Patent GB-505950-A (GB)
Abstract: 505,950. Card-game apparatus. STOCKTON, J. P. July 30, 1938, No. 22769. [Class 132 (ii)] A device for use by one person or a partnership for playing bridge comprises a base 40, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, with upstanding corner angles 41, 42, and side members 43, 44, a set of cards or sheets 46, Fig. 4, bearing data relating to a preselected deal, and a sheet metal cover plate 47. The sheets 46 (as shown) carry a duplicate set of indications 49, 50 for the four hands, suit indications 51, lead indications designated by the letters D, S, C or H, a set of numbers to total the leads made, and a central arrangement of bid and response indications. Other information relating to the play of the hands is also marked on the sheets. The cover plate 47 is formed with four elongated apertures 53 normally covered by pivoted members. The pivoted members for the declarer's hand and dummy's hand are arranged in pairs 57a, 57b and pivoted on a shaft 55 so that one or other set of indications can be exposed by manipulating one or other member. For the 2nd and 4th hands a single set of pivoted members 57c are provided the second set of indications being screened by inclined shields 58. The cover members may all be shifted at one time by a wire 57d on the shaft 55 operated by a thumb piece 57f. The lead and suit designations are viewable through appropriate apertures ; alongside these designations are elongated apertures 60 to 63 and 65<1> that are covered by sets of hinged overlapping flippers 64 and 65 which are operated to indicate the suit and the order in which the cards should be played. The trick numbers are visible through an aperture 65<11>. To permit observation of the bid and response indications four arcuate slots 66 are provided ; these slots are covered by a rotatable disk 70 formed with an aperture 73 and three flippers 77 and is limited as to its angular movement by a pin-and-slot arrangement 71, 72. Other indication can be observed through apertures 78, 79. The operations of the disc 70 in bidding the deal shown are set forth in the Specification. In a modified form of device shown in Figs. 16, 17 and 18, the card with the hand indications 109, 110 bears also the indications 111 relating to the order in which the cards should be played, lead indications 112 and centrally disposed bid and response indications. The cover plate 108 which may be of transparent material carries sets of pivoted members 112a, 112b held in closed or open position by an elongated coil spring 115, and is provided with five concentric guide rings 120 to 124 forming channels for pairs of arcuate segments 125, 126 to 131, 132 for the four suits and for a central opaque disc 140 which is used to expose the bid indications. The cover plate also carries four pivoted discs 160 for revealing the suit indications. The segments are formed with stops 134 co-operating with stops 133 on the guide rings and a gap 135 separates the segments. The segments 126, 128, 130, and 132 have notches 139 spaced 90‹ from the gaps 135. The indications for playing the dummy hand may be concealed by a plate 168 (not shown) placed over the guide rings. In operation with the card shown the lead indicator 160 is operated to show that the opening lead is a " heart." To ascertain the first card played the heart segment 128 is shifted to expose the first indication. The dummy hand is then exposed by raising the members 112b and the appropriate card played and its member 112b replaced. Operation of the segment 127 discloses the card played by the 4th hand. The hand winning the trick leads the next card and the segments are moved accordingly and so on. An example of use is set forth in the Specification.