Mills Black Cherry not paying out

[thornebt]

My newly acquired Mills Black Cherry is not paying out. I'm wondering if the payout slides are in the wrong place. The pin that sticks up from the top slide looks as though it should move back about an inch to locate in a cutout in the top cover of the mechanism. Hopefully the photo I've tried to attach will show in this post.

[badpenny]

That pin trips the jack pot mechanism.
It doesn't retract unless you are showing all three jack pot symbols.
Line up different winning combinations after stopping the clock soon after pulling the handle.
That'll show if any winning combinations are paying out.

BP

[thornebt]

Thanks BP. I stopped the clock and lined up three bells. No payout after the clock restarted!

The machine was paying out when I first got it but I think the payouts were short. I didn't really check them properly.

[badpenny]

You may have an upturned coin in the slides.
Before stripping it down, when you pull the handle do the slides all move slightly forward and do it evenly? If not something is impeding their movement.
Another test you can do is to: -
*pull the handle
*stop the clock after the third click when the reel stops have engaged
*use a screwdriver or hook to pull the bottom 2 or 3 horizontal fingers to the side and keep them there
*restart the clock

That should now pay out as many slides as you have pulled fingers.

If it doesn't then you should remove the coin tube (be careful it should be full of coins - if it's not, then perhaps that's your problem?) Now you can see down into the slide bundle. Is there an upturned coin?
Now when you re-mantle (Opposite of dismantle) ensure you replace the coin rake at the top of the tube, it pushes excess coins into the jack pot. It will have dropped down when you took out the tube.

Report back with a leather bound report on my desk no later than 8.00 am tomorrow morning.

BP

[thornebt]

Thanks so much. I've got visitors staying for a few days but I'll get on with what you suggest at the first opportunity.

When I got the machine it was full of new halfpennies so maybe one of those is upturned in the slides. I thought I had got rid of them all!

I'll report back in a few days.

[thornebt]

When I pull the handle all six slides move forward together, maybe about 5mm, then back slightly very quickly. A couple of seconds later they click back to their starting position.

I did the test of stopping the clock after the third click and pulling the bottom couple of fingers to the side. Still no payout. However when I turned the mechanism on it's side it looks as though it almost paid out - please see photo.

I have also removed the coin tube but there were no upturned coins. I've now refilled it.

[badpenny]

Well described.
Was it ever working, and paying out properly?
I think it might be (although it is hard without having it sitting in front in order to wave a hammer at and threaten) the anti tilt mechanism. It's the very bottom, very thin slide that blocks all pay outs in the event of a scrote cheating. They were often removed by operators for this very reason.
I suggest you do as well.
Remove coin tube
Remove all slides, keeping them in the same order.
Take the very bottom thin (possibly checker mate design) and the strange shaped lever that makes it function.
Reassemble.
Where on the planet are you?

BP

[thornebt]

Thank you very much BP. I'm in Cheddar, Somerset. I'll do what you describe.

[thornebt]

I should have said that it was paying out. I think some payouts may have been short but I can't be entirely sure about that.

[thornebt]

I've finally found some time to crack on with the machine. I removed the thin slide and attached spring at the bottom but wasn't sure which lever operated it so didn't remove any levers. Is it the long lever that runs below the other five slide levers? Or maybe it's the light coloured lever in my photo about four posts above.

The machine still isn't making any payouts but maybe it's the lever I haven't removed that is the problem.