An Improved Billiard Scoring Board.
Year: 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Billiard Scoring Board.
I, RODERICK NICHOLSON MONTGOMERY, of Salisbury Buildings, Bourke
Street, Melbourne, in the Colony of Victoria, 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 :-
This improved billiard scoring board has been devised for the purpose of
providing a check upon the markers as well as upon the players, so as to enable
the proprietors of billiard tables to ascertain at a glance how many games have
been played and the amount of cash taken.
I accomplish this object by so constructing the scoring board as to prevent the
pointer being moved back to the starting point either by the players or the marker
until a game has been recorded. For this purpose I provide the back or base
plate upon which said pointer is secured with a pawl arranged to engage with
the teeth in a fixed rack so that although said pawl offers no impediment to
the forward travel of said pointer, it will effectually prevent it being moved back-
wards to the starting point, after it has engaged in the first tooth of said rack until
the whole number constituting the game has been recorded and the said pointer has
travelled to the point where the said pawl is automatically reversed.
The ends of the rack are made with large recesses, into which the pawl drops
and is thereby reversed, enabling the pointer to be moved back again to the starting
place.
My improved billiard scoring board also comprises one or more gongs which is
or are arranged in such a position as to be operated by the travel of the pointer.
The striker or hammer of said gong being operated by a pawl or projection
attached to said pointer.
The numbers over which the recording pointers are arranged to slide instead of
being flush with the surface of the board, are painted or otherwise formed upon
the surface of a shallow groove or recess, the effect being that the pointers in
travelling over the numbers do not come in contact with, and therefore do not
scratch or otherwise disfigure them. I provide a slate either upon the back of
each of the doors used for covering the index dial or numbers for indicating the
total number of games registered, or else, in some place that will be covered by
said doors when they are closed. By this means, the proprietor of the table is
enabled to note the number indicated by the dial and then to lock the doors so
that it is impossible for unauthorised persons to tamper with the record on the
slate.
All that is necessary to enable the proprietor to see what amount is due to him
is to note the state of the indicator and to subtract the number previously noted
from the number registered, which will of course give him the number of games
registered since last noting the record.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a combination billiard scoring board constructed
according to my invention.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of another arrangement of billiard scoring board
constructed according to my invention.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the back of the apparatus shown in Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4, Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a similar view to Figure 3, but drawn to a larger scale, in order
better illustrate the construction of my improved billiard scoring board.
Figure 6 is a vertical transverse section on line 6-6, Figure 5..

page_text: Figure 7 is a side elevation of the upper rack of my improved billiard scoring
board.
Figure 8 is a similar view of the lower rack thereof.
Figure 9 is a vertical transverse section on line 9-9, Figure 2.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
A-A represent the upper and lower racks corresponding with the two rows
of numbers illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, whilst B-B-B-B³ (Figures 1
and 2) represent the pointers which are arranged to slide over the recording
numbers to enable the progress of the game to be marked, as will be well under-
stood, said numbers being preferably arranged in two rows, the first being from
1 to 50 and the second or lower row from 51 to 100. BB of the two pairs of
pointers being distinguished by a white spot or otherwise from the other two
pointers as in the ordinary manner. The lower pointer B₁ of the upper pair is
provided with a base plate b having an upwardly projecting pawl c which is
arranged to contact with the striker or hammer c¹ of a gong C mounted upon the
framing of the scoring board, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 5, so that as said
pointer B' reaches near the end of its travel, said pawl or projection c will contact
with and operate said hammer c¹ so as to cause the gong C to sound and thus
notify to the spectators that one game has been recorded. The projection or
pawl c is kept in its projected position by a small spring and stud cas illustrated
in Figures 3 and 5, and of course will only operate said striker or hammer so as
to cause it to sound the gong when travelling towards the finishing end of the
register, as will be well understood. A. depending pawl or catch a is suspended
on a pivot from the lower end of the base plate 6 and is arranged to engage with
the teeth or recesses a¹ in the rack A so that when once the said depending pawl
or catch has passed into engagement with the first recess it will be impossible to
replace the pointer B' at the starting point till the direction of the pawl or catch
has been reversed by dropping into the large recess a*. To ensure the hook d in
said pivotted catch or pawl moving the tooth D in the ratchet, I provide a small
spring a as illustrated in Figures 3 and 5. D represents one of the teeth of a
ratchet wheel with which a hook d formed on the said pawl a engages as the
pointer B travels along the register, said ratchet wheel being connected through
the medium of suitable gearing with one of the index fingers d' Figures 1 and 2,
which is arranged to indicate upon a dial d' the number of games registered.
The base plate of the pointer B2 of the lower row is also provided with a pawl
or projection c, spring c³, stud c³ and a depending pawl or catch a, which latter is
arranged to engage with the teeth or recesses a' in the rack A', but is not provided
with a hook d because it is not required to operate the tooth of a ratchet wheel as
in the former case, said tooth in this instance being operated by the pawl or
projection c which also serves to actuate the lower gong.
E, Figures 1 and 2, represents the piece of slate which is secured either to the
back of the door e or else is let into some part of the framing of the apparatus so
as to be covered by the door when the latter is closed. This slate serves to
enable the proprietor of the billiard table to note the number of games that have
been recorded and therefore the amount of money due to him when next he inspects
the register.
F-F, Figures 1, 2, and 6, represent the shallow grooves or recesses in which
the recording numbers are printed, painted or otherwise formed, the object of
employing said grooves for this purpose being to prevent the pointers B-B¹—B³—B'
rubbing said numbers off the board or damaging same.
G, Figures 1, 2, and 9, represents a small groove adapted to receive a small
piece of pencil, said groove being formed either in the framing of the register
which is covered over by the door e, as shown in Figure 1, or else in the lower part
of the framing of the door e beneath the slate E as in Figures 2 and 9.
Instead of an index finger d', a dial or barrel may be arranged so that its numbers
show through a slot or openings in the scoring board in a manner that will be
well understood,

page_text: From the foregoing description it will be obvious that when either of the
pointers B' or B has once been shifted forwards to allow the depending pawl or
catch a to engage in the first tooth of the first recess in the rack A or A', it will
be impossible for the marker or players to replace it at its starting point until
the whole of the game has been scored. It is moreover impossible to sound the
gong without first passing the tooth D and recording a game on the index dial for
each time the gong is sounded and spectators will know the gong should be
sounded for each fifty in billiards.
Just as the striker or hammer c¹ is made to sound the gong C, the depending
pawl or catch a engages in the tooth of the recess a¹ and it is necessary to reverse
this pawl in the large recesses a¹ and a before the gong can be sounded again
and thus records a game on the index dial for each ring of the gong in a manner
that will be well understood.
Receipts from other games, such as pool, can be recorded on my apparatus if
the marker is instructed to record a game on the receipt of every sixpence or
other definite sum, such for instance as the amount received for a single game of
billiards.
By means of the slate E, adapted to be closed in or covered by the door e, the
proprietor can keep conveniently a private record of the number of games
registered, and thus be enabled to readily calculate the amount due to him from
players or marker.
The teeth or recesses a nearest the registering dial and the slot on either side
of the ratchet tooth D (Figures 3 and 5) in the apparatus are so arranged that the
pawl or projection of B³ or depending pawl or catch a of 131 can only be made to
register one game on the dial during the time the pointer B¹ or B has been away
from the starting point, as can be readily understood. When the pointer B¹ or B'
has been to the finishing end of the board and has been moved backwards towards
the starting point to a point where the depending pawl or catch a enters the nearest
recess a¹ to the finishing end, it is impossible to replace it again at the finishing end
till it has travelled the whole distance to the starting point to allow said depending
pawl to be reversed.
During the progress of the game, the pointer B or B2 may be put back eight
or nine points in some cases, till the point of the depending pawl or catch a comes
against the end of one of the recesses in the rack A or A', as will be readily
understood by referring to Figures 3 and 5. The number of teeth or recesses in
the rack A or A' may be more or less than shown; where desired more can be
readily made or closed by inserting a small filling piece, as shown at a³ in Figure 5,
to suit the requirements of proprietors.
Where the pointers of the board are used for recording points in other games,
the first recess or tooth a is closed in this manner, as shown in said Figure 5.
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 1
claim is :-
First. In a billiard scoring board the combination with a sliding pointer (such
as B') having a pawl or projection (such as a) of a rack (such as A) fitted with
teeth or recesses (such as a¹) and having comparatively large recesses (such as a
and a) at its ends, the whole being constructed and arranged substantially as and
for the purposes herein described and explained.
Second. In a billiard scoring board the combination with a sliding pointer (such
as B) having a pawl or projection (such as c) of a gong (such as C) arranged in
the board so that said projection or pawl will operate a spring hammer or striker
(such as c¹) so as to cause said gong to sound, the whole being constructed and
arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein described and explained.
Third. in a billiard scoring board the employment of a small hinged door (such
as e) either fitted on the inside with a piece of slate (such as E, Figure 2) or else
adapted to cover a piece of slate (such as E, Figure 1) fitted upon the casing of

page_text: the apparatus, the whole being constructed and arranged substantially as and for
the purposes herein described and explained.
Fourth. In a billiard scoring board the employment of numbers painted printed
or otherwise formed within a groove or recess (such as F) over which the
recording pointers are arranged to travel without touching them, the whole being
constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purposes herein described
and explained.
Fifth. In a billiard scoring board the combination with a rack formed with
recesses (such as a¹) of a filling piece (such as a, Figure 5) adapted to be inserted
within one of said recesses, substantially as and for the purposes herein
described and explained and as illustrated in said Figure 5 of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this Twenty-sixth day of November One thousand eight hundred and
RODERICK NICHOLSON MONTGOMERY.
G. F. Redfern & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.