A New Race Game and Apparatus for Playing same.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 28th July, 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New Race Game and Apparatus for Playing same.
We, JOSHUA HERBERT JOSEPII, of 352, Murray Street, Perth, Western
Australia, Merchant, and GEORGE MCMULLEN, of Hay Street, Perth, aforesaid,
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 has been designed so as to provide an apparatus which will
fulfil to a certain extent and in a counterfeit manner, the purposes of a com-
petitive race, to effect which result the apparatus constructed so as to sufficiently
resemble a race course in its appointments, such as a starting bell and barrier,
winning post and announcement of the winners. And the invention relates
firstly to a new race game; and secondly to the apparatus employed for effecting
same, and in this apparatus,
The first essential feature consists in the use of press button mechanism whereby
the player imparts a rotary motion to rollers or wheels around which travels an
endless cord.
To this cord is attached a standard which carries the dummy figure repre-
senting the horse or other contestant as the case may be.
The length of the travelling cord actually determines the distance of the
running path of the race course.
The second essential feature consists in the means provided whereby the
passing of each horse past the winning post is concurrently notified or indicated
to the several players or onlookers by the release and exposure of marbles which
are colored to correspond to their own respective horses. Such arrangement
consists in the employment of a balanced lever having a detent projection
which holds the marble until such time as the horse in passing the post makes
contact with a pivoted lever or finger, which in its turn operates the balanced
lever, and so in depressing the detent allows the marble to be released.
The third feature of the invention consists in the peculiar arrangement of
parts whereby the starting bell is rung and the starting barrier is concurrently
released.
The apparatus will be now described by the aid of the accompanying drawings,
and in which:-
Figure 1 is a top plan of an apparatus constructed for use by four competitors
or players.
Figure 2 being a transverse section on line XX of Figure 1.
Figures 3 and 4 are detail views, in plan and elevation respectively, of the
mechanism employed for releasing the indicator marbles.
Figure 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the tappet mechanism for
operating the apparatus.
Figure 6 is a plan of the arrangement of the indicator marble galley, and of
the race starting mechanism.
Figure 7 is a detail view shewing the release arrangement for the starting
barrier.

page_text: In these figures, A represents the main or parent chamber which contains
any multiple of the apparatus, while A2 denotes the concentric or campanion
compartments which individually contain each separate apparatus for each
competitor.
The top A3 denotes what is the ground surface of the race course, having
formed therein the continuous slots A4, in which vertical standards travel for
carrying the dummy horses. B are the buttons which upon being operated
depress the lever B2 that is pivoted at B33 to the bracket B as shewn more
clearly in Figure 5 where the lever B2 is shewn in intermediate position between
the stops B6 and B7. Such press buttons are provided with a suitable spring
as B surrounding the stop 17 for returning the button to its home position,
while B6 is a small set screw which acts as a regulator so as to adjust the length
of the return stroke and consequently that of the forward stroke of the lever B.
To the under side of latter by means of a pivot pin C, there is attached the
bar or rod C2 which is pivotally connected at C3 to the pivoted quadrant C.
When the button B is depressed the rod C² receives a substantially longitudinal
motion which causes the quadrant C to turn about its fixed pivot 0. This
quadrant also carries at C5 the vibrator D, which impinges and makes frictional
contact against the periphery of roller D2 driving the same, step by step. In
Figure 5 the lever B2 and its attachments, the rod C2 with the set screw B,
and also the standard E3 are all turned over through approximately one right
angle from their actual positions relatively to the rollers D2 and E.
By means of such vibratory impulses imparted to the roller D2 it is made
to revolve upon its axis or spindle D³.
It is apparent that to operate the different rollers as D2 at their respective
levels, as shown in Figure 2, it is necessary to vertically extend to such required
levels the pins C5, which connect to their vibrators.
The vibrator D is provided with a spiral spring attachment D+ so as to
impart the necessary resiliency, and to keep such vibrator well pressed against
the peripheral edge of the roller D².
With the roller D2 a companion or guide as E is provided around both of
which the endless band E2 travels, and the path of such band constitutes the
line of race for the dummy horse or other contestant. This band carries the
vertical standard E³ to which at its topmost is attached the dummy horse E
or otherwise as the case may be.
Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, F is the lever pivoted at F. This lever
is formed at one end with an upward projection or tongue as F, whose purpose
is to detain the indicator marble F until such time as its own related horse
has passed the post.
To the other end of this pivoted lever F is attached a counter-balance F5 so
as to ensure the lever, and its tongue F3 being so held as to correctly detain
the marble unless otherwise required.
This tongue F3 works upwardly in the slot F6 as provided for the purpose.
The lever as F carries a dependent rod G. which is attached to a horizontal
pivoted plate or lever G2 by means of the flexible connection G³; this plate at
its outer end is formed with a finger as Gagainst which the running carrier E3
in its travel strikes, moving in consequence the horizontal pivotted lever which
pulls the dependent rod G forward by means of the flexible connection G. The
forward motion of the lower end of the rod G causes the lever F to tilt causing
the necessary depression of the tongue F3 and the consequent release of a
marble F. The object of making the connection G³ of a flexible nature is to
obviate any rigidity of action and to allow of an easy come and go.
Referring to Fig. 6, J are the pockets into which the indicator marbles F
according to their respective colors, are in the first instance placed and are
retained therein by the slide or barrier J so. that the marbles shall not be
released on the depression of the tongues F3 until the final lap or round of the
game is being run off when the barrier is slid back by hand, so allowing the

page_text: marbles to rest or be detained against their stops F³ as above referred to, until
said stops are depressed at the end of the last lap.
This barrier works in the slots as J3 and is formed with the knob handle J.
Upon being released from its stop F3 each marble runs into the galley K so
as to reveal to the players and onlookers the color or number of the winners
and also the order or sequence of the winner.
The ringing and starting mechanism consists of two parallel slide bars, L
and L2, Fig. which work and are held in the recesses L³ formed in the under-
side of the top frame of the box A.
These bars are connected to each other by the cross bar L which is pivoted
at Land and said bars are operated by the knob L Figs. 1 & 6 working in
its own slot piece L. To one of these bars is affixed a projection which makes
suitable contact with the hammer of the bell L8 Fig. 6, for announcing the start.
of the race.
These slide bars are formed where shown with inclined or curved faces for
engaging with the down end of the finger M Fig. 7 which is suitably pivoted
to the barrier standard M2 and works in the slots M* as shown. The other end
of such finger as at M retains the barrier as N in position at or against which
the horses are arranged or faced until released, whereupon it flies open and
upwards on its hinge N2 being assisted and expedited by the spring N³. N
denote the brackets for holding the barrier in its various positions on the race
course.
The spinning device, for deciding which horse and press button is to be
allotted to each player, consists of a many-colored disc P Fig. 2 which rotates
underneath a fixed disc which latter has circular spaces P¹ Fig. 1 marked by
number or by other distinguishing manner. På represents the winning post.
The manner of playing this new race game, and of using this invention
therefor. is mainly as follows:-
It will be assumed that four persons elect to play, in which case an apparatus
as shown in Figure 1 will be used; each player will then call any number up
to four and the device P will be spun round so as to decide which button and
horse is to be operated by each respective player. The players are now allotted
their button in accordance with the decision of the spinning device as say that
in the event of red appearing under the circle marked 1 then No. 1 player is
allotted the button marked or colored red and so on. The buttons are made
to correspond in color with that of their own respective horse. The horses are
now brought abreast of the barrier N and concurrently with the release of
same when the sliding bars L and L2 are moved the starting bell rings, where-
upon each player operates his own press button as B, which by means of the
pivoted lever B2 vibrates the finger D and so rotates the roller D2 by means of
which the band E2 is made to travel together with its attached dummy horse E+.
Upon the horse passing the winning post its carrier E³ makes contact with
the finger G thereby depressing the detent or tongue F3 and so allowing the
marble to be released which then runs into the galley K, and so indicates the
result of the race.
It will be noted that each apparatus is distinct in itself. and as regards
operation each button has its own horse, and indicator marble to correspond.
While specific mechanism has been shown and described for the carrying out
of this invention, it is obvious that the details of construction may be varied
without departing from the essential nature and constituents of the invention,
as broadly set forth..
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:-
1. A new race game evolved and obtained by the operation of the apparatus
substantially as herein set forth and described, and as illustrated in the accom-
panving drawings,

page_text: 2. In a new race game apparatus: The use of a press button mechanism for
imparting rotary motion by means of a series of vibrations or impulses to rollers
around which travels a cord carrying the dummy contestant figure, the whole
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and described, and as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. In a new race game apparatus: The peculiar arrangement and construction
of parts whereby each horse is announced concurrently upon its passing the
winning post or other given point by the release and exposure of an indicator
or marble, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and described,
and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
4. In a new race game apparatus: The mechanism consisting of slide bars
which concurrently operate a bell and also a detent whereby the race barrier
is released and removed so that the contesting figures may race substantially
as and for the purposes herein set forth and described and as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
5. The peculiar arrangement and combination of parts consisting of the press
button or vibratory means for imparting the racing motion to the figures
together with the means for announcing the winner by the release of marbles
and together with the mechanism for announcing the start of the game and
the removal of the racing barrier, the whole working as one apparatus for
playing a new race game substantially as herein set forth and described and
as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
1000
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.