JPH0530784Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an operating handle control mechanism for a slot machine or other amusement device operated by coins, etc., and more specifically, the present invention relates to an operating handle control mechanism for a slot machine or other coin-operated play device. Concerning mechanisms for imparting change.

[Conventional technology]

In a typical slot machine, as shown in FIG. 5, an operating handle 52 is rotatably attached to an outer case 51, and the operating handle can be operated by inserting a coin from a coin slot 53.
By pulling the operating handle 52, the wheels 54a to 54c with various marks are started to rotate, and by pressing the wheel stop buttons 55a to 55c, the wheels 54a to 54c are stopped.

Locking means and locking means for a rotating member interlocked with a handle in a conventional slot machine are described in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-21089. This configuration will be explained based on FIG. 6.

The operating handle 52 is provided integrally with a handle shaft 56, and the handle shaft 59 passes through the outer case 51 (FIG. 5) and projects horizontally into an inner case 57 provided therein. Internal case 57
In this case, the rotating member 5 is integrated with the handle shaft 56.
8 is provided, which is the operating direction F of the handle 52.
Spring 5 in the handle return direction R opposite to
It is energized by 9.

To prevent the slot machine from being activated without the insertion of a coin, the operating handle 52 is controlled by an initial lock mechanism 60. In the initial lock mechanism 60, one end 62a of a lock piece 62 rotatably supported around a fulcrum 61 protrudes from the inner case 57, and the other end 62b is provided with a concave portion 63 formed at one end of the rotating member 58. can be engaged with. The lock piece 62 is
However, when a coin is inserted, the lock piece 62 rotates in the Y direction, and the engagement between the other end 62b and the concave portion 63 is released against the urging force of the spring 64, and the handle 52 and The rotating member 58 is maintained in a rotatable state in the F direction.

A reverse rotation regulating claw 65 is supported by the inner case 57 adjacent to the locking piece 62, and the regulating claw 65 is slidably engaged with a rack 66 formed continuously in the concave portion 63 of the locking piece 62. This prevents the lock piece 58 from rotating in the R direction. Further, the claw piece 67 protrudes from the lock piece 58 and slides into engagement with a restraining member 68 fixed to the inner case 57, so that the rotating member 58 is rotated.
Therefore, the handle 52 is prevented from being operated abnormally quickly.

In order to make the operator aware that the end of the handle operation is near, the second locking mechanism 70 operates in conjunction with the rotational movement of the rotational member 58. Second
The lock mechanism 70 includes a lock lever 72 pivotally supported by a pin 71, and a pin 74 integral with the lock lever 72.
an operating lever 7 connected to the hanging arm 73 via a spring 75;
6. Consists of a connecting member 77 that transmits the operation of the operating lever 76 to the lock lever 72. lock lever 7
2 is formed with a notch groove 78, and can be engaged with and detached from the other end of the rotating member 58. Note that 79 is a stopper that restricts the return of the rotating member 58.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

The locking and unlocking means for the rotary member in the conventional slot machine as described above improves the operator's comfort by allowing the operator to feel the operating feeling when operating the handle, especially around the end of the handle retracting motion. It is necessary to give a feeling of operation, and
It is necessary to prevent damage to the device due to excessive retraction of the handle. However, in the conventional mechanism, only the operating feeling can be obtained by sudden engagement between the rotating member 58 and the notch groove 78, and the rotating member 58
8 collides with the hanging arm 73, which may cause the entire mechanism to fail.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art, and to provide an operating handle control mechanism that requires a large force to operate the handle, especially near the end of the handle operation.

[Means for solving problems]

Therefore, the present invention provides a slot machine, etc., in which a handle shaft integrated with an operating handle is rotatably supported by a frame via a bearing, and a rotating member is integrally fixed to the handle shaft and biased in the return direction of the operating handle. In the operating handle control mechanism in , the rotating member has a first cam surface with a gentle slope, a second cam surface with a steep slope, and a third cam surface with a gentle slope.
The cam member is made of a cam member having a cam surface, and a cam follower is provided which sequentially abuts on the first, second, and third cam surfaces according to the operating direction of the operating handle. When the cam follower crosses the second cam surface, a large rotational force is required on the operation handle, and the cam follower and the second cam surface are configured to come into contact near the end of the rotation operation of the handle.

[Effect]

The second cam surface and the cam follower are designed to come into contact near the end of the handle rotation operation, and since the second cam surface has a large curvature, the rotation of the rotating member causes the cam follower to contact the first cam surface. from the second
When moving relative to the cam surface, the operating resistance of the operating handle increases.

When the cam follower relatively moves from the second cam surface to the third cam surface, the operating resistance of the operating handle decreases.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows an operating handle control mechanism for a slot machine according to the present invention. In the figure, an operating handle control mechanism 1 is provided within an inner case 2, and the inner case 2 is composed of a frame 3 and a frame cover (not shown). The operating handle 4 is integrally provided with a handle shaft 5 that penetrates an external case 51 (FIG. 5) and projects into the internal case, and the handle shaft 5 is connected to the frame 3 via a bearing 6 (FIG. 2). It is rotatably provided.

A cam member 7 as a rotating member is fixed to the handle shaft 5 within the inner case 2, and rotates in the direction of arrow F together with the handle shaft when the handle is rotated. One end of a torsion spring 8 is connected to the cam member 7 or the handle shaft 5, and the other end of the swing spring 8 is connected to a pin 9 that is implanted in a frame cover (not shown) and projects in the direction of the cam 7. By engaging, the cam member 7 is urged in the direction of arrow R. Further, one end of a coil spring 10 is connected to the cam member 8 in order to assist the urging force of the swing spring 8 in the R direction, and the other end of the coil spring 10 is connected to a pin 11 implanted in the frame 3.

The cam member 7 is formed with a notch 12 for preventing the handle from being operated before coins are inserted, and a locking member 13 constituting an initial locking mechanism is attached to be able to engage with this notch. The locking member 13 is provided so as to be rotatable about a pin 14 implanted in the frame 3, and is supported by a torsion spring 15 in the direction of the arrow X.
The cam member 7 engages with the notch 12 by being biased in the direction
prevents it from rotating in the F direction. That is, the start of operation of the operating handle 4 is prevented. Further, a solenoid 16 is provided on the frame 3, and when energized, the attracting piece 13a of the locking member 13 is moved to the solenoid 1.
The locking member 13 is pulled in six directions, and the locking member 13 is disengaged from the notch 12 in a direction opposite to X using the pin 14 as a fulcrum. The solenoid is energized in response to coin insertion. The above-mentioned pin 14 is further rotatably provided with one end portion of an arm 17, and the arm 17 is biased toward the cam surface of the cam 7 by the above-mentioned torsion spring 15. A roller 18 is rotatably attached to the other end of the arm, and the roller 18 is always in contact with the cam surface. A spring 19 is connected to the other end of the arm 17 to ensure that the roller 18 is biased toward the cam surface. The above locking member 13, solenoid 16, and arm 17 are all provided inside the frame 3.

The cam surfaces opposing the roller 18 are a first cam surface 7a and a second cam surface 7b as shown in FIG.
is formed with a large curvature so as to provide discontinuity between the first cam surface 7a and the third cam surface 7c.

Regarding the handle shaft 5, a ratchet part 20 is provided at a position opposite to the notch 12 of the cam member 7 and the cam surfaces 7a to 7c, ratchet teeth 20a are formed at the end, and the handle shaft 5 is pivotally supported by the frame 3 or the upper cover. It engages with the claw member 21. A spring 22 is connected to the claw member 21. The ratchet part 20 is
Plate members 23 and 24 are fixed to both sides of the cam member 7, which protrudes outward in the radial direction. Stoppers 25 and 26 are erected and fixed on the frame 3, and cushioning members 25a and 26a made of rubber or the like are provided on the sides of each stopper that face the plates 23 and 24. The stoppers 25, 26 can be used as supports when attaching the upper cover (not shown) to the frame 3, and, for example, female threads 25b, 26b are formed in each of the stoppers 25, 26.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of essential parts of the operating handle control mechanism according to the present invention. A recess 5a is formed at the upper end of the handle shaft 5, and a rod member 27 fixed to the upper cover is slidably fitted into the recess 5a.
The handle shaft 5 is supported by the inner case 2 without wobbling. Between the cam member 7 and the frame 3, two circular guide plates 29 and 30 are fixed to the cam member 7 with screws 31, and the guide plates 29 and 30 rotate together with the handle shaft 5 and the cam member 7. do. A cam member rotation adjustment member 32 is provided between the guide plates 29 and 30.
is clamped and supported by pins implanted in the frame 3. Each guide plate 2 facing the rotation adjustment member 32
The surfaces 9 and 30 have a mirror finish, and the rotation adjustment member 32 is formed of a friction plate (for example, Lulon) having a dynamic friction coefficient and a static friction coefficient that are substantially equal. By adjusting the threading of the screws 31, the tightening force of the members 32 of the guide plates 29, 30 can be changed to adjust the frictional force.

The rotation adjustment member 32 is shown in FIG. This member 32 includes an annular sliding portion 35,
It consists of a supporting part 36 following it, and a through hole 37 for the pin 33 is formed in the supporting part 36. The above-described friction plate 38 is integrally embedded in the sliding portion 35. Further, a hole 39 is formed in the center thereof, through which the handle shaft 5 is rotatably passed.

When the handle is operated, the handle shaft 5, the cam member 7, and the guide plates 29, 30 rotate integrally, and the guide plates 29, 30 are in a relative sliding relationship with the rotation adjustment member 32. Note that reference numeral 34 is a stop ring for restricting movement of the bearing 6 in the axial direction.

In the above configuration, when the user inserts a coin, the solenoid 16 attracts the locking member 13,
As a result, the engagement between the locking member 13 and the notch 12 is released. In this way, the operating handle 4 is ready to start operating. Next, when the user pulls the operating handle 4 toward the user, the cam member rotates in the F direction against the biasing force of the torsion spring 8 and the coil spring 10, and the roller 18 rotates and slides on the cam surface 7a ( 3A) The claw portion 21 separates from the plate 24 and clicks against the teeth 20a of the ratchet portion 20. If the user releases the operating handle during this process, the claw portion 21 engages with the tooth 20a of the ratchet portion 20 due to the biasing force of the spring 22, and the return rotation (in the R direction) of the cam member is prevented.

When the user further pulls the operating handle 4, the roller 18 comes into contact with the cam surface 7b of the cam member (third
Figure b). This allows the user to sense that a change has occurred in the continuous operating force of the operating handle, and to know that the handle operation is nearing completion (a so-called sense of withdrawal is given).

When the user further pulls the operating handle 4, the roller 1
8 rides on the cam surface 7c, and the plate 24 of the ratchet portion 20 abuts against the stopper 26. In this series of handle operations, the guide members 29, 3
0 is in constant sliding contact with the rotation adjustment member 32,
Further, since the latter dynamic friction coefficient and static friction coefficient are substantially equal, smooth rotational movement of the cam member 7 can be obtained from the initial operating state.

When the plate 24 is in contact with the stopper 26, the pawl 21 completely passes through the ratchet 20, and the urging force of the spring 22 reverses the pawl 21 as shown in FIG. 3C. Therefore, when the user releases the operating handle 4, the cam member 7 rotates in the R direction due to the biasing force of the torsion spring 8 and the coin spring 10. At this time, the pawl portion 21 maintains the inclined state shown in FIG.
A is merely clicked, and rotation in the R direction is not prevented by the meshing of the claw portion 21 with the teeth 20a of the ratchet. However, while the handle 4 is returning, rotation in the F direction is prevented. Even during the return stroke of the cam member 7 in the R direction, the sliding relationship between the guide plates 29, 30 and the rotation adjustment member 32 allows the cam member to rotate smoothly from the initial stage of the return stroke.

The return movement of the cam member 7 in the R direction is caused by the movement of the plate 2
3 comes into contact with the stopper 25. (Figure 3 A).

In the embodiment described above, the operating handle control mechanism described above may be provided directly on the inner surface of the outer case 51 (FIG. 5) without using the frame 3.

Further, a screw 31 for adjusting the frictional force may be screwed together from the cam member 7 side.

〔effect〕

When the cam follower moves from the first cam surface to the second cam surface due to rotation of the rotating member, the second cam surface has a large curvature, so the operational resistance of the operating handle increases. Since the second cam surface and the cam follower come into sliding contact near the end of the handle rotation operation, the operator can know that the operation is nearing completion by sensing an increase in the operation resistance force. Furthermore, when the cam follower moves from the second cam surface to the third cam surface, the operator can feel what is called a "missing" sensation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the operating handle control mechanism of the slot machine according to the present invention, and FIG.
A sectional view taken along the - line in the figure, Figure 3 A to C show the rotational state of the rotating member, A is before the operation handle starts B is an intermediate state after the operation starts C is just before the return stroke of the operation handle , respectively, and the fourth
Figure 5 is a plan view showing the rotation adjustment member of the present invention, Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of a general slot machine, and Figure 6 is a latching device for the rotation member in a conventional slot machine. It is an internal front view. 2... Internal case, 3... Frame, 5... Handle shaft, 7... Cam member, 8... Torsion spring, 1
2... Notch, 13... Locking member, 17... Arm, 18... Roller, 20... Ratchet part, 2
1... Claw portion, 25, 26... Stopper, 29, 3
0... Guide plate, 31... Screw, 32... Rotation adjustment member, 35... Sliding part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In a slot machine, etc., in which a handle shaft integral with an operating handle is rotatably supported by a frame via a bearing, and a rotating member is integrally fixed to the handle shaft and biased in a direction opposite to the direction in which the operating handle is operated. In the operation handle control mechanism,
The rotating member is composed of a cam member having a first cam surface with a gentle slope, a second cam surface with a steep slope, and a third cam surface with a gentle slope. A cam follower is provided that contacts the second and third cam surfaces, and when the cam follower crosses the second cam surface, a large rotational force is required on the handle, and the cam follower and the second cam surface complete the rotation operation of the handle. An operating handle control mechanism for a slot machine, etc., characterized in that the handle is in close contact with each other.