Improvements in Games.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 18th Dec., 1893-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1894
4
Improvements in Games.
I, WILLIAM JOHN KEATES, of 194 Church Hill Road, Handsworth, in the
County of Stafford, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:--
"
My invention has reference to a new game to be played by two or more players
with a number of moveable pieces upon a board divided into a convenient number
of squares, between which at certain intervals "barriers or "hedges" are placed,
over which the pieces cannot move. One of the pieces I prefer to call the "fox"
or "hare
and I distinguish it from the rest of the pieces, which I prefer to call
"hounds" in any convenient manner. I make the pieces of wood, ivory, cardboard
or any other suitable material, and I form them of any suitable shape to suit
particular requirements.
"
"
The game is played in the following manner:-At the commencement, the
"hounds are placed on the first row of squares at one end of the board, and the
"fox or "hare
on some square in front of the hounds, preferably in the row
immediately in front. The "fox ΟΙ "hare
may move two squares backwards,
forwards, or at right angles, and one square in a diagonal direction. The "hounds
may move one square in any
direction.
"
21
"
"
The number of "hounds" varies with the size of the board and the number of the
"barriers or "hedges," the main object being to obtain such an equality between
the "fox ог "hare
and the hounds, that the result cannot in any way be
attributed to chance, but purely to skill.
"
"
"
It is the object of the "fox" or "hare" to get on to any one of the squares
occupied by the "hounds" that is, any square in the first row, and the object of
the "hounds
or "hare" into
"is to prevent this movement, and to force the "fox
such a position that it cannot move except on to a square that is commanded by
the "hounds" when it is considered as taken. The "fox or "hare" must cross
the double line between the third and fourth rows of squares before it can attain its
object.
"
The barriers or "hedges" I mark either by lines of greater thickness than
those enclosing the squares, or by making them of a different colour than the
squares. Or I may print or otherwise impress upon the board a representation of
the ordinary hedge, fence or railing.
Οι
Another method 1 sometimes employ is to place upon the board "barriers
"hedges" made of lead or other suitable material, of the same shape as the common.
fence or railing, provided with a spike or spikes at the bottom which fits or fit into
a hole or holes made in the board.
It will readily be seen that by this means greater variety can be obtained in the
moves, as the barriers" or hedges can be transferred to different positions at
$5
the commencement of a new game.
"
I do not limit the application of my invention to a particular number of players
or to any particular arrangement of board or pieces, or limit the number or
direction of moves, but I may modify the same to suit any particular or peculiar
requirement.
Dated this 17th day of March 1868.
www
W. J. KEATES,
194, Church Hill Road, Handsworth.

page_text: improvements cames.
I, WILLIAM JOHN KEATES, of 194 Church Hill Road, Handsworth, in the
County of Stafford, 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 :-
My invention has reference to a new game to be played by two or more players
on a board or other surface marked out into a convenient number of squares and
divisions, between which at certain intervals barriers or hedges are marked, or
placed.
In order that the invention may be more readily understood I append hereunto a
sheet of drawings to be hereinafter referred to.
The view shows a plan of a board marked out in a suitable manner for playing a
game.
I provide in addition to the board a number of movable pieces, which pieces may
be ordinary counters or of any other suitable configuration, and I construct them of
wood ivory, cardboard, or other suitable material. In playing the game these
pieces cannot move over any of the barriers or hedges.
The appended drawing shows a board suitably divided into a convenient number
of squares for playing a game according to one modification of my invention.
At the commencement of a game the hounds are placed on the first row of
squares at one end of the board on the spots A, and the fox or hare on some square
in front of the hounds preferably in the row immediately in front as shown at B.
The fox or hare may move two squares backwards, forwards or at right angles, and
one square in a diagonal direction. The hounds may move one square in any
direction.
The number of hounds varies with the size of the board and the number of the
barriers or hedges D, the main object being to obtain such an equality between the
fox or hare and the hounds, that the result cannot in any way be attributed to
chance, but purely to skill.
It is the object of the fox or hare to get on any one of the squares in the row
occupied by the hounds during the progress of the game, that is, any square in the
first row and the object of the hounds is to prevent this movement and to force the
fox or hare into such a position that it cannot move except on to a square that is
commanded by the hounds when it is considered as taken. The fox or hare must
cross the double line C between the third and fourth rows of squares before it can
attain its object.
The barriers or hedges I mark either by lines such as D of greater thickness
than those enclosing the squares, or by making them of a different colour than the
squares. Or I may print or otherwise impress upon the board a representation of
the ordinary hedge or railing.
Ι
Another method I employ is to place upon the board barriers or hedges made of
lead or other suitable material, of the same shape as the common fence or railing,
provided with a spike or spikes at the bottom, which fits or fit into a hole or holes
made in the board. It will readily be seen that by this means greater variety can
be obtained in the moves, as the barriers or hedges can be transferred to different
positions at the commencement of a new game.
In a modification of the game as hereinbefore described, I arrange the barriers
in any convenient manner, and I place the fox or hare on any one of the four
corner squares of the board, and the hounds in any three squares about the centre
of the board so that they form a triangle, the movements of the pieces being the
same as that explained in the game previously described. The fox or hare wins
the game by getting on to any one of the three squares which were occupied by the

page_text: hounds at the commencement of the game, and the hounds win the game by so
arranging themselves that the fox or hare cannot move except on to a square which
is commanded by one of the hounds.
I do not limit the application of my invention to a particular number of players
or to any particular arrangement of board or pieces, or limit the number or
direction of moves, but I may modify the same to suit any particular or peculiar
requirements.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. The arrangement of barriers or hedges upon a board of any convenient size in
such a manner that they prevent the free movement of the pieces in any continuous
direction, substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the
accompanying drawing.
2. The combination and arrangement of board and pieces for playing the games
substantially as herein before described.
Dated this 16th day of December 1893.
W. J. KEATES,
194, Church Hill Road, Handsworth.