An Improved Puzzle.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application. 9th Aug., 18:9
Complete Specification Left, 7th Oct., 1889-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Puzzle.
I, DONALD BARNS MORISON, of 46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention has reference to an improved puzzle or toy in which a series of
balls, each bearing a letter, figure or other character or device can be caused to
assume positions in which the characters or devices thereon give a required com-
bination such for example as words used on Christmas, Birthday and other cards,
or words to serve for advertising purposes or to give other indications according
to the character or device marked or impressed on the balls.
The
For
The improved puzzle or toy comprises a number of small balls all or any carrying
a character or device, and a box or receptacle which may be provided with one or
more channels or guideways that communicate through a suitable opening or
openings with a compartment wherein the balls are to be arranged in the desired
order and so that the characters on the balls are in the required position.
bottom of the compartment, and the balls, or either, are so formed or arranged
that each ball when brought into position to expose to view the character or device
thereon, holds itself or is held in position hut so nevertheless as to permit of its
being displaced by vertical movement caused by tapping or shaking the box.
this purpose the bottom of the compartment may be formed with a series of recesses
each provided with a pin or wire, the balls being each formed with a hole, slot or
recess which receives one of the pins or wires when the ball assumes its proper
position. The arrangement is such that if the balls be placed in the channel or
guideway, they may, by shaking or inclining the box, he caused to successively
enter the before mentioned compartment and take up positions in which they will
be held as required by the cross pins or wires so that the characters thereon
combine to produce the required word or words or other indication. The top of
the box may be provided with a glass cover.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Puzzle.
I, DONALD BARNS MORISON, of 46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Engineer, 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:-
This invention has reference to an improved puzzle or toy in which a series of balls,
each bearing a letter, figure or other character or device, can be caused to assume
positions in which the characters or devices thereon give a required combination such
lor example as words used on Christmas, Birthday and other cards, or words to serve
for advertising purposes or to give other indications according to the character or
device marked or impressed on the balls.
The improved puzzle or toy comprises a number of small balls all or any carrying
a character or device, and a box or receptacle which may he provided with one or
more channels or guideways that communicate through a suitable opening or openings

page_text: with a compartment wherein the balls are to be arranged in the desired order and so
that the characters on the balls are in the required position. The bottom of the
compartment, and the balls, or either, are so formed or arranged that each ball when
brought into position to expose to view the character or device thereon, holds itself or
is held in position but so nevertheless as to permit of its being displaced by vertical
movement caused by tapping or shaking the box. For this purpose the bottom of the
compartment may be formed with a series of recesses each provided with a pin or wire,
the balls being each formed with a hole, slot or recess which receives one of the pins
or wires when the ball assumes its proper position. The arrangement is such that if
the balls be placed in the channel or guideway, they may, by shaking or inclining the
box, be caused to successively enter the before mentioned compartment and take up
positions in which they will be held as required by the cross pins or wires so that
the characters thereon combine to produce the required word or words or other
indication. The top of the box may be provided with a glass cover.
In the accompanying sheets of illustrative drawings,
Fig. 1 is a plan; and
Fig. 2 a cross section on the line A B Fig. 1, of a ball puzzle according to this
invention.
Fig. 3 is a central section of one of the balls used therein.
The remaining figures are hereinafter referred to.
1 is a box or receptacle (hereinafter called a box) provided with a wall or partition 2
that divides the interior of the box into two parts, namely, an inner compartment 3,
and an annular outer compartiment or channel 4, the two communicating by an
opening 5 left between the ends of the wall 2. 6, 6 are holes in the bottom of the
inner compartment 3. Across each of these holes is secured a wire 7. 8, 8 are smal!
balls each having upon its surface a letter, the number of balls and letters thereon in
the example shewn, being such as to form the words "A merry xmas." Each of the
balls, at the side opposite to that bearing the letter, has a notch or recess 9 formed
therein as shewn in Fig. 3. The notch or recess is of such a size that when the
ball in which it is formed has been rolled into one of the holes 6 in the com-
partment 3 with its notch or recess 9 downward the wire will practically coincide
with the bottom of the notch and so the ball will be held in place as shown in Fig. 2.
The box is provided with a glass or other transparent top or cover 10 secured
in place by any suitable means; this cover serves to prevent the balls being
removed from the box and lost.
With the construction described, assuming the balls 8 to be in the channel 4,
then by suitably inclining, shaking or tapping the box or by inclining shaking, and
tapping, the balls may be caused to pass through the opening 5 into the com-
partment 3 and to enter the holes 6 in the proper order and with the right side up
to form the desired words. As each ball enters a hole 6 its notch or recess must
be over the wire 7 extending across such hole, which being thus in the said notch
or recess will hold the ball in position in such a manner that it will not necessarily
be displaced by inclining or shaking the box to an extent requisite to cause other
balls to enter other holes but the wire will not retain the ball so firmly as to preclude
its displacement when desired.
Figs. 4 to 7 are similar views to Fig. 1 showing balls arranged to give various
combinations of words and words with figures.
Each of the holes 6 (Figs. 1 and 2) instead of being provided with a cross wire 7
for the purpose mentioned may be provided with an upwardly extending V-shaped
pin 7 as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 which are respectively a vertical section and a plan
of part of the bottom of a compartment 3. In this case cach ball 8 is formed with
a hole of corresponding shape as shown in Figs. 10 and 11 which are respectively
a central section and an inverted plan of such a ball.
It will be obvious that if wires 7 or pins 7ª be used each ball may assume either of two
positions, viz. one in which the letter, word or other character will appear the right way
up (thus for example) and the other in which the letter or character will be
inverted (thus for example). If it be desired that each ball should be capable

page_text: only of being retained the right way up for reading, each wire 7 may be of V-shape
in plan as shown in Fig. 12; or each hole may be provided with two wires 7
arranged at an angle to each other to form approximately a V as shown in Fig. 13;
the slot in the ball for use with such wire or wires being of corresponding angular
form.
In some cases the holes 6 with wires 7, or pins 7, may be dispensed with, each
ball being then formed with a flat surface as shown in Fig. 14, to enable it to remain
in position to expose to view the character or device thereon, but I do not consider
this a desirable or convenient arrangement.
In the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 15 and 16, which are respectively a plan
and a vertical section, the box or receptacle 1 with its wall or partition 2 and holes 6
is formed of sheet metal such as brass stamped to shape between suitably formed
dies. In this case no cross wires such as 7 (Figs. 1 and 2) or pins 7" (Figs. S
and 9) are shewn but instead each ball 8 is formed with angular notches into which
take the top edges of one of the holes 6. There might be one notch only in each
ball but I consider it better to have two or more.
Figs. 17 and 18 show in side elevation and inverted plan respectively a ball formel
with two of such angular notches 9 into which take, when the ball is in position,
two of the opposite edges of one of the holes 6 which may be of the form shown
at a in Fig. 1. Figs. 19 and 20 are similar views to Figs. 17 and 18 showing a
ball formed with four angular notches 9 the form of hole 6 suitable for such a ball
being shown at Fig. 15.
The box or receptacle 1 is formed with a shoulder or seat at 11 for the glass or
other transparent top 10 which is secured in place by bending over the top edge
of the wall of the box. To enable this top edge to be easily bent over it may
advantageously be cut to the vandyked form shown in plan in Fig. 15.
In some cases, as for instance when only a few balls 8 are used, the annular outer
compartment or channel 4 shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive and in Figs. 16 to 17
may be dispensed with as is the case with the box or receptacle shown in Fig. 7.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is
1. A puzzle comprising a box or receptacle and a number of balls some or all
of which bear a letter, figure, word or other character or device, these balls being
capable of being moved into or caused to assume certain definite and required
relative positions so that the characters thereon shall be exposed to view and give
any required combination the puzzle is designed to produce such for example as
letters forming words or words forming sentences the said receptacle and balls being
adapted to admit of each ball being retained in a required position it has been
caused to assume by tapping shaking inclining or otherwise manipulating the box
but from which it can be displaced when required by other manipulations of the
box substantially as herein described.
2. The construction of my improved puzzle as hereinabove described with reference
to the drawings whether according to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive or to Fig. 7 or to
Figs. 16 to 20 inclusive.
Dated this 4th day of Outahar 1884
D. B. MORISON.