Improvements in Games Played with Mechanical Figures.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Games Played with Mechanical Figures.
ROBERT HARRIS SHAW, 2, Elvey Street, Newton Heath, Manchester, Engineer,
JOHN FLETCHER SHAW, 2, Elvey Street, Newton Heath, Manchester, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
"
Improvements in games played with mechanical figures." The object of
this invention is so to arrange and give motion to mechanical figures that a
game of football can be played automatically.
The said invention consists in mechanical figures representing any animate
object but we prefer men. A round ball of wood or metal or any suitable
material, a floor which inclines so as to cause a ball to roll in front of a
mechanical figure placed at any desired position on the said inclined floor.
The movements of the figures and the ball are affected by any suitable motive
power but we prefer an electro magnet and an armature across the end or poles
of the said magnet. To the said armature is attached a lever to which the
moving parts of the figures are connected, by suitable levers or rods preferably
placed underneath the inclined floor. One or more electric batteries are used for
generating the electric current which affects the magnet and armature. The
wires which convey the electric current are fixed under the said inclined floor
at the point where the ball rests in front of the mechanical figure, for contact-
making and contact-breaking. The said electric circuit is made and broken by
the said ball when in front of a mechanical figure by pressing down a lever or
by the current passing through the said ball.
In describing how a game of football is played we hereby illustrate how the
said invention is carried out-any number of figures can play in the game-we
set six figures at different places on the aforesaid inclined floor and in something
like opposite positions to one another and representing three playing on one side
and three on the other side. They are dressed in different colours to show the
two opposing sides, and each side is always endeavouring to make a goal.
Wherever a figure is placed on the aforesaid inclined floor the floor inclines
toward the said figure for a suitable distance around it, and inclines so that
a ball when coming within the inclined area rolls in front of the said figure
and connects the electric current, by pressing down the aforesaid lever or by
the current passing through the said ball. When the contact is made. the
armature is drawn to the magnet and pulls the aforesaid rod connected to the
aforesaid figure's leg and causes the figure's foot to kick out against the ball,
and immediately the ball moves forward the contact is broken, while the ball
rolls along the floor into another inclined area, where the ball will not rest
until it comes in front of another figure's foot and makes the electric connection
again when the same operations are repeated, continuing the game as long

page_text: as desired, when the electric current can be switched off, automatically
otherwise.
We do not bind ourselves to any number of figures playing a game.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
'Improvements in Games Played with Mechanical Figures.
We, ROBERT HARRIS SHAW and JOHN FLETCHER SHAW, both formerly of
2, Elvey Street, now of 577, Oldham Road, Newton Heath, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineers, 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:-
The object of this invention is so to arrange and give motion to mechanical
figures that a game of football, can be played automatically, on the introduction
of a coin, or its equivalent.
The invention consists principally of a suitably formed floor or ground upon
which are mounted at proper intervals and in suitable positions for playing
the game, the required number of mechanical figures, representing suitable
animate objects, men being preferred, and a round ball of wood, metal, or other
suitable material, the mechanical figures being made with movable limbs so
that they can be caused to kick the ball automatically when acted upon by
suitable means. The whole being preferably enclosed in a glass or other trans-
parent casing.
The automatic movements of the figures (and consequently of the ball) may
be effected by any suitable motive power, but we prefer to use for this purpose
an electro-magnet, and an armature extending across the ends or poles, of the
said magnet. For the sake of illustration however we have annexed hereunto
two sheets of drawings, Sheet 1 illustrating the application of an electro-magnet
as the moving power, and Sheet 2 showing also the application in lieu thereof
of a revolving shaft which may be driven either by clockwork, or other suitable
mechanical motor.
On Sheet 1 Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section and Fig. 2 a plan view
illustrating the electro-magnetic arrangement, and Fig. 3 is a detached view on
a larger scale showing more clearly the means for actuating the mechanical
figures.
On Sheet 2 of the drawings, Fig. 4 is a plan view illustrating a modification
of the electrical arrangement wherein the ball is itself employed to complete the
electric circuit and to cause the mechanical figure to kick or strike the same,
and Fig. 5 is a partial sectional elevation showing how the ball may cause the
mechanical figure to kick or strike it automatically by means of a revolving shaft
driven by clockwork or other mechanical means.
In all the figs. a represents the board or ground upon which the automatic
game is to be played, which is divided into as many triangular planes as there
are mechanical figures. Each of these planes is dished or hollowed out so that
its, lowest point is at the circle marked (see Fig. 2) and in each division
or plane is fixed a mechanical figure so placed that the movable leg or foot is
immediately behind its own particular circle b. The end planes a representing
the goals are made with a ridge and they are sloped downwards from the
centre so that if a ball is kicked behind the goal line it rolls back again by
gravity to the kicking point as represented by the arrows.

page_text: The positions of the moving figures are represented on Fig. 2 by the soles of
the feet only, and on Figs. 1 and 3 by a leg d.
The leg is rigid and attached firmly to the figure and to the floor a, and
the loose leg d is hinged thereto by a pivot at e (see Fig. 3).
To the upper leg or part is attached a pin f which is connected by a rod
or link g to a lever h forming part of the armature of the electro-magnet i
which is preferably placed underneath the dished floor a. One or more electric
batteries are used to generate the current which excites the electro-magnet and
the wires and Z which convey the electric current to actuate the figures are
fixed under the said floor a just beneath the point where the ball brests in
front of the mechanical figure.
The said electric circuit is made and broken by the said ball when it rolls
in front of one of the mechanical figures onto a disc or plate m (see Fig. 3) the
rod of which is supported by a spring m or a lever just above a contact point n
which is connected through one of the terminals to one pole of the battery, the
spring m being connected by a a wire to one pole of the electro-magnet and the
other pole of the same being connected by a wire to the other terminal in
connection with the other pole of the battery. The weight of the ball 6 rolling
onto the disc m brings the lower end of its rod into contact with the point
and thus completes the electric circuit (which was previously interrupted at that
point) and causes the electro-magnet i to attract the armature h and pull down
the rod g.
of
The upper end of this rod hangs upon the pin f fixed in the loose leg
the mechanical figure, and the movement of the armature h causes the loose
leg to swing on its pivote and thus kick the ball off and break the
electric circuit. It will be understood that wherever the ball 6 rolls after
kicking, the slope of the ground a will cause it to gravitate towards one or the
other of the discs m and the mechanical figure next to this disc will be caused
to kick it back again automatically.
Any number of figures can be arranged to play the game but on the drawing
we have shown six figures at different places on the aforesaid dished floor and
in something like opposite positions to one another, representing three playing on
one side, and three on the other side.
They are preferably dressed in different colors to show the two opposing sides
and each side is always endeavouring to make a goal.
As before stated wherever a figure is placed on the above mentioned dished
floor a the said floor inclines towards the said figure for a suitable distance around
it, and so inclined that when a ball coming within the inclined area rolls in front
of the said figure and completes the electric circuit by pressing down the disc m
thus causing the loose leg of the figure to kick forwards against the ball thus
breaking the contact while the ball rolls along the floor into another inclined
area where the ball gravitates until it falls onto the disc therein and thus causes
another figure to kick the ball back again when the same operations are repeated,
continuing the game as long as desired when the electric current can be
switched off automatically or otherwise.
In some cases instead of using the weight of the ball rolling onto a disc m
for making and breaking the electric circuit we make the ball itself of suitable
metal, and instead of the disc m mounted on a spring lever we employ a piece
of vulcanite or other insulating material 7 (see Fig. 4) provided with two metallic
contact pieces connected with the interrupted wires and so arranged that when
the metal ball rolls onto the piece of vulcanite it connects the two contact
pieces and so completes the electric circuit.
It will be understood that the game being worked by electricity is perfectly
automatic, the spectators having no control whatever over the result and the
result itself being very uncertain owing to the various directions given to the
ball, the amount of vigour of the kick given and the varying relative positions
of the toe of the figure and the ball.

page_text: It is intended that the game shall be set going by any suitable coin feed or
other equivalent apparatus, and such apparatus may be of any known or suitable
construction so arranged that upon the introduction of a coin or its equivalent
the game will play automatically for a certain time and then cease.
Instead of employing electricity as the motive power we sometimes propose to
use a revolving shaft p (see Fig. 5) which is set in motion by clockwork or other
motor. On this shaft are a series of tappets s. Whenever the ball comes into
position it rocks a bell crank lever pushing the rod g backwards and causing
the end of the spring levert to be brought within the reach of one of the
tappets s which lifts the lever t¹ expanding the spring . As the lever escapes
from the tappet, the spring * reacts pulling the rod g downwards. When the
weight of the ball is withdrawn a spring u draws the lever back again out of
reach of the tappets.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is:-
In automatic football games, the combination with a floor or ground made
with dished or inclined areas so arranged as to cause a ball placed thereon to
gravitate or roll to any desired point within such area, of automatical mechanical
figures placed at such points, which figures are put into action so as to kick the
ball (either by electric or mechanical means) by the ball itself either completing
an electric circuit, or moving a lever or its equivalent into a position to be
acted upon by moving clockwork or other mechanical motor, in the manner
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown on the drawings.
Dated this 5th day of September 1899.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
Agents for the Applicants, 4, St. Ann's Square Manchester.