An Improved Toy or Race Game.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Oct., 1889-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Toy or Race Game.
I GEORGE BRIERLEY BARKER of Unity Inn. 97 Grosvenor Street Stalybridge in
the County of Chester Inn Keeper do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :—
This invention relates to that class of toy which consists of a series of minature
jockeys, riding upon racehorses, or similar figures which are caused to move round
a course or path at varying speeds so as to pass and repass one another as they
move, in imitation of a race; and my invention consists of improved mechanism
for obtaining the above named motion.
In the centre of the course or path I fix a vertical spindle upon which I mount
a number of loose pulleys, the lowest of which is put first on the said spindle and
is provided with a long boss, the next pulley is mounted loosely on the boss of the
lowest pulley and is provided with a shorter boss which does not reach the end of
that on which it is mounted, the third pulley is similarly mounted upon the hoss
of the second and so on.
Radial wires or other lighi arms are fixed to the bosses and these wires or arms
carry the horses or other figures at their extremities, the shortest wire being on
the longest boss, so that they can pass and repass each other when driven at different
speeds as hereafter described.
Conveniently situated with regard to the fixed vertical spindle is a horizontal
shaft or rod upon which is mounted (at or near the middle) a long pulley of varying
diameter (formed for example like two or more cones placed end to end) and at
each end of this long pulley is a cone tapering down to the diameter of the shaft
or rod.
At one end of the shaft or rod is formed a right handed screw-thread and at
the other end a left handed thread, and near to each end of this shaft or rod 1 mount
two catches levers, or their equivalents one arranged to move up and down, and the other
toward or from the said shaft or rod. Each of the latter catches or levers is provided
with a half nut or is otherwise so formed that it will engage into the spiral thread
upon the said shaft or rod, and the said catches or levers are attached by suitable
arms or links to either end of a long horizontal lever, mounted on a central vertical
pivot, so that when one is in gear with the screwed shaft or rod the other is held out
of gear.
Each of the first named catches or levers is provided with a hook or projection
which when the catch is let down holds one end of the long horizontal lever so
that its respective catch or half nut is in gear with the screwed shaft or rod, as
above described.
Endless driving bands provided with an elastic splice or made of suitable clastic
material are passed round each pulley upon the vertical spindle and round the long
horizontal pulley above described, being also passed through guides to prevent them
from moving sideways with the said pulleys.
The screwed shaft or rod is caused to rotate by a handle or convenient gearing and
as one of the half nuts or caiches is in gear with it the said rod will be caused to
move in the direction of this half nut or catch carrying the pulley with it until the
conical end of the said pulley raises the catch or lever which holds the long horizontal
lever before named and at the same time displaces the half nut or catch, and puts the
opposite half nut or catch into gear with the said screwed shaft or rod thereby causing
it to slide back although it continues to revolve and drive the horses or other figures
in one and the same direction, and as the long palley on the said screwed shaft or
rod presents a surface of varying diameter to the driving bands, the motion of the

page_text: horses or figures will be accelerated or retarded at different times and they will
pass and repass each other as they move round their course or path and it will not be
possible to tell which horse or figure will be at or nearest to a certain point when the
revolution of the screwed shaft or rod is arrested.
Dated. this 2nd day of January 1889.
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Toy or Race Game.
I GEORGE BRIERLEY BARKER of Unity Inn 97 Grosvenor Street Stalybridge in
the County of Chester Inn Keeper 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 that class of toy which consists of a series of miniature
jockeys riding upon racehorses or similar figures, which are caused to move round a
course or path at varying speeds so as to pass and repass one another as they move,
in imitation of a race; and my invention consists of improved mechanism for
. obtaining the above named motion which will be readily understood on reference to
the accompanying drawings and the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the entire mechanism and Fig. 2 a plan view of
the differential driving mechanism detached.
In the centre of the course or path I fix a vertical spindle a upon which I mount a
number of loose pulleys 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8, the lowest of which (1) is put first on
the said spindle and is provided with a long boss, the next pulley (2) is mounted
loosely on the boss of the lowest pulley (1) and is provided with a shorter boss which
does not reach the end of that on which it is mounted, the third pulley (3) is similarly
mounted upon the boss of the second (2) and so on.
:
Radial wires 12 63, 14, 15, 1º, 67, 68, or other light arms are fixed to the bosses and
these wires or arms carry the horses or other figures c', c², c³, c¹, c³, c³, c², es, at
their extremities, the shortest wire being on the longest boss (1) so that they can
pass and repass each other when driven at different speeds as hereafter described.
I prefer to make the horses or other figures of flat sheet metal cut out and painted,
the dotted lines on Fig. 1. show a side view of one of the said figures.
Conveniently situated with regard to the fixed vertical spindle a is a horizontal
shaft or rod upon which is mounted (at or near the middle) a long pulley or drum e
of varying diameter (formed for example like two or more truncated cones placed end
to end (see Fig. 2) and at each end of this long pulley or drum e is a cone or boss e¹
tapering down to the diameter of the shaft or rod d.
At one end of the shaft or rod d is formed a right handed screw thread at at the
other end a left handed, thread (see Fig. 2) and near to each end of this shaft or rod
I mount two catches (levers, or their equivalents), one farranged to move up
and down and the other f¹ toward or from the said shaft or rod d.
to
Each of the latter catches or levers f, may be provided with a half-nut or is
otherwise so formed that it will engage into the spiral thread upon the said shaft or
rod d and the said catches or levers are attached by suitable arms or links
either end of a long horizontal lever mounted on a central vertical pivot i, so that
when one of the levers f¹, is in gear with the screwed shaft or rod d, the other is held
out of gear.
Each of the first named catches or levers is provided with a hook or projection
which when the catch is let down holds one end of the long borizontal lever so that
its respective catch" is in gear with the screwed shaft or rod d as above described.
Endless driving bands provided with an elastic splice, or made wholly or partly of
suitable elastic material, is passed round each pulley 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. and 8 upon
the vertical spindle a and round the long horizontal pulley or drum e above described,

page_text: being also passed between guides (preferably rollers shown on the drawings) to
prevent them from moving sideways with the said pulley e.
The screwed shaft d may be caused to rotate by a handle or suitable gearing such
for example as that shewn on the drawing, the pulley d' on the shaft d being driven
by a band d², and a pulley on a shaft m; the shaft m is caused to rotate for a certain
length of time by winding a cord or chain upon a drum n the boss of which is
squared as shown for the application of a handle or key. A ratchet on the drum a
engaging with a ratchet wheel on the shaft m indicated by dotted lines will cause the
said shaft to rotate when the cord indicated by the line nº is unwound from the said
drum n.
This may be effected by passing the cord n over a pulley (not shown) and attaching.
a suitable weight to the end of the said cord. "
The horses or other figures c¹, c², c³, c^, c³, cº, c², c, are set ready for starting by
preference in the following manner.
1 cause them to revolve until their respective supporting wires or arms b¹, b², b³, 14,
5, 6, 7, 6, are stopped by a vertical bolt o raised by a lever p which also depresses
the said bolt o and releases the figures when they are to be set in motion: g is a
band brake (actuated automatically by the lever and governor s) to prevent the
figures from revolving too rapidly.
The screwed rod or shaft & being caused to rotate and one of the catches being in
gear with it the said rod d will be caused to move in the direction of this catch
carrying the pulley or drum e with it until the conical end or boss e of the said
pulley raises the catch or lever which holds the long horizontal lever before named
and at the same time displaces the catch fand puts the opposite catch into gear with
the said screwed shaft or rod d thereby causing it to slide back although it continues
to revolve and drive the horses or other figures in one and the same direction, and as
the long pulley or drum e on the said screwed shaft or rod d presents a surface of
varying diameter to the driving bands the motion of the horses or figures will be
accelerated or retarded at different times and they will pass and repass, each other as
they move round their course or path and it will not be possible to tell which horse or
figure will be at or nearest to a certain point when the revolution of the screwed shaft
or rod d is arrested.
In some cases the lever may be dispensed with as the screw terminating at the
cone e will itself push out the lever f¹ at one end of the pulley or drum e and put the
corresponding lever f¹ at the other end into gear with the reversed screw at the other
end of the shaft d.
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 :-
First. The combination with horses or other figures (arranged so as to pass and
repass each other as they move round a course) of driving mechanism consisting
of pulleys, endless bands made entirely or partly of elastic material and a driving
drum or long pulley of varying diameter which is caused to revolve and to move
end wise to and fro in order to present differential driving surfaces to the said bands.
Secondly. The combination with horses or other figures (arranged so as to pass
and repass each other as they move round a course) of the pulleys 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8
elastic or partly elastic bands, drum e screwed shaft d catches f, links and lever
with or without the levers or catches f, operating substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by the annexed drawings.
Thirdly. The general construction and arrangement of parts forming an improved
toy or race game substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the
annexed drawings.
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.