Improvements in In-door Games.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Oct., 1891-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in In-door Games.
I WILLIAM FOORD-KELCEY of 2 Barrington Villas Shooters Hill Instructor in
Mathematics Royal Military Academy Woolwich do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
.
The object of my invention is to produce a model representation of a game of
cricket which can be played indoors by means of model figures. I make a rectangular
board which may be covered in green cloth and on this I fix a number of small
figures representing the batsman and field as they would be placed in an ordinary
cricket field. The batsman is placed in a position with his bat in front of the
wickets ready to receive the ball which is delivered from an upright arm having a
cup to hold the ball. This arm by means of a spring and crank levers concealed
from view is actuated by a person sitting at one side or end of the board who can
control the force and direction of the ball when delivered. The batsman is also in
a similar manner actuated by a system of levers by another person the bat being
raised or moved at will to strike or receive the ball which is struck to different
parts of the field. When the ball passes the bat the stumps are displaced and are
so arranged that they can be at once replaced in an upright position. The remainder
of the field are stationary on marked courts with shields behind to stop, the ball
which denotes a catch or otherwise as may be arranged. The upright arm which
delivers the ball may be fitted to the arm of a figure representing the bowler.
Dated this 22nd day of January 1891.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in In-door Games.
1, WILLIAM FOORD-KELCEY, of 2 Barrington Villas, Shooters Hill, S.E.
Instructor in Mathematics, Royal Military Academy Woolwich 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 object of my invention is to produce a model representation of a game of
cricket which can be played in-doors by means of model figures.
I make a rectangular board, which may be covered in green cloth; on this I fix
a number of small figures representing the batsman and field, as they would be placed
in an ordinary cricket field."
The batsman is placed in a position with his bat in front of the wicket ready to
receive the ball which is delivered from an upright arm having a cup to hold the
ball; this arm by means of a spring and crank levers concealed from view is actuated
by the person sitting at one side or end of the board who can control the force
and direction of the ball when delivered. The batsman is also in a similar manner
actuated by a system of levers by another person the bat being raised or moved at
will to strike or receive the ball which is struck to different parts of the field. When
the ball passes the bat the stumps are displaced and are so arranged that they can
be at once placed again in an upright position. The remainder of the field are
stationary on marked courts with shields behind to stop the ball which denotes
a catch or otherwise as may be arranged. The upright arm which delivers the
ball may be fitted to the arm of a figure representing the bowler.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a perspective view. of the board and men in position.
Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section.
Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section.
Figure 4 is a plan and
Figure 5 a side elevation shewing the mechanism for working the batsman with
the case removed.
Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section shewing the method of fixing the stumps
in position.
Figure 7 is a vertical section and Figure 8 is a plan of the bowling mechanism.
A is the batsman B the bowler and CC¹ CC³ C the fielders cach of whom
stands in a court with nets V behind them, when the ball pitches in any one of
these courts without first touching the ground, the batsman is out.
Lines XXX, YYY, and ZZZ constitute boundary lines, different numbers
of runs being scored for hitting the ball past them.
The handle D Figures 2 and 5 is fixed to the shaft E which when turned
rocks the frame F by means of the link G. The frame F is pivotted to two
standards F fixed in the board and constituting the batsman's legs. The
frame F carries an arm with three prongs H I J of which H and J are the arms of
the batsman the bat being fixed to I.
The stumps K K K Figure 6 protruding through grooves in the table are
carried by the bar L and are pressed together by the spring or springs M on
the bar L so holding them by friction in any position. The bowling arm N
Figures 7 and 8 is connected to the lever P by a wire Q. The bowling arm N
and the lever P, which are respectively pivotted at OR protrude through
holes S and T in the table. The bowling arm N is prevented from falling by
a spring U and this spring gives the necessary impetus to the ball, the pace being
regulated by the distance the lever P is drawn back.
Figure 9 is a vertical section and Figure 10 a plan of an alternative bowling
arrangement. In this case the bowling arm N and the lever P are pivotted to
a lever which is pivotted to the frame at W. By turning the lever W about its
pivot the direction of the ball can be varied:
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what I
claim is —
1. The bat pivotted at its upper end and caused to move in a vertical plane
substantially as described.
2. The bowling arm pivotted at its lower end and forced forwards by a spring
in combination with means for drawing it back substantially as described.
3. The stumps pivotted at their lower ends and held together by a spring or
springs substantially as described.
4. The fielders having nets behind them substantially as described.
5. The model cricket board substantially as described and shown in the
drawings.
Dated this 19th day of October 1891.
W. FOORD-KELCEY.