Apparatus for Playing Games.
Year: 1890

page_text: DIBUIFICATION.
Apparatus for Playing Games.
I FREDERIK ADRIAAN ENKLAAR VAN GUERICKE of Djokjokarta in the Isle of
Java Commercial Agent and Land Proprietor do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
to be performed to be particularly
My said invention relates to improved apparatus for playing games.
When games are played according to my said invention the distribution of the
balls used therein takes place rapidly and automatically and the results may remain
open for inspection for some time after the distribution of the balls has taken place
and at the same time the possibility of fraud is eliminated.
I make use of a number of balls all of the same size and weight but of different
colours.
The different colours represent points of different values or blanks as the case
may be. The colours are of course purely conventional and in a game there might
be a gilt ball for the highest number, a silver one for the second, blue ones for the
third, red for the fourth, yellow for the fifth and so on, the blanks being white or
of a pale colour. These balls are thoroughly mixed up, distributed automatically
and caused to run in succession into suitably shaped channels or grooves in the
table of the apparatus. At the sides of the grooves or channels are numbers or
other indications corresponding to the players in the game.
have been distributed and have run into the grooves the colour of the ball opposite
When all the balls
to each number will represent the points falling to that number. The balls
allowed to remain in the grooves so long as the persons having control may consider
necessary.
may
be
In carrying out my said invention make use of the apparatus hereinafter
described with reference to the accompanying drawings of which Fig. I is a
sectional elevation and Fig. II a plan partly in section through x y of Fig. I.
In both figures the same letters refer to the same parts.
Inside the cylindrical casing A is the rotating drum B preferably with conical
sides as shown and provided with a side opening and cover plate at a.
buckets or radial projections may be used therein for ensuring the thorough mixing
Vanes
up of the balls which are inserted through a funnel b in the lid E of the apparatus.
There are holes in the periphery of the drum for permitting the egress of the
alls and a loose strap F is provided with corresponding holes. The said loose
trap F may be twisted round and fixed on the drum so that the holes in the drum
nay either be covered by the plain part of the strap F or be left open by the holes
the strap and the drum being brought opposite to cach other. The drum B is
mounted on a shaft C so that it may be rotated by the handle D. A. cam G with
detent G' limits the rotation of the drum to a single direction. Beneath the
rum is a rotating tray M mounted on a vertical shaft H and deriving motion from
he shaft C through the spur wheels Ii and the bevel wheels K K'.
the bevel wheel K are holes through which the balls may pass on their way
In the body
om the drum B to the tray M and a guard e is provided to prevent the balls
om falling over the edge of the bevel wheel K. The tray M has a conically
shed cover N turned up at the edge and provided with apertures for the passage
the balls. A suitably shaped fixture O is provided over the cover N for the
rpose of holding back any balls which may have a tendency to rotate with the
ver N and thus cause them to drop through one of the apertures. The bottom of
e tray M is inclined so that the balls may run to one place where an aperture n
provided for them to drop through. Immediately under the tray M is an annular
ate P the inner and outer edges of which are turned up and which is provided
[Prin 7

page_text: with one or more holes p through which the balls may drop into the spout R leading
to the outside of the casing A.
In the table of the apparatus is a spiral groove V which gradually deepens
towards its extreme end and is slightly wider than the diameter of the balls. The
groove is somewhat enlarged under the outlet of the spout R and is covered
with a shield T preferably of perforated metal or glass. The rest of the
is covered with a glass plate which while preventing access to the balls enables
their position in the groove to be seen.
groove
V
When using the hereinbefore described apparatus a number of balls corresponding
to the number of players in the game is put in the drum B which is first rotated a
few times to mix the balls with the holes closed by the strap F. The latter is
then shifted so as to permit the egress of the balls and on the handle D being again
gently rotated the balls drop in succession from the drum through the bevel
wheel K and then through the cover N into the tray M through which they drop
into the spout R and are led into the groove V.
The first ball dropping into the groove V will run to the end thereof and
occupy a position opposite the Figure 1 at the side of the groove. The succeeding
balls will take up positions opposite to the succeeding numbers and the points in
the game due to each number are indicated by the colour of the ball opposite
thereto as already explained.
↓
It is evident that the size of the apparatus may be varied according to the
number of players in the game and in order to hasten the distribution of the balls
the number of the holes in the component parts may be increased as desired and the
number and shape of the inclined grooves may be correspondingly varied for
instance two or more parallel spiral or straight grooves may be used or I may use
radial grooves to be filled in succession or simultaneously.
Locks or seals are provided for preventing the improper removal of the glass
cover plates.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The hereinbefore described apparatus for automatically distributing balls in
a game consisting of a table having indexed inclined grooves provided with
numbers into which balls representing by their colours the points gained are caused
to run substantially as set forth.
2. In apparatus for automatically distributing balls in a game the combination of
the perforated drum B, the perforated bevel wheel K, the perforated tray M, the
perforated annular plate P, the spout R and the indexed inclined grooves sub-
stantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and set forth.
Dated this Twelfth day of November 1890.
EDWARD TURNER WHITELOW,
70, Deansgate, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.