An Improved Game or Pastime and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Sept., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 11th June, 1889-Accepted, 13th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Game or Pastime and Apparatus therefor.
I, RICHARD COCKRILL MACKAY of Northside, Leigh Woods, in the county of
Somerset, publisher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The improved game or pastime in which this invention consists is played with
balls and mallets and with cushions or buffers of india rubber or other suitably
elastic materials.
The cushions are disposed at various points on a lawn or other ground to which
they are temporarily secured by pegs passed through orifices provided therefor in
the cushions, or by other means. The disposition of the cushions is according to a
plan which is capable of variation.
A ball is assigned to each player who impels the same in regular turn by means of
his mallet, the object being so to drive the ball against each cushion in succession
that the direction taken by the ball in rebounding or going off tangentially from
the cushion shall be to the advantage of the player, either in respect of placing his
ball in a favourable position for the next stroke, or for assisting a player on his own
side or for displacing a ball of an adversary.
A game is regarded as won when one of the opposing parties or sides has completed
a round, either of the whole series of cushions, or one half of the number, or other-
wise as may be agreed.
A peg or staff is placed at the two ends of the series of the cushions and forms a
part of the apparatus used in the game.
Dated this 11th day of Santumban 1080
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Game or Pastime and Apparatus therefor.
I, RICHARD COCKRILL MACKAY, of Northside, Leigh Woods, in the county of
Somerset, publisher, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
The improved game or pastime in which this invention consists is played with
balls and mallets and with elastic cushions secured to the ground or lawn by pegs
passed through holes provided in the cushions.
The cushions may, however, he otherwise secured. They are of any suitable elastic
substance, preferably india-rubber, and are placed at various points on a lawn or other
ground, and are temporarily secured thereon as above indicated.
The cushions are disposed at points according to a plan which is capable of variation.
The game may be played by two, three or four or more persons on each side, but
three on each side is preferable in view of the average time occupied in fully playing
With more than three players on each side the game is liable to be
out a game.
protracted.
For the purpose of distinguishing and for facilitating play, all the balls of one
side or of one party are black and bear white numerals.
Those of the other side or opposing party are white and bear back numerals.
But other colours and methods may be adopted with the same objects.
A ball and mallet, slightly pointed at each end, are assigned to each player who

page_text: .
impels his ball in his turn by means of a blow from his mallet, the object being so to
drive the ball against each cushion in regular order that the direction taken by the
ball in rebounding from the cushion shall be to the advantage of the player, either
in respect of placing his ball in a favourable position for the next aiin at a cushion
or for assisting a player on his own side or for displacing the ball of an adversary.
A game is regarded as won when one of the opposing sides or parties has completed
a round of the whole series of cushions.
A peg or staff is placed at the two ends of the series of cushions and forms a part
of the apparatus used in the game.
In the accompanying diagram is illustrated one plan of disposing the cushions and
staves employed in the game. Within the chalked line a a is fixed a staff b which
may be termed the goal staff. At the other end of the series of elastic cushions c,
disposed as shown and secured by pegs d driven into the ground, is a similar staff f
which may be termed the semi-goal staff. In the middle of the system is a cushion
which may be called the "citadel." It is surrounded by a figure, preferably a square
or rectangle, chalked upon the ground and having a peg e in each corner between
which pegs the balls are to pass." One method of playing at the game is as follows:-
Each player starts in turn, one alternately from each side or party, from the chalked
semi-circle a a at the goal and he continues to impel his ball from one cushion to
another until he fails to strike a cushion therewith in which case he cannot, resume
impelling his ball until his turn comes round again in regular succession.
striking one cushion and before aiming at another he is at liberty to strike with his
ball the ball of a colleague with a view to improving the position of that colleague's ball,
or to strike the ball of an adversary with a view to driving the said adversary's
ball away to a less advantageous position. The object of the player is, therefore, so
to strike each cushion with his ball that the ball shall in rebounding take a direction
to the advantage of the player, either in respect of placing his ball in a favourable
position for the next aim at a cushion or for assisting a colleague or harassing an
adversary. After striking the ball of a colleague or of an adversary, the player is
entitled to continue playing until he misses his mark.
After
The course is indicated by the arrows. The figure around the "citadel " is
entered at one side as the player goes from the goal staff b to the semi-goal staff f
and at the opposite side in going in the reverse direction. When a player arrives
at the semi-goal he must strike the staff ff with his ball before he can start on the
homeward journey.
After having completed the round of cushions, the player is at liberty to refrain
from striking the staff b, and thereby putting himself out of the game, and may
remain as a
skirmisher to assist his colleagues or to harass his adversaries. A
game is regarded as won when all the players on one side have completed the
round of the series of cushions in the prescribed manner and have duly struck the
goal staff b.
It will be readily understood that the disposition of the cushions and staves may
be varied at will and that the methods of playing at the game may be altered as may
be agreed upon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved game or pastime herein before described consisting in impelling,
by means of mallets or their equivalents, balls against fixed cushions or buffers, of
india-rubber or other suitably elastic substance, and utilizing the rebound, to improve
the progress or cause of the player or to retard the progress of otherwise to place his
adversary at a disadvantage, as set forth.
2. The manufacture and use as and for the purposes described of an axially-
perforated cylindrical or spherical elastic cushion such as herein described and shown
in the accompanying drawings..

page_text: 3. The use as and for the purposes described of a pierced elastic cushion and a peg
or its equivalent substantially as herein set forth.
4. The combination, in a game or pastime, of the elastic cushions c, pegs d, or
equivalents, and the staves 6 and f, as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 6th day of June 1889.
NICHOLAS WAILS,
Applicant's Agent.