Inside Your Bingo
Replay Counter
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| replay counter. |
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The replay counter(s) controls the payout function. When a winner is detected by the search disk and search relays, the search disk stops and the search relay's contact circuitry indicates which type of winner (3, 4. or 5 in-line) has been found. The payout cams on the control unit are subsequently set into motion, and the pulse from one of these cam switches begins to advance the replay register (the three digit counter behind the backglass indicating to the player how many replays he has available).
At the same time, a replay counter begins to be stepped up by one of the payout cam switches. The replay counter may be stepped once for each, every other, or every fourth advance of the replay register. This is controlled by the position of the corresponding score unit (i.e. depending on the odds being paid out). This is done so that the replay counter will not be required to have a number of steps equal to the largest award (often 300 or 600 replays). The circuitry involved in stepping up this unit is a series circuit involving the score unit disk contacts and the disk contacts on the replay counter itself. When the proper number of replays have been awarded the replay counter's own disk contacts open the circuit and payout is terminated. The payout cams then stop, and the search disk again begins to search for another winning combination.
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| replay counter closeup. notice how the circuit traces the wipers are riding on end. It's those breaks in the traces that stop the payout. On this unit, the gaps are filling with carbon which needs to be cleaned off. |
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Note: The replay counter(s) is only reset at the start of a new game. This means that once a winner is paid off (say a 3-in-line for example) the replay counter remains at the step corresponding to that level of payout. If a larger winner (4 or 5 in-line) is subsequently detected, the counter will advance further until that level is reached. This results in the awarding of additional replays such that the total number of replays awarded equals the proper amount for the highest level of winner detected during the game. Later model bingos, having separate three color odds. have separate replay counters for each color, allowing three independent payouts.
All bingos having an extra ball feature have another stepping switch in the backbox called the extra ball unit. This stepper is advanced pseudo-randomly during extra ball (yellow button) play, the depositing of extra coins by a player attempting to obtain extra balls to play.
This unit has ten positions, the first being reached when the yellow button is first pressed indicating that the player wants to try for extra balls and lights the "extra balls" light on the backglass. The next nine positions light in turn, the other extra ball lights(first, extra, ball, etc.) The first two lights for each ball are teasers trying to tempt the player into trying again. When each extra ball is attained disk contacts on this unit, in conjunction with the trough switches in the ball trough beneath the playfield, control the raising of extra balls and their re-raising if one should fall into the ball return hole at the bottom of the playfield.
In addition to the typical units described above, many bingos have other specialized units in the backbox such as motorized units to operate moving screens and turning corners features. These units have electrical contacts, etc, in addition to the motor, to activate associated feature circuitry.
