Coin Slot

Coin Slot Magazine - #092 - 1982 - October [International Arcade Museum]
Arcade Magic
THE
glass on three sides. This machine
DREDGER
by Steve Gronowski
also used a locator dial, situated on
the front bottom of the derrick, that
could be set using the knobs on
manufactured
either side of the cabinet front. A
small payout cup, to deliver the
hard won prize, was positioned be
tween the locator knobs. Inside, on
the floor of the cabinet, were over
30 payout knobs, positioned rather
at the same address used by Exhibit
arm would drop.
The final arcade device in
the family of IRON CLAW
machines to be featured
is the DREDGER. It was
by the Standard
Game Company, which was located
randomly below where the boom
Operation was simple for the play
Supply Company in Chicago, Illinois.
Advertised by Standard Game as
"the most beautiful and profitable
machine built today," they claimed
the DREDGER was the first to com
bine the proven money making fea
tures of the Check machines with
the skill features of the IRON CLAWS.
This machine was manufactured in
er and seemed deceptively easy.
The patron would just set the boom
by rotating the right hand knob to
the proper location. He would then
locate the derrick, as displayed on
the locator scale on the front of the
derrick, by turning the left hand
the late 1930s and early 1940s,
knob. A nickel in the coin chute
would start the electric motor that
and is most commonly found in
turned the derrick to the preset
nickel denominations.
place. The bucket lowered and would
The DREDGER was very similar
to the IRON CLAW, having many of
the same features but in a much
more ornate cabinet. The very nicely
finished wood cabinet sat on four,
fairly tall legs and was decorated
with carved scroll work and leaf
designs The cabinet height was 66
inches and its depth was 21 Vi inches.
A similar boom arm and derrick as
the IRON CLAW used sat on the
base of the cabinet enclosed by
either pull or miss one of the payout
knobs, according to the skill of the
operator. When a player was suc
cessful in pulling out a payout knob,
tokens would be delivered to him in
the cup on the front of the machine.
Standard Game Company styled
this coin machine to be more ele
gant and sophisticated, without the
usual flash and dazzle of the IRON
CLAW. Their advertising stated: "If
you have been passing up that ex-
style
machines." The
DREDGER
Standard also claimed it got the
maximum intakeof $18.00 perhour,
$50 to $75 daily was not to be
considered unusual and "the play
was not a flash in the pan." The
DREDGER had all the samefeatures
that kept check machines popular
1950 Monroe, Glenview, Illinois 60025
(312)998-1990
d
for many years.
restoration of
The DREDGER was an un
cabinets and
castings at modest prices
for the private collector
usual machine and less
common than the rest of
the IRON CLAW models.
It would be an unique machine to
add to any collection, its "high class"
cabinet accenting a group of prized
jukeboxes and slot machines. This
■
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Specializing in Antique Slot Machines
8 - THE COIN SLOT
most exclusive of locations, places
that would never accept the old
"high class" dough as well. With a
Cabinet Restoration
© The International Arcade Museum
lobby where you know the money is
— you don't have to do it now. You
can locate the DREDGER in the
was the "high class" version of the
more common IRON CLAW.
Jamie - Lynn
.com
m
and/or u
dealer.
:
se
u restorations
from - Our
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d
e
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d will help your
load .arca slot
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w
machine investment
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grow in value.
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elusive club location or that hotel
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machine would be a very good in
vestment for a collector, as prices
are still reasonable, and the DRED
GER would be a standout among
any collection.
http://www.arcade-museum.com/
October 1982