Hopper Agitator

[ldjamin]

Hi Folks,

The hopper agitator in my machine is a gummy mess. I have seen replacement agitators online but was wondering if they are specifically designed for a certain coin size? I'm also seeing agitators with 3-arms & 6-arms, are they interchangeable?

And to make things more complicated, I have a Games of Nevada slot machine! (The agitator is 6-legged) So my question is; can I use an IGT or Bally's agitator with the same 6-legs? If so, does it need to be specifically sized for the coin type of my machine?

I suppose my other option is to use the old one as a possible template and make one out of some rubber.

Appreciate any suggestions/advice/etc.

Regards, Lance

[slcjeeper]

Lance, can you share a picture of the hopper? Though the machine is by Games of Nevada, the hopper is most likely a Bally. The agitators are sized according to coins used. A 3 leg would be for coins larger than quarters, like Ikes. 6 leg are used on quarter and smaller. There are a few different sellers on eBay offering replacements.

[ldjamin]

Hi slcjeeper,

Appreciate the response. I was hoping this might be a standard Bally component. Per your request, please note the attached pics.

BTW, this machine accepts both Susan-B size and Ike dollars. Although based upon the designed I believe the Ike dollars are collected in a separate area and do not drop into the main hopper. As you mentioned in your reply, and since the agitator is a six-leg, I'll assume it's for the smaller "quarter" sized dollars?

Thanks again!

Regards, lance

[slcjeeper]

Lance,

That is a Bally hopper with a coin shelf and pinwheel sized for Ike’s. The 3 point agitator would be correct. Search “Bally agitator” on EBay and you’ll find what you need. When installing the agitator, you’ll find one of the screws is longer than the other 2. That is by design and that screw acts as a stop to keep the pinwheel engaged with the motor. If the pinwheel can be rotated by hand more than an 1/8” or so, it’s not locked in. Can you share a picture of the complete machine? I’d like to see what you’re working with.

Joe

[ldjamin]

Hey Joe,

WOW, thank-you for the info!! Although I'm not sure what you mean by the "pinwheel" being locked or not? I am aware of the longer screw and marked the location on the disc accordingly. However, as shown in the attached pic, there's another screw installed that has a metal "stop" sticking inward similar to how the longer screw would be. Any thoughts on why? Or are the two longer screws supposed to "trap" the rod that turns the agitator?

Per your request, I've added a few more picks of the machine. (I do have all the missing parts that aren't shown)

As I mentioned in another posting, I suspect a relay or two is bad and will be bench testing them in the near future. I also suspect that the handle operation has been modified as it doesn't appear to have a lock-out mechanism that I'm familiar with from other machines I've worked on. (pic included) I.E. the handle can be pulled at anytime, coin-in or not.

Thanks again so much for the help & feedback! 

Best Regards, Lance

[slcjeeper]

Lance,

In the photograph calling out the long screw and screw with shaft, yes, the motor shaft has a pin that needs to be aligned between these two screws during assembly. This is what keeps the pinwheel locked to the motor.

Interesting machine. I haven’t seen that one, though I’m not surprised as GON put out a lot of different machines. You’ll find there is very little to no documentation on their games. I have lots of paper from GON and out of it all, only 1 schematic. Some of their machines only used 1 or 2 colors of wires, so tracing wires can be a real challenge.


Joe

[ldjamin]

Joe,

Thanks so much for the quick response & additional information. As you stated, not much information available and not too many folks that have experience with these machines. I WISH I could get my hands on a schematic as this one has multiple-colored wires .

After your response regarding the pinwheel size, I took another look at the mechanics.  And I see that the Ike's deposited in the upper part of the machine end up on a "conveyer belt" that drops them back into the hopper. The Susan-B's are deposited in the normal coin-in location drop directly into a collection area in the base cabinet. Just curious........ Does it seem odd that the machine is set up to fill the hopper with Ike dollars (or tokens) and dump the Susan-B size dollars out of play?

Also, any thoughts on the handle being able to be pulled "any" time?

Can't tell you how much I appreciate your help and I hope I'm not over doing it with the questions? I've had this machine for years and just getting to it after retirement. So please no hurry on your response..... 

Regards, Lance

[slcjeeper]

Lance,

It’s not too common to find machines that accept different coin types. This is more common on European machines, but since mechanically the hopper can only process one physically sized coin, the other is sent directly to the drop. This is more commonly found on the play nickels or quarters for Ikes machines. Coins played go straight to the drop and the hopper only holds Ikes for payouts.

Regarding the handle mechanism, if it can be pulled at anytime, including when the machine is not powered, I would suspect the  handle mechanism may have had a pawl removed, or it may be stuck or missing a spring. Can you share a picture of the handle mechanism showing the front edge as well as the side facing the reel mechanism?

Joe

[ldjamin]

Joe,

As shown on the base glass, the machine came from the Sundance West casino originally located on Fremont Street. From what I've found online, it closed in 1980.

Yes, the handle can be pulled at any time including with power off. I've attached a couple pics of the inside mechanism. Please let me know if you would like additional pics. I wish I could get ahold of someone with a similar machine to compare the mechanism to confirm that a lock-out is missing. Going through the nlg archives, I did find someone (neonkiss) that actually has a similar machine so I emailed him directly. However, it appears that [he] hasn't been active since January of 2024 and hasn't responded.

Thanks again, Lance