Patent GB-1008326-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in apparatus for checking so called football-pool coupons
Inventor: HOLMES WILLIAM GEOFFREY
IPC: A63F3/06
Filed: 1961-06-23
Abstract: 1,008,326. Statistical apparatus. LITTLEWOODS POOLS Ltd. Sept. 24, 1962 [June 23, 1961], No. 22763/61. Heading G4M. [Also in Division B6] Apparatus for checking the results of a planned entry or reduced permutation in a treble chance football-pool competition, comprises two stacks of perforated cards, each card of each stack representing a football match selected for the planned entry, one stack enabling the organizers to identify the " line " or " lines " successfully forecasting, for example, six out of eight draws, and the second stack enabling the organizers to identify the two unsuccessful forecasts in said " line " or " lines," whereby the total number of points obtained in said " line " or " lines " may be determined speedily. Each card of the first stack 100 is provided with two sets of perforations, the first set of perforations being arranged in five blocks to register with reference numerals 1-240 printed on a transparent backing sheet 103 when the card is in its inoperative position. Each reference numeral corresponds to one " line " of the planned entry. When a card is moved to the right as seen in Fig. 2, the second set of perforations unmasks only selected reference numerals. These correspond to the " lines " in which the football match represented by said card occurs. The first stack of cards and the backing plate 103 are contained between front and back plates, 101 and 104, apertured at 102 and 105, respectively. The cards 100 are movable individually by extensions 111 secured to knobs 112, slidable in slots 113 in a casing 114. The cards are returned to their inoperative positions by means of a pivoted lever 118 having an extension 119 engaging triangular slots in the cards. The second stack of cards is contained beneath a front or master card having a rectangular array of apertures therein, numbered 1-240, each aperture representing a " line " of the planned entry, and housed in a casing 122 having a transparent front window 123. Each card 124a likewise has a rectangular array of apertures 126 therein aligned with the apertures in the master card, which are extended to the left as shown in Fig. 22, to form slots 127, where the football match represented by said card 124a does not occur in the " lines " represented by said apertures. The cards 124a are provided with projecting fingers 125 aligned with a numbered strip 121. In use, a rod is inserted through an aperture in the master card and aligned apertures and slots in the cards 124a and moved to the left. Thus, only those cards provided with aligned apertures and representing football matches occurring in the " line " corresponding to the selected aperture in the master card, are moved to expose their fingers 125. The cards are returned to their original positions by a lever 128. To check a planned entry having six correct results the six appropriate knobs 112 are moved to the right to expose the number of the " line "  containing all six correct results. A rod is then inserted in the aperture in the master card corresponding to said " line " and moved to the left, to expose the fingers 125 of those cards 124a which represent the football matches occurring in said " line." By comparing said six knobs with the eight exposed fingers, the identity of the two incorrect forecasts is readily determined and the total number of points obtained on said " line " calculated.