ARCADE MACHINE AND ITS PLAYING METHODThe present invention relates to an arcade machine which comprises a 30 second clock to count down a predetermined length of time within which individual players are allowed to bet, a card opener to opens a card at random, a card record display to record and show the cards opened in last bets, and an extra-award wheel set for the winner to hit a jackpot.
There are known arcade machines which open a card after the players have staked their stakes on specific cards. These arcade machines are mechanically operated to choose a card from a set of cards of different marks at random, and then to open the chosen card so as to decide whose is the winner. These arcade machines are monotonous, and cannot excite players' curiosity.
It is one object of the present invention to provide an arcade machine which is mechanically operated to choose a card from a set of cards of different marks at random, and to open the chosen card on a card viewer for recognition.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an arcade machine which uses indicator lamps to indicate the card opened in each betting.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an arcade machine which uses a bet timer to count down a predetermined length of time within which individual players are allowed to bet. IT is still another object of the present invention to provide an arcade machine which uses a card record display to record the cards opened in a fixed number of last bets for probability reference. It is still another object of the present invention to provide an arcade machine which allows the winner to hit a jackpot.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the arcade machine comprises a roulette panel having a plurality of divisions, which represent a set of cards of different marks, and a plurality of indicator lamps corresponding to the divisions, a card record display for recording the cards opened in last bets for probability reference, bet panels for betting by individual players, a bet timer to count down a predetermined length of time within which individual players are allowed to stake, a card opener to choose a card from a set of cards of different marks at random and then to open it, and an extra-award wheels for an extra betting when an individual player wins a bet and wishes to hit a jackpot by using the prize as the pool.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the cards may be marked with different dots, figures of the chess or checkers, signs of zodiac, or figures of the 12 animals (the mouth, the ox, the tiger, the rabbit, the dragon, the snake, the horse, the sheep, the monkey, the fowl, the dog, and the pig).
The present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the annexed drawings, in which:Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an arcade machine according to the present invention;Fig. 2 is an operational flow chart showing the operational flow of the present invent ion;Fig. 3 is a perspective view in an enlarged scale of extra-award wheels according to the present invention;Fig. 4 is a perspective elevation of a card opener according to the present invention;Fig. 5 is similar to Figure 4 but showing a card moved to the card viewer and the card viewer closed by the gate; Fig. 6 is similar to Figure 5 but showing the gate partially opened;Fig. 7 is similar to Figure 6 but showing the the card dropped to the discard holder; andFig. 8 is similar to Figure 7 but showing the discarded card moved backwards to the card station.
Referring to the various drawings attached herewith, a detailed description of the structural features of ARCADE MACHINE AND ITSPLAYING METHOD of the present invention is as follows:Referring to Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, an arcade machine in accordance with the present invention comprises a machine base formed of a horizontal table 1 and a vertical table 1' connected together at right angles. The horizontal table 1 comprises a roulette panel 2 having twelve divisions representing twelve different cards and twelve indicator lamps 20 respectively disposed in the twelve divisions, a card record display 3 for recording the cards opened in bets for probability reference, a plurality of bet panels 4 arranged around the roulette panel 2 for the players to bet individually.The vertical table 1 comprises a bet timer (30 second clock) which counts down from 30 each time the machine is started by a coin or coins, a card opener 6 which chooses a card from a set of cards corresponding to the twelve divisions on the roulette panel 2 and opens when a betting is closed, and extra-award wheels 7 for an extra betting when an individual player wins a bet.
Referring to Figure 2, the bet panel 4 comprises six red bet keys 42 and six black bet keys 42' corresponding to the twelve different cards represented by the twelve divisions on the roulette panel 2 for betting, twelve pool displays 420 and 420' corresponding to the red and black bet keys 42 and 42' for showing the amount being staked on, a score display 40 for showing the score obtained in a betting, a cumulative score display 41 for showing cumulative scores, a red extra-award play key 42 and a black extra-award play key 43' for playing an extra-award by using the amount of the cumulative score as the pool, and a total score display 44 for showing total score obtained in the game.
Referring to Figure 4, the card opener 6 comprises twelve different cards 60 (six in red color and six in black color) corresponding to the twelve divisions on the roulette panel 2, a card station (not shown) to hold the twelve different cards 60, a card viewer 61 for showing the card 60 been chosen after each betting is closed, a discard holder 62 to hold the discarded card 60 from the card viewer 61 and to send it back of the card station, and a gate 610, which closes the card viewer 61.
Referring to Figure 3, the extra-award wheels 7 include three wheel 70, each wheel 70 is peripherally printed with twelve patterns in red or black color corresponding to the twelve divisions on the roulette panel 2. The extra-away wheels 7 are turned when one extra-award play key 43 or 43' is pressed, so that the player may hit a jackpot.
Referring to Figures 1 through 8, when the arcade machine is started, the 30 second clock starts to count down, and individual players must stake their pool on the keys 42 and 42' on the respective bet panels 4. After betting, the amount of the takes on each key 42 or 42' is shown on the corresponding pool display 420 or 420'.
Upon the showing of the zero reading on the 30 second clock 5, the betting is closed, and the card opener 6 automatically chooses a card 60 at random (see Figure 4) and then moves it to the card viewer 61, which is closed by the gate 610 (see Figure 5).
When the chosen card 60 reaches the card viewer 61, the card opener 6 immediately moves the gate 610 to partially open the card viewer 61 without letting the players see the mark on the card face (seeFigure 6), so as to excites the players' curiosity, and then to completely open the gate 610. When the gate 610 (namely, the chosen card 60) is opened, the corresponding indicator lamp 20 is turned on, and the score, if any, is shown on the score display 40 of the individual bet panels 4.
If an individual player wishes to play an extraaward, the player can press the red extra-award play key 43 or the black extra-award play key 43' to turn the extra-award wheels 7. When the wheels 7 are stopped, a payoff is made according to a predetermined payoff chart, for example: a payoff of 100 times over the pool been bet will be paid and shown on the total score display 44 when the three wheels 70 show the same color and pattern as bet. When a betting is finished, the gate 610 is closed again,then the chosen card is given up and sent to the discard holder 62, and then the discarded card is returned to the card station for a next betting (see Figures 7 and 8). After each betting game, an individual player's total score is shown on the total score display 44 of the respective bet panel 4, and the card which was opened in the last betting game is shown on the card record display 3 for further reference.