Improvements in and Connected with Games of Dominoes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 22nd July, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Connected with Games of Dominoes.
I, MERRITT D. DEXTER, of Bridgeton, Cumberland County, New Jersey, United
States of America, Merchant's Manager, 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:-
My invention relates to game apparatus and contemplates the provision of a set
of dominoes by which any card game may be played, the said set consisting of
four groups or suits of thirteen dominoes each; the dominoes of each group or suit
being differently colored from those of the other groups or suits, whereby the
groups or suits are distinguished each from the other.
The invention will be fully understood from the following description and
claims when taken in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which:.
Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 are plan views of the four suits or groups comprised
in my improved set of dominoes, shown separated by dotted lines.
Referring by letter to said drawing:
A, B, C, D, designate the four groups or suits of my improved set of dominoes.
These groups or suits are similar with the exception of the color of the dots of
their respective dominoes, and therefore a description of the suit or group A'
shown in Fig. 1 will suffice for all. Said group or suit A comprises thirteen
dominoes b formed by blocks a of wood or other suitable material, and bearing on
their playing surfaces from one to thirteen, respectively, of the conventional dots c.
The three dominoes bearing eleven, twelve, and thirteen dots c are designed to
represent the Jack, Queen and King, respectively, of one suit of playing cards,
while the dominoe bearing one dot represents the Ace and the others represent
the low cards, i.e. the deuce, tray and so on up to the
"ten spot."
The colors of the dots on the dominoes comprised in the four suits or groups A,
B, C, D, are different in order to distinguish the dominoes of each group or suit
from those of the other groups. For instance the dots of group A may be green,
those of group B orange, those of group C purple, and those of group D white.
For the purpose of making this difference in the color of the dots of the several
groups plain in the drawing, the dots of each group are differently lined as will
be readily observed.
The difference in the colors of the dots clearly distinguishes each group or
suit from the others and enables two, three or more players to play, without
inconvenience or hesitancy, any game that can be played with ordinary cards;
the four suits or groups with dots of different colors representing the Diamond,
Heart, Club and Spade suits of ordinary playing cards. While this is so, it will
be observed that my improved set of dominoes bear nothing more than the con-
ventional dots and are in no way suggestive of playing cards against which there
is a strong prejudice in many localities.
It will also he observed that it is only necessary for a card player to know
that the eleven, twelve, and thirteen dot dominoes represents Jacks, Queens, and
Kings, respectively, in order to enable him to play a card game as readily with the
dominoes as with playing cards.

page_text: The set of dominoes or pieces is adapted to be used to play card games and
is also adapted to be used in whole or part to play dominoes. To this latter end
the configuration of the dots of the several suits is the same as illustrated. In
addition to these advantages, it will be observed that the dominoes are much more
durable than playing cards and will last for an indefinite length of time.
I am well aware that it is old in playing cards to dispense with picture or
court cards, i.e. Knaves, Queens, and Kings, and substitute for them, respectively,
eleven, twelve and thirteen spot cards. therefore make no claim to the same.
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 is: -
The herein described set of dominoes consisting essentially of four groups or
suits of thirteen dominoes each; the dominoes of each suit being provided on
their faces with from one to thirteen similarly colored dots, the configuration
of the dots of the several groups or suits being the same, and the colors of the dots
of the several groups or suits being different each from the other whereby said
groups or suits are distinguished, substantially as specified.
Dated this 12th day of December 1898.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, Agents.