IMPROVEMENTS IN PUZZLES AND PUZZLE CHAINS, AND IN THE APPLICATIONS THEREOF
Year: 1868

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John George Taylor at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
17th February 1868.
I, JOHN GEORGE TAYLOR, of 5, Boulevart de Strasbourg,, Paris,
France, Manufacturer; do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN PUZZLES AND PUZZLE CHAINS, AND IN THE
APPLICATIONS THEREOF," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to new games of patience, consisting of puzzles
represented in the accompanying Drawing.
The puzzle shown in Figure 1 is an improvement on that known as
the "Roman question," which consists of two wires a, a, whose ends
are turned in the form of rings nearly closed, in such manner that
the two rings can only be connected by placing them in a certain
position with regard to each other, before finding which many trials
are necessary, thus constituting a game of patience.
The improvement in the puzzle shown in Figure 1 consists in forming
rings at each end of the wires turned on opposite directions on each
wire, whereby an additional difficulty is presented, viz., that of finding
the proper ends before being able to interlock the said rings. This

page_text: double puzzle may be further varied so as to render it more or less
complicated.
The puzzle represented at Figure 2 consists of a wire a bent of the
ring form, shown at the middle and each end, as above mentioned; the
whole being then made heart-shaped. h is the ring wire, which is to
be inserted into the centre loop b.
The puzzle represented at Figure 3 consists of wire having several
loops or eyes 6, and terminating as before in two open rings, the wire
being turned of circular form, and provided with a double ring wire h,
which is to be passed round the looped ring.
Figure 4 represents the puzzle, Figure 2, but with the wire a straight
instead of being heart-shaped..
Figure 5 shows a simple looped wire, in which is to be passed the
double ring wire h.
Figure 6 shows a puzzle composed of three double ring wires h, and
three loops b, the puzzle consisting in the mode of interlocking the six
parts in the form of an isosceles triangle.
Figure 7 shows a puzzle composed of wire, both ends of which
terminate in rings as seen, and having a loop in the middle and two ring
wires h, h. The puzzle consists in introducing the ring wires h in the
two end rings, and then uniting them at their free ends. I may also
interlock the ring wires h, and so form puzzle chains applicable to
various purposes. These chains would possess great strength, and be
not liable to come apart, as in order to separate the rings or loops-
they require to be placed in certain relative positions differing one from
the other. One advantage of these chains is that they may be readily.
reduced or increased in length by adding or disconnecting one or more
of the parts h by hand, without requiring any tools for the purpose.
Figure 8 represents a puzzle, chain of this kind.
Figure 9 shows what I term a puzzle scarf pin, in which the pin i is
pointed at one end, while the other is turned in the form of a ring, in
which is to be introduced a loop wire j, similar to those above described.
Figure 10 shows a plan and elevation of a ring, the two ends of
which are slightly bent in opposite directions, so as to be only in partial
contact, by which means any number of rings may be connected
together, and thus form a kind of puzzle chain.

page_text: Figure 11 shows a plan and elevation of an oval ring of similar
arrangement. Instead of making these rings of iron wire I propose to
use hardened india-rubber or hollow metal tubing for the manufacture
of my puzzles herein described.
These puzzles and puzzle chains may also be made of other material,
such as gold, silver, copper, polished steel, glass tubes, or ceramic
material, either hollow or twisted, of round, square, octagonal, or other
section. These articles may also be made in two or more colors, either
plain or ornamental; the various parts of a puzzle or puzzle chain being
of different materials or colors if desired. I may either make the looped
or ring wires of the puzzle chains of different sizes, as shown at Figure 8,
or they may be of the same size throughout. These puzzle chains are
also applicable as watch, bag, or dog chains, and otherwise.