Year: 1898

page_text: I, JOHN PROCTOR, of 83, Todmorden Road, Burnley, Lancashire, Inland Revenue
Officer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object an improved puzzle of the character in which
a small ball is to be traversed from compartment to compartment so as to get it
from one position to another in the shortest number of moves by means of tilting
or otherwise moving the case.
According to this invention a suitable case is divided up by partitions into
a number of square compartments, and the whole is covered with a glass cover
directly on the edges of the partitions. Holes are formed between the different
compartments through the partitions in various ways and some of these holes or
openings are not sufficiently large to allow of the ball passing through and simply
act as misleading openings. One of the compartments preferably a corner one is
marked "trap or otherwise and the object of the puzzle is to traverse a small
ball from this compartment through the openings from one compartment to
another, to the opposite corner compartment which is also marked "trap" in the
shortest number of moves. The case is tilted or otherwise moved to effect this.
37
In another arrangement at the centre of the case a platform is formed slightly
higher than the surface of the other compartments and acts as a kind of junction
by which the ball can be diverted from one set of compartments to another.
In a further arrangement round the edges of the case long passages are fitted
disconnected from each other but having openings into several of the adjacent
compartments and these side paths are arranged as part of the path to be traversed
by the ball in going from one trap to another.
By suitably arranging the openings it can be made a fairly difficult operation to
traverse the ball in the shortest number of moves. The traps of course may be at
portions of the board other than the corners if desired.
30 1
1000

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:--
This invention has for its object an improved puzzle of the character in which
a small ball is to be traversed from compartment to compartment so as to get it
from one position to another in the shortest number of moves by means of tilting
or otherwise moving the case.
According to this invention a suitable case is divided up by partitions into
a number of compartments, and the whole is covered with a glass cover directly on
the edges of the partitions. Holes are formed between the different compartments
through the partitions in various ways and some of these holes or openings are not
sufficiently large to allow of the ball passing through and simply act as misleading
openings. One of the compartments, preferably a corner one is marked "trap" or
otherwise, and the object of the puzzle is to traverse a small ball from this compart-
ment through the openings from one compartment to another to the opposite corner.
compartment which is also marked " trap" in the shortest number of moves.
The case is tilted or otherwise moved to effect this.
In order to more clearly indicate the nature of this invention reference is had
to the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings on which,
Fig. 1 shows a case fitted with partitions in accordance with this invention, the
partitions being indicated in horizontal section by means of thick lines.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line AB, Fig. 1,
And Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrammatical views indicating variations of the
invention.
Referring first to the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the case A is
divided up by the partitions a, b, preferably but not necessarily at right angles,
into a number of compartments, and a glass cover c is placed over the whole,
directly upon the edges of the partitions ab. Holes are formed at a¹ and b¹ in
the partitions ab affording communication between the compartments and as will
be seen from the drawings, many of these holes are not sufficiently large to allow
of the ball d passing through and simply act as misleading openings. Two
compartments at opposite corners are marked "trap" or other suitable wording
may be used. The object of the game is, by tilting and inclining the case A to
cause the ball d which is in one trap to pass from compartment to compartment
by means of the openings a¹¹ in the partitions ab to the opposite "trap." If
desired the puzzle may be to do so in the shortest number of moves.
"
"
The case A is preferably enclosed in a box B as shown in Fig. 2.
By variously arranging the large and small openings it may be made a fairly
difficult operation to traverse the ball from one trap to the other in the smallest
number of moves.
The traps may be at portions of the board other than the corners if desired, for
instance, in Fig. 3 they are at the centre and adjacent.
In Fig. 4 the case A is arranged in a circular form, the traps being in the centre.
In these two figures the arrangement of the openings a¹ b¹ has not been indicated
but any suitable arrangement may be used without departing from this invention.
The arrangement must, however, be such as will prevent direct communication
between the two traps. In order to render the openings more deceptive, lines may
be printed round them in various ways.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
(1) An improved puzzle comprising a case divided by means of partitions into
a number of compartments, large and small openings being formed in the partitions
for affording communication between the compartments, and a small ball which is
to be traversed by tilting and inclining the case from one portion of the case to
another, the ball being capable of passing through the large openings but not
through the small ones, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.

page_text: (2) An improved puzzle comprising a case A divided by means of the
partitions ab into a number of compartments, large and small, openings a¹ b₁
being formed in the partitions ab for affording communication between the
compartments, a ball d which is to be traversed by tilting and inclining the case A
from one "trap" to the other, the ball d being capable of passing through the
large openings ab but not through the small ones and a glass cover c whereby
the whole is enclosed while the movements of the ball d can be seen, substantially
as described with reference to the drawings and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 31st day of August 1898.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for the Applicant.