Bryans Retreeva Mechanism?

[slotsoffun]

Does anyone on these forums own this mechanical masterpiece. I'm after a high quality photo of the mechanism as the one on the Melwright Bryans site is too small and low quality to be able to make out the parts. Looking over a Retreeva recently and I cannot see how it triggers a payout when all 5 balls are caught.
If I can just see if there are any bits missing by studying a clear photo of the rear that would help. thanks

[gameswat]

Does this work?

[bryans fan]

Hi

Pics I found on the internet and saved. Hope they help, if not I can take some pics of mine. But not at the moment, as I am very busy at present.
( Someone told me it's Christmas soon! )

[wembleylion]

In this machine Bryans very cleverly uses parts of the mech. to do two actions. The mech. is quite complicated and I have tried to simplify this description to make it easier to follow.

On the left hand side there are two vertical bars; one is for the ball release (2) and the other for the pay-out (1). The pay-out bar is operated by the bar (3) that runs horizontally across the top taking its action from a bar (5) linked directly from the crank handle. Dropping down from the centre of the horizontal bar (3) there is a weighted bar (4) with a finger on its end that works through the slot in the top of the ball column. If you look carefully at the front of the machine you can see the finger appear and disappear as the crank is rotated. The same idea is used for the lower forks column to release the lost balls back into play.

When the game is in play the horizontal bar (3) takes its fulcrum point from the bracket that holds the top of the two vertical bars (1&2) and it just oscillates up and down with the movement of the crank handle carrying the weighted finger bar (4) with it. When there are 5 balls in the column the finger bar (4) contacts the top ball and changes the fulcrum point to the centre of the horizontal bar (3) so causing the bar to lift the vertical pay-out bar (1) as the crank is rotated. This then lifts the horizontal bar (6) that runs behind the pay-out mech. and releases the bent lever (7) so allowing it to move the pay-out slide.
Only the winner’s penny is returned, it does not give a free game.

Hope this helps. John

[slotsoffun]

Excellent. Thanks for all the photos, it confirmed that nothing was missing!
And thanks for the explanation of this beautiful mechanism, although I don't know why Bryans changed the detection method from that of the Payramid that I own, as it seems much more reliable than the Retreeva method.

Cheers everyone, I can sleep in peace now!!!!

[wembleylion]

I don't know why Bryans changed the detection method from that of the Payramid that I own, as it seems much more reliable than the Retreeva method.

I read somewhere that it is thought that Bryans chose to keep all the balls in sight so that they did not get contaminated with oil / grease from passing through the mech.

An anomaly that I find interesting is that the Retreeva only pays out a penny to the winner, the balls do not return for a free play so why did Bryans fit a pay-out slide with a reserve of pennies when a much simpler and far less costly pin and deflector idea could have been used like that in the Ruffler & Walker Conveyor?

The fitting of the penny reserve also required additional work to stop the winning player emptying the reserve so Bryans fitted two stops one above the other in the bottom of the ball column with the idea that once the pay-out had been made the upper stop was allowed to swing back letting the balls drop onto the lower stop so that the sensing finger could not come into contact with the ball column.

I am left wondering whether Bryans done this a fool proof method of making the pay-out or whether he originally intended that the balls returned for a free game after a win.

John

[badpenny]

........... like that in the Ruffler & Walker Conveyor?

"Stevenson and Lovett", R&W were distributors.

[pennymachines]

The Retreeva does give a free game if set to do so. It has three operator settings, selected by flipping a horizontal 'switch' inside, with 'repeat' and 'return' stamped on it. You can spot this if you look closely at the images above. The game can a). pay a penny back for a win, b). give a free go with no payout or, c). on 'generous' mode, pay a penny and a replay. So it's possible for the player (laboriously) to make a profit, hence the need for a payout hopper.

I don't know why Bryans changed the detection method from that of the Payramid that I own, as it seems much more reliable than the Retreeva method.

He looked for ways of doing the same, or more, with less mechanism. This is apparent from his other re-designs. The ball detection on the Retreeva is as reliable as the Payramid in my experience.

[wembleylion]

"Stevenson and Lovett", R&W were distributors.

Thanks for the correction BP, I must be cracking up.

The Retreeva does give a free game if set to do so. It has three operator settings, selected by flipping a horizontal 'switch' inside, with 'repeat' and 'return' stamped on it. You can spot this if you look closely at the images above.

Many thanks for the information Mr PM. I missed the 'switch' as the photos that I have do not make it clear and I was mislead by Melvyn Wright in his description, on the Bryans Penny Arcade site, where he says "Unfortunately, the Retreeva is let down by its unexciting payout. Compared to the continuous payouts of the Payramid, the Retreeva only pays out if all five balls are caught, and then only returns the player's coin. There is no jackpot either."

Please accept my apologies if I have mislead anyone.

John

[pennymachines]

I'm sure apologies aren't necessary. After all, we don't want everyone to know what a wonderful little game this is.