My Latest Addition: 1950’s Union Pachinko Machine

[JACKSJE4]

Here are pictures and a video of the latest addition to my “Unusual/Antique” pachinko Collection. This is a 1950’s era vintage machine that is a pre-tulip design, but as you will find in the photos and video, it has a few features that became common elements in later designs. I am still not sure of the year it was made, but I am leaning towards 1956-1958. Any feedback from members here on dating this machine would be greatly appreciated.


The first cool feature is the ball feeding system. When the flipper handle is flicked, a ball will be released from the upper tray and it will roll down a track (seen in the lower window) until it lands in the ball shooter area. When you flick the handle to shoot the ball, then next ball is released from the upper front tray and rolls into the shooter area. I think this system was designed to slow the player from shooting too many balls too fast, probably to give the jackpot payout sequence on the back time to do its thing and reset before the next jackpot ball was received. The ball feeding system really does set the interval between shots and prevents you from getting too many balls in the playfield at once.

The next cool feature (in my opinion) is the jackpot payout mechanism itself. It really looks to me like an early design of the mechanism we see on the Model B machines from the 1970’s. When a jackpot is scored, the catch mechanism to the right of the jackpot payout slides to the right and briefly releases the weighted cam shaft that sits across the bottom of the payout mechanism. The cam is supposed to make one complete revolution on its own (counting out 14 balls) before the pin on the right end of the cam shaft is stopped by the catch mechanism. Unfortunately, the machine was lubricated over the years and the cam shaft will not turn on its own at the present time.

The overall condition of the machine is good, however the cell is cracked and warped in spots and will need to be replaced at some point. Also, the reset mechanism for the jackpot payout seesaw is missing and I cannot see an easy way to replace it or rig up some sort of mod that will make it work as it should (more info about this in the video). Any assistance in this area would be appreciated!! The machine does play as it stands now, but the jackpots will not pay out on their own due to the sticky cam shaft.

It will be a while before I can restore it, so I will enjoy it for now in its present condition and play it when I can.


Jeff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEx1Jq7ekyo

[pinball wizard]

nice find !

[mxfaiman]

Thanks for the video. Great find once again. Also thanks for the added pictures. It really looks like a great machine (besides the cracking cell).

[emmadog]

Very nice find. Those 50's and earlier single shots and all their interesting mechanisms are really cool. It seems there's as many ways for these machines to function as there are brands.
I'll look this evening and see if a machine similar to this one is in one of my pachinko books and hopefully find out a date and some more info.
Also, thanks for the video-lots of cool one of a kind machines amongst the owners here but unfortunately nowhere near enough videos so that we can all see how they work.

[Rival]

I have been beating myself up for a while for letting myself get outbid on that one. I feel a little better learning the jackpot mechanism is incomplete, but at the same time feel sadness that this machine may not be restorable. Had I bought it I still would have been happy with it as you appear to be, and I am glad it went to someone who will take care of it.

Thanks for the pics and video, it really is a cool machine!

[Moparformances]

great looking machine...

i would love to find one of thouse

just a thought.. the missing wire/part would have to be from the jackpot mech not the ball loader.. possably from the swing are rising back up after the payout??

i would have to say that is the oldest multi ball machine i have ever seen..

Great find

[JACKSJE4]

at the same time feel sadness that this machine may not be restorable.

Not to worry. In my opinion the machine is fully restorable. It will just take some innovation, creativity and a little luck to figure out how the seesaw reset worked. I am hoping for this community's assistance with that piece of the puzzle. I see it as a minor issue. The cell replacement will be the biggest challenge, but we all know it can be done.

I have lost out on many machine auctions on ebay in the past. I can totally sympathize with how you feel. There will be more!!

Jeff
______________________________________________________

just a thought.. the missing wire/part would have to be from the jackpot mech not the ball loader.. possably from the swing are rising back up after the payout??

Can you elaborate on that thought some more? I'm not sure I follow what you are saying.

[Moparformances]

Not to worry. In my opinion the machine is fully restorable. It will just take some innovation, creativity and a little luck to figure out how the seesaw reset worked. I am hoping for this community's assistance with that piece of the puzzle. I see it as a minor issue. The cell replacement will be the biggest challenge, but we all know it can be done.

I have lost out on many machine auctions on ebay in the past. I can totally sympathize with how you feel. There will be more!! .

totaly fixable... i know your gona have this one humming... and something tell me its going to move up on your todo list... at least it had better______________________________________________________

Can you elaborate on that thought some more? I'm not sure I follow what you are saying.

i had a great idea... while i was siting hear trying to put it into words i watched your vid a few times..

im at a loss as to how to reset it... other then the weight on the wheel.. as the wheel turned it would have a cam like action on a wire to lift it back up??? but thats a total guess.. i was thinking about the broken point.. but if that were connected... when the seesaw triped it would push the other arm down as well..

once the ball falls off the swing arm it goes out front... its there any kind of mech in there to aid in a reset??

the jackpot seesaw has to be the last part that is reset.. if it is reset to early it will start another cycle and cause problems...

now im just rambling...

when the balls role threw the camed counter they fall.. is there a flap inside the chute that could aid in a reset??

[JACKSJE4]

im at a loss as to how to reset it... other then the weight on the wheel.. as the wheel turned it would have a cam like action on a wire to lift it back up??? but thats a total guess..

Yeah... I looked into that. Nothing to attach a wire to on the weight.
______________________________________________________

i was thinking about the broken point.. but if that were connected... when the seesaw triped it would push the other arm down as well..

I went back to the machine and looked at it again. You are correct - the lever would get tripped, or the broken point area would hit the lever and the ball feeder wouldn;t work correctly.
______________________________________________________

once the ball falls off the swing arm it goes out front... its there any kind of mech in there to aid in a reset??

That is really the only possiilty I see at this point. The end of the swing arm has been repaired at some point and there is a pin that is pointing towards the plywood, not outward like I would expect. There must have been some sort of wire connected to the swing arm that reset the seesaw. The only problem is the weight of said wire would affect the payout sequence. Will need to explore that option further.
______________________________________________________

when the balls role threw the camed counter they fall.. is there a flap inside the chute that could aid in a reset??

Nope. Nothing in there.

[Moparformances]

[pachiwall]

Absolutely beautiful! I've been watching the video and I can't tell from the camera angle exactly what is happening when the JP ball leaves the seesaw. I know it falls down the tube, I can see the hook that locks the payout arm that the jp ball releases as it lands on PO arm. I need to see the movement relationship of parts before I could fathom a guess. Maybe another video of the moving parts worked by hand to demonstrate their moving relationship to each other. Like Mopar said,"the jackpot seesaw has to be the last part that is reset". This is very true. That eliminates my guess that the ball track that loads the balls to the shooter pushed it up, its movement is determined by the anxious shooter. Plus its movement doesn't appear to be enough to reset. I was confused by the nails restraining that track myself. I kept looking at them knowing they didn't belong! I want to believe that it is related to the PO arm, but not sure how. I have some pics of different angles that I requested from the seller when I was bidding. I'll look them over and see if I can figure anything out.

[JACKSJE4]

I will create another video of the jackpot sequence later this week. Maybe that will reveal a solution. I am stumped - it appears to me that the only logical way to get the seesaw to reset is by the movement of the ball loader ramp directly beneath, however the vertical movement at that end of the ramp is not enough push the seesaw back into position. There had to have been another simple way to get it to reset that I am just not seeing at the moment.

I'll post the video as soon as i can.

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. Please keep them coming.

Jeff

[yose]

The fun part of these machines is figuring out how they work and restoration. I am sure you will succeed . The ball feed is really a neat function. thanks for the great video.

[JACKSJE4]

OK... I was able to create and upload a video that goes over the jackpot sequence in detail. I tried to zoom in on the critical areas so everyone can get a good look. Watch the video and let me know if you have any more ideas for resetting the seesaw. Any help would be appreciated!! Also, let me know if any additional still pictures would help.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9DebJUE8Tw

[pachiwall]

Looking at the pics that I got from the seller, I noticed a brass bar with a hook at a 45 degree angle. Attached to another bar at a different angle with a soldered nut on a 2 screw bracket, next to the JP ball return spring at the bottom of the machine. What does this do? It is hardly visible in the videos, and hasn't played a part in any known function that I can see. Can this be a piece of the puzzle? I would like to see it articulated to see what it can reach, what does the hook do, and why is it there. Clearly it has a purpose. Study this for me and help me understand this new mystery.

[Moparformances]

jeff

i cant see any possable way for the ball loader track to reset the jackpot seesaw.. the ball loader track is constantly moving loading balls into the shooter.. the cycle time of the ball loader and the jackpot seesaw will almost never be in sequance..

your going to have to look at the jackpot payout cycle for your answer

either the winning ball falling off the swing arm or the jackpot balls them self falling for your reset..

i just cant see any way for the ball loader ramp to reset the seesaw...

[emmadog]

Sorry for the delay but it took me awhile to find the book. Anyway, your machine is not in there but there is a similar one made by Takeya. Unfortunately it doesnt show the rear of the machine.