Improvements in and connected with Parlour or Indoor Football Games.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 20th July, 1896-Accepted, 24th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Parlour or Indoor Football
Games.
HENRY WILLIAM CARTWRIGHT 63 Princes Crescent Brighton Sussex Electric
Wireman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention consists principally of the improvements hereinafter descubed, to
enable two or more players to play the game of "Socker" or parlo football, in
accordance with, and by means of, the same rules and regulations that are laid
down for Association football games as played out doors.
A playing board made of cardboard, wood, or other suitable material is coloured
and marked to represent a football field. this board has a margin of about one inch
in width to represent the touch line and the beforementioned board is crossed
diagonally by narrow lines which form diamond shaped spaces, each space
representing one square yaid of football field. This playing board can be folded
up to any convenient size by means of hinges of leather or suitable material, and
the playing board will be of suitable size to be in proportion to the height of the
aftermentioned figures and ball by means of which the game of "Socker" or pailor
football is played.
A suitable number of small figures are used in conjunction with the before-
mentioned board, and a ball which will be presently described.
The beforementioned figures are made and shaped, or cast, to represent the
players on a football field. The beforementioned figures will be made with a
small stand, to which stand one leg of the figure is attached, and the figures are
so constructed that they stand in an upright position. Each of the beforementioned
figures has a moveable leg, and two moveable arms, joined to their bodies by a
pivot passing though the shoulders of the figure to secure the arms, and another
pivot passing through the hip of the figure to swing the moveable leg on,
the pivots will allow the aims and leg of each figure to swing easily, and to
emain hauging down by reason of the weight of the aims and leg.
Attached to the top of the moveable arms and leg of each figure is a piece of
wire, string, or other suitable material, this beforementioned wire or string will
reach from the top of the arms and leg of each figure and will be attached at the
lower end to a small flat level of suitable shape. The lever is pivoted at its
fulcrum to the stand of the figure, and the beforementioned wire, sting, or other
suitable material is attached to the tops of the arms and leg of the figures with
sufficient tension to keep the lever above the stand, to which the said lever is
pivoted. The beforementioned lover and connections to the aims and legs of the
figures, when depressed by the hnge of the player, causes the arms and legs of
the figures to inove outwards and upwards thus enabling the players to kick the
ball by means of the legs, or to throw the ball by means of the aims of the
beforementioned figures. The distance the ball is thrown or kicked depending upon
the force excited on the lever on the stand of the figures. The beforementioned
figures are made of lead, tin, or other suitable material, and are coloured to
represent rival football teams.
The beforementioned ball is of suitable size and shape, and is in proportion to
the playing board and figures before described, the ball is made of indiarubber or

page_text: other stable material; and the balls hollow and is coloured to represent a
football, inside this ball' a small shot or pellet of lead is inserted, and this shot of
pellet of lead serves to keep the ball fiom tolling too much on the board.
The beforementioned playing board, in conjunction with the beforementioned
figures and ball, is designed to enable auy number of players, not exceeding
twenty two, to play the game of "Socker" on parlor Association football in
accordance with, and by, the same rules and regulations used and observed on an
Association football field.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1895
Improvements in and connected with Parlour or Indoor Football
Games.
I, HENRY WILLIAM CARTWRIGHT, of 63 Pinces Crescent, Electric Wieman,
of Brighton, in the County of Sussex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly descubed and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention consists of the improvements hereinafter described whereby two
or more players are enabled to play the game of "Socket " or parlou football
upon a bonid in accordance with and by means of the rules and regulations that
are laid down for Association football games as played outdoors.
In order that my invention may be fully understood and ascertained 1 append
drawings in which
Fig. is a plan of a board set out according to Association rules, and with
diagonal lines.
Fig. 2 is a view of a figure according to my invention.
Fig 3 is a view of a modified form of figure.
Fig. 4 18 a view shewing the aims above the head.
In Fig. 1 the playing board is set out, this may be made of cardboard, wood,
or other suitable material, and colomed and marked to represent a football field.
It has a maigin A (of about one inch) to represent the touch line, goal posts B,
corner flags C, and centre line flags D of a football field. In addition it has u
number of diagonal lines E which crossing each other, divide the whole field into
diamond shaped spaces, and although these spaces may be of any convenient size,
they are preferably of a total area of about one square yaid. The game can be
played without the diagonal lines.
Any suitable number of figuies may be employed and these are used in conjunction
with the before mentioned board and with a proportionately small ball the latter
being preferably made of xylonite or other suitable material, coloured on its outside
to represent a football, and made hollow so as to contain a small shot or pellet of
lead, this latter serving to keep the ball from 1olling too fai on the board.
In Fig. 2 is a figure of a football player with a device for moving the right leg,
this being of the description which I prefer. G is the figure, the head g, body g',
and left leg g² being foi med integrally with a stand 93; and the whole is made of
a strong and heavy material so as to ensure rigidity and firmness when the kicking
device is operated. The night leg g' is pivoted at g' so as to be capable of being
moved freely to the position shewn in dotted lines. The two arms 9 are also
pivoted at g to the shoulders of the figure so as to be capable of being moved
freely to the position shewn in dotted lines. An am y projects horizontally from
the leg pivot g, and a similar arm g' from the aims pivot g', and a link or connecting
rod of wire or cold 90 is attached to the outer ends of each of these so na to

page_text: connect them together, and prevent one moving without the other. Formed
integrally with the arm ga is a lever g* the end of which is 80 shaped as to form a
convenient point of pressure for the thumb or finger of the operator. It will thus
be seen that when the lever g* is depressed to the position shewa in dotted lines
the right leg and the aims g will be moved to the position shewn in dotted
lines; and if this be done suddenly and with a jerk, a ball X placed in front of the
right foot will be propelled to a distance governed by the violence aud force of the
movement of the finger which depresses the lever.
In Fig 3 18 shewn a figure in which the construction of parts is precisely the
same as in Fig 2, except that the lever g* is not formed integrally with the aim 98
but is pivoted to the stand g, and the link o rod go is continued downwards until
it reaches and is joined to the free end of the lever g*. It is obvious that the
depression of the lever g* produces precisely the same results as in the Figure 2.
In this figure is also shewn a ball X resting upon the arms g of the figure, the
movement of the arms to the position shewn in dotted lines throwing the ball X
to a distance governed by the violence of the movement.
In Fig. 4 the figure is constructed as in Fig. 3 but the arms are shewn as
elevated above the head and holding the ball X in such manner that when the
depression of the lever g by means of the link g pulls down the aims to the
dotted position, the ball is thrown forward as before."
The figues employed are so shaped and coloured that they represent rival
football teams.
The hereinbefore described playing board in conjunction with the figures and
ball is designed to enable any number of players not exceeding twenty-two to
play the game of "Socker" or parlour Association football in accordance with
and by the same rules and regulations used and observed on an Association
football field.
The left leg may be caused to move instead of the right.
The game is played as follows-The player or players on each side having
decided which goal they will defend, and which coloured figures they will use,
place their figures on the part of the board to be defended by them, facing the
opposite players goal. A player then starts the ball by making his figure kick it
in any direction, either towards his opponents goal or to one of the figures on his
own side, the object of the game, being for players of both sides to work, kich, and
throw the ball until it has passed between the opponents goal posts, the side scoring
the most goals in a given time, or a given number of goals first, being the winners.
The passing, kicking, and throwing the ball, movements of figuies and the like all
being the same as laid down in the rules and regulations of the National Football
Association, this gaine and figures being invented to enable all the said rules to be
observed.
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 19
1 An indoor football game in which a number of figuies which can be caused to
kick on throw a ball, are placed upon a board, and operated substantially in the
mauner and for the purpose described.
2. For use in playing "Socker "o indoor football games, a board set out and
divided substantially as shewn and described with reference to Fig. 1.
3. For use in playing "Socker" or indoor football games, a figure, one leg and
one or both aims of which can be operated by a level, arins, and a link or links
for the purpose of kicking or throwing a ball, substantially as shewn and
described.
"
4. For use in playing "Socker oi indoor football games, the figues substantially
as shewn and described with reference to Fig. 2.
5. For use in playing "Sucker" or indoor tootball games, the figure substantially
as shewn and described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4.

page_text: 6. For use in playing "Socker" or indoor football games the combination of a
board, as hereinbefore claimed, two or more figures as hereiubefore claimed, and
a ball.
Dated this 18th day of July 1896.
HENRY WILLIAM CARTWRIGHT.