Aristocrat Arcadian 65 repair & restoration

[treefrog]

So better action, but now move the dog fractionally back... Adjust a few times till it is right.

[jaguar]

I'd moved it forward less on the first go and it made no difference, then to the point it's at. Was scared we'd moved it too far forward, but that was the point where the wheels started to move round. Did try to move it back again as I saw the cog was sticking, but difficulty is to find something to tap it back the way. Thank you.

[treefrog]

Are you saying you can't move it back or have tried?

If you have undone the bolt on top it should be free, especially if undone quite a bit. It maybe stiff, try tapping or using pliers.

It is a fine line to causing the anvil to move back freely and getting the result you want.

[coppinpr]

Ok, you're close in the video. Won't be long now. Also you're getting the feel for adjustments.
Not likley, but check there isn't a burr on the anvil or dog caused by the forced fix from the original jam which is stopping the final reset.

If you do need to move the dog back, it's going to be a hair's width only. I move them back by placing the flat of a screwdriver over the dog face and lightly tapping the side of the driver shaft. Remember to tighten the bolt hard and that the very tightening might move the dog slightly.

[widget2k4]

Not sure about Aristocrats but I know there are a few machines where you can adjust the reel brakes. There may be adjustment on yours or they could have been jammed and caused them to move perhaps?
I see a bolt (arrowed) - is there something there that can be adjusted to make the brake slightly longer? That way it would let the reel spin a touch longer.

[coppinpr]

I dont know Aristo's very well. You could be right and there is an adjustment put there to give a longer play. (Bally I think did this on the "Money Honey" series). If there is, and you do adjust them, be sure to adjust all the same amount. One of the ideas of putting the adjustment on the Ballys was so you could change the order in which the reels stopped: middle reel first for example. I'm sure TF is right in this case and it's been the dog/anvil knocked out of position. The adjustments so far seem to be correcting the problem.

[andydotp]

Not that I've read the entire thread, but you know the forward tip/base of the real brake that looks similar to an upturned cupped hand? Well they can be twisted up or down slightly too. It sorted the issue with one of my machines years ago so may be worth a go?
Cheers,
Goodpenny.

[jaguar]

Thanks all. Going to continue with the dog and cog, see what happens there. It does appear to have fixed the reels not spinning, but will have to do a little tinkering so that the arm doesn't keep jamming. If that doesn't completely fix it then we'll look at the bar under the reel and the reel brake.
Cheers

[aristomatic]

Widget is correct that you can adjust the first reel stop lever so that it protrudes further towards the rear of the machine so that it takes longer for this part of the lever to drop off the horizontal timing bar in effect giving the first reel longer to spin before the spring pulls it backwards to stop the star wheel. Of course, if you adjust it too long then reel 2 may stop before reel 1, so just fractionally move it further forward at a time.

Another part to consider is the clock at the rear of the machine. This has a rotating cam on the top. This is not circular as you would expect but more egg shaped. This I believe is to make the spins less able to be manipulated for gain. e.g. no matter how you try to ensure a similar spin force, the egg-shaped wheel ensures that the force applied to the handle is not same to actual spin. Sometimes this cam gets gunked-up and stuck in same position. If stuck, then all spins will be same and not varied. If stuck in shortest spin position, then this may accentuate any reel-stop lever misalignment.

[biker_bob]

Topic merged - Site Admin.

Here goes with the rebuild...
Rescued from a garden where it had been for a while then I put it in a shed for about a year. Bottom is very rusty but no holes yet.
These photos are just after I started to work on it, so a couple of bits are already off. The arm is seized almost solid, so that will take some work. Worse is the clockwork mechanism. Being mild steel (I guess) and at the bottom it looks like it's been sitting in water for some time. I intend stripping it all down, cleaning and re assembling best I can.

[biker_bob]

Stage 1, Get out all the stuck coins and coin chute.
Probably did this bit wrong as it all sprung apart a bit when I removed the bolts. Live and learn. I did work out that this is the mechanism the decides what the payout would be. It was all very stuck until I took off the bolts and coins went all over the floor.

[aristomatic]

Hi, you will be surprised how robust these machines were/are.

Slides jumping about probably means springs are in good nick too! Take your time, take pictures and don't adjust anything till all parts are free-moving, as likely it was still working prior to not and just gummed up/seized up from not playing and a couple years in the garden.......!

[biker_bob]

Thanks for the tip aristomatic.

I'm currently up to 61 pictures to document the disassembly. So glad photography has gone digital. I wouldn't want to get that lot all developed and printed.

[biker_bob]

Next step, removal of the coin present detector arm. Please note that I'm just making up descriptions for the parts and I do have copyright on the new names ;)

[biker_bob]

Removing the 'no coin stopper arm'. I'm not 100% sure what this arm really does. What I do know is that it's in the way and fairly easy to remove. Just need to ensure it doesn't spring apart. I'm trying to keep assemblies in lumps to reduce the number of loose bits kicking around.

During re-assembly I plan to take each assembly apart, clean and oil it, rebuild the assembly, then fit it, before going to the next assembly. Working on the theory that it reduces the number of tiny bits loose at any one time.

[biker_bob]

Big spring that returns the arm. This bit just unhooks, so nice and simple.

[biker_bob]

Removal of what I think is the reject coin mechanism. Not 100% sure what it really does yet. I do know that it was not quite correct when I got the machine.

This was a bit stuck on its shaft, so needed some wiggling to get it off, and will need a good clean on reassembly. It does have a spring that goes on the 'win selector comb' (name copyright biker_bob ;o) ). I'm leaving the spring connected to ensure I know which spring it is when it comes to putting it all back together. Just going to leave it hanging for now.

[biker_bob]

Now the exciting part. Removing the payout selector comb. It has 5 springs that alternate in position from high and low.

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With the spring off the selectors, can move freely and create just enough space to remove the comb. This may not have been the best way to do it as the comb was still quite a fiddle to remove.

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I did leave the comb assembly in the biggest bit I could by not removing the one screw seen here.

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And put the screws back on the frame to preserve their location

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[special when lit]

The 'coin reject arm' you've taken off is actually the arm that pushes coins into the overflow chute and into the cash box, when the payout tube is full.
Looks like a good project. Those Aristocrat mechs are relatively simple and built like a tank.

[biker_bob]

Topic merged - Site Admin.

Anyone know how to get this apart?
It's the clockwork mechanism from a Aristocrat Arcadian 65.
I've tried punching out the pin on the outer section to no avail and don't want to hit it too hard.

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I'm looking to do it as the ratchet seems to be rusted solid on the underside and I need to get it apart to get to it.