Patent GB-190523205-A (GB)
Inventor: DOUGLAS WILLIAM PERCY
Filed: 1905-11-11
Granted: 1906-11-08
Abstract: 23,205. Douglas, W. P. Nov. 11. Games imitating croquet and skittles ; coco-nut shies etc.; toys for delivering sweetmeats and the like.- Relates to a game apparatus, which may take the form of a vending-machine, money-box, or of a toy and which may be coin-freed, the apparatus being combined with a magazine for containing sweets, small toys, packets, &c., which are delivered only when t h e release of the delivery mechanism is effected by the striking of the bull's eye of a target, by the weight of balls which are knocked off uprights, or by the weight of missiles lodged in an opening in a target, or by the knocking o v e r of a number of figures when the g a m e resembles skittles. The casing of the structure is designed to represent a castle, fair-ground, rifle target, &c. The sweets &c. are delivered by toy figures, and when being delivered a flag may be raised, or a suitable signal given such as the sounding of a bell. In a game resembling croquet, the release of the delivery mechanism is effected when a certain number of balls are deposited in an opening, or in a given position, or have passed through a hole. The apparatus may also be provided with a setting- mechanism which sets the delivery mechanism and brings the objects aimed at &c. into their proper position. In one form of apparatus, Figs. 4 and 5, which is similar to the sweet delivery toy described in Specification No. 17,234, A.D. 1905, a target a, Fig. 5, is provided with a bull's eye b, which is normally held rigid by the tail g of a lever e. On inserting a coin through a shoot d, the coin depresses the ends h of the lever e, and rests on a lever m which is connected to the figure 35 attached to a sleeve 30 adapted to slide on a fixed rod. As soon as the bull's eye is struck, it moves in against the action of a spring r arranged in a guide s, and a rod u attached to a stem p of the target actuates through levers z, 3 a catch 5 which normally holds a clock mechanism 6. At the same time that the mechanism 6 is started, a spring-controlled rod 48 is released from a catch 63 on the stem p, and, by means of a rod 54 with a bent end 56, delivers a packet &c. from a magazine 57 to a pivoted tray attached to the figure 35. The mechanism 4 actuates a lever 11, which, by means of a pin 16 and slot 15 in a lever 16, raises a rod 22 to which a flag is attached. The lever 11 also raises the sleeve 30 and with it the figure 35 and tray 38. As the figure 35 rises, the lever m is freed from the action of a rod 36 depending from the figure, and the coin tilts the lever and passes to a receptacle. When the figure reaches its highest position, another rod depending from the forward end of the tray 38 is held by a catch, and the tray is inclined, so that its packet falls into a shoot, and is delivered. When the clock mechanism 6 is completing its revolution, a projection 62 on the lever 11 moves the rod 48 until its slot 50 is again held by the catch 63, and at the completion of one revolution of the mechanism 6, it is again held by the catch 5. In another modification, shown in Figs. 11, 12, and 18, which is similar to the sweet-delivery toy described in Specification No. 17,713, A.D. 1905, a number of stands are provided for resting imitation coconuts on, and when they are knocked over they fall into a shoot 87, Fig. 11, together with the missiles. They then fall on to a receptacle 88 in a counterweighted lever 89, which is tilted to deliver the balls to a hinged receptacle 92, when a certain number of balls have passed into the receptacle 88. The receptacle 12 moves about its pivot, and a lever 106 on the same pivot as the receptacle releases, a clock mechanism, which actuates a moving figure 133 provided with a delivery tray 137 arranged under a hopper 139. The lever 106 is formed with a tail 105 which acts on a weighted lever 102 formed with a catch 103 which normally holds down a spring-controlled rod 97 arranged in a tubular guide 96. On the release of the rod 91, it rises and a plate 99 on it raises a rod 110, which frees a detent 121 by which the clock mechanism is normally held. At the same time, the bent end 116 of the rod 110, is raised clear of a notch in a disk 117 geared to the clock mechanism, and connected by means of a rod 129 to a sleeve 130 upon which the figure 133 is mounted. The figure 133 moves outwards through a sprmgcontrolled door 134 and delivers a packet from the magazine 139. The clock mechanism is stopped when the end 116 of the rod 110 falls into the notch in the disk 117, and at the same time the release mechanism is reset by means of a rod 122, which is actuated by a cam and lever from the clock mechanism, and which depresses the plate 99, so that the catch 103 again holds the rod 97. The balls are delivered to a receptacle in the front of the casing, when a slide 76 is drawn back by means of a handle. The slide 76 is normally held by a spring-catch 81, which is depressed when a coin falls from a shoot 73 on to a plate 83. When the drawer is drawn back, the coin is forced into a box 86. In a further modification, shown in Figs. 22, 24, and 25, which is similar to the sweet-delivery toy described in Specification No. 17,714, A.D. 1905, the delivery mechanism is released when a number of pivoted toy figures 146, Fig. 25, have been knocked over. These figures are set in an upright position by pushing in a rod 153, Fig. 24, which moves levers 149 pivoted to the supports 148 of the figures, and the figures are held in position by spring-catches 152. The clock mechanism is released, when all the figures are knocked over, by the movement of a spring-controlled rod 158 provided with projections 164 which are held by the supports 148. The rod 158 is also held by a catch on a rod 192, and it is released from this catch by the coin-freed mechanism. The coin passes into a receptacle 184 on a spring-controlled rod, and when the rod 153 is pushed in, this rod is moved by means of a projection 190 and the coin acts on a projection 191 on the rod 192, and releases the rod 158. When all the figures are knocked over, the rod 158 actuates a bent lever 168, which releases the clock mechanism from a spring- controlled lever 169, and the spindle 173, which carries a figure 177 and a flag 174, is rotated. The figure 177 is provided with a pivoted tray which is tilted by an incline to deliver a packet supplied to the tray from a magazine 182. The bar 158 is reset by means of a cam 155 which acts on a projection 166 on the rod, and the clock mechanism is automatically stopped by the lever 169. The bullets for the guns may be supplied in connexion with the coin-freed mechanism. The invention may also be applied to sweet - delivery toys described in Specifications Nos. 18,122, 19,614, 19,743, and 21,155, A.D. 1905, and No. 871, A.D. 1906, these toys being fitted with coin-freed mechanism, and with delivery mechanism which is actuated by a game apparatus similar to those described. The clock mechanism may be dispensed with, the delivery mechanism being operated by hand, and when used as a toy, the coin-freed mechanism may also be dispensed with. For cases where it is inconvenient to wind the clock mechanism at frequent intervals, means are provided for enabling the operator to rewind the spring, or actuate the delivery mechanism by hand..