provements in Games Played with Balls and Oues or Strikers.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Games Played with Balls and Oues or Strikers.
I, GEORGE COLE, of 39, Warwick Lane, in the City of London, Inventor and
Game Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows
This invention relates to indoor games played with balls and cues or stikers
and in my present invention I introduce automaton billiards The aim of an
effigy or figure of a billiard player is fixed to one end of a spindle or shaft passed
through and tuning fieely in the upper part of an upright on standard mounted
so as to be capable of being independently evolved upon a support also capable
of being evolved 1ound the billiard table caving the said upright or standard
along with it for the purpose of following up the ball with the said mechanism
and to stike it mechanically in any position upon the said table as in the regular
game One method of doing this is by rigidly mounting the said support upon
one end of a slotted movable base-plate and in order that this can be made to
travel round the said table and slide in and out from underneath the said table
-the latter is securely mounted on a single round centie support or pillai which
18 passed through the slot in the said base plate or slide and firmly fixed in a
platform provided for the purpose an open coiled spring being put 1ound the
said pillar for the purpose of putting pressure upon the said slide to impart the
required firmness thereto. By this means the said slide can be evolved round
the said table carving the said mechanism therewith. To the hand of the said
arm of an effigy 18 knuckle jointed one end of a cue or strikei
A box 18 pro-
vided and secured to the said spindle or shatt and turns on same and having
its open end abutting against the said standard and containing an open coiled
spring passed 1ound a bearing in the said standard one end of which coiled sping
being secured to the said box and the other end to the said standard A slot
is made in the open end to the said box and a stop pin fixed in the said standard
to control and limit the movement of the said ain so that on actuating the said
spindle by means of pressure with the finger upon the cranked arm. furnished to the
said spindle the resistance of the said coiled sping is overcome and movement im-
parted to the said cue like unto the stroke of same in the regular game of billiards
After each stroke the re-action of the said spring carries the cue together with
the said arm back to its normal position ready for the next stroke produced by a
repetition of the said pressure By this arrangement it will be seen that a mech-
auical automatic diaw-back movement of the cue is obtained enabling the player
to put what is called screw on the ball and cause it to recede after stiiking
a ball-an important feat which my improved mechanism makes it easy to pei-
form on the smallest of miniature tables, but which is impossible by hand in the
ordinary way excepting upon a full sized table by the most skilled player
order to support the striking end of the said cue and that it can be raised to the
required height when a stroke is being made, a rest is introduced formed on the
free end of a rod and at right angles to same. This 1od running parallel to the
"
In

page_text: .6
said cue 18 pivotted at the other end to the opposite side of the said standard
to that of the said cue in such a manner that its lower or fice end can be raised
and lowered caning the said cue along with it In order to be able to strike
a ball coming between and close up to two other balls and avoid a foul" stroke
the support upon which the said standard carrying the said aim is mounted, is
constructed so as to be capable of being raised and lowered by making it in two
paits the lower part forming a socket in which the upper part is made to lide
up and down heid by a set screw at the desired altitude
In order that the ball may be reached by the cue on any part of the billard
table the last named support is also formed to as to project the requned distance
over the said table carrying the said mechanism upon it
Instead of the said standard being mounted on a sliding support revolving
round a centre support to the said table it can be mounted on a support travel-
ling 1ound the said table in a groove and made to slide in and out on unueis or
the like furnished to the said support
Instead of billiards the game of bagatelle, skittles on the like can be introduced
and the mechanism modified accordingly
Dated ……..
1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
Improvements in Games Played with Balls and Cues or Strikers.
I, GEORGE COLE, of 39, Warwick Lane, in the City of London, in the County
of Middlesex, Commission Agent & Inventor, 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.-
This invention relates to indoor games played with balls and cues or strikeis
and in my present invention I introduce automaton billiards
The aim of un
effigy or figure of a billiard player is fixed to one end of a spindle or shaft passed
through und tuining freely in the upper part of an upright on standard mounted
so as to be capable of being independently evolved upon a support also capable
of being evolved round the billiard table caying the said upright on standard
along with it for the purpose of following up the ball with the said mechanism
and to stike it mechanically in any position upon the said table as in the regula
game One method of doing this is by gidly mounting the said support upon
one end of a slotted movable base-plate and in order that this can be made to
travel round the said table and slide in and out from underneath the said table
-the latter 18 securely mounted on a single 1ound centie support or pillai which
18 passed through the slot in the said base plate or slide and firmly fixed in a
platform provided for the purpose an open coiled sping being put round the
said pillai for the purpose of putting pressure upon the said slide to impart the
required fiimuess thereto By this means the said slide can be evolved round
the said table carrying the said mechanism therewith To the hand of the said
aim of an efhgy is knuckle Jointed one end of a cue or stiker
A box is pio-
vided and secured to the said spindle or shaft and tuins with same and having
its open end abutting against the said standard and containing an open coiled
spring passed round a bearing on the said standard one end of which coiled spring
being secured to the said box and the other end to the said standard. A slot
is made in the open end to the said box and a stop pin fixed in the said standard
to control and limit the movement of the said arm so that on actuating the said
spindle by means of pressure with the finger upon the cranked aim furnished to the

page_text: said spindle the resistance of the said coiled spring 18 overcome and movement im-
paited to the said cue like unto the stroke of same in the regular game of billiards.
After each stroke the re-action of the said spring carnes the cue together with
the said aim back to its normal position ready for the next stroke produced by a
repetition of the said pressure By this mean it will be seen that a mech-
anical automatic diawback movement of the cue is obtained enabling the player
to put what 18 called "sciew on the ball and cause it to recede after stinking
another ball and the like-an important feat which my improved mechanism
makes
the smallest
peiform
of
easy
to
"
on
miniature
tables In
order to support the striking end of the said cue and that it can be raised to the
required height when a stroke is being made a rest is introduced formed on the
free end of a 1od and at ught angles to same This 1od iunning parallel to the
said cue is pivotted at the other end to the opposite side of the said standard
to that of the said cue in such a manner that its lower or free end can be raised
GI lowered carrying the said cue along with it In order to be able to sticke
a ball coming close up to another ball and avoid a foul" stroke the support-
upon which the said standard carrying the said arm is mounted- -18 constiucted
so as to be capable of being raised and lowered by making it two
parts the lower part forming a socket in which the upper part is made to slule
up and down held at the desned altitude by a set screw
.f
111
In order that the ball may be reached by the cue on any part of the billiard
table the last named support is formed so as to project the requied distance
over the said table carrying the said mechanism upon it
Instead of the said standard being mounted on a sliding support revolving
round a centie support to the said table it can be mounted on a support travel
ling round the said table in a groove or on rails and made to slide in and out
on runners or the like furnished to the said support.
And in order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into practice I will proceed to describe the same with reference to annexed diaw-
ings in which similar letters of reference denote similar parts.
THE DRAWINGS:―
Fig 11s a side view of the whole mechanism with one end of slide el bioken
off for convenience
Fig 2 an end view of same minus slide e¹
Fig 3 a side view of a section of a billiard table with the cushions removed
Fig. 4 a ground plan of slide e' shortened for convenience.
Fig 5' a ground, plan of rest h¹
(
a is the aim of an effigy fixed to one end of spindle and mounted so as to
tuin in standard,c To the other end of this spindle is fixed box taking a
bearing against standard One end of a coiled sping 22 is passed through
standaid and coiled round shoulder c¹ of said standard the other end of said
spring being held in a slot made in the upper part of said box to receive same
A slot is made in box band a stop pin inserted in standard c. to regulate and
limit the movement of said spindle
At the lower end of arm a viz at a is pivotted the upper end of plate a² by
means of pin a* In the lower end of this plate 3 is securely fixed the butt-end
of cue a³ the stinking end of the latter taking a bearing in iest h¹ secuiely fixed
on the lower end of rod the other end of which 10d being securely fixed to the
lower end of the plate which plate 18 secured to standard e by means of a
screw so that by the aid of a flexible washer placed between said standard and
plate the latter can be made to tuin and thus aise or lower the end of the
Band 1od with rest and end of cue a³ to the desued altitude and keep them at
same It will now be seen that by putting a downward pressure with the finger
on lever b secured to box 6' spindle 6 is turned carrying with it arm a produc-
ing a comparatively horizontal movement or stoke of the cue as in the game of
billiards. On the said pressure being removed the action of the said spring

page_text: causes the cue to ieveit speedily back to its normal position ready for the next
stioke In order that the ball can be driven at every angle of the said table
the standard by the and of lever can be tuined in bearings on the end of
support by means of stud round which is coiled sping pressing against
washer and support e. The lower end of of support e is securely fixed at
one end of slide and forms a socket to receive the upper part of support e by
which means the said standard can be raised o. lowered and held at the desued
altitude by means of set-screw et To the platform f³ is secured the legs of
table which platform is securely mounted at its centre on 1ound column f¹
1ound which latter is coiled spring f³ pressing against said platform f and loose
washer found said column for imparting pressure upon slide e tulung
1ound and upon said column fi which is securely mounted on platform g sup-
ported by feet screwed on to said platform g in such a manner as to be capable
of raising or lowering any part of such platform for the purpose of levelling the
said billiard table f mounted thereon In order to reduce the fiction of the said
working slide e strips are mounted on platform g for slide el to take a bear-
ing upon
Instead of being mounted on box b' actuating lever can be mounted duectly
upon spindle b In this case by a slight modification in design of the upper pait
of standard c-the said lever can be placed so that the sail pressure to be put
upon same shall duectly bear upon support e upon which standard 18 mounted
namely a slot can be made in the part of the said standard through which the
said spindle passes and the said fever be projected through and its movement
confined to the limits of Name The said stop pin in connection with box balso
slot can then be dispensed with
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 18
+1
(1) In a mechanical game of billiards, bagatelle on the like-am a with cue a¹
mounted, alianged and actuated substantially in the mannet and for the purpose
set forth
(2) In a mechanical game of billiards, bagatelle or the like-am a with cue a¹
in conjunction with iest h h¹ mounted arranged and actuated substantially in the
manner and for the purpose set forth
(3) In a mechanical game of billiards bagatelle or the like-evolving slide el
with support mounted and arranged substantially in the manner and for the
purpose set forth.
(4) A mechanical game of billiards bagatelle or the like substantially as
described in the above specification and shown in the accompanying diawings
Dated this 30th day of July 1900.
GEORGE COLE,