Toy and Game Devices.
Year: 1896

page_text: Toy and Game Devices.
I, WINFIELD WILLIAM FLYE, residing at East Hiram, in the County of Oxford and
State of Maine, United States of America Paper Hanger and Painter, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to toys game devices, and the object thereof is to provide
an improved device of this class which consists of a toy fort, which is provided
with a plurality of target slides or plungers on each side thereof and portion of
the walls of which are adapted to be battered down or knocked out each time that
one of the target slides or plungers is hit, said fort being also provided with a
Hag staff, in connection with which a system of gear wheels are employed which
are adapted to be operated at a pre-determined time by one of the target slides
or plungers and by means of which a flag thereon is lowered and another flag raised.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification.
In the practice of my invention I provide a fort which comprises a base or
bottom plate or board on which are built up side and end walls said end walls
being composed of separate bricks or blocks which may be composed of wood or
any desired material.
I also employ a plurality of movable target slides or plungers seven of which
are preferably employed, on each side of the fort and said slides or plungers are
arranged at the bottom thereof, and are adapted to move over the bottom or base
plate or board.
Each of these plungers, except the central one on each side, is pivotally connected
with a vertical lever in which is formed a vertical slot and the upper end of each
lever is provided with an outwardly directed arm which is adapted to bear upon
the adjacent wall, and each of the target slides or plungers is numbered on the
outer end thereof, said numbers being arranged as follows beginning with the left,
one two, three seven, six, five and four, by which arrangement the number seven
is at the center on each side.
Arranged longitudinally and centrally of the fort, are two vertical plates or
partitions through which the inner ends of the target slides or plungers which are
reduced in size, and cylindrical in form pass, and between said partition plates on each
side are six vertical standards six of which are employed, three on each side of the
central slides or plungers and these standards are provided on their tops with
outwardly directed arms the outer ends of which are provided with pins or bolts which
pass through the slots in the levers and mounted on the cylindrical portions of each of
the target slides or plungers, with the exception of the central ones are spiral springs
which bear upon the standards at one end, and upon a shoulder or projection formed
on the slides or plungers.
The operation of these springs is to force the plunger outwardly, and passing
longitudinally through each end of the fort, at the bottom thereof, and on each side
and beneath the three plungers at each side of the central plunger, are rods or bars on
which are formed, between each of said slides or plungers, lugs or projections and
pivotally supported between each of said plungers and between said rods or bars
and the adjacent side walls of the fort, are levers through the inner ends of which
said rods pass, and the free end of the lever on the inner side of the plunger

page_text: numbered one, is adapted to operate in connection with a notch or recess in the
plunger numbered two and the lever on the inner side of the plunger numbered two
is adapted to operate in connection with a notch or recess in the plunger numbered
three is adapted to operate in connection with a notch or recess in the plunger
numbered seven and beginning with the right, the free end of the lever on the inner
side of the plunger numbered four is adapted to operate in connection with a notch or
recess in the plunger numbered five, and the lever adjacent to operate in connection
with a notch or recess in the plunger numbered six, and the lever adjacent to the
inner side of the plunger numbered six is adapted to operate in connection with a
similar notch or recess in the plunger numbered seven.
Each of the plungers one, two, three and six five and four are provided on their
inner sides with pins or projections which are adapted to force the ends of the lever
through which the rods pass inwardly to free them from the notches or recesses in the
adjacent plungers and pivotally connected with the bottom of the fort at the opposite
corners thereof, are levers one end of which is adapted to operate in connection, with
a notch or recess in the plunger numbered four, and connected with said lever is a rod
the inner end of which is connected with the lever on the opposite side of the central
plunger seven.
The central plunger seven on each side, passes through the adjacent partition plate
and each plunger is provided with a reduced extension and each of these plungers
seven is also provided centrally thereof, with a vertical standard to which is secured a
rod or bar which passes through the corresponding partition plate and mounted on
said rods or bars between the standards and said partition plate is a spiral spring
which operates to force the plunger outwardly.
Arranged centrally of the fort, is vertical standard which carries at its upper end a
flagstaff and mounted on said standard at one side thereof, is a gear wheel on the
outer side of which is formed a ring or flange which is provided at regular intervals
with notches or recesses which are preferably three in number, and above the wheel is
a shaft on one end of which is mounted a pinion and on the central portion thereof, in
a slot or opening formed in said standard is mounted a pulley and at the top of the
flag staff is another pulley and a cord or rope is mounted on said pulleys, and adapted
to carry flags.
The flag may be the flag of any nation, and the flag is designed to represent a
white or surrender flag, and in practice, I preferably print thereon "we surrender."
At the bottom of the standard is an arm which carries at its outer end, a crank
lever the upper end of which is adapted to operate in connection with the notches
or recesses in the ring or flange which is secured to or formed on the wheel and
the lower end of said lever is forced outwardly, by a spring and the inner end of
one of the central plungers, passes through the base of the standard and is provided
with an arm which is adapted to operate in connection with the upper end of the
lever and force it outwardly and the inner end of the opposite central plunger
which is reduced in size is provided with a pin or projection which is adapted to
operate upon the lower end of said lever so as to force the upper end thereof, outwardly
and dis-engage it from the notches or recesses.
The arm is connected with the base of the standard by a yoke and on the opposite
end of the shaft on which the wheel is mounted, is a strong spiral spring one end of
which is secured to said shaft, and the other to a pin or projection.
The flags are connected with the rope or cord by means of rings which are
secured to, the lower corners thereof, and detachable spring clamps which are secured
to the upper corners thereof, and in the normal position of the rope or cord the spring
is wound up. and the white or "surrender flag," is at its lowermost position, and the
other flag at its highest position, and the operation will readily understood from the
foregoing description and the following statement thereof.
Each time that one of the target slides or plungers with the exception of the
central one on each side is struck the upper end of the lever connected therewith
is forced outwardly and the portion of the wall will be knocked out or off; and
these levers, are preferably of different lengths so that the upper portions and central

page_text: portions of the wall may be knocked out and the portions adapted to be knocked out
or off are shown by the irregular lines or spaces enclosed thereby.
In the practice, there will be preferably two engaged in playing the game or firing
on the fort, and ordinary, balls, marbles or similar devices will be thus shot or
otherwise projected at the ends of the target slides or plungers, and in this operation,
the slides or plungers, numbered from one to three will be operated in the order
named, and when the plunger numbered one is hit, it will be driven inwardly, and
the pin or projection will release the lever from the plunger numbered two and this
operation will be repeated as the plungers two, three, four five, and six are hit, and
when each of the plungers three and six have been hit, the lever will be released from
the central plunger seven. and the said central plunger, may then be hit in the same
manner, and when hit it will be driven inwardly, and the inner end thereof will
release the lever from the notch or recess in the ring on the wheel and said wheel
will be revolved and with it the pinion and the flag will be lowered and the flag will
be raised, this operation being accomplished by the spring and in order to rewind the
spring, and lower the flag and raise the flag it is only necessary to pull downwardly
in the direction of the arrow when the flags will again assume the position shown in
said figure, and in this operation the lever must be disconnected from the ring or
flange on the wheel.
The outwardly directed arms which are formed on, or connected with the upper
ends of the standards are cut away and the levers are omitted, but it will be
understood that the construction on each side of the fort is exactly the same in all its
details, and the object of the rods is to release the levers from the slides or
plungers four, when the slides or plungers three, are driven inwardly in order that
said slide or plunger four may be next operated upon and this is accomplished by
means of the lever with which said rods are connected, said levers being operated upon
to produce this result by the pins or projections on the plungers numbers three
when the latter are driven inwardly, and the object of the pins or projections on the
rods is to provide means for resetting the levers whenever necessary.
It will be understood of course, that one child or party alone may accomplish this
result and be amused thereby the operation being much more entertaining if two are
engaged, in which event the effort will be which one can first succeed in hitting each
of the plungers in the order named, and lowering the flag and raising the flag.
In order to lower the flag and raise the flag without operating the wheel it is only
necessary to release the spring clamps or fastening device from the rope or cord and
said rope may be easily moved into any desired position, the rings being free to
slide on said rope or cord.
I also provide pins which are secured to the plunger and which are designed to
prevent said lungers from being forced too far outwardly, and instead of making the
walls of bricks or blocks, of wood or other material, that may be composed of integral
plates or boards of wood or similar material, which may be painted or lined so
as to represent bricks or blocks, and the parts thereof, designed to be knocked out
when the targets are, hit may be cut out with a scroll saw, and these parts may be
knocked out and replaced, as often as desired.
It is evident that changes in and modifications of the construction herein described
may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, or sacrificing its
advantages, and I reserve the right to make all such alterations therein, and
modifications thereof, as fairly come within the scope of the invention.
Dated this 12th day of June 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: Toy and Game Devices.
I, WINFIELD WILLIAM FLYE, residing at East Hiram, in the County of Oxford,
and State of Maine, United States of America, Paper Hanger and Painter, 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 toys and game devices, and the object thereof is to
provide an improved device of this class which consists of a toy fort, which is
provided with a plurality of target slides or plungers on each side thereof, and portion
of the walls of which are alapted to be battered down or knocked out each time that
one of the target slides or plungers is hit, said fort being also provided with a
flagstaff, in connection with which a system of gear wheels are employed, which are
adapted to be operated at a pre-determined time by one of the target slides or
plungers, and by means of which a flag thereon is lowered, and another flag raised.
The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the
accompanying drawing forms a part in which :-
Fig. 1, is a perspective view of my improved toy fort;
Fig. 2, a partial plan view thereof;
Fig. 3, a partial section on the line x, x, of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4, a side view of the flagstaff with the operative mechanism connected
therewith; and,
Fig. 5, an opposite side view of the base of the flagstaff and the operative mechanism
connected therewith.
In the practice of my invention, I provide a fort which comprises a base or bottom
plate or board 8, on which are built upside and end walls 9 and 10, as shown in Fig. 1,
said end walls being composed of separate bricks or blocks which may be composed
of wood or any desired material.
I also employ a plurality of movable target slides or plungers 11, seven of which
are preferably employed, on each side of the fort, and said slides or plungers are
arranged at the bottom thereof, and are adapted to move over the bottom or base
plate or board 8.
Each of these plungers, except the central one on each side, is pivotally
connected as shown at 12 in Fig. 2 and 3, with a vertical lever 13, in which is
formed a vertical slot 14, and the upper end of each lever is provided with an
outwardly directed arm 15, which is adapted to bear upon the adjacent wall, and
each of the target slides or plungers is numbered on the outer end thereof, as
shown in Fig. 1, said numbers being arranged as follows, beginning with the left,
one, two, three seven, six, five and four, by which arrangement the number seven
is at the center on each side.
Arranged longitudinally and centrally of the fort, are two vertical plates or
partitions 16, through which the inner ends of the target slides or plungers which
are reduced in size, and cylindrical in form pass, and between said partition plates
on each side are six vertical standards 17, six of which are employed three on each
side of the central slides or plungers, and these standards 17, are provided on their
tops with outwardly directed arms 18, the outer ends of which are provided with pins
or bolts 19, which pass through the slots 14, in the levers 13, and mounted on the
cylindrical portions of each of the target slides or plungers, with the exception of
the central ones are spiral springs 20, which bear upon the standards 17, at one end,
and upon a shoulder or projection 21, formed on the slides or plungers.
The operation of these springs, is to force the plungers outwardly, as shown in

page_text: Figs. 2, and 3, and passing longitudinally through each end of the fort, and
the bottom thereof, and on each side and beneath the three plungers at each side
of the central plunger, are rods or bars 22, on which are formed, between each of
said slides or plungers, lugs or projections 23, and pivotally supported at 24,
between each of said plungers, and between said rods or bars, and the adjacent
side walls of the fort, are levers, 25, through the inner ends of which said rods
pass, and the free end of the lever 25 on the inner side of the plunger numbered
one, is adapte 1 to operate in connection with a notch or recess in the plunger
numbered two as shown at 26; and the lever on the inner side of the plunger
numbered two is adapted to operate in connection with a notch or recess 26, in
the plunger numbered three, and the lever on the inner side of the plunger numbered
three is adapted to operate in connection with a notch or recess 26, in the plunger
numbered seven, and beginning with the right, the free end of the lever on the
inner side of the plunger numbered four is adapted to operate in connection with
a notch or recess 26, in the plunger numbored five, and the lever adjacent to the
inner side of the plunger numbered five is adapted to operate in connection with
a notch or recess 26, in the plunger numbered six, and 'the lever adjacent to the
inner side of the plunger numbered six, is adapted to operate in connection with
a similar notch or recess 26 in the plunger numbered seven.
Each of the plungers, one, two three and six, five, and four are provided on their
inner sides with pins or projections 27, which are adapted to force the ends of the
lever 25, through which the rods 22, pass inwardly to free them from the notches
or recesses 26 in the adjacent piangers, and pivotally connected with the bottom
of the fort at the opposite corners thereof, are levers 28, one end of which is
adapted to operate in connection, with a notch or recess 29, in the plungers
numbered four, and connected with said lever 28, is a rod 30, the inner end of
which is connected with the lever 25, on the opposite side of the central plunger
seven.
The central plunger seven, on each side, passes through the adjacent partition
plate 16, and each plunger is provided with a reduced extension, as shown at 31,
in Fig. 3, and each of these plungers soven, is also provided centrally thereof,
with a vertical standard 32, to which is secured a rod or bar 33, which passes
through the corresponding partition plate 16, and mounted on said rods or bars
between the standards 32, and said partition plate, is a spiral spring 33, which
operates to force the plunger outwardly.
Arranged centrally of the fort, is a vertical standard 34, which carries at its upper
end, a flag staff 35 and mounted on said standard at one side thereof is a gear
wheel 36, on the outer side of which is formed a ring or flange 37, which is provided
at regular intervals with notches or recesses 38, which are preferably three in number,
and above the wheel 36, is a shaft 39, on one end of which is mounted a pinion 40,
and on the central portion thereof, in a slot or opening formed in said standard 34,
is mounted a pulley 41, and at the top of the flag staff is another pulley 42, and a
cord or rope 48, is mounted on said pulleys, and adapted to carry flags 44, and 45.
The flag 44, may be the flag of any nation, and the flag 45, is designed to represent
a white or surrender flag, and in practice, I preferably print thereon "we surrender."
At the bottom of the standard 34, is an arm 46 which carries at its outer end a
crank lever 47, the upper end of which is adapted to operate in connection with the
notches or recesses 38, in the ring or flange 37, which is secured to or formed on the
wheel 36, and the lower end of said lever is forced outwardly, by a spring 48, and
the inner end of one of the central plungers even, passes through the base of the
standard 34, and is provided with an arin 49, which is adapted to operate in
connection with the upper end of the lever 47, and force it outwardly, and the inner
end of the opposite central plunger seven, which is reduced in size as shown at 31, is
provided with a pin or projection 50, which is adapted to operate upon the lower end
of said lever so as to force the upper end thereof, outwardly, and disengage it from
the notches or recesses 38.
The arm 46, is connected with the base of the standard 34, by a yoke 51, and on

page_text: the opposite end of the shaft 52, on which the wheel 36 is mounted, is a strong spiral
spring 53, one end of which is secured to said shaft, and the other to a pin or
projection 54.
The flags 44, and 45, are connected with the rope or cord 43, by means of rings 55,
which are secured to the lower corners thereof, and detachable spring clamps 56,
which are secured to the upper corners thereof, and in the normal position of the rope
or cord 43, the spring 53, is wound up, and the white or "surrender flag," is at its
lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 4, and the other flag 44, at its highest position,
and the operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description, when
taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and the following statement
thereof.
Each time that one of the target slides or plungers, with the exception of the
central one, on each side, is struck, the upper end of the lever 13, connected
therewith, is forced outwardly, and the portion of the wall will be knocked out or
off; and these levers, but one of which is shown, in Fig. 3, are preferably of
different lengths so that the upper portions and central portions adapted to be
knocked out or off are shown by the irregular lines or spaces enclosed thereby, and
numbered 57, in Fig. 1.
In practice, there will be preferably two engaged in playing the game or firing
on the fort, and ordinary, balls, marbles or similar devices will be thus shot or
otherwise projected at the ends of the target slides or plungers, and in this
operation, the slides or plungers numbered from one to three will be operated in
the order named, and when the plunger number one is hit it will be driven
inwardly, and the pin or projection 27, will release the lever 25, from the plunger
numbered two, and this operation will be repeated as the plungers two, three, four,
five and six are hit, and when each of the plungers three and six have been hit the
lever 25, will be released from the central plungers seven, and the central plunger,
may then be hit in the same manner, and when hit it will be driven inwardly, and the
inner end thereof, will release the lever 47, from the notch or recess 38, in the
ring 37, or the wheel 36, and said wheel will be revolved and with it the pinion 40,
and the flag 44, will be lowered and the flag 45, will be raised, this operation being
accomplished by the spring 53, and in order to rewind the spring, and lower the
flag 45, and raise the flag 44, it is only necessary to pull downwardly in the direction
of the arrow shown in Fig. 4, when the flags will again assume the position shown in
said figure, and in this operation the lever 47, must be dis-connected from the ring or
flange 38, on the wheel 36.
In Fig. 2, the outwardly directed arm 18, at one side of the fort which are
formed on, or connected with the upper ends of the standards 17, are cut away as
shown at 58, and the levers 13, are omitted, but it will be understood that the
construction on each side of the fort is exactly the same in all its details, and the
object of the rods 30, is to release the levers 28, from the slides or plungers four,
when the slides or plungers three, are driven inwardly in order that said slide or
plunger four may be next operated upon, and this is accomplished by means of
the lever 25, with which said rods are connected said levers being operated upon
to produce this result, by the pins or projections 27, on the plungers number
three when the latter are driven inwardly, and the object of the pins or
projections 23, on the rods 22, is to provide means for resetting the levers 25, when
necessary.
It will be understood of course, that one child or party alone may accomplish
this result, and be amused thereby, the operation being much more entertaining
if two are engaged, in which event the effort will be which one can first succeed
in hitting each of the plungers in the order named, and lowering the flag 44, and
raising the flag 45.
In order to lower the flag 45, and raise the flag 44, without operating the wheel 36,
it is only necessary to release the spring clamps or fastening device 56, from the rope
or cord 43, and said rope may be easily moved into any desired position, the rings 55,
being free to slide on said rope or cord,

page_text: I also provide pins 70, which are secured to the plungers 11, and which are
designed to prevent said plungers from being forced too far outwardly, and instead
of making the walls of bricks or blocks, of wood or other material they may be
composed of integral plates or boards of wood or similar material, which may be
painted or lined so as to represent bricks or blocks, and the parts thereof, designed to
be knocked out when the targets are hit may he cut out with a scroll saw, and these
parts may be knocked out and replaced, as often as desired.
It is evident that changes in and modifications of the construction herein describe.l
may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, or sacrificing its
advantages, and I reserve the right to make all such alterations therein, and
modifications thereof, as fairly come within the scope of the invention.
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. In a toy fort, the combination with a suitable base plate or ball, and walls
composed of bricks or blocks, of a plurality of target slides, or plungers, which
project from the opposite sides of the fort, and devices connected therewith, whereby
portions of the walls of the fort will be knocked out by mechanism from within the
fort when the target slides or plungers are hit, said fort being also provided with
a flag staff and pulleys at the top and near the bottom thereof on which are
mounted a rope or cord, and means connected with said slides or plungers and
said staff for raising and lowering flags, secured to said ropes or cords, substantially
as shown and described.
2. In a toy fort, the combination with a suitable base or bottom, of walls composed
of bricks or blocks target slides or plungers, which pass through said walls levers
connected with said slides or plungers, and adapted to be operated thereby to knock
out portions of the walls of the fort from within a flag staff mounted in said fort,
and provided with suitable pulleys at its top, and near its bottom, around which pass
a cord or rope, and the devices connected with said flag staff and with two of said
slides or plungers, whereby when the latter are hit they are forced inwardly against
the action of a spring mounted thereon with the inner ends thereof and thus the
cord or rope is operated to raise and lower flags connected therewith, substantially as
shown and described.
3. In a toy fort, the combination with a suitable base, and bricks or blocks, from
which the walls are constructed, of spring operated target slides or plungers, which
pass through the sides of said fort, and are mounted on the bottom thereof, levers
connected with said spring operated target slides or plungers, and adapted to knock
out portions of the walls from within when the slides or plungers are hit, a flag staff
mounted in said fort and provided at its base with gear wheels, said flag staff being
also provided at its top and near its bottom, with suitable pulleys, on which a 1 pe or
cord is mounted and which are adapted to be operated by said gear wheels, said gear
wheels being also in operative connection with two of the target slides or, plungers,
whereby when they are driven inwardly the inner ends thereof trip a lever and
release a spring actuated gear wheel to operate the rope, substantially as shown
and described.
4. In a toy fort, the combination with a suitable base, and bricks or blocks from
which the walls are constructed, of spring operated target slides or plungers, which
pass through the sides of said fort, and are mounted on the bottom thereof, levers
connected with said spring operated target slides or plungers, and adapted to knock
out portions of the walls when the slides or plungers are hit, a flag staff mounted in
said fort, and provided at its base with gear wheels, said flag staff being also provided
at its top, and near its bottom with suitable pulleys on which a cord or rope is
mounted, and which are adapted to be operated by said gear wheels, said gear wheels
being also in operative connection with two of the target slides or plungers, said
target slides or plungers being also located on opposite sides of the fort, each side
being provided with same number thereof, and the central slides or plungers, being

page_text: adapted to operate the gear wheels connected with the flag staff, substantially as
shown and described.
5. In a toy fort, the combination with a suitable base, and bricks or blocks from
which the walls are constructed of spring operated slides or plungers, which pass
through the sides of said fort, and are mounted on the bottom thereof, levers
connected with said spring, operated target slides or plungers, and adapted to
knock out portions of the walls when the slides or plungers are hit, a flag staff
mounted in said fort, and provided at its base with gear wheels, said flag staff
being also provided at its top and near its bottom, with suitable pulleys on which
a rope or cord is mounted, and which are adapted to he operated by said gear
wheels, said gear wheels being also in operative connection with two of the target
slides or plungers, said target slides or plungers, being also located on opposite
sides of the fort, each side being provided with the same number thereof, and the
central slides or plungers being adapted to operate the gear wheels connected with
the flag staff, the construction and arrangement being such, that in order to operate
the gear wheels connected with the flag staff, the slides or plungers at each side
of the central slides or plungers, must first be hit or operated, substantially as shown
and described.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1807
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, Loudon, W.C., Agents.