# US 11,298,978 B2 · Retractable wheel assembly for raising and lowering a gaming machine cabinet > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,298,978 B2 - Document ID: US11298978B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/004,799 - Filed: 2020-08-27 - Published: 2020-12-17 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2018-06-15 - Assignees: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited - Applicants: Aristocrat Technologies Australia Pty Limited - Inventors: Linn Anthony McKay; Dominic S. Biondo; James Joseph McNierney; Donald Wayne Bauer; Timothy Francis Barbour - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11298978B2 ## CPC - B60B 33/066: {by use of a hinge and lever mechanism to swing wheel upwards relative to wheel mount} - G07F 17/3218: {wherein at least part of the system is portable} - G07F 17/3209: {Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen} - G07F 17/3211: {Display means} - G07F 17/329: {Regular and instant lottery, e.g. electronic scratch cards} - G07F 17/3293: {Card games, e.g. poker, canasta, black jack} - G07F 17/34: depending on the stopping of moving members {in a mechanical slot machine}, e.g. "fruit" machines - B60B: VEHICLE WHEELS (making wheels or wheel parts by rolling B21H1/00, by forging, hammering or pressing B21K1/28); CASTORS; AXLES FOR WHEELS OR CASTORS; INCREASING WHEEL ADHESION - G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00}) ## Abstract An electronic gaming machine includes a cabinet and a pair of retractable wheel assemblies mechanically coupled to the cabinet. Each retractable wheel assembly includes an elongated structural member including an upper receiving surface and first and second inverted U-shaped portions depending from the upper receiving surface, a first pusher plate pivotably coupled to the first inverted U-shaped portion, a second pusher plate pivotably coupled to the second inverted U-shaped portion, a first retractable wheel mechanically coupled to the first pusher plate, and a second retractable wheel mechanically coupled to the second pusher plate. The first retractable wheel and the second retractable wheel are movable between a retracted position, in which the pair of retractable wheel assemblies allow the cabinet to contact an external surface, and an extended position, in which the pair of retractable wheel assemblies support the cabinet above the external surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An electronic gaming machine comprising: a cabinet; a pair of retractable wheel assemblies mechanically coupled to the cabinet, wherein each retractable wheel assembly comprises: an elongated structural member including an upper receiving surface and first and second inverted U-shaped portions depending from the upper receiving surface; a first pusher plate pivotably coupled to the first inverted U-shaped portion; a second pusher plate pivotably coupled to the second inverted U-shaped portion; a first retractable wheel mechanically coupled to the first pusher plate; and a second retractable wheel mechanically coupled to the second pusher plate; wherein the first retractable wheel and the second retractable wheel of each of the pair of retractable wheel assemblies are movable between a retracted position, in which the pair of retractable wheel assemblies allow the cabinet to contact an external surface, and an extended position, in which the pair of retractable wheel assemblies support the cabinet above the external surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The electronic gaming machine of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of retractable wheel assemblies further comprises a plurality of mounting fasteners extending upward from the upper receiving surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The electronic gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the first pusher plate comprises a first caster fork for supporting the first retractable wheel, and wherein the second pusher plate comprises a second caster fork for supporting the second retractable wheel. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The electronic gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the elongated structural member comprises a first end, a second end, and a body extending therebetween, and wherein the first inverted U-shaped portion is disposed at the first end of the elongated structural member, and wherein the second inverted U-shaped portion is disposed at the second end of the elongated structural member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The electronic gaming machine of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of retractable wheel assemblies further comprises: a first bolt threadably engaged with the elongated structural member, the first bolt extending through the elongated structural member to contact an engagement surface of the first pusher plate, the first bolt configured to engage with the engagement surface of the first pusher plate to allow the first retractable wheel to move between the extended position and the retracted position; and a second bolt threadably engaged with the elongated structural member, the second bolt extending through the elongated structural member to contact an engagement surface of the second pusher plate, the second bolt configured to engage with the engagement surface of the second pusher plate to allow the second retractable wheel to move between the extended position and the retracted position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The electronic gaming machine of claim 5, wherein the cabinet is raised and lowered by engagement of the first bolt with the engagement surface of the first pusher plate and by engagement of the second bolt with the engagement surface of the second pusher plate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The electronic gaming machine of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of retractable wheel assemblies further comprises at least one mounting bracket configured to be mechanically coupled between the elongated structural member of the retractable wheel assembly and an internal frame of the cabinet, such that the retractable wheel assembly is secured on the internal frame of the cabinet. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The electronic gaming machine of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of retractable wheel assemblies further comprises: a first mounting bracket configured to be mechanically coupled between the retractable wheel assembly and an internal frame of the cabinet; and a second mounting bracket configured to be mechanically coupled between the retractable wheel assembly and the internal frame of the cabinet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The electronic gaming machine of claim 1, wherein the first retractable wheel and the second retractable wheel are in-line. ### Claim 10 A system of retractable wheel assemblies comprising: a plurality of retractable wheel assemblies, wherein each of the plurality of retractable wheel assemblies comprises: an elongated structural member configured to be mechanically coupled to a gaming machine cabinet, the elongated structural member including an upper receiving surface and first and second inverted U-shaped portions depending from the upper receiving surface; a first pusher plate pivotably coupled to the first inverted U-shaped portion; a second pusher plate pivotably coupled to the second inverted U-shaped portion; a first retractable wheel mechanically coupled to the first pusher plate; and a second retractable wheel mechanically coupled to the second pusher plate, wherein the first retractable wheel and the second retractable wheel are movable between an extended position and a retracted position. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of retractable wheel assemblies of claim 10, wherein the first retractable wheel and the second retractable wheel are configured to be extended and retracted independently of one another. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of retractable wheel assemblies of claim 10, wherein the first pusher plate comprises a first caster fork for supporting the first retractable wheel, and wherein the second pusher plate comprises a second caster fork for supporting the second retractable wheel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of retractable wheel assemblies of claim 10, wherein the elongated structural member comprises a first end, a second end, and a body extending therebetween, and wherein the first inverted U-shaped portion is disposed at the first end of the first elongated structural member, and wherein the second inverted U-shaped portion is disposed at the second end of the first elongated structural member. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of retractable wheel assemblies of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of retractable wheel assemblies further comprises: a first bolt threadably engaged with the elongated structural member, the first bolt extending through the elongated structural member to contact an engagement surface of the first pusher plate, the first bolt configured to engage with the engagement surface of the first pusher plate to allow the first retractable wheel to move between an extended position and a retracted position; and a second bolt threadably engaged with the elongated structural member, the second bolt extending through the elongated structural member to contact an engagement surface of the second pusher plate, the second bolt configured to engage with the engagement surface of the second pusher plate to allow the second retractable wheel to move between the extended position and the retracted position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The system of retractable wheel assemblies of claim 14, wherein the gaming machine cabinet is raised and lowered by engagement of the first bolt with the engagement surface of the first pusher plate and by engagement of the second bolt with the engagement surface of the second pusher plate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The system of retractable wheel assemblies of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of retractable wheel assemblies further comprises at least one mounting bracket configured to be mechanically coupled between the elongated structural member and an internal frame of the gaming machine cabinet, such that each of the plurality of retractable wheel assemblies is secured on the internal frame of the gaming machine cabinet. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The system of retractable wheel assemblies of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of retractable wheel assemblies further comprises: a first mounting bracket configured to be mechanically coupled between a corresponding retractable wheel assembly and an internal frame of the gaming machine cabinet; and a second mounting bracket configured to be mechanically coupled between the corresponding retractable wheel assembly and the internal frame of the gaming machine cabinet. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The system of retractable wheel assemblies of claim 10, wherein the first retractable wheel and the second retractable wheel are in-line. ### Claim 19 A method of using a system of retractable wheel assemblies to raise an electronic gaming machine cabinet, the method comprising: mechanically coupling a first retractable wheel assembly to the electronic gaming machine cabinet, the first retractable wheel assembly including a first elongated structural member including a first upper receiving surface and first and second inverted U-shaped portions depending from the first upper receiving surface, a first pusher plate pivotably coupled to the first inverted U-shaped portion, a second pusher plate pivotably coupled to the second inverted U-shaped portion, a first retractable wheel mechanically coupled to the first pusher plate, and a second retractable wheel mechanically coupled to the second pusher plate; mechanically coupling a second retractable wheel assembly to the gaming machine cabinet, the second retractable wheel assembly including a second elongated structural member including a second upper receiving surface and third and fourth inverted U-shaped portions depending from the second upper receiving surface, a third pusher plate pivotably coupled to the third inverted U-shaped portion, a fourth pusher plate pivotably coupled to the fourth inverted U-shaped portion, a third retractable wheel mechanically coupled to the third pusher plate, and a fourth retractable wheel mechanically coupled to the fourth pusher plate; and actuating the first retractable wheel assembly and the second retractable wheel assembly to move the electronic gaming machine cabinet from a lowered position into a raised position on the first retractable wheel assembly and the second retractable wheel assembly. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising: engaging the first retractable wheel and the second retractable wheel to extend the first retractable wheel and the second retractable wheel relative to the first elongated structural member; and engaging the third retractable wheel and the fourth retractable wheel to extend the third retractable wheel and the fourth retractable wheel relative to the second elongated structural member.