Classic Mode

Coin Slot

Issue: 1979 February 049

Coin Slot Magazine - #049 - 1979 - February [International Arcade Museum]
The art work is eye catching and
well balanced. Two bell boys in bright
red uniforms and caps with gold trim
and buttons dominate the front of the
machine.
They face each other hold
ing a pumpkin size blue and yellow
gum ball aloft against a potted palm
background.
Between the bell boys
is a glass front "jackpot" almost burst
ing with gaily colored gum balls ready
to pour out at the touch of a lever.
It is an excellent example of the "art
deco" design which is a favorite even today.
Two thumb press
levers are protruding from the lower front part of the machine.
The large one on the right is for playing the machine; the smaller
one on the lower left is pressed to receive the gum ball.
It has an
instruction marquee in an aluminum frame screwed to the top of
the machine. (See Photo A)
The mechanism itself is even more fascinating. While dismant
ling it for cleaning and restoration, I came across some puzzling
features. Over the reel strips, out of the players sight, there is a
movable red bar. This bar is attached to a dog-leg shaped piece
of metal that is counter balanced on the reel axle.
It has nothing
to do with the playing mechanism nor is there any visible connection
to the gum dispensing unit to its right. What then is its purpose? I
found out by accidentally bumping the machine while setting it
on the workbench. The red bar falls down over the three pay out
symbols when the mechanism is bumped.
It is a TILT device.
The machine has the free wheeling kicker type reel spinning unit
seen commonly
in trade stimulators.
It appears that the reels
could be jiggled to a winning combination, because the free wheel
ing mechanism has no locking dogs on the star wheel stops. J~hey
are the simple ratchet type wheels
that can be moved by jiggling the
machine.
The
balance counter
.com
m
:
u
om the muse
fr to
symbols putting a stop
d
-
e
jiggle" artists." l (See
a B) de
oad Photo
c
r
n
a
Dow //www.
: certainly a clever
The tilt was
http
weight falls off the axle which
allows the red bar to fall over the
anti-cheat device.
But why go
to all the trouble to design such
a thing and put it on a penny,
© The International Arcade Museum
http://www.arcade-museum.com/
Coin Slot Magazine - #049 - 1979 - February [International Arcade Museum]
bartender pay out gum ball machine? The answer to that question
really increased my admiration for the mechanical whizzes at Mills.
It seems that the coin slot will not only accomodate penr*ies,
but nickels, dimes, and quarters too. Why, on a supposedly penny
gum ball machine?
The pay out card reads, "The next 20 years
means success for you." when the three bars are hit; 'The lady
of your choice is as fair today as she was at 16!" when the three
bells are hit; "The numeral 2 means good luck for you." when the
two cherries are hit; and so forth in the usual way. The numbers
2, 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 are in a much bolder print than the "for
tunes," so it is evident that the interest in playing the machine
was not in getting the amusing fortunes or the gum balls for the
penny, nickel, dime, or quarter.
When the bartender checked out
the winning combination, he could tell if the machine had been
tilted and what to pay out.
How could
the bartender know
what kind of coin had been played?
Did
he pay 20 pennies or twenty
quarters?
As usual in trade stimu
lators, there is a small "inspection
window" on the side of the machine.
Originally it was used to check if
the player had used a slug or washer
to cheat the operator.
The
Bell
Boy has this inspection window too.
It shows a penny
in
it.
In fact,
regardless of what denomination of
coin
is played, the window has a
"permanent penny" displayed in the
inspection window.
This display
penny is pressed into a movable
frame.
It looks like a ruse to indi
cate to any law enforcement types
that the machine was only an inno
.com machine. Or, at
m
:
u
m worst, us if e the machine was used for
d fro d gambling,
e
why bust the place for
e-m
d
a
a
o
l
c
r
n
gambling
for
only pennies??
(See
a
.
Dow //www
Photo C)
:
Remember the coin slot that ac
http
cent penny gum
cepts quarters as well
as pennies?
This is why the place would be bust
photoc
© The International Arcade Museum
ed for gambling.
8
The permanent
http://www.arcade-museum.com/

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