IMPROVE- MENTS IN EDUCATIONAL GAMES AND IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES THEREFOR
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alfred Julius Boult at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th July 1882. Communicated to me
from abroad by Joseph Froin, of Paris, in the Republic of France.
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of the firm of W P Thompson & Boult, Agents for
Foreign Pateut Solicitors, of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
and- 6 Lord Street Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, Engineer "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN EDUCATIONAL GAMES AND IN APPARATUS OR APPLIANCES THEREFOR,"
a communication to me from abroad by Joseph Froin, of Paris, in the Republic
of France.
This invention relates to toys having for their object the instruction of those
playing with the same.
The exterior of said toy resembles in appearance an elegant album with metal
openwork corners and closed by clasps of the same kind
When this album is opened and unfolded the interior will form a box of but
little depth in the bottom of which is pasted or painted a map with indications and
notices relating to the game together with the accessories belonging thereto.
All these parts will be hereinafter explicitely described, but as the various
elements of the game may vary considerably without affecting the idea of the same
I shall describe the latter first, taking as an example one of the numerous possible
forms thereof and will then indicate the divers variations it is capable of.
Take for an instance the game of studying Europe. The back of the album
divides the box into two equal parts. One of these halves is taken up by a map of
the world above which are placed two vignettes indicating, aided by explanatory
notes the various features of the earth's surface such as mountains, rivers islands &c.
At each side of the map of the world there is a column with a notice which gives
geographical information on the globe the enumeration of the 17 principal states of
Europe and their subdivisions and lastly the enumeration of the 5 small states
From a small nail or hook above, between the said two vignettes is suspended a
small bag of textile material containing 17 counters representing the colours or
favours of the 17 principal states each carrying the indication of the form of govern-
ment of the country they represent. Between the two lateral colums hereinabove
mentioned are stretched two ribbons in which are stuck the flags of the 17 states
mounted on pins An elastic band or cord attached at the bottom of the tablet
serves to carry two fans each consisting of 17 leaves upon which are grouped the
most important geographical and political items of the 17 states.

page_text: The other half of the box is taken up by a general map of Europe at the sides of
which are marked the favours in the national colors of the 17 states. These favours
are placed at the North, South, East and West of the map and thus correspond
to the respective position of the states. The favours of the central states have a
special indication. The spot which corresponds to each capital has a little cork-
projection for accomodating the pins of the corresponding flags.
The method of playing is simple, and after a few trials it will be observed with
surprise with what facility rapidity and pleasure children acquire the essential
facts of geography.
The following is the proceeding to be observed:
Beside each of the 17 leaves of the fan are arranged for each state, its name,
the name of its capital the surface in square kilometres or miles &c. the number of
its population and so forth.
"
The first of the players draws a counter from the bag now suppose that he drew
that bearing the national colours of Russia, he sees it marked with the word
empire." Before him is spread the map of Europe whilst the fan is turned down
and serves only in case of a contest. He then looks upon the map for a similar
favour which is by itself at the east and he says: "Russia is situated in the East
of Europe, is governed by an emperor and its capital is St Petersburg
"
He then takes the flag of Russia and has without hesitation to place it upon the
cork which marks the capital of said country. In this case he retains his counter
so as to prove at the end of the game that it is he who placed that flag. In the
contrary case he replaces his counter into the bag. The second player in turn
takes the bag and proceeds in a like manner After the capitals the superficies
will be played then the populations and so on, till the number of questions is
exhausted.
The victory remains with him who has placed most flags and consequently kept
most of the counters
Instead of the geographical study of Europe the game may have for its object
the study of the Universe or of a single state and this not only for imparting
geographical information thereon but also for the study of history, natural history,
ethnography density of population principal products &c; in fact the game may
serve for any study for which a map with divisions and indications analogous to
those above explained can be constructed
In case the game is to embrace only a single special subject or a single state its
construction will of course be less complicated than in the example of a game of
political geography above described the fan will then be dispensed with as it is
necessary only when, say 13 different geographical and political items of 17 states
are to be embraced in one game.
The favours and flags will also be dispensed with as one state only is considered
The game will then be carried on by means of playing cards each having an
indication and a text corresponding with the special map and with the text printed
around the saine