The Queensland Museum has what sounds like a similar device in it's
lobby, but instead of ball bearings it works on coins. A coin dropped in
the slot on top will fall to a point where the channel splits in two,
left and right. A rocker switch is placed at this junction. A coin going
through this switch trips it so that the next coin must take the other
channel. There are about three levels of dividing channels in a tree
branch arrangement, each with the rocker switch. The coins finally fall
into one of eight separate collection bins. Over time, of course, the
distribution of money in these bins follows a normal distribution curve.
 
We have found this gadget to be very attractive to many people. Kids love
to watch the coin descending and the switches flipping. Adults do not
appear to be at all averse to putting lots of small change through it,
and over time the money adds up. The difference with tis machine, of
course, is that it is not random.
 
Peter Volk
Social History
Queensland Museum