Mills antique collectors slot machine. Found on Craigs List

[shortrackskater]

Didn't know exactly what this was from the ad:

Mills antique collectors slot machine. Estimated late 30's/early 40's. $0.25 (quarter) machine. Merrymaker is the name on the slot machne. Needs to be refurbished

I immediately called; machine was still available and, within a half hour it was in my back seat and now the garage. No key was included but when I got it home, one of my replacement lock keys fit it! I got it opened and saw that there was a coin comparator and a handle release mechanism, which appears to be solenoid actuated. The belly glass and reels are also illuminated. It didn't work but I was very happy to see the the entire mechanism slid out easily. I pressed down on the lever where the handle goes and the mechanism went through complete cycle perfectly. And...to top it all off, when I released the lock to the cash box, it had a bunch of paperwork and a book on repair of Mills mechanical slot machines.
The cabinet needs work but I think I can clean it up quite well. Pictures...taken right after unloading it from the car.
$200 - Did I get a deal? And does anyone have any idea what year this is from? I'd think late 50's or early 60's.

[Amachanic]

Wow sweet old Mills slot.. I think you correct on the years, I would put it in the late 50's to earlie 60's, and the price seems to be a steal... What would have made the find better since it didn't have a key was to find some old silver coins in it still... I picked up a 1935 Mills Castle front about 18 months back, and it had been sitting for 45 years. I found $16 dollars in dimes still in the pay out tube dating as far back as 1935. 

[slotsteve]

those $16 in dimes were worth$ 480 last week this week around 400

[shortrackskater]

Very nice! I like silver! I found three quarters...not old. I did a little cleaning on it last night and I'll post the picture. I got it powered up...lights work and coin drops to tube but there's a catch bar keeping it from dropping it any further. I'll bring this up in another section if I can't figure it out.

[SinCitySlots]

Very nice! I like silver! I found three quarters...not old. I did a little cleaning on it last night and I'll post the picture. I got it powered up...lights work and coin drops to tube but there's a catch bar keeping it from dropping it any further. I'll bring this up in another section if I can't figure it out.

Looks very nice!
Post a few pix of the reels and relays.
I'm a big fan of the old EM machines.
I have quite a few Bally EM machines.

[shortrackskater]

Is this really considered an EM since the mechanism will come out and work independantly, more or less? Yes, I will post pictures soon. Should I finish this on the other forum for old slots?

[SinCitySlots]

Is this really considered an EM since the mechanism will come out and work independantly, more or less? Yes, I will post pictures soon.

Good question. By the truest definition of EM/Electromechanical yes becaue by your description it uses an electric solenoid for part of the actuation. I also assume there is an electrical switch that energizes the solenoid. In a purist's sense perhaps no, since it is limited to a single feature and the reels are mechanical.
In any regard, it looks like a pretty cool machine 
And not terribly expensive for a classic old machine 

[shortrackskater]

Here's some better pics. For now I'll post them here and if I'm in the wrong area, hopefully a moderator will move this over. I finished cleaning it up today. The coin tray chrome is flaked off. I may just sand it down more and paint it with a wrinkle red finish for a cheap fix. Of course I need to get it working. It takes a coin but stops at a junction tube that goes to the cashbox or the coin tube.

[shortrackskater]

Inside shots

[CaptainHappy]

Here's some better pics. For now I'll post them here and if I'm in the wrong area, hopefully a moderator will move this over. I finished cleaning it up today. The coin tray chrome is flaked off. I may just sand it down more and paint it with a wrinkle red finish for a cheap fix. Of course I need to get it working. It takes a coin but stops at a junction tube that goes to the cashbox or the coin tube.

Ask and ye shall receive! ADMIN MOVED IT HERE FOR YOU.

CaptainHappy

[shortrackskater]

Thank You! The handle was stuck simply due to a screw that had backed out. Now the handle will work and the machine cycles properly though and pays out correctly (I filled the coin tube). However it does this without any coin being inserted in the slot! The acceptor allows the quarter too pass but it stops at a junction where the coin chute and the cash box tube are. There appears to be a curved bar that's stopping the quarter. That bar looks like it's connected to some kind of solonoid but I need to inspect it further. Any help would be greatlly apprecitated.

[shortrackskater]

HELP!
I've looked and looked. The only thing I can find of this machine is my own post here and one picture on a website. Does anyone know anything about this Mills? I'm not even sure of the year anymore since the one picture says 1947, which I really doubt. It looks like a Mills model M but it isn't!  I described the problem in my last post. Now I want to look for voltage levels but really have no idea what to look for. I discovered that one solenoid (or something) is responsible for moving a handle lock lever out of the way as well as moving a "C" shaped slide that allows the quarter to drop into either chute.
Again, ANY help would be appreciated...or any REFERENCE to someone else who knows what this is.
~mark

[Amachanic]

Hi Mark... I have talked to The owner of Slots of Montana before, his name is Lou Adler. I know hes works on the older slots from the 30's and 40's, but maybe just maybe he knows something about these newer Mills, or someone that does. I have attached there web sight. Try contacting him by phone or send an email with pics..  Gary

http://www.slotsofmontana.com/index.htm

[shortrackskater]

Thanks!!! I did just do some troubleshooting and it might be a relay. I will contact him though.

[shortrackskater]

He was kind enough to reply quickly but has no knowledge about this slot machine.
Anyone? Anyone? Someone HAS to know what the model of this machine is. It cannot be that obscure. I know if this was on IGT S plus, I'd have a zillion responses!

[shortrackskater]

Someone MUST know about this machine. Does anyone know where the last "Mr Mills" is buried? Perhaps I can dig him up and ask? This cannot be that obscure of a machine. I'm stuck with not knowing what voltages should be at an 8 pin connector to what looks like a relay.

[Montis Slots]

O.K., the only thing I could find on this machine tells me that it is a Mills "Open Front" slot machine.
Having what they referred to as an "M" head because of the shape of the coin entry head.
I believe made in 1961 in various varieties of cabinet signage.
If you search the web looking for "Mills open front slot machines" you may find more information and there is a web site called "The Sugar Shack" which may have a manual for that machine.
Probably under "Mills open front M head"
The site address is I believe -- jackpot7.freeyellow.com/page21.html --
scroll down to MILLS open front manuals or "M" head manuals.
You may want to contact the site to make sure it is the correct manual.
That's the best I can do to help as I mentioned in the PM I sent you, I am an antique slot machine guy covering the 20's/30's/40's and I don't usually touch anything that has electricity attached to it.
Hope this helps,
Ciao,
MONTI

[Buzz]

Jackpot7  is a member on this site. (Jackpot )  send him a PM

[Amachanic]

O.K., the only thing I could find on this machine tells me that it is a Mills "Open Front" slot machine.
Having what they referred to as an "M" head because of the shape of the coin entry head.
I believe made in 1961 in various varieties of cabinet signage.
If you search the web looking for "Mills open front slot machines" you may find more information and there is a web site called "The Sugar Shack" which may have a manual for that machine.
Probably under "Mills open front M head"
The site address is I believe -- jackpot7.freeyellow.com/page21.html --
scroll down to MILLS open front manuals or "M" head manuals.
You may want to contact the site to make sure it is the correct manual.
That's the best I can do to help as I mentioned in the PM I sent you, I am an antique slot machine guy covering the 20's/30's/40's and I don't usually touch anything that has electricity attached to it.
Hope this helps,
Ciao,
MONTI

Karma +  To Montis Slot for this information. Theres a lot of cool older information at this sight...

[shortrackskater]

Thank you Monti for the information and the web site. I did find some additional information on the Model M at
http://rwatts.cdyn.com/Machines
I'm sure this is what I have but unfortunately I still have no clue on that relay, which I'm suspecting is the problem. I'll contact jackpot and see if this mystery can be solved. THANK YOU EVERYONE!

[shortrackskater]

Downloaded the Mills M model manual. It's similar but not the same! The M model does not show any relay to the left of the coin acceptor. Mine has a relay and transformer to the left and it clearly is something original and not added on. Getting very frustrated.

[Op-Bell]

It's not an M head and you're a few years out in the age estimate. It's an export model made for the English market round about 1966 and it would have been constructed to run on 240V. The big black transformer is a mod to step 110V up to 240V, put in when it was exported back to the US. The black transformer will be feeding the lights and the smaller transformer on the right, which is the original one. That transformer will have a 240V winding and a low voltage winding, which I would guess is probably 24V, to power the relay and solenoid. If you have a meter, set it to AC and see if you can get a voltage reading across the two terminals of the microswitch. If you get a reading, that's the voltage of the relay and solenoid. If you don't get a reading, most likely the relay is screwed. It looks all blackened so it's probably burned up inside. That kind is called an "octal" relay, and the pinout is completely standard, so once you establish it's 24V AC (or whatever) you can be reasonably confident that any kind you buy will work. It will once have had a part number and rating marked on it but if it's burned up, that's probably lost. Without even looking at it I predict that this will do the job, but do take your relay apart - the cover comes off with a bit of levering - and see if it has any info inside.

[shortrackskater]

Thank You Op-Bell. This is all making a lot more sense now. My relay has a black case. Not sure why they would not make it clear but it does say Made in England on it. The coin insert area has a worn off 25 cent sticker but on the metal part it reads "1d." The coin acceptor is for quarters as well as the rest of the mechanism.
I'm not sure what micorswitch you mean to test for 24vac. Do you mean the one that is tripped by the coin acceptor? Should I just pry the tabs to get the cover off the relay? They seem like they're really stuck on. I tried with a screwdriver and they don't even move!
Do you know any more on the history of these machines and why this one would come back to the US?
Thanks you again,
mark/shortrackskater

[Op-Bell]

Thank You Op-Bell. This is all making a lot more sense now. My relay has a black case. Not sure why they would not make it clear but it does say Made in England on it. The coin insert area has a worn off 25 cent sticker but on the metal part it reads "1d." The coin acceptor is for quarters as well as the rest of the mechanism.
I'm not sure what micorswitch you mean to test for 24vac. Do you mean the one that is tripped by the coin acceptor? Should I just pry the tabs to get the cover off the relay? They seem like they're really stuck on. I tried with a screwdriver and they don't even move!
Do you know any more on the history of these machines and why this one would come back to the US?

I mean, measure the voltage between the two wires going to the coin microswitch. This will be the voltage across the relay when the switch closes. If there is none, the relay is burned out. By the way, does it click when you operate the microswitch? It will probably only click once and latch itself on.

You can pry the tabs to get the cover off the relay and inspect it inside. It won't break anything vital, if you aren't too rough. The coil is between pins 2 and 7, those are the pins not next to the ridge on the center post - those are 1 and 8 - but the next two. Measure with an ohm meter and expect between 50 and 300 ohms.

There were tens of thousands of retired mechanical slots in Britain in the 1970s, some of them rare and serious antiques. They could be had for virtually nothing - a nice Jennings Club Chief cost less than $100. At least one guy made an excellent living by sending a full 40 foot container of them to the US, every week for more than ten years.

[shortrackskater]

Thanks for the history info on my machine. If I could go back in time and get a few of those Jennings machines!
I measures around 12vac across the open switch. Yes it does make a "click" from a solenoid (I think that's what it is) behind the coin acceptor. When I trip it, or close and open it, the voltage drops down to ~8vac.
I took the "relay" out and pried it open carefully. The cover popped off to reveal circuitry...see pictures. I also noticed a burnt diode or something smell. I measured the obvious looking diode and I have current flowing one way and not the other. There are other parts that might be diodes and I'll measure them as well. I'm not really a formally trained tech so bear with me. I was an "trained on the job" tech back in 1980. I have very little schooling in electronics but I can figure things out!  From what I know, this thing appears to be acting as a relay though but please let me know if you recognize what it is. Thank you.