Antique Slot Machine Electronics (Harvey's Wagon Wheel 5 Cent)

[Zabuza_Zen]

Hello everyone, I'm not sure how this slot machines electronics are supposed to work? It leaves me with a lot of questions that I need help answering.
Hoping the community might have the answers or solutions. I an very much a electronics tinkerer and DIY enthusiast.

So I have what I think is a "Harvey's Wagon Wheel 5 Cent Slot Machine". I'm unsure of the year but is very much an antique. This was given to my Grandmother in the 1950s (because it was too old) from the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. As she was a Dealer there.

I do understand that the main operation of this machine is mechanical and not electrical but I'm unsure how just the basic lights and sound is supposed to turn on or work on this things. It seems to be missing the power cord, and maybe a small PCB board to regulate the power? Although I'm not sure if this is too old for a PCB board and such?

Following the main grey cord from the slot machine, one half connects to a dark blue wire that terminates to the Jackpot buzzer and Light. And the other half connects to a brown wire that then splits two ways. One goes to a black cord (slightly thicker gauge). Might be the original power cord but cut? The other side goes to another brown wire that terminates to the lights in the front of the slot (displaying the win orientation). Here are a few photos of my machine.

[erbs]

Please post some pictures of your machine. Without pics its hard to know what you have.

[63mini]

Zabuza_Zen,

  Welcome to the forum. A photo would really be needed to understand exactly what you have.  You may need to resize your photo (500K or less) as 1MB is the limit on photo size on this forum.

[Zabuza_Zen]

Duh I guess resizing the image I have would work. haha Thanks for the tip. Here are a few photos of what I have.
.

[shortrackskater]

Topic moved this to other reel slots forum.

I edited some of my GOOFS here!


You likely have a "famous" Pace slot machine from Harveys.
Please post a photo of the ENTIRE machine with the mechanism inside and door closed

Does it look like it was in a bombing at any time?  You can read about that later...
The other guys will add to this if I'm wrong, but likely all the electrics were added later and perhaps if it was revamped for another casino which happened with a lot of these mechanical machines. It's made by Pace and I believe there's a Mills machine that has a very similar mechanism; the manual for that machine is sufficient for this one. But Ed and ...uh... Ed can confirm this! These were really basic machines but heavy as hell. I had a dime machine a few years, gone now.
That's fantastic that this made it's way to your grandmother and it came directly from Harveys as well.
That story adds some fun provenance to it. 
The other Eds should chime in soon. While you're waiting, here's a three page thread dealing with my machine from the coinop forum. You may find more information there but the forum there is VERY slow now sadly. This started with me posting for information regarding a broken key, but Monti added some great historical information on this exact slot machine and the history behind it at Harveys.

https://www.coinopcollectorforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=7590&hilit=harveys

[63mini]

 Your machine is basically a hybrid.  The mech. appears to be a Mills as I see an "MLB" part number.  So, at one time it was a Mills slot machine.  Then a third party which was probably Baldecchi took the mech and modified it with parts similar to Pace that they had cast and placed it into their own open front metal cabinets.  In fact, I have one of those mechs currently sitting on my bench as seen below.

 As for the electronics.  Generally, it was a power cord, transformer, fuse block, lamps and jackpot buzzer.  No PCB's.  I think at this point you can pretty much do as you like.  The lamps on the door were always on and the buzzer and tower lamp turned on when a Jackpot was hit.  The upper slide moved forward and toggled the contact switch that was mounted on the side of the slides.

[63mini]

 Also, do you have a stand for it?  If not, you will need to make some sort of platform/stand as this machine pays out from the bottom.

[Zabuza_Zen]

This is great info! Thank you guys so much for the help and advise. 

Is someone able to link me to the manual for this machine or the Mill's if that one is sufficient. I'm having a hard time finding what I think is the right one online.

Regarding the power... How do I know how many watts and amps I need coming in for all the lights and buzzer?

Also I'm just a bit confused @63mini, when you say "The upper slide moved forward and toggled the contact switch that was mounted on the side of the slides." Do you maybe have a photo in reference?

Thank you guys again! 

[63mini]

Also I'm just a bit confused @63mini, when you say "The upper slide moved forward and toggled the contact switch that was mounted on the side of the slides." Do you maybe have a photo in reference?

  I have attached two photos showing the contact switch. One is from your photo and one from mine.  When the machine hits a jackpot the vertical payout finger pushes out on the horizonal payout fingers releasing the payout slides.  When this happens, it closes the switch to activate the jackpot buzzer and light.

  As for the power, I would suggest you inspect the current lamps to find out what the voltage/wattage they are and count how many there are total.  Also confirm the voltage of the buzzer.  Since you currently seem to be missing most of the electronic power related items.  It may be best to just go with a low voltage system using LED's and a different buzzer.  But that is entirely up to you.

[63mini]

 Also, normally there would have been a metal plate attached to the 4 standoffs in the base of your cabinet.  This would allow the tech/mechanic to be able to slide out and rotate the mech out for servicing.  Do you have that plate?