Non-destructive brackets for Credit-Button

thludwig

Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2006
Messages
621
Reaction score
16
Location
Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, GER, Germany
Hi everybody.

Since we didn't want to buy thousands of tokens that we would need during a 5-hour-party and we also didn't want to have burnt-in screens from the "Press 1-Player or 2-Player..."-screen that most PCBs show in Freeplay-mode, we wanted to add credit buttons. And since we didn't want to drill holes into our beloved original cabs, I designed and made some brackets. They are attached to the edge of the coindoor. The part that slides into the egde can simply be pressed together so it doesn't move anymore. It's not necessary but it can be done. Or I can provide some thin silicon mat to keep the bracket from sliding along the coindoor. This would also protect the coin door.

The brackets have got a hole of 7.5mm. You can add a mini button like in the picture. The cables can go through the coin insert and be attached to the microswitch or directly to the pcb-connector.

I can also provide small black stickers (35x35mm) with a yellow sign "CREDIT".

The brackets are handmade. I cut the stripes from stainless steel. I drill the holes. Then I bend them. Finally I sand them with three grades of sanding paper. I can also polish them (to a decent degree) if you wish.


Just wanted to know if there is interest for such brackets for - let's say - something between 2 and 3 USD each (the bracket with the sticker). I can also provide the switch with 50cm-wires if you wish.

Pictures:
 

Attachments

  • cb_kabel2.jpg
    cb_kabel2.jpg
    47.8 KB · Views: 177
  • cb_pacman.jpg
    cb_pacman.jpg
    65.6 KB · Views: 133
  • cb_cosmic_alien.jpg
    cb_cosmic_alien.jpg
    78.7 KB · Views: 130
  • creditbracket_sketchup.jpg
    creditbracket_sketchup.jpg
    62.8 KB · Views: 123
Last edited:
Those are interesting but they seem like they'd be a really tight fit for most coin doors. I am working on something similar but my bracket will attach to the coin return area.

I am interested in 10 of your brackets anyway. I'll need something for the Seattle show and your brackets are more obvious than mine. I'd like the labels as well.
 
Those are interesting but they seem like they'd be a really tight fit for most coin doors. I am working on something similar but my bracket will attach to the coin return area.

I am interested in 10 of your brackets anyway. I'll need something for the Seattle show and your brackets are more obvious than mine. I'd like the labels as well.


You're right. On two or three of our machines we couldn't place them directly over the coin insert because of the depth of the switch. I didn't want to make them bigger so they don't reach too far 'into the gameroom' and 'til now nobody was hurt due to a collision with one of the brackets :)

I have also made some for friends and for a european meeting of arcade collectors (Eurocade) and I've heard no complaints so far.

In the beginning I also thought about placing them over the coin return slot but I had no clue how to attach them there. What's your idea? (No, I won't copy that, promised!! ;) )


So when would you need the ten brackets? edit: just took a glance at your links....so the show is in June.


btw...shipping (to USA or Canada for example) them in a letter up to 500g is 3.45EUR and 7EUR up to 1000g. I have to see how much of the brackets would fit into 500g.
For two 2.05EUR more there's an option for a signed delivery. I think this makes it a little more secure but you (or someone else) has to sign for it when it's delivered. It cannot simply be thrown into the mailbox!
 
I realize this doesn't always work for some cabs because of the way the coin mechs are mounted, but on a standard Coin Controls over/under coin door, you can add a microswitch to the coin mech mounting frame that will get actuated when you press the coin reject button.

Hook the switch up to the 'NC' and 'GND' posts, instead of the typcial 'NO' that you would normally use. Epoxy the switch to the metal frame, with the switch button depressed in place. When you press on the reject button, the switch opens, registering a credit.

In one of my cabs:

 
I realize this doesn't always work for some cabs because of the way the coin mechs are mounted, but on a standard Coin Controls over/under coin door, you can add a microswitch to the coin mech mounting frame that will get actuated when you press the coin reject button.

Hook the switch up to the 'NC' and 'GND' posts, instead of the typcial 'NO' that you would normally use. Epoxy the switch to the metal frame, with the switch button depressed in place. When you press on the reject button, the switch opens, registering a credit.

In one of my cabs:



OK, that's done very well :)

In fact the credit is registered when you release the reject button and the microswitch is closed again...or am I wrong??
 
In fact the credit is registered when you release the reject button and the microswitch is closed again...or am I wrong??

Signal line is connected to NC terminal (Normally Closed) instead of NO.
 
I could have sworn on this forum I have seen someone remove the coin door lock and put a credit button there. Wouldn't that be easier?

IMHO it's easier to slide the bracket in to the coin door than to remove the lock and insert a button ;) PLUS without a lock you would have to block the coin door so it doesn't swing open.

I have made a bracket with a lit button. But these are very expensive and only available in red, green and yello. LINK to RS-Online

I wish there would be one with a clear cap so I can fit whatever LED-color I want.
 
Hi everybody.
Since we didn't want to buy thousands of tokens that we would need during a 5-hour-party and we also didn't want to have burnt-in screens from the "Press 1-Player or 2-Player..."-screen that most PCBs show in Freeplay-mode, we wanted to add credit buttons.

I have credit buttons on all my machines that don't have freeplay. Nearly everyone that plays seems to put 3 or 4 credits at a time on the machines and they still sit at the start screens. I wind up going around every hour or so and killing off the credits to get games back in the regular attract mode.
 
You're right. On two or three of our machines we couldn't place them directly over the coin insert because of the depth of the switch. I didn't want to make them bigger so they don't reach too far 'into the gameroom' and 'til now nobody was hurt due to a collision with one of the brackets :)

I have also made some for friends and for a european meeting of arcade collectors (Eurocade) and I've heard no complaints so far.

In the beginning I also thought about placing them over the coin return slot but I had no clue how to attach them there. What's your idea? (No, I won't copy that, promised!! ;) )


So when would you need the ten brackets? edit: just took a glance at your links....so the show is in June.


btw...shipping (to USA or Canada for example) them in a letter up to 500g is 3.45EUR and 7EUR up to 1000g. I have to see how much of the brackets would fit into 500g.
For two 2.05EUR more there's an option for a signed delivery. I think this makes it a little more secure but you (or someone else) has to sign for it when it's delivered. It cannot simply be thrown into the mailbox!


The tight fit comment was in relation to how they hook over the top of the coin door itself. There is not much clearance between most coin doors and frames making your bracket impractical in many instances.


The bracket I have been playing around with has a plate with a switch on the front and a threaded rod protruding through. The rod passed through the coin return slot and a second plate with a wing nut is used to secure the plate via clamping down on the coin door itself. Unfortunately my design doesn't work with every door either.


I would need them at least a month before the show so that I can finish the build-up as well as testing of the credit switches. I also plan to make an installation guide since I will not likely be the only one installing credit buttons on machines.
 
I have credit buttons on all my machines that don't have freeplay. Nearly everyone that plays seems to put 3 or 4 credits at a time on the machines and they still sit at the start screens. I wind up going around every hour or so and killing off the credits to get games back in the regular attract mode.


This is a good point and is very common at our show. Here is what I have found:

Burn-in is NOT a concern of mine. I have a few machines (Clowns is the first that comes to mind) that have been at many shows (we participate in other local shows as well) and have sat for dozens of hours on the "Press Player 1 Start" screen with no sign of burn-in. They are simply not on long enough for burn to be a concern.

Missing attract mode. This is the one thing that really sucks. Frankly, with the exception of common games most people at the shows have no idea what a game such as Clowns is about. When it sits on the "Press Player 1 Start" screen it does not get played because people have no idea what the gameplay is like. As soon as I consume all of the credits allowing the attract screen to run there are a ton of people wanting to play. Clearing the extra credits is one of the more important things our tech do and unfortunately happens less and less often as the weekend progresses due to getting busy with repairs.
 
I have credit buttons on all my machines that don't have freeplay. Nearly everyone that plays seems to put 3 or 4 credits at a time on the machines and they still sit at the start screens. I wind up going around every hour or so and killing off the credits to get games back in the regular attract mode.

YES, indeed, this is a pain in the @ss

We have already thought about soldering a wire to the corresponding pin somewhere on the PCB and do a RESET with a hidden button ;) :D


But it's still better than running around and collecting tokens from coin boxes.
 
Great idea, but still a lot of work for a credit button.

On a Bally-Midway coin door, just pop out the coin acceptor, hot glue a Cherry microswitch just under the arm that moves downward when you press the reject plunger, and then wire it up in parallel to the coin switch.

If you want to leave the rejector in place, then just use a leaf switch instead, and hot glue it to the back of the rejector and put the leaves up by the part that pushes back when you push the rejector. Just cover the outer leaf with a piece of electrical tape.

Similar mechanics work on a Over/Under Coinco or Williams door, just use the normally closed position instead and put the micrswitch up on top by the bending plastic arm instead.

Have done this on all 25 of my machines. Everyone knows, to get a credit, just push the right side reject button.
 
Brackets (first run) are almost finished. Only the bending is left.

For our last party I have installed some of them with the following sign:

credit_schild_deutsch.jpg


In english it would be:

credit_schild_english.jpg



The signs are held with the nut of the switch.

Well, that worked not perfect. I guess the children (there were ~15) didn't care. I could have written 'Please jump from a high bridge' and they woulnd't have done it :D
 
Brackets (first run) are almost finished. Only the bending is left.

For our last party I have installed some of them with the following sign:

credit_schild_deutsch.jpg


In english it would be:

credit_schild_english.jpg



The signs are held with the nut of the switch.

Well, that worked not perfect. I guess the children (there were ~15) didn't care. I could have written 'Please jump from a high bridge' and they woulnd't have done it :D

I had no idea the exclamation point translated from German to English would have a Pacman in it? Amazing! (I keed)

I like the signs, my main concern with the whole design is having brackets protruding that far out and things like purses getting snagged on them. Also it's more attractive to petty vandals if it looks like it's easy to bend.
 
Back
Top Bottom