Newbe with Princess bandit

[tazmantic]

Hi all. New here and to slot machines,

I've just picked up my first slot machine and while searching the internet to try find out what I could about it was pointed in this direction from another forum. I know next to nothing about slots but have always wanted one, so when this came up I had to have it.

It was not working when I picked it up as the guy had got it as a restoration project but just didn't find the time, but after a bit of tinkering I got the mechanism running, though it still needs work. A few parts are missing and the case needs tidying. I think the mechanism is a Gunter Wulff but I can't find anything that looks like it at all. Well I thought so till I found this forum . It appears that it's a Princess......

So was wondering where I can find out any info about the mechanism etc etc ??

I've attached a couple of pics.....

Cheers.

[treefrog]

Oddly I saw your post on the US coin Op forum and tried to post a reply there..... it appears they review every post before allowing, which is odd.....

Welcome to Pennymachines.... You're right in that the mechanism is a German Gunter Wulf unit, but inside a British made case called the Princess... I have one - see below.... Possibly made by a Firm in Southend on Sea -this is still unclear.

Nice cases on these, possibly made of beech.... There were lots of variances of machines made in the UK with these German machanisms... What do you think is missing, what happens if you play it, does anything happen?

[coppinpr]

Welcome to the biggest and best slot forum on the net, without question.
A few better photos and closer up and we can certainly tell you quite a bit about it. As far as I can see, this looks like an English machine with a German mech. This was very common in the late '50s and '60s. Germany was allowed to make slots after the war but only under certain conditions, one of which was that after (I think) 10 years they had to be broken up or exported. You will note the metal is very poor "pot" metal, not meant to last, but of course it has lasted. British firms like Ruffler and Walker imported hundreds of German slots, smashed up the cases and put the mechs in new ones, and yours looks like one of these. There are a lot of smaller firms that made these and it might be hard to ID, but look at the locks, see if they have a name on them, look inside the case - see if any marks at all and send us photos - we love photos.

I hope you realize that buying one machine leads to buying loads, all is lost for you now

[operator bell]

The reel strips positively identify it as a British re-case of a Beromat mechanism. You may find information, and even some spare parts if you need them, on one of these German sites, or other sites linked to them:

http://www.automatenarchiv.de/index.html
http://www.t2balli.de/index.php/34-ohne/1-willkommen

Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

[tazmantic]

Hi Treefrog, thanks for your reply and yeah,, every first post on there has to be approved to stop spam - took a while for my post to go up on there...

WOW, very nice looking - makes mine look like it's been through the wars yeah the wood on the front is nice but the case on mine is plywood with like Formica on the sides, as they're yellow. Also, the picture on the glass is well worn.....

Well, it all spins up now and does work basically, but the coin reject mechanism is missing so you have to open the front to put the coin in (pic of bit I'm on about below) and I've also had to put tape on top of the fingers that hold the bits off that allow the reels to spin (sorry for the very bad descriptions) as I could not see any adjustment on these and the reels just seemed to hit these too soon and didn't spin hardly at all. Also, on the finger that holds the payout fingers off, as they were hitting before the reels had stopped.
Also the lugs on the reels where the payout fingers go into are showing a lot of what I think is age damage and some have fallen off.... I think it has been in a damp environment for quite some time

And then there looks like there are extra bits on the mech. I'll add pics as I take them.

Cheers

[tazmantic]

Hi coppinpr and Operator Bell, thanks for the info. Yes, I've discovered the very poor "pot" metal and I already want to buy more and thanks for the links but I'm afraid my Deutsch ain't very Sprechen Sie

[tazmantic]

Tape to get it to spin......

Pot metal........

And what are these bits for ................

[treefrog]

That loose bit of metal is the coin tube overflow lever. It fits horizontally and through to the coin tube (picture 3). There should be a mount to the left of picture 4 to sit on. See my picture below. I have included a few pics of my mech to help you.

As you can see, there should be a metal overflow tube running down to the coin box. The reject plate has a cover plate on it, held on by a spring clip and allow the coins to roll past, but I believe there is an incorrect coin or jam, that's when the reject will push the spring back and lift the plate. You just need to put a plate across with a gap wide enough to allow the coin to pass. Let me know if you want close up pics.

I can also see on the picture where you state pot metal, the reel feeler lob is broken.... Spares do exist, where are you, are you UK or US?

[tazmantic]

WOW! Thank you - you're a star. Well, the coin overflow lever was in the right place then (is it meant to be bent?) It's just the bit it's meant to be mounted to is missing. That's why there are some screws with no nuts on..... so prob silly question but what is it for??

Any close ups and measurements if poss would be great. I think the only bits missing are the mounting bracket for the overflow lever and the reject plate, lever and button.

Yeah, a couple of lobs fell off when I was using it. I did stick them back on but didnt work too well. Was thinking of trying to make some but if spares are available... I'm in the UK. I've also noticed the boss the steel pins go through is on a diff side on mine to yours....

Are the fingers adjustable (the ones I showed with tape on) because they don't seem to hold the bits off enough to stop the reels? Without the tape, they just hit the steel pins all the time, or could they just be that worn...

[treefrog]

The lever protrudes through the frame into the hole in the coin tube and pushes backwards and forwards at each pull. This is to push the top coin off the top of the tube to ensure the coins do not fall all over the place and go down the overflow....

I will try and get some measurements tomorrow, but the coin plate is more important as you will not be able to play without something retaining the coin. The first reel looks like it needs replacing as the potmetal rot seems to have affected the whole thing. There are spares out there and I am sure someone here can help (probably have a few breakers myself). The issue with these is taking them apart - they are buggers and using force obviously can be a risk.

I have just noticed my machine has loads of copper coloured bugs on the reel feelers, I wondered why the payout was poor.... If you use the search feature on the site you will see many bug types in case you are wondering what they are.

[operator bell]

That broken first reel feeler disk may not matter, as the only pieces you actually need to be intact are the bottoms of the slots that adjust how far the feeler can fall in. The raised fingers between the slots do nothing, because the stoppers work on the steel pins.

[pennymachines]

Welcome to the site tazmantic. I believe your Princess was revamped from a Gunter Wulff machine by AMECO (The Amusement Equipment Company Ltd. of Wembley). See Page 7 of Revamped Beromat-type Bandits which has lots more relevant information.

Germany was allowed to make slots after the war but only under certain conditions, one of which was that after (I think) 10 years they had to be broken up or exported.

Actually, it was only three years, which created a boom in German slot machine production. Industrial stimulation was probably the purpose of this edict - it certainly did the industry more favours than any other so-called gaming restriction.
The Wasting of Britain's Marshall Aid describes how Britain (unlike Germany, Italy and France) failed to use the U.S. funded European Recovery Programme to rebuild and modernize our industry and infrastructure.

Although your Princess looks to be in rather poor shape, as others have mentioned, spares for these are fairly abundant.

[tazmantic]

Thanks again treefrog and I will do a lot of searching as yes, I don't know what bugs are lol, and I'll try sort things one bit at a time. I think I got a bit excited last night when I found out what it was and people who knew about it, so asked lots of questions all at once.

Cheers Operator Bell, I have found that and the payout seems to work not too bad but, if I can get replacements, then I will.

Cheers pennymachines, that's where I was first looking before I joined and yes it is a bit worse for wear, but as I knew the seller and it was local and I think cheap (but I don't really know what they're worth) I thought I'd give it a go for my first one. As I could not find anything about it, before I bought it, was hoping it was going to be really rare

[coppinpr]

Wait till you get your first Mills or Sega machine - you will compare the two mechs and and realize that aliens did visit Chicago in the 1930s and bring advanced technology the like of which has never been bettered

[tazmantic]

LOL think I'll need to do some saving first

[tazmantic]

Also managed to have a bit of a play tonight and found a new use for an old sky viewing card

Least now me and the kids can have a play without keep opening it up.....

[tazmantic]

Well the sky card is still working but I must see about getting or making some proper bits (asking treefrog very nicely for any close ups when you have time ). Just wondered where I might get some or where to advertise that I want bits? and was also wondering is there any way I could get a new pic for the glass front, as I'd like to try to keep it original?

I've also got rid of the tape on the reel stop fingers and payout finger and replaced it with felt pads (pic below), and it seems to be working quite well but, as I think I mentioned, I had to do this as the reels didn't spin that well and the payout fingers seemed to stop the reels before the reel stoppers did. Any suggestions why this could be? Is there any adjustment or are they just worn?

Cheers.

[treefrog]

I may be able to get a better picture of the glass, which you would need to touch up with Photoshop and possibly get a printer to reproduce on clear plastic.

Below are not great quality pictures of the coin entry area. You probably just need a flat piece of metal with a space wide enough to let a coin past. There is a spring clip at the top holding the plate in place.

[tazmantic]

Thanks treefrog, soon as I get a chance I'll have a go at making one up.

Must also try and find some feeler disks as mine are looking a bit sorry.
Any idea where I might get some?

[badpenny]

Hi Taz ..... I'm not sure what you mean by feeler discs, however when it comes to the spring clip that holds the coin entry gauge together just dismantle a bull dog clip.