A New or Improved Game and Apparatus for Playing the same.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 5th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 16th Sept.; 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Game and Apparatus for Playing the same.
I, HENRY THOMPSON, of No. 86, Isledon Road, in the Parish of St. Mary's,
Islington, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to a new or improved game and apparatus for playing
the same.
For this purpose, I employ a table or platform preferably circular in form and
provided with a rising ledge or rim broken at one point of its circumference to
admit a guide or shoot which may be contracted as it approaches the table or
platform and is adapted to be inclined in any desired manner.
In the centre of the table or platform is a post which may be in the form of a
human figure or of other desired form and around the table or platform near its
circumference are arranged a number of circular holes beneath each of which
is an arm or lever at its outer end carrying or acting upon a numbered flag or other
device.
A number of balls are employed in playing the game, and these balls are
preferably formed hollow and of india-rubber but they may be formed of other
material and solid, if desired, and the game consists in throwing or projecting a
ball up or along the guide or shoot so that it travels on to the table or platform
when, in most cases, it hits the central figure or post in such a manner that the ball
is deflected and caused to enter one of the holes in the table or platform, and by
constant practice it becomes possible to cause the ball to strike the central
figure or post with sufficient accuracy to cause it to be deflected into any
particular hole either directly or by cannoning or rebounding from the rim or ledge.
When a ball enters a hole it acts upon the lever or arm beneath the same and
raises the numbered indicating flag or like device.
The competition between two or more players may be to make a given number
of points as in billiards and kindred games.
Dated this 8th day of November 1892.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Game and Apparatus for Playing the same.
I, HENRY THOMPSON, of No. 86 Isledon Road, in the Parish of St. Mary's,
Islington, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, 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 a new or improved game and apparatus for playing
the same.
For this purpose, I employ a table or platform, preferably circular in form and
provided with a rising ledge or rin broken at one point of its circumference to
admit a guide or shoot which may be contracted as it approaches the table or
platform and is adapted to be inclined in any desired manner.
In the centre of the table or platform is a post which may be in the form of a
human figure, a tower or of other desired form and around the table or platform,
near its circumference, are arranged a number of circular holes beneath each of
| Price Rd

page_text: which is an arm or lever at its outer end carrying or acting upon a numbered flag or
other device.
A number of balls are employed in playing the game and these balls are
preferably formed hollow and of india rubber but they may be formed of other
material and solid if desired and the game consists in throwing or projecting a ball
up or along the guide or shoot so that it 'travels on to the 'table or platform and in
most cases hits the centre figure or post in such a manner that the ball is deflected
and caused to enter one of the holes in the table or platform,-and-by constant
practice it becomes possible to cause the ball to strike the central figure or post with
sufficient accuracy to cause it to be deflected into any particular hole either directly
or by cannoning or rebounding from the rim or ledge.
When a ball enters a hole it acts upon the lever or arm beneath the same and
raises the numbered indicating flag or like device.
The competition between two or more players may be to make a given number of
points as in billiards and kindred games.
And in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more'fully
to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1. is a plan of an apparatus constructed according to the said invention,
and,
Figure 2. is a vertical longitudinal section thereof taken on the line 1-1. of
Figure 1.
a, represents a table or platform which may be circular as represented in 'the
drawings, or of other desired shape, and a' represents several legs or supports which
are at a hinged to the underside of the table a, so as to be capable of folding for
transport whilst when the apparatus is in use they are retained in the required
vertical position by means of springs a*.
The table a, is provided with a rising ledge or rim a³, broken or furnished with
an opening at one point of its circumference and in this opening a³* is intro-
duced onerend of a guide or shoot, which is removeably and adjustably connected
with the table a. by means of hooks b', entering corresponding holes in the 'table a,
which are flared or enlarged downwardly in order to allow of the inclination of the
guide or shoot b. being varied' at will.
The guide or shoot b. is preferably formed contracted or of gradually decreasing
width as it approaches the table a. so as to direct the balls employed in the game
towards the centre or axis of the table.
In the centre of the table or platform a. is a post c. which may take the form
of a tower as represented in the drawings or of a human being or any other suitable
form but preferably with a cylindrical base c¹.
Around the table or platform a. near to its circumference are arranged a number
of circular holes a and beneath each of the holes a' is arranged the inner end of
an arm or lever d. which is mounted upon an axis of motion d' carried by a
bracket from the underside of the table a. and the outer end of which removeably
carries a numbered flag d³ or it might be any other suitable device.
"A number of balls e. are employed in playing the game and these 'balls e:'are
preferably formed hollow and of india rubber but they may be formed of other
material and solid-if desired whilst they may be coloured in any suitable manner.
The game consists in throwing, bowling or projecting a ball e. up or along the
guide or shoot b. so that it travels on to the table or platform a. and in its course
it in most cases strikes the central post c. in such manner that the ball e: is deflected
and caused to enter one of the holes a' in the table or platform-a. and by constant
practice it becomes possible to cause the ball to strike the central figure or post c.
with sufficient accuracy to cause it to be deflected into any particular hole at which
the player may select either directly or by cannoning or rebounding from the rim
or ledge a³.

page_text: When a ball e. enters a hole at it acts upon the lever or arm d. beneath the
same and raises the numbered indicating flag d³ or like device.
The competition between two or more players may be to make a given number of
points as in billiards and kindred games.
It will be evident that in lieu of the simple arrangement of rocking levers d.
hereinbefore described in which the weight of the ball e. raises the numbered flag
or other device, the ball e. may be caused to release a spring lever held depressed
by a detent or in lieu of being raised the flags d³ may be depressed by the action
of the balls e. and it will also be evident that other details of the apparatus may be
varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.
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. A game in which a number of loose balls are in succession bowled on to a
table furnished with a rim or ledge, a central deflecting post and a number of holes,
each ball upon falling into a hole causing a numbered flag or the like to register
a point, substantially as herein shown and described.
2. An apparatus for playing a game consisting of a table provided with a number
of holes therein, a central post and a rim or ledge, an inclined or other guide or
shoot leading to the table, a number of loose balls, a lever or the like beneath each
hole adapted to be actuated by the balls and a numbered flag or the like actuated
by each lever, substantially as herein shown and described and for the purpose
stated.
Dated this 5th day of August 1893.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.