IMPROVEMENTS IN FANCY WOODWORK of BOXES, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES IN THE FANCY BOX TRADE, WHICH ARE ALSO SUITABLE FOR GAMES OF AMUSEMENT
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Archibald Brown, of the Town and County of Lanark,
North Britain, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN FANCY WOODWORK
of
BOXES, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES IN THE FANCY BOX TRADE, WHICH ARE ALSO
SUITABLE FOR GAMES OF AMUSEMENT"
Sealed the 13th June 1878, and dated the 21st December 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Archibald Brown at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st December 1877.
« IM-
ARCHIBALD BROWN, of the Town and County of Lanark, North Britain.
PROVEMENTS IN FANCY WOODWORK BOXES, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES IN THE FANCY
BOX TRADE, WHICH ARE ALSO SUITABLE FOR GAMES OF AMUSEMENT."
This Invention relates to improvements on fancy wood boxes for containing
bobbins of thread and other articles, whereby such boxes are rendered suitable for
games of amusement, such as fortune telling, or the drawing of prizes or mottoes
from the compartments of the box, or elsewhere, which improvements are also
applicable to boxes made of metal, papier machè, pasteboard, or other material of
whatever shape or configuration. And the nature and novelty of the said Inven-
tion consist in the application and use of a divided dial and index pointer to the
top end or sides of the box, on the divisions of which dial reference letters, nume-
rals, symbols, or words may be printed or otherwise affixed, and round the other
sides, or on the part of the top of the box not occupied by the dial, any desired
words, phrases, or mottoes may be printed in separate rows or divisions, cach
bearing a reference number, letter, or symbol corresponding to the series of these
represented on the dial; then in order to afford amusement the index pointer may
be made to revolve on a fixed centre over a fixed dial, the box itself also being
stationary, and when the pointer is spun round, the fortune, or luck of the operator,
or other persons present, is indicated by the number, letter, or symbol opposite
which the pointer is when it ceases revolving; the number, letter, or symbol being
Drine G71

page_text: compared with the corresponding words, phrases, or mottoes on the other part of
the box, which indicates the prize or motto to be drawn; or instead of the pointer
being made to revolve, it may be stationary, in which case the divided dial, either
with or without the pointer, or the references on it, may be made to revolve to
obtain the same results above described.
Under another modification, instead of having numbers or letters round the
divided dial, dotted or solid radial lines may be drawn from the spindle of the
revolving pointer (as when applied, for example, on the lid of a box), the outer ends
of these radial lines terminating opposite words, phrases, or mottoes round the
outer surface of the lid, so that when the pointer is revolved, the fortune or luck of
the operator or other person is indicated by the line above which the pointer
comes to rest; or the pointer may stretch to the words themselves without the use
of lines.
It will be obvious that under, either of the modifications described there may be
blanks left between the numbers, letters, symbols, or lines referred to, in which
case the chance of alternate blanks and prizes would increase the interest of the
game.
Thus, by these improvements, the ordinary construction of fancy boxes are readily
converted into a means or article for amusement, in addition to their ordinary useful
properties; and it will be obvious that similar games of amusement may be
obtained by applying the dial and pointer in a similar way to other articles made
of fancy woodwork or other material, such as paper knives, snuff boxes, card cases,
and covers for books or albums, or specially formed card trays, with divisions for
holding the prizes or mottoes to be drawn.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Archibald Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 21st June
1878.
ARCHIBALD BROWN, of the Town and County of Lanark, North Britain.
"IM-
PROVEMENTS IN FANCY WOODWORK BOXES, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES IN THE FANCY
BOX TRADE, WHICH ARE ALSO SUITABLE FOR GAMES OF AMUSEMENT.”
My said Invention relates to improvements in fancy wood boxes for containing
bobbins of thread and other articles, and to other such articles of fancy woodwork,
whereby these are rendered suitable for games of amusement, such as fortune
telling, or the drawing of prizes or mottoes from the compartments of the box, or
elsewhere, which improvements are also applicable to boxes made of metal, papier
machè, pasteboard, or other material, of whatever shape or configuration And the
nature and novelty of my said Invention consist in the application and use of a
divided dial and index pointer to the top ends or sides of the said box or other
article, within or in line with the divisions of which dial reference letters,
numerals, symbols, or words may be printed or otherwise affixed, and round the
other parts of the sides, or ends, or top of box or article not occupied by the dial,
any desired words, phrases, or mottoes may be printed in separate rows or divi-
sions, each bearing a reference number, letter, or symbol corresponding to the
series of these represented on the dial; then in order to afford amusement the
index pointer is made to revolve on a fixed centre over the dial fixed on the box
itself, which would be stationary, so that the pointer may be spun round by the
person, or for the person whose fortune or luck is desired to be told, and which will
be indicated by the number, letter, or symbol on the dial opposite which the pointer
is when it stops or ceases to revolve; the number; letter, or symbol being then
compared with the corresponding words, phrases, or mottoes on the other part or
division of the box which indicates the fortune, prize, or motto to be drawn and
applied to the person.
And in order that the mode of performing or putting my said Invention into
effect or practice may be properly understood, I shall now proceed to describe the
two Figures on the Sheet of Drawings which I have hereunto appended for that
purpose, the same italic letters of reference indicating the same or like parts in
both Figures.
Referring to Figure 1, this shows a perspective view of an ordinary construction
of useful fancy wood box, such as used for holding bobbins of sewing thread or
other articles, having my said improvements applied thereto, and illustrative of one
modification or arrangement of my said Invention, as just described, for making such
boxes or articles, suitable also for games of amusement. In this case the top surface
of the lid (which may either be hinged or made to draw off portably from the lower
case of the box) is left free for the usual fancy picture, and the new index pointer a
is mounted loosely to swivel or spin round on a pin in the centre of the divided
index dial b, the spaces of which are numbered 1 to 7 in this case, but it might be
divided into any other desired number of spaces or divisions, and have these indi-
cated by letters or other symbols. And the game to be played is fortune telling, as
indicated by the top line of printing on the front of the lid, and is carried on by
questions and answers, as indicated by the several columns or divisions on the
front, back, and ends, two on each of the former, and one on each of the latter, each
column being headed by such questions, "What is your disposition?" "Why are
you beloved?" "Have you been in love?" "Do you intend to marry?" "Describe
your intended," "What will you do when mairied?" Each series of answers to
theso several questions are ranged in the column below the question consecutively
from 1 to 7, agreeing and corresponding to the numbers on the divided index dial b
below the pointer a
Figure 2 represents the side view of a needle case, showing my improvements as
applied thereto for making it useful for games of amusement. The case is arranged

page_text: with four reference tables of answers, numbered 1 to 5, corresponding to the divi-
sions on the index dial b¹, with the revolving index pointer mounted in the centre
over the five divisions below the tables of answers in this modification.
Referring to these Figures 1 and 2, to play the game, the persons desiring. their
fortune told, or others for the persons in reply to the questions at the heads of the
columns of answers, spin round the pointer a, and whichever number, 1 to 7, or
1 to 5, respectively, on the dial bor b' it stops at, indicates to the persons the
number of the answer to be read off in the respective columns on the box or
needle case.
"
Instead of the pointer (a) being made to revolve, the dial (b or b¹) may be made
looso to revolve on its centre, either with or without the divisons or reference
figures or symbols on it, in which case the pointer (a) may either be fixed stationary
above it, or be indicated by a stationary line, arrow, or finger on the box or case
close to the dial to indicate the number or symbol in the division on the dial, or
when these are on the divisions outside the dial the arrow or finger may be on the
dial itself, all so as to obtain the same results, substantially as herein-before
described with the revolving pointer.
Under another modification, instead of having numbers or lotters round the
divided dial, dotted or solid radial lines may be drawn from the spindle of the
revolving pointer (as when applied, for example, on the lid of a box), the outer
ends of, or the spaces between these radial lines, terminating opposite words,
phrases, or mottoes on or 1ound the outer surface of the dial or lid, so that when
the pointer is turned the fortune or luck of the operator or other person is indicated
by the words or writing between or opposite the lines where the pointer a comes to
rest; or the pointer may stretch to the words themselves without the use of lines
or divisions.
It will be obvious that under either of the modifications described there may be
blanks left between the numbers, letters, symbols, or lines referred to, in which
case the chance of alternate blanks and prizes would increase the interest of the
game.
Thus, by these improvements, the ordinary construction of fancy boxes are readily
converted into a means or article of amusement in addition to the useful purposes
to which they are ordinarily applied; and it will be obvious that similar games of
amusement may be obtained by applying the dial and pointer in a similar way to
other articles made of fancy woodwork, or to other materials, such as paper knives,
snuff boxes, card cases, and covers for books or albums, or specially formed card
trays with divisions for holding the prizes or mottoes to be drawn by the person
playing. And instead of spinning the pointer where the person has not the chance
of reading the mottoes, or the prizes or mottoes are inside the case or box, the
persons may turn the pointer to any number or symbol they like, or they may
simply name it without requiring to turn the pointer, or having the box handed to
them for that purpose.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode and
means by which it is or may be performed or carried into effect, I have to state
that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein described or delineated,
neither on the other hand do I desire to claim the mere use of a moving index
pointer or divided dial for games of amusement or chance, except as applied to
fancy woodwork boxes, cases, or other articles; but what I consider novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in
part recited Letters Patent is,
First. The making of wood boxes, and cases, and other similar articles in the
fancy box trade, with index pointer and divided reference symbol dial, or their
equivalents, with their corresponding reference questions, and answers, or prizes, for
making these boxes or articles suitable for games of amusement and chance, all sub-
stantially as herein described in reference to, and shown in the accompanying
Drawings, or any mero modification thereof.
Second. The application and use of a revolving index pointer with stationary

page_text: dial, or of a revolving dial, with radial or circumferential divisions and reference
numbers, letters, or symbols, to fancy wood boxes, cases, or other articles in the
fancy box trade for making these suitable, also for games of amusement and chance,
all substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Archibald Brown, have hereunto set iny
my hand, and seal, this Eighteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
ADCHrn
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