Bell-Fruit Manufacturing Co. bandits

[toibs]

Here's the internals (for reference)....

Top box - Coin counters and NRI 6D Mech

Bell Fruit Top Box

Main unit - Mech and Reels. Havent plugged in that connector yet - I presume that fires the counters above, however I haven't traced it out yet!

Bell Fruit Main unit

Looks like an old mechanical when you look at this bit...

Bell fruit Coin Acceptor

Bell Fruit Coin Mech

[malcymal]

Heaviest bandit I have ever picked up (or attempted to pick up) was a Sega Continental. In fact, even with the mech out, I could still barely pick the casing up. Must have a ton of lead in the bottom or something?!?!?

[slotalot]

I always get the wife to move my machines NOT!

[treefrog]

I always get the wife to move my machines NOT!

I am still waiting for this film to appear on TV, as I am sure I have seen this before, and trying to work out if they were models of machines or superimposed (unless they had been drinking Irn Bru)

These Bell-Fruit machines are beasts, the main issues as previously stated is the chrome and flaky artwork, apart from the weight. They are also quite large. On this thread earlier I posted one with an original supplied stand, which really finishes them off... Most were electromechanical, but a few were coin slides... I for some reason seemed to have acquired a mechanism for one of these. I must get rid of it at the next auction and they do look a little strange as BP stated. Yours seems to have only token payout, but had got two coin tubes, so I wonder if there is a single coin slide on the right... A lot of arcade machines were set to single token payout for any win, including Segas and Aristocrats.

[toibs]

Yours seems to have only token payout, but had got two coin tubes, so wonder if there is a single coin slide on the right... A lot of arcade machines were set to single token payout for any win, including Sega's and Aristocrat's

Well I thought that, then checked out the counters at the top - one says "token" and the other says "2x6d", so I reckon there's another payout on the right as you suggest, fed from the tube on the right... seem to be slides tho...

Will post here when I get it on the bench in the next 24/48 hours... Any idea as to what these were known as at all??

[pennymachines]

This Bell Fruit TIC TAC TOE 777 version with rotary escalator appeared on ebay a few weeks ago. The chrome has been replaced with silver Hammerite.

[treefrog]

I saw that and was tempted as this model looks a lot smaller and nice with the rotary escalator...

[toibs]

Didn't see that else I would have been tempted too!

[coppinpr]

She looks pretty good on the front of the machine... I think I might have come first

[markymark]

Topic merged - Site Admin.

Been offered this slot, but I don't have a clue about it.. Only had pictures sent, but looking closely at the workings they look somewhat different from usual Mills type mechanics?

[treefrog]

It's a Bell Fruit machine. Should have a chrome front and cash tray with ashtrays.

A lot of them are electro-mechanical, but some are purely mechanical with slides.... Door chrome and the graphics are the main issue, the graphics often seem to be damaged or peel with age. In good condition they look smart, especially with the chrome handle...

[pennymachines]

From Bell-Fruit Games.co.uk

A brief history of the Bell Fruit Manufacturing Co., of Nottingham.




Explaining the 1960s Bell Fruit bandit mechanism.

[riche100]

Anyone got a Bell Fruit Pussycat machine?

Is it like Hot Dog?

[clubconsoles]

Yes it's a 5p £60 version of Hotdog.
The reel strips have Cats and fruits instead of Dogs. Cabinet and wiring are identical.

[slotsoffun]

Topic merged - Site Admin.

Hi Guys,

Got this old Bell Fruit Three Alike machine. The front glass with the awards printed on are now flaking away! I have managed to work out that the first part reads "Token Value", then looks like a large "5/" which I'm guessing is 5 shillings, but for the life of me I cannot make out the writing as marked by the red circle. Maybe someone here knows what it says, or even better someone has a photo of the front of this machine.
Thanks

[badpenny]

A part of it should be the horizontal stroke as in 5/- as for the rest no idea.

I'm a bit concerned they appeared to be happy in those days to sell you an underage child, but for real money only

BP

[pennymachines]

Hi Slotsoffun,
The Three Alike was Bell Fruit's first bandit (1960).
Looking at the video above and page 2 of this thread you can see similar versions which suggest the missing words are "IN TRADE".

Another Bell Fruit seen at recent Elephant House sale

[slotsoffun]

Been having a closer look at the glass, and PennyMachines you're right it does say "In Trade", then under that I can make out the word "Over", and the last word is about 3 characters and ends in R, so I'm guessing it says "Bar", just seems an odd phrase to me!!!!! How did they know the machine would be in a place with a Bar?
So correct me if I'm wrong, do others think it would say, "In Trade Over Bar"?

Thanks

[jonesthegarage]

It's almost certainly "In trade over bar" - these particular bandits and similar where seemingly targeted at licensed trade as the Flowers Brewery model restored by Paul Coppin and featured in a separate thread and this one for Shipstones Ales currently on Ebay.

Bell Fruit Vintage One Arm Bandit

I'm sure it's been covered before but basically you could gamble a tanner and double your money up to a shilling but the law at the time didn't allow bigger wins in cash so these machines effectively only have 2 payouts - 1/- in the form of 2 tanners or 5/- for you to spend over the ramp.

[slotsoffun]

Thanks to all who helped. Have recreated graphic for glass, not exact but close!

Bell Fruit Manufacturing Three Alike graphic

Now on to the top glass!!!!