Improvements in and relating to Measuring Instruments, specially applicable in Bowls, Curling, and like Games.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 28th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 9th Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Measuring Instruments, specially
applicable in Bowls, Curling, and like Games.
I, JAMES MOIR, of 32 High Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Joiner, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improved measuring instruments specially suit-
able for use in bowls, curling, and like games.
As applied to the game of bowls, one arrangement of the instrument for
measuring the distance of playing bowls or balls which are located at a considerable
distance from the bowling green white ball or "jack" would consist of a longi-
tudinal rod or bar made in telescopic or sliding sections. These sectional parts
would preferably be made of increasing diameters or sizes so that the one may
telescope or slide within the other, and they would be extended out and fixed at any
desired distance by pinching screws, while they would be prevented from passing
out too far by a blade spring on the outer bar passing through a slot and engaging
with a notch or catch near the inner end of the other bar section. An adjustable
sliding piece with pointed end would be fitted within the bar at the one
end of the instrument and be adjusted or fixed by a thumb screw
While at the other
its pointed end may bear on the white ball or "jack."
end of instrument a similar sliding piece would be fitted to work in a tube or
casing, and be formed with rack teeth or a rubber or like surface for the teeth of a
regulating hand operated pinion to engage with same and move the piece outwards
or inwards, and be fixed at the required position where the point of sliding piece
bears against surface of bowl, by a pinching screw bearing on spindle of pinion
which works in bearings above rack. By a modified arrangement instead of these
adjustable end pieces on instrument, a crosshead would be mounted to slide on the
A curved or like
bars and be fixed in any desired position by a pinching screw.
so that
A
arm would be jointed to the end of a toothed rack, and this rack would be adjust-
ably moved by a toothed pinion within a housing on sliding crosshead, while a
pinching screw would fix the hand operated spindle of pinion in any desired position,
all so that the curved arm may be adjusted to bear on surface of bowlers ball.
similar crosshead may be mounted near the opposite end of instrument or a cross-
head fixed in one position by a pinching screw, and provided with a swivelling
curved arm to embrace or bear on surface of "jack."
For measuring short distances as when the bowlers ball comes close to the
"jack," the measuring instrument would be formed with two opening out arms
like "compasses" having their inner ends connected by a "rule" joint to projecting
lugs on a central collar. Two reverse shaped short arms would be connected at.
their one end to near the inner ends of the long free arms, preferably by entering
slots in each arm, while the other ends of these short arms would be jointed to pro-
jecting lugs formed on a central internal screwed nut. This nut would be in central
line with the collar of the large arms, and a hand operated screw spindle would be
guided through the latter and work in the screwed nut of the short arms, so as to
operate these, and by this means the large arms would be spread out or drawn in,
for their outer ends to adjustably measure the distance between any bowl at a near
distance from the "jack" and compare same with that of the others.

page_text: These instruments may be graduated with scales to
measurement.
Dated 13th April 1894
show the distances of
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
Improvements in and relating to Measuring Instruments, specially
applicable in Bowls, Curling, and like Games.
I, JAMES MOIR, of 32 High Street, Paisley, Renfrewshire, Joiner, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, in writing, that is to say :-
This invention has reference to improved measuring instruments for purposes
generally, but specially suitable for use in bowls, curling, and like games.
And in order that my said invention and the manuer of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings in which the same reference letters are
used to indicate corresponding parts in the different figures where shown.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal view, broken away and partly in section of one form
of my improved measuring instruments, and Figure 2 is a corresponding view
looking at right angles to Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal view, broken away, of a modified form of the instru-
ment, and Figure 4 an end view corresponding to the adjacent end of Figure 3.
While
.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 represent views of modified forms of another arrangement
of my improved measuring instrument.
Referring to these drawings:-As applied to the game of bowls, one arrange-
ment of the instrument for measuring the distance of playing bowls or balls which
are located at a considerable distance from the bowling green white ball or "jack"
would consist, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of a longitudinal rod or bar made in
telescopic or sliding sections. These sectional parts would preferably be made of
increasing diameters or sizes such as a, a, a, so that the one may telescope
or slide
within the other, and they would be extended out and fixed at any desired distance
by pinching screws carried on collars while they would be prevented from
passing out too far by a blade spring on the outer bar passing through a slot and
engaging by its kneed end & with a notch or catch near the inner end of the other
bar section. An adjustable sliding piece c with pointed end c¹ would be fitted
within the bar at the one end of the instrument and be adjusted or fixed by a thumb
screw c' so that its pointed end c¹ may bear on the white ball or "jack." While
at the other end of instrument a similar sliding piece d with pointed end d' would
be fitted to work in a tube or casing a, and be formed with rack teeth d or a
rubber or like surface for the teeth of a pinion d' operated by a regulating hand
spindle d to engage with same and move the piece d outwards or inwards and be
fixed at the required position, where the point d' of the sliding pieced bears
against surface of bowl, by a pinching screw bearing on spindle of pinion which
works in bearings above rack. By a modified arrangement, as shown in Figures 3
and 4, instead of these adjustable end pieces c d on instrument, a crosshead or collare
would be mounted to slide on the 'bars a, a', a³, and be fixed in any desired
position by a pinching screw el. A curved or kneed arm would be formed on
the end of a toothed rack d and have an arm e' mounted by a stop hinge on it at e
and this rack d would be adjustably moved by a toothed pinion d with hand
spindle d' within a housing et on sliding crosshead e, while a pinching screw d²

page_text: would fix the hand operated spindle of pinion in any desired position, all so
that the curved arm e² e may be adjusted to bear on surface of bowler's ball. A
similar crosshead and rack fittings may be mounted at or near the opposite end of
instrument, or preferably as shown, a crosshead e fixed in one position and provided
with a kneed end e³ and swivelling arm to embrace or bear on surface of
"jack."
For measuring short distances as when the bowler's ball comes close to the
"jack," the measuring instrument would, as shown in Figure 5 be formed with two
opening out legs or arms ff like "compasses" having their inner ends connected at f¹
by a "rule" or other joint to projecting lugs on a central collar. Two reverse
shaped short arms g, g, would be connected at their one end at g₁ to near the inner
ends of the long free arms f, preferably by transverse pins in slots in each arm f,
while the other ends of these short arms g would be jointed to projecting lugs
formed at g on a central internal screwed nut 9'. This nut g' would be in central
line with the collar of the large arms, and a hand operated screw spindle g' would
be guided through the latter and work in the screwed nut g* of the short arms g,
so as to operate these, and by this means the large arms would be spread out or
drawn in and fixed in any desired position by a pinching screw at for their outer
ends to adjustably measure the distance between any bowl at a near distance from
the "jack" and compare same with that of the others.
Figure 6 shows an arrangement of instrument very similar to Figure 5, but as
suitable for being carried in the pocket of the person for general measuring
purposes. In this construction the end parts of the legs are mounted by spring
stop hinges at ƒ on the parts and are made to fold outwards, and then double
over inwards to be received within the parts which are recessed or formed hollow,
so as to make the instrument compact and go into small space when not required.
for use.
In the arrangement shown in Figure 7, instead of using arms g, the legs fare
slightly modified in shape and formed with slots for pins h¹ in the ends of the
screwed nut or crosshead g to work in, and so spread out or draw in the legs f
according to the size of the objects being measured.
These instruments may be graduated with scales to show the distances of
measurement.
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 I
claim is :-
First. The improved measuring instruments herein described in reference to and
shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Second. The improved measuring instruments herein described in reference to
and shown in Figures 5 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.
Third. In measuring instruments the arrangement and use of reverse arms or
their equivalent and screw nut or crosshead operated by a screw threaded spindle,
for opening or closing the measuring legs or arms, substantially as set forth.
Dated the 27th December 1894.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.