Building hacking together coin operated ball dispenser

[koifeeder]

Ok, so I got a week or so for Christmas break, I have some parts, can I build a coin op ball dispenser in a week? Lets Try!!

So here is the idea, basically take a bunch of junk laying around and make a 25 cents ball dispenser. I was going to try to make just a mechnical one, but I figured why not complicate things and make an electronic one! Word of warning, it won't be pretty, and I have extra hot glue sticks on standby.

One thing I have found out, is that the proximity ball sensors that are inside the machines are complicated to interface with. They are simply a coil of wire, but the interface sends an oscillating signal thru it and back, and the processor monitors that signal, when a ball passes thru, it stops the oscillation for a split second. I don't know how to build that circuit. so, I have some industrial automation proximity sensors that have all the electronics built in, only +, -, and output, easy to wire up. I have 3 choices for microcontroller, we'll see what works the best.
So far, in the heap I have:

• Pachinko machine back with motorized ball hopper
• Allen Bradley PLC Micro-controller
• Picaxe microcontroller
• Basic Stamp microcontroller
• Turck proximity sensor
• Coin mech out of an arcade

Also, the motor that runs the ball hopper is a 6 wire stepper motor, not necessarly hard to interface with, but would require some power transistors that I do not have. So I modified a small gear motor to take its place. We will see how that works.

I plan to use the upper ball hopper, ball dispenser, and winning ball counter plastic parts off the pachinko. Wish me luck

[dattia]

Good luck!

[PachiFool]

Sounds like fun! Don't forget to post pics of your progress.

[takethecastle57]

Thats what i like see a problem and fix it !! The best on your project and safe travels this holiday season for you and yours

[Meathead]

I thought I'd share with you my coin-op ball dispenser. 24 balls per quarter.

Not a whole lotta thought behind it though...

Ball dispenser.jpg

[takethecastle57]

Hey if it works for you thats great !!

[koifeeder]

Here are some pics, the origional back, the new proximity sensor, and the old winning ball sensor. Also, the ball dispenser mech with new dc geared motor glued onto it.

[koifeeder]

The Gumball machine is Great!! Why complicate it ;-)

[bowman1268]

I am getting ready to try and rig a coin acceptor to one of Dave's dongles.

I am hoping to make it so that you insert a token and get 25 balls through the machine.

I love your idea though.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[takethecastle57]

OK , so that i understand this whole thing .

1. Have a large supply of balls in the upper prize tray area ( Some have made cabinet bins that hold 5,000 Balls) .

2. Find a way to make the front assitaint buttons work to feed balls to the front upper tray .

3. Find a way to get "Lost Balls" at the bottom to the top back prize tray ( Many solutions have been done including my favorite a front door with a snap hingeon it with a V trough to make the balls "pour "to a ball cup . Good luck in everyones endevors .

[bowman1268]

I have 2 and 3 solved just working on number 1.



I am struggling to find coin acceptors from arcade machines on the cheap.

[takethecastle57]

Radio shack Spring switch and a thin U shape guide rail

[bowman1268]

u shaped guide rail you lost me there.

[takethecastle57]

for the coins to travel on to your coin box

[bowman1268]

ahh got ya

I am following a lead on a old atari coin door I just found online.

Koifeeder has got me motivated to try and finish mine by xmas.

So when I get odd looks in the morning from the family.

I'll Blame him

[takethecastle57]

[drcrippen324]

I thought I'd share with you my coin-op ball dispenser. 24 balls per quarter.

Not a whole lotta thought behind it though...

Ball dispenser.jpg

funily enough that was what was going through my mind as i was reading this thread strange i never thought of it befor but i supose its because i run on daverob dongles

now a dispenser for the gards would rock if you could find a phone card vending machine

[compirate]

now a dispenser for the cards would rock if you could find a phone card vending machine

Picked up 2 of em in Denver a couple years ago, lots of them out there. And some talk to you (english and spanish), just need to change what they say!

[drcrippen324]

that should be a simple rewright of the eproms

[koifeeder]

Wow, stayed up waaaay too late last night Its comming together. Decided on using the picaxe controller. One thing I did notice that the there is about a quarter of a second from when the system drops the ball until it rolls down to the sensor. So far, 1250 milliseconds = 20 balls, Its pretty accurate, but I can't rely on just time, so I will have it stop somewhere arount 22 then do a couple quick pulses until it hits 25.

Never thought of a phone card dispenser, sounds neat. I found these, but they are huge and expensive.
Pre-Owned Phone Card Vending Machine - eBay (item 370022267451 end time Jan-06-09 12:19:56 PST)