Medal playing machine

Details Medal playing machine Medal playing machine

2000-09-25

2002-08-13

Layno, Benjamin H. (Department: 3711)

Amusement devices: games

Chance devices

Gravity-propelled chance element randomly traverses or...

C273S290000, C273S14400A, C273S138200, C273S138100

Reexamination Certificate

active

06431542

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a medal playing machine referred to as a so-called pusher playing machine in which medals deposited on its playing field and from which a player gains the medals pushed out by a medal pusher. Particularly, the present invention relates to the medal playing machine which also has a medal-passing gate at a front side of the medal pusher and, moreover, an obstructing means which obstructs the medals from passing through the medal-passing gate.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Playing machines in which medals are used are classified to ones in which medals are used as a currency in playing the games and ones in which medals per se are objects of the games. An example of the former is a slot machine. On the other hand, an example of the latter is a so-called pusher playing machine.
The pusher playing machine is a playing machine in which a medal pusher can move reciprocatedly on a playing field. A player supplies medals onto the playing field and the supplied medals are gradually deposited on the playing field. Then, while the medal pusher moves reciprocatedly, the deposited medals are pushed out and they fall from the playing field. Namely, it is a purpose for the player who plays with the pusher playing machine to gain as many fallen medals as possible.
Some pusher playing machines have a medal-passing gate at a front side of its medal pusher.
Namely, the medal-passing gate is a space (e.g. a slit-shaped space) provided to the medal pusher, through which the medal rolls to pass. When the medal passes through the space, a prescribed lot drawing is performed. Then, according to a result of the lot drawing, a prescribed profitable condition is afforded to the player.
For example, some pusher playing machines have a medal supplier located above the playing field. Such a playing machine can afford the above-mentioned profitable condition to the player by supplying medals with the medal supplier onto the playing field according to a result of the lot drawing. Then, the player can gain more medals due to an increase of the number of medals pushed out by the medal pusher.
As an above-mentioned medal-passing gate, we can exemplify a comb-shaped obstructing plate provided at the front side of the medal pusher. Thus, the medals can roll to pass through the slits between the teeth of the comb.
Further, as disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication H10-179922, we can also exemplify the one in which the above-mentioned comb-shaped obstructing plate can move in a transverse direction. Namely, the transverse movement of the obstructing plate in addition to the longitudinal movement of the medal pusher makes it more difficult for the medals to pass through the medal-passing gate.
Since the above-mentioned movement of the obstructing plate in the prior art is substantially composed of only a transverse movement and a longitudinal movement, the obstructing plate shows a regular movement pattern. Thus, a skilled player can easily see through the movement pattern and he loses his interest in playing the game.
Further, there has been a problem that, once the medal playing machine is installed, it is impossible or difficult to adjust the difficulty of the movement pattern.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, the present invention has a purpose to provide a medal playing machine which has a complicated movement pattern of the vane plates, instead of the obstructing plate, and in which the difficulty of the game can easily be adjusted, by providing the vane plates which pivot transversely in front of the medal-passing gate and thus obstruct the medals from passing through the medal-passing gate.
Further, in addition to the above-mentioned purpose, the present invention has another purpose to detect the abnormal operation caused by the entanglement of the medal.
Accordingly, the present invention discloses a medal playing machine which comprises a playing field with a side edge at its front side, a gutter-shaped medal inlet device for supplying medals by rolling them onto the playing field, and a medal pusher
10
which moves reciprocatedly in a longitudinal direction on the playing field. The medal pusher
10
is provided with a pushing plate
20
which pushes the medals on the playing field towards the side edge and makes them fall. The pushing plate
20
is provided with a medal-passing gate
21
through which the medal rolling on the playing field may pass. The medal-passing gate
21
is provided with a plurality of vane plates
60
whose distal ends protrude frontward from the pushing plate
20
. The vane plates
60
pivot transversely so as to obstruct the medals from passing through the medal-passing gate
21
.
Here, “frontward” means the near side as seen from the player. Accordingly, the far side as seen from the player becomes “backward”.
The “playing field” means a plane on which the medals are deposited. The medals deposited on the playing field are expected to be pushed out frontward on the playing field by the medal pusher
10
mentioned later. The medals, which are pushed out, exceed the side edge and fall from the playing field. The player gains the fallen medals.
The “medal inlet device” is a device which supplies the medals to roll on the playing field. The medal inlet device is formed in a gutter-shape with a width slightly wider than the thickness of the medal. The medal inlet device is preferably made to pivot horizontally as well as vertically within given angles so that the player can adjust, to a certain extent, a direction and a position to supply the medal. Some of the medals supplied onto the playing field by the medal inlet device may roll to pass through the medal-passing gate
21
mentioned later and other medals are deposited on the playing field.
The “medal pusher” is a device which moves reciprocatedly in a longitudinal direction on the playing field. Here, “reciprocatedly in a longitudinal direction” means that the medal pusher comes near to and goes away from the player repeatedly.
On the near side of this medal pusher
10
, “a pushing plate” which directly comes into contact with the medals deposited on the playing field is mounted. When the medal pusher
10
comes near to the player, this pushing plate
20
pushes out the medals frontward.
The “medal-passing gate” means an opening formed in said pushing plate
20
with a height higher than a diameter of the medal. When the medal passes through this medal-passing gate
21
, a profitable condition is usually afforded to the player. Thus, the player supplies the medals so that the medals may pass through the medal-passing gate
21
. However, the “vane plates” described below are provided in order to obstruct the medals from passing through.
This medal-passing gate
21
is provided with a plurality of “vane plates” which obstruct the medals from passing through. Each vane plate
60
is arranged with an interval wide enough for the rolling medal to pass through. Further, an end of each vane plate
60
protrudes frontward from the pushing plate
20
so that the protruding end may pivot.
Namely, in the medal playing machine according to the present invention, the medal pusher
10
moves reciprocatedly on the playing field while the vane plates
60
pivot at the medal-passing gate
21
.
Then, while watching the vane plates
60
pivot, the player supplies the medal with the medal inlet device so that the medal may pass through the medal-passing gate
21
.
When the supplied medal successfully passes through between the vane plates
60
, the above-mentioned profitable condition comes to occur. For example, a prescribed number of medals will be supplied from the medal supplier, which is provided above the playing field, onto the playing field as the medal passes through the medal-passing gate
21
. In this case, since the pushing plate
20
pushes out more medals, more medals will fall from the side edge. As a result, the player can gain more medals.
The above-mentioned profitable condition may occur according to a result of

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