GB1268104A - Improvements in and relating to slot machines - Google Patents

Abstract

1,268,104. Chance gaming apparatus. BERIOLA MACHINE CO. PTY. Ltd. 1 Aug., 1969 [2 Aug., 1968], No. 38716/69. Heading A6H. [Also in Divisions G4 and G6] A gaming machine has a number of reels which, when operated by a patron, rotate and stop, indicating a combination of indicia; sensing devices transmit electrical signals representing the displayed indicia to a logic circuit which transmits an electrical signal to a payout device, if the input signals represent winning indicia combinations, and a prescribed sum is paid out to the patron. A poker machine has five reels, each reel having indicia representing playing cards so that combinations of indicia represent poker hands; the displayed indicium for each reel is detected magnetically, or by capacitive effects, or microswitches, or direct contact &c., and a six-line binary code is transmitted to a pair of decoders, four lines representing the rank (or number) of the card leading to a rank decoder and two lines representing the suit of the card leading to a suit decoder. The binary input to the rank decoder is converted by the decoder into a timed pulse, i.e. the decoder is actuated for a series of time lengths (very short) and for a card number five, a pulse is transmitted during the fifth time length; the output is received by the suit decoder. The suit decoder transmits a timed pulse, according to the input, on one of four lines according to the card suit. A pulse gating unit receives the outputs from all suit decoders, and transmits the timed pulses on any of four output lines according to the card suits. If the same number card appears on successive reels, a device detects this, Fig. 2 (not shown) and provides an output to the payout device. A computer logic unit, Fig. 4 (not shown), receives timed pulses on any of the four input lines and detects any winning combinations which occur in poker; if so, an output is fed to the payout device on one line. The payout device Fig. 5 (not shown), receives a signal representing a winning combination and transmits a signal to counter which pays out coins to the patron. The payout device incorporates a stop-pay control which receives the computer signal on one of nine lines according to the nature of the winning combination and also a signal representing the amount being paid out until the payout reaches the prescribed value; the stop-pay control then transmits a signal stopping further payout. To avoid higher winning combinations such as three of a kind actuating the stop-pay control for lower combinations such as "pair", an inverted signal for the higher combination is fed to that part of the control which is actuated by the lower combination. A number of gaming machines can be controlled by one circuit, Fig. 6 (not shown). Gaming machines which have different numbers of reels and different forms of winning combinations can be controlled by similar logic circuits, e.g. Figs. 8, 9 (not shown).