A printing system that has a printhead assembly for printing media fed along a media path and a plurality of service modules for the printhead assembly. Each of the service modules is configured to operate in a plurality of different modes and each of the service modules are independently operable.

Next generation pervasive wireless ecosystems and mobile information apparatus are herein disclosed and enabling millions of users to migrate to pervasive digital living and enterprise. Wireless communications may include the mobile information apparatus accessing wireless local area network or by direct wireless communication. The mobile information apparatus may include a wireless unit compatible with Bluetooth and/or IEEE802.11. Mobile information apparatus may conduct a local area wireless search within short distances for discovering wireless devices in its vicinity, receive an attribute related to the discovered wireless device, establish secure wireless communication with the discovered wireless device, and transfer or synchronize digital content or applications to/from the discovered wireless device. The discovered wireless device may be other mobile apparatus, wireless televisions, wireless audio devices, wireless speakers, wireless printers, among others, in a digital living room or office. Mobile apparatus may be smart phones, information pads, or laptops with touch sensitive screen interface.

A container data center includes a container, a plurality of power supplies, an electric switch system, a plurality of normally closed switches, an alarm device, and a controller. The electric switch system is received in the container. The plurality of normally closed switches are connected between the power supplies and the electric switch system. Each normally closed switch is connected with a corresponding one of the power supplies in series. The controller is connected to the normally closed switches and the alarm device, configured for receiving earthquake information containing an earthquake intensity, and configured for controlling the alarm device to activate alarms and controlling some of the normally closed switches or all the normally closed switches to open when the earthquake intensity is equal to or greater than a predetermined earthquake intensity.

A printing device includes at least one printing engine that has actuators and sensors. At least one engine controller is operatively connected to the printing engine, the engine controller uses software to control operations of the printing engine. At least one non-volatile memory is operatively connected to the engine controller. The non-volatile memory stores values used by the engine controller to control operations of the printing engine. Further, at least one adapter card is operatively connected to the non-volatile memory and to the actuators and sensors. The adapter card stores data and receives sensor feedback from the sensors. The adapter card uses the data and the sensor feedback to control the actuators by bypassing the engine controller when communicating with the actuators. The adapter card provides adapter card feedback to the non-volatile memory.

A time recorder includes a first sensor that detects the side edge of a time card having a cut-out formed at at least one corner of the bottom, a second sensor that detects the bottom of the time card, and a card feeding unit that feeds the time card. When the time card is fed by this card feeding unit, a pulse counter of the card feeding unit counts the number of pulses of predetermined pulse signals after the first sensor detects the time card and until the second sensor detects the time card. Next, the front and back faces of the time card are determined based on the number of pulses that is a counting result. Hence, the front and back faces can be determined by the first sensor and the second sensor only.

Provided is a welding metal in which the chemical component composition thereof is appropriately controlled; an A value that is specified by a predetermined relational expression satisfies the requirement of being 3.8% to 9.0%; an X value that is specified by a predetermined relational expression satisfies the requirement of being 0.5% or greater; the area percentage of carbide particles having a circle-equivalent diameter of 0.20 μm or greater in the welding metal is 4.0% or less; and the number of carbide particles having a circle-equivalent diameter of 1.0 μm or greater is 1000 particles/mm2 or less. This welding metal, which can exhibit not only high strength but also good low-temperature toughness and good drop-weight characteristics, is useful as a material for a pressure vessel in a nuclear power plant.

After a reducing agent is added to a water reaction system containing silver ions to deposit silver particles by reduction, the silver particles are dried to obtain a silver powder which is heat-treated at a temperature of higher than 100° C. and lower than 400° C. The silver powder thus heat-treated has a maximum coefficient of thermal expansion of not greater than 1.5% at a temperature of 50° C. to 800° C., and has no heating peak when the silver powder is heated from 50° C. to 800° C. The silver powder has an ignition loss of not greater than 1.0% when the silver powder is ignited until the weight of the silver powder is constant at 800° C. The silver powder has a tap density of not less than 2 g/cm3 and a BET specific surface area of not greater than 5 m2/g.

There is provided a bearing for motor-powered fuel injection pumps, made from Cu—Ni-based sintered alloy, which is able to be obtained at a low cost, having excellent corrosion and abrasion resistances. The bearing contains 10 to 20% by mass of Ni, 5 to 13% by mass of Sn, 0.1 to 0.8% by mass of P, 1 to 6% by mass of C, and a remainder containing Cu and inevitable impurities, and is formed with a Ni—Sn—Cu—P phase containing at least 30% by mass of Sn in a grain boundary, and has a 8 to 18% porosity. The Ni—Sn—Cu—P phase contains 30 to 49% by mass of Ni, 10 to 30% by mass of Cu, 0.5 to 1.5% by mass of P, and a remainder containing Sn and inevitable impurities.

In a reflow process, a plurality of solder bumps between a first workpiece and a second workpiece is melted. During a solidification stage of the plurality of solder bumps, the plurality of solder bumps is cooled at a first cooling rate. After the solidification stage is finished, the plurality of solder bumps is cooled at a second cooling rate lower than the first cooling rate.

Provided are a bake hardening steel having a crystalline grain size of ASTM No. 9 or more and a method for preparing the bake hardening steel by controlling the winding, rolling and cooling conditions. The bake hardening steel includes: C:0.0016˜0.0025%, Si:0.02% or less, P:0.01˜0.05%, S:0.01% or less, sol.Al:0.08˜0.12%, N:0.0025% or less, Ti:0.003% or less, Nb:0.003˜0.011%, Mo:0.01˜0.1%, B:0.0005˜0.0015% or less, balance Fe and other inevitable impurities, wherein % is weight %, and Mn and P satisfy the relation of −30(° C.)≧803P−24.4Mn−58.

A blowout preventer (BOP) lifting apparatus has a reinforced frame and a gate for securing a BOP stack. The frame has a central U-shaped recess for securing a collared portion of the BOP stack. The gate pivotally swings between a closed position on the frame and an open position for installation and removal of the lifting apparatus from the BOP stack. An actuator has a first end connected to a top surface of the frame and a second end connected to the gate for actuating the opening and closing of the gate to the frame. When the gate is in the closed position, three locking pins are inserted into three vertical pinning holes located on the frame, which are aligned with three pinning holes located on the gate. The apparatus may be lifted via cables or other lifting mechanisms attached via lifting eyelets located on each corner of the frame.

A cargo strap with carrying handle and mechanism for securing the cargo strap around a load. A first end of the cargo strap is preferably removably anchored to the strap securing mechanism by a clevis pin that permits rapid and easy disconnection of the first end of the cargo strap from the strap securing mechanism. The second end of the cargo strap is retained within the strap securing mechanism and prevented from removal therefrom by a stop proximate the second end of the cargo strap. The stop is preferably constructed as a loop formed in the second end of the cargo strap and sewn to the strap with a strap flap portion intermediate the second end of the cargo strap and the strap securing mechanism. The strap securing mechanism preferably has either a ratchet style mechanism with a reel or a modified cam buckle mechanism.

Systems, methods, and apparatus are provided to enable a vacuum tool to have a switchable plate, such that a common vacuum tool may be adapted with different plates. A switchable plate may form the entirety of the vacuum tool's material contacting surface or a switchable plate may form a portion of the material contacting surface. The vacuum tool is effective for picking and placing one or more manufacturing parts utilizing a vacuum force.

A multipurpose tool and method usable to remove debris and/or other retentate from a skimmer basket or a filter associated with a swimming pool, and/or to remove the skimmer well lid and the skimmer basket and/or filter from a skimmer well. The tool comprises two elongate members pivotally connected, each elongate member having a protrusion connected thereto at one end and a handle at the other. Each elongate member can have a scooping element connected thereto. The protrusions can point away from each other and can be adapted to move away from each other in response to the handles being moved towards each other.

A cleaning assembly including a disposable cleaning implement having a cleaning element mounted to a fitment having an elongated post. The cleaning assembly includes an elongated maneuvering wand having a handle portion and a distal implement attachment end thereof. A gripping mechanism is coupled to the wand attachment end, and is configured to releasably grip the fitment post to mount the cleaning implement. The gripping mechanism and the maneuvering wand cooperate to substantially limited pivotal movement of a longitudinal axis of the fitment post, relative a longitudinal axis of the gripping mechanism to not more than about 0 degrees to about 25 degrees when the fitment post is subjected to forces radial to the longitudinal axis of the fitment post. In another aspect, the frictional drag between the sliding components is significantly reduced, enabling a tool assembly with a high axial holding force for the cleaning implement, but with a significantly lower, consumer friendly release force for the Implement during release operation of the tool assembly.

A guide has an open end and a finger structure preferably of a shape memory alloy. The guide is run in small-diameter configuration through a restriction with a fishing tool, such as an overshot, above it. Once through the restriction, power to heaters on the fingers takes the material past its transition temperature to allow the guide lower end to fan out and surround a skewed fish that is in a slanted position and leaning on a wall of a surrounding tubular that has a larger dimension than the restriction. The bottomhole assembly is then advanced until the fish is captured by the fishing tool and pulled out of the hole. The fingers are forcibly retracted as the assembly is pulled back through the restriction. The guide can use retained fingers with an outward bias to flare out after passing through a restriction, thus acting as a fish guide.

A tool for lifting and carrying wood of a two opposing pointed arm pivoted construction. A drive handle extends from one arm and an offset carrying handle extends from the other arm. Each arm has a curved free end portion terminating in a wood engagement point. The arms are pivoted together at their distal ends with an arm stop extending therebetween preventing the arms from closing completely. The arms respective end engagement points provide for opposing wood end engagement to grip and hold a single log or firewood piece securely therebetween for lifting and carrying until select release by the user.

A method of replacing a generator of a wind power installation. The generator is provided in the interior of a pylon of a wind power installation and the pylon has a door opening. An exchanging cross beam is fixed by way of a first fastening point to a crane hook of a mobile crane. A first end of the cross beam is introduced with a second fastening point through the door opening into the pylon. The transformer to be replaced is fixed to the second fastening point of the first end. A compensating weight is fixed at the second fastening point to the second end of the cross beam. The second end of the cross beam is tilted or inclined until the transformer is at the height of the door opening and the crane hook is moved until the transformer to be replaced is outside the door opening.

A containment system to safely store a waste scoop includes: an outer receptacle including a bottom surface, at least one side wall, an opening and a first coupling element; an inner receptacle including a bottom surface and at least one side wall housed within the outer receptacle and including an opening, wherein the inner receptacle is removable from the outer receptacle via the opening of the outer receptacle; a scoop assembly including a scoop, a handle, and a lid, wherein the scoop is housed within the inner receptacle and is removable from the inner receptacle via the opening of the inner receptacle; a compartment including a second coupling element for connecting the compartment to the outer receptacle via the first and second coupling elements; and a third and fourth coupling element to secure a planar surface of the lid to cover the opening of the outer receptacle.

A trash spearing tool and method are provided. The tool includes a spearing pin, a trigger assembly, an inner tube, and an outer tube. The trigger assembly is movable between a normal position and an activated position. The outer tube is slidable between a storage position and a use position. The spearing pin is operatively coupled to the trigger assembly in such manner that, when the outer tube is in the use position and the trigger assembly is in the normal position, the spearing pin is normally biased to an extended position in which a portion of the spearing pin extends from the outer tube and, when the outer tube is in the storage position and the trigger assembly is in either the normal position or use position, the spearing pin to in a retracted position in which the spearing pin does not extend from the outer tube.

Apparatus and methods for pet waste disposal include using a portable waste collection receptacle disposed on a handle. A heat source is mounted together with the waste collection receptacle, capable of incinerating waste disposed in the waste collection receptacle.

A clevis type slip hook or grab hook includes a safety latch which is held in position by a biased pin that may be axially extended to move the latch between a latching and unlatching position to close or open the slot in the slip hook. The latch is comprised of a closure member in the form of a plate having an elongate edge that fits in the hook slot between the tip end and shank end of the hook.

An integral pressurized water nuclear reactor for the production of steam utilizing a helical coil steam generator, a plurality of internal circulation pumps, and an internal control rod drive mechanism structure.

According to an installation method of a water-chamber working apparatus of the present invention, the water-chamber working apparatus includes a base that holds heat transfer tubes on a tube plate surface and is fixed to the tube plate surface, and a manipulator that is coupled with the base, suspended in a water chamber and arranged therein, and has a separable configuration. In this case, a base installing step of installing the base on the tube plate surface and a manipulator coupling step of carrying the separated manipulator (a front stage and a rear stage) into the water chamber sequentially and individually and coupling the manipulator with the base (a coupling link) are performed.

A nuclear power plant with an improved cooling system using nanoparticles in solid or fluid form is provided. The nanoparticles are delivered in locations such as the cold leg accumulator and high and low pressure pumps of an emergency core cooling system. Motor driven valves and pressurization can aid in the delivery. Methods for providing the nanoparticles are also provided.

A fuel bundle flow limiter according to a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention may include a plurality of base sections, wherein each of the plurality of base sections has at least one opening. A plurality of channels may separate the plurality of base sections. A plurality of vertical webs may extend from the plurality of base sections. A locking tab may be disposed in at least one of the plurality of vertical webs. By using the flow limiter, the moisture carry over (MCO) level at the exit of the fuel bundle may be decreased, thereby reducing radiation exposure to plant operators and reducing damage to reactor equipment.

A method and apparatus for repairing and/or reinforcing a Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) jet pump riser pipe. The repair includes attaching two collars to the riser pipe using match drilling to drill holes through the collars and the riser pipe and plugging the holes with expandable plugs. Support columns are attached to the collars. Brace supports are slideably attached to the support columns. Gaps between each brace support and its respective collar are then narrowed as ratchet bolts may apply a force that pulls downward on an upper collar and pulls upward on a lower collar, thereby exerting a compression force on the riser pipe. A clamp assembly may also be located between the two collars that applies a hoop force on the riser pipe.

Textured surface for increasing Leidenfrost temperature. The texture comprises of surface features over multiple length scales—from micro to nanoscale—wherein the features at each length scale have a size, aspect ratio, and spacing selected to increase the Leidenfrost temperature. The structure includes an array of microscale structures disposed on the surface, the structure having size, aspect ratio and spacing selected to increase Leidenfrost temperature. The microscale structures may also include nanoscale structures on their surface to create a hierarchical structure. The structures result in an increased Leidenfrost temperature.

A pressurized water nuclear reactor (PWR) includes a once through steam generator (OTSG) disposed in a generally cylindrical pressure vessel and a divider plate spaced apart from the open end of a central riser. A sealing portion of the pressure vessel and the divider plate define an integral pressurizer volume that is separated by the divider plate from the remaining interior volume of the pressure vessel. An internal control rod drive mechanism (CRDM) has all mechanical and electromagnetomotive components including at least a motor and a lead screw disposed inside the pressure vessel. Optionally CRDM units are staggered at two or more different levels such that no two neighboring CRDM units are at the same level. Internal primary coolant pumps have all mechanical and electromagnetomotive components including at least a motor and at least one impeller disposed inside the pressure vessel. Optionally, the pumps and/or CRDM are arranged below the OTSG.

A pressurized water reactor (PWR) includes a vertical cylindrical pressure vessel having a lower portion containing a nuclear reactor core and a vessel head defining an internal pressurizer. A reactor coolant pump (RCP) mounted on the vessel head includes an impeller inside the pressure vessel, a pump motor outside the pressure vessel, and a vertical drive shaft connecting the motor and impeller. The drive shaft does not pass through the internal pressurizer. A central riser may be disposed concentrically inside the pressure vessel, and the RCP impels primary coolant downward into a downcomer annulus between the central ser and the pressure vessel. A steam generator may be disposed in the downcomer annulus and spaced apart from with the impeller by an outlet plenum, A manway may access the outlet plenum so tube plugging can be performed on the steam generator via access through the manway without removing the RCP.

An axial power distribution control device includes an axial offset calculation unit 52, a parameter calculation unit 53, and an axial offset determining unit 55. The axial offset determining unit 55 predicts whether a core axial offset of the power distribution is increased or decreased after a current time, based on a major axis of an ellipse drawn by the xenon parameter and the iodine parameter calculated by the parameter calculation unit 53 and the xenon parameter and the iodine parameter at the current time. This makes it possible to predict a change of the axial offset of the power distribution of a reactor for suppressing a xenon oscillation in the reactor.

Disclosed embodiments include electromagnetic flow regulators for regulating flow of an electrically conductive fluid, systems for regulating flow of an electrically conductive fluid, methods of regulating flow of an electrically conductive fluid, nuclear fission reactors, systems for regulating flow of an electrically conductive reactor coolant, and methods of regulating flow of an electrically conductive reactor coolant in a nuclear fission reactor.

Disclosed is a coolant with dispersed neutron poison micro-particles, used in a supercritical water-cooled reactor (SCWR) emergency core cooling system. Since the neutron poison micro-particles are uniformly dispersed in the coolant of the emergency core cooling system for a long period time, their fluidity is not lowered even though the polarity of water is changed in a supercritical state. Therefore, the neutron poison micro-particles absorb neutrons produced from nuclear fission in a nuclear reactor core. Accordingly, the neutron poison micro-particles can be appropriately used as a means for controlling neutrons and stopping a nuclear reactor in the SCWR emergency core cooling system.

This document's object is to provide an axial power distribution control method in which only the control of an axial power distribution in a nuclear reactor with a simple operation with a clear operational target keeps the control of a xenon oscillation, thereby suppressing the xenon oscillation to an extremely small magnitude in advance at the same time. An axial power distribution control method comprises an axial offset calculation step of calculating an axial offset of the current power distribution (AOP) and axial offsets of the power distributions (AOX, AOI) which would give the current xenon and iodine distributions under equilibrium conditions, respectively, based on relative powers (PT, PB) in the upper and lower halves of the nuclear reactor core, a parameter calculation step of calculating parameters (DAOPX, DAOIX), a trajectory display step of displaying a trajectory to plot the parameters (DAOPX, DAOIX) on one and the other axis, respectively, an allowable range excess judgment step of judging if the axial offset of the current power distribution (AOP) exceeds an allowable range, an alarming step of giving the alarm when the AOP exceeds the allowable range, and a control rod moving step of controlling the movement of control rods to guide the plot to the major axis of an ellipse formed by the trajectory of said parameters upon receipt of the alarm.

An improved grid for a nuclear reactor fuel assembly that has an egg-crate base grid as the primary support structure with each support cell of the base grid that supports a fuel rod having a lock-support sleeve that is rotatable within the support cell between a first and second orientation. In the first orientation the lock-support sleeve fits loosely within the support cell of the base grid and respectively, loosely receives the fuel rods that are loaded therein. The lock-support sleeves are then rotated to a second orientation that locks the fuel rods axially within the support cells.

A method and apparatus for the calibration of neutron flux monitoring devices used in a nuclear reactor core. The apparatus includes a transverse in-core probe (TIP) cable with a neutron absorber located a fixed distance apart from a TIP detector. The neutron absorber may be passed within close proximity of the neutron flux monitoring device such that a perceived drop in measured neutron flux occurs, whereupon the cable may be repositioned relative to the monitoring device to ensure that the TIP detector is within close proximity of the monitoring device for purposes of calibrating the monitoring device.

The invention relates to a nuclear fuel cladding totally or partially made of a composite material with a ceramic matrix containing silicon carbide (SiC) fibers as a matrix reinforcement and an interphase layer provided between the matrix and the fibers, the matrix including silicon carbide as well as at least one of the following additional carbides: titanium carbide (TiC), zirconium carbide (Zrc), and ternary titanium silicon carbide (Ti3SiC2). When irradiated and at temperatures of between 800° C. and 1200° C., said cladding can mechanically maintain the nuclear fuel within the cladding while enabling optimal thermal-energy transfer towards the coolant. The invention also relates to a method for making the nuclear fuel cladding.

In an illustrative embodiment, a pressurized water nuclear reactor (PWR) includes a pressure vessel (12, 14, 16), a nuclear reactor core (10) disposed in the pressure vessel, and a vertically oriented hollow central riser (36) disposed above the nuclear reactor core inside the pressure vessel. A once-through steam generator (OTSG) (30) disposed in the pressure vessel includes vertical tubes (32) arranged in an annular volume defined by the central riser and the pressure vessel. The OTSG further includes a fluid flow volume surrounding the vertical tubes and having a feedwater inlet (50) and a steam outlet (52). The PWR has an operating state in which feedwater injected into the fluid flow volume at the feedwater inlet is converted to steam by heat emanating from primary coolant flowing inside the tubes of the OTSG, and the steam is discharged from the fluid flow volume at the steam outlet.

A card game monitor manages play of a game with a video feed of casino table game play. A dealer deals a game using a card-handling device that randomizes and dispenses cards, which may be grouped into sets of hands by the card-handling device. A card recognition system recognizes card information including rank and suit of each card dispensed by the card handling device while each card is under control of the card-handling device. A camera captures a video feed of casino table game play, which is transmitted to a computing device operated by a player. A control system receives the card information from the card recognition device and manages control of the game using hand information associated with players. Player action elections from the computing device are displayed to a dealer The player provides a player action through the computing device, which is used to facilitate play of the casino table game.

A ball ejection system for a roulette game is provided. The system includes a roulette wheel including a plurality of slots, at least one sensor, at least one ejector element, and a first driving mechanism. Each slot is defined by side walls and a bottom surface. Each bottom surface further includes an opening. The at least one sensor is position within each of the plurality of slots and are configured to emit a signal when detecting a ball within the slot. The ejector element is positioned below the roulette and includes at least one air blower. The air blower is configured to blow air circumferentially around the roulette wheel due to the detection of a ball on one of the sensors. Finally, the first driving mechanism is in communication with the at least one ejector element and configured to cause the initiation of the at least one air blower.

Gaming systems and methods provide a tournament game which selectively awards an enhanced tournament play result. The enhanced tournament play result may be of variable value which is selected for the given instance in order to place the receiving tournament player in some predetermined rank in the tournament. Such a variable enhanced tournament play result in the tournament game may be used to help keep all participants interested in the tournament, even those participants who trail the tournament leaders by a wide margin.

The present invention generally relates to drinking games and apparatuses for the use therewith. Specifically, this invention relates to an improved drinking game component and cup alignment apparatus for use with various drinking games. The drinking game cup or attachment and cup alignment apparatus may be designed in such a manner as to allow for simplified, accurate and reliable positioning of one or more drinking cups on a playing surface.

Shooters must presently take their firearms out of their hands to then manually actuate a new target into shooting position. This Target Apparatus will allow the shooter to shine his laser light, infrared light, flashlight, or multi-spectrum light onto a Target Apparatus-mounted sensor that engages a drive means mounted upon the target frame that then forwards a new target into position without removing the firearm from its' shooting position. The unit also uses a unique target backing material that does not require targets to be made of rolls of coated or heavy material stock. The system can utilize rolls of cash register paper, cut sections of gift wrapping paper, hand towel rolls, or even paper towels as target materials without snagging and preventing the next target from being presented.

A poker machine apparatus has a pay line multiplier that is randomly selected for each active pay line. The pay line multiplier varies for each round of play. An extra wager may be required from the player to activate this feature during the play of a casino game. A player makes a wager to activate at least two pay lines to be played in the casino game. For each active pay line, a multiplier is randomly selected from a group of various multipliers and the selected multiplier is assigned to the activated pay line. The casino game is then played to achieve an outcome on each pay line. Each pay line that has a winning outcome has any associated award increased by the multiplier for that pay line.

A system and a method of conducting games of chance with enhanced payouts based on a cash in or initial investment amount are described. In response to a player's initial investment or cash in amount, a payout schedule is selected. The larger the initial investment the better the selected payout schedule for the player. Live games of chance, games of chance facilitated by electronic gaming machines or devices and server-based games may utilize the method shown here. Players may also receive enhanced awards such as enhanced player points based on the amount of the initial investment, or based on other parameters and factors. Awards and bonuses may also be provided to players who exhaust an initial investment exceeding a threshold amount. Other different variations and combinations of the games and winnings are also explained in details.

Each play of a base game increases the likelihood of winning a bonus award. A display provides a graphical indication of the change in likelihood of winning the bonus award. In one aspect, the bonus award comprises the opportunity to play a secondary game.

A system and a method of conducting games of chance with enhanced payouts based on a cash in or initial investment amount are described. In response to a player's initial investment or cash in amount, a payout schedule is selected. The larger the initial investment the better the selected payout schedule for the player. Live games of chance, games of chance facilitated by electronic gaming machines or devices and server-based games may utilize the method shown here. Players may also receive enhanced awards such as enhanced player points based on the amount of the initial investment, or based on other parameters and factors. Awards and bonuses may also be provided to players who exhaust an initial investment exceeding a threshold amount. Other different variations and combinations of the games and winnings are also explained in details.

A system and a method of conducting games of chance with enhanced payouts based on a cash in or initial investment amount are described. In response to a player's initial investment or cash in amount, a payout schedule is selected. The larger the initial investment the better the selected payout schedule for the player. Live games of chance, games of chance facilitated by electronic gaming machines or devices and server-based games may utilize the method shown here. Players may also receive enhanced awards such as enhanced player points based on the amount of the initial investment, or based on other parameters and factors. Awards and bonuses may also be provided to players who exhaust an initial investment exceeding a threshold amount. Other different variations and combinations of the games and winnings are also explained in details.

A system and a method of conducting games of chance with enhanced payouts based on a cash in or initial investment amount are described. In response to a player's initial investment or cash in amount, a payout schedule is selected. The larger the initial investment the better the selected payout schedule for the player. Live games of chance, games of chance facilitated by electronic gaming machines or devices and server-based games may utilize the method shown here. Players may also receive enhanced awards such as enhanced player points based on the amount of the initial investment, or based on other parameters and factors. Awards and bonuses may also be provided to players who exhaust an initial investment exceeding a threshold amount. Other different variations and combinations of the games and winnings are also explained in details.

Certain embodiments of the present invention relate to gaming machines having mechanical reels. The machine is adapted so that the reels to some extent protrude from the front face of the machine to enhance the user's awareness that the reels are genuine and, optionally, the reels may have side walls having matching indicia to the symbols on the periphery of the reels. The reels may also be observed from front and rear sides of the machine or alternatively, rotated about an upright axis to enable a player to observe front and rear outcomes from one point.