AN IMPROVED MODE OF REGIS- TERING THE GAME OF CROQUET
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Mayne Reid, of 99, Gower Street, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF REGIS-
TERING THE GAME OF CROQUET."
Sealed the 26th September 1871, and dated the 1st April 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Mayne Reid at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,-on the
1st April 1871.
I, MAYNE REID, of 99, Gower Street, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
MODE OF REGISTERING THE GAME OF CROQUET," to be as follows:-
:
A series of colored rings of diverse colors, and any colors may be
adopted, are painted upon the shank of the mallet, around it, and side
by side. The ten bridges or hoops used in the game of croquet are also
painted in diverse colors to correspond with these colored rings respec-
tively, that is, bridge No. 1 on the croquet ground to be wholly or in part
painted of the same color as the first ring of the series of the mallet
shank; bridge No. 2, on the ground same colour as the second ring;

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bridge No. 3, same as ring 3, so on, according to the order in which
the bridges are passed through or run during the course of the game.
An elastic ring of india-rubber or any suitable material is slipped upon
the mallet's shank so as to be shifted at pleasure along the scale or
series of painted rings. When bridge No. 1 has been “ run or passed
through by a ball, the player places the elastic ring over the colored
one, representing bridge 1, where it remains to point out unerringly the
next bridge No. 2 to be run, and so on with all the other bridges to be
passed through or repassed, a ring of color being painted on the mallet's
shank to represent them each and all. There is also in the centre of
the series of colored rings representing the bridges a band or ring of
distinct colour to correspond to the turning stake, and when this has been
struck or "tolled " the clastic ring placed over said band in the centre
tells that tho “tolling" has been done also when the ball has passed
through all the bridges and become a "rover," the elastic ring placed on
the colored ring which represents the last bridge passed or run shows
that the ball is now a rover, the great advantage of this register being
to avoid playing the ball through the wrong bridge, a very common
mistake leading often to the losing of the game.
Another clause in the contrivance is that the series of rings 'being
painted in colours respectively corresponding to the colours of the balls,
the first 8 colored rings from either end of the series will conveniently
point out the order of succession of the playing balls, conveniently
because the indicator is always in the player's hand and close to his
eye.
เ
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Mayne Reid in the Great Scal Patent Office on
the 26th September 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, MAYNE
REID, of 99, Gower Street, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting. 3
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Mayne Reid, Her special licence 3

page_text: •
that I, the said Mayne Reid, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Mayne Reid, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, -the "Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED MODE OF REGISTERING
THE GAME OF CROQUET," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Mayne Reid, executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Mayne Reid, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
A series of coloured rings of diverse colours (and any colours may be
chosen) are painted side by side around the shank of the mallet, a groove
being in the centre of each ring. The bridges or hoops used in the
game of croquet are also painted in divers colours to correspond
with these coloured rings respectively, that as the first bridge in the
order of play as placed on the croquet ground to be wholly or in part
painted of the same colour as the first ring of the series on the mallet
shank, the second bridge on the ground same colour as the second
ring, the third bridge same as the third ring, and so on for all the
bridges according to the order in which they are passed through or
"run" in the course of the play. To register the passing through or
"running" the bridges, an elastic ring of india-rubber, or any other
suitable material is drawn over the mallet's shank, so that it can be
shifted along the scale or series of painted rings. When any bridge has
been "run" or passed through by a ball, the player places the elastic
ring over the coloured one representing that bridge, where it remains
to point out the next to be passed through, and so on with all the other
bridges to be passed or repassed during the game, a ring of colour being
painted on the mallet's shank to represent them each and all. There is
also in the centre of the series of coloured rings a band or ring of distinct

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colour to represent the turning stake, and when this has been struck or
"tolled" the elastic ring placed over the band in the centre tells that
the "tolling" has been made, also when the ball has passed through all
the bridges and become a "rover the elastic ring placed on the last
coloured ring shows that the ball has been through the last bridge and i
is now a "rover." Moreover the series of rings are painted in colours
respectively corresponding to the colours of the balls, and the first eight
rings proceeding from either end of the series will point out the order
of succession in which the balls are to be played.
This Invention offers a double advantage, first, it avoids the mistake ]
of playing at the wrong bridge, and second playing the ball out of its
proper time.