An Improved Board or Table and Apparatus for Playing Parlour Skittles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 9th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 21st Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Board or Table and Apparatus for Playing Parlour
Skittles.
I, JAMES SAMUEL BURROUGHES, of the Firm of Burroughes and Watts, of
19 Soho Square, London in the County of Middlesex, Billiard Table Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :—
This invention relates to an improved board and apparatus which 1 term the
Parlour Switchback Billiard Skittle Alley and it consists of an oblong square bed or
table, which may have at one end an inclined raised part extonding across the table
and is provided with a well or sunken recess at the other end. On each-side of the
hed I form a gutter or trough and I make the bed or board between these gutters
convex thereby giving more or less incline from the longitudinal centre of the playing
surface towards each of these side gutters.
.
The playing surface of the Boaril may be covered with cloth like a Billiard Table,
but I now find a polished surface preferable, and at the end of the board near which
the player stands 1 fit an upright from which a grooved way or conduit extends
inclining downwards at any desired angle to the opposite end of the board, and 1
make this inclined grooved way in a series of upward and downward curves forming
various gradients similar to those of a Switchback Railway.
Within or near the upright supporting the highest point of the grooved
longitudinal inclined way, hereinafter termed the Switchback, I fit a movable
vertical piece which I connect by levers or any suitable gearing with a slide provided
with a knob or handle, in such a manner that by moving the handle the movable
piece may be made to rise and fall. To this same knob or handle I also attach a cord,
wire, rod or bar, extending to a movable trough, gutter, or shifting guide way,
leading from the raised platform at the head of the board to the playing surface, this
connection being so formed that by pulling on the one knob or handle the movable
vertical piece is lifted and the shifting guide way made to move in the arc of a
circle-In lieu of the raised transversely inclined platform the Switchback incline
may curve round at the head of the board and terminate in the shifting guide,
preferably in the centre of the board.
The game will be played as follows-
Nine or any number of pins or skittles are placed, as for the ordinary game of
skittles, at the bottom or playing end of the board near the well, and a ball is placed
upon the highest point of the Switchback immediately over the aforesaid movable
vertical piece-The starting knob or handle is then pushed or pulled and the vertical
piece driven upward under the ball starts it down the Switchback, this movement also
causing the shifting gutter or guide at the other end of the board to move on its
pivot The ball being more or less forcibly impelled (accordingly as the player
inoves the slide more or less rapidly and to a greater or lesser extent) descends the way,
rising and falling according to the gradient of the switchback, and crossing the board,
either on the raised transverse incline at its head or following the curve of the
switchback, enters the shifting guide and is directed by this on to the polished
surface of the board, at an angle regulated by the movement given to it by the
player who can by the same handle which started the ball shift the guide to any
point of its traverse even while the ball is progressing along the switchback, the
object being to strike the skittles as in the ordinary game, namely so as to bring
down the greatest number at one blow.
If the player does not propel the ball with sufficient force the convex slope of the
bd will cause it to diverge more or less from the direction he has given to it and it

page_text: may fall into the gutters on either side and be lost, and the gutters are preferably
made to incline towards the well so as to bring the played ball or balls into it.
I prefer to form the groove of the switchback or longitudinal incline of a V shape,
but it may be of any section desired and the propulsion of the ball and the shifting
of the guide trough be effected by any suitable device.
I may use any suitable device for propelling the ball or actuating the shifting
guide.
The apparatus may be made to place upon a dining table or other support,
or it may be set upon legs as a billiard or bagatelle table, and made to fold or
otherwise.
..…
141
1
W. E. GEDGE,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Board or Table and Apparatus for Playing Parlour
Skittles.
I JAMES SAMUEL BURROUGHES of the Firm of Burroughes and Watts, of 19 Soho
Square, London, in the County of Middlesex, Billiard Table 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:
This Invention relates to an improved board and apparatus which I term the
Parlour Switchback Billiard Skittle Alley and it consists of an oblong square bed or
table, which may have at one end an inclined raised part extending across the table
and be provided with a well or sunken recess at the other end. On each side of the
bed 1 form a gutter or trough and I make the bed or board between these gutters
convex thereby giving more or less incline from the longitudinal centre of the
playing surface towards each of these side gutters. The playing surface of the board
may be covered with cloth like a Billiard table, but I now find a polished surface
preferable, and at the end of the board near which the player stands I fit an upright
from which a grooved way or conduit extends inclining downwards, at any desired
angle, to the opposite end of the board, and I make this inclined way or conduit in a
series of upward and downward curves forming various gradients similar to those of
a Switchback Railway. Within or near the upright supporting the highest point of
the grooved longitudinal way, hereinafter termed the "Switchback," I fit a movable
vertical piece which I connect, by levers or any suitable gearing, with a knob or
handle in such a manner that by moving the handle the movable piece may be made
to rise and fall. To this same knob or handle 1 also attach a cord, wire, rod or bar
extending to a movable trough, gutter, or shifting guide way leading from the raised
platform at the head of the board to the playing surface; this connection being so
formed that by pulling on the one knob or handle the movable vertical piece is lifted
and the shifting guideway made to move in the arc of a circle. In lieu of the raised
transversely inclined platform the "Switchback" incline may curve round at the head
of the board and terminate in the shifting guide.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawing:
:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a board or table embodying my invention ;
Figure 2being a plan of the same;
Figure 3 an inverted plan of same;
Figure 4a transverse section through lines 1-2 of Figure 2;
Figure 5 an end elevation with front board removed;
Figure 6 a plan through the raised portion of a table, showing an alternative
arrangement of grooved way;
Figure 7 a transverse section through the table showing an arrangement in
which the grooved way or "Switchback" does not curve round at the bead of the
table;

page_text: "
Figure 8 a transverse section through the table and upright supporting the grooved
way or "Switchback showing an alternative arrangement for operating vertical
piece and shifting guide way.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in each of the figures respectively..
A indicating the bed or table having a convex surface transversely as shown in
section at Figures 4 and 5 excepting where the skittles are to stand; a screw legs or
feet for adjusting same ;-B is the head or raised portion; B' the opposite end or
well; drawer for skittles and ball, sliding in head B; C inclined semi-circular
conduit or channel leading to shifting guide or trough L; DD are the gutters or
troughs. E the pillar or upright supporting conduit F, e hinge joint for permitting
same to be laid horizontally, e (Figure 5) screw stud arranged so as to lock upright
in position; this is replaced in Figure 8 by the spring catch e'; F railway
conduit
ог Switchback, bolt securing conduit in position with the conduit c, pivot or
binge on which the conduit turns to fold down; G the movable vertical piece or rod
for starting the ball, a lower portion of same, the rod being divided to facilitate
folding down the support E; H lever for operating rod G; I the starting knob or
handle; K cord or rod attached to starting knob I and to lever for pivoting
trough L L movable trough for guiding the ball, 7 spring for bringing movable
trough L back to its normal position, pivot on which the trough turns; M pins.
or skittles or other articles or points to be struck by the ball; N the ball.
The game is played as follows:-
"
1
"
Nine or any number of pius or skittles M are placed, as for the ordinary game of
skittles, at the bottom or playing end of the board B', and a ball N is placed upon
the highest point of the "Switchback F, immediately over the movable vertical
piece or rod G. The starting knob or handle I is then pulled and the vertical
piece G driven upward under the bail N by the movement of the lever H, starts the
ball down the "Switchback" F; this movement also actuating the cord or rod K
attached to G and causing the shifting trough or guide L at the other end of the
board to move on its pivot l. The ball being thus started descends the way F, rising
and falling according to the gradient of the "Switchback" and crossing the board
at its head B following the curve C, enters the shifting guide Land is directed by
this on to the surface A of the board, at an angle regulated by the player, who can
by the same handle I which started the ball shift the guide to any point of its
traverse even while the ball is travelling along the "Switchback;" the object being
to strike the skittles as in the ordinary game, namely so as bring down the greatest
number at one blow.
The convex form of the bed A may cause the ball to diverge and fall into one of
the gutters D on either side and be lost.
I prefer to form the "Switchback" of two metal rails as shown Figures 1 and 2
but it may be made of wood with a groove V shaped as at Figures 6 and 7, or of any
desired section and the starting of the ball and the shifting of the guide trough be
effected by any suitable device. In Figures 2 and 3 the lever H moving in a
horizontal plane passes the incline i under the lower end g of the rod G and thus staris
the ball N; whereas at Figure 7 it will be seen that the pivoting lever H is in gear
with an incline on the handle I so that when this handle is pulled its slide passes
over and depresses one end of the lever H causing the other end to move in a vertical
plane, as shown in dotted lines, lifting the rod G by its piece g and thereby starting
the ball N down the "Switchback" F.
The "Switchback" F may curve round to the shifting guide or trough L without
a joint if it is not desired that it should fold down for packing, and when made with
a joint it may be secured in position with the curved way (by entering the ends of
its rails into those of the way in which case the bolt might be dispensed with.
Or the "Switchback " may deliver the ball onto an inclined platform as at Figure 7
the ball passing on to the platform at o and from thence into the shifting guide L
at o'. When the "Switchback" is formed of two rails I place the outer rail of the
curve C somewhat higher than the inner rail as upon ordinary railway curves, to
prevent the ball leaving the rails, and especially to give a twist or screw to the ball.

page_text: The "Switchback" may be made of any suitable material and in as many sections and
with as many gradients as may be desired, and the convex bed or playing surface be
of slate metal or any other suitable material. The apparatus may be made to place
upon a Dining table or other support, or it may be set upon logs as a Billiard or
Bagatelle table, such legs being preferably each provided with a regulating screw to
secure a perfect level. and it may be made to fold or otherwise. I may make the
"Switchback" and the table of any material which will permit the ball to run
and the skittles to fall without noise or 1 may cover them with such material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my sail Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
. 1. An improved Board or table and apparatus for playing Parlour Skittles com-
prising a "Switchback " way, in connection with a movable guide and made to fold
down or otherwise, and a convex bed or playing surface with side gutters in com-
bination with incans for starting the hall down the "Switchback" and moving the
guide by a same action, the whole substantially as described.
2. In a Board or table for playing Parlour Skittles, a bed or playing surface A of a
convex shape transversely, in combination with the gutters D, substantially as and for
the purposes specified.
way or
3. In a Board or table for playing Parlour Skittles, the inclined conduit, grooved
Switchback" F curved to form various gradients substantially as described
for the purpose specified.
4. An improved Board or Table for playing Parlour or "Switchback" Skittles
constructed, combined, and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated on the accompanying drawing.
DL: NAL 11.
1030