Adjustable-Height Base

Abstract

An adjustable-height base for supporting a gaming machine, such as a slot machine, includes a top unit and a bottom unit. The top unit may be installed over the bottom unit and attached to the bottom unit at different locations to provide a base having an adjustable height. The top and bottom units are configured to accommodate hardware associated with gaming machines.

1 . An adjustable-height base for supporting a slot machine, the base comprising:
 a) a bottom unit including:
 a pair of opposing sides, each one of the sides having an aperture for a cable chase; and 
 a front that includes a kick plate in a lower portion thereof that extends between the sides; 
   b) a top unit configured to vertically slide over the bottom unit, the top unit being independent from the bottom unit, the top unit including:
 a pair of opposing sides; 
 a top plate for receiving a slot machine, the top plate including an aperture for receiving cabling; 
   c) at least one of the top unit sides and the bottom unit sides being configured for fastening to an adjacent adjustable-height base unit;   d) at least one of the top unit sides and the bottom unit sides having a series of vertical first holes, the sides of the other one of the top unit and the bottom unit having at least one second hole, the second hole aligning with the first holes to enable insertion of fasteners in the holes to affix the top unit to the bottom unit at plural vertical positions relative to the bottom unit; and   e) at least a portion of the kick plate being exposed when the top unit is not in its lowermost vertical position, the kick-plate having a height that is greater than the maximum dimension of adjustment of the top unit.   
   
   
       2 . The adjustable-height base of  claim 1  wherein the series of first holes is located in the bottom unit sides and the second hole is located in the top unit sides. 
   
   
       3 . The adjustable-height base of  claim 2  wherein further comprising, on each side, a fastener inserted through the second hole and through one of the series of first holes for affixing the top unit and the bottom unit together. 
   
   
       4 . The adjustable-height base of  claim 3  wherein the fastener is configured to be inserted through corresponding holes in an adjacent adjustable-height base to affixed the bases together. 
   
   
       5 . The adjustable-height base of  claim 2  wherein the top unit sides further includes a vertical series of holes that aligns with the vertical series of holes in the bottom unit sides. 
   
   
       6 . The adjustable-height base of  claim 1  wherein the maximum dimension of adjustment of the top unit is defined by the height of the series of first holes. 
   
   
       7 . The adjustable-height base of  claim 1  wherein each one of the top unit sides have an aperture for the cable chase, the top unit side apertures aligning with the bottom unit side apertures when the top unit is affixed to the bottom unit. 
   
   
       8 . The adjustable-height base of  claim 1  further comprising a back having holes for fastening to a back of another adjustable-height base. 
   
   
       9 . The adjustable-height base of  claim 1  wherein each one of the holes is spaced apart by one inch such that the height of the base is adjustable in one inch increments. 
   
   
       10 . The adjustable-height base of  claim 1  further comprising an end panel to cover one of the sides when exposed. 
   
   
       11 . The adjustable-height base of  claim 1  wherein the series of first holes is located in the sides of the lower unit and 
   
   
       12 . A method of using adjustable height bases, comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a first and second adjustable height base, each one of the first and second bases comprising:
 a bottom unit including:
 a pair of opposing sides, each one of the sides having an aperture for a cable chase; and 
 a front that includes a kick plate in a lower portion thereof that extends between the sides; 
 
 a top unit configured to vertically slide over the bottom unit, the top unit being independent from the bottom unit, the top unit including:
 a pair of opposing sides; 
 a top plate for receiving a slot machine, the top plate including an aperture for receiving cabling; 
 at least one of the top unit sides and the bottom unit being configured for fastening to an adjacent adjustable-height base unit; 
 at least one of the top unit sides and the bottom unit sides having a series of vertical first holes, the sides of the other one of the top unit and the bottom unit having at least one second hole, the second hole aligning with the first holes to enable insertion of fasteners in the holes to affix the top unit to the bottom unit at plural vertical positions relative to the bottom unit; and 
 at least a portion of the kick plate being exposed when the top unit is not in its lowermost vertical position, the kick-plate having a height that is greater than the maximum dimension of adjustment of the top unit. 
 
   b) positioning the bottom units adjacent one another;   c) positioning the top units over the bottom units at a desired vertical position;   d) installing fasteners through the second holes of adjacent sides of the bases to affix them together;   e) installing cabling through the cable chases and through the top plate apertures;   e) installing slot machines onto the top plates; and   f) installing an end plate over an end side of at least one of the bases to cover the aperture of the side.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein in the installing step d), single fasteners extend through holes in the adjacent bottom units and corresponding holes in corresponding top units.