Weird looking jackpot mechanism & missing jackpot trigger on Mills War Eagle
Posted: Tue Mar 09, 2021 6:57 pm
Hello all,
I‘m working on a 1931 Mills War Eagle (serial no.: 274111) with skill stop buttons and I ran into an issue with the jack pot and its triggering system. I hope somebody can help.
Here are the things I know about the machine. It was converted to the German market after the war in the 1950s. Since then German legislation did not allow jack pots, the mechanism was deactivated. The mechanism on the side of the jack pot housing was held back by a wire to keep the jack pot flap shut. After I removed the wire the linkage was free and everything moves free and without force. When I release the jack pot by hand I can reset the jack pot by hand. The common push rod to reset the jack pot and to release the reserve jack pot is on the machine. It lines up with the linkage on the jack pot and it would reset if the machine would be pulled again.
At this point there are only two flaps in the jack pot for the lower jack pot function. To me it seems that the linkage for the reserve jack pot is there but the two other flaps/ doors are missing. After going through the linkage I have not found what triggers the jack pot pay out function. I am aware that the top pay out slide triggers the jack pot with a high humb and a linkage which lifts up and releases the lower jack pot lever (missing in my case). But even if it would be there, there is no jack pot dump lever on the left side of the jack pot housing (the side towards the pay out slides). The lever of the bottom jack pot flap/door to release the jack pot is on the other side of the jack pot housing. Here is where I can not figure out how the jack pot is released on this type of jack pot model. I found out by checking the internet that the linkage is different to the ones shown there. The main difference is that there is no lever on the side where the jack pot usually gets triggered. There is not even a bolt hole or a stud where it could be mounted like the ones shown on the internet. There are no signs that something has been modified either. Could it be that this jack pot mechanism is a very early type? Now here are my concerns:
1. Does anybody know how this particular jack pot is triggered (which levers do I need)? Does somebody have a picture of the set up?
2. Can I convert it to a jack pot with the reserve function by just adding the missing flaps/doors since all the linkage is on the side of the housing seem to be complete?
I added some pictures of mine with some notes and one from the internet. If you do not understand what I mean, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you in advance
I‘m working on a 1931 Mills War Eagle (serial no.: 274111) with skill stop buttons and I ran into an issue with the jack pot and its triggering system. I hope somebody can help.
Here are the things I know about the machine. It was converted to the German market after the war in the 1950s. Since then German legislation did not allow jack pots, the mechanism was deactivated. The mechanism on the side of the jack pot housing was held back by a wire to keep the jack pot flap shut. After I removed the wire the linkage was free and everything moves free and without force. When I release the jack pot by hand I can reset the jack pot by hand. The common push rod to reset the jack pot and to release the reserve jack pot is on the machine. It lines up with the linkage on the jack pot and it would reset if the machine would be pulled again.
At this point there are only two flaps in the jack pot for the lower jack pot function. To me it seems that the linkage for the reserve jack pot is there but the two other flaps/ doors are missing. After going through the linkage I have not found what triggers the jack pot pay out function. I am aware that the top pay out slide triggers the jack pot with a high humb and a linkage which lifts up and releases the lower jack pot lever (missing in my case). But even if it would be there, there is no jack pot dump lever on the left side of the jack pot housing (the side towards the pay out slides). The lever of the bottom jack pot flap/door to release the jack pot is on the other side of the jack pot housing. Here is where I can not figure out how the jack pot is released on this type of jack pot model. I found out by checking the internet that the linkage is different to the ones shown there. The main difference is that there is no lever on the side where the jack pot usually gets triggered. There is not even a bolt hole or a stud where it could be mounted like the ones shown on the internet. There are no signs that something has been modified either. Could it be that this jack pot mechanism is a very early type? Now here are my concerns:
1. Does anybody know how this particular jack pot is triggered (which levers do I need)? Does somebody have a picture of the set up?
2. Can I convert it to a jack pot with the reserve function by just adding the missing flaps/doors since all the linkage is on the side of the housing seem to be complete?
I added some pictures of mine with some notes and one from the internet. If you do not understand what I mean, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you in advance