Patent GB-311536-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to apparatus for playing games
IPC: A63F1/18
Filed: 1928-04-24
Abstract: 311,536. White, A. E., (String Inc., J. S. & J. F.). April 24, 1928. Scoring and marking apparatus. - For playing games, mechanism is provided for registering the correct fore-telling of a card to be played and for indicating the play made and the play foretold to be made, the indicating devices being movable to certain positions, one with respect to the other, so that the registering mechanism will be operated when the foretelling is correct. The apparatus is described with reference to playing bridge, the table being wired for four players in the manner shown in Fig. 8, each player being provided with a set of dials and switch members as shown in Fig. 5. As a player is about to play, the other players each turn a knob 8 to move a disc to indicate in the slot 19 the card which the operator believes will be played. The person about to play then sets his knob 8 to indicate the card he intends to play and then almost simultaneously pushes his button 22 to close a circuit that will include all signal lamps 29 in sets which have been correctly positioned bv the other players. A registering device of each of the players who have foretold correctly is thus operated electrically, and at the end of the game the ability of each of the players to foretell the play of the cards that have been played is recorded. The knob 8 is secured to a disc 7, Figs. 2 and 4, provided with a circumferential groove 15 having characters 16 representing each of the playing cards in a pack, and may also comprise indications of the suits, a character being observable through a slot 19 in a cup 17 that is fitted into the table, as shown. The stud 6 of the knob 8 carries a contact arm 9, one end of which is adapted to engage successively with one of a series of contact studs 11, the other and narrower end 12 of the arm being adapted to engage successively with a set of contact studs 13. A spring 14 on the disc 7 engages with the contacts 13 and prevents the disc 7 resting in a mid-stud position. The finger-piece 45 in the table top forms the end of a spindle 42 carrying a register disc 31 with ratchet teeth 32. Fig. 2, engaged by pawls 35, 36 connected to a link 40 that is pivoted to an armature 38. When the magnet 39 is energized and de-energized the dogs have alternately engaged the ratchet teeth to move the disc 31 through an angular rotation of one ratchet tooth, this movement causing a succeeding number to be brought to register position through the opening 52. In the wiring of the sets shown in Fig. 8, one terminal of the battery 2 is connected to the studs 13 of each set all the studs being connected together through a normally-onen spring contact 53 located at each set. The other terminal of the battery is connected with the arm 9 of each set, through the register-operating electro-magnet 39 and the lamps 29, which are connected in parallel. Each contact of the outer row 11 is connected to the corresponding contact in each of the other sets, and the arrangement is similar for the contacts in each set in respect of the rows 13. The contacts are so arranged that, when the disc 7 of a player is turned to give a certain indication in the slot 19, the arm 9 engages with a definite one of the contacts 13, and when any two or more sets are adjusted for the same indication their arms 9 will be electrically connected together. The closing of a push button 53 will then close all the circuits having the same settings and the signal lamp 29 and registering-operating magnet 39 corresponding thereto will be operated.