An Improved Game Apparatus.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 9th Sept., 1895-Accepted 19th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Game Apparatus.
I, WILLIAM BURNLEY BUST, Engineer, residing at Woodhaugh Road, in the
City of Dunedin, Provincial District of Otago, Colony of New Zealand, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
The device consists of an oblong rectangular platform, which supports-at an
elevation of a few inches-a smaller platform, which being enclosed by a fence,
forms the "sheep pen." The upper surface of the pen has a slight downward
inclination from front to rear.
A gateway in the fence on the front of the pen opens upon the apex of a trans-
verse, two-way inclined trough or roadway, along which the sheep are driven into
the pen, or past it, according to the skill exercised by the driver.
The ascending limb of the roadway approaches the gateway at an angle,
approximately seventy degrees from the perpendicular. The point of the apex is cut
away and rounded in such a manner as to give the surface a slight inclination
toward the gateway.
The
The sheep are preferably represented by marbles of different colors.
operation of the game is as follows: A marble is placed at the foot of the
ascending limb of the trough and is driven upwardly by a light blow of a
mallet in the hands of the driver or player. If the impetus be too feeble, it is
obvious that the marble will stop short of the summit and run back to the starting
point. If the impulse be too great it will be driven past the gateway of the pen
and escape beyond. In either event, the player fails to count and must give place
to another. The careful player aims to regulate the force of the blow so that the
impulse will barely suffice to carry the marble to the summit of the roadway where
it will gravitate laterally and run to the rear or lower side of the pen.
Dated this 14th day of November 1894.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97 Newgate Street, E.C., Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Game Apparatus.
I, WILLIAM BURNLEY BUST, residing at Woodhaugh Road, in the City of
Dunedin, Provincial District of Otago, Colony of New Zealand, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The game is entitled the "Sheep Pen" and consists essentially of an inclined
plane or roadway up which the sheep (represented by marbles) are driven one by
one, and assembled in an enclosed pen adjoining the summit of the roadway.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1 is a general perspective view of my improved game apparatus ;

page_text: A designates an oblong rectangular platform of suitable dimensions near one end
of which is attached a block 2, as shown in Fig. 1. The upper surface of the
block has a slight downward inclination, from front to rear, and is enclosed by a
fence 3, forming the "sheep pen." A portion of the upper front of the block is
cut away to form a support for a two-way inclined roadway or trough 4, the longer
limb of which extends upwardly from the farther end of the platform A to the
front edge of the "sheep pen.' The other limb extends downwardly from the
same point.
A portion of the inner wall of the inclined trough is removed, forming an opening
or gateway leading into the pen. The apex formed at the junction of the two
limbs of the road way is partly cut away and flattened in such a manner as to
produce a slight downward inclination toward the floor of the pen and corresponds
to the plane thereof as shown in Fig. 2.
The operation of the game will be readily understood. Several performers may
participate. Each one is supplied with a specified number of marbles or balls of a
certain color. The first player places a marble at the foot of the longer limb of
the trough where it rests against and projects partly through a wire stop 5 which is
firmly fixed in the floor of the platform A. The marble is driven up the roadway
by a gentle blow of the mallet 6. It is obvious that if the impetus thus imparted
be too feeble the marble will stop short of the summit of the roadway and return
to the starting point. If on the other hand, the impulse be too great, the marble
will be driven past the gateway of the pen. In either event the player fails to
count and must give place to another. The skilful player aims to regulate the force
of the blow so that the impulse will barely suffice to carry the marble to the summit
where it will be attracted by gravitation and descend laterally through the gateway
into the pen. The player who in turn, succeeds in driving the highest number of
sheep into the pen is the winner of the game.
The block 2 may have a cavity to contain the marbles when not in use.
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:
In a game apparatus the combination with the platform A of the herein
described elevated enclosure having an inclined upper surface; the two-way
inclined trough or roadway extending from the platform to the side of the
enclosure and having its apex laterally inclined to the plane of the enclosure,
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Dated this 9th day of September 1895.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97 Newgate Street, London, Patent Agent.