IMPROVEMENTS IN WHIST MARKERS.
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Jones, jun"., of 22, Albion Street, Hyde
Park, and Warren William De la Rue, of Bunhill Row, in the
City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHIST
MARKERS.
د,
Sealed the 21st February 1871, and dated the 17th December 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Jones and
Warren William De la Rue at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 17th December 1870.
We, HENRY JONES, Jun'., of 22, Albion Street, Hyde Park, and
WARREN WILLIAM DE LA RUE, of Bunhill Row, in the City of London,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN WHIST MARKERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in whist markers.
We employ for this purpose two cards, it may be of the ordinary size
and shape of playing cards; they lie one on the other, and are con-
nected at one end and at the centre thereof by a pivot on which the
cards can turn. On the lower card, along the end furthest from the

page_text: pivot four marks, circular by preference, are formed in a row, and the
game is marked by turning the cards so as to expose or hide these
marks. A circular slot is formed in the upper card, and a pin in the
lower card enters it to limit the distance that the cards may turn the
one on the other to that which is requisite to expose and cover the
circular or other shaped marks, as further movement would be incon-
venient. On the upper card just over the pivot three other marks are
formed; they may conveniently be broad lines or other marks easily
distinguishable from the circular or other shaped marks first men-
tioned.
A cover for these marks is pivotted to the upper card at about the
centre of the side; it can be so placed as to cover either all or but one
or two of these marks, and so it is registered, whether the game won is
single, double, or triple. A curved form is, by preference, given to the
edge of the cover card which works over the marks. A pin is fixed in:
the cover, and it enters a slot in the card beneath, and in this way the
motion of the cover is limited to the distance required.
The several nieces are cut to the forms required by means of dies
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Jones and Warren William De la Rue
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th June 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, HENRY
JONES, Junior, of 22, Albion Street, Hyde Park, and WARREN
WILLIAM DE LA RUE, of Bunhill Row, in the City of London, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto us, the said Henry Jones, junior, and Warren William
De la Rue, Her special license that we, the said Henry Jones, junior, and
Warren William De la Rue, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Henry Jones, junior, and Warren William
De la Rue, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-

page_text: after 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 Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN WHIST MARKERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Henry Jones, junior, and Warren William De
la Rue, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one
of us or them, 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 Warren William De la Rue, on
behalf of myself and the said Henry Jones, junior, 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 thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in whist markers.
We employ for this purpose two slabs of wood, ivory, or other suit-
able material; it may be of the ordinary size and shape of playing cards;
they lie one on the other, and are connected at one end and at the
centre thereof by a pivot on which the slabs can turn. On the lower
slab along the end furthest from the pivot four marks, circular by
preference, are formed in a row, and the game is marked by turning the
slabs so as to expose or hide these marks. A circular slot is formed in
the upper slab, and a pin in the lower slab enters it to limit the distance
that the slabs may turn the one on the other to that which is requisite
to expose and cover the circular or other shaped marks, as further move-
ment would be inconvenient. On the upper slab adjacent to the pivot
three other marks are formed; they may conveniently be broad lines or
other marks easily distinguishable from the circular or other shaped
marks first mentioned.
A cover for these marks is pivoted to the upper slab at about the
centre of the side; it can be so placed as to cover either all or but one
or two of these marks, and so it is registered, whether the game won is
single, double, or treble. A curved form is, by preference, given to the
edge of the cover slab which works over the marks. A pin is fixed in

page_text: Figure 1 shews a whist marker constructed according to our Invention
as it appears when closed, so that all the marks are covered; Figure 2
shews it as it appears when opened to show all the marks; Figure 3
shew's the lower slab separately.
a, a, a, a, are the four marks required to score the game; 6 is an
cyclet serving as a pivot to attach the upper slab to the lower; c is a
stud or rivet entering a slot in the upper slab to limit the motion of one
slab on the other.
Figure 4 shews the upper slab separately. d, d, d, are three marks
just over the pivot, one or more of which are uncovered when a game
is won to indicate whether it be a single, double, or treble; e is a rivet
which attaches the cover and serves as a pivot for it; fis the slot to
receive the rivet c, and g is another slot to receive a similar rivet fixed
in the cover to limit its motion.
Figure 5 shews the cover separately, and h is the rivet which entering
the slot prevents the cover moving around the pivot e further than is
convenient.
Having thus described the nature of our said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, we would have it understood that we
.claim the construction of whist markers substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Warren William De la Rue, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of June, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
WARREN WILLIAM DE LA RUE. (L.s.)