Abstract: A handle control device for a slot machine in which a handle is operated to start a game, includes a rotatable wheel supported on a fixed shaft for rotation with the handle. Unidirectionally but oppositely rotatable clutch wheels are mounted on the fixed shaft and disposed on opposite sides of the rotatable wheel. An interconnecting member is moved in one or another direction according to the positions of the handle so as selectively to interconnect the rotatable wheel to one or the other of the clutch wheels.

Abstract: A slot machine of the type having a plurality of reels and pulse motors for rotating the respective reels wherein the pulse motors can be stopped individually by touching stop switches provided one for each of the respective reels. Every stop switch is provided with a light-emitting indicator for indicating that the stop switch is operable, and the stop switch becomes operable only when its corresponding pulse motor, and hence the associated reel, has reached a predetermined speed of rotation. In this way, the display of selected symbols cannot be controlled by the player stopping the reels during an initial phase of their movement when they are turning only very slowly.

Abstract: A slot machine having X series of symbols arranged side by side which selects a combination of symbols on a winning line. For the selection of a combination of symbols, a random number is sampled from a series of random numbers the number of which is 2.sup.n and is referred to symbol tables associated with each symbol series wherein are coded data on symbols of which the number is equal to the Xth root of 2.sup.n. A combination of symbols is thus selected with the same probability as for sampling a random number.

Abstract: An apparatus for stopping a reel of a slot machine is provided, wherein the reel is rotated by a stepping motor which is driven with multi-phase drive pulses sequentially offset in phase. The apparatus includes a stop signal generator for generating a stop signal to be used for stopping the reel and a stop pulse generator circuit for simultaneously supplying stop pulses of the same phase to respective phases of the stepping motor to which the drive pulses are supplied. All of the respective phases of the motor are simultaneously magnetically excited responsive to the stop pulses received by the stepping motor.

Abstract: A reel assembly which comprises right and left halves of a reel interconnected by a connecting member. The width of the reel assembly is adjusted by the length of the connecting member. The right and left halves of the reel each have a rim and a holding ring with a narrow space therebetween, into which the margins of a reel tape are inserted and held.

Abstract: A coin pay-out apparatus in which a rotary disc is rotated by a motor to effect a coin pay-out. The motor is controlled by a plurality of binary input signals. Only when a combination of the plurality of input signals is found to be a predetermined combination including the binary input signals, is the motor driven to rotate the rotary disc in the normal direction so that coins are paid out. In this way, erroneous payment of coins can be prevented. In the event of a coin jam, the motor is driven in the reverse direction to clear the jam. The number of times the motor is thus reversely driven is counted, and when the count reaches a predetermined number, a warning of malfunction is given.

Abstract: A video game apparatus has a display device for displaying visual images showing the progress of the game. An operating member is manipulated by the player in accordance with instructions displayed on a video screen within a period of time and preferably also in a preset direction, which must fall within that preset time and be in that preset direction if the player is to avoid loss of the game. The permissible time and preferably also the preset direction are indicated to the player by a visible mark on the video screen, such as an arrow which first appears only at the beginning of the period of time when the player can successfully manipulate the operating member, and which points in the direction in which the player must operate the operating member if the game is to continue. Alternatively, the indication is audible. If the player succeeds, then success images appear on the screen; but if the player fails, then game loss images appear on the screen.

Abstract: A reel of a slot machine is rotatably fitted on a shaft of a motor and coupled to the shaft by an elastic member. When the motor is started, energy is stored in the elastic member, and the reel is suddenly caused to start rotation at a high speed by the energy stored in the elastic member. A projection on the reel engages a drive lever to fix the relative position of the parts after the initial period of relative movement of the shaft and reel. The elastic member can be a coil tension spring or a leaf spring sandwiching the drive lever, a portion of the leaf spring on the rear side of the lever being secured to the reel.

Abstract: A slot machine having a plurality of symbol series disposed side by side and movable lengthwise independently, selects a combination of symbols on a winning line which is judged as to whether it coincides with any one of the predetermined prize-winning symbol combinations to pay out a predetermined number of coins. At least one of the symbol series includes a special mark as distinguished from the symbols. When the slot machine selects any one of the predetermined prize-winning symbol combinations, and one of the symbols of this combination is replaced with the special mark, the slot machine pays out coins as a special dividend the number of which is larger than that of coins to be paid out upon the one predetermined prize-winning symbol combination.

Abstract: In a slot machine, a specific winning line among a plurality of winning lines, e.g., an effective winning line or a winning line on which a winning symbol array appears, is optically identified. To identify a winning line or lines, series of light emitting diodes are disposed along the winning line or lines to selectively drive and illuminate the diode series. A liquid crystal display panel may be mounted in a display window. In this case, display patterns in front of the symbols are selectively flashed.

Abstract: A slot machine which selects combinations of symbols on prize-winning lines by causing a plurality of lengthwise movable symbol rows arranged side by side, each of which comprises a plurality of kinds of symbols arranged at regular distances thereon, to move lengthwise, and then stopping each symbol row at one of the possible stop positions, in each of which it displays at least one complete symbol to a player through a window to position the symbols shown in the windows shifted lengthwise a half of the distance between the transversely adjacent symbols. When all the reels stop, a win decision is made base on the combinations of complete symbols stopping on the winning line or lines. The winning lines are therefore necessarily all diagonal.

Abstract: A slot machine having five rotatable reels, each bearing on its outer periphery symbols of at least twelve different playing cards consisting of at least three cards of each suit and four out of 20 different cards consisting of the aces, tens and face cards of a deck of playing cards, and with spot cards numbered two through nine. Combinations of cards are displayed in horizontal rows at random during each game, and prizes are awarded when prize-winning combinations of cards corresponding to specified hands suitable for melding in a poker game occur on prize-winning rows previously selected. For selectively discarding any of the cards of an occurring combination, the slot machine is provided with pushbuttons which restart the rotation of a selected reel or reels.

Abstract: A stepping motor having a rotary shaft carrying a rotor, a stator, a housing encasing the rotor and a part of the rotary shaft and supporting the stator, and a signal system comprising a signal member provided on the rotary shaft and a sensor so disposed on the housing as to detect the passage of the signal member to produce a signal each revolution of the rotary shaft. The signal member can be a radially extending lug on the rotary shaft or a disc on the rotary shaft with a hole through the disc. The particular use is to detect the rotated position of a slot machine reel that has a series of various symbols on its periphery and is mounted on and rotated by the shaft; and for this purpose, the free end of the shaft and the reel mounted thereon have non-circular interengaging structure that accurately predetermines the relative positions of the signal member and the various symbols on the reel.

Abstract: In a video game apparatus, as a game progresses, whether or not an operation section has been operated by a player within a permissible timing set in a reference table is judged by a judgement section, and the game success or failure is determined upon the judgement result. The judgement section outputs a judgement signal in accordance with the judgement result, and the judgement signal is counted by a judgement counting section. And, for instance, if a judgement signal corresponding to a game success is counted up until it reaches a preset value, the player is judged as an expert in the game, and the permissible timing range set in the reference table is automatically adjusted to make it narrower and to make the game more difficult for the player.

Abstract: A slot machine of the type having a plurality of rotatable reels, each bearing an annular row of various symbols on the outer surface thereof, or a corresponding CRT display, which selects and displays combinations of symbols during each game, and which pays out coins not only when predetermined prize-winning combinations of symbols occur on prize-winning rows but also when a predetermined number of consecutive lost games take place.

Abstract: A video game apparatus which judges a game success if the operation timing of an operation member manipulated by a player in accordance with a displayed game image falls within an allowable time limit for game success set in a range setting unit. The apparatus includes a first output unit for outputting a signal corresponding to the success or failure of the operation timing by using the allowable time limit for game success as a reference, a count unit for counting the signal from the first output unit, a second output unit for outputting an adjustment signal when the count of the count unit reaches a predetermined value; and an allowable range changing unit for changing the allowable time limit for game success set in the range setting unit when the adjustment signal is inputted thereto. The degree of difficulty in playing the game is automatically changed in accordance with the player's skill.

Abstract: A slot machine has a game number counter which cumulatively counts the number of games played. Whether the number of games counted by the game number counter reaches a predetermined number or not is detected by a comparator; and if both numbers coincide, a coincidence signal is output from the comparator. The slot machine has also a winning number counter which cumulatively counts the number of wins occurring during the period until the number of games reaches the predetermined number. At the time the coincidence signal is obtained, the number of wins cumulatively counted by the winning number counter is compared with a standard number of winnings. As a result of this comparison, if the number of wins in the winning number counter is larger than the standard number of wins, the following game is set to decrease the likelihood of a win; but in the contrary case, the same control is actuated for shifting a winning combination of symbols onto a winning line.

Abstract: A slot machine having a plurality of reels each of which is provided with an annular row of symbols on its periphery and is driven and stopped by a pulse motor associated therewith. The position of the respective reel can be detected by the content of a counter which counts the pulse signals fed to the pulse motor during revolution of the reel, the counter being reset to zero photoelectrically at the same point in each revolution of the reel.

Abstract: A transducer converts the amount of mechanical displacement of a member into an electrical signal by magnetic induction. Two fixed coils different in winding direction from each other are spaced apart from each other by a suitable distance and connected in series. Inside the fixed coils, a movable coil is disposed which moves in cooperative association with the member whose amount of movement is to be detected. With the movable coil supplied with an a.c. current, the fixed coils produce an induction current whose amplitude varies with the relative position of the movable coil. A signal processing circuit generates a pulse having a duty ratio corresponding to the amplitude of the induction current. This pulse is converted into a d.c. current in a smoothing circuit to obtain a d.c. voltage corresponding to the amount of mechanical displacement.

Abstract: A slot machine reel comprises a cylindrical body having symbols on the periphery thereof and a reinforcing plate fixed to the cylindrical body and coupled therethrough to a drive shaft of a motor. The cylindrical body has a bridge fixed thereto and including arms formed to extend toward the central portion of the body, and the reinforcing plate is fixed to the bridge. The cylindrical body and bridge are preferably plastic moldings so as to make the reel light in weight, and the reinforcing plate is preferably a metal plate such as aluminum so as to obtain a firm coupling to the drive shaft of a motor. The cylindrical body is comprised by two short cylindrical frames having tongues that extend toward each other and to which a belt-type sheet bearing printed symbols is secured. The surfaces of the tongues to which the sheet is secured are set radially inwardly the thickness of the sheet, so that the peripheries of the frames and the sheet are flush with each other.