IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PLAYING A NEW GAME OF SKILL
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edward Boizet at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 7th October 1882;
EDWARD BOIZET at present residing in Paris (France) rue Basse du Rempart
no 66, Manufacturer "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PLAYING A NEW GAME
OF SKILL"
This Invention relates to apparatus for playing a new game of skill.
The apparatus consists in an arrangement of bent or straight rods suspended
from and pivoted on a frame which can be placed either upon a billiard table, the
floor, an ordinary table or upon the ground or any surface that has been suitably
prepared for its reception and so as to permit the game to be played in the manner
hereinafter set forth.
The apparatus is represented by way of example in the accompanying.drawings
which show a series of two or more pivoted rods against the lower part of which a
billiard or other ball A strikes in attempting to pass underneath them.
Each of the pivoted rods is bent to a right angle and carries a flag or other
emblem at the end of its upper branch or arm, and upon this flag which may be of
the national colors, is imprinted a number serving to indicate the value of each
stroke or throw of the player. The opposite end of the bent lever to the one
carrying the flag is terminated by a knob or ball of indiarubber or other material.
Before commencing to play all the branches carrying these balls are placed in a
vertical position, hanging from the upper part of the frame upon which they are
pivoted, in such a manner that a billiard or other ball impelled by any means
strikes against the balls or knobs and causes the levers thus hit to turn upon their
pivots. In this manner the upper branch, which is horizontal before the lever is
struck by the ball, bearing the number upon its flag is raised vertically and
presents to the view of the player the figure representing the value of the stroke
just played, whereas the lower. branch carrying the indiarubber ball to be aimed at,
is raised and takes a horizontal position.
Figure 1 represents a plan of the apparatus all the rods being turned down, that
is to say in their normal position. Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same,
showing several rods in the raised position after a stroke has been played.
Figure 3 is a section of the apparatus taken upon the line 1. 2 of figure 1. In
these figures the same letters of reference designate similar parts.

page_text: As seen by the annexed drawing the frame of the apparatus is mounted upon
four feet a, of which the height varies according to the dimensions of the game,
and the use which one desires to make of it, that is to say whether the game is to
be placed on a billiard table and played with billiard balls or to be played with
balls in the same manner as the ordinary game of ninepins or as a child's game.
The four feet a are united. by a frame b which carries any number of transverse
picces & parallel to each other and upon which are pivoted the bent levers. At the
point where these levers are pivoted, the transverse pieces d are furnished with
ears through which and through the lever itself passes a pin e upon which the bent
lever pivots. The lower branch of each lever in the case of an indiarubber knob
being employed is terminated by a conical part surmounted by a circular neck or
shoulder serving to keep in place the indiarubber knob g which receives the
impact of the ball. This same lower branch is prolonged above the pivot of the
bent rod or lever and forms a heel h upon which presses a spring i secured to the
transverso piece to which the said rod is pivoted.
It is understood, that I reserve to myself the right to modify the form and
arrangement to obtain the same result. Further according to the demand and for
varying the manner of working the game I reserve to myself the arrangement of
the rod as represented in principle and by way of example only in figures 4, 5, 6
and 7 which show two modifications of the lifting mechanism of this rod.
In these two modifications the rod bearing the flag or number does not form a
single piece with the hanging rod which receives tho blow of the ball.
In the modification represented in figures 4 and 5, the hanging rod when struck
causes the flag to be raised by the intervention of a spiral spring mounted in a
socket. This spring is soldered to the upper part of the socket which is conical
and carries the pivot of the flag rod. This rod thus forms a lover of which the
short arm carries a wire which is attached in the centre of a metallic cup soldered
to the base of the spiral spring. The upper conical part of the socket is open at
top as represented in figures 4 and 5 in such a manner as to permit the movement
of the wire which pulls upon the flag rod and raises the same. When the hanging
rod mis vertical and in a state of repose as represented in figure 4, the metal cup
rests at its centre upon the upper part of this rod and the spiral spring is compressed
and maintains the flag rod turned down. When on the other hand the Iranging
rod m is inclined owing to the impact of the ball as seen in figure 5, its displacement
permits the cup to descend owing to the extension of the spring which draws with
it the flag rod and forces it to rise. The rod m is freely suspended and maintained
in position by a shoulder permitting it to turn in all directions.
To replace the flag in a horizontal position by the hand, all that is required to be
done is to replace the rod m in its vertical position thus compressing the spring.
The wire or rod connecting the cup with the end of the flag rod is jointed in order
to permit sufficient play for its proper working.
Figures 6 and 7 represent another variation of the arrangement for connecting
the hanging rod m to that of the flag. In this case the hanging rod m is fixed
upon a "Cardan suspension" of which the rings 2 are themselves suspended by four
wires to the short arm of the pivoted flag rod. This rod oscillates on a pivot 3
placed upon a convenient support, whenever the rod m is displaced either in one
direction or other of the suspension rings to take an oblique position and pull upon
one of the threads sufficiently to raise the flag. Studs 4 form stop-pins for the rod
when raised or when it falls and a flat clamping spring 1 keeps the flag upright
and all that is required is to open its branches to allow the flag to fall again into
the position of repose.
The two last arrangements for raising the flag described with reference to
Figures 4 to 7 do not in any way modify the working of the game as previously
described.
The apparatus can be made of any suitable metal or material and can be more or
less ornamented as a whole or in its details according to the value it is wished to

page_text: In the example represented a lozenge like arrangement is given to the position
of the levers or rods, but I do not limit myself to this arrangement as I reserve the
right of employing any other form according to circumstances.
My Invention thus consists in apparatus for playing a new game in which balls
are projected for striking the lower ends of any number of suspended rods and
oscillating the same as described.