GB2030749A - Gaming machines - Google Patents

Abstract

An amusement or gaming machine of the type comprising a machine cabinet incorporating a display, a control unit, a coin operated mechanism and a pay out unit is characterised by the provision of a plurality of displays and a plurality of coin acceptors the arrangement being such that only one display can operate at any one time in response to coins inserted in one coin acceptor and any coins inserted in any other coin acceptor during the operation of such one display establishes a credit for use to actuate another display when the operation of said one display has been completed. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Amusement and gaming machines This invention relates to amusement and gaming machines.

Conventional amusement and gaming machines comprise a cabinet in which is mounted a visual display, a control unit, a coin operated mechanism and a pay out unit.

The arrangement is such that the display can be operated by the insertion of a coin in a coin acceptor and when one of a number of predetermined combinations appears in the display the control unit is actuated to cause the pay out unit to dispense a predetermined number of coins.

In this specification the term 'coin' is used to include both monetary coins and tokens.

According to the present invention, an amusement or gaming machine of the type comprising a machine cabinet incorporating a display, a control unit, a coin operated mechanism and a pay out unit is characterised by the provision of a plurality of displays and a plurality of coin acceptors, the arrangement being such that only one display can operate at any one time in response to coins inserted in one coin acceptor and any coins inserted in any other coin acceptor during the operation of such one display establishes a credit for use to actuate another display when the operation of said one display has been completed.

In a preferred machine according to the invention the display may be a reel unit.

In a preferred machine according to the invention a separate pay out unit is provided for each display and a common control arrangement is employed to control each pay out unit. The common control arrangement may comprise a common control unit and a master separator.

Advantageously, common pay out actuating means are employed. Said actuating means normally comprise a motor and a tube arranged so that the motor will dispense a predetermined number of coins in response to signals from said control unit.

It is desirable that the cabinet has a plurality of face panels incorporating in each panel receiving means for a coin, a display and any controls which may be included to enable the machine user to control the operation of the display. Conveniently, the cabinet is designed so that each face panel is associated with a separate cabinet part and said parts are hinged together. Such an arrangement gives flexibility in that a cabinet having for example two face panels can be hinged so that the panels can be disposed side by side, in back to back relationship or facing outwardly at an angle to one another.

It will be appreciated that it is not necessary to provide such a hinge arrangement and that a rigid cabinet can be employed with two or more face panels arranged in a predetermined relationship with respect to one another.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front view of a face panel in part of a cabinet; Figure 2 is a side view of the part of the cabinet shown in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of a cabinet comprising two cabinet parts hinged together shown in one particular configuration.; Figure 4 is a plan view of the hinged cabinet shown in Fig. 3 shown in an alternative configuration; Figure 5 is a plan view of the cabinet shown in Fig. 3 shown in a further configuration and Figure 6 is a schematic block diagram of part of the circuitry of one form of gaming machine according to the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 the machine comprising a cabinet part 10 having a display area 11 and coin receivers 1 2. Control knobs 1 3 are shown schematically since the actual nature of the control knobs is not a part of the present invention.

One preferred cabinet arrangement is shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 in which two cabinet parts 10 are hinged together at 14 so that the two face panels 1 5 can be arranged in a number of different configurations. Thus for example in Fig. 3 the cabinet arrangement is such that it can be placed against a wall and two face panels 1 5 are disposed at an angle to one another. Another configuration is shown in Fig. 4 in which the face panels 1 5 are back to back with one another. Such an arrangement can be used for example in the centre of an area or as a part room divider in which users can use the machine in either room. Fig. 5 shows yet a further configuration in which the face panels 1 5 are side by side with one another.

Referring to Fig. 6 the circuitry for a gaming machine in accordance with the present invention is shown as a block diagram. The circuit is designed to operate with a common control arrangement comprising master separator unit 1 6 and master control and feature unit 17.

The other features relate to two displays, two coin operating mechanisms and two pay out units these being designated A and B.

Thus credit unit A is arranged with reel unit A and with pay out unit A and credit unit B is associated with reel unit B and with pay out unit B.

When coins are inserted in the coin operating mechanism associated with credit unit A a signal is sent to the credit separator unit which serves to determine whether the credit is in the A system or the B system. A signal from the credit separator unit is then passed to the master separator unit 1 6. The master separator unit serves to separate all the usual functions of such a gaming machine for the two systems Thus the start separator actuates the master control and feature unit which controls the reel units A and B via the reel function separator which ensures that only one of the two reel units can be operated at any one time.In the event that a winning combination is shown by reel unit A or B a signal is passed to the reel pay out separator which, in turn, actuates the master control and feature unit to control pay out unit A or B via the pay out separator. Thus by virtue of the master separator unit a single master control and feature unit can control both systems A and B.

It will be appreciated that because of the use of the master separator unit when one system is being operated e.g. system A then the master separator unit will prevent use of system B and only after the gaming sequence with system A has been completed will the start separator enable system B to be operated.

By virtue of the provision of the credit separator unit it is possible to insert coins in a coin acceptor for one system e.g. system B whilst system A is being operated. This will establish a credit for system B which can be used when the system A operation has been completed.

The amusement and gaming machines of the present invention have a number of advantages over conventional amusement and gaming machines of this type. Firstly, the provision of two coin acceptors display and pay out mechanisms in effect is equivalent to the provision of two machines in a single cabinet. The arrangement provides for flexibility in installation where design or space saving considerations are important and also ensures that players take turns in using the machine avoiding the possibility of a single play monopolising the use of the machine for an extended period. The provision of effectively two machines in a single cabinet also has the advantage that a number of the components can be common thus reducing the cost.

Claims (9)

1. An amusement or gaming machine of the type comprising a machine cabinet incorporating a display, a control unit and a coin operating mechanism and a pay out unit characterised by the provision of a plurality of displays and a plurality of coin acceptors, the arrangement being such that only one display can operate at any one time in response to coins inserted in one coin acceptor and any coins inserted in any other coin acceptor during the operation of such one display establishes a credit for use to actuate another display when the operation of said one display has been completed.

2. A machine according to Claim 1 in which the display is a reel unit.

3. A machine according to Claims 1 or 2 in which a separate pay out unit is associated with each display and a common control arrangement is employed to control each pay out unit.

4. A machine according to Claim 3 in which the common control arrangement comprises a common control unit and a master separator.

5. An amusement or gaming machine according to Claim 1 having a control circuit separator as described with reference to and as shown in Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings.

6. A machine according to any of Claims 1 to 5 in which the cabinet includes a plurality of face panels, each panel having coinreceiving means, a display and hand controls which enable a machine user to control the operation of the display.

7. A machine according to Claim 6 in which each face panel is associated with a separate cabinet part and said separate cabinet parts are hinged together.

8. A machine according to Claim 6 in which the face panels are arranged on the same or different faces of a unitary cabinet.

9. An amusement or gaming machine substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, Figs. 1 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.