Improvements in Apparatus for use in Playing a Game of Chance.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for use in Playing a Game of Chance.
I, THEODORE BIRNBAUM, of Wick Lane Rubber Works, Bow, in the County of
Middlesex, India Rubber Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
The apparatus is designed to afford a track, or tracks, or course or courses, for
the travel of a rolling piece, or pieces, which pieces in the course of their journies
are caused intermittently to come into contact with obstacles, not visible to the
players, whereby their travel on their courses are delayed and an element of
uncertainty in the period of their arrival at the goal is introduced.
According to a convenient construction of my invention, I form a frame or case,
the upper surface of which is inclined to the base line. On this upper surface are
arranged rails, or guides, and upon these rails may be mounted articles on wheels,
or the like, such as model horses, camels, locomotive-engines, motor cars, and other
representations. These models are set running down the inclined surfaces and at
certain intervals they run into contact with signal posts, hurdles or other obstacles
to progress. These obstacles are intermittently free to be displaced by the
travelling models, or to be held rigid. One method of effecting this intermittent
hold and release is by mounting the obstacles on arms from an axis below the
This bend, or
track and from the axis at one side depends a cranked or bent arm.
crank arm is so arranged relatively to a rotating cam or pattern surface, that at
certain points the crank arm can swing freely allowing the model to pass, whilst
intermittently one of several solid parts of the cam, comes in the way and locks
said arm and thereby the obstacle becomes rigid. The cams may be rotated by
shafts, actuated from one end of the machine by handle, or by clockwork, or by
weight, or otherwise.
The obstacles themselves may in places be covered by representations of tunnels,
bridges, stations or cuttings so as to hide the model locomotive or the like, at
these positions and so increase the excitement of the players.
The cams may be constructed to give varying risks of detention at the various
points and the corresponding allowances in scoring may be arranged.
The frame or case may be made to fold up somewhat after the manner of a
folding bagatelle table.
1907

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for use in Playing a Game of Chance.
I, THEODORE BIRNBAUM, of Wick Lane Rubber Works, Bow, in the County of
Middlesex, India Rubber Manufacturer, 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 apparatus is designed to afford a track, or tracks, or course or courses, for
the travel of a rolling piece, or pieces, which pieces in the course of their journies
are caused intermittently to come into contact with obstacles, not visible to the
players, whereby their travel on their courses are delayed and an element of
uncertainty in the period of their arrival at the goal is introduced.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
Fig. 1 shows a sectional side view of apparatus for use in playing the game,
according to a convenient construction of my invention. Portions of the apparatus
are shown broken away for the sake of convenience.
Fig. 2 shews an end view of toy engines such as shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 shews the apparatus on a reduced scale.
I form a frame or case a, the surface of which is inclined to the base line or
floor on which it stands.
On the upper surface are arranged rails, or guides, and upon these rails may
be mounted articles on wheels, or the like, such as model horses, camels, loco-
motive engines, motor cars and other representations. In the drawings I have
illustrated toy locomotive-engines by way of example.
These models are set running down the inclined surfaces, and at certain intervals
they run into contact with signal posts, hurdles, or other obstacles to progress.
These obstacles are intermittently free to be displaced by the travelling models,
or to be held rigid. One method of effecting this intermittent hold and release
is by mounting the obstacles con arms c¹, from an axis c³, below the track 6, and
from the axis depends a weighted arm c³.
This arm is so arranged relatively to a rotating cam, or pattern surface, d,
that at certain points the arm can swing freely, allowing the model A to pass,
whilst intermittently one of several solid parts d³, of the cam, comes in the way
and locks said arm, and thereby the obstacle becomes rigid.
A depending stop piece A¹ is provided on the model A in the path of which the
obstacles are introduced.
The cams d may be rotated by means of gear wheels 1, engaging with worms e¹
fixed on shafts c, actuated from one end of the machine by handles f, or by clock- 3
work, or by weight; or otherwise.
Or the obstacles may consist of arms g from sleeves fixed on the axes of the gear
wheels, the rotation of said arms intermittently introducing an obstacle to the
engine.
The obstacles themselves may in places be covered by representations of tunnels, 4
bridges, stations or cuttings so as to hide the model locomotive or the like, at these
positions and so increase the excitement of the players.
The models may be started simultaneously by means of triggers h, centered at h',
and having weighted arms h2, which are pulled by a cord h³, at the moment of
starting. A folding leg i enables the frame to be tilted.
The number of teeth in the gear wheels may vary throughout the length of
the course, so as to give more or less frequency of action to the obstacles.
The cams d, or arms g; may be constructed to give varying risks of detention at
the various points, and the corresponding allowances in scoring may be arranged.
4

page_text: The frame or case may be made to fold up somewhat after the manner of a
folding bagatelle table.
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. The construction, or arrangement, in combination, and use of parts of
apparatus, for controlling the passage of engines, or other like travelling articles,
on rails or tracks for use in playing a game of chance, substantially as set forth.
2. The construction or arrangement of parts of apparatus for use in playing a
game of chance as set forth.
1
04
of November 1807
COUCLE
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.