Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 6th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Puzzle.
ARTHUR BRANCH 3 Avenue Street Essex Road Chadwell Essex Electrical
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The game consists of a board or table of wood or other suitable material in this
1 make any convenient number of holes of different sizes I enclose this table with
sides or make it a division in a box, on it I place a number of balls of clay or other
suitable material one less in number than the holes and of such sizes that the
smallest ball will rest in but not pass through the smallest hole the next larger ball
similary will fit the next larger hole but not pass through it while the hole is of a
size to allow the smallest ball to drop through it easily the third size ball in the
same way to fit the 3rd hole but not go through while the two former balls can & so
on up to the last hole for which there is no ball but this hole is large enough to
allow any ball to pass through it.
The object of the player is by holding the box in his hand to make each & every
ball rest in its hole without losing a hall by letting it go through any hole that will
allow it to pass so that the players object is achieved when every hole except the
largest has a ball resting in it.
This must be done by manipulating the box in the bands the balls must not be
touched in any way. I prefer to make both top & bottom of box of glass so that
the board is parallel with them and placed centrally thus allowing the game to be
played from either side by getting all the balls on to that side.
Dated this 4th day of April 1895.
ARTHUR BRANCH.
A Puzzle.
I, ARTHUR BRANCH, of 3 Avenue Street, Essex Road, Chadwell, in the
County of Essex, Electrical Engineer, 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 puzzle which forms the subject of this invention consists of a board or table
of wood or other suitable material in which any convenient number of holes of
different sizes are made. I enclose this table with sides or 1 make it a division in
a box. In it I place a number of balls, of clay or other suitable material, one less
in number than the holes, and of such sizes that the smallest ball will rest in hut
not pass through the smallest hole whilst the next larger ball will rest in the next
larger hole but not pass through it the hole however being of a size to allow the
smallest ball to drop through it easily. The third size ball in the same way will
rest in the third hole but not go through, while the two former balls can go through
the said third hole, and so on up to the largest hole for which there is no ball but
which hole is large enough to allow any ball to pass through it.
The object of the player is by holding the box in his hand to make each and
every ball rest in its hole without losing a ball by letting it go through any holé

page_text: that will allow it to pass; so that the player's object is achieved when every hole
except the largest has a ball resting in it.
This must be done by manipulating the box in the hands and the balls must not
be touched in any way.
I prefer to make both top and bottom of box of glass so that the board is
parallel with them and placed centrally, thus enabling the game to be played from
either side.
Having now briefly described by invention in such manner as to define its scope
I shall proceed by the aid of the accompanying sheet of drawings to describe one
form of my invention the said form giving good results in practice.
In the said drawings
Fig. 1 is a plan section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2 and
Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.
A is a box of wood or the like and B a table consisting of a thin board of wood
or other like material placed intermediately between the upper and lower edges of
the sides of the box. At these edges the box is closed by the sheets of glass C, C¹.
b, b¹, b², b³, b, b, are the holes in the table B which serve to support, as in a socket,
balls of appropriate size and through which the balls of smaller size may pass
freely. D is a hole sufficiently large to allow any of the balls to pass through ;
and this hole is not intended for the reception of a ball, its function being merely
to make the puzzle more difficult by offering a ready passage for all the balls.
I have illustrated the balls in Fig. 2 only, where they are shown as resting on
their respective holes. It will be seen that each ball is of such a size that it will
readily pass through the hole larger in size than the appropriate one on which it
rests and that therefore the player must exercise considerable skill and take great
pains in order to prevent the balls either dropping through the orifice D or
through any of the line of holes through which the said balls can pass. .If a ball
drops through a hole there is nothing to be done but to commence the game anew
in which case all the balls may be dropped through the hole and then the box
turned over so as to get all the balls on the upper surface of the table again.
It will be understood that the form of my invention may be considerably modified
without departing from what I have laid down.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inveu-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is ;-
1. The new or improved puzzle substantially, as set forth.
2. In a puzzle the combination of a perforated table and balls adapted to rest on
the said perforations substantially in the manner set forth.
3. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the specific form of
my invention set forth with reference to Figures 1 and 2.
Dated this 4th day of January 1896.
ARTHUR BRANCH.