IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MARKING OR SCORING IN THE GAME OF WHIST AND OTHER GAMES OF CARDS, AND IN TABLES TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SUCH PURPOSES.
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Heginbottom Smith, of Ashton-under-
Lyne, in the County of Lancaster, Hatter, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MARKING OR SCORING IN THE GAME
OF WHIST AND OTHER GAMES OF CARDS, AND IN TABLES TO BE EMPLOYED FOR
SUCH PURPOSES.
Scaled the 17th November 1874, and dated the 21st May 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Heginbottom
Smith at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 21st May 1874.
I, Samuel HEGINBOTTOM SMITH, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the
County of Lancaster, Hatter, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MARKING OR SCORING IN
THE GAME OF WHIST AND OTHER GAMES OF CARDS, AND IN TABLES TO BE
EMPLOYED FOR SUCH PURPOSES," to be as follows:
My Invention has firstly for its object a duplex marking, so that the
person who scores may by mechanical means communicate a similar
movement at another part of the table to be seen by his partner or

page_text: adversary. For this purpose I propose to use dials situate in recesses
formed in a table, the pointers of which dials or the dials themselves
are connected together by toothed gearing capable of being put in
motion by pressing down a knob, and thus the scoring may be effected
at two sides of a table. By repeating this arrangement there will be
four dials scoring for as many persons.
The gearing may be effected by any suitable arrangements, or in place
of dials sliding pieces may be employed, and I propose to place the
connecting parts beneath the top of the table, but they may be above it
or on the sides thereof.
In some games of cards, as bezique, there are two players, in such
cases my scoring apparatus may be provided with a dial on each side of
a player, the one representing his own state of the game and the other
his adversary's, and by these means each player is not only able to
record his own score but to see whether his opponent has marked
correctly, and to have the state of the game before him.
In games in which there are "points," I form the table with a suffi-
cient number of holes in which pegs may be placed.
Instead of the gearing above described, magnets acting through the
medium of electric wires may cause the marking to take place.
By another method of duplex marking I use dials or other such
markers in a vertical position on the table, each one having a series of
numbers on each side, and thus when it is turned or in the case of
sliding apparatus moved forward, the number taken is shewn on both
sides of the marker; and by these means the scoring and the state of
the game is made known to two or more persons playing.
In constructing the table I form ledges beneath the top at each
corner, which act as stands for articles liable to be pushed off if placed
on the suface, and I also apply drawers with perforated false bottoms for
the reception of tobacco ash.
When the table is not in use for cards it may be fitted with a cover to
suit it for coneral purposes

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Samuel Heginbottom Smith in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 21st November 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SAMUEL
HEGINBOTTOM SMITH, of Ashton-under-Lyne, in the County of Lan-
caster, Hatter, send greeting.
-
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of May, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Samuel Heginbottom Smith, Her
special license, that I, the said Samuel Heginbottom Smith, my cxe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Samuel
Heginbottom Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make use, exercise, and vend, within the United King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MARKING or
SCORING IN THE GAME OF WHIST AND OTHER GAMES OF CARDS, AND IN TABles
TO BE EMPLOYED FOR SUCH PURPOSES," upon the condition, amongst others,
that I, the said Samuel Heginbottom Smith, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Samuel Heginbottom Smith, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings, (that
is to say) :-
My Invention has firstly for its object a duplex marking or scoring,
1

page_text: municate a similar movement at another part of the table to be seen by
his partner or adversary.
By another method of duplex marking I use dials or other such
markers in a vertical position on the table, each one having a series of
numbers on each side thereof, and thus when a score is taken the
number is shewn on both sides of the marker; and by these means the
number taken and the state of the game is made known to marker and
adversary.
In constructing the table for games of cards, I form ledges beneath
the top at each corner which act as stands for wine glasses and other 1
articles liable to be pushed off if placed on the surface. I also apply
drawers with perforated false bottoms for the reception of tobacco
ash.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents a table and its
mechanical appliances in plan view, so far as the first part of my In- 1
vention is concerned; Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof; Fig. 3, a plan view
with the top of the table removed; and Figs. 4 and 5, detached plan
and sectional views upon an enlarged scale, taken in the direction of
A, B, in Fig. 1.
At 1 is the top of the table in which are formed recesses 2, 3, for the 2
reception of boxes 4, 5, covered with glass 6, and carrying at their
bottoms dials 7, 8, marked with figures, which in this case are intended
for whist and are therefore arranged to score ten. Above these dials are
pointers 9, 10, to the former of which I will in the first place refer ;
it is mounted on a spindle which passes through the bottom of the box 4
and has a bearing in a bracket 11 carried by the said box; upon this
spindle is a bevil wheel 12 in gear with another 13 which is fast upon a
shaft 14 supported by bearings 15, and has at one end a knob 16 by
which the said shaft may be turned; the other end of the said shaft has
a bevil wheel 17 in gear with another 18 which is mounted upon a
spindle 19 carrying at its upper end the pointer 10 of the dial 7.
Suppose a player to be sitting at the position marked C, and it is
requisite for him to score, he turns the shaft 14 by means of the nob 16
and the pointer 9 is therefore moved to the required number on the dial
by the medium of the bevils 12, 13, while the shaft 14 being thus

page_text: caused to revolve will at the same time give motion to the bevils 17, 18,
and through them to the pointer 10, which by moving in unison with
the first-mentioned pointer 2 will indicate the score to the partner of C,
who will be setting at D. Beneath the box 4 is a detant 20 capable of
turning upon a centre carried by a bracket 21 and pressed by means
of a spring 23 towards a ratchet wheel 24; when therefore the above-
mentioned scoring takes place the ratchet wheel slips over the detant,
but subsequently retains the pointers into the positions to which they
have been moved, there being the same number of teeth in the ratchet
wheel as there are divisions on the dials. By these means it will have
been seen that the score on one side of the table has been communicated
to the other; but as the game of whist is played by four persons (as a
rule), the same apparatus as that above described has to be repeated for
the use of players sitting at the positions marked E, F. The knob for
making this scoring is shewn at 16* mounted on a shaft 14* which is
provided with bevil wheels and other parts precisely the same as
those above described, and do not therefore require a repetition of
explanation.
It will be obvious that the apparatus above described might be placed
above or on the side of the table, although such an arrangement would
not be so convenient, and that the said marking apparatus is not
necessarily attached to a permanent top of a table, but may be mounted
upon a frame, which may be placed when required for use upon any
ordinary table.
In cases of two persons only playing, as in the case of besique or other
games, then the person sitting at C may mark his own score upon the
dial 8, which will be recorded at 7 for the use of his adversary, who by
sitting at D will score for himself at the dial 7*, and make known what
he has done at the dial 8*; but in order to effect this the shaft 14*
must be provided with a knob at the dial 7* instead of 8*. In the said
game of bezique the size of the dials must be sufficient to take in
numbers up to (say one thousand), or each player may have, as is now
the case in bezique markers, two dials, one for tens and the other for
hundreds, but under that arrangement it would of course be necessary
to double all those parts above described, and in this case there might be
two shafts, dials, and their appurtenances on each side of each player,

page_text: It will be evident that instead of giving motion to the pointers they
might be stationary, and the dials made to move; Fig. 6, shews a modi-
fication of this part of my Invention. In this instance the knob 16 is
upon a shaft 14, which carries at either end a cylinder 30, projecting
into recesses 31 formed in the table, and which recesses may be covered
with glass. Upon these cylinders are consecutively marked the numbers
required for scoring, and upon the shaft being turned the required
number is exposed to both sides of the table, as above described. In
this instance there may also be a detant and ratchet wheel.
By another arrangement a band attached to rollers might carry the
figures necessary for marking, or a strip of wood or other material with
the figures marked on each end thereof may expose the required number
by being slidden forward, which arrangement is shewn at Figs. 6*, in
which the knob 16 is attached to a bar 14*, mounted in guides so as to
be capable of sliding beneath the table I, and upon this bar the numbers
required for scoring are inscribed at each end. As the knob 16 is pushed
forward corresponding numbers upon the bar are brought under aper-
tures 31 formed in the table, and may be seen by two players. Beneath
the bar is a series of teeth V shaped, and in them is a spring detant 60,
but the V. shape of the teeth allows the bar to be moved in either
direction. The apertures 31 are covered with glass 61*.
Another part of my Invention is shewn in one form at Figs. 7, 8, being
face and sectional views, the former being precisely the same in appear-
ance as the most ordinary besique marker, the two pointers for scoring
tens and hundreds being shewn at 35, 36; the pointer however in this
instance are mounted upon centres which extend through the card or
other surface 37, and are on the other side provided with a second pair
of pointers 35*, 36*, the two pairs being made fast together by rivetting
or other ordinary means.
Each side of the card or other surface 37 is provided with numerals,
as shewn at Fig. 7, excepting that on the other side of the tens of Fig. 7
hundreds are inscribed, and on the other side of the hundreds thereof
are tens. When therefore one of the pointers 35 or 36 is moved its
corresponding one, say 35*, also moves through the same space, and
the scorc is therefore marked on both sides and reads in the right

page_text: direction, so that supposing it to be placed in an upright position, by
means of a stand attached to it, as at 38, upon a table as, for instance
at the situation of the dial 8, Fig. 1 (but upon any table), and the
player sitting at C scores, then the player sitting at D may see what
has been done, the second set of numerals being before him; and in
like manner the player at D scoring upon a similar counter at the
situation of the dial 7 will shew the player at c what has been done.
Figs. 9 and 10 shew a modification of this part of my Invention.
In this instance the only difference is that the tens and hundreds
occupy distinct complete circles on the surface 37, on each side of
which the numerals are marked, and the pointers being in duplicate, as
before.
Figs. 11, 12, and 13, shew another modification. In this instance,
the upright surface 37 is formed with a circular aperture 38, within
which is placed loosely a disc 39, and on each side thereof are fixed
circular pieces 40, 41, whereby the said disc 39 is confined within the
aperture 38 and to these parts is attached a knob 40, by means of which
they may be turned.
The discs 40, 41, have each of them inscribed thereon the same
numerals, and therefore when any particular number is turned to the
arrow 42 it shews the same number on the other side. The surface 37 is
hollowed out at 38* for the reception of a spring detant 43, which
takes into notches formed in the disc 37, thereby securing the position of
the said disc after it has been moved to record a particular number.
In Drawing only one dial is shown, but when required another pre-
cisely a duplicate, excepting as regards the numerals, is added.
Another modification of this part of my Invention is shewn at
Figs. 14, 15.. In this instance a cylinder 44 is placed within a similarly
formed case 45, and aronnd this cylinder are inscribed two sets of
numerals, the one set above the other. On one side of the cylinder 44
is an opening 46, and on the other side another opening 47. When the
cylinder 44 is turned it brings consecutively the two sets of numerals.
opposite the openings 46, 47, so that an observer on each side of the
apparatus may see the score made, the same figures 10, 20, 30, &c. of
the two series being on the same vertical lines. The base 48 of the

page_text: cylinder is hollowed at 49 for the reception of a spring detant 50, which
takes into successive notches formed in the cylinder and of equal
number to the numerals, and and then their positions are maintained.
The cylinder has two projecting ribs 51, which prevent the numbered
part from rubbing against the cylinder. At 45* is a second case and
cylinder, same as that already described, but serving to mark hundreds.
The arrangements also shew two distinct series of numerals on each
side for tens and hundreds, but if the apparatus be large enough to
indicate a sufficiently high score (say one thousand), then, of course, a
single series may be used, but for some games, such as for whist, a small
series of numerals is required; the dimensions may be no greater than
that required for the tens of bazique.
The last part of my Invention, viz., the construction of the table, is
shewn at Figs. 1, 2, 3. At each corner of the table and beneath the
top thereof, I form ledges or shelves 60, each one being divided by a
partition 61, and by this arrangement each side has two shelves upon
which may be placed glasses or other articles in use. The circle 62
simply indicate round pieces of green baize or other such material, and
I make them slightly recessed. On each side of the table are adapted
drawers 63, one part of each of which is provided with a perforated
false bottom 64, and upon these pipes or cigars may be placed, the
ashes falling through perforations, and this false bottom may be
removed occasionally to clear the drawer out. By this arrangement
of table the top thereof may be kept perfectly clear of articles which
would be likely to be knocked off.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it
to be understood that I claim as secured to me under the above in part
recited Letters Patent, and for the purposes above set forth,-
Firstly. The use of mechanism applied or capable of being applied to
a table, whereby a person sitting at one part thereof is able when
scoring to communicate the same marking at another part thereof.
Secondly. The use of markers or registers having a double face, so
that a score made at one side indicates the same score on the other side
thereof.

page_text: Thirdly. The use of the table, substantially as described, having
ledges or shelves beneath the top, and drawers with perforated false
bottom, for the aforesaid purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Heginbottom Smith, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of November,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four