Glossary

Note: This page is a work in progress. Please help get it to a completed state by adding any useful information to it.

This needs plenty of stuff added to it.

1 A

Apron

The cover at the very bottom of the playfield. It usually holds a score and/or instruction card and covers the ball trough. The front edges of the apron lead the ball to the drain.

Auto-Fire

A solenoid based Plunger in the shooter lane that launches the ball under game control. Can be used to launch balls in rapid succession at the onset of a multiball

Assembly

Numerous individual parts combined to create a larger functional mechanism on a pinball machine. E.G. Flipper assembly, slingshot assembly, shooter assembly and so on.

2 B

Backglass

A large piece of glass located in the head of the game that has artwork and the name of the game. Scoring is also displayed in the form of lights, score reels or digital displays.

Backbox

The upright part of a pinball machine that holds the backglass and any displays and scoring mechanisms (score reels, lighting, etc.) In modern games, it also contains the circuit boards which control the machine. The backbox is also known as the 'head', as compared to the cabinet which is also known as the 'body'.

3 C

Cabinet

The large lower box that holds the playfield, coin box, and flipper buttons. It often has color attention-attracting graphics, especially on later model games with detailed many-color side art. Not to be confused with the backbox. The cabinet is also known as the 'body'.

4 D

Dead Bumper

A plastic bumper with a rubber ring around its body and a scoring skirt. Usually lighted. There is no solenoid on this type of bumper, the rebound is provided solely by the rubber ring and force of the ball hitting it.

Drop Target

A plastic target that when hit 'drops' below the surface of the playfield, with the top edge remaining flush on the playfield. Drops can be arranged in banks of multiple targets or singly. Some games have 'memory' drop targets, where the game itself can drop targets on its own for game features or to remember your progress on a bank.

Dot Matrix Display (DMD)

Score display used in machines from the early 1990's. Come in three (3) different sizes.

5 E

Electro Mechanical (EM)

A pinball that has no digital components. Game programming is done through switch stacks and relays, it does not have a computer. The common way to tell if a game is EM or SS is to look at the scoring system. EM machine will either have lights in the backbox that show the score or rotating wheels with numbers on them. SS machines have digital displays of one type or another. EM machines have bells or chimes to mark when points are made. Some games were released in both an EM version and SS version (Mati Hari)

6 F

Flag Gate

A small solenoid activated wire diverter used to control ball flow. Can often open to allow a path back to the shooter lane. Used on EM and early solid state games.

Flippers

Player controlled bats to direct the ball to various targets on the playfield. Controlled by buttons located on the side of the pinball cabinet. Early pinball machines did not have flippers and were considered more of a gambling device than a 'game of skill'. The first flippers were fired both at the same time, now each flipper button controls individual flippers. Some machines have several flippers. Most flippers come in 2" or 3" size and a few called Banana Flippers were curved.

8 H

Home Use Only (HUO)

This means that a game has only been used in the home and was not placed in an arcade or out on location.

9 I

Insert

A plastic window, sometimes colored which is embedded in the playfield. A lamp below the playfield under game control, can illuminate the insert. This is done to indicate an available shot, or to show a bonus or achievement that has been reached is desirable. Inserts which say 2x 3x 4x 5x ... 10x appear on many games and indicate a bonus multiplier that will be used at the end of the ball to calculate the total bonus achieved and add it to the current player's score. Inserts come in many shapes, colors and sizes.

Instruction card

A card mostly placed on the left side of the apron. It explains what you need to do to achieve a certain goal. Such as a multiball, special, extra ball, replay, etc.. The cards come in various sizes, depending on the manufacturer.

11 K

Kickback

A solenoid controlled plunger installed in an outlane (usually the left). Returns the ball to play when an outlane drain occurs.

Kickbig

A playfield lane with a solenoid controlled plunger that fires the ball at very high speed (usually towards the player). Examples include the Yagov lane in F-14 Tomcat and the War Machine in Iron Man.

Kicker

A playfield device used to propel the ball in play when struck. Controlled under the playfield by a solenoid and on the playfield usually by a switch behind a rubber band. The most common kickers are located to either side of the flippers under triangle shaped plastics. Also called a slingshot/slingshot kicker.

Knocker

An assembly with a nylon-tipped plunger that hits a metal plate producing a distinct sound to announce specials and free games being won.

12 L

Lightning flippers

A slightly shorter set of flippers introduced around 1992 by Williams with a lightning bolt pattern molded into the top. The flipper gap is larger on games that used these, and the flippers play slightly differently as they are stiffer.

13 M

Magna Save

Magnets under the playfield that prevent a ball from draining down the out lanes. Player controlled by a button on the side of the cabinet. Black Knight has magna save buttons. If you activate the magna save and still lose the ball the Black Knight will taunt you with laughter.

Multiball

Simply put, multiple balls on the playfield at once. This term was introduced to modern solid state games with Firepower which had a 3 ball Multiball (tm) when the name was first trademarked by Williams Electronics Inc in '80. Other manufacturers were forced to used different terms, for example Data East used "M-Ball" but later licensed the use of Multiball from Williams. Multiball has become the default name used. There was the concept of multiple ball play in EM games (and bagatelles as far back as 1934), but the pinball EM accolade is usually awarded to Bally Balls-a-Poppin '56 which had a 9 ball Multiball.

14 N

New In Box (NIB)

Refers to a game that is still in its original shipping box and has never been setup.

New Old Stock (NOS)

A part that was made by the original game manufacturer or parts supplier and has never been installed in a game.

15 O

Outlane

Lanes at the bottom of the playfield, usually on the left and right sides leading to the drain. The ball often passes a through a rollover scoring switch which on some games triggers points and on others a 'Special' when lit.

16 P

Pitch 'n Bat

Amusement machine similar to a pinball simulating a game of baseball. The bat was the genesis of the flipper.

Playfield

The area where the ball rolls. Made of American Hardwoods Inc 17/32 Mapletop (formerly Weber Inc.). This is the same stock that was supplied to Churchill Cabinet of Chicago, IL who made playfields 50 years ago. It is still used for Stern Pinball games manufactured today. Also known as Playboard in Europe.

Playfields can be multi-level as on Gottlieb Black Hole and also split-level as on WMS Black Knight. There are also small mini-playfields (usually suspended above the main playfield) such as on Bally Twilight Zone (TZ) or Stern The Simpsons Pinball Party (TSPP).

Playfield Plastics

Also called "Light Shields" and "Butyrates" (industry term). Usually the flat plastics (can be 3d molded) cut to cover lamps and playfield mechanisms with decorated artwork screen printed on the bottom, fastened to wood rails and posts.

Plunger

The tool used to launch the ball, usually pulled back and released manually. On some machines this is done through a solenoid (coil), see Auto-Fire

Pop Bumper

A bumper with an actuator skirt that when hit, pulls an angled rod and ring assembly down towards the ball, propelling it away. Often arranged in a nest of three. A playfield device used to add action to the ball. Also referred to as a jet bumper or cyclonic bumper.

Printed Circuit Board (PCB)

A board with copper tracks or traces to which ICs and passive components like the resistors, capacitors and diodes are attached.

18 R

Return Lane

Sometimes called an inlane, a lane that near the flippers that returns the ball to the flippers.

Rollover switch

A very common playfield scoring device where a switch wireform sticks up through a slot in the playfield. Activated by the ball traveling over the switch wireform.

19 S

Saucer

Sunken hole in a playfield intended to hold the ball for multiball locks, bonus collect, scoring, etc. Also known as an eject hole.

Schematic

Paperwork showing a games' circuitry. For EM games this is a logic diagram that not only shows the games' wiring, but also the "programming" (rules). For solid state games usually includes the circuit boards, lamp, solenoid, switch diagrams. Used to troubleshoot games logically and efficiently.

Slam Tilt

A more severe tilt that will result in more than just the loss of ball or game. All games may be erased from the machine. This tilt fires as a result of violent motion of the machine. Examples would include kicking the front door, picking up and dropping the machine.

Slingshot

A playfield device usually triangular in shape (but can also be straight or trapezoidal) with rubber stretched across its face. When hit or grazed, a solenoid activated kicker arm moves the rubber, causing the ball to rebound with added force (slung away). Used to add more action to the ball and also as a randomization device.

Snap Target

A standup target that moves back and forth in 2 positions used on a few Gottlieb 1960s games. The action of the target is controlled by a solenoid so it 'snaps' back and forth.

Solid State (SS)

A pinball game that uses transistors, IC chips including a CPU and often has digital scoring displays.

Solid State Flipper

A flipper system controlled by transistors instead of a high voltage end of stroke switch. Removes the end of stroke switch and the cabinet switches from being a maintenance/weak point in the power delivered to a flipper, as well as reducing/preventing flipper coil burnout from maladjusted end of stroke switches.

Special

An award of a Replay (Free Game) or sometimes an Extra Ball depending on the game settings. Being awarded a 'Special' often sounds the knocker loudly or rings a bell to attract attention in the arcade to the person playing. Some insets for Special are red and found in the lower playfield (inlanes or outlanes) saying 'Special when Lit'. Other Special awards are found elsewhere on the playfield, depending on the game design.

Spinner

Also called a "swinging target" on early Gottlieb games. A flat, weighted target made of plastic or metal that hangs between a flat metal form. When the ball travels through it the target spins along its horizontal axis allowing multiple scores depending on how hard the ball was hit through it.

Star Rollover

A colorful playfield insert with a plastic star shaped actuator in the center. Acts like a rollover switch for scoring.

Straight Down the Middle (STDM)

Acronym for the way a ball drains between the flippers. Usual meaning is a ball that couldn't possibly be reached by flipping.

Standup Target

A common playfield feature consisting of a vertical target with a plastic face.

Switch wireform

Bent piece of wire in a carrier that protrudes through a slot in the playfield. Attached directly to a switch or moves to activate a leaf switch.

20 T

Test Chip

A special diagnostic ROM chip installed in a machine to perform testing functions, memory tests, other diagnostics and tests above and beyond what the machine includes in its own self test routines.

Tilt

An anti-nudging device usually in the form of a weighted pendulum installed in the lower left corner of a pinball cabinet. Used to control how much shaking a player can impart to the machine.

Topper

Anything added to the top surface of the machine's backbox to dress it up and attract play. Some are interactive and react to playfield scoring/features. Manufacturer supplied toppers include the Addams Family mansion, Doctor Who's Dalek topper, Fish Tales flapping fish, and Whirlwind's fan assembly.

Toy

An enticing playfield attraction that interacts with the ball or player in some fashion. Playfield toys can move, flash, open/close, hold balls, etc. Examples of interactive toys are Red and Ted's heads, and Ted's bulldozer blade on Williams Roadshow, and the Medieval Madness Castle. An example of an interactive backbox toy include Stern's Terminator 3 RPG cannon.

22 V

Vertical Up Kicker (VUK)

An area that captures the ball and launches the ball vertically by way of a plunger and coil assembly underneath the playfield, typically through a wireform or off a scoop back onto the playfield or a ramp.

23 W

Wire Ball Guide

A bent wire used to direct the ball's path. Can be straight or bent into shapes.

Wireform gate

A bent piece of wire installed in a flat metal form used to control ball path.

Wireform ramp

A ramp formed by welding bent pieces of wire together to form a channel for the ball.

Wiring Diagram

Paperwork describing attributes of a games' physical wiring, can include wire color, length, size, connection points/type. Can be similar/integrated with a schematic/logic diagram, but can also just be descriptive text.

Woodrail

Early model pinball machine which as the name suggests has wooden side rails.

26 Z

Zipper Flipper

A pair of flippers that when the appropriate target/goal on the playfield is achieved, move together to close the normal flipper gap. Both Bally and Williams used zipper flippers in the 1960s to the early 1970s. The only solid state game with zipper flippers is Bally's 1981 Medusa.