Anyone Know? Mills Horse Head BONUS Improved Version

[markymarkuk]

Hi Guys
Just curious about this topic. The Original Horse Head Mills Bonus came out in 1937 (if my info is correct), then apparently in 1939 an "Improved" version was released, according to many books, including Richard Bueschel's Vintage Guide to Coin Machine.
My question is, what was this improvement? I've seen a few Mills BONUS machines some early ones and later ones, as far as I can see there is no difference!

Some people say there were issues with the actual Bonus mechanism. Please if anyone can throw some light on this "Improvement", or pictures even better, I'll be able to sleep again!!

Thanks

Mark
UK

[Mills]

Hi
You can see thé first BONUS on m'y web site : http://www.joiret.com.
The first bonus pay 3 - 10 - 10 - 14 - 18 and 20. The second diference between the other Bonus is the combination number.
Thé first Bonus had 2000 stops (2 *1000). Thé second version had 8000 stops.

[markymarkuk]

Thanks.

So what you are saying is nothing was changed on the mechanics of how the BONUS mech worked, just that they changed the odds on the reels!
Somewhat disappointed, I was hoping that Mills made changes to the machine workings...
When you suggest the odds went from 2000 to 8000, is that because early Bonus Horse Heads had the "cheat" mech used in the Futurity, 10 stop with 20 symbols?
Thanks

If anyone else knows different please join in..

[Dave]

I have had two HH bonus machine with the same style odds changing feature that the Futurity has. I still have one of them.

Basically two 10 stop mechanisms that are combined. Both these machines pay 10 coins for cherry-cherry-lemon/bell (instead of the traditional 5).

Very few of the HH Bonus machines are like this.

Dave

[Mills]

Very few of the HH Bonus machines are like this.

Dave

Exactly ! All BONUS imported in France are the first model. In USA, particly all BONUS are the 1939 version,:the "New Horse Bonus" with only the basic 20 stops by reel.
I heard the new Bonus was made because the first version was illegal in many states. Effectivly, you can't win all winning combination at every pull.

[watlingboy]

Mills,

Don't know, just asking the question. I too thought the reason 10 stop machines were changed to 20 was because laws were passed that said, machines had to be able to stop on all 20 symbols showing. In the case of the early version Horse Head, the machine is capable of stoping on all 20 symbols, just not with each pull. And if this was the reason they were not allowed in U.S., why was the Futurity allowed. A very popular machine that survived in large numbers. Basically the same machine as the early version Horse Head Bonus. I believe the only difference is the Horse Head switches from odd to even symbols with each pull and the Futurity, every 3 or 4 pulls.

Just curious,

Watlingboy

[markymarkuk]

Mills, your right. The Horse Head did alternate on every pull, from one set of 10 symbols to the other set of 10. This was not so a winner could be avoided, it was to guarantee a player could not get the BONUS letters with each pull. As for the Futurity, the special Cam that controls which set of symbols is played, has 10 lugs, 2 of which allow an almost certain Cherry win!
Interestingly, my Futurity has the Bell symbol covered over on the 1st reel, so it's impossible to get 3 bells on my machine, shame, they're my favourite symbols!!!!
Only noticed this when I went to purchase a replacement set of strips from MrSlot1 and realised a couple of symbols were different.. namely, they had been "chopped" out of my strips and another stuck in! Not sure why!!!