Improvements in Puzzles or Toys.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Puzzles or Toys.
A communication from abroad by JAMES C. COLLIN, a citizen of the City of
Syracuse, in the County of Onondaga, and State of New York, United States
of America, Manufacturer.
I, WILLIAM LLOYD. WISE, of No. 46 Lincolns Inn Fields, in the County of
London, Consulting Engineer, and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the saine is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to that class of puzzles or toys which are adapted to be held
in the hand while being manipulated, and the particular object to be attained is to produce
an attractive and fascinating device having the novel characteristics hereinafter
described and pointed out in the claim.
Referring to the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of a complete toy or puzzle according to this
invention
;
Fig. 2 a modification of the board with a larger number of annular grooves.
Fig. 3 a side view of one of the rolling objects; and
Fig. 4 a sectional edge view of the same shewing its contour.
The reference letter a, denotes a board provided with three pairs of intersecting
ways or grooves b, in which are located a number of wheels or circular discs c,
placed upon their edges in an upright position. The depth and width of these
grooves are sufficient to prevent the discs from overturning, and the discs are made
concavo-convex to correspond to the curvature of the ways, so that they will move
freely within them.
The board is by preference made of wood with a plain upper surface and the
intersecting endless ways are cut into this surface by any suitable means. Although
the board is preferably made of wood, yet any other suitable material could be
employed.
The rolling discs are made of metal to make them respond more freely to varia-
tions in the inclination of the board, but I do not limit myself to this particular
material.
In the modification shewn in Figure 4, a larger number of intersecting ways are
employed for making the accomplishment of the puzzle still more difficult. Hence
it is apparent that this invention is not limited to the kind of material or to the
number of annular intersecting ways employed.
Fach way is provided with a single wheel or disc, making in the case of Fig. 1
six circles and six wheels.
The task to be accomplished is to roll the wheels or discs simultaneously and with
continuous and equal speed around the ways, one or more times without permitting
them to collide. Owing to the constant tendency of the wheels to collide, the accom-
plishment of this task will be found extremely difficult until after long practice
and much patience.
It can be done, however, by holding the board in the hand and giving it a con-
tinuous circular or tilting movement, whereby the wheels will be caused to roll around
the endless ways in which they are confined.
When the operator has succeeded in making all the discs traverse a complete
circle in unison without the occurrence of a collision, then the feat has been accom-
nlighed

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a puzzle or toy, a board adapted to be held in the hand and provided with
intersecting endless ways, and two or more rolling discs or bodies, adapted
to be moved in said ways, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as
described.
2. In a puzzle or toy, a board adapted to be held in the hand, in combination with
concavo-convex discs, located and adapted to travel upon their edges within said ways,
as and for the purpose described.
Data : 001 1
1000
W. LLOYD WISE.