Mills Romanhead started to not pay out

[badpenny]

Sorry Chris, I don't know what lock nuts and 8 - 32 hex bolt you're describing.
Any chance of a photo?

BP

[chris rideout]

Sorry, can't paste an image from a PDF but I shall try and clarify. The adjustment is on the sliding link between the clock and the arm that releases the payout fingers. Owing to the age difference between the Jewel/High Top and the Roman Head, there might be some minor differences.

[coppinpr]

These photos from the 1930s operators manual might help you describe the parts you mean to BP. Yes, the machine is different from the Hi-top. As I'm sure you know, the names we give Mills machines today are not always the name the factory used. What we call a "Roman Head" was sold by the factory as the "Golden Bell". The 1st photo is from an original sales flyer.

[pennymachines]

Sorry, can't paste an image from a PDF

You could post the PDF.

[radiochrissie]

There’s a Golden Bell on tonight’s episode of “back in time for the corner shop” bbc 2.

[13rebel]

A one arm bandit seemingly freely available to play by buying tokens from the corner shop owner in 1926.Not heard of that before in the UK.

[badpenny]

Click Here for today's history lesson

[chris rideout]

You could post the PDF.

I copied the images above and zoomed them up to see the small details but there was no rear view. Unfortunately, the innards look different in several places so there must have been several improvements made in the post war years.

[treefrog]

Alan, I assume this was your machine as description on eBay matching thread. Really odd on eBay at the moment as during lockdown machines were not getting pulled at all by eBay, but now they seem to be again slowly. This machine and a few others I have noticed recently have had bids on and then they all get retracted, can’t work out why.

Anyway, I am intrigued with the machine. Did you do the restoration? I only ask, as I recall in my head there was a restorer who always painted the tops of screws as part of their work and there is a lot of detailing on this machine. Maybe wrong. but was this Mick Harris or maybe I am thinking of someone else?

It is a useful reference for me, as I was working on a similar machine and another old penny '30s machine.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mills-Romanh ... 1438.l2649

[alan57]

Hi Tom

Yes it was my machine. Many weeks ago now I tried everything that people had mentioned on how to fix the problem, without much success.

Chris in Crosby said he would look at the machine for me to find out the problem. That was before the country went on lockdown, and nothing has been done to the machine since then.

I put the Mills Romanhead on Ebay as a none working machine - which it is now. Wasn't sure if I still needed a license for a none working machine Got plenty of messages of interest, but as I mentioned in the auction it was to be delivered due to the lockdown.

I think people put bids on, then read about the machine being non working and needed to be delivered and then retracted their bids. One person retracted his bid then put a bid back on days later only to retract it again.

In the end I just got fed up, so I pulled it. I know that was wrong.

[badpenny]

I for one don't blame you Alan.
I haven't tried to sell anything on eBay for years now due to the number of The get excited/place a bid/then think about it brigade

Officially if you are selling even a part of a machine you need a licence, in fact if you are repairing your own machine at home you need a licence. Don't ask why, or how they are supposed to know or check, I'm merely quoting from previous Monty Python like conversations that have occurred with them.

BP

[alan57]

Thanks Jeremy for the information.

[brigham]

Thanks Jeremy for the information.

Have you considered placing that Roman Head in the Market section here?
If it's the one that was on eBay, I'd have gone for it without question.

[alan57]

Hi Brigham,
Yes it's the same machine.
I bought the machine from Paul in Liverpool about 3 years ago. Everything worked as it should.
The only thing that was problematic was the reserve jackpot; it always had pennies left in the reserve when the jackpot was won. I can only assume the 1d coin is too big.

The 3 buttons below the reels on the outside are not connected to anything; the mechanism for operating them has been removed.

As I've mentioned, it's a great machine, it's just the problem of it not paying out.

[treefrog]

I was especially interested as for the first time I have been struggling with the differences between the 50c/1D machines from all other denominations. There are lots of differences, from castings to coin slide widths. Your jackpot is the proper one, so there must be an adjustment needed. Maybe the trip is not reaching, or the flap has not been seated properly; a common problem when fitting the jackpot.

I finally finished my Roman Head which I was going to make 1D, but it is a 3D machine and has got a standard jackpot working in it, even though designed for the larger type.



Now struggling on my 1D machine, an Extraordinary. Taken me ages, and was just trying to get the mech working correctly on old penny slides, only to discover the slides are 5mm wider than all the others. This was not the case on early gooseneck mechanisms... so I'm short of two 4 coin slides. Going to stick a wanted ad in and live in hope...

[alan57]

Nice looking machine Tom. The chrome looks good.

[alan57]

Decided to sell the machine, and have put it in the Market section
The price quoted is a delivered price,UK delivery only, may take up to 3 weeks for it to be delivered
The Courier will be Amicus Couriers, he offers a professional first class delivery service.
I will try and answer any questions about the machine you may have

[brigham]

Request sent.

[alan57]

Hi Brigham

Ive got your message, and sent you a reply

[alan57]

SOLD