HIGHLIGHTS 1937 CONVEN
TION
(Continued from page 13)
tio n th a t inventive genius m ay find it
possible to b rin g m any of the old
tim e ideas and games up to date,
w ith an attractive cabinet, m echanical
perfection and modern publicity.
■There were about 28 different
models of the bell or jack po t m a
chines displayed. Sm all counter games,
w hich operate on the principle o f the
revolving wheel, included ab out 63
models. The reel types shown p o int
to a steady grow th in the use o f the
counter devices in sales prom otion.
There were 20 models of novelty
pin ball games shown. The m an u fa c
tu rin g of novelty pin ball games now
seems to be to meet an established
dem and. There was no appearance of
a real innovation. The payout type of
table games is still very popular. There
were 32 models exhibited. This type
of gam e also has shown progress in
m echanical refinements, novelty play
in g fields and beauty of cabinet.
V ending M achines Im proved
G reat strides were made in the
m erchandising field. The cigarette
vending m achine held a place of p ro m i
nence, w ith 37 models exhibited. The
m a jo rity of the models exhibited, show
the highest qu ality o f vending m achine
construction. The im portance o f the
autom atic m achine in the sale of
cigarettes was clearly seen by the
qu ality and types of the exhibits. R ich
qualities in cabinet design and m e
chanical refinem ent, were very m uch
in evidence.
C andy and gum vendors were very
conspicuous. 24 models were dis
played. 70 n u t and confection vendors
were also displayed. The variety of the
vending m achines shown and the
num ber of displays of m erchandising
machines, shows the rem arkable pro
gress made in the m erchandising m a
chine field d u rin g the past year.
Several miscellaneous types of m er
chandisers shown, included postage
stam p, razor blade and shoe shine
machines and scales. The cigarette
m achines and bulk vending machines
showed the greatest progress in the
field of the m erchandising m achine.
Candy bar m achines were in the
m inority, w hich probably is an in dica
tion th a t this type of vendor has n ot
kept pace w ith the general progress
of the vending field.
The trend of the manufacturing
field is toward bigger and more ex
pensive machines that are definitely
legal. These include the bowling
games, cigarette machines, targets,
17
AUTOMATIC AGE
February, 1987
phonographs, etc. There is a m arked
tendency to branch out w ith a greater
num ber and variety of machines.
There is also a definite trend to m a n u
facture products now altogether o u t
side the autom atic field. A n in dica
tio n of this condition is the m ak in g
of ice cream freezers, fractional
m otors, fu rnitu re , novelties and air-
conditioning apparatus, by coin m a
chine firms today. This m ay portend
expansion into this field in 1937.
machines was also displayed. The
U niversal coin head and the V anak
coin selector were featured in spe
cial booths, as examples o f the latest
developments
in
specialized
coin
chutes. A novel idea was the adapta
tion of the coin head to table games.
E ach year this battle against slugs
goes on, and each year adds its con
trib u tio n to the hope o f reaching final
perfection in
coin detection and
elim ination.
The 1937 convention brought out
the follow ing points: (1)* I t exceeded
all previous conventions in atte nd
ance, num ber o f exhibitors and in the
hig h qu an tity , qu ality and variety of
exhibits. (2) A definite tendency to
w ard the m anufacture o f hig h grade,
fu lly legal machines was indicated.
(3) The wide variety of m achines and
products show n indicates healthy pro
gress and expansion in the trade. (4)
M erchandising machines made a defi
nite comeback, particularly in the
hig h grade cigarette v ending m a
chines on display. (5) M an u factu re rs’
are loo k ing forw ard to a bigger and
better year of business in 1937, than
ever before in the history o f the coin
m achine industry.
B anquet Is “T ops”
The an nu al banquet o f the 1937
Coin M achine C onvention drew 3,500
o f the convention crowd. O n the
m ezzanine floor, every room available
was converted in to a d in in g room and
the O ld Town Room had it share
and more, of the diners.
A ltho ugh a num ber o f officials of
the m an u factu rers’ association were
a t the speaker’s table and were in
troduced to the group in the G rand
B allroom , speeches were declared
“ out.”
The people a t the b an qu e t were lavishly
ente rtaine d by m an y high class acts. The
d an cing cutie, shown above, is Just one of
the high spots of a very eventful evening.
One of the outstanding advance
ments made in the coin m achine in
dustry d u rin g the past year was the
progress made in the perpetual battle
ag ain st slugs. The latest develop
m ents in coin chutes and slug ejectors,
were exhibited by eight firms. The
well-known A . B. T. line was on dis
play. The coin detector was featured
w ith a movie, dram atized to show its
operation. The Shyvers-Monarch de
vice featured its visible escalator. The
latest W u rlitze r slug chute was in
troduced, and w ill be sold to the trade.
The G oretta chute for m erchandising
© International Arcade Museum
As it was necessary to offer three
shows in three separate rooms by
s h iftin g the ta le n t fro m one stage
to the other, an idea can be gained
o f the great difficulty under w hich
the acts worked. The Sadie M orris
Agency supplied the talent, w hich in
cluded three emsees and three or
chestras. The emsees were W illie
Shore, Fred S tritt and Bert Granoff,
and the orchestras o f Charley S traig ht,
Sol W ag ne r and M arvin L uster sup
plied the music in three separate
rooms.
The acts included the 16 Chez
Paree girls; Thi'ee Gauschos, skating
act; Prosper and M erit, acrobatic;
Gold D ust T wins, bo x ing stunts;
S h ality and C arlto n, dancing team ;
Tonya, in her S outh Sea dance; F lo r
ence B arlow , exotic dancer; B en
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