Improvements in the Construction of the Men or Pieces and Boards for Use in the Playing of Chess, Draughts, and other similar Games.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 7th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 23rd Feb., 1889
Improvements in the Construction of the Men or Pieces and Boards
for Use in the Playing of Chess, Draughts, and other similar
Games.
I JOHN EDWARD LIVSEY of 34 Octavia Street Battersea S.W. Engineer do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in making the men or pieces of a thin lamina of any suitable
material, and hinging the men or pieces at their base so that they may be folded, into
the same plane as the board. One side of the hinge is in the form of a pin or groove
which fits into a corresponding groove or pin in the board. I also obtain a mechanical
equivalent for the said hinge by attaching a series of springs to the board under
which springs a projection on the base of the men can be slid; the springs allowing
the men to be turned about their bases, and holding them in position. I also obtain
the same result by means of a ball and socket joint.

page_text: Improvements in the Construction of the Men or Pieces and Boards
for Use in the Playing of Chess, Draughts, and other similar
Games.
I, JOHN EDWARD LIVSEY of 34 Octavia Street Battersea, S.W. Engineer 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 consists in making the men or pieces of a thin lamina of any suitable
material, and hinging the men or pieces at their bases, so that they may be folded
into the same plane as the board. One side of the hinge is in the form of a pin or
groove which fits into a corresponding groove or pin in the board. I also obtain a
mechanical equivalent for the aforesaid hinge by means of a series of springs attached
to the board under which a projection on the base of the men or pieces can be slid
the springs allowing the men or pieces to be turned about their bases and also holding
them in position. I also obtain the above results by means of a ball and socket joint
and in several other ways herein after described.
In order that my invention may be more properly understood I now proceed to
describe the Figures and Diagrams upon the sheet of drawings herewith.
Fig. 1 consists of four views a, b, c, d, shewing one of the aforesaid men or pieces,
and the method of attachment to the board; which is by means of a flat pin or tongue
piece hinged to the base of the men or pieces, and entering a groove, slot, or aperture.
in the board as shewn.
In Fig. 2 are shewn three views a, b, c of an arrangement for replacing the
groove slot or aperture by means of a clip made of metal or any other suitable
material.
Fig. 3. shews three views a, b, c, in which a portion of the surface of the board (which
surface may be made of paper, canvass, leather metal or any other suitable material) is
raised and slit to serve the purpose of the clip in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 shews three views of an arrangement for attaching the men or pieces to the
board by means of a circular hole in the board and a split-ring (split longitudinally)
and hinged to the base of the men or pieces.
Fig. 5 shews three views a, b, c in which the aforesaid split-ring is replaced by a
short flat pin, and the circular hole by a vertical slit in the board into which slit
the pin fits friction tight..
In Fig. 6 three views a, b, c are shewn where the ordinary hinge is replaced by a
ball and socket joint, the ball being a part of the base of the men or pieces, and the
socket being attached to the squares of the board, is made with three or more longi-
tudinal slits in it so that the men or pieces can be removed from one socket to another
by the expenditure of a slight amount of force.
Fig. 7 shews three views a, b, c of a mechanical equivalent for the aforesaid hinge or
ball and socket joint and is obtained by means of a spring attached to the squares of
the board under which a projection on the base of the men or pieces slides, and the
men or pieces may be turned about their bases as shewn.

page_text: In Fig. 8. three views a, b, c are shewn of an arrangement whereby the board and
the base of the men or pieces are together made to perform the functions of a
hinge.
when
Fig. 9 shews three views, a, b, c of an arrangement for using the men or pieces
(made of a thin lamina or sheet of any suitable material) laid flat on the board;
the grooves, slots, or apertures aforesaid are made nearer one edge of the squares than
the other.
I propose to make the aforesaid boards of paper, canvass, leather, metal, or any other
suitable material, and of any required size. The board when made for Pocket
Chessmen is made to fold in the centre or otherwise as may be desired to render it
easily portable and compact.
Along the outer edges of the face of the board and beyond the playing squares are
grooves slots or apertures in which to place the inen or pieces removed by capture in
playing the aforesaid games.
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 stamping making or manufacturing of the aforesaid men or pieces of a
thin lamina or sheet of any suitable material, with binges at their bases or the
mechanical equivalents for the said hinges such as are herein before described.
(2) The stamping, making or manufacturing of the aforesaid boards in paper
canvass leather metal or any other suitable material with the several grooves, slots, or
apertures and other attachments as are herein before described.-