Topic merged - Site Admin.
The Jamiesons "Royal Flush" I bought from the John Morley auction arrived today thanks to Steve's £10 delivery service and I'm very pleased with it. As I bought it through an absentee bid this is the first time I've seen it in the flesh so to speak. Considering the state of most of the machines in that auction this is in remarkable condition. A fairly modern machine it's true, but the case is near perfect (if a little dirty) and the glass and playfield are A1. It even has its original little red ball.
I know this is not a popular machine and as a '70s machine (I think) it's a bit modern but it is interesting and unusual in many ways so I thought I'd give everyone a tour round it.
I guess it qualifies as an allwin-type machine, although in fact it is a no win machine, as the best you can get is a free go. Insert a coin and a timer starts (adjustable by the operator); you then repeatedly fire the ball allwin-fashion in an attempt to light ALL the playing cards in the given time For this you get a free go. Not the most appealing game I've ever seen.
The works are complete. I know this because I found an instruction manual and wiring diagram still in its original factory packet in the coin box. The instruction book is very interesting as it details each part of the cycle and which components operate each function and in what sequence.
The machine is not quite working yet (I was not surprised at this) but it's close. All the lights work and all the many many switches and solenoids look fine, but the timer is locked up somehow so it's hard to tell if it will work or not.
I'm no good at electrics and play very careful around them, so I'm going to need help sorting this out, but in truth it's very simple inside (although a little long winded for what it does). There is a very small and simple components board inside (not a circuit board as such - just two capacitors, I think) and four what look like transformers, all linked up in a line. The meat of the electrics are over 20 micro switches and more than a dozen solenoids.
The coin hits a switch and starts the timer. All the timer seems to do is release the ball and hold the solenoid in during the time span. Each time the ball falls through a new card slot, the light comes on and a solenoid trips on the back board. If all the solenoids trip during the time span, the free play button goes live and you can start the cycle over again.
I think the switches and solenoids are OK. The lights and bulbs are OK. I need to test the component board, timer and transformer, but don't know how to go about it, so help please.
Externally, this machine will come up like new. This is what I'm good at, and I'm looking forward to doing it. The electrics look, to me, to be very simple and I'll be happy to spend some money on replacement parts if needed, but I don't have the expertise to attempt it so, once again, help please.
One of the most unusual features is the lock. When I first got it, the key was in and appeared to just turn round and round doing nothing, I nearly drilled it out. Then I vaguely remembered seeing a lock once that was simply a screw bolt that screws into the rear door holding it shut, but you can only unscrew the bolt with the key in the lock. Sure enough, this is the case. You just keep turning the key till the door falls open. The plus side of this type of lock is that when you close the door you can tighten it right up with no play in the door gap.
An interesting machine and one that is rare in that it represents the very end of of the era. There is much about it that highlights why this type of machine died out. The makers didn't seem to know which way to go to save the situation and their demise was, like this machine, on the cards!