Best Slot Hits at Home

[Chris-socal]

Congrats! Very cool you caught it on film! Nice looking machine.

[Stayouttadabunker]

The total payout falls to the coin tray all at once? Wow!....lol
I'm so used to seeing hopper's push out one coin at a time.

[shortrackskater]

The total payout falls to the coin tray all at once? Wow!....lol
I'm so used to seeing hopper's push out one coin at a time.

Yep it hit the bar bar bar and "CHUNK" the trap door opens and the jackpot falls in the payout tray. Just above that jackpot is the "reserve" window, also filled with coins, but not quite as many. So my next big test was the next pull of the handle to see if the reserve falls into the empty jackpot hold, which it did. If the slot makers didn't have this reserve, the jackpot would be empty, and the machine wouldn't be at tempting to play, at least until it fills back up. This way, it's instantly "filled" and ready to pay out again to some lucky man, back in the 30's!
So at this point, the next coins played, with a full coin tube (for all other payouts) will divert and fill the reserve and the jackpot. I don't know which order... need to look inside at the mechanism in front. Still it's quite amazing how well these worked and were initially designed back in the early teens and even late 1800's.

[qbert]

Very interesting, my Mills blue bell has a similar set up but you can't see the reserve from the outside.  So if you hit the jackpot what ever is in the jackpot window drops in the tray. On the next pull the jackpot window gets about half full from the hidden reserve.
The reserve fills first then it starts to overflow into the windowed jackpot compartment. When that overflows it drops to an internal tray on the bottom which is pure profit.

[shortrackskater]

Very interesting, my Mills blue bell has a similar set up but you can't see the reserve from the outside.  So if you hit the jackpot what ever is in the jackpot window drops in the tray. On the next pull the jackpot window gets about half full from the hidden reserve.
The reserve fills first then it starts to overflow into the windowed jackpot compartment. When that overflows it drops to an internal tray on the bottom which is pure profit.

I must have posted on my Mills VP win the same time as you made the comment on my Jennings! I deleted it - will add it back later.

Yes my Jennings Century has a visible reserve window and there's a rake that (I think) engages as the lower jackpot is dropped. I've been playing it frequently just to see when the jackpot would fill up again. The coin tube filled, then the jackpot started filling again. I think I've got a ways to go but I'll know when I hear that "clunk" sound of the coins being diverted to the cash box. You'll have to post a shot of your Mills Blue Bell sometime. In all my "free" time, maybe I'll create a category for Mills, Jennings and maybe Watling and separate them from the "Other Reel Slots" forum.

[shortrackskater]

Jackpot -  on my Mills Vest Pocket, finally!
I guess I need to play them a little more since I've never hit it. 
I won the "big 20" nickels. 

[hsjerry]

Getting the bottom 2 Progressives on Hot Shot in one bonus round on a $4.50 bet. This game is so fun at home!!!