A New or Improved Lawn or Table Game of Football.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Jan., 1893-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Lawn or Table Game of Football.
I ALFRED FIELDSEND of Silver Street Lincoln, Naturalist do hereby declare
he 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 relates to a new or improved lawn or table game of football and has
for its object to play such game by mechanical means with the aid of lay figures
or mannikins which are made to kick the ball with their legs under the action of
springs located in their heads and of goals, goal keepers and mallets the Association
rules being followed in this game which is in other respects in imitation of the
method generally practised by football teams.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is an elevation and Fig. 2 a vertical section of one of the lay figures or
mannikins provided according to my invention.
Fig 3 shows a goal and a goal keeper with means for operating the same.
Fig. 4 shows a mallet for moving the figures.
The mannikin Figs. 1 and 2 consists of a figure one leg of which is moveable ou
a pivot while the trunk m is hollow and contains a rod e having an enlarged lower
end passing through corresponding openings formed in the guide plate or bar i and
the bottom of the trunk. The upper end of the rod r passes through an opening
in the head of the figure and is provided with a head h below which a spiral spring
is coiled on the rod and bears against a rim or flange formed around the inner edge
of the opening in the head of the figure.
When the head or knob his depressed by a finger the lower end of the rod e is
pushed against the top of the pivoted leg to which a kicking motion is imparted
and as the ball is placed closed to the toe of the figure as shown in full lines in
Fig. 2 the leg while assuming the position shown in dotted lines in the same figure
and in full lines in Figure 1. will kick the ball b and propel it forward. As the
pressure on the head or knob h is withdrawn the rod e is raised inside the trunk m
and the moveable leg returned by gravity into its vertical position. The figure
is moved along by the mallet q the notch o in the head of which fits the neck n of
the figure. Fig. 3 shows the goal and its posts in front of which is the goal
keeper k having the form of a figure fixed to a weighted rod r which is secured
to the disk pivoted on the pin a in the central notch or recess formed in the piece
or head 9 revolving on a pivot d or projection of the pedestal c by these means the
goal keeper can be moved in every direction that is to say up and down and to and
fro to intercept the ball kicked in the direction of the goal. I do not restrict
myself to the size of the lay figures or mannikins as those employed in the game
of football played on a lawn would necessarily be larger than those used for table
football and in this case the mallet cue may be used for depressing the knob hat
the upper end of the rod e in order to impart the kicking motion to the
figure.
The rules of this modified form of football in so far as they differ from those of
the ordinary game are as follows:
1. The table or lawn may be of any size, but must be in the proportion of twice
the length to the breadth. The length and breadth of the field shall be marked off
with flags and touch-line.
2. The winner of the toss shall have a place kick, commencing the game from
the mark in the centre; the kick off to be in the direction of the opposite goal-
line.
3. A goal shall be won when the ball has passed between the goal posts. The
opposite player may move the goal-keeper and intercept the ball, but his hands
must not obstruct, if they do it it a goal.

page_text: 4. A game is a set of three, or six goals by one side, each side having three
or more members.
5. Any number of players may be moved on the table any distance at once, but
only in a straight line from their proper position.
6. When the ball is played behind the goal-line by one of the opposite side, it 5
shall be kicked off by one of the players behind whose goal-line it went the players
placed in any position for passing the ball away before the kick.
But when the
ball is played behind by any one of the side whose goal-line it is, a player of the
opposite shall kick it from the nearest flag post, placing his men in order before.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and i
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
The improved lawn or table game of football carried out by means of lay figures or
mannikins moved by mallets with the aid of a goal and a goal keeper substantially
as herein described and shown.
Dthis da
1000
F. G. CASSELL,
Of Cassell & Co.,
22, Glasshouse Street, Regent Street, London, Agent for the Applicant.