O. D. Jennings & Company

Fate	Merger
Founded	1906 (as Industry Novelty Company, Incorporated)
Defunct	1980s
Location	Chicago
Industry	slot machines, pinball and vending machines
Key people	Ode D. Jennings (founder)

Ode D. Jennings (6 September 1874 - 21 November 1953) was the founder and president of the eponymous O. D. Jennings & Company of Chicago, which was once a leading manufacturer of slot machines in the United States and also manufactured other coin-operated machines, including pinball machines. On the death of its founder, the company was succeeded by Jennings & Company. Nickname: The Windy City, The Second City, Chi Town, City of the Big Shoulders, The 312, The City that Works Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in Chicagoland and Illinois Coordinates: Country United States State Illinois County Cook & DuPage Incorporated March 4, 1837  - Mayor... September 6 is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years). ... 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... November 21 is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Nickname: The Windy City, The Second City, Chi Town, City of the Big Shoulders, The 312, The City that Works Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in Chicagoland and Illinois Coordinates: Country United States State Illinois County Cook & DuPage Incorporated March 4, 1837  - Mayor... Slot machines in the Trump Taj Mahal A slot machine (American English), poker machine (Australian English), or fruit machine (British English) is a certain type of casino game. ... Pinball is a type of coin-operated arcade game where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more metal balls on a playfield inside a glass covered case called a pinball machine. ...

History

Ode D. Jennings was born in Kentucky on 6 September 1874.^[1] Official language(s) English[1] Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  Ranked 37th  - Total 40,444 sq mi (104,749 km²)  - Width 140 miles (225 km)  - Length 379 miles (610 km)  - % water 1. ... September 6 is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years). ... 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

Ode D. Jennings worked for the Mills Novelty Company and ran The Spectatorium, a penny arcade, for that company at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri).^[2][1] Mills Novelty Company, Incorporated of Chicago was once a leading manufacturer of coin-operated machines - including slot machines, vending machines, and jukeboxes - in the United States. ... Entrance to Creation Exhibit on the Pike Map of the St. ... Year 1904 (MCMIV) was a leap year starting on a Friday (see link for calendar). ... Worlds Fair is any of various large expositions held since the mid-19th century. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

In 1906, Ode Jennings established Industry Novelty Company, Incorporated. Its business was the refurbishment of slot machines manufactured by Mills.^[2] 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

Ode Jennings acquired United States patent 1,403,933, granted on 17 January 1922, for an improved mechanical coin-selecting device. The improvement related to the ejection of coins that were too small.^[3] A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a state to a patentee (the inventor or assignee) for a fixed period of time in exchange for the regulated, public disclosure of certain details of a device, method, process or composition of matter (substance) (known as an invention) which... January 17 is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ...

In July 1923, O. D. Jennings & Co. had purchased out of liquidation the business of the Garbell Typewriter Corporation of Chicago, which manufactured the GAR-BELL portable typewriter, invented by Max Garbell. Despite further improvements, which were protected by patents, the machine was a failure in the market.^[4] 1923 (MCMXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... Nickname: The Windy City, The Second City, Chi Town, City of the Big Shoulders, The 312, The City that Works Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in Chicagoland and Illinois Coordinates: Country United States State Illinois County Cook & DuPage Incorporated March 4, 1837  - Mayor... Mechanical desktop typewriters, such as this Underwood Five, were long time standards of government agencies, newsrooms, and sales offices. ...

In 1925, Ode Jennings moved to a house at what would become known as 220 Civic Drive (originally Schaumburg Road) in the village of Schaumburg, Illinois. The house would remain his home until his death.^[1] 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Coordinates: Incorporated March 7, 1956  - Village President Al Larson Area    - Village 49. ...

On 24 November 1925, Ode Jennings was granted, as inventor, United States patent 1,562,771 for an improved mechanical coin-control apparatus. The improved apparatus was said to be more efficient and to prevent subsequent coins jamming the apparatus while the first coin was being accepted.^[5] November 24 is the 328th day (329th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a state to a patentee (the inventor or assignee) for a fixed period of time in exchange for the regulated, public disclosure of certain details of a device, method, process or composition of matter (substance) (known as an invention) which...

Between 1935 and 1936, O. D. Jennings & Co. manufactured a payout pinball machine called the Sportsman. The device was a gambling device, more akin to a slot machine than a modern pinball table.^[6] Some of the technology in the machine was protected by United States patent 2,003,349, granted to inventor Clifford R. Dumble.^[7] 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1936 (MCMXXXVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Pinball is a type of coin-operated arcade game where a player attempts to score points by manipulating one or more metal balls on a playfield inside a glass covered case called a pinball machine. ... A patent is a set of exclusive rights granted by a state to a patentee (the inventor or assignee) for a fixed period of time in exchange for the regulated, public disclosure of certain details of a device, method, process or composition of matter (substance) (known as an invention) which...

On 21 November 1953, aged 79, Ode Jennings died at home in Schaumburg, Illinois after 47 years at the helm of the company he had founded.^[2][1] He left everything to his wife, Jeannette Isle Jennings; they had no children; on the condition that it was denoted to his church and local hospitals on her death.^[1] On 19 March 1954 Jennings & Company was incorporated under the laws of Illinois and it purchased the assets of O. D. Jennings & Company from the estate of Ode Jennings. November 21 is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Coordinates: Incorporated March 7, 1956  - Village President Al Larson Area    - Village 49. ... March 19 is the 78th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (79th in leap years). ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ...

On 15 May 1957 Jennings & Company was merged into Hershey Manufacturing Company of Illinois, a company that had been incorporated on 27 April 1939. Over 80% of the business of Hershey Manufacturing then comprised the manufacture and sale of slot machines through its Jennings division, although it also engaged in governmental subcontract work and the manufacture of vending machines and photoflash equipment.^[8] May 15 is the 135th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (136th in leap years). ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... April 27 is the 117th day of the year (118th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 248 days remaining. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

By the early 1960s, there were five major manufacturers of slot machines in the United States. The table below sets out their approximate comparative percentages of sales:^[8] The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ...

By the early 1960s, the business had been acquired by American Machine and Science Company (AMSC) owned by Wallace Carroll. AMSC also acquired Bell-O-Matic Corporation, and the two companies were merged to form TJM Corporation. TJM Corporation was run by two brothers, Tony Mills and John Mills. The merged company failed to compete sucessfully with the electro/mechanical models produced by Bally and also suffered because Bell-O-Matic had not protected its intellectual property rights in Japan. The company ceased trading in the 1980s.^[9] Mills Novelty Company, Incorporated of Chicago was once a leading manufacturer of coin-operated machines - including slot machines, vending machines, and jukeboxes - in the United States. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... Mills Novelty Company, Incorporated of Chicago was once a leading manufacturer of coin-operated machines - including slot machines, vending machines, and jukeboxes - in the United States. ... Bally Technologies logo Bally (with its distinctive Rolling Ball logo) Bally Technologies, Inc. ... The 1980s refers to the years of 1980 to 1989. ...

In 1963, after the death of Jeannette Isle Jennings, the Jennings family house and surrounding lands were donated to the village of Schaumburg, Illinois and were used as the village hall until 1971. A gift of US$500,000 was denoted to the Northwestern Memorial Hospital of Chicago in November 1963 (then called the Passavant Memorial Hospital) and used to fund part of the construction of the Ode D. Jennings Pavillion, which opened in May 1966.^[1] 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... Coordinates: Incorporated March 7, 1956  - Village President Al Larson Area    - Village 49. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... Northwestern Memorial Hospital is a hospital under Northwestern University, Illinois. ... Nickname: The Windy City, The Second City, Chi Town, City of the Big Shoulders, The 312, The City that Works Motto: Urbs In Horto (Latin: City in a Garden), I Will Location in Chicagoland and Illinois Coordinates: Country United States State Illinois County Cook & DuPage Incorporated March 4, 1837  - Mayor... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ...

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Richard Bueschel (1995). How Could O. D. Jennings Be Forgotten?. Retrieved on 2006-09-03.
2. ^ ^{a b c} Richard Bueschel (1992-06-15). Jennings Slot Machines 1906-1990: Ilustrated Historical, Maintenance and Repair Guide to Jennings Mechanical and Electromechanical 3-Reel Bell Machines.  reviewed by Julius Sciarra at http://www.gameroommagazine.com/index.php?main_page=pubs_product_book_info&products_id=93 gameroommagazine.com]
3. ^ >US Patent 1,403,933. United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved on 2006-09-02.
4. ^ Will Davis (March 2006). "The Victor Portable". ETCetera Journal of the Early Typewriter Collectors' Association. 
5. ^ >US Patent 1,562,771. United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved on 2006-09-02.
6. ^ Lynne and Michael Sands (October 2003). The Sands Mechanical Museum: Sportsman Restoration. Retrieved on 2006-09-03.
7. ^ >US Patent 2,003,349. United States Patent and Trademark Office. Retrieved on 2006-09-02.
8. ^ ^{a b} United States. Congress. House. Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce (1962). Gambling Devices. U.S. Govt. Print. Off.. 
9. ^ Feddy Bailey, quoted at Mécanique électrifiée ??. Flippers-jukeboxes.net. Retrieved on 2006-08-30.