Patent ID: 8662984

Claim:
A reel assembly for a gaming machine, the reel assembly including: (a) a mounting bracket including a substantially planar mounting bracket body, the mounting bracket further including a first lateral side, a second lateral side, a top edge, a bottom edge, a back edge, and a front edge; (b) a reel motor connected to the first lateral side of the mounting bracket; (c) a reel superstructure connected to be driven by the reel motor about a rotational axis extending substantially perpendicular to the plane of the mounting bracket body; (d) a mounting flange at the top edge of the mounting bracket, the mounting flange extending along the entire length of the top edge of the mounting bracket and including a substantially planar surface lying in a plane extending transversely to the plane of the mounting bracket body, the mounting flange constructed to fit within a receiving structure associated with the gaming machine so that when the reel assembly is in an installed state, the reel assembly is suspended from the receiving structure; (e) a stabilizing structure located at the rear edge of the mounting bracket in a spaced apart relationship with the mounting flange; and (f) a locking structure located at an intersection of the top edge of the mounting bracket and the front edge of the mounting bracket, the locking structure securing the reel assembly in a predefined position with respect to the gaming machine.