AN IMPROVED CRIBBAGE BOARD
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Barton, of No. 3, Catherine Street, Limehouse
Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Nautical Instrument Maker, for the
Invention of "AN IMPROVED CRIBBAGE BOARD."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Barton
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th November 1867.
I, THOMAS BARTON, of No. 3, Catherine Street, Limehouse Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Nautical Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED CRIBBAGE BOARD," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in forming the top of the board with five indicators
to shew the progress of the game. In the centre of the board I affix a screw
attached to a revolving plate or disc which plate or disc is marked with the
different suits corresponding with the pack of cards. At each end of the board
two screws are also attached to revolving plates or discs marked with the
numbers from 1 to 0 to mark the progress of the game of each player or sets
of players.
The object of this Invention is,-
First. To denote the "trump card," suppose "diamonds" are "trumps," the
middle screw is turned till a "diamond" on the revolving plate or disc shows
through a hole or holes cut on the face of the board.
[Price 8d.]

page_text: Secondly. To facilitate the "scoring" of the game by means of the screws
at each end of the board.
My improved cribbage board may be constructed of wood, brass, or any
other metal or material. I do not confine myself to any particular shape
or form as my Invention can be applied to any of the forms now in common
use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Barton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd May 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
BARTON, of No. 3, Catherine Street, Limehouse Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Nautical Instrument Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Thomas Barton, Her special licence that I, the said Thomas Barton,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Thomas Barton, 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 Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for *AN IMPROVED
CRIRBAGE BOARD," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Thomas Barton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly described 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 Thomas Barton, do hereby declare
the nature of the said 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 consists in forming within the top of my board or any existing
board (which I intend for card playing or other purposes of amusement).

page_text: two sets of numerical indicators and a trump card register (making in all five
indicators as I stated in my Provisional Specification), as also a register at
each end denoting the number of games scored. The register denoting the
ace in each suit or trump card turned up or cut at each dealing, and the
numerical indicators singly or combined) registering the progress of the
game which are both to be seen at one glance (i.e.), suppose "diamonds are
trumps a screw or screws (or any other mechanical appliance) is to be turned
until "diamond" on the revolving plate, or disc, or bell-shaped register
(h, h,) is shewn through a hole or holes (e, e,) cut or sunk on the face of the
board.
"
To the top of my board (a, a,) I affix by hinges a stud and spring or lock
&c., or otherwise to the bottom portion of my board (b, b,) (which will serve
for the pool, &c.,) containing in the well thereof (b, b,) a double card tray (c, c,),
the advantages of which will be stated more fully hereafter; such board may
be plain and inexpensive for ordinary purposes or exceedingly ornamental, say
in the form of a casket, &c., for the club, drawing room, or boudoir. In the
centre of the board I affix a milled edge screw (d) (or any other mechanical
appliance) attached to a revolving plate (e) bell-shaped register or disc
indicating or denoting the trump card of the suit shewn through a hole or
holes cut or sunk on the face of my board. At each end of the board two
milled edge screws (g, g.) (or any other mechanical appliance) are also attached
to revolving plates, discs, or bell-shaped indicators (h, h,) shewing on each
plate, &c. respectively the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0; but I do not
confine myself to the position of each figure or figures on such plate, &c.,
or to the quality or numbers thereon as any quantity of figures may be
disposed on each plate, &c., so as to suit any and every game of cards or other
games of amusement which are also shewn through a hole or holes (i, i,) cut
or sunk to mark the progress of the game for each player or set of players
which is shewn on the accompanying Drawing by Figs. 1 and 2. Also at
each end or any convenient part of my board I affix milled edged screws (o, o,)
(or any other mechanical appliance) which turns a plate or plates, bells or
discs, and registers the number of games played or scored by each player or
set of players through holes (p, p,) cut or sunk in the face of my board.
And also I affix on a collar (k) of the screw or other mechanical appliance)
of my trump card indicator, an independant director (1) pointing to and
denoting the last dealer by an imprint on the face thereof which will be
clamped by the said serew so to fix its direction.
To suit the prejudices of a few who may prefer keeping to the old principle

page_text: of notation (by pegs) in regard to the game of cribbage, &c., I adapt the
trump card register and a single index only at each end as shewn by Figs. 3
and 4.
I do not confine myself to any particular shape, design, material, or size of
my board as it can be made minute for travelling purposes, or of sizes fitted
for general uses, and can be constructed in any material, such as wood, papier
mache, brass, &c.
It is to be perfectly understood that my Specification and Drawings are to be
taken together as a whole so as to mutually explain each other to the full
intent and meaning of my Invention.
Having now fully described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, what I claim in connection
with my Invention is the impossibility of error (or fraud) by any of the
players on each or either side, and the facility with which such may be
prevented, and any reticence or irregularity may be at once detected and
mutual honor and confidence insured. This will be the case whether or not
either of the players may be looking after his register as to the last trump
card or numerical index or indices or director (pointing to the last dealer)
and each player will thus be at once apprised of any tampering with the game.
This result will be effected by the turning of the plate or disc, thus giving a
palpable sound either by a resonant plate or disc, or by a bell shaped index
or indices (h, h,) or trump card register (e, e,) as the case may be, by means
of a fixed spring catch as (m) slipping when any plate, bell, or disc may be
turned so to receive the spring catch, and a counter catch to prevent any
backward movement of the plates, bells, or discs into a notch or notches (n, n,)
and giving by escapement a resonant sound, each notch in the edge being
formed between the figures on each numerical plate, bell, or disc, or last
trump card register, thus forming a combined apparatus at once elegant
and useful.
Also I claim in connection with my Invention the idea of a divisional
tray (c, c.) for two packs of cards which fits into the well (b, b,) of my board
(and which is removeable), a want of which is felt by all who are acquainted
with the science of card playing (i.e.), the pack of cards which have been
played with for a series of games at cribbage is not fit for whist, or vice
versa, as the run of fortune will to a certainty be one sided in either case,
and so mar all the science of the various games, one division of the tray is
marked for and devoted to the whist pack and the other to the cribbage pack
of cards.

page_text: Further I do conscientiously affirm this to be my own Invention, nothing of
the same description having been Patented before (to the best of my knowledge)
by any other person or persons.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Barton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
THOMAS TICKELL,
4, Cromer Terrace, Grange Rd.,
Kingsland.
BARTON.
(L.S.)