Starpoint Electrics Limited

501 Starpoint Electrics Limited

David Partridge

The invention relates to a coin acceptor mechanism in which a coil (101) is wound on a former (102) having a central opening (104) of a shape corresponding to the outline of a coin (103) to be checked and mounted with the plane of the opening at an angle to the horizontal. The opening (104) has, towards its lower side, a cross member (106) located below the transverse center line of the coil (101) so that a coin (103b) can momentarily rest on the cross member with its plane in the plane of the coil and can then turn about the cross member under its own weight and pass edge-wise through the opening in the former. A coin guide (110) guides coins edge-wise in a generally vertical direction towards the lower side of the coil so that a coin emerging from the guide enters the part of the opening (107) in the former (102) on the side of the cross member (106) away from the diameter and then turns about the cross member into the plane of the coil, at which point an output signal dependent on the characteristics of the coin as a whole is obtained. A lever (112) is included for clearing jammed coins.

Coin checking

A coin 12 to be checked is passed through a test coil 1 connected in parallel with a capacitor 2. A comparison coil 3 having an adjustable core 5 is also connected in parallel with a capacitor 4 and a direct current is passed through both coils in parallel from a rail 13 to an interrupter 14. The simultaneous interruption of the current through both coils produces between each coil and its capacitor a respective oscillatory discharge in the form of a decaying wave train and the characteristics and dimensions of the two coils and their capacitors are such that when a coin of the selected denomination passes through the test coil, the two wave trains are substantially identical. The two wave trains are compared by a comparator device 6 and a voltage comparator 7 generates a signal when the result of the comparison is below a predetermined datum, thus indicating that the coin is a genuine one.

Coin checking method and apparatus employing wave train comparison

A reel unit for a gaming machine comprises a stepping motor 1 connected to drive the reel through a reduction gearbox 2 having an output shaft 3 coupled to a boss 5 forming part of the reel. The shaft end 3 forms a close fit with a circular opening 12 in the boss 5 and a transverse pin 8 extending through the shaft 3 is located in a transverse slot 14 in the face of the boss 5, the slot 14 being wider than the pin 8 and its sides engaging the pin only through a pair of resilient O-rings 9 on each extending portion of the pin 8, each O-ring being located in a respective recess 15 in the sides of the slot 14.

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West Wickham, United Kingdom

David Partridge