Flipper

From PinWiki

A flipper (or bat or paddle) is an oblong-shaped device that pivots on one end in order to allow the player to hit (and control) balls on the playfield. Flippers are constructed of molded plastic and protected by a rubber ring, which enhances the flipper's ability to control the ball.

Early flippers were manually powered by the player, but in 1947 designer Harry Mabs invented the electromechanical flipper, which is driven by a high-powered solenoid (or coil) which the player activates with buttons on the side of the cabinet. He used this new flipper design on Humpty Dumpty (IPDB), which featured six flippers.