Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Card Games and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 27th July, 1897-Accepted, 25th Sept., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Card Games and
the like.
We, ROBERT S. CROOKS and FRANK B. CROOKS, cŕtizens of the United States of
America, located and doing business at No. 927 Market Street, in the City and
County of San Francisco, State of California, United States of America, Manufac-
turers, 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 :-
The object of the invention is to provide a Game Apparatus having two or more
shuffling and display boxes for the cards, so arranged that a line of cards of only
one shuffling box are thrown into view and displayed at a time; it being required
to release certain lock mechanism before the device can be rotated or swung over
to bring the second box into view to expose a new hand of cards; the swinging of
the boxes operating the rotating shuffling devices-which gives a positive shuffle
to e cards contained in the shuffling compartment of the box being swung over
to expose a hand or line of cards to the operator or player of the device or game.
In order to understand the invention, reference must be had to the accompanying
sheets of drawing, forming a part of this application; wherein-
Figure 1 is an end view, in elevation, of the machine, partly broken away;
Figure 2 is a front view, in elevation, showing one of the boxes partly broken
away;
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the base box, partly broken away; the lock-
mechanism being shown as closed.
Figure 4 is a similar view, disclosing the lock-mechanism in open position;
Figure 5 is a bottom plan view of one of the shuffling boxes of the swinging
frame, disclosing the mechanism for imparting rotary motion to the card-shuffling
pins; and
'
Figure 6 is a plan view of one of the snuffling boxes with its face-plate removed;
the bottom-plate being partly broken away, to disclose the shuffling mechanism.
In the drawings, the letter A is used to indicate the base box of the machine,
from which upwardly extend the side standards A¹. Between these standards is
mounted to swing the rotatable casing or frame; which, in the present case, consists
of three shuffling boxes,-B, B1, B2,-each placed at an incline and attached to
longitudinal edge-pieces B³, so as to provide a triangular-shaped casing or frame;
the ends of the boxes being closed by the triangular end-plates C, C¹. We prefer
to use a triangular-shaped swinging frame; although any desired shape may be
employed.
(
Each shuffling box is composed of the top and bottom plates 1, 2; which, in the
present case, are united at their upper and lower ends to the longitudinal edge-
pieces B³. These plates are held a suitable distance apart, to give ample room
there between for the shuffling of the cards. The arrangement of each box and its
shuffling mechanism for the cards is the same; consequently, the description of
one will answer for the others.
The lower portion of the top-plate 1 of each box is cut away, so as to provide a
transverse opening through which the cards may be exposed or viewed; said

page_text: opening being closed or covered by a glass plate 3, held in place by the frame 4,
secured to the plate 1 in any suitable manner.
Within the shuffling box are secured the vertically-extending ribs or partition
fingers, a, a, which may be formed integral with the bottom or top plate of the
shuffling box. These ribs or fingers divide the lower portion of the shuffling box
into a series of separate compartments, b, 61, 62, 63, 64; which compartments receive
and hold the shuffled cards. The ribs or partition fingers do not extend the full
height of the shuffling box, but only part way; consequently, the upper interior
portion of each box is divided into an enlarged card-shuffling chamber or
compartment D.
Immediately above, at the side, each of the card-holding compartments, 6, 61,
62, 63, 64, is located a pin or stud d, downwardly projecting from the top-plate 1;
around which pins or studs revolve the pins or studs d', inwardly
projecting into the shuffling box, through the circular openings d cut
through the bottom-plate 2. The pins or studs d¹ are secured to and
carried by a reciprocating rectilinear rod D', located and working at
the rear face of the bottom-plate 2. This rod D¹ is eccentrically
connected to the cam-wheel D², mounted upon the axle D³ working in bearing of
the frame E, which is bolted to the rear face of the bottom-plate 2. Upon the
axle D³ is secured the pinion E'; with which meshes the gear E, mounted upon
the axle E3 working in bearing of the frame E. To the axle E³ is secured the
pinion F, with which meshes the rack end of the lever F¹, fulcrumed to the
frame E by the shaft F2. This shaft 2 is connected to a post e by the coiled flat
spring e, which winds or unwinds upon the shaft F2 during its movement. As
the rack-lever F¹ is thrown up or down; the gear 12, through the pinion F, is
caused to rotate; the motion of which is transmitted to réciprocate the rod. D¹,
through the medium of the gear and eccentric connection. The movement
imparted to the eccentrically-connected rod D¹ will cause the pins or studs d¹ to
rotate around the fixed pins or studs d; which rotating pins or studs engage with
the cards contained in the enlarged shuffling chamber or compartment D and
thoroughly shuffle or intermix the same, prior to their entrance into the compart-
ments b, 61, 62, 63, 6. The downward movement of the rack-end of the fulcrumed
lever is limited by the projection or stop f; and that of the outer end is limited
by the stop f, projecting from the rear face of the bottom plate 2. The mechanism
for operating the shuffling pins or studs for each box is the same as that just
described.
The frame or casing is loosely mounted upon the shaft G, which extends through
the frame or casing and is secured within the side standards A. Upon the fixed
shaft G, within the frame or casing, there is secured, near the end plate C, a cam-
plate G¹, with which the free or outer end of each rack-lever engages as the frame
or casing is rotated. As the frame or casing is swung or turned over, the free or
outer end of lever F¹ engages the end y of the cam-plate G¹ and is forced upward,
as the frame or casing is carried over, until carried past the edge of the cam-
plate. As the outer end of the lever F¹ is forced upward, its inner end is thrown
downward, in order to operate the train of mechanism, beforé described, to impart 4
movement to the eccentrically-connected rod D₁ to rotate the pin or studs d¹ in
order to shuffle the cards. After clearing the end g of the cam-plate G¹, the free
end of the lever F¹ rides on the face thereof until carried past the end g¹;—when
the tension of the spring e¹ will immediately throw the outer end of the lever
upward; causing the inner end to move downward, in order to impart an opposite
throw, through the connecting gears, to the eccentrically-connected rod D¹. The
shuffling mechanism of each box is operated in the same manner as the free end
of the fulcrumed rack-lever is carried past the cam G¹.
Each longitudinal edge-piece B3 is provided with a depending knob H, which is
used as a handle by which to swing or turn the casing or frame
over and to operate the lock-mechanism of the base box.
consists of a longitudinal spring-actuated slide-plate
mechanism
This
H¹,

page_text: mounted upon a bar H³, secured within the base box; the slide being
held outward by the tension of the spiral spring H³. To the forward end of the
slide-plate His connected a cross-head K, which slides upon the platform K',.
inwardly projecting into the base box from the receiver K2. To the under face
of this platform, at each side of the inner end, are fulcrumed the arms h, h;
which arms are provided with jaws ³, which embrace the platform K¹. The
arms' h, h¹, are connected by the spring h, so that the jaws h³, h³, are normally
held closed. The disk or token j, for releasing the lock-mechanism, is placed
within the receiver, through the guide extending therein. As the disk enters
into the receiver K³, through the guide j', it falls onto tlie platform K¹, in
advance of the cross-head K., As the knob H, during the rotation of the swinging
frame, or casing, strikes against the stud 2, secured to the slide-plate H', upwardly.
projecting through a slot formed in the top of the base box, the slide-plate H' is
forced inward; the cross-head carried thereby forcing the disk toward the inner
end of the platform K. As moved upon the platform, the disk enters between.
the jaws 2, 3, and forces the same apart. The moment the disk is carried. past.
the spring-actuated jaws, they come together, and cannot be opened until another
disk is carried; between the jaws. The cross-head cannot be moved forward to
open the jaws unless a disk is carried thereby; for, if moved forward, the stud 5.
carried by the said cross-head strikes against the forward end of the jaws, below
the platform, and holds the cross-head against movement. By the time the slide-
plate has moved inwardly far enough for the cross-heads to force the disk through.
the jaws h2, h3, the knob H will be carried past the stud and the casing will be
free to rotate until the knob of the next shuffling box engages said stud; when
the swinging casing will be socked against movement until a disk is placed in the:
receiver to release the lock-mechanism.
In order that the cards entering into the compartments b, 61, 62, 63, 64, will fall
behind the front card, the lower or bottom plate of each shuffling box is inclined:
upwardly from the point 5 to 6; and from point 6 to its lower edge is formed
straight. The first card entering the compartments will rest against the lower
straight portion of the plate 2; its upper-end portion extending above the inclined.
portion of the plate. As the succeeding cards drop, they will enter the compart-
ments at the rear of the first cards. The inclined portion of the bottom-plate of
the box thus acts as a guide for the cards.
"
By forming an opening in the top of the base box immediately over the plat-
form K and covering the same with glass, any dispute as to whether the disk has
been placed within the reservoir may be avoided; for the same will show through
the glass covering.
...
ز
One way of playing the herein-described apparatus is to have a given number.
of points say a thousand constitute a game: the player first scoring a thousand:
points wins the game. Each hand of cards exposed by the machine will have a
given valuation in points; and by adding together or keeping accounts of the
various points made by, each player, the score of each may be readily ascertained.
One person or player should act as what is known as the "Banker; "and to each
player he should deal or deliver a certain number of disks; the object being to
see which player can make the highest number of points with a given number of
disks or pieces to play with. In counting the hands we proceed about as follows:
Any hand displayed where the cards are in sequence and of one colar from ten
to ace will count, say one thousand; where the cards are all of one color, but
below the ten spots in sequence, the count will be, say nine hundred points; if
four cards of the same denomination, above the ten spots, eight hundred points;
below the ten spots, seven hundred and fifty points; all cards exposed being of the
same color, seven hundred points; three cards of one denomination and two of
another, six hundred points; three cards of one denomination, five hundred points;
the number of points being proportionally thus reduced in accordance as to whether
the hand or cards exposed fall below the one enumerated. The first player that
scores one thousand points wins the game.

page_text: -
Inasmuch as one player acts as "banker," he directs the play of the game;
consequently, his decision is binding upon the balance of the players, and as he
directs the play of each player, and should keep the score being a disinterested
player, unfair playing is obviated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of pur said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. In a game apparatus, the combination with a swinging casing or frame.
composed of two or more shuffling boxes connected together, the cutting ribs or
partitions secured within the lower portion of the shuffling boxes so as to provide
display compartments, a shuffling chamber in the upper portion of the boxes, a
series of rotating shuffling fingers extending into said chamber, and of mechanism
for imparting rotary movement to said fingers as the casing or frame is swung
over or rotated.
2. In a game apparatus, the combination with the casing or frame, of the card-
shuffling box, a chamber formed therein within which the cards are shuffled and
intermixed, the movable shuffling device extending into said chamber, and of
mechanism for imparting motion to said shuffling device.
3. In a game apparatus, the combination with a swinging frame or casing, of
the card shuffling and display box carried thereby, a chamber formed therein
within which cards are shuffled and intermixed, a series of agitating or
shuffling
devices extending into said chamber, of mechanism for imparting motion to said
devices during the movement of the casing or frame, and of suitable lock-
mechanism for controlling the swing or movement of the frame or casing.
4. In a game apparatus, the combination with the swinging frame or casing
of the disk-controlled lock mechanism for regulating the movement of the frame
or casing, a chamber formed therein within which cards are shuffled and intermixed,
a series of rotating shuffling fingers working within the said chamber, the recipro-
cating rod for imparting rotary motion to the shuffling fingers, a fulcrumed rack-
lever, gear connection between said lever and the reciprocating rod, a shaft upon
which the frame or casing is mounted to swing, and a cam secured to said shaft
with which the outer end of the fulcrumed rack-lever engages as the frame or
casing is swung over.
5. In a game apparatus, the combination with a swinging shuffling and display
box, of a chamber formed therein within which cards to be displayed are shuffled
and intermixed, the movable card-shuffling devices extending within said chamber,
of mechanism for imparting motion to said devices during the swinging movement
of the frame or casing, and of disk-controlled lock-mechanism for regulating the
movement of the swinging frame or casing.
6. In a game apparatus, the combination with the swinging card shuffling box
or casing, the lock-mechanism for controlling the movement of the shuffling box
or casing, and of the cutting ribs or fingers secured within the said shuffling
box or casing.
In testimony whereof, we have hereunto affixed our signatures, in the presence
of witnesses, this 27th day of July 1897, at the Čity and County of San
Traveise
In the presence of
N. A. ACKER.
ELMER WICKES.
ROBERT S. CROOKS.
FRANK B. CROOKS.