Improvements in Apparatus for Use in Indicating the Number of Games Played at Billiards and the like and the Number of Players at Pool and the like.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Sept., 1887
Complete Left, 21st June, 1888
Complete Accepted, 27th July, 1888
Improvements in Apparatus for Use in Indicating the Number
of Games Played at Billiards and the like and the Number of
Players at Pool and the like.
I, JOHN GRAVES, of 1, Leigham Terrace, Plymouth, in the County of Devon
Solicitor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists in apparatus for use in indicating games played at billiards,.
pool and the like and constitutes a check upon the number of games reported as played
by the attendant ordinarily termed the marker. By its use each game is separately
indicated and the total number of games played at billiards and number of players at
pool up to the time of consulting the indicator may always be ascertained.
In the application of this invention to indicating games played at billiards, there are
attached to the back of the usual marking board at a suitable distance apart two longi-
tudinal guides upon each of which is free to slide a strip of wood or other suitable
material. To the uppermost of the said strips is secured the upper marking button
the shank of which is extended from the front through a longitudinal slot provided
therefor in the board. The lower marking button is similarly connected to the
lower strip. The strips are bevelled at one extremity and move with the marking
buttons.
At suitable positions on the back of the board are two vertical spindles each carried
at each end in a socket in which they are free to turn.
To each spindle is fixed a frame which is at the front normally held against the
board by suitable springs. Rigidly fixed at one end to and extending longitudinally
from each spindle and forming a part of the frame is a rod, the other end of which
normally rests against the board behind the lower end of an arm pivotted to a second
arn furnished at the top with a pin against which bears one end of a flat spring to
which is attached the wire from one of the poles of an electric battery. The wire
rom the other pole of the battery is attached to another flat spring situated behind
that first mentioned.
As a game progresses and the marking is proceeded with, the bevelled strips afore-
aid approach their proper spindles and passing behind them raise the frames from

page_text: contact with the board. The longitudinal rods attached to the spindles are thus made
to exert a pressure upon the pivotted arms aforesaid and by the movement of the
intermediate arm the electric circuit is completed and the index or pointer of an indi-
cator herein after more particularly referred to actuated accordingly.
On completion of a game, the marking buttons and strips are returned to the
opposite end of the board and the electric circuit broken as the stips are withdrawn
from below the frames aforesaid.
The indicator may be situated in an apartment or place apart from that in which
the games are played.
The apparatus may be adjusted to act at any stage of a game.
The index hand of the indicator is fixed upon the axis of a toothed wheel over the
top of which extends one arm of a lover which towards its outer extremity is furnished
with a tooth or notch. The other arm of the lever, which is pivotted to a suitable
bracket, extends downwards to an electro-magnet and is connected to an armaturo
situated opposite one end of the magnet. To the armature is also attached one end of a
second lever which is pivotted below the electro-magnet. The other arm of this lever
has a notch or tooth which bears against the teeth of the toothed wheel. The electro-
magnet is connected by wires to the marking apparatus and when, by the operation of
that appliance the electric current is permitted to pass into the electro-magnet of the
indicator the armature is attracted thereto and the toothed wheel is rotated to the extent
of one tooth and the index hand or pointer is moved through a corresponding space
over the graduated face of the dial. The toothed wheel is prevented by the lower
lever from rotating through a greater space than that afforded by one tooth, and a pawl
prevents it from rotating in the reverse direction.
By a spring bearing on the back of the upper lever the notch thereof is made to take
at each turn into a fresh tooth of the toothed wheel.
To obviate actuation of the indicator to indicate that a game or games has or
have been played when such is not the case, a lock is provided to prevent the strips
aforesaid from being moved.
A convenient form of lock for this purpose consists of two flat flexible arms or
springs attached at one end to a block or to the marking board and furnished at the
free ends with notches which as the arms are forced apart by turning a bolt take into
recesses formed for their reception in the sliding strips or in pieces attached
thereto.
Under a modification, the invention may be used in connection with marking
apparatus of the barrel type.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1887
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicant."

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Use in Indicating the Number
of Games Played at Billiards and the like and the Number of
Players at Pool and the like.
I, JOHN GRAVES, formerly of 1 Leigham Terrace, Plymouth, in the county of
Devon, and now of 3 Buckland Terrace, Plymouth aforesaid, solicitor, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention consists in improved apparatus for use in playing at billiards, pool
and like games, and constitutes a check upon the attendant, ordinarily termed "the
marker."
By its use each game is separately indicated and the total number of games played
at billiards and number of players at pool, up to the time of consulting the indicator,
may always be ascertained."
Attached to the back of the marking board and situated at a suitable distance apart
are arranged longitudinal guides upon each of which rest strips or tongues of wood,
or other suitable material, free to slide longitudinally. To the upper strip or tongue
is secured the upper marking button, and the lower inarking button to the lower strip
or tongue. The face of the board bears the usual numerals. Each strip or tongue is
bevelled at one extremity. Carried in brackets fixed to the hack of the board are two
spindles arranged vertically at the requisite distance apart, and to each spindle is fixed
a frame which is, at the front, normally held against the board by a spring. Rigidly.
fixed at one end to and extending from each spindle, and forming a part of the frame,
is a rod the other end of which normally rests against the board behind the lower end
of an arm pivotted upon a second arm furnished at the top with a bar against which
bears one end of a flat spring which is in contact with a wire connected to one of the
poles of an electric battery. A wire from the other pole of the battery is in contact
with a second flat spring situated behind that first mentioned.
As a game progresses and the marking is proceeded with, the bevelled strips afore-
said approach their proper spindles and passing behind them raise the frame from
contact with the board. The longitudinal rods attached to the spindles are thus made
to exert a pressure upon the pivotted arms aforesaid and, by the movement of the
intermediate arm, the electric circuit is completed and the index hand or pointer of
an indicator, hereinafter more particularly referred to, actuated accordingly.
On completion of a game, the marking buttons and strips are returned to the opposite
end of the board and the electric circuit broken as the strips are withdrawn from
below the frames aforesaid.
The indicator may be situated in an apartment or place apart from that in which the
games are played.
The apparatus may be adjusted to act at any stage of a game.
To obviate actuation of the indicator to indicate that a game or games has or have
been played when such is not the case, a lock is provided to prevent the strips
aforesaid from being moved.
A convenient form of lock for this purpose consists of two flat flexible arms or
springs attached at one end to a block or to the marking board and furnished at the
free ends with tongues which, as the arms are forced apart by turning a bolt, take

page_text: into recesses formed for their reception in the sliding strips, or in pieces attached
thereto.
The index hand of the indicator is fixed upon the axis of a toothed wheel over the
top of which extends one arm of a lever which towards its outer extremity is furnished
with a tooth. The other arm of the lever, which is pivotted to a suitable bracket,
extends downwards to an electro magnet and is connected to an armature situated
opposite one end of the magnet. To the armature is also attached one end of a second
lever which is pivotted below the electro-magnet. The other arm of this lever has a
tooth which bears against the teeth of the toothed wheel. The electro-magnet is
connected by wires to the marking apparatus and when, by the operation of that
appliance, the electric current is permitted to pass into the electro-magnet of the
indicator the armature is attracted thereto and the toothed wheel is rotated to the
extent of one tooth and the index hand or pointer is moved through a corresponding
space over the graduated face of the dial. The toothed wheel is prevented by the lower
lever from rotating through a greater space than that afforded by one tooth, and a
pawl prevents it from rotating in the reverse direction.
By a spring bearing on the back of the upper lever the tooth thereof is made to
take at each turn into a fresh notch of the toothed wheel.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings, Fig. 1 thereon
represents a view of the back of a marking board fitted in accordance with this inven-
tion. Fig. 2 represents a part side elevation and part vertical section on the line x, x
Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is drawn to a larger scale than Fig. 1.
Fixed to the board are the guides a upon which rest the strips or tongues b
bevelled at one end-which may conveniently be termed the front end. To the strip b
is secured the upper marking button or knob c, and to the strip is secured the
marking button & next below. The screws, pins or shanks by which the marking
knobs or buttons c and d are attached to the strips are passed through the
longitudinal slots e and e¹ of the board.
Carried in brackets f fixed to the board are spindles g g¹ free to turn in their bearings
in the brackets. To the spindles are fixed the frames, which are at the front end
held in contact with the back of the board by the action of the springs i i¹ connected
to and acting upon the frames.
Rigidly fixed at one end to each frame are the rods k, k¹ extending along the board
as shown. The free ends of the rods k k¹ are kept by the springs i¹ in contact with
the board immediately behind the arms m m¹ pivotted at n n upon the arms oo¹
pivotted at p p to the supports P P¹. Towards the top thereof each arm o o¹ is
furnished with a short bar N, N¹ in contact with the flat springs or flexible plates 9 2
to the upper part of which are fixed the wires connected to one of the poles of
an electric battery. Behind the springs 79' are similar springs or plates t t¹ to
which are fixed the wires s s¹ from the opposite pole of the battery.
5
1
As the action is the same in respect of either strip, it will be convenient to
describe it with reference to the upper strip 6 only. As a game progresses and the
marking is proceeded with, the bevelled end of the strip b. passes below the front bar
of the frame h and raising it from contact with the board causes the spindle g to
partially rotate in the brackets f. The rod k is thus brought into contact with the
lower end of the arm m which bearing against the stop on the inner side of it forces
the lower end of the spring or plate q into contact with the spring or plate t behind
The electric circuit is thus completed and the index hand or pointer of an
indicator to which the apparatus is electrically connected is operated to indicate that
a game has been played.
it.
On completion of a game, the marking buttons and strips are returned to the
opposite end of the board and the electric circuit is broken as the strips are withdrawn
from below the front bars of the frames h h¹ fixed to the spindles 9 g.
To obviate actuation of the indicator to indicate that a game has or games have
been played when such is not the case, a locking device is provided consisting of a
pair of flat flexible arms U U attached at one end to a block U2 or to the back of
the board. As the arms U U₁ are forced apart by the bolt U³, the tongues on the

page_text: free ends of the arms take into recesses formed for their reception in the strips b.
The lock is to be enclosed in a box and governed by a key.
At Fig. 3 is represented the mechanism of an indicator for use in connection with
the board. The index hand or pointer is fixed upon the axis of the toothed wheel v
over the top of which extends one arm of the lever, having a tooth at the outer
end. The other arm of the lever ¹, extends downwards to the electro-magnet w and
is connected to the armature c' to which is also attached one arm of the lever v³
pivotied at . The other arm of the lever v³ is furnished with a tooth which takes
into the notches of the toothed wheel v. The wires R and S connect the electro-
magnet w with the marking board, and when, by the operation of that appliance, the
electric current is permitted to pass into the electro-magnet the armature w¹ is
attracted thereto, the toothed wheel is rotated to the extent of one tooth and the
index hand or pointer is moved over the graduated face of the indicator dial
accordingly indicating the completion of a game. The action is the same when
employing the apparatus for indicating the number of players at "pool" and such
like games.
The lever prevents the toothed wheel from rotating further than one tooth at a
time and the pawl y prevents it from turning in the reverse direction.
By the spring y₁ secured to the bracket 2 and bearing against the back of the
lever the tooth at the front end thereof is made to take at each turn into a fresh
notch of the toothed wheel v.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a marking board for billiards, pool and other like games, connecting the
sliding marking knobs, buttons or pointers with the terminals of an electric battery
for the purpose of indicating the number of games played at billiards and the like,
and the number of players at pool and the like.
2. In a marking board for billiards, pool and the like, connecting the sliding
marking knobs, buttons or pointers to sliding strips or tongues such as ' which, by
passing under frames such as fixed to spindles such as g gl cause contact between
plates such as q. t and q t¹ to which are connected the wires from an electric
battery and indicator, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
3. The rods k k¹, forming part of the frames respectively, the pivotted
arms mm acted upon by the said rods, and the pivotted arins oo with short
bars N N for causing contact between the plates q, and q t¹, substantially as
described.
4. The springs normally holding the frames h h¹ down, as herein before
described.
5. The combination of parts constituting the improved marking board for
billiards, pool and the like, constructed, arranged and operating as described.
6. The mechanism for actuating the index hand or pointer of the indicator,
consisting of the toothed wheel v, and pawl y, the toothed levers u v³, electro-magnet w
and armature w¹ and the spring y', constructed, arranged and operating substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 3 of the accompanying sheet of
drawings.
6. The combination of the improved marking board and indicator for indicating
the number of games played at billiards and the like and the number of players at
pool and the like, as herein before described.
100
1
1000
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Applicant's Agent.