Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 21st Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 21st Jan., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Feb., 1895
I, ALBERT ELMER HARKER of Hornerstown, County of Monmouth, State of
New Jersey, U.S.A., Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to that class of puzzle games in which balls are made
to roll about from one point to another by tilting the box or enclosure containing
them.
Arranged and supported within said box there is a spiral elliptic way provided
at various points throughout its length with a series of raised portions and depressions.
The game is played by tilting or inclining the box at various angles with the
object of guiding one or more balls from an upper starting enclosure to a lower
receiving enclosure.
Dated this 21st day of April 1894.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
I, ALBERT ELMER HARKER of Hornerstown, County of Monmouth, State of
New Jersey, U.S.A., Inventor, 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 that class of puzzle games in which balls are made
to roll about from one point to another by tilting the box or enclosure containing
them.
In the drawing
Fig. 1 is a top view of the puzzle.
a is an
Fig. 2 a section on line X-X of Fig. 1 looking in one direction and
Fig. 3 a section on the same line looking in the opposite direction.
A is a box shewn rectangular in shape but this shape is not essential.
inclined way arranged therein of any suitable material but preferably of card or
pasteboard. This way has the form of an inverted helix the convolutions of which
are slightly oblong or elliptical. The way a is supported at various points by legs
or stays B. The highest end of the way is at one corner of the box, preferably
the upper left hand corner, and there the way is widened or extended horizontally

page_text: so as to form a platforin B' adapted for the starting place of the balls used in the
puzzle game. To this platform are secured walls or partitions B2 preferably two
in number and forming the enclosure 6 from which the balls are started.
Formed in one piece with, or rigidly secured to the edges of the way a and
extending throughout its length are flanges or rails of such a height that they
will barely operate to keep the balls on the way. C are a series of sharp
depressions and ascents formed to make the passage of the balls along the way
more difficult and owing to them it is necessary to agitate and incline laterally the
box, which tends to throw the balls off the way. The positions and intervals of the
depressions and ascents are not necessarily those shewn.
Arranged within the first curve or ellipse formed by the way a and on the bottom
of the box is a wall or partition C₁ which is curved so as to form an enclosure (¹
of the same size and shape as the said ellipse, and it is provided with an opening
or gate c located directly adjacent to the lower end of the way so that the balls as
they roll down may be guided into the enclosure adapted to form the home
goal or pen and when all the balls are placed therein the puzzle has been
successfully performed.
In one corner of the box A preferably the upper right hand corner is a hole or
opening D adapted to form an exit for the balls when it is desired to remove them
from the box. E are the balls of any suitable material and in any suitable
number and of a size that they may be held between the rails of the way a.
To use the puzzle the box A is taken in the hands and the balls E placed
in the starting enclosure b. The box is then tilted or inclined at various angles
and the balls caused to roll along the way the object being to roll all the balls
from the enclosure along the way a to the enclosure c' without passing over the
rails b¹.
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
A puzzle game comprising a box, a strip of material arranged therein in the
form of an inverted helix, said strip being separated from the walls of the box
except at its upper end and supported throughout its length by legs or stays rising
from the bottom of the box, a series of raised portions and depressions formed in
the strip at various points throughout its length and a ball or balls adapted to roll
along the strip substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 21st day of January 1895.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.