Improvements in or relating to Novelty Apparatus, particularly suitable for Amusement and Advertising Purposes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 15th May, 1897-Accepted, 21st Aug., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in or relating to Novelty Apparatus, particularly
suitable for Amusement and Advertising Purposes.
I, WILLIAM JONES of 7 Nutbrook Street, East Dulwich in the County of Surrey,
Map Mounter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The apparatus constructed according to this invention may be used as puzzles or
amusements, but is also particularly suitable for employment for advertising purposes.
The devices, toys or apparatus employed may vary greatly without departing from
the spirit of this invention, but the following description of one apparatus will
serve to illustrate the nature of the invention without in any way confining it to
that particular apparatus.
In this instance a suitable box or frame is covered with a glass lid or top, the insides
preferably sloping and the flat bottom of the box being an advertisement picture of
a man washing, and advertising a particular kind of soap. Certain portions of the
figure, in this case one hand and arm and the other hand, neck and head are partly
separated from the rest of the picture, while certain pieces balls, blocks or the like, of
pith, celluloid or other suitable material are loose in the case. In an experimental
apparatus which I have made these blocks are made in the form of dice, but they
night well be made to represent flies, moths or other insects, or moving figures.
A suitable rubber, say of silk with an amalgam behind it, is also provided, the
amalgam being one of the well known forms of mercurial amalgam, or it may be
made of zinc treated with acid such for instance as hydrocyanic or hydrochloric, tin
and mercury, the whole worked up into a suitable amalgam. The analgam may be
placed upon the end of a suitable wood or other block, forming a handle to the rubber,
and the amalgam covered preferably with silk.
A spécial rubber may be made with an amalgam consisting of 4 parts of tin foil,
2 of zinc, 6 of mercury and 4 of lead mixed with grease. This may be applied to a
piece of cloth also previously greased and have an outside of silk.
The operation of this apparatus is similar to that of one of the well known simple
electrical experimental devices where an electrified body is caused to attract or repel
certain objects. In the present instance the glass of the box is rubbed with the
rubber the effect being that the free portions of the picture are attracted or repelled
while the pith or other loose objects dance about as will be well understood.
From the foregoing description of one apparatus it will readily be seen that the
applications of this invention are almost endless, any desired portions of the picture
Inay be loose or free to move and mechanical movements can be imparted to them in
the manner described while the loose portions may be caused to fly about or settle in
a most entertaining manner. Games may be arranged to be played, races to be run,
trains to travel, machinery or mechanical toys to work, in these appliances.
In one form of game the apparatus is constructed substantially as previously
described but a plain bottom representing a portion of a bagatelle board is employed
and provided with holes or recesses into which the pith balls can drop each recess
being numbered in the usual inanner. In this game the balls are set dancing with.
the rubber and theu fall into the holes or not according to the position at which they

page_text: fall. The apparatus may be provided with a narking board or equivalent as part of
it, and pins or the like for marking, and the rubber may be carried in the apparatus
as part of it.. The shape of the apparatus may be varied at.pleasure.
If desired shocks may be obtained by means of a battery connected with or
located in the apparatus.
Dated this 24th dow of December 1900
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant,
Improvements in or relating to Novelty Apparatus, particularly
suitable for Amusement and Advertising Purposes.
I, WILLIAM JONES of 7 Nutbrook Street, East Dulwich, in the County of Surrey,
Map Mounter, 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 an application of the well-known power of an electrified
body to attract and repel certain other bodies, to apparatus or devices which may be
used as puzzles, toys or gaines, and are also particularly suitable for advertising
purposes.
The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings,
which show three forms of apparatus,
Figure 1 being a toy for advertising purposes, and
Figures, 2 and 3 games.
Like figures refer to similar parts in all figures.
In Fig. 1, A is a flat box constructed of wood, cardboard" or like material, and
covered with a glass lid or top B. Internally the sides are sloping and the bottom is
preferably covered with tale or celluloid varnish. The bottom C forms a picture for
advertising purposes, in this case for advertising a particular brand of soap and
represents a man washing. Certain portions of the figure, such as the hand C and
hand and arin.C3, are partly cut out from the rest of the picture so as to be attached
only at one end as shown by the dotted liues C3 C. Certain pieces D of pith,
celluloid or other suitable material are loose in the box. These may be in the form
of balls, irregular polygons and the like, or they may be fashioned to represent flies,
moths, or other moving figures.
A suitable rubber is provided, consisting of an amalgam, preferably covered with
silk, and fastened to a block of wood or other material to form a handle. The rubber
may be of any shape a convenient form being shown at E. The amalgam may be one
of the well-known forms of mercurial amalgam, or may be made of zine, treated with
an acid, such as hydrochloric or hydrocyanic acid, worked up into a suitable amalgam
with tin and mercury.
A desirable form of rubber may be made with an amalgam consisting of four parts
of tinfoil, two of zinc, six of mercury and four of lead mixed with grease. This may
be applied to a piece of greased cloth and covered with silk.
To operate the toy the glass top is rubbed smartly with the rubber, the effect being
that the free ends of the partly cut out portions of the picture are attracted or
repelled, moving up and down, while the pith or other loose objects dance about the
interior of the box.
Although the picture shown in Fig. 1 is given by way of example it is evident that
any figure or other subject may be illustrated, the design being varied to suit the

page_text: object advertised-or a design may be used merely for amusement and not for
advertizing purposes.
Fig. 2 shows another form of apparatus designed for playing a game. It is
constructed substantially like that shown at Figure 1, but the bottom C, represents a
portion of a bagatelle board, with holes or recesses F, corresponding in size with the
pith balls D, numbered in the usual way. In playing this game, the balls D are set
in motion by the friction of the rubber E on the glass top, and the player credited
with the value of any hole occupied by a ball when the balls have come to a state
of rest.
The apparatus is shown provided with a marking board G, with movable index
points G¹ for keeping the score of the game. At the end of the box under tlie marker,
a recess may be provided for holding the rubber E, which is shown partly in and
partly out of the receptacle.
If desired this forin can be used as an advertisement device by lining the box with
a picture or lettering, leaving the holes uncovered.
In the form shown in Figure 3 the holes or recesses are not provided and instead
of balls, a set of dice is placed within the frame. These are set in motion by tho
use of the rubber as before described and when the dice have become stationary the
numbers on the top sides of the dice are added together and scored in the usual
way.
As in the former case this game may be used as an advertising device by
employing a picture or lettering, or a medallion may be inserted in the centre
say, at H.
Both Figures 1, 2 and 3 show a rectangular form of box, but the shape of the
device is immaterial, and the box may be circular, polygonic or of any desired form.
From the above description of the invention it is evident that the apparatus may
be varied almost indefinitely without departing from the spirit of the invention, as,
for instance, instead of activating portions of pictures in the manner described in
connection with Fig. 1, motion may be given to nechanical models or toy figures
placed within the apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. A device comprising a box, with movable blocks and a rubber respectively such
as A, D and E substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. In a rubber E an amalgam formed of tinfoil zine mercury lead and grease
substantially as and in the proportions described.
3. An advertising device substantially as described and illustrated in Figure 1 of
the accompanying drawings.
4. A device substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in
Figure 2 or in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.
5. The device or apparatus such as herein described or illustrated in the
accompanying drawings whether used for purposes of amusement or advertisement.
Dated this 14th day of May 1897.
WILLIAM JONES.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.