Improvements in Game Markers or Indicators.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 21st July, 1896-Accepted, 19th Sept., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Game Markers or Indicators.
I, WILLIAM THOMAS NICHOLLS, of No. 47 South Howard Street, Great
Yarmouth, in the County of Norfolk, Baker, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to a construction of markers or indicators for
marking the progress of games and indicating the number of games played in such
a manner that if used to mark games played in a place where the table or other
article used in playing has to be paid for as for example in a public billiard room
or club the person entitled to receive payment will be enabled by looking at the
instrument to ascertain how many games have been played without having to rely
upon the billiard marker or other person.
A game marker or indicator according to my invention suitable for marking and
recording games of billiards comprises a couple of dials one for spot and one for
plain each bearing around it the numbers 1 to 100 inclusive, and within it arranged
in a circular row the numbers 1 to 20 for fifties and in another circle the numbers 1
to 50 for thousands whilst on suitable arbors so as to be in front of the dial there
are pointers or indicators for the units for the fifties and for the thousands these
several arbors being connected by gear wheels. The number of points scored is
marked by turning to the corresponding number on the unit dial a hand fixed on
the main arbor which extends through a plate glass cover outside of which there
is. fixed on the arbor a handle whereby it is rotated thus also imparting motion at
the proper times through the gear wheels to the other arbor the construction and
arrangement are such that assuming the hands to be at zero on starting play, then
when 50 points have been scored the units hand will point to 50 but the fifties hand
will point to 1. When 100 points have been scored the units hand will point to 100
and the fifties hand will mark 2; when 250 points have been scored the fifties will
show 5; and when 1000 points have been scored the fifties hand will point to 20
but the thousands hand will point to 1 and so on.
Backward rotation of the arbors and gear is prevented by means of a ratchet
wheel and pawl.
Apparatus according to my invention may be constructed to mark or indicate
various kinds of games, including pool and pyramids.
For marking games of pyramids the arrangement of geared wheels and points is
appropriately modified, the numbers 0, 1, to 15 inclusive being arranged in an arc
of a circle and three circular indexes being marked respectively from 1 to 10,
from 1 to 10 and 5, 10, 15 and so on up to 100. There are two such arrangements
one for plain and one for spot. On the main arbor is a lever arm that works
between pins or studs on a ratchet wheel which limits the movement in one
direction of the operating handle. The various pointers are driven through gear
wheels so relatively arranged and proportioned as to give the required indications
on the dial.
The details of construction may be more or less varied to suit circumstances
and to adapt the apparatus to suit the particular games it is desired to mark or
indicate.
An arrangement for pool comprises slides with pawls and a toothed column or
columns the construction and arrangement of the various parts being such that

page_text: previous to commencing a game of pool the lives can be uncovered by moving the
necessary slides. If for instance there be seven players seven slides would be drawn
back. As twelve players can take part in a game of pool it will usually be con-
venient to have twelve sets of lives. When the first life is taken the slide is
moved back again so as to cover one life. The action of pushing the slide back
turns a toothed column one point, the pawl on the back of the slide catching the
said column. The toothed column is connected with appropriate registering
mechanism and upon the column turning one point the hand of a dial will
indicate one representing the life lost. The mechanism of the said dial is
connected with that of a second dial by means of suitable. wheels and the
mechanism of the second dial is similarly connected with that of a third dial, the
first dial being for units, the second for hundreds and the third for thousands.
The number of lives lost can be indicated as also the number of players. The
slides when moving in one direction do not turn the toothed column.
Dated this 17th day of December 1895.
Пиргоѵешение шташе мигкега or indicators.
I, WILLIAM THOMAS NICHOLLS, of No. 47, South Howard Street, Great
Yarmouth, in the County of Norfolk, Baker, 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 has reference to a construction of markers or indicators for
marking the progress of games and indicating the number of games played in
Buch a manner that if used to mark games played in a place where the table or
other article used in playing has to be paid for, as for example in a public billiard-
room or club, the person entitled to receive payment will be enabled by looking at
the instrument to ascertain how many games have been played, without having to
rely upon the billiard-marker or other person.
In order that my invention may be properly understood, I will proceed to
describe the same with the aid of the accompanying drawings, which represent, by
way of example a combined marker or indicator according to this invention suitable
for marking games of billiards, pyramids and pool.
Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively front and end elevations of the combined
marker.
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation on the line ww of Fig. 4, which is an end elevation
partly in vertical section, showing the billiards-marking mechanism.
Fig. 5 is a section on the line xx of Fig. 6, which is an end elevation, partly
in vertical section, showing the pyramids-marking mechanism.
Fig. 7 is a part front elevation of the pool-marking mechanism, Fig. 8 is an end
.elevation thereof, partly in vertical section on the line y y of Fig. 7, and Fig. 9 is
a section on the line zz of Fig. 7.
A game marker or indicator according to my invention suitable for marking and
recording games of billiards comprises a couple of dials A, one for spot and one for
plain, each bearing around it the numbers 1 to 100 inclusive, and within it,
arranged in a circular row B, the numbers 1 to 25 for registering from 1 to 25
games of fifty each, and in another circle C the numbers 1 to 25 for registering
from 1 to 25 times the revolution of the pointer B' of the dial B, that is to say for
registering, up to 25 x 25 = 625 games of 50 each, or 31250 points, each division

page_text: on the dial C representing therefore twelve hundred and fifty points. On suitable
arbors a, b, and c respectively, so as to be in front of the dial A, there are hands or
pointers a', 6', and c¹ for the dials A, B and C respectively, these several arbors
being connected by gear-wheels. In the example shewn, the arbors b and c are
connected together by toothed wheels 62, 6' and c, c, which engage one in another
in the order named, and the arbors a and b are connected by a toothed wheel 6* and
a lever a constituting a part wheel having only two teeth which are diametrically
opposite each other. The number of points scored is marked by turning to the
corresponding number on the unit-dial A, the hand or pointer a¹ fixed on the main
arbor a which extends through a plate-glass cover D (Fig. 4) outside which there
is fixed on the arbor a handle a whereby it is rotated, thus also imparting motion
at the proper times through the gear wheels aforesaid to the other arbors 6 c. As
will be seen, the construction and arrangement are such that assuming the hands a', b',
and c to be at zero on starting play, then when 50 points have been scored the
units hand a will point to 50 but the fifties-hand will point to 1.
When 100 points or 2 fifties have been scored the units-hand a will point to 100
and the fifties-hand & will mark 2; when 250 points have been scored the fifties-
hand b will show 5; and when 25 fifties or 1250 points have been scored the fifties-
hand will point to 25 and the twelve hundred & fifties hand will point to 1,
and so on.
Backward rotation of the arbors and gear wheels by the handle a³ is
prevented by means of a ratchet-wheel aª, fast on the arbor a, and a spring detent a
(Fig. 3).
Apparatus such as described may be constructed to mark or indicate various
kinds of games, including pool and pyramids.
For marking games of pyramids the arrangement of geared wheels and pointers
is appropriately modified, the numbers 0, 1 to 15 inclusive being arranged in an
arc E of a circle and three circular indexes (hereinafter called dials) F, G and H,
of which F is marked 5, 10, 15 and so on up to 50; with it may be sub-divisions
for the intermediate numbers; G is marked from 1 to 10; and H is marked 5, 10, 15
and so on up to 100, with it may be subdivisions for the intermediate numbers.
There are two such arrangements, one for plain, and one for spot. On the main
arbor e (Figs. 5 and 6) is a lever arm e¹ that works between two pins or studs e
and on a ratchet-wheel e provided with a detent e, which limits the movement
in one direction of the operating handle e. The various pointers f, g and h are
secured on arbors f¹, g', and ', respectively, and are driven by means of a tooth f
on the main arbor e through gear-wheels f³, g³ and g³, and ³ so relatively
arranged and proportioned as to give the required indications on the dials. In the
example shown the arrangement is such that when the pointer e' has recorded one
game by passing to the end of the are 1 to 15, and a revolution of the pointer has
been completed by turning it round until it again comes opposite 0 on the arc,
the pointer on the dial F will indicate 1. When fifty games have been played
the pointer g of the dial G will indicate 1, each multiple of fifty games played
being indicated by the said pointer g up to 10 when it will indicate 500 games.
The pointer of the dial H will then indicate 1 which is a register of one 500
games, and every time the pointer g revolves, corresponding to 500 games, the
pointer will have been moved through a distance corresponding to one so that
when for instance the pointer is opposite 30, it will indicate that 30 times 500
games have been played, that is 15000 games.
The connection of the arbor e with the ratchet-wheel e by means of the arm el
and pins e and e³ enables the pointer e to be turned back at any time through
from 1 to 3 division so that the score of a player being at seven the pointer e
could, in the event of a player missing a ball or running down into a pocket three
times, be moved back to four.
An arrangement for marking games of pool comprises slides I with spring
pawls ; and k, two toothed columns J and K with which the spring_pawls j and k
can respectively engage. The slides I normally cover the lives L, the spring
pawls being then in the positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9. The toothed

page_text: column J is connected by bevel wheels m and m¹ and spur wheels n, n', o o¹ with
the pointers of three dials M N, O representing units, tens and hundreds, and the
column K is connected with the pointers of three similar dials by similar mechanism
represented at P. The arrangement is such that when commencing a game of pool
the necessary number of lives L are uncovered by moving the necessary slides I
outward. If, for instance, there be seven players, seven slides would be drawn out.
As twelve players can take part in a game of pool it will usually be convenient to
have twelve sets of lives L, as shown. Upon drawing the slides outward in
succession the spring pawl & on each will engage a tooth on the column and
turn the latter through one point so that assuming seven slides to have been
drawn out, seven will be recorded by the registering mechanism P thus registering
the number of players. When the first life is taken, the corresponding slide I is
moved back again so as to cover one life L. The action of pushing the slide I
back causes the spring pawl; thereon, which slipped idly past the column J on
the outward movement of the slide, to engage the said column, and turn it through
a distance corresponding to one tooth, whereby one will be registered by the
registering mechanism of the said column J which will register seven when all
the slides have been moved back. The dials M, N, O of the column J should
consequently register the same number of players as the registering mechanism P
of the column K, the object of which is consequently to enable the proprietor of
the marker to check the reading of the first mentioned registering mechanism and
so ascertain whether the marker has been properly used.
The registering mechanism P of the column Kis preferably located in the
bottom of the marker and provided with a cover P having a lock so that
the proprietor of the marker can prevent the indicator dials of the registering
mechanism P being seen by anyone but himself. The casing Q of the marker
may be provided with a shutter R (Fig. 2) binged to it and adapted to be locked
to the casing in such a position as to prevent the slides I from being drawn out
without the permission of the proprietor. Each set of lives L may, as shewn in
Fig. 9, be mounted on a slide S adapted to be drawn out of the casing Q to enable
stars to be marked.
In the apparatus shown, the handles a³ and e* for the billiards and pyramids
markers are intended to be removed from their arbors on the departure of the
person in charge and to be then locked up in a receptacle T. These handles may,
however, be irremovable from their arbors and the apparatus be provided with a
suitable cover adapted to be locked over it so as to prevent the handles from being
tampered with by unauthorized persons.
The details of construction may be more or less varied to suit circumstances and
to adapt the apparatus to suit the particular games it is desired to mark or
indicate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A game marker or indicator suitable for marking and recording games of
billiards comprising a couple of units dials, one for spot and one for plain, each
having within it other dials to indicate fifties and multiples of fifties the hands or
pointers of the several dials being fixed on arbors connected and geared together
by gearing, the arrangement being such that by turning the units arbor, units,
fifties and multiples of fifties can be marked or indicated, substantially as
hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.
2. A game marker or indicator suitable for marking and recording games of
pyramids, comprising a couple of dials, one for spot and one for plain, cach having
the numbers 0, 1 to 15 inclusive arranged in a circular arc and in connection with
which dial there are provided three circular dials, the main arbor being provided
with a lever arm that works between pins or studs on a ratchet wheel which limits
the movement in one direction and the arbors carrying the hands or pointers of

page_text: each set of dials being geared together so as to give the required indications on
the dials substantially as herein before described with reference to the drawings.
3. A gaine marker or indicator suitable for marking and recording games of
pool comprising slides arranged to cover the lives and provided with pawls, a
toothed column or columns, and registering mechanism in connection with the
column or with each column, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference
to the drawings.
4. My improved combined game marker or indicator constructed arranged and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in
drawings annexed and suitable for indicating and recording games of billiards,
pyramids and pool.
Dated this 21st day of July 1896.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent..