Coin Machine Journal

May-June, 1932
THE COI N M A C H I N E J O U R N A L
beverage must be properly condi­
tioned for sale. The presentation
must be constantly appetizing and
sanitary. The public must never be
disappointed in that transaction
where they surrender 'their money,
a coin, for a nationally known and
accepted product.
“Although the vending device is
ciation) and when the loss by pilfer­
ing and spurious coins becomes ex­
cessive.
“Practically all coin operated de­
vices are subject to abuse. They
must be simple in operation, rugged
in construction, yet modern in de­
sign and merchandising appeal; a
combination of requirements war-
/ ranting a heavy rate for deprecia­
tion and absoleseence if profits are
to be truthfully computed.
“We have manufactured test bulk
beverage dispensers costing many
hundreds of dollars. We ourselves
to gain experience have operated a
considerable number of such units
for the past two summers. We have
found the operating problems of
such machines to be very complex
indeed, so much so, that even now
we do not have such a device ready
for the market.”
Ships Checks to
Operators Only
“In refusing to ship checks to
any but operators,” says John W at­
ling of the Watling Manufacturing
Co., “We feel we are working for
the best interests of the coin ma­
chine industry. We have insisted
Above is shown the bottle vending
on proof from customers unknown
machine m anufactured by the
to us that they are actual operators.
Quenchiteria Company of Chicago.
The refrigerating element is concealed
Unless we know a man, he must
below, and the brine tanks above sur­
show us a bill of sale for a machine
rounding the bottles.
before we will ship him checks.”
of secondary importance in this
“It takes more than just an idea
transaction with the public, it is of
‘to make a successful coin operated
utmost importance to the good-will
machine,” says John Watling, of
of the product sold. In public ser­
the Watling Mfg. Co., in telling the
vice and satisfaction, it must equal
story of how the W atling Blue Seal
the product sold.
round game came into an already
active and competitive market and
“As we see it there are two obvi­
stepped up to the front in sales.
ous reasons for the automatic coin­
“In designing Blue Seal we rec­
controlled sale of beverages. First,
ognized that strictly a game of skill
the method opens new points of con­
may become tiresome, or strictly a
tact with the public not available
game of luck might lose its appeal.
through any other method of mer­
Our idea, which we have found to
chandising, and second, in some
be
sound, was to combine these two
cases there is a saving of clerk hire
features in a machine of better
effected.
workmanship than is ordinarily
“The spread between gross and
found in medium priced games.
net profits is narrowed tremendous­
“W ith Watling’s reputation of
ly when there is an excessive amount •
43 years at stake we were obliged
of mechanical service expense;
to give quality and quantity which
when the investment cost is too
was done by giving a larger playing
great (resulting in excessive depre­
Enhanced Scans © The International Arcade Museum
93
field. A field that would give the
player a long natural roll of the
ball before it came to rest in the
pockets located in beautiful, highly
polished aluminum center plate.
This roll naturally had to be unob­
structed so we eliminated the pins
at this point.
“We felt the best name we could
give a maehine of this kind would
be one that was simple, and easy to
remember, as well as have some
definite hookup with the reputation
of its maker.
“For this reason ‘Blue Seal’
loomed up as the most appropriate
name, and one that would endure
against a fad for names that might
later prove confusing.
“We also felt that Blue Seal, the
Watling trade-mark, was so well
known that its appearance on a
game would at once stamp the game
as one of outstanding quality and
distinction.
“While sales have exceeded our
first estimates, we feel ‘that our ap­
praisal of what would meet the op­
erator’s demands in an entirely new
type of game has been fully justi­
fied. We are proud of the fact that
Blue Seal has joined the ranks of
W atling’s family of world famous
coin machine constructions.”
"You must forget the unfortunate
thing that is behind and think of the
great things. that are before you.**
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