A New or Improved Game or Amusement Apparatus.
Year: 1899

page_text: Camula
Date of Application, 28th Oct., 1899
0011
1000
001L C
4000
PROVISIONAL DIEUITICATION.
A New or Improved Game or Amusement Apparatus.
I, FRANK HARVEY URRY, of 61, Frobisher Road, Hornsey, in the County of
Middlesex, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
Within a suitable case having a glazed front I place at a short distance behind
the front a flat board parallel in line thereto but slightly inclined away there-
from such board extending from side to side of the case.
About half way from the top of the board I provide at right and left a short
fixed piece projecting from the board a sufficient distance to support a penny
piece on edge and sloping downwards towards the right and left sides of the
case respectively.
A slot is provided on each end of the case for inserting coins and a channe
leading therefrom to each fixed piece.
At each side of the case I place a trigger for propelling the coin or the coin
may be made to partly come through the case so that it may be struck by hand
or any other convenient means for propelling the coin may be used.
Between the last mentioned fixed pieces I place a horizontal moveable piece,
which I call the bridge, which in its nominal position is a continuation of the
two fixed pieces but which bridge is capable of being withdrawn through a slot
in the board by means of a knob or other connection outside the case.
At or near the bottom of the board I provide spaces or channels which may
bear, different supposititions numerical values and which lead coins dropped
therein to a money receptacle within the case or to a chute returning the coin
to the operator or to coin freed delivery or other mechanism or partly in one way
and partly in another.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
A coin having been placed in (say) the right hand slot runs down the channel
provided on to the right hand fixed piece and rests on edge thereon and against
the trigger or projection on that side.
If now the coin is propelled (being supported by the inclined board) it will
travel on to and along the bridge and if with sufficient force will reach the
trigger on the opposite side of the case by which it can be again propelled. The
arm however is to propel the coin with just sufficient force to make it come to
rest on the bridge immediately over such one of the spaces or channels below
as is desired either for return of the coin or for delivering a token of succcess,
or for counting the highest number. And so that when the support of the bridge
is withdrawn the coin will fall by gravity down the sloping board and into
the desired channel. This propelling the coin so as to come to rest at the
desired place on the bridge requires the exercise of considerable skill and
judgment.
It is obvious that if a coin is propelled with too little force to reach the
desired position on the bridge another coin may be inserted on the same side
and used to propel the first to the desired position or if the coin be propelled too

page_text: forcibly and comes to rest beyond the desired position another coin can be
inserted on the opposite side and used so as to propel the first, and so on as long
as there is room on the bridge.
I have described the game as being played with pennies but obviously any
predetermined coin could be used.
Also I have described the bridge as being horizontal it may however, to
increase the difficulty of placing the coin in a desired position, while being
horizontal in general direction be undulating. Instead of making the coin
propellable from either side of the case I may make it propellable from one side
only and in that case the bridge need not extend right across but may be cut
short so that coins propelled too forcibly may run off the end of the bridge into
the money chamber.
Instead of coins I may employ balls or discs which may be capable of being
released or brought into action only on insertion of a predetermined coin.
Dated the 28th day of October 1899
I, FRANK HARVEY URRY, of 61, Frobisher Road, Hornsey, in the County of
Middlesex, 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 or amusement apparatus.
According to my invention I dispose within a suitable case having a glazed
front a flat board inclined slightly backwards and having at either or both sides
trigger devices so arranged as to propel an inserted coin or ball or disc released
thereby, over a bridge or projecting ledge passing from one side of the board
to the other. The ledge is adapted to be retracted through the board by the
operator through the medium of a suitable handle so that by the exercise of
skill the operator may withdraw the bridge or part supporting the coin at any
part of the latter's travel across the board with a view to allowing the said coin
to fall into one of a number of receptacles, one or more of which may be adapted
on receipt of the coin to deliver a prize to the operator.
In further description I will refer to the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. is an elevation partly in section and Fig. 2 is a vertical section of an
apparatus made in accordance with my invention.
Within a suitable case A having a glazed front B is placed at a short distance
behind the front B a flat board C slightly inclined away therefrom, and extending
from side to side of the case.
At a convenient distance say about half way down from the top of the board C
I provide at the right and left sides short fixed pieces or shelves D projecting
from the board a sufficient distance to support a coin on edge; these shelves
slope downwards towards the right and left sides of the case respectively.
Slots E E are provided on each side of the case with guiding shoots F for
directing inserted coins to the shelves D.
At each side of the case are arranged trigger devices consisting of discs G G¹
pressed outward through a slot a in the case by a spring g. On the inside the
discs G G project slightly over the shelves D.
Instead of the triggers shown a slot in the case may be arranged to allow a
part of the inserted coin to project through the case so that it may be struck
by hand or any other convenient means for propelling the coin may be used..
Between the inclined shelves D is placed a horizontal moveable piece H which

page_text: I call the bridge and which in its normal position forms a continuation of the
two shelves D but is capable of being withdrawn through a slot h in the board B
by means of a knob or handle J arranged outside the case, and connected to the
said bridge by a lever h¹ centered at h². The lever h¹ is kept in its normal
position by a spring h³.
At or near the bottom of the board are arranged spaces or channels 1, 2, 3 and 4
and receptacles 5, 6 and 7 each of which may bear numerical values. One or
more of these channels for instance in this case the channels 1, 2, 3 and 4 direct
coins dropped therein to a money receptacle within the case. The receptacle 6
by a connecting shoot 6, see Fig. 2 returns the coin to the operator, whilst the
receptacles 5 and 7 have connecting shoots to direct the coin received to coin-
freed goods delivery or other mechanism of suitable kind controlling drawers
such as 9 and 11.
The operation of the improved apparatus is as follows:-A coin having been
placed in (say) the right hand slot E¹ it passes down the shoot F to the right
hand shelf D and rests on edge thereon and against the trigger G₁ on that side.
If now the trigger is struck in the direction of the arrow the coin will be pro-
pelled up the inclined shelf D and then it will travel onto and along the
bridge H. During the travel it is prevented from toppling over by the inclination
of the board C. If sufficient force has been used the coin will reach the trigger G
on the opposite side of the case by which it can be again propelled. The aim
however is to propel the coin with just sufficient force to make it come to rest
on the bridge H immediately over such one of the spaces or channels 1 to 7
below as is desired, either for return of the coin, or for delivering a token of
success or for counting the highest number and so that when the support of
the bridge H is withdrawn by pulling the knob J the coin will fall by gravity
down the sloping board B and into the desired channel. To so propel the coin
as to cause it to come to rest at the desired place on the bridge requires the
exercise of considerable skill and judgment.
It is obvious that if a coin is propelled with too little force to reach the desired
position on the bridge another coin may be inserted on the same side and used to
propel the first to the desired position or if too much force is used and the coin
comes to rest beyond the desired position another coin can be inserted on the
opposite side and used to propel the first and so on as long as there is room on
the bridge.
I have described the bridge H as being horizontal; it may, however, to increase
the difficulty of placing the coin in a desired position, while being horizontal in
general direction be undulating. also I may arrange for the coin to be propelled
only from one side of the case instead of both sides and in that case the bridge
need not extend right across but may he cut short so that coins propelled too
forcibly may run off the end of the bridge into the money receptacle.
As a further modification instead of coins I may employ balls or discs which
may by suitable coin-freed mechanism be released or brought into action only.
on insertion of a predetermined coin.
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:-
1. The new or improved game or amusement apparatus comprising a bridge or
shelf over which inserted coins or a ball or disc released thereby are travelled
by suitable trigger devices, whilst the said bridge is adapted to be retracted or
withdrawn by the operation of an external handle in such manner as to allow
the coin or disc to fall when desired into receptacles or channels beneath sub-
stantially as set forth.
2. The new or improved game or amusement apparatus consisting of a board
slightly inclined to the vertical plane a horizontal bridge or ledge projecting
through the front of said board and adapted to be retracted by suitable operating

page_text: levers, an inclined shelf disposed at one or both ends of said bridge and adapted
to support inserted coins or a ball or disc released thereby, an exteriorly operated
trigger device or means for propelling the coin from the shelf or shelves so as
to travel along and over the bridge, suitable coin directing channels or receptacles
arranged beneath the bridge, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. The improved game or amusement apparatus comprising the combination
of parts all constructed arranged and adapted for operation substantially as
herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Twenty sighth day of
1000
J. C. CHAPMAN & Co.,
Chartered Patent Agents, 70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.