Kiss o Meter and Skill machine query

[bob]

I have some queries concerning two machines that coin op collector friends of mine here in Australia have acquired earlier this year. The first of these is a skill flip game with a single cigarette as a prize which turned up on Australian ebay. It has a cast aluminium front with a wooden cabinet. I have not come across this machine here or in the US or UK. It works with the old style large British or Australian penny. It is substantially complete except for the coin flipping lever and the cigarette delivery button which will be easy to replace. Otherwise it needs the paint restoring. Any information concerning the origin or manufacturer of this machine would be appreciated.
The other machine was bought by another friend of mine here on the British ebay. It is an Oliver Whales Kiss O Meter. He was told that it needed rewiring.
Actually, there is a bit more than that missing from the mechanism. What is most mystifying is that there is no signs of wiring or lamps having been on the board previously and it is the original piece of timber that is there. The other parts missing are the links between the brass coin mechanisms on either side that revolved the drum with the contacts on it.
I am sure that there must be some examples of this machine still in existence in coin op collections and would appreciate any help from those familiar with this machine and its mechanism.
Thanks in advance from down under.

[slotalot]

The other machine was bought by another friend of mine here on the British ebay. It is an Oliver Whales Kiss O Meter.

Hi Bob , and greeting from the sunny (just for a change) UK. I don't own one myself but I have found a photo of the workings for you. It's not very clear but it might help you to figure out what is missing from your machine:!?!: .... good luck with it..

[bob]

Wow! How helpful is this forum? The above photo answers one of the mysteries re the Love Meter, i.e. how the lights were mounted. To solve the coin chute link I'll need closer photos of the mechanism and perhaps a description and here I've had a letter off forum from old friend John Peterson (well not really that old, particularly from where I'm placed) telling me he has an Oliver Whales Love Meter that he dug out which he thinks has a complete mech and he will help me with.

He also pointed me to a previous item on this forum which discussed the cast front machine, which cleared up that mystery.

So many thanks for all your help on this really great resource.

Now if only someone could come up with some help with my previous query re the German Racing Flip machine. Even the German coin-op sites that I've tried haven't been able to help with that one so far.

[gameswat]

Hi guys, just wondering if anybody has a copy of the Kiss O Meter artwork I could use to restore mine please? When i was buying machines from John Peterson last year he threw this example in on the deal since the artwork was so bad.Cheers.

[badpenny]

I can't help with the Flash, sorry; but I do recall an exceptionally well written article in Jerry's MMM a couple of years back for setting the mechanism up.

BP

[gameswat]

While researching the 1954 Whales machine I realised it was closely stolen from an Exhibit Supply piece circa 1940.

[badpenny]

I wonder if The Exhibit Supply version was any easier to play?
Those small, smooth edged OW knobs are a bugger to grip.

[gameswat]

Yes BP, I had to fiddle around filing any roughness from the internal levers so as to make it easier to push the Penny through each mech. Possibly not helped by wear and tear to the castings I imagine.

I've nearly finished remaking the artwork that was sent to me years ago by a photo Bob Klepner had taken from the machine that started this thread. On close inspection the colors are off you can see join lines in the artwork, so I bet this was two photocopied pieces joined together. And the central thermometer section is unusual in that it's semi transparent. Looks like they possibly stuck the prints onto a sheet of plastic leaving the thermometer uncovered. The original thermometer graphic was silk screened white. Would seem someone found this as an incomplete door with lost or damaged art and missing lighting section. They copied the artwork, drilled a new central wooden light holder and got no further which is why Bob could find no sign the lighting had ever been fitted to the wood.

[brigham]

The thermometer on the one I remember was a translucent white, burnt to an orangey-red at the bulb end, where the lamp had been lit continuously for about ten years.