Improvements in and relating to Games.
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Games.
I, GEORGE HOWARD MONKS, of 399 Boylston Street, Boston, Suffolk County,
State of Massachusetts, United States of America Physician, do hereby declare
he nature of this invention, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
he following statement:-
"
My invention has reference to a new and useful game, and comprises a suitable
board provided with an enclosing wall. The surface of the board is preferably
divided into four "fields or spaces by lines marked upon the same, and within the
wo fields or spaces at either extremity of the board are depressions or pockets let
into the same, as shall presently appear.
The game partakes somewhat of the nature of pool, except that, instead of a
ball, a single disk is used which is provided on its periphery with a desired thickness
of rubber or similar material, which, when the disk is impelled against the side wall,
causes it to rebound or carom from the walls and describe certain angles, in the
same manner as would a billiard ball in striking a cushion. A suitable cue is
provided, with which the disk is driven about the board, all of which will more
fully appear hereinafter.
In the accompanying drawings, I have shown what I deem the best embodiment
of my invention, although it will be obvious that I am not limited to the precise
manner of playing shown and described, and that many games might be played
upon the board.
Figure 1 is a plan view of the board.
Figures 2 and 3 are details of the cue and disk.
Figure is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 3.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
The board a may be constructed to form the top of a suitable table or may be
separately made to be set upon any desired level support, as desired, and is made of
sufficient thickness to permit the depressions of pockets c c¹ to be formed without
necessitating an extension on the under surface of the board. The pockets are
arranged on the medium line of the board; or, in other words, an imaginary line,
extending lengthwise of the board parallel with and equidistant from the longer
sides therefrom, would pass through the pockets. The side walls, which may be
termed cushions, are formed of suitable strips, secured to the sides of the board as
shown, and projecting upwardly only high enough to prevent the escapement of the
disk e from the board. Near the end cushions on the surface of the board are.
marked two series of rows of service points, equally spaced and extending across
the end of the board from one cushion to the other, at right angles to the median
1ne of the board, each row being located between a pocket and the adjacent end of
the board. Four fields or spaces w, x, y, z, are provided, whose limits are marked
by transverse lines a', a², a², one a drawn centrally to divide the board into halves,
the other two a' a' dividing the halves, as shown, the extreme fields or spaces thus.
d.vided constituting service courts, within which are the pockets cc', preferably of
circular forin, into which the disk e is to be shot. This disk comprises a circular
piece of metal or other suitable material, centrally reduced at e¹, and having the
perforation . An annular groove is adapted to contain an endless strip of
rubber e, which is of a circumference smaller than the periphery of the disk and is
held in place by the groove and its own elasticity. A cue d is used to manipulate
the disk, and has a rounded end d² to engage the perforation in the disk, and also a
ball at the other extremity for convenience in handling. It will be obvious that,
as two persons are to play, two cues are provided. The manner of playing will
now be described.

page_text: The privilege of first play is decided in any manner, preferably with the cues,
one contestant holding both hands over and concealing the ends of the cue; the
other may guess in which hand the ball is held.
"
The game is begun by one contestant (hereinafter designated No. 1, the other
No. 2) placing the disk over the point marked 1 at his end of the board, and, with
the cue inserted in the disk, gives the same sufficient momentum to send it into the
opposite pocket provided his aim is good and his opponent has not prevented the
entrance of the disk with his cue. Should No. 1 succeed in shooting the disk into
the opposite pocket, either by a straight move or by caroming from one cushion to
the other, one point is counted for him, and the next "serve is from the same end
of the board, with the disk placed upon the point marked 2. Opponent No. 2
may, however, guard his pocket with his cue and attempt to prevent the entrance
of the disk; and, should he succeed therein, the disk becomes his, counting a
point in his favor, after which he may attempt to shoot it into No. 1's pocket,
playing from any point within the line of the service court or his end of the
board. Should he succeed, another point is scored for him when No. 1 again
serves from the point marked 1. When, however, No. 1 succeeds in scoring a
point, he again serves from point 2, and so on, the point from which he serves
denoting the number of points gained. Within the line a¹, the disk is the
property of player No. 1, and within line a³ it belongs to No. 2. For instance,
No. 1 having served from one of his service points and failed to score, No. 2
gains possession of the disk and may attempt to play into No. 1's pocket, shooting
from any point within the line a². Should he, however, be outside of his service
line (a), No. 1 may wrest the disk from him and carry it to his court or
immediately shoot it into 2's pocket.
Moreover, other rules govern the game, which it will not be necessary to fully
set forth, as the foregoing description suffices to explain the general method of
playing.
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:
•
1st. A game board, comprising a base, two pockets formed therein one near each
end of the board, said pockets being arranged on the median line of the board,
suitable walls enclosing the board, and two rows of service points extending across
the median line of the board, each row being located between one of the pockets
and the adjacent end of the board, substantially as described.
2nd. In a game of the character described, a suitable board, four spaces or fields
marked thereon, recesses or pockets within the fields at the ends of the board, a
suitable number of service points marked on the board near the ends thereof, a disk,
a cushion of rubber on the periphery thereof, a central perforation therein, and a
set of cues having rounded ends to engage the perforation of the disk, substantially
as described.
3rd. A game, comprising a board a having service points marked thereon,
pockets cc, spaces or courts w, x, y, z, disk e having reduced portion e' perforation e³
and.rubber cushion e fitting in annular groove in said disk, and cued having
rounded end d and ball d', substantially as described.
Dated this 7th day of January 1902
GEORGE HOWARD MONKS.
]
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.