Improvements in Apparatus for Playing a Game.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Feb., 1893-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Playing a Game.
I, JOHN MILNER LESTER of 83 Manor Park Road, Harlesden, in the County
of Middlesex, Draughtsman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The game consists in producing a square or other figure made up of a number of
smaller similar figures, the smaller figures being divided so as to alternate in
colour, design, surface or the like, and the object is to so arrange the pieces as to
produce this result. The pieces by which the game is to be played are variously
arranged, but as a superficies each piece would represent three of the smaller
figures, say squares. They would however vary in thickness the division being
preferably arranged as to half the total thickness. Thus, one piece would have
one square which would be used in the pattern and the rest of it would be half the
total thickness, the size of such thinner piece being equivalent to two of the squares
which in playing the game must be placed upon it. Another piece would carry
on its upper surface three of the squares to be used in playing the game, two of
one colour or other form of distinction and one of another, the portion appertaining
to two of these squares being the full thickness and the remaining one only half
the thickness. In yet another two of the squares would be presented, both of the
same colour and touching at their corner while the space between would be only
half the thickness and would have to be filled up by one of the other pieces con-
taining the requisite coloured square upon its upper face while the under face
presented the space which would be filled by the bottom portion of the first piece.
In yet another the square would occupy the angle of the piece the other two limbs
being of only half thickness. Other variations of this idea may be employed but
the foregoing will be sufficient to show how the invention may be carried into
effect.
Any suitable materials such as wood, cardboard, vulcanite, ivory metal or the
like may be used for the pieces and any desired means of giving the distinguishing
characteristic may be employed such as painting the parts in different colours,
making a different surface, providing a special ornamentation or the like.
I have described the pieces as each containing three squares but it will be under-
stood that so long as the superficies of the whole figure is correctly divided other
figures or forms of figures may be employed.
prefer to so arrange the pieces that no two pieces can occupy the same place
excepting those which are intentionally duplicates.
Dated this 24th day of May 1800
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Playing a Game.
I, JOHN MILNER LESTER of 83 Manor Park Road, Harlesden, in the County
of Middlesex, Draughtsman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :—
The game consists in producing a square or other figure made up of a number
of smaller similar figures, the smaller figures being divided so as to alternate in
colour, design, surface or the like, and the object is to so arrange the pieces as to

page_text: produce this result. The pieces by which the game is to be played are variously
arranged, but as a superficies each piece would represent three of the smaller
figures, say squares. They would however vary in thickness the division being
preferably arranged as to half the total thickness. Thus, one piece would have
one square which would be used in the pattern and the rest of it would be half the
total thickness, the size of such thinner piece being equivalent to two of the squares
which in playing the game must be placed upon it. Another piece would carry on
its upper surface three of the squares to be used in playing the game, two of one
colour or other form of distinction and one of another, the portion appertaining to
two of these squares being the full thickness and the remaining one only half the
thickness. In yet another, two of the squares would be presented, both of the
same colour and touching at their corner while the space between would be only
half the thickness and would have to be filled up by one of the other pieces con-
taining the requisite coloured square upon its upper face while the under face
presented the space which would be filled by the bottom portion of the first piece.
In yet another the square would occupy the angle of the piece the other two limbs
being of ouly half thickness. Other variations of this idea may be employed but
the foregoing will be sufficient to show how the invention may be carried into
effect.
Any suitable materials such as wood, cardboard, vulcanite, ivory, metal or the
like may be used for the pieces and any desired means of giving the distinguishing
characteristic may be employed such as painting the parts in different colours,
making a different surface, providing a special ornamentation or the like.
I have described the pieces as each containing three squares but it will be under-
stood that so long as the superficies of the whole figure is correctly divided other
figures or forms of figures may be employed.
I prefer to so arrange the pieces that no two pieces can occupy the same place
excepting those which are intentionally duplicates.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the various portions of the device shown separated
from each other, but occupying relative positions such that they may be readily
fitted together to complete a square figure such as is shown on a smaller scale in
Fig. 2; the device shown in these figures comprises 16 different parts.
Figs. 3 to 11 are various other arrangements of the pieces all shown on the same
scale as that to which Fig. 2 is drawn.
In Fig. 3 five pieces are employed and make up a rectangular figure of 12 squares.
In Fig. 4 four pieces are used and make up a square figure of nine smaller
squares.
In Fig. 5 seven pieces are used and make up a rectangular figure of fifteen
squares.
Fig. 6 is a square figure of seven pieces with 16 smaller squares.
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are different arrangements of the game worked out to form
crosses and
Figs. 10 & 11 are other arrangements worked to form rectangular figures.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The various smaller squares which would be exposed in a complete figure such
as is shown in Fig. 2 are preferably coloured or otherwise arranged so as to
present the appearance of a draught board and for convenience of description in
the accompanying drawings these squares are numbered, the direction in which
each of these numbers reads in the various figures indicating the direction in which
each of the separate pieces of the device is turned in each of the different solutions
or arrangements.
As shown in Fig. 1 each piece, which, regarded as a superficies represents three
small squares, has one or more of these squares of half the thickness of its others,
the upper or lower face of this thinner part being either flush with the upper
or lower face of the thicker parts, thus, taking for example the piece A comprising
the squares 123, 1 and 3 are of the full thickness and 2 is of the half thickness,

page_text: the upper face of being flush with that of 1 and 3. The piece B comprising
the square 10 has a projection B¹ equal to the size of two of the squares and of only
half the thickness of the square 10 so that B¹ may be placed under the square 2
and the surface of 12 and 10 will be practically continuous.
The piece C comprising only one complete square 25 is practically the reverse
of B Bi last described having a half thick projection C¹ corresponding in size to
two squares.
The piece D comprising the squares 28, 29 and 30 is of the full thickness only at
the square 29 and of the half thickness at the squares 28 & 30 which squares, in an
arrangement such as is shown in Fig. 2 fit over the half thick projection C¹.
The piece E comprises squares 21 & 22 and a half thick projection El over
which, in a solution or arrangement such as is shown in Fig. 2, the square 17 is
placed and under the half thick square 21 extends part of the projection B' before
mentioned.
The various other pieces of the device are arranged each with one or more half
thick projections either extending flush with its upper or lower face as will be
clearly seen on referring to Fig. 1.
The before described device is capable of being arranged into numerous figures
of different shape, a few examples of which are shown in Figs. 2 to 11 the thick
lines in which indicate the joints which appear on the surface between the separate
pieces employed.
The object sought to be attained playing the game is to form a complete
geometrical figure which throughout may have practically the same thickness, each
space above the projections B' C'E' or the like being filled in by a half thick
projection such as 2 21, 28 30, or 17, the pieces having to be manipulated as to the
position they occupy whether inverted or otherwise so as to fulfil these requirements.
Fig. 2 shows a square figure in which all the pieces shown in Fig. 1 are employed
and Figs. 3 to 11 various other arrangements in which only some of the pieces may
be employed.
The before described device may be modified without departing from the spirit
of the invention, for example for rendering the game or puzzle more difficult to
play or of solution, each piece may be provided with a projection of of the total
thickness so that two other projections of two other different pieces may be necessary
to make up the total thickness.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. Apparatus for playing a game such as described consisting of a number of
separate pieces each representing preferably three small squares one or more of
which are of less thickness than the others or other so as to accommodate one or
more correspondingly reduced projections of other of the pieces substantially as
described.
2. Apparatus for playing a game consisting of a number of pieces each comprising
a number of squares one or more of which are of the total or complete thickness
and the others or other are of less than the total thickness substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
3. The combination of apparatus substantially as and for the purpose described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of February 1893.
JOHN MILNER LESTER,
83, Manor Park Road, Harlesden, London, N.W.
W. P. Thompson & Boult.