An Improved Puzzle.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Puzzle.
I, ELMER ELLSWORTHI JENNE, of Ilion, in the County of Herkimer and State
of New York, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 relates to a puzzle, and has for its object to construct such an
article embodying an essentially covered system of circles having non-registering
hidden openings, a small portion only of the solid surfaces of the circles being
exposed to view.
A further object of the invention is to employ in connection with the circles a
ball or other readily-movable object or objects adapted to travel in the spaces
between the circles when the puzzle board or receptacle is manipulated, which
balls or ball are accessible or tangible only at the inner circle; and the prime
object sought to be attained by the above-described construction is to enable the
player or operator to so manipulate the board or receptacle that the balls or ball,
while concealed, may be made to travel from the innermost to the outermost
circular space and back to the starting-point.
The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several
parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corre-
sponding parts in all the views.
and
Figure 1 is a plan view of the puzzle board or receptacle.
Fig. 2 is a central vertical section taken practically on the line 22 of Fig. 1,
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken essentially upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.
In the construction of the puzzle a receptacle A is preferably employed, which
is usually of a circular shape, comprising mainly a bottom 10, a top 11, and a
continuous side 12, connecting the two. Within the receptacle a series of con-
centric circular ribs 13 is located, extending from top to bottom and so spaced as
to form a series of circular spaces or runways 14. Each rib is provided with a
gate or opening 15, and the openings are so located that they are non-aligning, as
illustrated in Fig. 3. Thus the several spaces or runways are connected, and it is
possible for an object placed in the central space to traverse the runways and
enter the outer space. In the top of the receptacle an aperture 16 is produced,
and the top is further provided with an opening 17, preferably of tapering shape
and extending from the periphery over the central rib, or practically so, which
opening is widest at its outer end and is covered by a pane 18 of any transparent
material. The opening 17 is so located as not to reveal any of the openings or
gates 15 in the ribs, as is illustrated in Fig. 1. In connection with the board or
receptacle one or more balls or other readily-movable objects are employed, which
De

page_text: are introduced into the central circular space through the cover-aperture 16 above
the same.
The puzzle consists in rocking the receptacle in any manner, whereby the balls
or ball will be caused to roll from the central space or runway through the inter-
mediate spaces into the outer one and back again to the centre. The transparent
pane 18 enables the manipulator of the puzzle to ascertain from time to time in
what space the ball or balls are located, and thus the operator is enabled to decide
in what direction to rock or otherwise manipulate the receptacle to carry the ball
or balls to the desired space. The ball may be removed from the receptacle only
from the central space and through the cover-aperture 16. The ribs may be
differently coloured, and the ball or balls may be decorated, as fancy may
dictate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. A puzzle comprising a closed receptacle and a series of circular spaced ribs
located therein, the said ribs being provided with non-aligning apertures and the
cover of the receptacle being provided with an inlet opening over a space inclosed
by one of the circular ribs, and a second opening disclosing the ribs at the solid
portions thereof, as and for the purpose specified.
2. As an improved article of manufacture, a puzzle comprising a closed receptacle
containing a series of concentric and spaced ribs extending from top to bottom and
provided with non-aligning openings, one face of the receptacle being provided
with a central opening and with a narrow diametrical opening, the latter opening
exposing solid sections of the ribs, and a movable object located with the receptacle
and adapted to travel between the ribs, as and for the purpose specified.
3. In a puzzle, the combination, with a closed receptacle provided with a series
of spaced concentric ribs extending from top to bottom, each of said ribs being
provided with an opening and the openings in the ribs being non-aligning, one face
of the receptacle being provided with a diametrical opening covered by a transparent
pane and an inlet-opening near the centre, of a ball or equivalent movable object
adapted to enter the inlet-opening of the receptacle and travel in the spaces
between the ribs, as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 24th day of September 1891.
T. W. DARKER,
Applicant's Agent.