MOTOR DRIVEN ROTATABLE DRUM CHANCE DEVICE

• US 3,658,340 A
• Filed: 07/08/1970
• Issued: 04/25/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Haruo Ohki
• Original Assignee: Haruo Ohki
• Inventors: Ohki, Haruo
• Primary Examiner(s): Oechsle, Anton O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kramer, Harold W.
• Application Number:
  US05/053,243
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 273/138A,143R,143A,143B,143C,143D,143E,1E 46/2,3,4,5
• US Class Current: 273/143.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/34 depending on the stopping of moving members in a mechanical slot machine, e.g. "fruit" machines

Abstract

A toy amusement device has a drive motor which is started by the insertion of a disc in the device whereupon a handle can be operated to cause the motor to rotate a plurality of display drums all at the same time and then pushbuttons can be depressed successively to discontinue rotation of the drums at different times and if the display drums show winning symbols means are automatically activated to discharge a given number of discs as evidence thereof.

Claims

1. An amusement machine comprising a plurality of drums each having symbols provided around its peripheral surface, a shaft having said drums rotatably mounted thereon, an electric motor, a drive shaft connected to said motor, a like plurality of transmission means normally connecting said drive shaft to said drums for rotating said drums, a like plurality of braking means capable of braking said drums, a like plurality of control pushbuttons, a like plurality of stop means each operatively connected to said control pushbuttons and capable of disengaging each transmission means from its respective drum independently of the other drums and applying the respective braking means to said drum, a disc receptacle, a disc collecting compartment in communication with said disc receptacle, a disc discharge mechanism in said disc collecting compartment, a disc discharge knob connected to said disc discharge mechanism for manual actuation as desired to discharge discs collected in said compartment, a motor energization circuit connected to said motor and including a main switch, an auxiliary switch, automatic switches, drive control switches and a source of current, said main switch being positioned within said disc receptacle for activation by a disc placed therein, a disc discharge pushbutton being operatively connected to said disc discharge mechanism and said auxiliary switch, said automatic switches correspond to a predetermined number of symbols on said drums and are subject to being closed by the indexing of said drums, said drive control switches consisting of at least two pairs of such drive control switches with one pair differing in closing and opening time from the other pair thereof and each control switch being connected in circuit with said automatic switches whereby said motor energization circuit may be selectively controlled by said main switch or by said automatic switches in association with said drive control switches when activated by said auxiliary switch in response to activation of said disc discharge pushbutton.

2. An amusement machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein each said transmission means includes a common drive shaft operatively connected to said motor drive shaft, a common fixed shaft, frame members pivotally mounted on said fixed common shaft and each positioned below one of said drums, rollers each mounted on a different one of said frame members and positioned for engaging said common drive shaft and the one of said drums above its frame member and resilient means tending to hold said rollers against said common drive shaft and said rollers corresponding drum.

3. An amusement machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein each said braking means consists of a brake cam connected to a respecTive drum, and an arm connected to a respective one of said frame members and extending towards, but normally spaced from said respective cam.

4. An amusement machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein each said stop means consists of a slideably mounted connecting bar having one of said control pushbuttons on one end thereof and a stop member attached to the other end thereof positioned for abutting and pivoting one of said frame members when the corresponding control pushbutton is manually depressed thereby applying its arm to the cam of the corresponding drum and resilient means tending to hold each connecting bar from its frame member.

5. An amusement device as claimed in claim 4 including a plurality of pressors, a common shaft having said pressors pivotally mounted thereon and each capable of abutting one of said stop members when its pushbutton is manually depressed to hold said stop member and said pushbutton in their depressed position whereby the corresponding frame member is pivoted applying said braking means and resilient means tending to move each pressor to its stop member.

6. An amusement device as claimed in claim 5 including a pivotally mounted drum releasing plate having projections each behind one of said pressors for at times pivoting each pressor from its stop member upon the pivoting of said releasing plate in one direction, said plate having a V-shaped arm positioned for moving said auxiliary switch to a closing position upon the pivoting of said releasing plate in said one direction, said plate further having a lateral end, a pivotal lever and means connecting said pivoted lever to said plate lateral end for pivoting said releasing plate in one direction when said pivotal lever is manually operated.

7. An amusement device as claimed in claim 6 wherein said connecting means consists of a cam connected to said lever, a spring connected to said cam and said plate lateral end, a second spring is connected to said cam and tends to pivot said cam in the opposite direction to said lever.

8. An amusement device as claimed in claim 7 including stops each limiting the pivoting of said cam and said plate lateral end.

9. An amusement device as claimed in claim 6 including a pivotally mounted lifting plate having one end capable of preventing the closing of said auxiliary switch, said plate lateral end having an aperture for receiving the other end of said lifting plate to retain said plate lateral end from pivoting and resilient means tending to pivot said lifting plate to its position preventing closing of said auxiliary switch and pivoting of said plate lateral end.

10. An amusement machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said disc discharge mechanism includes a lever pivotally mounted on said disc collecting compartment and provided at one end with an opening capable of retaining a predetermined number of discs, said disc discharge knob being operatively connected to the other end of said lever, a spring loaded abutment pivotally mounted on said lever, a stop on said lever for limiting the pivoting of said abutment in one direction, said disc collecting compartment has a disc discharge opening positioned for at times coinciding with said lever opening, said lever has a second opening over which said abutment normally extends and means controlled by said disc discharge pushbutton for at times operatively engaging said motor and said abutment for pivoting said abutment and thereby said lever for discharging the discs in said first lever opening.

11. An amusement machine as claimed in claim 10 wherein said means controlled by said disc discharge button includes a slideably mounted shaft, a gear fixedly mounted on said shaft, a crank plate fixedly mounted on said shaft, a roller pin carried by said crank plate and positioned for at times entering said lever second opening and pivoting said abutment, a pinion operatively connected to said motor and positioned for at times meshing with said gear and means controlled by said disc discharge pushbutTon and capable of moving said shaft whereby said gear engages said pinion and said roller pin can strike said abutment upon manual operation of said disc discharge pushbutton.

12. An amusement device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said disc discharge pushbutton controlled means consists of a pressor strip connected to said disc discharge pushbutton, a slideable member positioned for being pushed by said pressor strip, a pressor bar carried by said slideable member and positioned for engaging said gear and resilient means attached to said slideable member and tending to keep said pressor bar from said gear.

13. An amusement device as claimed in claim 11 wherein said auxiliary switch includes a contact strip connected to said disc discharge pushbutton, an insulating sliding strip, a contact carried by said sliding strip and positioned for being engaged by said contact strip when said disc discharge pushbutton is manually depressed, and a pinion fixedly mounted on said shaft, a second shaft, a gear fixedly mounted on said second shaft and positioned for meshing with said pinion when said first shaft is moved by said disc discharge pushbutton controlled means, and a cam fixedly carried by said second shaft and positioned for engaging and withdrawing said sliding strip and thereby said contact from said contact strip.

14. An amusement device as claimed in claim 13 wherein said drive control switches consist of an insulating disc fixedly mounted on said second shaft, a first contact strip mounted on said insulating disc, a second contact strip mounted on said insulating disc and being longer than said first contact strip, a plurality of fixed contacts each positioned for being engaged by one of said contact strips, said contact strips and fixed contacts being interconnected in said circuit and resilient means tending to retain said cam in a position where said sliding strip contact can be engaged by said contact strip.

15. An amusement device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said main switch includes an insulating support pivotally connected to said disc collecting compartment, conductive strips carried by said insulating support and interconnected in said circuit, resilient means tending to retain said conductive strips in said disc receptacle to contact a disc therein.

16. An amusement device as claimed in claim 15 wherein said insulating support has a ledge and is normally positioned in said disc receptacle for supporting the disc therein.

17. An amusement device as claimed in claim 15 including a rotatably mounted connecting rod having a leg positioned for at times pivoting said insulating support and thus said conductive strips and ledge from said disc receptacle, and one of said control pushbuttons being connected to said rod for rotating the same and thus pivot said insulating support from said disc receptacle so that the discs supported therein fall into said disc collecting compartment.

18. An amusement device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said automatic switches consist of contact strips positioned on the sides of said drums for rotation therewith and fixed contact strips, said fixed contact strips are arranged to contact said drum contact strips on rotation of each drum and said contact strips and fixed contact strips are interconnected in said circuit.

19. An amusement device as claimed in claim 1 including a housing containing the machine and having openings through which said drums can be viewed and said pushbuttons being positioned exteriorily of said housing.