IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RECORDING THE MOVES IN THE GAME OF CHESS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS FOR RECORDING THE MOVES IN THE GAME OF CHESS."
A communication from abroad by Lucien Hours-Humbert, of Paris, France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st January 1882.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of 53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RECORDING THE MOVES IN
THE GAME OF CHESS" [A communication from abroad by Lucien Hours-Humbert,
of Paris, France.]
This Invention relates to apparatus for automatically registering the moves in
the game of chess. The operation of the apparatus is based on the principle of
indicating the squares from and to which the piece is moved in such manner that
the piece making the move is readily identified. It is indeed preferable to indicate
the square than the name of the piece which occupies it inasmuch as uncertainty
aud mistakes are prevented when the move is made by a piece of which there is
more than one of the same value. The system of notation herein adopted and known
as the German notation is preferred, but any other suitable system of notation may
be employed in connection with the Invention.
In this method the several ranks of squares are designated by numbers 1. 2. 3.
4 5. 6. 7. 8, and the several files by the letters A B C D E F G H, each square
being thus clearly indicated by the letter of the file followed by the number of the
rank which it occupies. The apparatus is so constructed that each pieco on being
moved, shall record in this manner the squares from and to which it is moved, the
series of indications furnishing an exact register of the game.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I have in the
accompanying drawings represented examples of three different methods of auto-
matically recording every move in the game of chess. In carrying out this Invention
either electrical or mechanical means, or the two combined. may be employed.

page_text: I will first describe the arrangement for effecting the registration of the moves
by means of electricity, as illustrated in Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. In this case the
registering apparatus may be placed at any point distant from the board and
several such registering apparatus may be operated at one time.
Each piece is provided with a peg a fitting into a round hole b made in the
centre of each square of the board. The pegs a serve to establish communication
between different parts of the apparatus as hereafter described, in the manner of
a commutator peg. The receiving apparatus which prints the combination of letters
and figures above described upon a paper tape, consists of two small type wheels Tr
Figure 3 mounted side by side but independently of each other upon the same or
different shafts, the one wheel having the letters from A to H in relief upon its
periphery, and the other the numerals from 1 to 8. The pegs a are made of non-
conducting material and fit tightly in the upper part of the holes b, but are of
smaller diameter at their lower part so as to leave an annular space around the
pegs, to which a metallic ring c carried upon the smaller part of tho peg correspon.ls.
Each hole bis provided with four distinct contact pieces shown in Figure 4, fitted
vertically in the sides of the hole and caused by springs to project slightly into the
hole. They consist (1) of a plain contact piece d connected with one pole of the
battery; (2) a contact piece e so fitted in the chess board that its two projecting
lugs y are flush with the side of the hole. This contact is connected by a wire
with the mechanism for actuating the paper tape and the type wheels, and returning
them to zero, such as that of an ordinary printing telegraph or other known
arrangement. (3) A contact piece f in communication with the "letter" type
wheel and provided, according to the file in which the square is situated, with from
one to eight teeth. (4) A contact piece g similar to the above, and also provided,
according-to-the-rank to which the square belongs, with from one to eight teeth.
In the normal position of the piece, the ring c is in contact only with a, but on the
withdrawal of the peg from the hole in the act of moving the piece, the ring makes
contact with the tooth y of contact e, thus closing the circuit of the electro magnet
which controls the mechanism for pressing the paper against the type wheels,
setting the paper in motion, and automatically returning the wheels to zero (when
they do not already occupy this position). The ring a then comes successively in
contact with the teeth of the two contacts ƒ and g corresponding respectively with
the letter and number wheels thereby producing a number of vibrations corre-
sponding to the number of the teeth and advancing the wheels as many divisions
of their periphery. Suppose for example that the piece to be played is on the
square D 7, the letter D and figure 7 will be brought opposite to the paper for the
purpose of being printed thereon side by side when by the contact of ring c with
the tooth on the upper end of e, the mechanism above referred to presses the
tape against the wheels and afterwards moves it along the proper distance and
releases the spring which returns the type wheels to zero. The sign D7 is thus
printed upon the paper tape and the same movements are repeated on inserting the
peg of the piece in the hole of any other square whose sign is thus printed in a
similar manner.
It should be observed that when a piece is captured, three signs or groups of
characters are printed, the same group being repeated to signify the removal of the
piece captured and the placing of the taking piece in the same square, but this
repitition cannot lead to error. Similarly the act of "castling" will be clearly
recorded by four groups of characters. The type wheels and paper may also be
operated mechanically, as represented in Figures 5 and 6. This arrangement
consists essentially in fitting in the chessboard alongside the poles of each rank of
squares a longitudinally sliding rod h provided with lugs i which project into the
several holes so as to be pushed back by the peg a of piece as it is inserted in or
withdrawn from the hole, the peg being for this purpose made of the form shown
in Figure 5. Similar sliding rods are fitted to slide alonside the holes of each file
of squares at right angles to the rods has shown in Figure 6, so that there are two
lugs i projecting in every hole. A horizontal lever k is pivoted at in position to

page_text: be acted upon at different distances from its pivot by the one end of the several
rods h, tho oscillation of the lever (which is proportional in extent to the distance
from pivot of the rod h which moves it) being transmitted to the letter wheel.
The other series of rods act in a similar manner on another lover whose oscillations
effect the rotation of the number wheel. These wheels are similar to those above
described in reference to Figure 3. The two levers are caused to rotate the type
wheels to an extent corresponding to the amplitude of their oscillation by any
suitable mechanical notion such as ratchets, bell cranks, &c, or the levers may act
directly upon the wheels.
The pegs a of the pieces are made of polished metal or other hard and smooth
material of the form shown in Figure 5 so that the mechanism shall be similarly
operated when the peg is withdrawn.
The printing is effected as in the electrical arrangement, the paper tape being
drawn along by clockwork or otherwise.
The electrical and mechanical means of registration may be combined in various
ways, of which I will describe two examples. (1) The sliding rods with lugs i are
arranged as last described and the levers are provided with toothed segments
which make contact a greater or less number of times and produce an equal number
of electrical vibrations whereby the type wheels are rotated to a corresponding
extent as in the electric register. (2) The rods instead of sliding longitudinally
may oscillate on their axes. In this case each rod is bent at right angles at one
end as shown at m in Figures 7 and 8 and oscillates like a pendulum over contact
piece n having a number of teeth corresponding to the figure designating the row
of squares. The letter wheel is actuated by a similar arrangement, and the same
peg a shown in figure 2 is employed, the metal ring closing the circuit, the
mechanism being thereby actuated in a similar way to the electrical arrangement
first described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st July 1882.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of 53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex
Patent Agent
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR RECORDING THE MOVES IN
THE GAME OF CHESS" A communication from abroad by Lucien Hours-Humbert
of Paris, France.
This Invention relates to apparatus for automatically registering the moves as
they are made in the game of chess. The operation of the apparatus is based on
the principle of indicating the squares, from and to which a piece is moved, in such
manner that the piece itself is readily identified. It is indeed preferable to indicate
the square than the name of the piece which occupies it inasmuch as uncertainty
and mistakes are prevented when the move is made by a piece of which there is
more than one of the same value. The system of notation herein adopted and
known as the German notation is preferred, but any other suitable system of
notation may be employed in connection with the Invention.
In this method the several ranks of squares are designated by numbers 1. 2. 3.
4. 5. 6. 7. 8 and the several files by the letters A B C D E F G H, each square
being thus clearly indicated by the letter of the file followed by the number of the
rank which it occupies. The apparatus is so constructed that each piece on being
-moved shall record in this manner the squares from and to which it is moved, the
series of indications furnishing an exact register-of-the-game...
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I have in the
accompanying drawings represented examples of three different methods of
automatically recording every move in the game of chess. In carrying out this
Invention either electrical or mechanical means, or the two combined may be
employed.
*
I will first describe the arrangement for effecting the Registration of the moves
by means of electricity, as illustrated in Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. In this case the
registering apparatus may be placed at any point distant from the board and
several such registering apparatus may be operated at one time. Each piece is
provided with a peg a fitting into a round hole b made in the centre of each
square of the board. The pegs a serve to establish communication between
different parts of the apparatus as hereafter described in the manner of a
cominutator peg. The receiving apparatus which prints the indications formed by
the combination of letters and figures above described upon a paper tape, consists
of two small type wheels figure 3 mounted side by side but independently of
each other upon the same or different shafts, the one wheel having the letters A
to H in relief upon its periphery, and the other the numerals 1 to 8. The pegs a
are made of nonconducting material and fit tightly in the upper part of the holes b
but are of smaller diameter at their lower part so as to leave an annular space
around the pegs to which a metallic ring c carried upon the smaller part of the
peg corresponds. Each hole b is provided with four distinct contact pieces shown
in Figure 4 fitted vertically in the sides of the hole and caused by springs to
project slightly inwards into the hole. They consist (1) of a plain bar d con-
nected with one pole of the battery; (2) a bar e so fitted in the chess board that
its two projecting contacts x y are flush with the side of the hole. This bar is
connected by a wire with the mechanism for actuating the paper tape and the type
wheels and returning them to zero, such as that of an ordinary printing telegraph or
other known arrangement; (3) a bar fin communication with the "letter" type
wheel and provided with a number (from 1 to 8) of contact teeth corresponding to
the position of the square to which it is applied; (4) a bar g similar to the above

page_text: and also provided with a number of contact teeth (from 1 to S) corresponding to
the number of the rank in which the square is situated. The position of these
contacts is such that in the normal position of the piece, the ring c is in contact
only with bar d, but on the withdrawal of the peg from the hole in the act of
moving the piece, the ring first makes contact with the tooth y of bar e thus
closing the circuit of the electro magnet which operates the mechanism for pressing
the paper against the type wheels which are now at zero. The same mechanismu
sets the paper in motion which releases the spring for automatically returning the
wheels to zero (when they do not already occupy this position). The ring c
then comes successively in contact with the contact teeth of the two bars f
and g corresponding respectively with the letter and number wheels, thereby
producing a number of vibrations corresponding to the number of the contact
teeth and advancing the wheels as many divisions of their periphery. Suppose
for example that the piece to be played is on the square D7, the lotter D and
figure 7 will be brought opposite to the paper for the purpose of being printed
thereon side by side when by the contact of ring c with the tooth on the upper
end of e the mechanism above referred to again presses the tape against the wheels
and afterwards moves it along the proper distance and releases the spring which
returns the type wheels to zero. The sign D' is thus printed upon the paper tape
and the same movements are repeated on inserting the peg of the piece in the hole
of any other square whose sign is thus printed in a similar manner.
It should be observed that when a piece is captured, three signs or groups of
characters are printed, the same group being repeated in consequence of the
removal of the piece captured and the placing of the taking piece in the samo
square, but this repetition which signifies the word "takes" employed in notation
cannot lead to error. Similarly the act of "castling" will be clearly recorded by
four groups of characters.
Instead of the letter and number wheels being actuated by two electro magnets
acting by successive vibrations, there may be 16 of the latter, 8 for each wheel.
In this case the function of each electro magnet as it is brought into action by the
insertion and removal of the pegs of the pieces as above described, is to release
the wheel to which it is applied (the wheels being operated by clockwork) and
arrest its motion so that the letter or figure to which the electro magnet corre-
sponds is presented to the paper strip. The wheel is arrested by means of a
projection fixed upon it which abuts against the armature lever of the electro
inagnet when it is attracted, the electro magnets being disposed at intervals
around the wheel so as to stop its motion at the desired times. A greater number
of electro magnets are required in this case it is true, but the mechanism is
simplified in other respects and all possibility of derangement is obviated.
The type wheels and paper may also be operated mechanically as represented in
Figures 5 and 6. This arrangement consists essentially in fitting in the chessboard
alongside the holes of each rank of squares a longitudinally sliding rod provided
with lugs i which project into the several holes so as to be pushed back by the
peg a of a piece as it is inserted in or withdrawn from the hole, the peg being for
this purpose made of the form shown in Figure 5. Similar sliding rods are fitted to
slide alongside the holes of each file of squares at right angles to the rods has
shown in Figure G, so that there are two lugs i projecting in every hole. A
horizontal lever k is pivoted at in position to be acted upon at different distances
from its pivot by the one end of the several rods h, the oscillation of the lever
(which is proportional in extent to the distance from pivot of the rod h which
moves it) being transmitted to the letter wheel. The other series of rods act in a
similar manner on another lever whose oscillations effect the rotation of the number
wheel. These wheels are similar to those above described in reference to Figure 3.
The two levers are caused to rotate the type wheels to an extent corresponding to
the amplitude of their oscillation by any suitable mechanical motion such as
ratchets, bell cranks, &c., or the levers may act directly upon the wheels.
The pegs a of the pieces are made of polished metal or other hard and smooth

page_text: material of the form shown in Figure 5 so that the mechanism shall be similarly
operated both when the peg is inserted and withdrawn.
The printing is effected as in the electrical arrangement, the paper tape being
drawn along by clockwork or otherwise.
The electrical and mechanical means of registration may be combined in various
ways, of which I will describe two examples. (1) The sliding rods with lugs i
are arranged as last described and the levers are provided with toothed segments
which make contact a greater or less number of times and produce an equal number
of electrical vibrations whereby the type wheels are rotated to a corresponding
extent as in the electric register.
(2nd) The rods instead of sliding longitudinally may oscillate on their axes. In this
case each rod is bent at right angles at one end as shown at m in Figures 7 and 8
and oscillates like a pendulumn over contact piece n having a number of teeth
corresponding to the figure designating the row of squares. The letter wheel is
actuated by a similar arrangement, and the same peg a shown in Figure 2 is
employed, the metal ring closing the circuit, the mechanism being thereby actuated
in a similar way to the electrical arrangement first described.
Having described the nature of the said Invention for "Improvements in
Apparatus for Recording the Moves in the Game of Chess," and the manner of
performing the same I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected
by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is
1st. In combination with an apparatus for registering the moves of the game of
chess, the men or pieces provided with pegs a fitting into holes in the squares of
the board, the pegs being adapted to establish electric communication for actuating
the registering apparatus in the manner and for the purpose specified.
2nd. The combination with the registering chessboard of the two type wheels r
printing the notation as shown and described.
3rd. In a registering chessboard the arrangement in holes in the squares of
metallic contact pieces for closing the circuit by contact with a projecting metallic
ring c upon the peg a as shown and described.
4th. In a registering chessboard the arrangement of longitudinally sliding rods
provided with lugs projecting into the several holes so as to be acted upon by the
pegs of the pieces in combination with a lever for transmitting more or less motion
to the corresponding type wheel according to the rod which has been moved,
substantially as herein shown and described.
5th. The combination of two series of longitudiual sliding rods provided with
lugs projecting into respective holes, the one series being arranged at right angles
to the other and each acting on a lever for rotating a corresponding type wheel
substantially as shown and described.
6th. The combination with the levers of toothed metallic segments for electrically
operating the number and letter wheels, substantially as herein described and
represented in the Drawings.
In witness whereof I the said Alexander Melville Clark have hereunto set
my hand and seal this Twenty first day of July, A.D. 1882.