A NEW GAME OF SKILL AND APPARATUS FOR PLAYING THE SAME
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sarah Ann Hannen, of the Town and County of
Northampton, for the Invention of " A NEW GAME OF SKILL AND
APPARATUS FOR PLAYING THE SAME."
Sealed the 13th August 1875, and dated the 3rd May 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sarah Ann Hannen
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with her Petition,
on the 3rd May 1875.
I, SARAH ANN HANNEN, of the Town and County of Northampton,
do hereby declare the nature of my. said Invention for "A NEW
GAME OF SKILL AND APPARATUS FOR PLAYING THE SAME," to be as follows
(that is to say)
--
I will first describe the apparatus necessary for giving effect to my
Invention, and secondly, a descriptive use of the said apparatus.
I provide a target made of any desirable size and material, round or
of other suitable shape, which target may be ornamented or left plain,
such as if made on a hoop frame covered on the front with a piece of

page_text: strong painted canvas, and for.definement of size may be 4 feet in
diameter, the centre being occupied with a circular hole, say 3 inches
in diameter)more or less), and which hole I purpose fitting with a smooth
annular mouth-piece having a pocket at the back, made by preference of
network, and these holes I purpose forming and distributing in a regular
radial order around such centre hole to the number of, say twelve, cach
being fitted with an annular mouth-piece and pocket. The said mouth-
pieces I purpose colouring or painting with different colours.
The target thus prepared I purpose setting up or suspending from a
tree or other convenient means, or to sustain it from a stand that will
permit of it being raised or lowered as desired, and to present a vertical
or inclined face or front. The target being thus arranged the distance
pegs or marks are made for the players individually to stand in front of
the target, to throw or direct their respective balls in turns into the
several pockets to be registered and withdrawn for the next player..
Thus arranged, the game may proceed by (say) six knights choosing
cach a lady partner, or the game may be played singly if prefered.
A suitable number of balls are provided, which may be of india-rubber
or other suitable material, varying in colour for the better scoring of the
game as herein-after described, and which colours also afford an easy
choice for obtaining precedence from all the balls being placed into a
bag and drawn out, the lady or gentleman drawing a particular colour
(of which there may be but one) becomes entitled to precedence for
starting the game as "targetier," and if the "targetier" is able to deposit
one of his or her balls in the centre pocket it counts extra in the game,
and maintains precedence as targetier" for the next game, and each in
rotation endeavour to pocket their respective ball, but certain pockets
count reversely or forfeit a certain value in the game, which may be
registered as the game proceeds, as billards is registered, or by other
simple means for registering the game of each respective competitor or
pair of competitors. Hence the excitement of the game is to be
"targetier," and to avoid pocketing balls that forfeit, rather than gain
advantage.
''
From this description it will be understood that the game is innocent
and recreative, and may be played in a room or in a shady walk or

page_text: Skill may be capped against inexperience by increasing the distance
from the point of throwing to the target, thus equalizing the chances
for the honour of being "targetier."
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Sarah Ann Hannen in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, SARAH
ANN HANNEN, of the Town and County of Northampton, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Sarah Ann Hannen, Her special
license that I, the said Sarah Ann Hannen, my executors, admini-
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Sarah Ann
Hannen, my executors, administrators, or 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 "THE NEW RECREATIVE GAME OF TARGETIER FOR IN OR OUT DOOR
EXERCISE AND AMUSEMENT,” upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Sarah Ann Hannen, 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 Sarah Ann Hannen, 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, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :—

page_text: I provide a target made of any desirable size and material, round or
of other suitable shape, which target may be ornamented or left plain,
such as if made on a hoop frame covered on the front with a piece of
strong painted' canvis, and for definement of size may be four feet in
diameter, the centre being occupied with a circular hole, say three and
half inches diameter (more or less), and which hole I purpose fitting
with a smooth annular mouth-piece having a pocket at the back, made
by preference of network, and these holes I purpose forming and
distributing in a regular radial order around such centre hole to the
number of, say twelve, each being fitted with an annular mouth-piece
and pocket. The said mouth-pieces I purpose colouring or painting with
different colours.
.
The target thus prepared I purpose setting up or suspending from a
tree or other convenient means, or to sustain it from a stand that will
permit of its being raised or lowered as desired, and to permit a vertical
or inclined face or front. The target being thus arranged the distance
pegs or marks are made for the players to individually stand in front of
the target to throw or direct their respective balls in turns into the
several pockets (to be registered as the game progresses) and withdrawn
for the next player. Thus arranged the game may proceed by, say, six
knights choosing each a lady partner, or the game may be played singly
if preferred.
game as
cc
A suitable number of balls are provided, which may be of india-rubber
or other suitable material, varying in colour for the better scoring of the
game, as herein-after described, and which also affords an easy choice.
for obtaining precedence, from all the balls being placed into a bag and
drawn out, the lady or gentleman drawing a particular colour (of which
there may be but one) becomes entitled to precedence for starting the
targetier," and if the "targetier" is able to dispose of one of
his or her balls in the centre pocket it counts extra in the game, and
maintains precedence as targetier" for the next game, and each in
rotation endeavours to pocket their respective ball; but certain pockets
count reversely or forfeit a certain value in the game, which may be
registered as the game proceeds, as the game of billiards is registered, or
by other simple means for registering the game of each respective com-
petitor or pair of competitors, hence the excitement of the game is to
be" targetier," and to avoid pocketing balls that forfeit rather than gain
advantage.
cr

page_text: From this description it will be understood that the game is innocent
and recreative, and may be played in a room or in a shady walk or
covered retreat, which makes it particularly healthy and inviting for
outdoor amusement.
Skill may be capped against inexperience by increasing the distance
from the point of throwing to the target, thus equalizing the chances.
for the honour of being "targetier."
.
Fig. 1 represents a circular target supported on triple rods, and
surmounted with an ornamental top carrying a pennant, but which of
course is merely introduced for ornament. Between the triple supports
a net may be stretched and elevated behind to form a screen for catching
and holding the balls which should perchance miss the holes of the
target to which they have been directed during the progress of the
game, but which net screen instead of being carried up and supported
by the back standard may be attached to scroll brackets securing to and
retiring from the front standards, as shown in dotted lines, as at G.
Fig. 2 represents an edge view of the target shewing its general
inclination and the manner of supporting the lower net; and in this
view I have omitted the pennant and its scroll support. At the back of
the circular holes, as represented in the target, Figure 1, I apply netted
pockets to catch the balls that happen to enter the holes, thus bearing
evidence in favour of the player that has so pocketed his or her respective
ball. These netted pockets are well defined in this Figure, which like
Figure 1 may be assumed to be drawn to a scale of 2 inches to the foot.
The retiring bracket for sustaining the lower net, as above referred to, is
here likewise shown in dotted lines at G, as is also the rack for counting
the game, as at H.
Fig. 3 is simply a distance or stand peg, of which there may be more
than one used, as knights may be required to stand further from the
target than ladies. These pegs are placed vertically in the ground
as a too mark for the player to stand at to throw or deliver their
respective balls.

page_text: Should it be desirable to deliver the balls by mechanical means in
contradistinction to throwing them a stand may be erected at a suitable
distance in front of the target and the balls shot from a toy gun, but
to make such rest compatible I have represented a terra cotta pedestal
at Fig. 5, suitable, for ornamenting a lawn or other place, as not being
affected by exposure. This pedestal makes not only an important stand
point, but is convenient for the toy gun (Fig. 6) to rest on.
The rest A represented broken off may be raised or lowered from the
top of the pedestal (or otherwise) to suit the convenience of the player,
but which regulation may be obviated by using one, two, or more
portable steps or stages for the player to stand on to adjust height with
convenience for shooting the balls.
Fig. 7 is simply a section of the toy gun, Figure 6, which may be
formed of a tube with an internal spiral spring and a hollow projector
having lateral cars, as at B, B, for the fingers of the player to pull back
the projector to the dotted lines C, C, where it is held by a detent, which
is freed by the trigger D being pulled by a loose cord E, which giving
play to the spiral spring its expanding force sends the projector forward,
thereby shooting the ball with tolerable accurate direction, the force
of the spring being equlaized by the distance of the stand or shooting
point.
The piston or projector, shown partly in section, is drawn for the
purpose of showing the ball F, but which piston or projector I have
exhibited separately at Fig. 9.
The necessary side slots of the tubular case for the ears B, B, of the
piston to slide in define the range of motion, the said piston or projector
passes through in delivering the ball, and which balls for the game are
shown in pyramidical form at Fig. 4. But supposing it should be
preferred that the balls should be projected or delivered by means of a
common cross bow, I recommend that the arrow should be short and
that the ball (which may be of india-rubber or other soft material) may
be portably or permanently fixed to the head of the arrow by a small
hole being formed in the ball for placing it over the said head or front
part of the arrow, a flange or shoulder being formed around the arrow
for the ball to abut against, which arrangement I have shown at Fig. 8.
The arrow being short will permit the ball attached to it to enter the
pocket so as to present the shaft to the player for withdrawal.

page_text: Fig. 10 represents in front and edge view a detached marker holder,
a simple arrangement I have found to answer for holding (like a letter
rack) the six cards for the six pair of players to record the progress or
addition they respectively make in playing the game. The rack has a
hollow tube at its back with a set screw for adjusting it (by preference)
to the right-hand standard, as shown in dotted lines at Figures 1 and 2,
marked H.
Having thus described the material details for playing the game I
may state that "targetier" like many other games may be variously
arranged in its distinctive forms or conditions of play just as various
forms of games may be played with a pack of cards, therefore I will
simply restrict myself to describing one form in which this interesting
recreative game may be carried on, and to this end we will suppose that
cach pocket in the target is marked with its value of gain or loss in
counting the game, and that the annular rings around the pockets may
be of different colours, so also the balls, and that the distance of the
stand point in its relation to the target has been approved or agreed
between the players, but which stand point may vary from ten to
twelve feet when the balls are thrown from the band to the respective
holes of the target, but when delivered from the toy gun or cross bow
(either of which afford means for directing the balls) the distance of the
stand point from the target may be increased. And we will suppose for
the sake of description that the game is played in the following way,
that is to say, six knights choose each a lady partner, their joint interest
in the game being that the combined result of pockets made to score the
highest number wins the game, which may be played thus:-The balls
being placed into a bag they are drawn by the respective ladies, and the
one drawing the ball painted the same colour as the annular ring around
the centre pocket becomes "targetier," and takes precedence in the
game followed by her knight. Six balls, more or less, may be
appropriated to each player, and the partners that make the highest
score the lady becomes "targetier" for the next game, to which object
the knight will naturally exert his best skill to achieve, hence the
pleasing excitement of the game.
Notwithstanding a round game may be played by ladies and
gentlemen on their respective merits, and any advantage of skill
over the unskilled may be capped by giving points or by increasing or
decreasing the distance of the stand point. With this description it

page_text: will be readily understood how the game may be varied in detail and in
practice, as may be particularized by a handbook setting forth the rules
or approved law of the game, under its various forms arranged and
adapted for out or indoor play.
Having thus given a descriptive detail of my Invention of the royal
game of targetier, and how the same may be conveniently produced in
its material form, I wish it understood that what I claim as of my
Invention, and desire to protect under these my in part recited Letters
Patent is, the general arrangement, combination, and condition of the
several parts herein described and set forth, that is to say, an elevated
perforated target having pockets afixed to the perforations for receiving
balls thrown or otherwise delivered into the said pockets during the
playing of this game, without reference to the material or mode of
making or elevating the said target or other parts or details which may
be greatly diversified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sarah Ann Hannen, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.
SARAH ANN HANNEN. (L.S.)
Witness,
WILLIAM PARBERY HANNEN.