A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE POINTS OF GAMES, ALSO APPLICABLE TO CALENDARS AND OTHER SIMILAR USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Willis, of Long Acre, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE POINTS OF GAMES, ALSO
APPLICABLE TO CALENDARS AND OTHER SIMILAR USEFUL PURPOSES."
Sealed the 27th May 1870, and dated the 30th November 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry Willis
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 30th November 1869.
I, WILLIAM HENRY WILLIS, of Long Acre, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE POINTS OF GAMES, ALSO APPLICABLE
TO CALENDARS AND OTHER SIMILAR USEFUL PURPOSES," to be as follows :-
This Invention relates to the construction of a new or improved
apparatus intended to register or indicate the points or scores made in
playing games of chance or skill, such apparatus being also applicable to

page_text: calendars, or daily and monthly recorders, and other similar useful
objects.
With regard to games the scores of which are determined by certain
numbers the apparatus is made accordingly so as to suit the same; for
example, if the number 2000 is the limit and the progressive numbers
are in tens I arrange on the face plate or front of a case two dials, one
being divided into twenty divisions or spaces of 10 each, the other into
ten divisions of 200 each, a needle or pointer being set in the centre of
each dial; the pointer indicating the tens is provided with disc having
one projecting tooth thereon at the back of the face plate and within
the apparatus; the other pointer is provided with a larger disc having
ten teeth thereon, whereby on turning the first pointer a complete
revolution its tooth moves the second pointer one division equal to 200,
and so on to 2000, the first pointer always indicating the additional
tens. When the 2000 is reached the indicator ceases to act until the
second pointer is turned back to zero.
The arrangement of the teeth may of course be varied to suit the
numbers on the dials, which may be units in one and tens in the other,
the principle of operation being the same; so also for indicating the days
of the week and month or the days of the year the scale can easily be
adjusted. The first example is intended to mark the score in the game
of "besique.".
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Henry Willis in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 30th May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HENRY WILLIS, of Long Acre, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Henry Willis, Her special
licence that I, the said William Henry Willis, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Henry

page_text: Willis, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"A NEW OR IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE POINTS OF
GAMES, ALSO APPLICABLE TO CALENDARS AND OTHER SIMILAR USEFUL PURPOSES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Henry
Willis, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Henry Willis, do hereby
declare the nature of my said 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 relates to the construction of a new or improved
apparatus intended to register or indicate the points or scores mado in
playing games of chance or skill, such as the game of bezique, such
apparatus in a modified form being also applicable to calendars, or daily,
monthly, and yearly recorders, and other similar useful objects.
With regard to games the scores of which are determined by certain
numbers the apparatus is constructed to suit such numbers, for example,
if the number 1000 is the limit and the progressive numbers are in
tens I arrange on the face plate or front of a case two dials, one being
divided into ten divisions or spaces of 10 each, the other into ten
divisions of 100 each, a needle or pointer being set in the centre of each
dial; the pointer indicating the tens is provided with a disc having one
projecting tooth or spur thereon at the back of the face plate and within
the apparatus concealed from view; the other pointer is provided with
a larger disc having ten teeth thereon, whereby on turning the first
pointer a complete revolution its tooth moves the second pointer one
division equal to 100, and so on to 1000, the first pointer always
indicating the additional tens. When the 1000 is reached the indicator
ceases to act until the second pointer is turned back to zero.

page_text: The arrangement of the teeth may of course be varied to suit the
numbers on the dials, which may be units in one and tens in the other,
the principle of operation being the same; so also for indicating the days
of the week, month, and year, or the days of the year the scale cai
easily be adjusted.
In order that my said Invention may be completely understood I
annex the accompanying Drawings, in which Figs. 1 and 2 represent a.
front and back internal. view of an apparatus suitable for recording tho
scores in the game of bezique. The upper dial is marked with hundreds
up to 1000. The lower dial is marked with tens up to 100. In Fig. 2,
a is the disc with the single tooth or spur 6 in position for commencing
the game, the pointers being at zero; when the disc is turned once round
it comes in contact with the first tooth c of the upper disc d, and causes.
the upper pointer to indicate 100, and so on till 1000 is reached.
Fig. 3 represents a front view of the calendar, shewing the days of the
month, the month, and the year; Fig. 4 is a back internal view of the
same. e is the primary disc with a tooth f gearing with any one of
twelve teeth of the monthly index g, e¹ being the turning handle; this.
wheel is shewn in Fig. 5 with the disc attached; it has a spur h, which
gears at every complete revolution with the wheel i, Fig. 6, having the
number of the year thereon; this wheel contains ten teeth, and will
therefore shew the consecutive years, but of course, if required, a greater
number of teeth may be applied so as to register twenty or other number
of years.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I would remark in con-
clusion that I do not limit myself to the precise details and configuration
of parts which I have expressed and shewn, as the same may obviously
be varied or modified to suit other games or scores, or to suit other
arrangements of calendars without altering the principle of the move-
ments, as a further scries of discs, teeth, and wheels may be adapted
accordingly; but what I claim and desire to be secured to me by the
herein in part recited Letters Patent is,-
Firstly. The construction and arrangement of the apparatus for
indicating and registering the scores made at "bezique," and any modi-
fications of such apparatus to suit other games of chance or skill.

page_text: And, secondly. The construction of the apparatus for indicating the
dates, months, and years of the calendar, all substantially as herein
specified and shewn.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Willis, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Thirteenth day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
Office for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.
W. H. WILLIS. (L.S.)