Slot machine and game media dispensing apparatus

A pachinko ball dispensing apparatus comprising:

• a ball guide which comprises a ball path where the pachinko balls flow;
• a sprocket with an axis which is rotatably mounted about the axis and positioned to be operated by the pachinko balls flowing through said ball path;
• and
• a ratchet wheel with an axis which is linkable with said sprocket and rotatable about said ratchet axis;
• the linkage of said sprocket axis and said ratchet axis being releasable.

A dispenser for controlling the dispensing of a given number of game balls in a slot machine comprising:

• a sprocket rotatably driven by the game balls;
• a ratchet wheel disengageably driven by the rotation of the sprocket;
• a main stopper disengageably stopping the ratchet wheel rotation;
• a sub-stopper disengageably stopping the ratchet wheel rotation;
• a main solenoid connected to the main stopper to disengage the main stopper from the ratchet wheel;
• a sub-solenoid connected to the sub-stopper to disengage the sub-stopper from the ratchet wheel;
• a drive circuit connected to the main solenoid and the sub-solenoid;
• and
• a controller connected to the drive circuit which counts the number of game balls dispensed and activates both solenoids to disengage the ratchet wheel for rapid dispensing of game balls until the number of game balls dispensed is within a predetermined number of the given number.

A slot machine using pachinko balls as game media and in which the ratio of pachinko balls to an economic value changes, the operation of the slot machine being capable of being altered to compensate for changes in the ratio, said slot machine comprising:

• at least one selecting switch to select a betting number representative of the economic value for a given play of the slot machine;
• a rewritable memory in which the ratio is stored;
• a calculator connected to the selecting switch and to the rewritable memory and comprising a multiplier multiplying the ratio and the betting number to establish a take-in number of pachinko balls;
• a variable display viewable by a player and having a changeable pattern representing the results of a given play of the slot machine using the take-in number of pachinko balls;
• a dispenser which dispenses a number of pachinko balls as a prize based on the resulting pattern displayed on the variable display for the given play;
• and
• an input apparatus connected to the rewritable memory and capable of rewriting the rewritable memory with a new ratio to compensate for changes in the economic value.

A method of operating a slot machine using pachinko balls as a game media wherein a player inserts a desired number of pachinko balls, each pachinko ball having an economic value, the method of operation comprising the steps of:

• pre-programming an exchange rate representing the pachinko balls' economic value;
• counting the pachinko balls inserted to determine an inserted pachinko ball number;
• storing the inserted pachinko ball number in memory;
• displaying the inserted pachinko ball number;
• calculating and displaying a total number of unused pachinko balls that are available as a prize;
• storing a gambling number in memory which the player selects from one of a plurality of selecting switches;
• multiplying the gambling number and the exchange rate to establish a take-in number;
• changing a pattern of a variable display after the player initiates a slot machine play;
• subtracting the take-in number from the inserted pachinko ball number;
• updating the inserted pachinko ball number in memory and displaying the updated inserted pachinko ball number;
• determining the correct number of prize balls from the new pattern of the variable display and from the exchange rate;
• and
• dispensing the correct number of prize balls for that particular play.

A method of changing an exchange rate value of a slot machine using an economically valued game media comprising the steps of:

• monitoring a keypad for an input;
• distinguishing a registration key input from another keypad input;
• temporarily storing and displaying a value associated with another keypad input other than a registration key input;
• changing the exchange rate value in response to a registration key input and the temporarily stored value.

A method of changing an exchange rate value in a memory of a slot machine using an economically valued game media comprising the steps of:

• monitoring a keypad for an input;
• distinguishing a registration key input from another keypad input;
• allowing access to the memory in response to a correct registration key input;
• changing the exchange rate value in memory according to a keypad input representing a new exchange rate value.