A Portable Apparatus for Shuffling Cards.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Oct., 1890-Accepted, 8th Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL, SPECIFICATION
A Portable Apparatus for Shuffling Cards.
I, JOSEPH BOOTH of 300 Radford Road, New Basford, Nottingham, Draughts-
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
man,
This invention has for its object a portable apparatus for shuffling cards.
For this purpose the pack is placed vertically in a bottomless receptacle in which
however it is supported upon two combs which project into the receptacle through slits
on either side. The cards remain thus supported on the combs until by a movement
of a handle the combs following the inclination of the springs of which they are made
are withdrawn.
The combs have comparatively broad teeth and these are grooved or concave on the
face.
•
The lower edges of the cards when first put into the receptacle rest in the grooves or
concavities of the teeth, and as the combs gradually withdraw card after card passes
off from each of the teeth into the interval between tooth and tooth and as each
card is so left unsupported it falls by gravity into a collecting space below.
The shuffling of the cards in this operation is very complete, for as will be seen the
descent of the pack into the receiving space takes place simultaneously in several
streams which meet in the receiving space where the re-arrangement of the cards
takes place in any order in which they may happen to fall.
The sides of the lower part of the receiving space are formed by doors, or springs
which act as doors, these are closed by pressure of the hand during the operation
and on its completion are released when the cards fall into the hand and are ready
for use.
The receptacle may be made in sections and when not in use, closed in the same way
as a telescope.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Portable Apparatus for Shuffling Cards.
I, JOSEPH BOOTH of 300 Radford Road, New Basford, Nottingham, Draughts-
man, 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 has for its object a portable apparatus for shuffling cards.
For this purpose the pack is placed vertically in a bottomless receptacle in which
however it is supported upon two combs which project into the receptacle through
slits on either side.
The cards remain thus supported on the combs until by a movement of a handle
the combs following the inclination of the springs which carry them or which actuate
the levers which carry them are withdrawn."
The teeth of the combs are comparatively broad at the base and these are made
hollow or concave on the face.
The lower edges of the cards where the pack is first put into the receptacle rest in
the concavities of the teeth, and as the combs are gradually withdrawn, card after
card passes off from each of the teeth into the interval between tooth and tooth;
and as each card is so left unsupported it falls by gravity into the receiving space
below.
The shuffling of the cards in this operation is very complete for as will be seen the

page_text: descent of the pack into the receiving space takes place simultaneously in several
streams which meet in the receiving space where the re-arrangement of the cards
takes place in any order in which they may happen to fall.
The sides of the lower part of the receiving space may be formed by doors or
springs which act as doors, these must be closed by pressure of the hand during the
operation, and on its completion released, when the cards fall into the hand and are
ready for use.
The receptacle may be made in sections, and when not in use closed in the
same way as a telescope.
The drawings annexed show apparatus constructed in the manner I prefer for
carrying out my invention:-
Fig. 1 is a side view of the comb levers.
Fig. 2 is an elevation of the apparatus with base in section hollowed to receive a
portion of the apparatus.
Fig. 3 is a side view of the tubular receptacle for the cards, shewing slits through
which the combs are thrust, and the contraction at the lower end which directs the
cards towards the centre of the receiving vessel as they fall.
Fig. 4 is a side view of the receiving vessel.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of the base shewing the slots through which the handles and
comb levers pass.
Figs. 6. 7 are plan views of the cams. which lock and unlock the comb levers.
Fig. 8 is a plan view of the cogged bars which connect the comb levers with the
pinions of a rotating fly apparatus..
Fig. 9 is a plan view and
Fig. 10 is a cross section of the sets of fingers.
Fig. 11 is a plan view of the tubular receptacles into which the cards are placed,
and the fingers projecting inwards into the tube for the cards to rest on.
In these fingers A is the tube case into which the cards are placed, the lower end
of this tube A1 is contracted so as to direct the cards centrally into the receiving
vessel as they fall, when the combs C are being slowly withdrawn. B is the receiving
vessel into which they fall; the upper part of this vessel is of greater width than the
lower, so that the cards may fall away freely from the centre, some to one side and
some to another, as shewn in Fig. 4. The ends of this vessel near the bottom are
pivotted H to the standards which support the tube P, so that the vessel may be
tilted either way for the cards to be taken away; on the sides are shelves or ledges L
which have an upward curve at either end; the handles F pass underneath these
ledges and hold the vessel perpendicular while it receives the cards as they fall. Care
the combs upon which the cards lodge, the upper surface of each finger of the combs
as shewn in Fig. 10 is concave, so that all cards resting upon it tend to slide inwards
towards its centre, so that the cards may the better remain resting on the fingers as
long as may be, during the time that the fingers are being withdrawn from beneath
them. Ci are the levers which carry these combs. C2 are joints connecting the
levers with the standards P which support the tube; the lower end of each passes
through slot N in Fig. 5, after which it passes through the cogged bars G, and
terminates in an axle on which I fix a small pulley K, as shewn in Fig. 1. E are
cams which act upon the pulleys K, these may be centrally pivotted, but for the
purpose of condensing the works, I prefer to use a sort of ring cam, the inner edges
of the ring I cause to work in the grooves of a number of pulleys Q, which I place
upon
the pillars that hold apart the plates which contain the rotating fly apparatus.
Fare handles by which the cams E are moved, they are connected with the cams
through the slot M in Fig. 5. G are bars slotted at one end to receive the levers C1, at
the other ends they are cogged, and engage at opposite sides with the pinion I, so
that when in motion the levers C which pass through the slots move simultaneously
away from, or towards each other. D are springs which act upon the levers C 1:
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-Normally the various parts are as shewn
in Fig. 2; as will be seen the pulleys K on the axle at the lower end of the levers C1
rest upon the outer edge of the ring cam.

page_text: The cogged bars are extended as shewn in Fig. 7; the springs I) are compressed
by the levers C1, and the combs C are projecting into the tube in a suitable way for
the cards to be placed upon them; while in this position the handles F are away from
underneath the ledges L and the vessel B may be tilted. By moving the handles F
underneath the ledges L, the vessel B is fastened in a suitable position for receiving
the cards; the same movement places the indentations in the ring cam E opposite
the pulleys K which are thereby released; the compressed springs D then act
upon the levers C1 and the combs C are slowly withdrawn from beneath the cards,
the speed being controlled by the rotating fly, which is put in motion; by the cogged
bars G: these bars close in until the pulleys K rest upon the bottom of the indenta-
tions in the cam ring as shewn in Fig. 6. This gradual withdrawal of the fingers
from beneath the pack as already explained, allows the cards to fall in various streams
into the receptacle where the re-arrangement takes place.
When the operation is complete the handles can be moved to their former
position.
As will be understood the first movement of the handles F fastens the receiving
vessel suitably for receiving the cards as they fall, and at the same time releases the
pulleys K, so that the combs may be withdrawn ; the second movement of the handles
causes the combs to project into the receptacle suitably for receiving the pack,
and at the same time releases the receiving vessel so that it may be tilted and the
cards removed.
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:-
1. A portable apparatus for shuffling cards, as they pass through a tube, by the
action of two sets of pointed fingers which are made to project into it. The cards
to be shuffled are placed on these fingers, which can be withdrawn slowly from
beneath them to allow them to drop in succession from two or more parts of the pack
into the receiver below.
2. The construction of a card shuffling apparatus substantially as hereinbefore
described.