Year: 1886

page_text: I DAVID CLARKE of Langley Road Small Heath Birmingham in the County
Warwick Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows, that is to say:―
The object of this Invention is to extend and adapt the Game of Bagatelle to
out door and open air purposes so that it may become the means of healthy and
skillful amusement during that season of the year when it is essential for the pro-
motion and maintainence of physical health that open air exercise and amusements
should be persued in preference to those conducted in close and inconveniently
crowded rooms. I accomplish this by the construction of portable or moveable
cushions, and metallic enamelled or other cups inserted in the ground or floor of
the Bagatelle Court. My Invention consists of cushions formed of India-rubber or
other flexible substance inserted into or attached to metallic or other tubes frames
bats or lattice work, and supported upon standards or brackets with flanged
projecting feet or otherwise, with fixed or loose spikes for driving in and securing
the same to the bed or ground of the Bagatelle Court upon which the Game is to
be played. The said tubes bars frames or lattice work carrying the cushions
I attach to the standards or brackets by means of set pins or clips so that they
may be easily removed replaced or readjusted and also for giving firmness and
rigidity to the complete frame of cushions, which for the convenience of carriage
are made in sections. The cushions may be removed from place to place by with-
drawing the standards or brackets and refixing by driving the spikes with which
they are provided into the ground selected for the new Court. The whole frame
work of cushions is bound together by means of metallic segment plates laid upon
the boundry line of the Court, in which holes are provided for giving the exact
distance of the standards or brackets through these holes the spike of each standard
D037

page_text: is driven into the ground of the Court. The ball cups are made or formed of
metal and enamelled or of other suitable material, with perforations at or near the
bottom, and with one centeral spike for driving the same into the ground, and
holding the cup in position. The opening into the ground for the reception of the
cups upon a grass lawn, is made by a circular cutter made of a diameter corre-
sponding with the diameter of the cup, and is pressed into the ground by the
foot, which when removed gives a clean cut opening into which the cup is pressed.
The balls are made of wood or other material and for convenience about four
inches in diameter and may be played from the hand as in bowls or struck with a
mallet (according to the desire of the player) as in croquett. The Court is formed
or laid out, and the position of the cushions and ball cups marked by means of
marking chains having a central pin for driving into the ground and two distance
rings for holding the marker. The ring at the end of the chain gives the segment
of the circle for the cushions, and the second ring gives the circle round which the
ball cups are to be placed. The Courts can be made any width, but about eight
feet wide, will be found convenient, and will enable persons having small lawns to
avail themselves of the Invention. The length of of the court will be determined
by the skill of the players.
-
Having thus explained the nature of my Invention and in order that it may be
fully understood and readily carried out, I will now proceed to describe the
Drawings hereunto annexed. Figure 1. is a full sized side elevation of the cushion
standard, showing section of cushion and holder Figure 2 is a full sized front
elevation of the same Figure 3. is a plan of the same. Figure 4 is a full sized
plan of the ball-cup. Figure 5. is a section of the same showing centeral spike.
Figure 6 is a plan of the metallic segment plates. Figure 7. is a sectional elevation
of the same showing the holes and over-laps at the junction of each plate.
Figure 8. is a plan and elevation of the distance chain for marking out the Court.
Figure 9 is a plan of the Court, showing the position of the cushion standards and
ball cups. Figure 10. is a plan of the circular cutter for cutting out the exact
diameter for the ball cups. Figure 11. is an elevation of the same. The same
• letters refer to the same parts in each drawing. A, is the frame of the cushion
standard. B. is a section of the tube attached to the standard by means of the set
pin D. C. is the cushion attached to the tube B, by means of a slot or open joint in
the tube B, the cushion C having a projecting piece at the back for holding the same
in position D. is a set pin passing through the tube B and screwed into the
standard A. E. E. are spikes attached to standard A for passing through the
segmental metallic plates into the ground. F. is a section of the segmental plate
shown in position with the spike E passed through it. G. G are striking knobs for
driving the spikes into position. H. H. are band-holes for withdrawing the
standards when removal is necessary I. is the centre ground, pin for marking
chain. J. is a marking peg. K. is the distance ring for striking out the boundry
of the Court. L. is the distance ring for striking out the circle around which the
ball cups are to be inserted. M. M. are distance holes giving the correct centres
or distances for the cushion standards. N. N are the over-laps at the junction of
the segmental plates.
The height of the standards and cushions, is in proportion to the diameter of the
balls used in playing. These may be of such diameters as are most suited to the
game, and may vary from 3 inches to 4 inches, as the case may be. In laying
out the Court and fixing the cushions, I take the chain Figure 8. and having
inserted the centre spike I into the centre of the ground selected for the Court,
I place the marking peg J in the ring K. and describe a half circle with the point
of the same Upon the line of this half circle, the segmental metallic plates
Figure 6. are laid, with their end joints overlapping as shown at N Figure 7.
Then through the holes M. the long spike E. is driven into the ground, the smaller
spike E following at the rear of the standard. The straight portion is then joined
on to the half circle at each side in the same way. When the whole of the
brackets are driven into the ground (which can be done in two or three minute)
1

page_text: the cushions are laid upon the projecting ends of the standards and secured by
means of the set pin D. which passes through the tube into the bottom part of the
projecting standard A The position of the ball cups Figures 4, and 5, is indicated
by passing the marking peg J. through the second distance ring L and a circle
described, round this circle the ball cups are placed in the order shown in Figure 9.
The exact distance from cup to cup being one eighth of the circle. The opening
for each cup is made by pressing the circular cutter Figures 10. and 11. into the
ground by means of the foot, a clean cut the exact diameter of the cup is produced,
the earth removed, and the ball cup inserted, from 15 to 20 minutes will suffice to
lay out a court ready for play on a grass lawn.
Dated this First day of Fahr 1886

page_text: Improvements in the Construction and Application of Bagatelle
Appliances by which the Game of Bagatelle can be Played
and Pursued as an Out Door Game upon any Level Surface,
such as a Grass Lawn, Asphalt, Cement, Concrete, Wood, or
Tiled Floor or Pavement, other than upon the Ordinary
Table or Bagatelle Board.
I DAVID CLARKE of Langley Road Small Heath Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND APPLICATION OF BAGATELLE APPLIANCES
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
The object of this Invention is to extend and adapt the Game of Bagatelle to
out door, open air, and other purposes to which the ordinary Bagatelle Tables and.
Bagatelle Boards are not suitable or convenient, and so that it may become the
means of healthy and skillful amusement during that season of the year when it
is essential for the promotion and maintainance of physical health, that out door
and open air exercises and amusements should be pursued in preference to those
conducted in close and inconveniently crowded rooms. I accomplish this by the
construction of portable or moveable cushions and metallic or other cups inserted
in the ground or floor of the Bagatelle Court. My Invention consists of cushions
formed of india rubber or other flexible substance inserted into or attached to
metallic or other tubes frames bars or lattice work, and supported upon standards
or brackets with flanged projecting feet or otherwise, with screw holes or with
fixed or loose spikes for driving into the bed or ground of the Bagatelle Court
upon which the game is to be played. The said tubes, bars, frames or lattice work
carrying the cushions I attach to the standards or brackets by means of set pins.
or clips, so that they may be easily removed re-placed or re-adjusted, and also for
giving firmness and rigidity to the complete frame of cushions, which for con-
venience of carriage are made in sections. The cushions may be removed from
place to place by withdrawing the standards or by taking out the screws, and
re-fixed by driving in the screws or spikes with which they are provided into the
ground or floor selected for the new Court. The whole framework of cushions for
lawn purposes is bound together by means of metallic segmental plates laid upon
the boundry line of the Court, in these segmental plates holes are provided for
giving the exact distance of the standards or brackets. Through these holes the
spikes of each standard are driven into the ground of the Court. The ball cups
are made or formed of metal and enamelled, or of other suitable material, with
perforations at or near the bottom, and with one central spike for driving into the
ground and holding the cup in position The opening into the ground for the
reception of the ball cups on a grass lawn is made by means of a circular cutter,
made of a diameter corresponding with the diameter of the cup, and is pressed into

page_text: '
the ground by the foot, which when removed gives a clear cut opening into which
the cup is pressed. The balls are made of wood or other material and for con-
venience about four inches in diameter, and are played from the hand, as in bowls,
or they may be struck with a mallet, according to the desire of the player as in
croquett. The Court is formed or laid out, and the position of the cushions and
ball cups marked by means of a marking chain, having a central pin for driving
into the ground, and two distance rings for holding the marker. The ring at the
end of the chain gives the segment of the circle for the cushions, and the second
ring gives the circle around which the ball cups are placed. The Courts can be
made any width, but about 8 feet wide will be found convenient, and will enable
persons having small lawns to avail themselves of the invention. The length
of the Court will be determined according to the skill of the players.
Having thus explained the nature of my Invention, and in order that it may
be fully understood and readily carried out, I will now proceed to describe the
Drawings hereunto annexed. Figure 1. is a full sized elevation of the cushion
standard or bracket showing section of the cushion and holder. Figure 2 is a full
sized front elevation of the same. Figure 3. is a plan of the same. Figure 4 is a full
sized plan of the ball cup. Figure 5. is a section of the same showing the central
spike. Figure 6. is a plan of the metallic segmental plate. Figure 7. is a sectional
elevation of the same, showing the holes and overlaps at the junction of each plate:
Figure 8. is a plan and elevation of the distance chain for marking out the Court
Figure 9. is a plan of the Court showing the position of the cushion standards and
ball cups. Figure 10. is a plan of the circular cutter for cutting out the exact
diameter for the, ball cups. Figure 11. is an elevation of the same.
The same
letters refer to the same parts in each Drawing. A. is the frame of the cushion
standard. B. is a section of the tube attached to the standard by means of the
set-pin D.
C. is the cushion attached to the tube B. by means of a slot or open
joint in the tube B. The cushion having a projecting piece at the back for holding
the same in position. D. is a set-pin passing through the tube B. and screwed
into the standard A. E. E are spikes attached to the standard A for passing
through the segmental metallic plates into the ground. F is a section of the
segmental plates shown in position with the spike E passed through it. G. G. are
striking knobs for driving the spikes into position. H. H, are hand holes for
withdrawing the standards when removal is necessary. I is the center ground
pin for the marking chain J. is a marking peg. K. is the distance ring for
striking out the boundry of the Court. L. is the distance ring for striking out
the circle around which the ball cups are to be inserted M. M. are distance
holes giving the correct centres or distances for the cushion standards. N. N. are
the overlaps at the junction of the segmental plates. The height of the standards
and cushions is in proportion to the diameter of the balls used in playing. These
may be of such diameters as are most suitable to the game, and may vary from
3 inches to 4 inches as the case may be. In laying out the Court upon a lawn
and fixing the cushions, I take the chain Figure 8, and having inserted the centre
spike I. into the centre of the ground selected for the Court, I place the marking
peg J in the ring K. and describe a half circle with the point of the same upon the
line of this half circle the segmental metallic plates Figure 6. are laid, with their
end joints overlapping as shown at N. Figure 7. Then through the holes M. the
long spike E. is driven into the ground; the smaller spike E. following at the rear
of the standard. The straight portion is then joined on to the half circle at each
side in the same way, when the whole of the brackets are driven into the ground,
which can be done in a few minutes, the cushions are laid upon the projecting ends
of the brackets or standards, and secured by means of the set-pin D, which passes
through the tube or rail into the bottom part of the projecting standard A. The
position of the ball cups Figure 4 and 5. is indicated by passing the marking peg J
through the second distance ring L and a circle described round this circle, the ball
cups are placed in the order shown in Figure 9. The exact distance from the
centre of one cup to the other, being one eighth of the circle. The opening for

page_text: each cup, is made by pressing the circular cutter Figures 10 & 11 into the ground
by means of the foot, a clear and clean cut the exact diameter of the cup is
produced. The earth is then removed and the cup inserted. From 15 to 20
minutes will suffice to lay out a Court upon a lawn ready for playing If the
Court is to be a permanent one, the time in laying it out will depend upon
the nature of the material of which the ground or floor of the Court is formed.
I desire it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the particular shape,
form, configuration, or size of the cushions, boundaries or cups. It may be necessary
for practical purposes to vary their shape form, or configuration, or to increase or
diminish the size of the same.
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,
The adaptation of Bagatelle to lawn, out door, and other purposes, to which,
and for which, the ordinary Bagatelle Tables, and Bagatelle Boards are not
suitable or convenient, by means of portable or moveable cushions or boundaries
formed of india rubber or other flexible material, and metallic tubes, frames, bars,
or lattice work singly, or in combination with other material of a suitable nature,
and metallic enamelled or other cups. The balls for which are played from the band
as in bowle, or struck with a mallet as in croquett.
Dated this 11th day of March 1886.
DAVID CLARKE,