Game Apparatus.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1892-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Game Apparatus.
We, GEORGE HENRY Coo, of Grimsby, in the County of Lincoln, in the
Province of Ontario, Canada, Watchmaker, and FREDERIC THOMAS BUTLER, of
the City of Toronto, in the County of York in the Province of Ontario, Canada,
Commercial Traveller, 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 :-
Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein,
Fig. 1. is a plan view of a chart or board, illustrating our invention.
Fig. 2. is an edge view of same.
A. designates a chart, card, or board, of any suitable size or shape, and con-
structed of any suitable material; this board A. is intended to represent the
ground.
H. H. designate lines, which may be printed on the chart or board A, or they
may be printed on a separate sheet of paper, or other suitable material, and
attached to said board A; these lines indicate the direction and the path along
which the men must be moved.
C. C. designate spots or other suitable marks, or they may be in the form of
openings, which may bisect, or be placed or formed at the junction of, or be placed
at the end of the lines H; these spots C. indicate the distance that the men can
be moved.
R, G, Y, and B, stand for the colors, red, green, yellow and black, respectively,
by which the different sets of men may be designated, and indicate any suitable
number of pieces or men, of each of these colors, which are placed over certain of
the spots C, their position at the commencement of the game being designated by
the circles surrounding the spots C, and by the letters R, G, Y, and B, on the
annexed drawing.
D. designates any suitable device, representing the ball, which may be secured
to, or placed on one of the men to designate the man having the ball; in the
annexed drawing, it is shown at D. in the form of a pedestal surmounted by a
globe, or it may be a piece similar to one of the men R, but differently colored,
(purple for instance,) or it may be in the form of a ring encircling the man, or in
the form of a flag, adjustably secured to, and detached from the man, or other
means may be used to designate the man having the ball, without in any way
departing from the spirit of our invention.
E. E designate flags, at each end of the board, which indicate the goals,
through which the ball D. must be carried by one of the men in order to win
the game.
I. designates the goal circle, which encloses a portion of the ground, surrounding
the goal flags E.
A brief reference to the rules, moves, &c., governing the men, will assist in
bringing out the distinctive characteristics of this game apparatus, over all others,--
they are as follows ;-
1st. Any man may be moved from one round spot C. to the next vacant spot C,
but no further in the same play, this would be similar to running from one spot or
point C. to another.
2nd. A man may be moved or leap over an opponents inan or his own to a vacant
spot C. beyond, providing only one man intervenes between the spot C. he leaves,
and the one he means to occupy, this move may be continued as long as desired,
and as there are men to leap, and vacant spaces, this would be similar to dodging
from one spot or point C. to others.

page_text: 3rd. If any man leaps or is moved over the man having the ball, by so doing,
the ball is captured by the man moving, this is similar to checking and capturing
the ball from an opponent.
4th. In lieu of moving the man, the ball may be transferred to another man on
the adjacent spot, this is similar to tossing or throwing the ball from one man to
another.
5th. After a man having the ball, leaps or is moved over another man, the ball
may be transferred to another man, on the adjacent spot, this would be similar to
dodging and throwing the ball.
6th. When one man leaps or is moved over another man, in the field, the man
leaped over is not removed from the board, except when the man leaped over is
within the goal circle or crease I, when the man leaped over is within the goal
circle or crease I. he is removed from the board for the rest of the game.
All of the moves must be made on the spots C, which are joined by straight
lines H.
It is decided by lot, which of the men G", or B¹¹, at centre field get the
ball D.
The first move must be made by the man having the device representing the
ball D.
Another feature of this game is, that no draw games can take place, because the
rules provide that no player can hold the ball in one position for more than three
moves, or for any number of moves to be previously agreed upon.
Two or four players may be engaged in this game, when two are engaged, one
could take the R. and G. men, and the other, the Y. and B. men; if four players
were engaged, the players having the R. and G. men, could be partners, and the
players having the Y. and B. men, could be partners.
When either number of players are engaged, the player or players moving the
R. and G. men, will do so, with the object of taking the ball D, and keeping it from
the Y. and B. men, and at the same time, try to move one of their men, having the
ball, through between the goal flags E. guarded by the man Y", and at the same
time, try to prevent their opponents from getting or keeping the ball, and moving
one of their men, having said ball, through between the flags E", guarded by the
man Ru
On the other hand, the player or players adjusting the Y. and B. men, will do
so, with the object of trying to take, and keep the ball from the R. and G. men,
and will try to move one of their men having the ball D, through between the
Hags E, guarded by the man R, and will at the same time, try to prevent the
G. and R. men, from getting the ball D, and moving one of their men, having the
ball, through between the goals E, guarded by the man Y", all of which will
require considerable skill and foresight, on the part of the persons engaged in this
game.
As shown in the accompanying sketch, twenty four men are employed, the same
number that usually engages in the game of lacrosse, but a less or greater number
of men may be used, and the lines along which the men are moved may be varied,
without departing from the spirit of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is ;-
1st. In a game apparatus, substantially as described, a piece or man, provided
with a device adjustably secured to, or placed thereon, to indicate the piece or
man having the ball, substantially as described.
2nd. In a game apparatus, a chart or board A, having the lines H. and spots C.
thereon, in combination with a suitable number of pieces or men, divided into two
or more sets, suitably colored or otherwise designated, one of which men having the
ball, is provided with a device D, adjustably secured to, or placed thereon, [to
indicate the piece or man having the ball, substantially as described.

page_text: 3rd. In a game apparatus, a chart or board A, having the lines H. and spots C,
some of the latter being enclosed in a circle to designate the position of the men at
the commencement of the game, in combination with a suitable number of pieces or
divided into two or more sets, and suitably colored or otherwise designated,
one of which men having the ball, is provided with a device D, adjustably secured
to, or placed thereon, to indicate the piece carrying the ball, substantially as
described.
men,
4th. In a game apparatus, a chart or board A, having the lines H, spots C, goal
flags E. E, and goal circles or creases I. thereon, in combination with a suitable
number of pieces or men, divided into two or more sets, and suitably colored or
otherwise designated, one of which men, having the ball, is provided with a
device D, adjustably secured to, or placed thereon, to indicate the piece or man
having the ball, substantially as described.
Dated this 14th day of November 1892.
G. H. COU.
F. T. BUTLER.
Brewer & Son.