Unknown
About This Machine
This nameless pure mechanical payout machine is a fascinating piece of coin-op history, distinguished chiefly by its 'Profit Sharer' payout mechanism — an attachment that let operators convert a standard, non-payout game into a payout machine (and one that could be added by operators, jobbers, or manufacturers alike, so its presence doesn't identify who made the game).
The machine uses 10 steel balls for 5 cents, one ball anodized red. Every scoring pocket on the playfield is a trap hole except for a 100-point hole in the center, which is the only pocket that lets the ball fall through — and the only way to earn a payout. Every fifth nickel deposited into the coin slide, regardless of which player deposits it, is diverted into the Profit Sharer's jackpot rather than the cashbox. Once a ball has dropped through the center hole, a button beside the coin slide can be pressed to release the accumulated jackpot to the payout cup; the mechanism requires that ball's physical presence to complete the internal linkage that trips the payout.
The machine survives without its lower playfield panel, which likely once carried instructions identifying the game's name — without it, even the significance of the single red ball remains unclear, since any ball in play can score the jackpot hole. A Railroad Express Agency shipping label found inside the cabinet, addressed to New London, Wisconsin, is now illegible, and no manufacturer markings survive elsewhere on the cabinet, leaving this game's maker unidentified.
Images (19)
Technical Details
- Notable Features:
- 10 balls for 5 cents. The balls are steel, one of them is anodized in a red color. All playfield scoring pockets are trap holes except for the 100-point hole in center playfield which allows the ball to fall through. This hole is the only way to score a payout. Every fifth nickel from the coin slide does not go into the cashbox but instead goes into the jackpot of the payout mechanism (the 'Profit Sharer') located on the front of the cabinet and visible through a small window. This jackpot must be manually dispensed to the payout cup by pressing the button to the left of the coin slide. However, the button does not work until the jackpot is earned by dropping a ball through the 100-point hole in the center playfield. This is because pushing the button on the jackpot mechanism pushes a rod inside the game. The addition of the ball in this sequence provides the additional extension needed for this rod to make contact with another button under the playfield to release all of the jackpot coins to the payout cup. When the button is released, the ball is returned to the player to shoot again, although at this point there is no jackpot to win. The cabinet appears to be made of mahogany or cherry wood. The trim around the top edges framing the playfield are not original as they were added by a previous owner.