Apparatus for collecting articles

• US 5,085,308 A
• Filed: 10/30/1989
• Issued: 02/04/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Egapro Patent AG
• Original Assignee: Egapro Patent AG
• Inventors: Wilhelm, Rene
• Primary Examiner(s): Werner, Frank E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DINICOLA, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US07/428,394
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 194/205, 194/208, 194/209, 194/211-213, 100/902, 273/138 A, 273/143 R
• US Class Current: 194/205
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3227 Configuring a gaming machine, e.g. downloading personal settings, selecting working parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3248 involving non-monetary media of fixed value, e.g. casino chips of fixed value
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3253 involving articles, e.g. paying in bottles, paying out toys
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/0609 by fluid containers, e.g. bottles, cups, gas containers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 100/902 Can crushers

Abstract

An apparatus for collecting articles is housed in a parallelepipedic casing, on the front panel of which is arranged a display part of a playing part. An article-return part with an article-receiving container is also provided in the apparatus. The front panel of the casing is subdivided into a number of fields of which one field forms a door for an access to an article collecting container. A gaming machine is arranged in another field, and the article-return part in the third field. The gaming machine is at least partly visible through a window so that its game can be seen. Increased use of the apparatus results from the visibility and/or audibility of the game.

Claims

1. Apparatus for receiving and selectively collecting articles, comprising:

a casing;

a container for accepting an article to be selectively collected, having side walls, a flap on the first end and an open bottom on the second end;

a recognition device for selecting or rejecting an article in the container;

an article retaining stop for retaining the article in the container during recognition;

means for reducing the shape of a selected article retained in the container, said means for reducing the shape being connected to said recognition device;

a pivot shaft mounted between said side walls and said casing, said pivot shaft defining a container pivot axis whereby said container is pivotable about said container pivot axis into an inclined position and into a position of axial alignment with said means for reducing the shape of said selected article;

a collecting device for receiving an article reduced in shape by said means for reducing the shape of a selected article, whereby said article reduced in shape is transferred from said container to said collecting device when said container is in said inclined position;

a gaming device electrically connected to said recognition device, said gaming device comprising an integral gaming machine having means to determine randomly whether to award a prize and having an optical display portion comprised of a plurality of rotating rollers, each rotating roller provides on its circumferential surface a sequence of visible displays of symbols that represent winning of a prize when said symbols on said rotating rollers are aligned in predetermined combinations; and

a prize dispenser connected to the gaming machine, whereby a prize is dispensed when said symbols are aligned in one of said predetermined combinations.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gaming machine is connected to an acoustical indicator.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical display of the gaming machine is in the form of text display.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the gaming machine is placed behind a glass window in the casing.

5. An apparatus for receiving and selectively collecting articles, comprising:

a casing;

a container for accepting an article to be selectively collected having sidewalls, a flap on the first end, and an open bottom on the second end;

a recognition device for selecting or rejecting an article in the container during recognition;

means for reducing the shape of a selected article retained in the container, said means for reducing the shape being connected to said recognition device;

a pivot shaft mounted between said sidewalls and said casing, said pivot shaft defining a container pivot axis whereby said container is pivotable about said container pivot axis into an inclined position and into a position of axial alignment with said means for reducing the shape of said selected article;

a collecting device for receiving an article reduced in shape by said means for reducing the shape of said selected article, whereby said article reduced in shape is transferred from said container to said collecting device when said container is in said inclined position;

a gaming device electrically connected to said recognition device, said gaming device comprising an integral gaming machine having means to determine randomly whether to award a prize and having an optical display device comprised of a plurality of illuminated glass plates, wherein each of said illuminated glass plates provides a visible sequential display of symbols that represent a winning of a prize when said symbols on said plates are aligned in predetermined combinations; and

a prize dispenser connected to said gaming machine, whereby a prize is dispensed when said symbols are aligned in one of said predetermined combinations.