Improvements in and relating to Game Apparatus.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 4th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 4th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 27th Dec., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Game Apparatus.
I, SAMUEL SNYDER PETERS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing
at Middletown, in the County of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, one of the
United States of America, Merchant, 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 games, and it has for its object the construction of a game
apparatus for parlour or other use.
The invention will be hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the
claims.
In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this Specification-
Figure 1 is a perspective of my improved game apparatus ;
Figure 2, a plan thereof, and
Figure 3, a transverse section.
Reference being had to the drawings and the letters thereon, A, indicates a circular
board or table-top having an annular or circular track or way, a, inclined inward
toward the centre to cause the balls, b; used in playing the game to roll inward
toward the open wall, c, and the balls are prevented from rolling off the board by the
solid outer wall, d. The inner wall, e, is formed of suitable pins or studs, e, having
sufficient spring in them to cause the ball to rebound when it strikes them. The pins
are set apart throughout the entire circumference of the wall so that a ball can lodge
but will not pass between them 'except at the entrance to the grooves which cross the
board, at which points the pins are set apart to allow the balls to pass between them
readily and enter the grooves. The grooves are arranged in groups of three to each
group, as at, f, g, h, and the group, B, C, D, E, in pairs directly opposite each other,
and all of the grooves incline toward the centre of the board to cause the balls to
gravitate to the centre of the board. In the centre of the board is a receptacle, F,
formed by projecting pins or studs, i, to hold the balls when not in use.. This
receptacle may be provided with a cover, if desired, to secure the balls while the board
is being transported from place to place.
In playing the game for which the apparatus is designed, the grooves, f, and, h, of
each group are valued at five units, and the centre groove of each group is valued at
ten units; but to the player sitting opposite any one of the groups the centre groove of
that group is valued at twenty units, provided he can place a ball in it. The balls are
thrown or rolled around the track or way, a, in either direction, and as they gravitate
into any of the grooves count in favour of the roller, according to the designated value
of the groove:
Twelve balls, corresponding in number with the grooves on the board, are used,
and the game may be conducted as solitaire, or the players may be in pairs, seated
annesite each other at the board.

page_text: In the rolling of the twelve balls it is possible for the player to score two hundred
and forty by putting all of the balls in the centre groove of the group in front of the
player, and from this maximum number he may make many different scores with the
possibility of casting all of the balls and scoring nothing, as they may all lodge at
various points around the open inner wall, c. To make twenty in the centre groove
in front of the player, the ball must make a circuit of the track, a, and enter said
groove. The expert player will by his skill frequently dislodge a ball near the entrance
to one of the grooves and cause it to enter the space between the pius and at the same
time cause the ball played to enter the same or another groove of the same or an
adjacent group of grooves.
The board or table-top, A, may be made of ceramics, wood, metal, paper, or any
material suitable for the purpose, and may be molded, stamped, or turned, and of
various sizes, from eight inches to from four to six feet in diameter, and may be
provided with ordinary table-legs.
In playing the game, the skill of the player is brought into requisition, and the
force given to the ball is graduated so that to an expert it becomes a matter of ease
to place a ball in any desired position.
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 :-
1. A game-board or table-top having grooves crossing the board, an annular
track or way surrounding said grooves, an inner wall perforated between the grooves
and provided with passages at the entrances to the grooves to admit a ball thereto,
and an outer imperforate wall, substantially as described.
2. A game-board or table-top baving an annular track or way bounded on one
side by a solid wall, and on the other side by a wall formed of studs or pins and
provided with groups of grooves crossing the board and arranged in pairs opposito
each other and passages between the studs at the entrances to the grooves to. admit
a ball thereto, substantially as described.
3. A game-board or table-top having an annular track or way inclined inward and
hounded by a perforated and an imperforate wall on opposite sides thereof and
provided with grooves inclined from the track toward the centre of the board
and passages in the perforated wall at the entrances to the grooves, substantially as
described.
4. A game-board or table-top having an annular track or way inclined inward and
bounded on one side by a solid wall and on the other side by studs or pins with
spaces between them and provided with grooves inclined from the track toward the
centre of the board and spaces between the studs at the entrances to the grooves for
a ball to pass, substantially as described.
5. A game-board or table-top having an annular track or way bounded by a
resilient perforated wall and a solid wall on opposite sides thereof and provided with
grooves crossing the board, openings in the inner wall to admit a ball to the grooves,
and a receptacle in the centre of the board to hold the balls, substantially as
described.
6. A game-board having an annular track or way, grooves crossing the board, a
resilient inner wall perforated between the grooves and provided with passages at the
entrances to the grooves to admit a ball thereto, and an imperforate outer wall,
substantially as described.
7. A game-board having an annular track or way, grooves crossing the board, an
inner wall to said track provided with openings between the grooves in which a ball
may lodge, but through which it cannot pass, and passages for the ball at the
entrances to said grooves, and a solid outer wall, substantially as described.
8. A game-board having groups of three oppositely arranged grooves of designated
value, an annular track surrounding said grooves, a wall on the inner side of said
track formed of separate resilient studs between which a ball may lodge and having

page_text: passages for the ball at the entrances to the grooves, and a solid outer wall, substantially
as described.
Dated this 3rd day of November A.D. 1890.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.