to a rent box. In this way four or any other number of the coins inserted are collected for rent. The other coins pass down a shoot 32 to the prize-delivering slides, surplus coins being pushed to a shoot 65 to form a pool 33. Testing coins; clearing-mechanism; returning coins.-Coins inserted through a slot in the casing pass through a testing shoot 36, Fig. 13, to the shoot p. The shoot 36 has a fixed wall 37 and a pivoted wall 38 opened by a spring 39, when the hand-lever l is operated, to return coins inserted, while the apparatus is in use, through a shoot 40 leading to a return shoot. Thin coins pass through an opening 45 and small coins fall through an opening 46 in the pivoted side 38 to be returned. The side 38 is normally held closed by an arm carried by an extension of the link w.