Patent GB-190317343-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Games of Skill.
Inventor: JOST JEAN ANATOLE
Filed: 1903-08-10
Granted: 1904-06-16
Abstract: 17,343. Jost, J. A. Aug. 10. Games played with balls, bowls, cues, discs, mallets, projectiles, and spinning-apparatus; scoring and marking nets and screens ; billiards ; croquet; bowls, game of.-A game, which may be adapted either as an indoor or outdoor game, is played by single players or sides, who project balls or other missiles by cues, mallets, &c. against balls or discs attached to arms arranged like those of a weather vane, the arms acting through suitable mechanism on indicators showing the progress of the game. The apparatus, as shown in Fig. 2, comprises two or more arms 3 carrying balls or discs 12, on elastic or other rods, the arms being attached to a sleeve 2 loosely mounted at the top of a pedestal 1, which is placed on a billiard or like table, or on a lawn when the game is played alone or in conjunction with croquet, bowls, and similar games. Balls or other missiles are projected at the balls &c. 12 by means of cues, mallets, &c., causing the arms 3 to rotate. The players play in turn, and try to drive the arms in opposite directions, the amount of movements of the arms being indicated by flags 11 attached to a cord or chain 8 passing around pulleys or chain wheels 7, 9, the former of which is driven from the sleeve 2 by means of bevel-wheels 4, 6. When the sleeve is driven around, one indicator 11 rises and the other falls, the object of the player being to drive his indicator to the top of a graduated mast 10. The pedestal 1 is provided with an elastic ring 13 serving to deflect the balls. In a modified form of the game, which is played out of doors by throwing at the balls 12, the arms 3 are arranged to work in cross screens or nets, which divide the ground into compartments, and are adapted to allow the arms to pass through, but to prevent the projectiles from passing through from one compartment to another. The screens may be fixed to the apparatus, or supported on the ground by poles or posts. In a further modification, shown in Fig. 8, the indicators are formed of flags, discs, &c. 30, which are pivoted on spindles 31, and tend to rise under the action of springs, but are prevented from doing so by means of sliding bolts, stops, &c. 26 in the normal condition. The arms 3 drive, by means of suitable gearing, a wheel 24 carrying a finger 25, which, when it has been driven round far enough, acts on a bolt 26, and releases one of the indicators, which then rises. The mechanism is protected by a casing 29, and protecting-screens and nets 15, 28 are provided. The spindle 2 is mounted on a conical base so that the projectiles do not remain between the arms. A pennant 27 attached to the finger 25 serves to indicate the movements of the finger. In a further modified form, the bolts 26, instead of releasing a pivoted flag, release a flag attached to a counterweighted cord passing over a pulley at the top of a mast, and allow the flag to rise to the top of the mast. In another form of indicating mechanism, Fig. 11, two masts are used, and the indicators are carried by cords passing over pulleys 9 and around a drum 33 driven by the vane arms. The indicators may be adapted to lift a small flag when they reach the top of the mast. In another modification, Fig. 12, specially adapted for indoor or table use, the arms 3 are mounted on a base-plate 37, and the balls to be projected are suspended by cords from a hoop 39. A net 41 is provided in this case, and the balls may be suspended from the ceiling instead of from the hoop.