A New or Improved Puzzle.
Year: 1897

page_text: A New or Improved Puzzle.
I, REUBEN JOHN COOPER COLLINS, of No. 76, Church Street, Clapham Road, in
the County of Surrey, Plumber, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
-
My invention consists in a puzzle made up of two parts or elements made of
some rigid material and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from each
other in a novel peculiar and puzzling manner.
One part or element consists essentially of three parallel bars connected together
at each end by cross pieces the central bar being transversely divided and separated
for a short distance the said division being of a width and distance from one end
of the said bar dependent upon the respective sizes of certain portions of the other
element. Situated a short distance from the said division is a cut away part or
depression in that side of the central bar nearest one of the side bars. This part
or element is preferably shaped to somewhat resemble a cricket wicket and is so
hereinafter termed.
The other part or element consists essentially of a certain number of flat pieces
which are preferably shaped to somewhat resemble cricket bats and are so herein-
after termed which said pieces are connected together by wire like stems some-
what resembling the handles of the said bats. The same respective ends of the
handles of the bats are connected together so that the bats shall approximately
radiate from one centre and lie in approximately one plane.
I prefer to provide the batted element with six bats and will describe it as so
provided. Upon one side of one of the bats which bat is hereinafter termed the
key bat" are two lumps or projections of such a distance apart and size as to
prevent the key bat passing between the stumps of the wicket except at the point
where the said "division and depression occur in the central stump. The remaining
five bats may each have a knob or projection upon one of their respective faces
which knobs somewhat resemble cricket balls and are so hereinafter termed and
which balls are of such a size that it is impossible to pass any of the several bats
between the stumps except at the point where the division occurs in the central
stump. The ball upon the bat opposite to the key bat is situated upon the reverse
side of that bat to that of the key bat bearing the said two lumps. Of the remain-
ing four bats the two upon one side the key bat have their respective balls upon
the same side of the respective bats and the two bate on the other side of the key
bat also have their respective balls upon the same side of the respective bats but
the balls of the former two bats are upon the opposite side of the bats to that upon
which the balls of the latter two bats are situated.
The peculiar or puzzling method of engagement of the two parts or elements of
the puzzle is as follows ;-
Those two bats next the key bat having their balls upon the same side of the
bats as that of the lumps on the key bat are passed edgewiše through the space
upon that side of the central stump of the wicket which is provided with the afore-
said depression the balls passing by way of the aforesaid division. The hatted

page_text: element being slidden to one end of the wicket the key bat is next passed edge-
wise through the said space between the stumps its lumps or projections passing
by way of the aforesaid division and depression in the central stump. The batted
element is then slidden to the other end of the said space and the two bats first
passed between the stumps are in like manner passed back through the wicket
thus leaving the key bat inserted between the stumps. The key bat is then passed
by way of the division in the central stump into the other of the two spaces be-
tween the stumps its lumps being upon that side of the bat furthest from the
central stump and the batted element is slidden to that end of the wicket to which
it was first slidden. The two bats next the key bat having their balls upon the
opposite side of the bats to that on which the lumps on the key bat are situated are
thus enabled to pass and are passed edgewise between the two stumps between
which the stem of the key bat is situated their said balls passing by way of the
division in the central stump. The peculiar method of engagement of the two
elements is now complete certain of the bats being situated on one side of the
wicket and the remaining bats upon the other side of the wicket the shape and
size of the central portion of the batted element allowing that element to be slidden
about and turned freely in either of the spaces between the three stumps of the
wicket.
Disengagement of the two elements is effected by reversal of the movements of
engagement.
Dated this Thinhth
1000
I, REUBEN JOHN COOPER COLLINS, of No. 76, Church Street, Clapham Road,
Surrey, Plumber, 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 consists in a puzzle made up of two parts or elements made of
some rigid material and adapted to be engaged with and disengaged from each
other in a novel peculiar and puzzling manner.
One part or element consists essentially of three parallel bars connected together
at each end by cross pieces the central bar being transversely divided and separated
for a short distance the said division being of a width and distance from one end
of the said bar dependent upon the respective sizes of certain portions of the other
element. Situated a short distance from the said division is a cut away part or
depression in that side of the central bar nearest one of the side bars. This part
or element is preferably shaped to somewhat resemble a cricket wicket and is so
hereinafter termed.
The other part or element consists essentially of a certain number of flat pieces,
which are preferably six in number and shaped to somewhat resemble cricket bats
and are so hereinafter termed which said pieces are connected together by wire like
stems somewhat resembling the handles of the said bats. The same respective
ends of the handles of the bats are connected together so that the bats shall
approximately radiate from one centre and lie in approximately one plane.
The invention is more fully described in the following specification of which
the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of my im-
provement are designated by the same numerals of reference in each of the views,
and in which :-

page_text: Figs. 1 and 2, are front and side elevations, respectively, of one member of the
puzzle;
Figs. 3 and 4, are front and side elevations, respectively, of the other member
of the puzzle;
Fig. 5, is a side elevation showing the parts when interlocked or in the position
from which it is usual to work to separate said parts; and,
Figs. 6, 7, and 8, are elevations showing three different positions which the
parts assume when working the puzzle.
One member consists essentially of three parallel bars, 2, 3 and 4 connected
together at their ends by cross pieces 5 the central bar being transversely divided
and separated for a short distance, to form a passage 6, the said division being of
a width and distance from one end of the said bar dependent upon the respective
sizes of certain portions of the other member. Situated a short distance from
the said division is a cut away part or depression 8 in that side of the central bar
nearest one of the side bars. This member 1 is preferably shaped to somewhat
resemble a cricket wicket.
The other member 9 consists essentially of a certain number of flat arms 10,
11, 12, 14 and 15, which are preferably shaped to somewhat resemble cricket bats,
which said pieces are connected together by stems 16 somewhat resembling the
handles of the said bats, and which are connected together.
"
I prefer to provide the member 9, with six arms. Upon one side of one of the
arms 10 which arm is hereinafter termed the "key arm" are two lugs or projec-
tions 10 of such a distance apart and size as to prevent the key arm passing be-
tween the bars 2, 3 and 4, of the wicket except at the point where the said
division 6 and depression 8, occur in the central bar. The remaining five arms may
each have a knob or projection marked 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, upon one of
their respective faces. The knobs are of such a size that it is impossible to pass
any of the several arms between the bars except at the point where the division
or pass 6, occurs in the central bar. The knob 13* upon the arm 13 opposite to
the key arm 10 is situated upon the reverse side of that arm to that of the key
arm bearing the said two lugs 10°. Of the remaining four arms the two upon one
side of the key arm have their respective knobs upon the same side of their respec-
tive arms, and the two arms on the other side of the key arm also have their
respective knobs upon the same side of the respective arms, but the knobs of the
former two arms are upon the opposite side of the arms to that upon which
the knobs of the latter two-arms are situated.
The peculiar or puzzling method of engagement of the two members of the
puzzle is as follows:-
Those two arms 15 and 14 next the key arm having their knobs upon the same
side of the arm as that of the lugs 10" on the key arm are passed edgewise through
the space between the bars 3 and 4, the knobs passing by way of the aforesaid
division 6. The member 9 being slid to one end of the member 1, the key arm 10
is next passed edgewise through the said space between the bars 3 and 4, its lugs 10°
passing by way of the aforesaid division 6 and depression 8 in the central bar 3.
The member 9 is then slid to the other end of the said space and the two arms 14
and 15 first passed between the bars 3 and 4, are in like manner passed back
through the bars in reverse order however, thus leaving the key arm 10 inserted
between the bars. The key arm is then passed by way of the division 6 to the
space between the bars 2 and 3, the stem of said arm allowing such movement,
its lugs 10 being upon that side of the arm adjacent to the bar 2, and the mem-
ber 9 is then moved to that end of the wicket to which it was first moved. The
two arms 11 and 12 having their knobs 11° and 12" upon the opposite side of
the arms to that on which the lugs on the key arm are situated, are thus enabled
to pass and are passed edgewise between the two bars 2 and 3, between which the
stem of the key arm is situated, their said knobs passing by way of the division 6.
The peculiar method of engagement of the two members is now complete, certain
of the arms being situated on one side of the member 1, and the remaining arms

page_text: on the other side, the shape and size of the central portion of the member 9 allow-
ing that member to be moved about and turned freely in either of the spaces
between the three bars of the member.
Disengagement of the two members is effected by reversal of the movements
of engagement.
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 puzzle comprising two coacting members, one member consisting of three
bars joined together at their ends, the middle bar having a division or passage and
a depression on one section thereof, while the other member consists of a plurality
of arms having stems that are connected together, one of said arms having two
lugs, while the other arms have knobs, substantially as described.
2. The improved puzzle substantially as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawing.
Dated the low day on apin 19
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.