Viktor Müller (entrepreneur)
Viktor Müller (born September 8, 1913 in Jusowka (now Donetsk , Ukraine ), † November 10, 1967 ) was a German entrepreneur and slot machine inventor.
Life
Müller came from an old German family who had settled as Germans in the rich “granary country” of Ukraine generations before (around 200 years ago) and who retained their German citizenship. His father owned a wheelwright shop from the 19th to the beginning of the 20th century and even built carriages for aristocratic Russian families including the Romanovs . Müller inherited these talents and manual skills from his father. Later he learned a wide variety of trades such as car mechanic, upholsterer, lathe operator and watchmaker.
Due to his talents, Müller developed his tendency early on to tinker with and experiment with all sorts of materials and so after the Second World War he became the inventor of playground equipment that was used at fairs at that time . As an example, he invented the “Picardo”, the first slot machine operated by side windows in Germany.
He was taken prisoner by the Soviets early in the Second World War and only returned to Germany at the end of 1949. After a few stops in Berlin and Hamburg, Müller came to Solingen . Here he set up the Viktor Müller Solingen Apparatebau company in the Ohligs district , which existed from 1958 to 1967. Its products were sold in the Federal Republic of Germany. With the production of plexiglass components, he himself produced signs for sign production in parallel. Sign production in the form of illuminated banners e.g. B. Throw in 10 Pfennig or solve the illuminated transparent sign "Driving chips at the cash register" for bumper car shops.
The last device still in existence is now in the German Machine Museum in Espelkamp at Benkhausen Castle. This device is an original approval device of the PTB in Berlin and was found there.
family
Viktor met his future wife Soja Prokopowitsch (Prokopowa), born on March 11, 1915 in Novomoskowsk , at the age of 19. The native Ukrainian received German citizenship through her marriage. The marriage had four children: Lydia, Renate, Nina and Reminald Müller. At the time of his father's death, Reminald Müller was only 13 years old and therefore unable to continue his father's legacy. Thus, in the heyday, a company that was about to set up the first toy libraries in Germany disappeared, because this is the goal of the inventor and tinkerer Viktor Müller.
Inventions
- October 1957 Flying bullet
- November 1961 Renaldi with 1st patent
- January 1963 Picardo
- February 1963 Roll Roll
- March 1963 5-map indicators
- April 1963 6-way map indicator
- June 1964 May 1965 Picardo super
- January 1966/1967 Rolko
- June 1967 Aluminum wheel for fortune
Other devices
- Remitolo
- Picardo junior
- Cartolet
- Ball ball with star fans (start button with pistol grip) and a mechanical device, suitable for fair shooting galleries.
The last remaining device (Picardo super) from Viktor Müller is today at Schloss Benkhausen in Espelkamp in the German Automata Museum and is now part of the large international Gauselmann machine collection (Merkur Automaten). A wheel of fortune is still in the possession of one of his children.
Patents
- Renaldi coin operated game machine
- Coin-operated game machine for restaurants
- Roloretteo coin operated game machine
- All patent documents and original registration certificates are in the German Machine Museum at Schloss Benkhausen in Espelkamp
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Müller, Viktor |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | German slot machine inventor |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 8, 1913 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Jusowka , Russian Empire |
| DATE OF DEATH | November 10, 1967 |