Slot machine which pays out upon predetermined number of consecutive lost games

• US 4,669,731 A
• Filed: 01/08/1986
• Issued: 06/02/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aruze Corp. (Universal Entertainment Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Universal
• Inventors: Clarke, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Rolla, Joseph J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ammeen, Edward S.
• Application Number:
  US06/818,987
• Time in Patent Office: 510 Days
• Field of Search: 273/138 A, 273/143 R, 194/218, 194/219, 194/239, 194/240, 194/241, 194/242, 194/243, 194/244, 194/245, 194/246, 194/215, 194/216, 194/217, 194/353, 377/5, 377/7, 364/410, 364/412
• US Class Current: 463/20
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3244 Payment aspects of a gaming system, e.g. payment schemes, setting payout ratio, bonus or consolation prizes

Abstract

A slot machine of the type having a plurality of rotatable reels, each bearing an annular row of various symbols on the outer surface thereof, or a corresponding CRT display, which selects and displays combinations of symbols during each game, and which pays out coins not only when predetermined prize-winning combinations of symbols occur on prize-winning rows but also when a predetermined number of consecutive lost games take place.

Claims

1. A slot machine in which a plurality of lengthwise movable series of symbols are started to move after the insertion of coins thereinto and stopped to select combinations of symbols on predetermined prize-winning lines in the play of a game, said slot machine comprising:

a game counter for counting up every lost game in which there is no occurrence of a prize-winning combination of symbols;

means for resetting said game counter to its initial value when there is a prize-winning combination of symbols in any game;

means for paying out coins in a number corresponding to prize-winning combinations of symbols that have occurred in a game; and

means for actuating said coin pay-out means when the counted value of said lost game counter reaches a predetermined number, so as to pay out a certain number of coins when consecutive lost games of said predetermined number take place.

2. A slot machine as defined in claim 1, further comprising a game indicator for showing the counted value of said lost game counter.

3. A slot machine as defined in claim 1, further comprising a coin counter for counting up coins spent for lost games, said coin pay-out means paying out coins of the number corresponding to the counted value of said coin counter when consecutive lost games of said predetermined number take place.

4. A slot machine as defined in claim 3, wherein said coin counter is reset to its initial value when there is a prize-winning combination of symbols.

5. A slot machine as defined in claim 4, further comprising a coin indicator for showing the counted value of said coin counter.

6. A slot machine as defined in claim 5, further comprising means for changing said predetermined number.

7. A slot machine as defined in claim 2, further comprising a coin counter for counting up coins spent for lost games, said coin pay-out means paying out coins of the number corresponding to the counted value of said coin counter when consecutive lost games of said predetermined number take place.

8. A slot machine as defined in claim 7, wherein said coin counter is reset to its initial value when there is a prize-winning combination of symbols.

9. A slot machine as defined in claim 8, further comprising a coin indicator for showing the counted value of said coin counter.

10. A slot machine as defined in claim 9, further comprising means for changing said predetermined number.

11. A slot machine as defined in claim 1, further comprising means for changing said predetermined number.