Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Indicating the Dealer in Games of Cards.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 11th Feb., 1893
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Indicating the
Dealer in Games of Cards.
I, HERRMANN SCHNEIDER, of 171 Kopnickerstrasse Berlin, in the Kingdom of
Prussia and German Empire, Engineer, 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 apparatus for indicating the dealer in games of cards.
According to these improvements, the indication is effected by means of a pointer
which is rotated through a definitive part of a circle at each deal by the act of
laying trump denoting or other cards upon part of the apparatus and removing them
therefrom. There may also be combined with the apparatus means for producing
an audible signal.
I will describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which―
Figure 1 is a plan;
Figure 2 a sectional side view; and
Figure 3 an elevation (drawn to an enlarged scale) of the details.
As represented by the drawings, and as hereinafter described, the apparatus is
constructed for use in three-handed games, but it will be understood that by
altering the number of teeth in the duplex ratchet wheel, it may be used for whist
and four handed games of all kinds or for other numbers of players.
which
The apparatus is mounted upon any suitable pedestal or stand a, upon
there is pivoted between vertical brackets, the counterbalanced table or plate b.
This table is connected by an arm d to the counter-weight e, the arm being pivoted
between the conical pointed screws c in such a manner that the table is normally in
balance. Upon the counter-weight there is formed an extension which carries
the two drivers or pawls ff. Just beyond the drivers there is mounted the
vertical spindle h', which has fixed upon it, between the drivers, the duplex ratchet
wheel h, having teeth projecting perpendicularly therefrom in opposite directions.
The number of teeth on each side is proportionate to the number of dealers.
g
If the position of the table be disturbed by laying thereon the trump or any other
card or cards, the driver f¹ will move upwards against the lower teeth of the duplex
When the card or cards is
ratchet, giving to it and its spindle one sixth of a turn.
or are removed from the table, the driver f will descend against the upper teeth of
the duplex ratchet wheel, and thus cause another sixth of a revolution, making in
all one third of a complete revolution for the spindle /'.
The upper part of the spindle carries the index finger or pointer k, which may be
secured upon the spindle by the boss i and a pin l.
In the game of "Skat" where there are three dealers and two cards are thrown
down, the two skąt cards are thrown upon the table b, so that when they are
removed again the pointer k, by the displacement of the table, will have moved
through one third of a revolution and will point to the next, instead of the last
dealer. Consequently the pointer will always indicate the next dealer.
An addition may be made to the apparatus so as to enable it to be used for a call
for summoning servants.
A short lever is acted on by a springs in such a direction as to press the nose
of the lever downwards. The nose of the lever is formed to a triangular point m,
and is arranged so as to be capable of engaging with the upper and under sides
respectively of the triangular part q g' of the rod r, which can move around the
vertical pivot u, but is restrained by the spring t, engaging in the slot t¹ of a
vertical stud. The lever l' can be depressed by a suitable loop or finger-piece at

page_text: its outer end, and the nose m is thereby raised and by contact with the surface gi
displaces the rod to the left. On the release of the lever l' the spring forces the
nose down into contact with the surface 9 and again causes the displacement of the
lever to the left. After the motion of the rod r to the left, both in the down and
up strokes of the lever, the spring t comes into action and restores the rod suddenly
to its original position. On the opposite end of the rod there is a hammer mounted
upon the spring o almost in contact with the periphery of a gong y, so that for every
motion of the rod the gong is sounded. A stop may be employed to prevent any
excess motion in the direction of the stroke. Consequent upon the construction
and arrangement of the call apparatus, the hammer is caused to strike the gong
twice for every depression of the lever. The gong may be dome shaped and
secured to the stand by means of the standard =.
The upper end of the vertical spindle ' may be carried in a bearing formed in
the screw which secures the dome y in place.
It will be seen that instead of mounting the table b to one side of the stand as
shewn by the drawings it may be mounted at the top of the apparatus.
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. An apparatus for indicating the dealer in games of cards, constructed and
arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accom-
panying drawings.
2. In combination with an apparatus for indicating the dealer in a game of
cards, a call bell constructed arranged and operated substantially as hereinbefore
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 7th day of December A.D. 1892.
WILLIAM E. HEYS,
Agent for the Applicant.