Amusement devices: games – Chance devices – Rotating disk
Patent
1996-06-18
1998-07-28
Stoll, William E.
Amusement devices: games
Chance devices
Rotating disk
273144B, A63F 502
Patent
active
057853169
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a money-operated slot machine which indicates a score by displaying certain symbols or symbol combinations, and in which playing bodies having a visible symbol identification move freely in rotatable drums that have compartments on the inside of their casing for receiving a playing body, with at least one playing body sensor being associated with each drum in the region of a display window for a playing body, the sensor being connected to a computer-controlled control unit for the course of the game in order to evaluate the symbol identification.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Slot machines of the above type are known in widely-varying embodiments. For example, DE 37 17 593 C2 discloses a game machine for a game of chance that can be played after a coin has been deposited and, when certain numbers or symbols or combinations thereof are displayed, pays out a win. In this instance, playing bodies having a number and/or symbol identification that is visible to the player are disposed so as to move freely in at least one drum which rotates essentially about a horizontal axis and has compartments on the inside of its casing for individually receiving a playing body. Moreover, the game machine is equipped with at least one playing body sensor and a control unit, connected to the sensor, for displaying results and/or paying out a win.
In one embodiment of this known game machine, three adjacent drums are provided which partially overlap each other. Each drum can rotate about its own axis, which is perpendicular to the front side of the game machine housing; the two outer drums can rotate clockwise, and the center drum can rotate counterclockwise. The drums are in the shape of a cylindrical disk which is hollow inside and has a circumferential casing as well as a circular rear wall and front wall, respectively. The casing, the rear wall and the front wall of each drum are produced in one piece from a transparent material. The arrangement of the drums involving the disposition of their axes parallel to one another stipulates a relatively wide game machine design. Since at least the front wall must comprise a relatively expensive, transparent material so that the player can identify a playing body located behind the wall, and the casing must also comprise this material so that a contactless-scanning playing body sensor can identify a playing body in a compartment, the resulting production cost for the drums is high overall.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to create a money-operated slot machine of the type mentioned at the outset which possesses a structurally simple, yet relatively narrow, design, has an attractive shape and can be produced inexpensively.
In accordance with the invention, this object is accomplished in that behind a viewing plate secured to the housing, and a metallic effect.
The essential advantage achieved with the invention lies in the compact arrangement of the drums with respect to one another, and in the lateral extension of the drums, because the slot machine can accordingly be configured to be narrow. The axes of the drums are oriented in the longitudinal direction with respect to each other, that is, they extend parallel to the viewing plate. A further advantage is that, because of the transparent casing of each drum, the player can observe the playing bodies moving freely in the drum, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the playing body sensor can scan a playing body without contact, which requires only a small outlay for transparent material. Furthermore, the visible frame of each drum comprising metal or a material that produces a metallic effect assures, on the one hand, simple assembly of the drums and, on the other hand, a visually appealing appearance of the drums.
To obtain a frame that is visually attractive, yet inexpensive to produce, in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the frame of each drum is a vacuum-metallized plastic frame. As an alternative, it is also possible to
REFERENCES:
patent: 2396475 (1946-03-01), Rodekurt
patent: 4824113 (1989-04-01), Lange
patent: 5088737 (1992-02-01), Frank et al.
patent: 5590879 (1997-01-01), Tripp
NSM Aktiengesellschaft
Stoll William E.
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