Forecasting apparatus

[57] ABSTRACT

An apparatus for enabling a forecast of the result of a selected event of a plurality of events to be recorded for betting purposes, and an appropriate stake to be placed on the forecast wherein a record means is fed from a magazine to a marking station and marked in response to the forecast, a marked record means being issued from the apparatus.

Claim, 10 Drawing Figures

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PATENTED APR 11975

3,874,584

SiiLET 1 OF 8

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PATENTED*™ 11975

3.874,584

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PATENTEDAPR 11975

3,874,584

SHEET 3 OF 8

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DENIED APR 11975

3,874,584

SHEET U OF 8

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513

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(35 'ATENTEDAPS 1B75

3.874.584

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PATENTED*™ 11975

3.874.584

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^ΑΤΕΝΪΕΟΑΡ» 1 »975

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3,874,584

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Fig. IO3,874,584

FORECASTING APPARATUS

This application is a continuation of co-pcnding application Scr. No. 285,191, filed Aug. 31, 1972, and now abandoned. :

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to forecasting apparatus, that is apparatus which can be used for betting purposes and 1 which includes facilities whereby a person can make a forcast and place an appropriate stake. An example of the type of forecasting apparatus with which the present invention is concerned is apparatus for use in betting on the results of football matches which includes means whereby a user can select a number of football matches which he considers are likely to result in draws and place an appropriate stake.

Summary of the Invention

It is an object of the present invention to provide forecasting apparatus capable of general use for betting purposes.

According to the present invention there is provided forecasting apparatus which includes a magazine for containing record means, token-responsive enabling means for enabling operation of the apparatus upon insertion of a token or tokens, feed means for feeding the record means from the magazine to at least one marking station, selector means including a plurality of individually actuable selection elements for effecting a forecast and for setting a plurality of marking elements corresponding to those selection elements which have been actuated, marking means operable subsequent to actuation of the required plurality of selection elements for moving said plurality of marking elements to effect a marking operation on the record means and issue means for issuing a marked record means.

Where the term token” is used herein, this term is to be considered as including coins, currency notes, tokens which represent a particular monetary value and credit cards.

The enabling means is preferably coin-responsive, the apparatus including a housing within which the various parts of the apparatus arc contained, the housing being provided with a coin insertion slot through which coins can be inserted and from which they pass to a selection and evaluation mechanism, coins of the required denomination being passed to accept the coins of other denominations or counterfeits being passed to reject.

The enabling means preferably includes stake computing means such that a plurality of coins can be inserted into the apparatus and the total value thereof computed and the marking means preferably includes means whereby the record means is marked to indicate ' ‘ the total stake.

The feed means for feeding the record means from the magazine preferably includes a platen which is initially in register with the magazine to receive a record means, the platen being arranged to be moved along a track by means of an electric motor which is energised on insertion of coinage whereby the platen carrying a record means moves to a first marking station, there preferably being a pair of marking stations. ₆₅

The appartus preferably includes means whereby forecasts can be made regarding a plurality of events, for example, the apparatus can include facilities whereby a user can choose whether he bets regarding the result of football matches, horse races or greyhound races and means arc provided whereby a user can select the event regarding which he wishes to make &gt; a forecast.

In the event that a user should wish to make a bet regarding the results of football matches, he may wish to utilise a permutation and means are preferably accordingly provided for enabling a user to select from a plu0 rality of permutations.

The arrangement is preferably such that, after a user has inserted the appropriate coinage, he actuates means for selecting the event on which he wishes to place a bet, he actuates means for selecting an appro15 priatc permutation and he operates a plurality of selection elements corresponding to the items he selects and on which he places his bets.

A “bet confirmed” clement is preferably provided, the bet confirmed” element being operable when a 20 user has inserted bis coinage and made his bet, operation thereof resulting in appropriate marking of the record means, transfer of the record means from the first marking station to a second marking station at which the record means is given further markings to indicate 2-⁵ the time and date at which the bet was affected and after this further marking operation, the issue means is rendered operative to effect issue of the marked record means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of forecast³⁵ ing apparatus,

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a detail sectional view showing the lower end of a magazine within the apparatus and a platen for ⁴⁰ transferring record cards from the magazine to marking stations within the apparatus,

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the platen, motor means carried by the platen for effecting movement thereof and a track along which the platen is ar' ranged to move,

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the platen,

FIG. 6 is a detail sectional view showing the platen at a second marking station within the apparatus and also showing issue means for effecting issue of a marked record card,

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a record card,

FIG. 8 illustrates parts of the electrical circuitry of the apparatus,

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a first alternative form of apparatus, and,

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a second alternative form of apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention will firstly be described with reference to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The apparatus includes a housing which includes a base portion 10 and an upper portion 11, The upper portion 11 includes four illuminated display panels 12, 13, 14 and 15 which are concerned respectively with football pools, horse racing, bingo and special events, such special events including, for example, golf tournaments,

3,874,584 greyhound racing and the like. The four panels 12, 13, 14 and 15 indicate the type of events regarding which a user of the apparatus can make a forecast and place a bet and there are four main selection buttons 12A, 13A, 14A and 15A on the top portion 11 of the housing, one corresponding to each of the panels 12, 13, 14 and 15.

Within the top portion 11 of the housing there is a light or lights 16 arranged to illuminate the four panels 12, 13, 14 and 15 and beneath the four panels there is a window 17 arranged in registry with an octagonal drum 18. The octagonal drum 18 is arranged for rotation about a horizontal axis by means of an electric motor 19 and the drum 18 carries four cards, one associated with each of the panels 12, 13, 14 and 15 and the arrangement is such that, when a user has inserted his money into the machine and pressed the appropriate selector button 12A, 13A, 14A or 15A the motor 19 is energised so as to turn the drum 18 so that the card thereof associated with the selected panel is displayed through the window 17.

It is anticipated that the apparatus of the present Application will be used to a large extend for placing bets regarding football pools and, accordingly, in the following description, the use of the apparatus for betting on football pools will be described in detail and brief reference will subsequently be made to the use thereof for other purposes. In the particular example shown in the drawing panel 12 corresponds to football pools and selector button 12A is pressed to select football pools and when this is pressed after inserting appropriate coinage, a football pools coupon is displayed in the window 17.

The top portion 11 of the housing of the apparatus is of generally rectangular form in plan and in front view and is supported on a portion 20 which has an inclined front wall 21. Formed in the front wall 21 is a coin insertion slot 22 and when coinage is inserted in the slot 22 it passes to a coin evaluation and selection mechanism indicated in block form as 23 in FIG. 2. Coinage of the correct denomination passes along an acceptance chute 24 into a coin box 25 in the base 10 of the apparatus whereas coins other than of the correct denomination are passed along a reject chute 26 to a return position 27 at the front of the base of the apparatus.

When a coin passes along the acceptance chute 24 it operates a micro-switch to operate a step counter to record the total value of coinage inserted. For convenience the mechanical operational parts of the apparatus will first be described and then the electrical circuitry will be described in detail. The first operation which a user performs is insertion of the appropriate coinage and, when he has inserted his coin he presses one of the four selector buttons 12A, 13A, 14A and 15A and assuming that he is interested in betting on the football pools he will press button 12A and a football pools coupon will be displayed in the window 17. Insertion of the coin also results in energisation of a motor 28 carried on a platen 29 and the motor 28 is arranged, through gearwheels 30 and 31 to effect rotation ot a drive shaft 32 on which a pair of main drive wheels 33 are mounted and the two drive wheels 33 mesh with racks 34 on which the platen 29 is supported, the arrangement being such that, when the motor 28 is energised, the wheels 33 rotate to advance the platen 29 along the track afforded by the rack 34. The platen 29 is initially disposed in register with a magazine 35 which contains a plurality of cards 36. The magazine 35 has a rear wall the lower portion of which is constituted by an inclined portion 37 and the front wall of the magazine is formed with an opening in which a delivery wheel 38 is positioned. The delivery wheel 38 is formed with a plurality of cquiangularly spaced radially extending projections 39 which are spaced apart by a distance slightly greater than the thickness of a card but substantially less than the thickness of two cards 36. Means arc provided, as hereinafter explained, for rotating the wheel 38 by a distance corresponding to the angular spacing between a pair of projections 39. When the wheel 38 is so advanced the situation is such that the front end of the previously lowermost card in the stack in the magazine 35 is no longer supported and this lowermost card will then tilt into the position indicated at 40 and the rear edge of the card will then slide down the inclined portion 37 of the rear of the magazine 35 through a position shown at 41 in FIG. 3 into a position in which the card is horizontal supported on the upper surface of the platen 29. The cards in the magazine are numbered sequentially for ease of record purposes.

As shown in FIG. 5 the platen 29 is of rectangular form in plan view and has, slightly inset from the periphery thereof, a raised rib formation 42 which extends around most of the platen but is interrupted at a number of positions along the forward edge 43 of the platen 29. The raised rib formation 42 serves to locate the card on the platen. The platen is formed with a plurality of through openings which, when a punching operation is effected on the card, are aligned with the punches to facilitate the punching of markings in the card. When coinage is inserted into the machine the motor 28 on the platen 29 is energised to move the platen 29 from a position beneath the magazine 35 to a position beneath an assembly of punches 44 at a marking station.

When the platen 29 is at the marking station the motor 28 is de-energised and the platen 29 will remain at the marking station until a punching operation has been effected. On the user of the apparatus inserting his coinage one of a plurality of lamps 45 is lit to indicate to the user the amount of his stake, in the particular example there being nine lamps corresponding to the insertion of from one to nine coins.

After pressing button 12A to select football pools, the user will press one of a set of ten buttons 46 to select the permutation which he wishes to use. For example, the user may wish to select nine football matches which he considers will result in draws and permutation any eight matches from these nine and he will then press that button 46 which corresponds to a permutation of “eight from nine. The top wall 47 of the base 10 of the housing is provided with six rows 48 each containing ten push-buttons, one corresponding to each match on the football pools coupon and assuming that he has pressed that button 46 corresponding to eight from nine draws he will press nine of the push-buttons in the rows 48. Each of the buttons in the rows 48 includes a lamp which is lit when the button has been pressed so that the user of the apparatus can tell, when making his selections, which particular buttons he has pressed. After the user has pressed the required number of buttons in the rows 48 he presses a bet confirmed key 49 adjacent the rows 48 and as a result of this pressing of the bet confirmed key, those punches in the set 48 corresponding to the buttons in the rows 48 that

3,874,584 he has pressed, move downwardly to punch holes in the card on the platen 29. FIG. 7 shows the card which is punched and as can be seen this will be laid out so as to show the football matches on which the user has placed his bet, the printing of nine of the matches being ‘ punched to indicate the selected matches. At the same time the card is punched at other positions, this being so as to indicate the section which the user has selected, i.e. to indicate whether he pressed button 12A, 13A, 14A or 15A. to indicate the stake which the user 1 has placed and to indicate which permutation the user is using, i.e. to indicate which of the buttons 46 he has pressed. The card is provided at the right-hand side as viewed in FIG. 7 with four squares 12B, 13B, 14B and 15B corresponding to the four buttons 12A, 13A, 14A and 15A and the machine includes sets of knives which are set by the operator of the machine to correspond to the competitions on which a user can place a bet and the arrangement is such that, when a punching operation is effected to mark the matches selected by the user, the set of knives corresponding to the selected section are moved to make openings in the card in the appropriate square 12B, 13B, 14B or 15B, these markings in the squares serving to facilitate the operator ot the apparatus effecting sorting of the cards. At the base of the card there is a row ot spaces numbered one to nine corresponding to the nine buttons 46 and a punch is operated to punch a hole in one of these spaces to indicate the button 46 pressed by the user. There is also a row of spaces to indicate the stake placed by the user, these spaces being appropriately numbered to indicate the number of coins inserted by the user and, when the punching operation is effected, a hole is punched in one of these spaces.

After the punching operation has been effected to mark the matches selected by the user and to effect the other markings referred to, the motor 28 carried by the platen 29 is re-energised and the platen 29 is advanced to a further marking station at which a time and date stamp mechanism 50 is provided. When the platen reaches this further marking station, the motor 28 is deenergised to half the platen 29 beneath the marking apparatus 50 and the marking apparatus is operated so as to indicate the time and date in a square 51 at the lower right-hand corner of the card. The platen 29 is formed in two parts which are connected by a link 51a, the torward part 52 of the platen 29 carrying the front rib formation 53 and the arrangement is such that, when the platen 29 reaches the further marking station at which the time and date stamping operation is effected, the front end of the platen 29 passes over a shoulder in the track 34 on which the platen is supported so that front end part 52 of the platen moves downwardly so that the card supported on the platen is no longer prevented from forward movement. After the time and date stamping operation has been effected by the device 50, a card issuing means is rendered effective, the card issuing means including a motor 54 which is arranged to drive a roller 55 and the motor 54 and roller 55 are spring-urged downwardly by means of a spring 56 so as to rest on the upper surface of a card on the platen 29. During advancing movement ot the platen 29 into the position shown in FIG. 6, the roller 55 and motor 54 are moved upwardly against the action of their spring loading and the roller 55 comes to rest on the upper surface of the card adjacent the rear of the platen. The rib formation 42 around the upper surface of the platen ίο is formed with a discontinuity 57 adjacent the rear of the platen so that the roller 55 can extend for the full width of the platen 29 if required. After the time and date stamping operation has been effected, the motor 54 is energised such that it causes the roller 55 to rotate. the mode of operation ot the motor 54 being such that the roller 55 is subject to rapid acceleration. As a result of such rapid acceleration of the roller 55, the card engaged by the roller is projected forwardly and as the front part 53 of the rib formation 42 no longer prevents forward movement ot the card, the card is projected into an issue tray 58. The issue tray 58 is disposed beneath an inclined wall 59 and the tray 58 and wall 59 between them define an issue space to which access can be obtained by lifting a hinged flap 60 pivoted to the front wall of the base 10 of the apparatus. The card is a laminated card and is ot two thicknesses, the two layers of the laminate being separable by the user of the’ apparatus. After the user of the apparatus ' has taken his card from the issue tray 58 he separates the two lavers of the card, the top one ot which is an adhesive transparent film and he retains the adhesive film as his record and the other layer of the card is placed by him in a card receiving slot 61 from which ' the card passes along a chute 62 into a storage box 63.

The storage box 63 is positioned in side-by-side relation with the money box 25 and the base 10 ot the apparatus is provided with a hinged door 64 which is normally locked closed but which can be opened by the operator of the appartus for the removal ot the cards from the box 63 and for the removal of the inserted coinage from the box 25.

After the issue roller 55 has been operated to project the marked card into the issue tray 58. the motor 28 on the platen 29 is again energised but this time energisation of the motor is such that the drive transmitted to the wheel 33 is reversed and the motor now drives the platen 29 back along the track afforded by the rack 34 to re-position the platen 29 beneath the magazine 35. When the platen 29 reaches its position in line with the magazine 35, a trip is operated to deactivate the apparatus and to prepare it for a further operation on insertion of further coinage. During movement of the platen 29 into registry with the magazine 35, an abutment 65 on the platen engages a pivotally mounted lever 66 to move the lever 66 against the action of its spring loading to the left as viewed in FIG. 3 so that an arm 67 mounted on the lever 66 engages a toothed wheel 68 fixed relative to the toothed wheel 38 so that the twe toothed wheels 38 and 68 are advanced by a distance corresponding to the spacing between two radial projections 39 on the wheel 38. Stop means are provided for ensuring that the wheel 38 is advanced only by thi* distance.

Reference will now be made to FIG. 8 of the draw ings which illustrate the electrical circuitry of the apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 8 the electrical circuitry ot the ap paratus includes a multi-level step counter which in * eludes a plurality of simultaneously steppable contact: SCI, SC2 and SC3. The contacts of the step counte are arranged to be advanced by one step as a result o the acceptance of each coin inserted into the machine and a relay R1 is provided for advancing the stej ’ counter by one step, the step counter relay R1 bein| arranged in series with a coin-operated contact CC which is closed on insertion of each coin to advance the

3,874,584 step counter by one step. Operation of the apparatus will first be described assuming that a user inserts a single coin as his stake. On insertion of the single coin the coin-operated switch CO is closed, the relay R1 is energised and the contacts of the step counter are advanced by one step. When contact SCI moves into its one position, a relay is energised to close a contact Cl. There is one relay tor each position of the contact SCI each of which is arranged to close a contact in a circuit corresponding to that shown in FIG. 8 and closing of contact Cl results in energisation of a stake relay SRI energisation of which results in closing of three contacts SR 1/1, SR 1/2 and SR 1/3. The line LI containing contact Cl is connected by a line 12 to a line L3 connected to the second bank of the step counter and contacts SR 1/2 are holding contacts tor the relay SRI so that, so long as the second contact SC2 of the step counter remains in the one position, the relay SRI will remain energised. The contacts SR1/3 are arranged in series with a lamp Bl and contacts SR1/1 are arranged in series with a solenoid associated with the plunger which will mark the card to indicate that the stake is one.

When, therefore, a single coin is inserted, a lamp is lit to show that the stake is one and the plunger which will mark the card to show a stake of one coin is prepared for operation. The circuit to the plunger is not, however, completed until the bet confirmed key shown in FIG. 8 as BC1 has been pressed. If, on the other hand, the bet cancelled key indicated BC2 is pressed contacts are opened to dc-energise the relay SRI.

If a second coin is inserted, the relay associated with a stake of two will be energised to close the associated contact C2 (not shown) and, as the step counter contact SC2 is now also in its second position, the first relay SRI will have been de-energised and, on closure of the contact C2, the second relay SR2 (not shown) will be energised.

From the above it can be seen that a lamp will be lit to indicate the users stake and a punch will he prepared for operation to mark the card to indicate this stake when the user subsequently presses the bet confirmed key.

When, after inserting his stake, the user selects the section ot the apparatus on which he wishes to make his forecast he presses the button 12A, this corresponding to football pools, to rotate the drum to display a football pools coupon in the window 17. The circuitry associated with the buttons 12A, I3A, 14A and 15A is such that the motor which drives the drum will not be energised unless at least one coin has previously been inserted into the apparatus. When button 12A has been pressed a circuit is completed to the motor 28 on the platen 29. The motor 28 has a bush which is continuously in engagement with a neutral line NL which extends for the length of the track along which the platen is movable and there arc a pair of bushes associated with the motor 28 which respectively engage a reverse line RL and a forward line Fl. There is a switch between the motor and these last two bushes such that the bush in contact with line FL is normally connected to the motor. When button 12A is pressed the motor 28 is energised and the platen is moved from a position in registry with the magazine to the first marking station. Beneath the magazine there is provided a switch PS which, when the platen is in registry with the magazine, is closed but which opens when the platen moves out

Of registry with the magazine. The switch PS control operation of a blocking relay BR which, when energised, holds an armature out of the coin insertion path whereas, when the blocking relay BR is de-energised, ' the armature (not shown) projects into the coin insertion path and any coins inserted are passed to the reject position.

As can be seen from FIG. 8 the forward line FL for the motor 28 is broken at two positions and at these I) two positions the forward line FL is bridged by lines

FL1 and FL2, the lines FL1 and FL2 containing normally closed switches FL IS and FL2S. The platen carries a lever which is arranged to open these contacts such that, when the platen reaches the first marking ' station the motor is de-energised, and the platen stops at the first marking station.

Depression of the switch 12A also results in closure of a contact analogous to contact Cl, this analogous contact being in a part of the circuit of the apparatus corresponding to that part shown in FIG. 8 bounded by the broken lines BL. Actuation of the button 12A will thus result in operation of a relay corresponding to relay SRI and the setting up of a solenoid associated with a punch which will mark the card to indicate that button 12A has been pressed.

When the user presses one of the buttons 46 to select which permutation he will use this will again result in closure of a contact analogous to contact Cl contained in a part of the circuit again corresponding to that part ot the circuit contained in the broken lines BL to energise a relay corresponding to relay SRI to set up a solenoid associated with the punch corresponding to the permutation which has been selected. When the user presses any one of the buttons in the rows 48, pressing of each button will again close a contact corresponding to the contact Cl contained, again, in a part of the circuit corresponding to that shown within the broken lines BL to energise a relay to set up a solenoid associated with a punch corresponding to the button in rows 48 which has been selected.

The complete circuit of the machine thus includes a multiplicity of parts corresponding to that shown bounded by the broken lines BL, one such part associ. ated with each of the different stakes which the user can place, one associated with each of the buttons 12 A, 13A, 14A and ISA, one associated with each of the buttons 46 and one associated with each of the buttons in the rows 48 and each of the circuit parts sets up a solenoid tor operation on depression of the bet confirmed key BC1. When, therefore, the bet confirmed key BC1 is depressed, the punches associated with the selected solenoids will be operated to effect the appropriate markings on the card. The lever on the platen which opens the contact SL1S to deactuate the motor 28 on the platen is arranged so that, when the bet confirmed key is pressed a solenoid (not shown) energised on depression of the bet confirmed key BC1, moves the lever against the action of its spring loading to allow the contacts FL1S to close. On closure of the contacts the motor 28 on the platen 29 is again energised and the platen is advanced until it reaches the further marking station at which the time/date stamping operation thereon is effected. When the platen reaches this further marking station the lever on the platen opens contacts FL2S to dc-energise the motor to halt the platen 29. Switch means (not shown) are provided at the further marking station such that, when the platen

3,874,584 leaches the further marking station, solenoids associated with the punches which effect the tinie/date stamping operation are energised and the card is punched to indicate the time and date. After retraction of these punches, the motor which drives the issue roller is energised, and the marked card is passed to the issue tray on rotation of the issue roller. The motor is energised to drive the motor in reverse to return the platen 29 to a position beneath the magazine. When the platen is returned to a position beneath the magazine a switch (not shown) is operated by the platen and operation ot this switch operates means to return the various parts ot the apparatus to an inoperative state in preparation lor a further operation thereof by another user.

If, after the user of the appartus has selected the matches on which he wishes to place his stake, he should change his mind regarding any of the selected matches, he can press the bet cancelled key BC2 and the relays which he has energised in making his selection will be de-energised and the apparatus will then be in a condition in which the platen is at the first marking station but effectively, no selections have been recorded and the user of the apparatus will then have to make fresh selections. If he is satisfied with these fresh selections he will press the bet confirmed key BCI and the operation of the apparatus will then proceed as described above.

If. instead of wishing to bet on the football pools, the user decides that he wishes to bet on, for example, horse racing, he will initially press button 15A and a coupon will then be displayed in the window 17 regarding horse races and the displayed coupon will give instructions on how he is to make the appropriate selections tor placing a bet on horse racing. The operation ot the apparatus will be as described above in that, when the user of the apparatus has inserted his stake and has selected the event regarding which he wishes to place his bet, the platen will move to the first marking station, the user will press the appropriate selection buttons and then, after he is satisfied with his selections. he will press the bet confirmed key BCI, the appropriate marking operation on the card will be effected and the card will then pass from the first marking station to the second marking station at which the time and date stamping operation will be effected and the card will then be issued.

the cards which are contained within the magazine do not contain information corresponding to that on the coupon displayed in the window 17 and, in operation of the apparatus, a supply of coupons corresponding to each event will be provided at a position alongside the apparatus and. after the card has been issued and the user has removed it from the issue tray, the user will separate the card into its two parts, return one part ^:into the apparatus for eventual collection by the operator of the apparatus and, using the adhesive on the detached film, he will affix the film to one of the coupons taken from alongside the apparatus.

In an alternative construction shown in FIG. 9 the apparatus includes a housing the upper portion 90 of which includes a screen 91 onto which information is projected by a projector 92 and the upper part of the housing has a coin insertion slot 93 and there arc four buttons indicated generally at 94 which correspond to the buttons 12A, 13A, 14A and 15A and pressing of any one of these buttons 9 after insertion of the appro10 priate coinage causes operation of the projector to project information onto the screen 91 corresponding to the event selected. Associated with the projector 92 is a rotatable frame holder 95 which carries slides upon w hich the information to he projected is contained and the frame holder 95 is rotated to bring the appropriate slides into line with the projection system of the projector 92 when one of the buttons 94 is pressed. After pressing one of the buttons 94. the user of the appara10 tus, assuming that he wishes to bet on football pools, w ill press one of the permutation selection buttons 96 and will then press the appropriate button 97 corresponding to the particular matches on the football pools coupon. When the user is satisfied with the selec15 tion he has made he will press the bet confirmed key 98 but, it he is not satisfied with his selection he will press the bet cancelled key 99 and w ill then make a fresh selection. The mode of operation of the apparatus of FKi. 9 is basically as described above and an appropriately -&lt;· marked card will be delivered to the issue trav to which access is obtained by lifting a flap 100 and the part of the card to be re-inserted in the appartus will be introduced through a slot 101 from w hich the card passes into a storage box for ultimate collection by the opera-5 tor of the apparatus.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 10 includes a housing the upper part ot which includes a screen 102 onto w hich information is projected by means of a projector 103 anil the screen 102 is divided into a plurality of vertical elongated parts 104 which are separated by vertical bars 105. Each of the bars 105 has mounted on it a plurality of push-buttons 106 and, w hen a user w ishes to place a bet on the football pools, the information projected onto the screen 102 corresponds to a football - ^s pools coupon with the individual matches on the coupon each projected into a space corresponding to one ot the buttons 106 so that, when the user selects the football matches on which he wishes to place his stake he will press the button to the left-hand side of each appropriate match.

The top portion of the housing includes a coin insertion slot 107 and there is a set of four push-buttons 108 corresponding to the push-buttons 12A, 13A, 14A and I5A of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 8 and the user presses that one of the buttons 108 corresponding to the event on which he wishes to place his bet. Assuming that the user wishes to bet on football pools he presses the appropriate button 108 and a frame holder 109 associated with the projector 103 is then rotoated into the appropriate position so that the slide carrying the football pools coupon information is in line with the projection system of the projector 103 and the coupon is then displayed on the screen 102. The user then _s presses one of a set of buttons 110 to select which permutation he w ishes to use and then he presses the appropriate buttons 106.

After the appropriate buttons 106 have been pressed the user of the apparatus will either press the bet con60 ^,,rmed 111 to confirm his bet or in the event that he wishes to change any ot the selections he has made and make a fresh selection he will press the bet cancelled key 112.

After the bet confirmed key has been pressed the ap65 propriate marking operations will be effected on the card as described above and the card, which has previously been fed from the magazine in the manner described above, will then be passed to the time/datc

3,874,584 stamping station and after the card has been marked with the time and date the issue roller will be caused to rotate to pass the card to the issue station at which access thereto can be obtained by lifting a flap 113. The flap 113 is positioned alongside the coin reject station 114 to which coins not accepted by the coin selection mechanism within the machine are delivered.

After the user has taken his card from the issue station he will separate the two parts of the card, place that part of the card which is to be kept in the apparatus in the card insertion slot 115 and will then affix the part of the card which he wishes to retain on a card or coupon kept alongside the appartus so that he has a permanent record of the bet which he has made.

In each of the embodiments described above the record means is in the form of a laminated card the two layers of which are separated by the user with one layer of the card re-inserted in the apparatus and the other part of the card retained by the user and affixed to a record sheet or coupon which the user obtains from a stack of such cards or coupons alongside the apparatus.

When the apparatus, as described above, is used for making bets on a number of events, the information displayed either through the window 17 or on the screen may be on a differently coloured background for each event, for example, a blue background may be used for football pools, a red background for horse racing, a green background for bingo and a yellow background for other or special events. The record cards or coupons kept alongside the apparatus and to which the user affixes his part of the card issued from the apparatus will then be of corresponding colours to facilitate correct usage by the user of the apparatus.

In each of the embodiments described above a maga zine is provided in which a plurality of individual record cards are contained and the arrangement is such that one card is taken from the magazine during each operation of the appartus.