IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHESSBOARDS AND CHESS- MEN
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Jaques, the younger, of Hatton Garden,
in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHESSBOARDS AND CHESS-
MEN."
Scaled the 16th August 1853, and dated the 2nd July 1853.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said John Jaques, the
younger, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition and Declaration, on the 2nd July 1853, pursuant to the
9th section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
John Jaques, the younger, of Hatton Garden, in the County of
Middlesex, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CHESSBOARDS AND
CHESSMEN," and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment and the Drawings thereto annexed (that is to say):—

page_text: The nature or objects of my Invention consist in the manufacture of
chessboards and chessinen, so that, firstly, if a game of chess be
played at intervals of time from its commencement, the position of the
pieces at the end of each interval may be easily and readily secured;
and, secondly, that the chessboard and the pieces thereon may be con-
veniently portable. Figure 1, represents an ordinary chessboard, with
circular holes in the middle of the squares, into which a pin in the
bottom of each chessman enters easily, as shown in section in Figure 2.
The dotted lines a, a, a, a, Figure 1, show the size and shape of two
thin metal plates; moving in guides bab, c, & seen in section in Figure 2,
and (by tho-romoval of a part of the chessboard) more distinctly in
plan in Figure 3. In these plates there are holes of pear-like shape
(as shown in Figure 3), corresponding in position to the holes in the
squares, being immediately underneath them. When the conclusion
of a game of chess is postponed, the plates are pushed inwards by
pressing the guides b, b, until the ketch, Figure 3, (and shown in a
side..view. in Figure 4) rises and prevents their return. By these
movements the small end of the pear-shaped hole in the metal plates
is placed in the notch in the pin of each piece, as shown in Figure 2,
and each chessman is retained securely in its assigned place until the
ketch k, being pressed down, the springs d, d, force the plates outwards.
The larger end of the pear-shaped hole is then brought immediately
under the corresponding-holes in-the-squares, and the chessmen are set
free. The wooden blocks ff. help to secure the ketches k, k, and keep
the upper and lower panels of the chessboard and Figure 2,
from touching the metal plates. Figure 5, represents a form of chess-
men unusually low, and all of the same height-and-yet--so designed
or constructed as to retain the distinguishing outline of each piece.
When, therefore, the board is doubled up, with the chessmen fixed in
it, the thickness of the fold will be the least possible, and may be
conveniently placed in a cover, and secured by. lock and key, as shown
in Figure 6.
A.
I claim as my Invention, and as "My Improvements in the Manufac-
ture of Chiessboards and Chessmen," the method of securing chessmen
to chessboards during the interruption of a game at chess, and the

page_text: modification of the form of chessmen, whereby they are rendered more
portable, as herein-before described and exemplified. But I do not
confine myself to the particular details thereof, provided my said
improvements be substantially maintained.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Jaques, the younger, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this First day of July, Anno
Domini One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JOHN JAQUES, the younger. (L.S.)