Wonders Bonus

[treefrog]

Lovely looking Wonders Bonus finishing today on eBay, but I cannot workout why or what the solenoid add-on is for at the top of the machine. I say add-on as I've never seen similar on a Wonders machine and it looks like burn marks on the rear wooden panel. It looks like it has something to do with ball release on coin entry Which is odd given it would not need it... Maybe a Mystery Win.

[special when lit]

I noticed that too, looks like a payout solenoid of an electromechanical wall machine.
A few of the metal linkages look to be home made too, definitely been messed with.

[pennymachines]

Most peculiar. The mech board looks charred underneath it.

[treefrog]

Yes, as I observed. I also wonder if the soldered area around the rear gallery has way too much solder on and maybe this had some kind of autoball release on certain wins in its time. Only explanation I can think of... Shame as the cabinet is in lovely condition.

[pennymachines]

maybe this had some kind of autoball release on certain wins in its time

It does look as if it's rigged up to the ball release, but what a bonkers way of doing it.

[brigham]

What happens when you operate the solenoid?

[pennymachines]

Looks like it pulls the other end of the lever (which is normally tilted by a falling coin) to release the ball into play.

[treefrog]

If you see below, the end of the solenoid arm is a spring which is attached to an added bar in the end of the coin release lever. What we can’t see is what triggers the solenoid, which must have been a microswitch perhaps related to some of the gallery cups, so certain ones triggered a free go... It is a mighty coil for the job. You can see some modification to the payout slide and the slide arm looks newer...

Another picture from site of untouched mech.

Fetched a fair price with all the changes.