Patent ID: 8608171

Claim:
A game machine comprising: a cabinet including a chute for guiding items therein to a hatch thereof; a shutter disposed normally in a closing position in the cabinet to cover the chute to prevent items from entering the hatch; a sensor for detecting whether an item is deposited on the shutter, and if yes, sending out a signal; and a drive mechanism including at least one elastic member formed with an end secured to the shutter and another end secured to the cabinet, a rack placed beneath the shutter, a motor electrically coupled to the sensor, a gear operatively connected to the motor, a lifting member adapted to move the motor toward the shutter to mesh the gear with the rack to bring the shutter into an opening position after receiving the signal, wherein the lifting member is further adapted to move the motor from the shutter to disengage the gear from the rack to allow the elastic member to abruptly return the shutter into the closing position when the signal is stopped.