IMPROVEMENTS IN PLAYING CARDS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morgan-Brown, of the Firm of Brandon and
Morgan-Brown, Engineers and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings,
London, and 13, Rue Gaillon, Paris, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PLAYING CARDS." A communication from abroad by Ivory Nathaniel
Richardson, of Malden, in the County of Middlesex, and Commonwealth of
Massachusetts, United States of America.
Sealed the 4th August 1876, and dated the 31st March 1876.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morgan-Brown at
the Office of the Cominissioners of Patents on the 31st March 1876.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 13, Rue Gaillon,
Paris. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLAYING CARDS."
This Invention relates to improvements in "playing cards," which are divided
into suits or subdivisions, and have upon each card certain emblems, faces, or pictures
which indicate the suit to which such card belongs, as also its size or value relatively
to the other cards in the " pack."
And the Invention consists in a distinguishing or indicating color for each suit of
cards, such as black for "spades," red for "hearts," green for "clubs," and yellow
for "diamonds," together with figures, numerals, or other indicators placed at the
edge or border of the card, which numeral or indicator shall show the size or value
of the card, whereby the player as soon as his eye catches such numeral or indicator
upon any card will by the color and indicator at once know of which suit it con-
stitutes a part, and what is its size or value without, as heretofore, discerning the
configuration of the emblems it bears or the numbers thereof.
The Invention also consists in round playing cards or cards nearly round, such as
hexagon," "octagon," oval, or any number of sides more than four, each suit of
which is thus characteristically colored, and has displayed upon the edge or borders
of the cards figures or numerals indicating the size or value thereof.
It further consists in a distinguishing or indicating "ground color" for each suit
of cards, together with figures, numerals, or other indicators placed at the edge or
border of the card, and in case of such distinguishing "ground" colors then the
numerals may all be of but one color.

page_text: It also consists in combining with the face or picture cards a distinguishing or
indicating color for each suit thereof, which color constitutes a part of such face or
picture, or of the regalia thereof.
It further consists in arranging upon each picture or face card three or more of
such faces or pictures radially from a common centre or so nearly so as to substan-
tially secure the advantages of such radiation from a common centre.
Although preferring a round card yet I propose to make them of any desired
form, nor do I limit myself to any prescribed color for either suit of cards, so that
each of "suit" of the "pack" be of a different color, yet I prefer the colors as above
described.
The ground of the cards may be white with the emblems and numerals or the
faces and emblems in colors, or the ground of the several suits may be of their
characteristic colors, with the emblems and numerals or emblems and faces shown
in white or other colors. The faces may be of any desired colors or shades, while the
Both the emblems and
accompanying emblems are of the indicating colors.
border numerals may be employed, or the numerals alone.
The emblematic cards may, instead of having the emblems printed or shown
thereon, be indicated solely by number and color, in which case either the ground
or the numeral may be of the characteristic color, and the numerals may be
arranged around the border, or they may be both in the centre and around the
border.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Morgan-Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd
September 1876.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown, Engineers
and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, and 38, Rue Gaillon,
Paris. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLAYING CARDS." A communication from abroad by
Ivory Nathaniel Richardson, of Malden, in the County of Middlesex, and Common-
wealth of Massachusetts, United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in playing cards, which are divided
into suits or subsivisions, and have upon each card certain emblems, faces, or
pictures, which indicate the suit to which such card belongs, as also its size or value
relatively to the other cards in the "pack."
And the Invention consists in a distinguishing or indicating color for each suit of
cards, such as black for "spades," red for "hearts," green for "clubs," and yellow
for "diamonds," together with figures, numerals, or other indicators placed at the
edge or border of the card, which numeral or indicator shall show the size or value
of the card, whereby the player, as soon as his eye catches such numeral or indicator
upon any card, will by the color and indicator at once know of which suit it con-
stitutes a part and what is its size or value without as heretofore discerning the
configuration of the emblems it bears or the number thereof.
«
The Invention also consists in round playing cards or cards nearly round, such as
hexagon," "octagon," oval, or any number of sides more than four, each suit of
which is thus characteristically colored, and has displayed upon the edge or borders
of the cards figures or numerals indicating the size or value thereof.
It further consists in a distinguishing or indicating "ground color" for each suit
of cards, together with figures, numerals, or other indicators placed at the edge or
border of the card, and in case of such distinguishing "ground" color then the
numerals may all be of but one color.
It also consists in combining with the face or picture cards a distinguishing or
indicating color for each suit thereof, which color constitutes a part of such face or
picture or of the regalia thereof.
It further cousists in arranging upon cach picture or face card three or more of

page_text: such faces or pictures radially from a common centre or so nearly so as to substan-
tially secure the advantages of such radiation from a common centre.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 represents the four of spades; Figure 2
represents the three (or tray) of "clubs"; Figure 3 represents the jack (or knave
of hearts; and Figure 4 represents the king of diamonds.
In said Figure 1 the numeral or Figure 4 is represented in black; this color
indicates that this card belongs to the suit known as spades, while the numeral
indicates the size or value of the card relatively to the other cards in the pack.
Figure 2 shows three of the emblems known as "clubs" arranged across the
centre of the card, while the numeral or Figure 3 is displayed at several points
around or near the edge of the card. By coloring these numerals alone, or both the
numeral and emblems green, the player by observing either of the numerals would
by its color know that the card belonged to the suit called clubs, while the character
of the figure would indicate the size or value of such card.
In Figure 3 the emblem known as a heart is placed around the card near its
edge at several points, and the heads or faces representing the "Jack" are similarly
disposed upon the card. By coloring these heads or faces or the cap on the head
with the adopted indicating or characteristic color, red, the player would without
the aid or use of the emblems at once know to which suit the card belonged, and
its character and value.
In Figure 4 the heads or faces of the king are shown arranged radially around
the card near its edge, but with the emblem of the diamond omitted, except in tho
centre, and by coloring the face or crown of the king with the adopted indicating or
characteristic color (yellow) the player by observing the crown and its color can at
once determine as to which suit the card constitutes a part.
Although preferring a round card, yet I propose to make them of any desired
form, nor do I limit myself to any prescribed color for either suit of cards, so that
each suit" of the "pack" be of a different color, yet I prefer the colors as above
described.
The ground of the cards may be white, with the emblems and numerals or the
faces and emblems in colors, or the ground of the several suits may be of their
characteristic colors, with the emblems and numerals or emblems and faces shown
in white or other colors. The faces may be of any desired colors or shades, while
the accompanying emblems are of the indicating colors. Both the emblems and
border numerals may be employed, as shown in Figure 2, or the numerals alone.
The emblematic cards may, instead of having the emblems printed or shown
thereon, be indicated solely by number and color, as shown in Figure 1, in which
case either the ground or the numeral may be of the characteristic color, and the
nunerals may be arranged around the border, or they may be both in the centre
and around the border.
I do not claim a round card, nor do I claim broadly the employment of an indi-
cating color for each suit of cards in the pack, or the combination of the indicating
numerals with the emblems, but I claim as the Invention,-
First. Playing cards, each suit whereof is indicated by a distinguishing color, and
provided with numerals or figures to indicate the size or value of the card, substan-
tially in manner as described and shown.
Second. Round playing cards, each suit whereof is indicated by a distinguishing
color, and provided with numerals or figures to indicate the size or value of the
cards, substantially in manner as described and shown.
Third. Playing cards, each suit whereof is indicated by a distinguishing ground
'color," and provided with numerals or figures to indicate the size or value of the
cards, substantially as described and shown.
Fourth. Playing cards, each suit of the face or picture cards whereof is indicated
by a distinguishing or indicating color, which color constitutes a part of such face
or figure or the regalia thereof.
'
Fifth. Playing cards, the face or picture cards whereof have displayed thereon
three or more faces, heads, or pictures arranged radially from a common centre or

page_text: so nearly so as to secure the substantial advantages of such radiation from a common
centre.
Sixth. Playing cards, the ground color of the face of each suit whereof is of a
characteristic color, and is thereby contradistinguished from the other suits of the
pack.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morgan-Brown, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN. (L.S.)