C.O.C.A. Times

Caille's Later Model Slot Machines:
The Mysteries and Miseries of the Pump
By Patrick Deshaye
The later model Caille slots-- in particular those produced by the Caille
Bros. Co. after their acquisition by Fuller-Johnson in 1932-- are treated
by many antique slot collectors as if they were a pack of flea -bitten stray
dogs. Nary a positive word can be found in print or anywhere else for all
of the Dough-Boys, Cadets and Commanders out there: "undesirable"
and "ugly" are typical descriptors. Some antique slot dealers on the in-
ternet appear to pretend these machines don't exist at all. Though there
are signs that attitudes may be less dismal among unprejudiced novice collectors ("They're sleepers! " squawked one veteran dealer who
ought to know), the reputation of the '30s line of Cai lies is somewhat justified . Adolph Cai lie sold his company along with the right to use
his own name-- going on to found AC Novelty-- and apparently took along with him any tendency to design and manufacture a smooth-
running mechanism. The resulting products from Caille's Detroit facility were not "superior": many critical parts were reproduced in lunky,
easily-bent metals and the jackpot mechanisms in particular became a Rube Goldberg nightmare of loose-fitting hardware, often jam-
ming or malfunctioning in ways that could incite spontaneous acts of vandalism . Indeed, just keeping a collection of 1934-1939 Cailles
running can be a hobby in itself, as I've discovered. Yet, despite all the other causes for concern, most antique slot aficionados reserve
their ire for the "pump" as the sole source of endless trouble and blame that device alone for the demise of the entire Caille slot line.
The "pump," known formally as the "Full-Floating Governor," is a hydraulic timer designed to take the place of the mechanical "clock"
timer found in all other mechanical slots. Naturally, the intended advantage sought was a smooth, silent operation ... "silence" being a
major selling point at the time. Hence the Cai lie Silent Sphinx model was produced in 1932 from a dependable Superior mechanism in a
stylishly redecorated Art Deco-Egyptomania cabinet to include the first Caille pump. The newfangled pump device was to remain (with
some modification) in all models produced after the Fuller-Johnson acquisition; these include the Dictator, Dough-Boy, Cadet,
Commander, Console, Play-Boy and Knockout Deluxe models.
IMPORTA NT
,uKE NO ADJUSTME1'iS ONTI I E F'ULt,.
fLOATlNG COYEHi\'Oll OTUEll
TIIM'i T HOSE su,;CESTEll DELOW
READ CAREFULLY
Thr Full-Floni ng Gowrnor. whkh r.:pbus
the old clock-works go,·,rnor. is of sp«i:,I
dtrign :ind conmumd to giw Ions utisf.lu-
ory .ur.-ict. No gun or r.;itch~,s :,:,: r.:-
quirtd, he-nee tXtNmc: siknct.
Th<: oni)' :,djustmcn1 th.:- op:r:,tor or mr-
ch:anic should :,mmpt to m:,k.- is turning to
right or kft th, V:,h·c Stem 406 36 to r.-g•
ubtt :ht durnion of spin of :.'(Is.
A nrr slight rum (po»iblr 1- 32 of an
inch) to right will lllow mis to spi n :,
locgrr tim,.
Turning the V:,ln· Su~m to 1.-ft shorttns 1hc
spinning 1irnc of tN"ls.
This V1h·c sttm m:ar bt turn«i b:it k o: fonh
until tht corr«t .spin is obt;iincd.
Under no circumm1nccs ,Hetmp1 to put oil
or otbtr l!uid into Ult Go,·trnor . .3..S this re•
qoircs a non-frtnini solution madt r.s~-
ci1lly for thl purpose. The Gowrnor h.a.s
bctn propttly filltd ;ii the factory and chis
will I.a.st ir.ddiniccly.
No adjwtmcnc.s should br m;idt co the in•
ncr puts of Go\·trnor. Rcmo\'ing ciUlcr
End Up might result in luk.1gc. Do not
ukc ;ipan.
In cvcot of damage to Covtrno:. wrirt or
wire for rtphetmcnt and mur:'I the d;imagcd
one. Any other in!orm:ition rtquircd will
be !:trit on rcquuc.
The internal function of the pump device-- which from the outside resembles a decapitated manatee fetus--
can be deduced from the arrangement of its parts. It is comprised of a piston driven by a crankshaft/conrod
into a cylinder, which forces fluid through a narrow gallery back to the crankcase. The piston is perforated at
the top; a disc-shaped cap opens like a valve on the return stroke (Fig. A) , when the slot machine lever is pulled.
This cap then passively seals the top of the piston at the start of the pressure stroke (Fig. B), at which point all
fluid is forced to pass through the gallery, which can be further restricted with a needle valve adjustment
screw: this is the sole means of varying the cycle speed. There is also an acceleration or release phase built into
the device: the bore of the cylinder opens slightly at about 1 / 3 of stroke, allowing another set of three small
perforations in the side of the piston to transmit fluid back to the crankcase (Fig. C). For this reason, anyone
holding a pump in hand and pushing the crank forward will feel very stiff resistance for the first few degrees of
its travel, which will then suddenly release as if it has come apart inside; this odd and unexpected reaction
may seem like a malfunction to anyone unfamiliar with the device, but it is actually necessary for the proper
timing of the slot machine cycle.
So, what could have gone wrong with Caille's smooth, silent hydraulic solution to the problem of noisy,
ratchety clockworks in slot machines? Stories abound. Some say the hex cap to the crankcase was too thin and
would wear an oval gap around the crankshaft, allowing the hydraulic fluid to seep out. Loss of fluid causes the
machine cycle to initiate much too early, making the first stop slam down after only a fractional turn of the reel
and converting the escalator into a nickel catapult. Apparently
-=
evaporative loss could also occur or the pump contents would
congeal over time for other reasons-- restorers have reported
opening pumps to find only a soft mass of dirty jelly inside.
Regarding the hydraulic fluid itself, there are a few legends that have made the rounds. It is
reported that the original stuff was so malodorous as to knock a buzzard off an outhouse.
There is a claim circulating that the original factory fluid was sperm whale oil, which is now
illegal to obtain, rendering authentic refurbishment practically impossible. However, Caille
factory literature clearly indicates "a non-freezing solution made especially for the purpose,"
and since sperm oil turns to sold wax at a mere 37 degrees F, it is a poor fit, except perhaps
as a minor constituent of the mixture. Having chemically analyzed samples of what is
almost certainly authentic (and certainly very strong-smelling) hydraulic fluid from a
a: C
O