Patent US4685673A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4685673A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for carrying the grab in slot machine cabinets
Assignee: ELEKTRO AUTOMATEN VERSTRAETEN PVBA A CORP OF BELGIUM
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Filing: 1986-04-10
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Granted: 1987-08-11
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Expires: 2006-04-10
Abstract
Abstract In a slot machine having a cabinet in which a grab is suspended by means of a cable from a crab which can move in various directions, the grab being capable of picking up prizes from a surface over which the grab is suspended, a traveller travels on first horizontal rails over a horizontal surface for prizes, a crab travels on second horizontal rails perpendicular to first horizontal rails and carried by and on a lower part of the traveller, the traveller includes two vertical side plates on the outwardly facing surface of the upper parts of which are mounted respective rollers for running on the first rails, the second rails are supported at their respective ends by the lower parts of the respective side plates which lower parts are contiguous with the upper parts and include contiguous horizontally outwardly and vertically downwardly bent portions, and the respective ends of the second rails are mounted on the vertically downwardly bent portions whereby the second rails extend over substantially the entire width of the surface for carrying prizes.
Inventors
- 👤 Achiel Verstraeten
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 20:46
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F9/00; A63F9/30; G; G07; G07F; G07F17/00; G07F17/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
354 words
A crane type slot machine adapted to lift a prize in the machine by means of a crane, comprising: a cabinet having a prize area; first guide rails spaced apart from each other, said guide rails being situated inside the cabinet above the prize area, a traveller situated above the first guide rails and extending throughout the entire width of the cabinet perpendicular to the first guide rails, said traveller including a first driving shaft extending between the first guide rails, two first rollers each fixed to a respective end of the driving shaft and situated on the respective first guide rails, two side plates each having an upper part situated inside the first roller and a lower part situated adjacent the cabinet under the first guide rails, two parallel second guide rails situated between the lower parts of the side plates perpendicular to the first guide rails, and a first motor fixed to one of the side plates and operationally connected to the driving shaft so that when the first motor is operated, the traveller moves along the first guide rails, a crab situated above the second guide rails, said crab including a second driving shaft extending between the second guide rails, two second rollers each fixed to a respective end of the second driving shaft and situated on the respective second guide rails, a second motor operationally connected to the second driving shaft so that when the second motor is operated, the crab moves along the second guide rails, a cable drum situated on the crab, a cable extending from the cable drum, and a third motor operationally connected to the cable drum so that when the third motor is operated, the cable drum rotates to wind or extend the cable, and a grab connected to an end of the cable, said grab including a plurality of arms and means for actuating the arms, said actuating means, when actuated, operating the arms to move close to each other to thereby allow the arms to grab a prize, said actuating means, when not actuated, permitting the arms to locate away from each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
354 words
A crane type slot machine adapted to lift a prize in the machine by means of a crane, comprising: a cabinet having a prize area; first guide rails spaced apart from each other, said guide rails being situated inside the cabinet above the prize area, a traveller situated above the first guide rails and extending throughout the entire width of the cabinet perpendicular to the first guide rails, said traveller including a first driving shaft extending between the first guide rails, two first rollers each fixed to a respective end of the driving shaft and situated on the respective first guide rails, two side plates each having an upper part situated inside the first roller and a lower part situated adjacent the cabinet under the first guide rails, two parallel second guide rails situated between the lower parts of the side plates perpendicular to the first guide rails, and a first motor fixed to one of the side plates and operationally connected to the driving shaft so that when the first motor is operated, the traveller moves along the first guide rails, a crab situated above the second guide rails, said crab including a second driving shaft extending between the second guide rails, two second rollers each fixed to a respective end of the second driving shaft and situated on the respective second guide rails, a second motor operationally connected to the second driving shaft so that when the second motor is operated, the crab moves along the second guide rails, a cable drum situated on the crab, a cable extending from the cable drum, and a third motor operationally connected to the cable drum so that when the third motor is operated, the cable drum rotates to wind or extend the cable, and a grab connected to an end of the cable, said grab including a plurality of arms and means for actuating the arms, said actuating means, when actuated, operating the arms to move close to each other to thereby allow the arms to grab a prize, said actuating means, when not actuated, permitting the arms to locate away from each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
76 words
A crane type slot machine according to claim 1, in which portions of each of the side plates contiguous with each other and with the bottom of the upper part of the respective side plate are bent horizontally outwardly and vertically downwardly, respectively, to form the lower part, whereby the crab situated on the second guide rails formed between the lower parts of the respective side plates can move throughout the entire width of the cabinet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
65 words
A crane type slot machine according to claim 2, in which said traveller further includes additional two first rollers rotationally connected to the upper parts of the respective side plates and situated on the respective first guide rails, and two drive belts connecting the first rollers to the adjacent additional first rollers respectively, so that the traveller can move smoothly over the first guide rails.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
A crane type slot machine according to claim 3, in which said crab further includes a shaft parallel to the second driving shaft, two additional second rollers situated on the shaft and placed over the second guide rails respectively to support the crab stably on the second guide rails, said cable drum being situated on the shaft.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1694084A
Cited
US2600849A
Cited
FR1482359A
Cited
US3572703A
Cited
US3738501A
Cited
US4597497A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-08-10 | 1991-02-09 | 1991-08-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-08-10 | 1995-02-09 | 1995-08-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-08-10 | 1999-02-09 | 1999-08-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |