A New or Improved Coin-freed Game of Skill, and Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Coin-freed Game of Skill, and Apparatus therefor.
I, HENRY JOHN GERARD PESSERS, of 45, Skelton Road, Forest Gate, in the
County of Essex, 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:-
My invention relates to a new or improved game of skill, which is coin freed,
and is to all intents and purposes a vertical bagatelle board with an indicator,
or a release device for delivering articles or tokens in proportion to the skill
of the operator.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have appended the
accompanying sheets of drawings in which Figure 1 Sheet 1 is a front elevation
of the apparatus, with the cover removed. Figure 2, Sheet 2, is an elevation
of the back also with the cover removed, showing the mechanism. Figure 8
is a transverse section of one of the withdrawal slides. Figure 4 is an elevation
of a checking device appertaining to the coinfreed mechanism; and Figure 5 is
an elevation of the details of an electrical arrangement for indicating by electrical
contact. Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout
the several views.
In carrying my invention into effect I construct a vertical case C preferably
with a glazed front to expose the operation of playing the game. Said case
contains a vertical bagatelle board B having a partition 1) forming a vertical
channel for the guidance of the ball, which when propelled in a vertical
direction, passes over it and lodges upon any of the guard pins between the
guides according to the skill of the player. A coin is placed in the slot A
and falls through the angular check plates c (which are provided for the pur-
pose of preventing fraud) and thence through the shoot impinging upon the
pivotted levere and releasing the pawl f at the end thereof, so that the slide g
attached
may be withdrawn, the coin meanwhile resting within the double forks
to 9 which by means of closed flanges hold said coin until the slide g is with-
drawn by the release of e and cleared through a slot into the base of the apparatus.
This is a well known device and forms no part of my invention. The withdrawal
of the slide g, when thus coin freed, moves the lever pivotted at against the
tension of the spiral spring which in turn opens the pivotted shutter & and
allows the balls 7 to drop through the passage m, where they are checked by
the pivotted shutter ». There are three balls shown, but it is to be understood
that any number of balls may be employed. The depression of the plunger G
causes the shutter n to open as shown by the dotted outline relasing one ball Z
upon the top of the spring plunger F which is then depressed, and the ball
shot upwards through the channel E, passing over the partition D and lodging
Since only one ball may
upon any one of the pins & between the guides a.
pass the shutter n at one movement thereof, it is obvious that when is once
freed by the impact of a coin inserted at A, the whole number of balls may be
used one by one, but are returned in sequence and held by the shutter until

page_text: again coin freed, and the plungers F G and H are always free, but inoperative
until the slide g is coinfreed.
Now, to release the balls all the pins are retractible by the movement of
the plunger H, in and according to the method and arrangement shown by the
back elevation Figure 2 Sheet 2. Said plunger H depresses the lever I pivotted
at J, against the tension of the spring K, which action in turn draws downwards
the vertical bar L, which is loosely pinned to transverse pivotted bars M carry-
ing the retractible pins attached to fixed links f. This arrangement is shown
by the partial section Figure 3, and correspondingly lettered. The links t
being thus withdrawn, retract the pins and allow the balls to fall. But when
the whole number of balls originally placed in the machine have been passed
one by one past the shutter n operated by the plunger G, and shot upwards
through the passage E, and are returned by the retraction of the pins b, these
fall again upon, and impinging upon the pivotted shutter, only to be released
to the shooting position, by the introduction of another coin.
In order to ensure the closure of the slide I may attach to it a toothed rack
as shown by Figure 4, into which a toothed sector P engages, a projection s
mpon P fitting a long slot in the shooting plunger F. In the position shewn,
said shooting plunger F is right home, and the slide g withdrawn, and when Fis
drawn downwards for shooting, is returned by the sector P, the projection s
being free of any subsequent movements of F until the slide is again opened.
Referring to Figure 5 which shows an electromagnet U with connections
and an armature X controlled by a spring W having a pawl V pivotted to it
engaging with the teeth of a ratchet wheel Y. I use aluminium or other metal
balls which make contact between any of the pins a that may be chosen, such
electrical contact establishing the magnetizing circuit and drawing the arma-
ture towards the magnet and advancing the ratchet wheel Y one tooth.
Now the wheel Y may be connected to any form of tell-tale or counting device so
that any particular position of any of the balls may indicate a part of the game
by a dial or, by any of the well known methods of coinfreed delivery a token or
article may be delivered.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. In a game of skill and apparatus therefor, the arrangement and com-
bination of enclosed balls with a vertical shooting device, and retractile pins
the first operation being coinfreed substantially as herein described and shown
by the appended drawings.
Second. In a coinfreed game of skill and apparatus therefor, the arrangement
and combination of retractile pins, returning the playing balls, with releasing
shutters and n, operated by the coinfreed slide and plungers F G H sub-
stantially as herein described and shown by the accompanying drawings.
Third. In a coinfreed game of skill having balls shot vertically to meet certain
points, the method of and means for recording any especial position by an
electrical contact and electro magnetic device substantially as herein described
and shown by the drawings.
Fourth. In a coinfreed game of skill and in apparatus therefor, the method
of and means for controlling the slide 9 Figure 1 Sheet 1 by means of a toothed
sector and rack substantially as herein described and shown by the appended
drawings.
011
1100
FREDK. WALKER,
78, St. Stephen's Road. Upton Park, London, E.C.
Agent for the Applicant.