1974 Bally's Big Time nickel slot machine (1015)

[slangyeti90]

Hello all, I am new to this forum and I am looking to sell my dad's slot machine for him that he acquired through trading labor. When we received it the 110v plug was trashed so I made a quick fix and thru some wire nuts on a new power cord. Works great except I cannot figure out how to get the machine to fully function. I am not sure if this is a quarter or nickel machine either. I checked the fuses and they are in working order, but I did not replace them.

I am attempting to find some information on this machine to see what it is worth. On the inside on the hopper it states that it is for $0.25 but on the front it shows 5c. The model number on the inside shows 1015 as well. If anyone has any information about it I would greatly appreciate it. He traded some labor for $500 so I am not sure what we are working with. I have only been able to find the $0.25 version online without the upper half of the machine. I am also look to find someone who has the knowledge to help me fix it as I am a mechanical engineer and feel that once someone can view the photos and video of the issue it would be simple to diagnose.
New to the forum, thanks for your time!

-Steve L.

[wolftalk]

paperwork for the base model 1015 is on https://bingo.cdyn.com/slots/

if you have a plate on the outside of the cabinet below the handle, it'll have the full model number on top and the serial number on the bottom.  Occasionally the plate is the one that was on the game when it left the factory.

the base 1015 paperwork is probably very close or the same to what you have.

if you can email the highest possible resolution pics and the video to slotpics@cdyn.com, I'll add them to the above site so people can look at the vid and as many pics as you care to send when you get into the internals.

generally speaking, when you plug in the machine it should light up.  Drop in a coin and it should accept it and send it to the hopper.  The first coin unlocks the handle so you can spin, and two more coins enable the additional paylines.  A 4th coin before spinning should return to the tray.

you won't have much trouble getting it going once you get over the initial learning curve so suggestions on what to check make sense.

value depends on location.  On the west coast, these older EM games are plentiful in the $mid-hundreds, so if you traded $500 worth of labor for it that's fair.  How easily you could sell it for $500 ... dunno.

[slangyeti90]

Thank you for the response and information.

That link only has minimal information and drawings in the directory. The model I have IS the 1015, not sure if you meant another machine or not.

I will email photos and video.

Lights, coins, and hopper work. But dropping coins doesn't energize the coil to release the handle.

[wolftalk]

there's variations of the model ... 1015-1 (primadonna casino), 1015-2 (silver bird casino), etc. 

my incomplete listing only has the 1015, 1015-1 and 1015-2, and they were pretty much the same except for glass that was different for the specific casinos.  There may have been other minor differences like when the bell rings, electronic door locks, or a light tower on the top of the game.

[slangyeti90]

Odd. This is all I see in the 1015 directory. nothing on 1015-1/2

[wolftalk]

the folders are for specific model numbers.  If I had paperwork for the 1015-1 or 1015-2, there would be separate folders for those.

the only difference is the schematic:
1015    : w-1046-1513
1015-1 : w-1046-1712
1015-2 : w-1046-1979

the remaining docs in the 1015 folder except the info file are the same for all three machines.  The schematics may be identical except for having the casino name on them instead of Bally, but usually there's trivial changes.

the sharpie on your hopper implies the game is a 1015-14, but that could be nonsense.  If there's more writing on other parts of the game that is consistent or it matched the serial number plate, you'd believe it more.

your pics/vids are now on https://bingo.cdyn.com/slots/1015/pics/

the handle release relay needs to trip to release the handle, and it's mechanically reset during the handle pull.  Handle_Release.m4v in https://bingo.cdyn.com/slots/videos for poorly edited video on how it works - tho most games don't have the extra solenoid (coil with plunger) that can electrically pull the release arm up.

the handle release relay is powered when the coin relay on the left side of the reel mech trips. 

the coin relay trips when the coin drops out of the mech on the door and pushes down the L-shaped wireform attached to the black coin switch.  You can push down and release the wireform with your finger if a dropped in coin is rejected to the tray all the time.
 
the common issues are cruddy pins on the beau plugs (connectors between the reel mech/hopper and cabinet), the jones plug connector in the top compartment, and the black stuff on the rivets/traces of the stepper units.

the beau plug pins can be cleaned with synthetic steel wool or similar - anything that doesn't make scratches.  The sockets don't worry about - you need a small wire brush to scrub the holes and it's rarely necessary.

the jones plug pull out and clean the pins.  The socket squeeze hard along it's length to bend the outer tabs in.  The plug should take a bit of oomph to seat in ... tho in this case the plug is pretty small so it'll still go in easily.  You don't want it to be loose.

the line unit rivets have black crud on them which may cause issues.  Isopropyl alcohol and a scrub pad will remove it.

[off-track]

But dropping coins doesn't energize the coil to release the handle.

Are you trying to coin it with nickels or quarters?  As nobody has mentioned it.. the machine was obviously built as a $0.25 denomination despite what the reel glass shows.  The $.05 indication on the reel glass also looks suspiciously faded.  Is it a sticker?  Usually the coin mech also has a denomination indicated.

the coin relay trips when the coin drops out of the mech on the door and pushes down the L-shaped wireform attached to the black coin switch.  You can push down and release the wireform with your finger if a dropped in coin is rejected to the tray all the time.

What happens if you do ^^^ this?  If the handle release coil doesn't fire I'd agree with the contact cleaning recommendation.  EM machine contacts get gummed up when just sitting unused. 

[slangyeti90]

@Wolftalk- where are you located? You seem to have a surplus of knowledge with these Bally EM machines. Would you be interested in repairing this machine or purchasing?
Unfortunately this machine does not have the name plate tag on the right side, the rivets or mounting hardware remain but no plate.

Right now we are filling the machine with Nickels. I will try a quarter or two today. The nickels will light up how many coins have been entered. Also the TILT light is on constantly, not sure how to reset or if that's preventing the handle coil from resetting or triggering.

Is there a diagram that shows what certain terms/components are such as reel mech trips, coin relay trip, black coin switch, beau plugs, jones plug connector, socket squeeze etc.

Thomas of CA antique slots was telling me to not use ISP and only contact cleaner for plastics.

[slangyeti90]

Additional photos, Any idea on how to make sure they are rotated correctly when posted?
The $0.05 sign on the front doesn't look faded or like it is missing a 2 in front of the 5.

[slangyeti90]

more photos out of context. Another 1015 sighting

[slangyeti90]

Someone had made this diagram for me to understand what is happening here.

[wolftalk]

@Wolftalk- where are you located?

near palo alto, ca ... about halfway between san francisco and san jose.

You seem to have a surplus of knowledge with these Bally EM machines. Would you be interested in repairing this machine or purchasing?
Unfortunately this machine does not have the name plate tag on the right side, the rivets or mounting hardware remain but no plate.

repairing is easy enough ... I definitely don't need stuff in my house ... especially when something different gets the wife to thinking whether to clear it out or me :-)

Right now we are filling the machine with Nickels. I will try a quarter or two today. The nickels will light up how many coins have been entered.

I shoulda been more clear.  If you can drop a nickel in the front chute and it comes out of the coin mech onto the tripwire on the coin switch, then it's a nickel mech. 

or in your case, if dropping in nickels makes the game move the lights, it's a nickel game and a bunch of stuff is working ok.  If someone bunged a 25c hopper in the game, you may or may not have issue with payout due to the different diameters of nickels vs quarters.  However, it's often possible to adjust things to make it work ok, and maybe someone did a correct conversion and replaced the appropriate parts to do it right.

if dropping in the first nickel doesn't unlock the handle, next step is to debug the handle release relay circuit.  There's a bunch of switches and plug connections in that circuit, so the easiest way is either using a meter or a jumper wire (assuming you aren't local to me and you get me to do it :-)).

got a preference meter vs jumper wire ...  you have either/both?

also, are you kinda familiar with reading schematics?

you actually have an inconsistency.  If the first coin doesn't trip the handle release relay (trip = armature plate pulls up onto coil top per yellow arrow below and the arm flops down in direction of your red arrow), then successive coins shouldn't cause the line unit to step up and light up additional paylines.

implication is some misadjusted switches or someone hacked up the wiring.

in any case, to release the handle you can push up the armature plate at the yellow arrow.  In case it wasn't clear, this is a video:
https://bingo.cdyn.com/slots/videos/Handle_Release.m4v

if you have a jumper wire and attach one end to the handle release relay coil lug that is NOT the double orange wire (the one with the resistor attached) and touch the other end of the jumper to the yellow wire on the coin switch, the handle release relay should trip.  That'll prove the coil is ok. 

 

Also the TILT light is on constantly, not sure how to reset or if that's preventing the handle coil from resetting or triggering.

the tilt light is on until the anti-cheat relay is powered.  The anti-cheat relay powers when you spin the reels the first time, and stays powered unless you open the door (hinge switch opens) or the power is turned off.

an unpowered anti-cheat relay won't affect handle release, but it will prevent payout unless a service switch is closed.

Is there a diagram that shows what certain terms/components are such as reel mech trips, coin relay trip, black coin switch, beau plugs, jones plug connector, socket squeeze etc.

not collected in one place that I know of.  If I ever get around to making a real web site for all the documentation, I'll have a glossary with pictures.

Thomas of CA antique slots was telling me to not use ISP and only contact cleaner for plastics.

while solvents can make some plastics brittle - or dissolve them - nothing inside the machine will be bothered by isopropyl alcohol for the short amount of time it's in use.  I wouldn't use it on the reel tapes tho unless stuff like windex didn't work.

[off-track]

Ok, it could be a conversion but, I was basing the $0.25 call on the top glass picture in your CL ad, the 25c sharpee on the hopper, the apparent shadow in the upper right quadrant of the 5c reel glass label, and the apparent size of the coin chute opening.  Does it even take a quarter?  The attached reel glass /coin chute on my Bally should illustrate as it won't even accept a quarter (see the one sitting there).

Regardless of the denomination question at this stage, it's more important exactly what does (if anything) it do when you trip the wireform just under the coin acceptor by hand?  Just push down gently till it actuates the black micro-switch.

The nickels will light up how many coins have been entered.

Doh!  I just noticed this.  So, you are saying it does register the coin in?  If it does that but doesn't energize the handle release relay you're back to inspecting/cleaning contacts and checking for power to the release coil after it registers the coin as wolf said.

(please forgive my heavy handed editing.  I haven't done much jpg manipulation this Unix machine)

[shortrackskater]

Additional photos, Any idea on how to make sure they are rotated correctly when posted?

The meta-data is "remembering" the position your phone was in originally. Next time, just do a 360 edit with each photo in your phone and then post. I fixed most of your photos here.
~moderator