Improvements in Indoor Games.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Indoor Games.
I, GEORGE COLE, of 39, Warwick Lane, in the City of London, Game Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in indoor games such as cricket in which
the batsman is made in two parts the one consisting of the bust together with the
arms and hands clutching the bat as in the act of striking a ball and the other part
consisting of the trunk or remainder of the figure the two parts being pivotted and
fitted together in such a manner that the bust part is capable of turning upon the
trunk part which is firmly fixed in the field. I produce the batting movement by
means of a flexible cord one end of which being attached to the upper part of the said
bust or moving part of the figure and the other end passed down through the bottom
of the board and worked by hand at the end of the board upon which the game is
played. Further I mount the batsman in such a manner that it can be made to travel to
and fro so that the bat describes a curve in front of the wickets passing to and beyond
same for the purpose of preventing at will the ball from hitting the wickets this circular
movement having for its object the driving of the ball in different directions. This
circular travelling movement can be produced in a variety of ways. It can be done
by fixing the batsman on a turntable at a certain distance from its centre this turntable
(mounted in a suitable manner) forming a part of the board or field in front of the
wickets with a lever or arm fixed to the underpart of such turntable and
extending to the end of the board for turning the said table with the batsman
mounted thereon. Or a slot of the desired curvature can be made in the board
near the wickets for the figure furnished with a stud or pin at its lower end to
travel in fixed on a segment of a circle formed by a lever turning in bearings out
of sight beneath the board or field. This lever can be made to carry the batsman
along the slot at the same time that the bust part producing the batting movement
is actuated. This is done by securing the end of the said flexible cord to one end of
a rod loosely mounted in bearings upon the said lever, so as to be capable of a
backward & forward movement, the free end of this rod extending to the end of the
board for producing the batting movement by means of same. On pulling this rod
forward the bust part together with the arms and hands holding the bat is pulled
partly round thus partially winding up a coiled spring inserted in the interior of the
figure one end of which spring being secured to what I call the trunk or fixed part of
the figure and the other end secured to the bust or moving part of the figure which latter
turns on a shaft or spindle secured to the said fixed part and on suddenly releasing
the said rod the rebound of the said spring carries the said bust part swiftly back to
its normal position thus producing the batting movement and as the lever carrying
the rod and the figure can be turned at the same time that the rod is pulled the ball
can at the same time be driven in different directions. Or the batting movement can
be produced by a flexible or other connection secured or pivotted to one end of a lever
pivotted at the required distance from such end upon a raised support and in order to
obtain the simultaneous double action namely the figure to travel at the same time
that the batting movement is produced, the last named lever is mounted on that

page_text: carrying the figure and extends beyond a hinged part formned near the free end of this
latter so that on raising this hinged part it lifts the free end of the lever mounted
thereon whose other end is connected with the said bust or turning part of the figure
causing this end of the lever to be lowered and so to pull the said bust part in a
downward direction when upon quickly lowering the said hinged part or allowing it to
fall the spring inserted in the bust part reacts and swiftly turns the latter back to
its normal position producing the batting movement as already described while at the
same time the hinged lever can be bodily turned in its bearings and carry the figure
to and fro along the curved slot..
By altering the design of the figure namely by designing it in a bowling attitude
similar mechanism and arrangements will serve to produce bowling movements
therefore a figure can be used for the purpose of bowling or aiming the ball at the
wickets as in the real game.
In this case the right arm of a figure is raised and set back a little beyond the
head so as to be capable of holding a ball in its hand ready for bowling which is its
normal position. The bust part controlled as before by a spring is then actuated by
being pulled partially round from behind and the bowling and turning movements
produced by similar means to those described for producing the batting and turning
movements the ball being thrown over the head of the figure and aimed at the
wickets.
By slight modifications other ball games can be substituted for cricket such as
golf, tennis foot ball and the like for which purpose a number of figures in
different positions and attitudes can be introduced, also suitable erections and barriers
as may be required to represent the different games.
By substituting pivotted levers for the flexible cord to actuate the bust part it is
obvious that the batting as well as the bowling movements can be produced without
the aid of a spring to the said bust part.
•
Further instead of the figure bowling the ball this can be propelled by a spring
or other well known means for aiming the ball at the wickets.
•
I, GEORGE COLE, of 39, Warwick Lane, in the City of London, Inventor &
Manufacturer, 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 relates to indoor games such as cricket in which the batsman is
made in two parts the one consisting of the bust together with the arms and hands
clutching the bat as in the act of striking a ball and the other part consisting of the
trunk or remainder of the figure the two parts being pivotted and fitted together in
such a manner that the bust part is capable of turning freely upon the trunk part
which is firmly fixed in the field in accordance with the invention for which Letters
Patent No. 18,169 and dated A.D. 1896 was granted to me but in my present
invention instead of the batting movement being produced automatically by the
employment of a partially wound spring and a catch requiring to be released by a
ball striking the bat as in the invention referred to.
In my present invention I produce the batting movement by means of a flexible
cord one end of which being attached to the said bust or moving part of the figure and
the other end passed down through the bottom of the board and worked by hand at

page_text: he end of the board upon which the game is played. Further I mount the batsman
n such a manner that it can be made to travel to and fro so that the bat describes a
curve in front of the wickets passing to and beyond same for the purpose of preventing
t will the ball from hitting the wickets this circular movement having also for its
bject the driving the ball in different directions. This circular travelling movement
can be produced in a variety of ways. It can be done by fixing the batsman mounted
In a suitable manner on a turn-table at a certain distance from its centre-this
turn-table forming a part of the board or field in front of the wickets with a lever or
arm fixed to the underpart of such turn-table and extending to the end or side of the
board for turning the said table with the batsman mounted thereon. Or a slot of the
desired curvature can be made in the board near the wickets for the figure-furnished
with a stud or pin at its lower end-to travel in fixed on a segment of a circle formed
by a lever turning in bearings out of sight beneath the board or field. This lever
can be made to carry the batsman along the slot at the same time that the bust part
producing the batting movement is actuated. This is done by securing the end of
the said Hexible cord to one end of a rod loosely mounted in bearings upon the said
lever so as to be capable of a backward and forward movement-the free end of this
rod extending to the end of the board for producing the batting movement by means
of same. On pulling this rod forward the bust part-together with the arms and
hands holding the bat is pulled partially round thus winding up a coiled spring
inserted in the interior of the figure one end of which spring being secured to what I
call the trunk or fixed part of the figure and the other end secured to the bust or
moving part of the figure which latter turns on a shaft or spindle secured to the said
fixed part (as described and illustrated in the Patent already granted to me above
referred to) and on suddenly releasing the said rod the rebound of the said spring
carries the said bust part. swiftly back to its normal position thus producing the
batting movement and as the lever carrying the rod and the figure can be turned to
the right or left at the same time that the rod pulled the two movements can be
produced simultaneously.
Or the batting movement can be produced by a flexible or other connection
secured or pivotted to one end of a lever pivotted at the required distance from such
end upon a raised support and in order to obtain the simultaneous double action--
viz. the figure to travel at the same time that the batting movement is produced-
the last named lever is mounted on that carrying the figure as before and extends
beyond a hinged part formed near the free end of this latter so that on raising this
hinged part it lifts the free end of the lever mounted thereon whose other end is
connected with the said bust or turning part of the figure causing this end of the
lever to be lowered and so to pull the said bust part in a downward direction when
upon quickly lowering the said hinged part or allowing it to fall the spring inserted
O in the bust part re-acts and swiftly turns the latter back to its normal position
producing the batting movement as already described while at the same time the
hinged lever can be bodily turned in its bearings and carry the figure to or fro along
the curved slot.
By altering the design of the figure namely by designing it in a bowling attitude
5 similar mechanism and arrangements will serve to produce bowling movements
therefore a figure can be used for the purpose of bowling or aiming the ball at the
wickets as in the real game. In this case the right arm of a figure is raised and set
back a little beyond the head so as to be capable of holding a ball in its hand ready
for bowling which is its normal position-the bust part controlled as before by a
0 spring, is then actuated by being pulled partially round from behind and the bowling
and turning movements produced by similar means to those described for producing
the batting and turning movements-the ball being thrown over the head of the
figure and aimed at the wickets.
Another modified method of actuating the bust part for the purpose of producing
5 the batting or bowling movements is as follows-viz. by means of a shaft horizontally
mounted beneath the board with one end of such shaft cranked and extended beyond
one end or side of the board. To the other end of this shaft a connection with the

page_text: said bust part is attached so that on slightly revolving the said shaft it is caused to
actuate the said bust part and produce the batting or bowling movements as required
the necessary stops being provided and the said shaft so mounted as to be capable of
being moved to and fro for simultaneously producing the double action of the figure
the same as described in the other batting and bowling arrangements.
Instead of the batting and howling movements being produced by the action of
the spring as described they can be produced by hand (see Figures 4 & 10). In this
case the spring is arranged and used simply to cause the bust part to return to its
normal position after each impetus imparted to the latter by hand through the
different intermediaries. By substituting pivotted levers and connecting rods for the
flexible cord to actuate the bust part it is obvious that the batting as well as
the bowling movements can be produced without the aid of a spring to the said bust
part as both the backward and forward movements of the same can be effected by
means of the said connecting rods or the like.
Instead of the figure or figures being mounted on levers turned radially beneath
the board they can be mounted on slides made to move backwards and forwards in
and along the board.
An interesting game something like croquet can be played by mounting similarly
to the batsmen two figures face to face at a certain distance from each other each
provided with a mallet with which to drive a ball as in the game of croquet the bust
part being actuated as already described the two figures can be made to drive a ball
backward and forward to each other until one or the other misses it. To vary the
game archways, barriers or the like can be set up for the ball to be driven under or
over to make scores.
The most advantageous method of actuating the bust part is by a pivotted lever or
levers and wire attachınents with the aid of a spring to bring it back to its normal
position (as already described) after each impetus given to it by hand through the
said lever as shown in the drawings herewith and in order that my invention may be
clearly understood and readily carried into practice I will now proceed to describe the
accompanying drawings in illustration of same in which similar letters of reference
represent corresponding parts.
THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a side view of batsman mounted in bearings to travel in different directions
on the field.
Fig. 2 plan of ground or field immediately above lever E carrying batsman and
showing slot traversed by stud B.
Fig. 3 Ground plan of lever E.
"
4-Side view of batsman mounted in bearings to travel in different directions
and showing wire attachments in connection with pivotted lever for actuating bust
part.
Fig. 5 Back view of bust of bowler.
"
6-Front view of the trunk or fixed part of bowler.
Fig. 7-Ground plan of lever M pivotted to lever P.
Fig. 8-Ground plan of lever M pivotted to lever L surmounted by plate G.
Fig. 9-Side view of same.
"
10 Front view of bowler mounted in bearings to turn in different directions—
showing wire attachments to pivotted lever for actuating bust part.
Fig. 11-Ground plan of stud N.
"
12 Side view of same.
"
13 Front elevation of croquet player mounted in bearings to travel in
different directions showing wire attachments & pivotted lever for actuating bust
part.
Fig. 14 Replica of same reversed to face same.
"
15-Ground plan of part of field showing curved slot traversed by stud B⭑
also showing levers M & L.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
i A is the bust part of batsman (made hollow as shown by dotted lines Fig. 1). A² a

page_text: pin for connecting flexible cord C. A³ (Fig. 5) a bearing for shaft or fixed
spindle B². A (Fig. 4) a recess in rim of bust A to limit the turning movement of
same by means of pin B³. B is the remaining part of the figure I call the trunk
joining the bust part A at B. This part B is also made hollow as shown by dotted
lines. B2 is a spindle or shaft fixed centrally in the trunk B round which is coil
spring B (Fig. 6). B is a stud fixed to the foot of the figure with a cross pin B5 for
mounting the batsman on lever E. F is a section of the field through which passes
stud B through slot F' into socket E7 in lever E and is held in same by cross pin B5.
H is a plate secured to field F and furnished with fixed pin H' fitting socket E' of
lever E for the latter to turn upon. I is a bracket secured to field F and supporting
lever E Fig. 1. C is a flexible cord connected to pin A2 and passing over roller Es
turning in lugs E2 fixed on lever E the other end of the cord C being secured to rod E
loosely mounted in lugs E4 on lever E. Fig. 4 W is a wire with one end loosely coiled
round pin A2 with an eye at the other end through which passes hook formed on the
end of wire W¹ whose other end is secured to pin M¹ fixed in lever M. G is a plate
secured to the under part of field and G¹ a fixed pin on same to which is pivotted
lever L. L is a cross piece on lever L with slot L in its underpart in which is
pivotted lever M by means of pin L³. L¹ is an opening in lever L (Fig. 8) through
which passes wire W¹ to pin M¹. L is a socket in lever L into which passes stud B4
of figure part B.
Figs. 10, 11 & 12 N is a stud loosely turning in field F with sockets N¹ & N² for
receiving respectively fixed pins B6 & B7 (see Fig. 6) provided to the feet of the
bowler figure for mounting same therein. N³ is a hole in stud N through which
passes pin N5 through a cross cut in socket P4 in lever P so that on turning the latter
in its bearings it turns stud N and the bowler mounted thereon. N is a hole through
which passes pin No through stud N against which pin abuts one end of spring S
whose other end abuts against lever P for the purpose of securing and pressing home
stud N. P2 is a cross piece to lever P in which is pivotted lever M. by means of
pin P
Figs. 13 14 & 15 the parts and arrangement of these are similar to those already
described the only difference being these effigies or figures are mounted in line with
the pivot upon which the levers carrying same turn instead of at an angle from
said pivot, also slot F¹ is extended.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In an indoor cricket or lawn tennis game a mechanical effigy or figure mounted
on a movable support capable of carrying it to and fro substantially in the manner
and for the purpose as described and set forth.
2. In an indoor cricket lawn tennis, skittle or the like game double action
levers E L & P in connection with a mechanical effigy or figure for actuating moving
or turning same simultaneously substantially in the manner and for the purpose as
described and set forth.
3. The bowling apparatus substantially in the manner and for the purpose as
described and set forth in Figure 10 of the accompanying drawings.
4. An indoor mechanical cricket, golf croquet, lawn tennis skittle or the like game
combined and arranged substantially in the manner as described in the above
specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
ז
Lan 1007