PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING THE AMOUNT OF GAMES AND CERTAIN PORTIONS OF GAMES PLAYED AT BILLIARDS," " POOL," PYRAMID POOL, BAGATELLE, AND OTHER SIMILAR GAMES, AND ALSO FOR INDICATING THE NUMBER OF PLAYERS ENGAGED THEREIN
Year: 1878

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Trevor Roper at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th November 1878.
"
"IM-
WILLIAM TREVOR ROPER, of Mold, in the County of Flint, Gentleman.
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING THE AMOUNT OF GAMES AND CERTAIN
PORTIONS OF GAMES PLAYED AT BILLIARDS," " POOL," PYRAMID POOL, BAGATELLE,
AND OTHER SIMILAR GAMES, AND ALSO FOR INDICATING THE NUMBER OF PLAYERS
ENGAGED THEREIN."
This Invention relates to an improved and reliable method offchecking and regis-
tering the total amount of games played at "billiards," "pool," "pyramid pool," baga-
telle, and other similar games in such a manner that the proprietor of the table shall
at any time be enabled to see at a glance the number of games or any portion
thereof played, and thereby ascertain the exact amount of money earned whilst the
table has been in use.
For the purpose of scoring and registering ordinary games of billiards I construct
a marking board similar on the face to boards in general use and comprising the
usual rollers which revolve horizontally in a frame of a width adapted to their
length and of any arbitrary elevation; I provide grooves for receiving and guiding
the index pointers or travellers for denoting the progress of the game; also horizontal
slots of a width sufficient to expose at one time about one fourth of the circum-
ference of each roller. Four series of numbers are painted or printed on each
roller, the first of which series comprises 0 to 25 inclusive, the second Nos. 26 to
50, the third Nos. 51 to 75, and the fourth series Nos. 76 to 100 inclusive.
I fix a four tooth ratchet wheel at that end of each roller recording the highest
number, say, 25, 50, 75, 100, and also provide a pawl and spring so placed as to
allow the roller to turn freely in its proper direction, but so as to prevent any return
action of the roller.
At the opposite end of each roller I fix a cam ferrule provided with four equi-
distant holes to receive consecutively a spring bolt which is designed to automatically
lock the roller in its position.
A metal plate attached to the index pointers or travellers is made to act upon a
wedge shape piece of metal fixed on the spring bolt; the bolt is thus withdrawn

page_text: and the roller can then be turned as required by the knob or handle fixed at each
end.
The-notation-of-the-game-of-billiards-and-the-due-control of the rollers being thus
provided for I next provide for the registration of the results of play as follows:-
To cach index pointer or traveller is attached a rigid pin which is made to actuate
a tumbler connected to a metal bar, and by means of a fixed cam and straight pawl
a sliding rack having four teeth, of some other arbitrary number, is made to travel
in a grooved bed in a horizontal position parallel with the plane of the board, a
fixed pin projects from the sliding rack and is made to work in a slot in the side of
a horizontal sliding bar which on its top contains a number of teeth corresponding
with and moving in conjunction with the sliding rack; part of the horizontal-sliding
bar is extended and forms a rod to receive a spiral spring, and jointed thereto is a
connecting rod to which is attached a spring hooked ratchet which operates upon a
ratchet wheel connected with the registering apparatus, which is similar in con-
struction to those in general use for gas meters.
The combined action of the above mentioned several parts ensure the requisite
number of points intended to be recorded to appear on the facial dial of the
registering apparatus, which is inserted at some convenient point in the front of
the marking board and may be either left visible through a pane of glass or may
be kept under lock and key hidden from public view at the option of the
proprietor.
As at least two persons necessarily compete in the game it is requisite to asso-
ciate two rollers, one for spot, the other for plain, but as it is only necessary to
record one result upon the registering apparatus a duplicate or twin sliding rack is
provided and the mechanism is contrived and adjusted so that whichever index or
traveller shall be in advance on entering upon any new series of the numbers on
the rollers the registration of that series is secured, whilst the associated roller
remains inert throughout that series. At the end of each game when the roller re-
volves to retire the series of numbers 76 to 100 in order to redisplay the numbers
0 to 25 a cam on the roller is provided to raise a spring toothed lever and the
whole of the mechanism is released and the several parts return to their original
starting point.
When the board is not in use for registering the game of billiards the index
pointers or travellers are secured by a double action lock the key of which is in-
tended to be in the custody of the marker or other attendant who may be respon-
sible for the proceeds of the amount of play recorded on the dial of the registering
apparatus.
To record and register the game of pyramid pool two short rollers are provided,
each one half the width of the marking board, working in a wood or metal bearing
in the centre of the board, and the outer ends passing through either side of the
frame to receive the knobs or handles.
The numbers for recording the game of pyramid pool are arbitrarily distributed
in three lines occupying three fourths of the circumference of each short roller, and
on the line of the remaining fourth is printed or painted the words pyramid pool
or pyramids. It is intended the lettered portion of the rollers should be exposed
when the registering apparatus is not in use.
At the inner end of each short roller metal ▷ shaped cams are fixed, and on the
revolution of either roller whichever acts first motion is given to a flanged rod
connected with the registering apparatus, the game is immediately recorded upon the
dial and both rollers cease to act as to registration throughout the remaining portion
of that game, but the progress of the game is noted in the customary manner by
numbers on the rollers and the use of the associated indicators or travellers.
The rollers are restrained from working in more than one and the same direction
by springs falling into the D shaped cams.
When the registering apparatus is not in actual or legitimate use the rollers are
securely fixed in position by a double action lock, the key of which is intended to be
in the custody of the marker or attendant.

page_text: The same individual registering apparatus and dial may be used for both
billiards and pyramid pool, but I prefer to register each game on its own separate
dial.
To record and register the game of "pool" I construct a pool marking board
similar on the face to ordinary boards, and the same may be placed in a separate
frame by itself or made to forn part of a combined board for registering each of the
individual games of billiards, pyramid pool, and pool.
The board is made to comprise any required number of horizontal slides placed
one immediately above another having painted or inlaid dises thereon denoting what
are technically termed "lives."
For correctly registering the number of players and to shew at a glance upon the
dial the amount the attendant is accountable for, in the interior of the board I
erect a metal rod having suitable bearings at either end, and attached to the rod a
serrated bar, the serrated portions being directly acted upon by metal tappets
attached to each alternate slide forming the odd numbers 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, so that
whenever either of these slides are drawn out their action causes the serrated bar
to move a required distance sufficient to collect from an indicator the interval required
to register the event of two players in the game being noted.
At
Metal tappets are placed upon the intervening or even slides 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12,
to prevent their being drawn out at any improper interval during the game.
the lower end of the serrated bar is placed a ratchet and spring pawl for securing
the bar in its proper position as cach slide is consecutively drawn out; a spiral
spring also acts upon the serrated bar to regulate its upward or downward motion
and cause its return to its starting point at the finish of each game.
As the ordinary method pursued in the game is to withdraw each slide in
consecutive rotation, commencing from the top downwards, the mechanism is contrived
to prevent any other course being pursued, and the tappets respectively placed upon
the slides are so constructed that they form a lock action entirely preventing any
improper tampering with the slides.
Provision is also made for all occasions where the number of players happens
to be odd being duly registered on the index to aggregate one over, as if the number
of players had been even.
The pilaster at the right side of the frame is made to overlap the ends of
every slide and is secured with a lock and key to preclude all improper use of the
board.
For registering the "stars" I construct a metal frame supported by two hinges
and worked by a knob or handle outside of the frame, causing an arrangement of
1, 2, or 3 stars to be exhibited opposite any individual slide as may be required.
The action of exhibiting the star depresses part of the metal frame, causing a
hinged lever to act upon a sliding ratchet which moves a ratchet wheel the required
distance to register on the face of the dial the use of the "star."
Upon the return of the "star when required or at the end of the game the metal
frame is brought into its starting position by a suitable spring.
When the star is not to be registered the lever would not be connected with the
registering dial, or stars of the usual form might be substituted.